diff --git a/packages/app/src/app-support/index-startup.ts b/packages/app/src/app-support/index-startup.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index b0ffffe41..000000000
--- a/packages/app/src/app-support/index-startup.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,36 +0,0 @@
-export const WELCOME_ROUTE = "/welcome";
-
-export function shouldWaitOnStartupRace(input: {
-  onlineServerId: string | null;
-  hasTimedOut: boolean;
-  isDesktopStartupRace: boolean;
-  daemonCount: number;
-  pathname: string;
-}): boolean {
-  if (input.onlineServerId) {
-    return false;
-  }
-  if (input.pathname === WELCOME_ROUTE) {
-    return false;
-  }
-  if (input.hasTimedOut) {
-    return false;
-  }
-  return input.isDesktopStartupRace || input.daemonCount > 0;
-}
-
-export function shouldRedirectToWelcome(input: {
-  onlineServerId: string | null;
-  hasTimedOut: boolean;
-  pathname: string;
-  isDesktopStartupRace: boolean;
-  daemonCount: number;
-}): boolean {
-  if (input.onlineServerId || !input.hasTimedOut) {
-    return false;
-  }
-  if (input.pathname !== "/" && input.pathname !== "") {
-    return false;
-  }
-  return input.isDesktopStartupRace || input.daemonCount > 0;
-}
diff --git a/packages/app/src/app/_layout.tsx b/packages/app/src/app/_layout.tsx
index 164b9de5e..5dcc3819b 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/app/_layout.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/app/_layout.tsx
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ import {
   useHostMutations,
   useHostRuntimeClient,
 } from "@/runtime/host-runtime";
+import { shouldUseDesktopDaemon } from "@/desktop/daemon/desktop-daemon";
+import { StartupSplashScreen } from "@/screens/startup-splash-screen";
+import { loadSettingsFromStorage } from "@/hooks/use-settings";
 import { SessionProvider } from "@/contexts/session-context";
 import type { HostProfile } from "@/types/host-connection";
 import {
@@ -210,14 +213,22 @@ function HostRuntimeBootstrapProvider({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
     let cancelled = false;
     const store = getHostRuntimeStore();
 
-    void store
-      .loadFromStorage()
+    const init = async () => {
+      const settings = await loadSettingsFromStorage();
+      const isDesktopManaged = shouldUseDesktopDaemon() && settings.manageBuiltInDaemon;
+      await store.loadFromStorage();
+      if (isDesktopManaged) {
+        await store.bootstrap({ manageBuiltInDaemon: true });
+      } else {
+        void store.bootstrap({ manageBuiltInDaemon: settings.manageBuiltInDaemon });
+      }
+    };
+
+    void init()
       .then(() => {
-        if (cancelled) {
-          return;
+        if (!cancelled) {
+          setReady(true);
         }
-        setReady(true);
-        void store.bootstrap();
       })
       .catch((error) => {
         console.error("[HostRuntime] Failed to initialize store", error);
@@ -415,7 +426,9 @@ function ProvidersWrapper({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) {
   }, [isLoading, settings.theme]);
 
   if (isLoading) {
-    return <LoadingView />;
+    const isDesktopManaged =
+      !settingsLoading && shouldUseDesktopDaemon() && settings.manageBuiltInDaemon;
+    return isDesktopManaged ? <StartupSplashScreen /> : <LoadingView />;
   }
 
   return (
diff --git a/packages/app/src/app/index.tsx b/packages/app/src/app/index.tsx
index bab7d68c7..bc2426cf1 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/app/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/app/index.tsx
@@ -1,113 +1,18 @@
-import { useEffect, useSyncExternalStore, useState } from "react";
+import { useEffect } from "react";
 import { usePathname, useRouter } from "expo-router";
-import { useHosts } from "@/runtime/host-runtime";
-import { shouldUseDesktopDaemon } from "@/desktop/daemon/desktop-daemon";
-import { buildHostRootRoute } from "@/utils/host-routes";
-import { StartupSplashScreen } from "@/screens/startup-splash-screen";
-import { WelcomeScreen } from "@/components/welcome-screen";
-import { getHostRuntimeStore, isHostRuntimeConnected } from "@/runtime/host-runtime";
-import {
-  shouldRedirectToWelcome,
-  shouldWaitOnStartupRace,
-  WELCOME_ROUTE,
-} from "@/app-support/index-startup";
 
