diff --git a/docs/plugin-architecture.md b/docs/plugin-architecture.md
index 59daab8201..311401ef58 100644
--- a/docs/plugin-architecture.md
+++ b/docs/plugin-architecture.md
@@ -1219,7 +1219,10 @@ no inline-renderer or panel contract extension is needed.
 The host provides `ctx.navigation` to plugins declaring `navigation` in `inject`.
 `open(target)` returns a presentation result, not merely an accepted address:
 `opened`, `failed` (with a reason), `superseded`, or `cancelled`. The host owns one
-history driver, toolbar/keyboard traversal, and a 15-second attempt deadline.
+history driver, toolbar/keyboard traversal, and a 15-second attempt deadline
+that runs only while a presenter is attached (the identity/key-setup gate,
+`IdentitySetup`, hides the only one, so the startup visit's deadline starts when
+that gate lifts).
 A visit has stable identity; retrying/reclicking preserves that visit and Forward,
 while a new destination truncates the forward branch. Leaving aborts the old
 attempt, and late completion cannot acknowledge a replacement attempt.
diff --git a/src/app/navigation.ts b/src/app/navigation.ts
index c281aa2ea0..30cd0becba 100644
--- a/src/app/navigation.ts
+++ b/src/app/navigation.ts
@@ -43,6 +43,12 @@ export function useAppNavigation(
     services.plugins.snapshot,
   );
 
+  // This is the presenter the visit deadline measures. Behind the identity and
+  // key-setup gate (IdentitySetup) none exists, so the startup visit's deadline
+  // runs from this mount, not from createServices(); otherwise a new user's first
+  // frame was the timeout notice.
+  useLayoutEffect(() => services.navigationHost.attach(), [services]);
+
   const startup = plugins.configuration.status;
   const target = state.entry.target;
   const settings = target.kind === "settings";
diff --git a/src/features/messages/ThreadPanel.test.tsx b/src/features/messages/ThreadPanel.test.tsx
index a3741ef75e..bfdbbcb028 100644
--- a/src/features/messages/ThreadPanel.test.tsx
+++ b/src/features/messages/ThreadPanel.test.tsx
@@ -1210,6 +1210,8 @@ it.each(["ready", "unavailable", "error"] as const)(
 it("a presented ordinary thread survives the real navigation deadline while history is pending", async () => {
   vi.useFakeTimers();
   const controller = createNavigationController(createMemoryHistory());
+  // The visit deadline runs only while a presenter is attached, as the app's is.
+  controller.attach();
   let release = () => {};
   try {
     const navigation = ordinaryNavigation();
diff --git a/src/features/navigation/controller.test.ts b/src/features/navigation/controller.test.ts
index addd67ce0e..022aea400d 100644
--- a/src/features/navigation/controller.test.ts
+++ b/src/features/navigation/controller.test.ts
@@ -14,10 +14,12 @@ const page: OpenTarget = {
   pageId: "board",
 };
 const cleanups: (() => void)[] = [];
-function setup(capacity = 100) {
+function setup(capacity = 100, presenter = true) {
   const history = createMemoryHistory(homeTarget, capacity);
   const host = createNavigationController(history);
   cleanups.push(host.dispose);
+  // The deadline measures a presenter; the app's attaches on mount.
+  if (presenter) cleanups.push(host.attach());
   return { host, navigation: host.navigation, history };
 }
 afterEach(() => {
@@ -216,6 +218,42 @@ describe("navigation attempts over one history driver", () => {
   });
 });
 
+it("runs the attempt deadline only while a presenter is attached", async () => {
+  vi.useFakeTimers();
+  const { host, navigation: nav } = setup(100, false);
+  // The startup visit exists before any presenter; its deadline is not running.
+  const { attempt } = nav.snapshot();
+  expect(nav.snapshot()).toMatchObject({ status: "opening", attempt });
+  await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(60_000);
+  expect(nav.snapshot()).toMatchObject({ status: "opening", attempt });
+  // The deadline starts when a presenter attaches and stops when the last leaves.
