diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/store/connections.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/store/connections.test.ts
index f7d40bd36f..b0ef462222 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/store/connections.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/store/connections.test.ts
@@ -745,6 +745,30 @@ describe('selectConnection', () => {
     expect($showAllProfiles.get()).toBe(true)
   })
 
+  it('boot restore proceeds after the descriptor wait deadline (bounded wait)', async () => {
+    // A primary that never publishes (spawn failure, dead SSH target) must
+    // not strand the registry restore forever: after the deadline the restore
+    // runs exactly as it did before the wait existed.
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+
+    try {
+      list.mockResolvedValueOnce({ ...registry, lastUsed: 'homelab', launchMode: 'last-used' })
+
+      const restoring = initializeConnectionsRegistry()
+
+      await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1_000)
+      expect(ensureGatewayAgent).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+
+      // Descriptor never arrives; deadline elapses.
+      await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(60_000)
+      await restoring
+
+      expect(ensureGatewayAgent).toHaveBeenCalledWith('homelab', 'default', expect.anything())
+    } finally {
+      vi.useRealTimers()
+    }
+  })
+
   it('a user-initiated source switch still collapses "All profiles"', async () => {
     setConnectionsRegistry(registry)
     $connection.set({ connectionId: 'local', mode: 'local' })
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/store/connections.ts b/apps/desktop/src/store/connections.ts
index 2330eb312e..5fe24eaa35 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/store/connections.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/store/connections.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ const LAST_PROFILE_STORAGE_KEY = 'hermes.desktop.lastProfileByConnection'
 const SWITCH_DIAL_TIMEOUT_MS = 20_000
 const SWITCH_COMMIT_TIMEOUT_MS = 20_000
 const SWITCH_REMEMBER_TIMEOUT_MS = 5_000
+// Matches the primary spawn budget: a healthy cold boot publishes well within
+// this; anything longer means the primary is not coming and the registry
+// restore should stop waiting for it.
+const BOOT_DESCRIPTOR_WAIT_TIMEOUT_MS = 45_000
 
 export { $connectionsRegistry } from '@/store/connection-registry-state'
 
@@ -141,22 +145,41 @@ async function rememberConnection(connectionId: string): Promise<void> {
  * source needs a secondary dial. Otherwise a remote primary can be opened a
  * second time through the registry while the identical primary SSH backend is
  * still publishing its connection identity.
+ *
+ * Bounded: a primary that never publishes (spawn failure, dead SSH target)
+ * must not strand the registry restore forever — after the deadline the
+ * restore proceeds exactly as it did before this wait existed. The listener
+ * is always torn down so a late descriptor can't leak a dangling resolver.
  */
 function waitForInitialConnection(): Promise<void> {
   if ($connection.get()) {
     return Promise.resolve()
   }
 
-  return new Promise(resolve => {
-    const unlisten = $connection.listen(connection => {
+  let unlisten: (() => void) | undefined
+
+  const published = new Promise<void>(resolve => {
+    unlisten = $connection.listen(connection => {
       if (!connection) {
         return
       }
 
-      unlisten()
+      unlisten?.()
       resolve()
     })
   })
+
+  return withTimeout(
+    published,
+    BOOT_DESCRIPTOR_WAIT_TIMEOUT_MS,
+    'Timed out waiting for the primary connection descriptor'
+  ).catch(error => {
+    unlisten?.()
+
+    if (!isTimeoutError(error)) {
+      throw error
+    }
+  })
 }
 
 /**