-const STARTUP_TIMEOUT_MS = 30_000;
-function useAnyHostOnline(serverIds: string[]): string | null {
-  const runtime = getHostRuntimeStore();
-  return useSyncExternalStore(
-    (onStoreChange) => runtime.subscribeAll(onStoreChange),
-    () => {
-      let firstOnlineServerId: string | null = null;
-      let firstOnlineAt: string | null = null;
-      for (const serverId of serverIds) {
-        const snapshot = runtime.getSnapshot(serverId);
-        const lastOnlineAt = snapshot?.lastOnlineAt ?? null;
-        if (!isHostRuntimeConnected(snapshot) || !lastOnlineAt) {
-          continue;
-        }
-        if (!firstOnlineAt || lastOnlineAt < firstOnlineAt) {
-          firstOnlineAt = lastOnlineAt;
-          firstOnlineServerId = serverId;
-        }
-      }
-      return firstOnlineServerId;
-    },
-    () => {
-      let firstOnlineServerId: string | null = null;
-      let firstOnlineAt: string | null = null;
-      for (const serverId of serverIds) {
-        const snapshot = runtime.getSnapshot(serverId);
-        const lastOnlineAt = snapshot?.lastOnlineAt ?? null;
-        if (!isHostRuntimeConnected(snapshot) || !lastOnlineAt) {
-          continue;
-        }
-        if (!firstOnlineAt || lastOnlineAt < firstOnlineAt) {
-          firstOnlineAt = lastOnlineAt;
-          firstOnlineServerId = serverId;
-        }
-      }
-      return firstOnlineServerId;
-    },
-  );
-}
+const WELCOME_ROUTE = "/welcome";
 
 export default function Index() {
   const router = useRouter();
   const pathname = usePathname();
-  const daemons = useHosts();
-  const [hasTimedOut, setHasTimedOut] = useState(false);
-  const isDesktopStartupRace = shouldUseDesktopDaemon();
-  const onlineServerId = useAnyHostOnline(daemons.map((daemon) => daemon.serverId));
-  useEffect(() => {
-    const timer = setTimeout(() => {
-      setHasTimedOut(true);
-    }, STARTUP_TIMEOUT_MS);
-    return () => {
-      clearTimeout(timer);
-    };
-  }, []);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (!onlineServerId) {
-      return;
-    }
     if (pathname !== "/" && pathname !== "") {
       return;
     }
-    router.replace(buildHostRootRoute(onlineServerId) as any);
-  }, [onlineServerId, pathname, router]);
-
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (
-      !shouldRedirectToWelcome({
-        onlineServerId,
-        hasTimedOut,
-        pathname,
-        isDesktopStartupRace,
-        daemonCount: daemons.length,
-      })
-    ) {
-      return;
-    }
     router.replace(WELCOME_ROUTE as any);
-  }, [daemons.length, hasTimedOut, isDesktopStartupRace, onlineServerId, pathname, router]);
-
-  if (
-    shouldWaitOnStartupRace({
-      onlineServerId,
-      hasTimedOut,
-      isDesktopStartupRace,
-      daemonCount: daemons.length,
-      pathname,
-    })
-  ) {
-    return <StartupSplashScreen />;
-  }
-
-  if (!onlineServerId) {
-    return <WelcomeScreen />;
-  }
+  }, [pathname, router]);
 