+  const first = host.attach();
+  await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(14_999);
+  const second = host.attach();
+  first();
+  await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1);
+  // One presenter remains, so the running deadline stands.
+  expect(nav.snapshot()).toMatchObject({
+    status: "failed",
+    reason: "timeout",
+    attempt,
+  });
+  const pending = nav.retry();
+  await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(14_999);
+  second();
+  await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(60_000);
+  expect(nav.snapshot().status).toBe("opening");
+  // A presenter attaching later is measured from its own start.
+  cleanups.push(host.attach());
+  await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(14_999);
+  expect(nav.snapshot().status).toBe("opening");
+  await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1);
+  await expect(pending).resolves.toEqual({
+    status: "failed",
+    reason: "timeout",
+  });
+});
+
 it("default resolution preserves visit, promise, signal and deadline while revoking the old completion token", async () => {
   vi.useFakeTimers();
   const { host, navigation: nav } = setup();
diff --git a/src/features/navigation/controller.ts b/src/features/navigation/controller.ts
index 8b7ee78fbc..5492279bfb 100644
--- a/src/features/navigation/controller.ts
+++ b/src/features/navigation/controller.ts
@@ -78,11 +78,15 @@ export function createNavigationController(
     promise: Promise<OpenResult>;
     resolve: (result: OpenResult) => void;
     pending: boolean;
-    timer?: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>;
+    timer?: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined;
   };
   let disposed = false;
   let active: Operation;
   let snapshot: NavigationSnapshot;
+  // The deadline measures a presenter. None may exist yet (the identity and
+  // key-setup gate, IdentitySetup, hides the app for minutes), so it runs only
+  // while one is attached.
+  let presenters = 0;
   let ingressRetry: (() => Promise<OpenResult>) | undefined;
   const listeners = new Set<() => void>();
   // Commit state and capture each caller's result before invoking external code.
@@ -123,6 +127,16 @@ export function createNavigationController(
     clearTimeout(operation.timer);
     operation.resolve(result);
   }
+  function arm(operation: Operation) {
+    if (!presenters || !operation.pending || operation.timer) return;
+    operation.timer = setTimeout(
+      () =>
+        transaction(() => {
+          finish(operation, { status: "failed", reason: "timeout" });
+        }),
+      timeoutMs,
+    );
+  }
   function finish(operation: Operation, result: OpenResult) {
     if (operation !== active || !operation.pending) return;
     settle(operation, result);
@@ -174,13 +188,7 @@ export function createNavigationController(
       finish(operation, { status: "failed", reason: "invalid-target" });
       return promise;
     }
-    operation.timer = setTimeout(
-      () =>
-        transaction(() => {
-          finish(operation, { status: "failed", reason: "timeout" });
-        }),
-      timeoutMs,
-    );
+    arm(operation);
     emit();
     return promise;
   }
@@ -295,6 +303,24 @@ export function createNavigationController(
   });
   return {
     navigation,
+    /**
+     * Host-only: a presenter now exists. The pending visit's deadline starts (or
+     * restarts) here and stops when the last presenter detaches, so an attempt
+     * nobody could present never times out, while one a presenter stalls on does.
+     */
+    attach() {
+      presenters++;
+      arm(active);
+      let attached = true;
+      return () => {
+        if (!attached) return;
+        attached = false;
+        presenters--;
+        if (presenters) return;
+        clearTimeout(active.timer);
+        active.timer = undefined;
+      };
+    },
     /** Normalize a pending presentation, not a new intent; never reset its deadline. */
     resolve(attempt: OpenAttempt, input: OpenTarget) {
       return transaction(() => {
diff --git a/src/features/navigation/service.test.ts b/src/features/navigation/service.test.ts
index 68510fed87..86d383336b 100644
--- a/src/features/navigation/service.test.ts
+++ b/src/features/navigation/service.test.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ function setup(retain = false) {
   const ctx = new Context();
   contexts.push(ctx);
   const host = provideNavigation(ctx);
+  // The visit deadline runs only while a presenter is attached, as the app's is.
+  host.attach();
   let live = true;
   const listeners = new Set<() => void>();
   const owner: PresentationOwner = {