   return null;
 }
diff --git a/packages/app/src/components/welcome-screen.tsx b/packages/app/src/components/welcome-screen.tsx
index 1b6d65ec2..8ed402b76 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/components/welcome-screen.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/components/welcome-screen.tsx
@@ -1,11 +1,17 @@
-import { useCallback, useState } from "react";
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useState, useSyncExternalStore } from "react";
 import { Pressable, Text, View, Platform, ScrollView } from "react-native";
 import { useRouter } from "expo-router";
 import { StyleSheet, useUnistyles } from "react-native-unistyles";
 import { QrCode, Link2, ClipboardPaste } from "lucide-react-native";
 import { useSafeAreaInsets } from "react-native-safe-area-context";
 import type { HostProfile } from "@/types/host-connection";
-import { useHostMutations } from "@/runtime/host-runtime";
+import {
+  getHostRuntimeStore,
+  isHostRuntimeConnected,
+  useHostMutations,
+  useHostRuntimeSnapshot,
+  useHosts,
+} from "@/runtime/host-runtime";
 import { useSessionStore } from "@/stores/session-store";
 import { AddHostModal } from "./add-host-modal";
 import { PairLinkModal } from "./pair-link-modal";
@@ -79,6 +85,39 @@ const styles = StyleSheet.create((theme) => ({
   actionTextPrimary: {
     color: theme.colors.accentForeground,
   },
+  hostList: {
+    width: "100%",
+    maxWidth: 420,
+    marginTop: theme.spacing[6],
+    borderTopWidth: 1,
+    borderTopColor: theme.colors.border,
+    paddingTop: theme.spacing[4],
+    gap: theme.spacing[2],
+  },
+  hostRow: {
+    flexDirection: "row",
+    alignItems: "center",
+    gap: theme.spacing[3],
+    paddingVertical: theme.spacing[2],
+  },
+  statusDot: {
+    width: 8,
+    height: 8,
+    borderRadius: 4,
+  },
+  hostLabel: {
+    flex: 1,
+    color: theme.colors.foreground,
+    fontSize: theme.fontSize.sm,
+  },
+  hostStatus: {
+    color: theme.colors.foregroundMuted,
+    fontSize: theme.fontSize.sm,
+  },
+  hostStatusError: {
+    color: theme.colors.destructive,
+    fontSize: theme.fontSize.sm,
+  },
   versionLabel: {
     color: theme.colors.foregroundMuted,
     fontSize: theme.fontSize.xs,
@@ -87,6 +126,89 @@ const styles = StyleSheet.create((theme) => ({
   },
 }));
 
+function useAnyHostOnline(serverIds: string[]): string | null {
+  const runtime = getHostRuntimeStore();
+  return useSyncExternalStore(
+    (onStoreChange) => runtime.subscribeAll(onStoreChange),
+    () => {
+      let firstOnlineServerId: string | null = null;
+      let firstOnlineAt: string | null = null;
+      for (const serverId of serverIds) {
+        const snapshot = runtime.getSnapshot(serverId);
+        const lastOnlineAt = snapshot?.lastOnlineAt ?? null;
+        if (!isHostRuntimeConnected(snapshot) || !lastOnlineAt) {
+          continue;
+        }
+        if (!firstOnlineAt || lastOnlineAt < firstOnlineAt) {
+          firstOnlineAt = lastOnlineAt;
+          firstOnlineServerId = serverId;
+        }
+      }
+      return firstOnlineServerId;
+    },
+    () => {
+      let firstOnlineServerId: string | null = null;
+      let firstOnlineAt: string | null = null;
+      for (const serverId of serverIds) {
+        const snapshot = runtime.getSnapshot(serverId);
+        const lastOnlineAt = snapshot?.lastOnlineAt ?? null;
+        if (!isHostRuntimeConnected(snapshot) || !lastOnlineAt) {
+          continue;
+        }
+        if (!firstOnlineAt || lastOnlineAt < firstOnlineAt) {
+          firstOnlineAt = lastOnlineAt;
+          firstOnlineServerId = serverId;
+        }
+      }
+      return firstOnlineServerId;
+    },
+  );
+}
+
+function HostStatusRow({ serverId, label }: { serverId: string; label: string }) {
+  const { theme } = useUnistyles();
+  const snapshot = useHostRuntimeSnapshot(serverId);
+  const status = snapshot?.connectionStatus ?? "connecting";
+  const lastError = snapshot?.lastError ?? null;
+
+  let dotColor: string;
+  let statusText: string;
+  let isError = false;
+
+  switch (status) {
+    case "online":
+      dotColor = theme.colors.success;
+      statusText = "Online";
+      break;
+    case "connecting":
+    case "idle":
+      dotColor = theme.colors.foregroundMuted;
+      statusText = "Connecting…";
+      break;
+    case "offline":
+      dotColor = theme.colors.foregroundMuted;
+      statusText = "Offline";
+      break;
+    case "error":
+      dotColor = theme.colors.destructive;
+      statusText = lastError ? lastError.slice(0, 40) : "Connection error";
+      isError = true;
+      break;
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <View style={styles.hostRow}>
+      <View style={[styles.statusDot, { backgroundColor: dotColor }]} />
+      <Text style={styles.hostLabel} numberOfLines={1}>
+        {label}
+      </Text>
+      <Text style={isError ? styles.hostStatusError : styles.hostStatus} numberOfLines={1}>
+        {statusText}
+      </Text>
+    </View>
+  );
+}
+
 export interface WelcomeScreenProps {
   onHostAdded?: (profile: HostProfile) => void;
 }
@@ -105,6 +227,8 @@ export function WelcomeScreen({ onHostAdded }: WelcomeScreenProps) {
     hostname: string | null;
   } | null>(null);
   const [pendingRedirectServerId, setPendingRedirectServerId] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const hosts = useHosts();
+  const anyOnlineServerId = useAnyHostOnline(hosts.map((h) => h.serverId));
   const pendingNameHostname = useSessionStore(
     useCallback(
       (state) => {
@@ -119,6 +243,16 @@ export function WelcomeScreen({ onHostAdded }: WelcomeScreenProps) {
     ),
   );
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!anyOnlineServerId) {
+      return;
+    }
+    if (pendingNameHost) {
+      return;
+    }
+    router.replace(buildHostRootRoute(anyOnlineServerId) as any);
+  }, [anyOnlineServerId, pendingNameHost, router]);
+
   const finishOnboarding = useCallback(
     (serverId: string) => {
       router.replace(buildHostRootRoute(serverId) as any);
@@ -173,6 +307,8 @@ export function WelcomeScreen({ onHostAdded }: WelcomeScreenProps) {
           },
         ];
 
+  const showHostList = hosts.length > 0 && !anyOnlineServerId;
+
   return (
     <ScrollView
       style={{ flex: 1, backgroundColor: theme.colors.surface0 }}
@@ -186,7 +322,9 @@ export function WelcomeScreen({ onHostAdded }: WelcomeScreenProps) {
       <View style={styles.content}>
         <PaseoLogo size={96} color={theme.colors.foreground} />
         <Text style={styles.title}>Welcome to Paseo</Text>
-        <Text style={styles.subtitle}>Connect to your host to start</Text>
+        <Text style={styles.subtitle}>
+          {showHostList ? "Connecting to your hosts…" : "Connect to your host to start"}
+        </Text>
 
         <View style={styles.actions}>
           {actions.map((action) => {
@@ -209,6 +347,14 @@ export function WelcomeScreen({ onHostAdded }: WelcomeScreenProps) {
             );
           })}
         </View>
+
+        {showHostList && (
+          <View style={styles.hostList}>
+            {hosts.map((host) => (
+              <HostStatusRow key={host.serverId} serverId={host.serverId} label={host.label} />
+            ))}
+          </View>
+        )}
       </View>
       <Text style={styles.versionLabel}>{appVersionText}</Text>
 
diff --git a/packages/app/src/runtime/host-runtime.ts b/packages/app/src/runtime/host-runtime.ts
index affd60523..c228273bd 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/runtime/host-runtime.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/runtime/host-runtime.ts
@@ -1137,7 +1137,7 @@ export class HostRuntimeStore {
     }
   }
 
-  async bootstrap(): Promise<void> {
+  async bootstrap(options?: { manageBuiltInDaemon?: boolean }): Promise<void> {
     if (this.bootstrapAttempted) {
       return;
     }
@@ -1153,7 +1153,9 @@ export class HostRuntimeStore {
     }
 
     if (shouldUseDesktopDaemon()) {
-      await this.bootstrapDesktop();
+      if (options?.manageBuiltInDaemon ?? true) {
+        await this.bootstrapDesktop();
+      }
     } else {
       await this.bootstrapLocalhost();
     }
@@ -1163,20 +1165,16 @@ export class HostRuntimeStore {
     try {
       const daemon = await startDesktopDaemon();
       const connection = connectionFromListen(daemon.listen);
-      if (!connection) {
+      if (!connection || !daemon.serverId) {
         return;
       }
-      const { client, serverId, hostname } = await connectToDaemon(connection, {
-        timeoutMs: DEFAULT_LOCALHOST_BOOTSTRAP_TIMEOUT_MS,
-      });
       await this.upsertHostConnection({
-        serverId,
-        label: hostname ?? daemon.hostname ?? undefined,
+        serverId: daemon.serverId,
+        label: daemon.hostname ?? undefined,
         connection,
-        existingClient: client,
       });
     } catch (error) {
-      console.warn("[HostRuntime] Failed to bootstrap desktop daemon connection", error);
+      console.warn("[HostRuntime] Failed to bootstrap desktop daemon", error);
     }
   }