diff --git a/status/js/core/init.js b/status/js/core/init.js
index a93a631..5fa3617 100644
--- a/status/js/core/init.js
+++ b/status/js/core/init.js
@@ -58,7 +58,12 @@
         if (d.success) window._updateAuthCard(d.config.enabled && d.config.isSetUp, d.config.sessionDuration);
       } catch (e) { /* ignore */ }
     }
-    // Lazy-load onboarding for first-time users, otherwise just add the tour button
+    if (window.__dashcaddySiteConfigLoaded) {
+      try {
+        await window.__dashcaddySiteConfigLoaded;
+      } catch (_) { /* ignore */ }
+    }
+    // Lazy-load onboarding only once per install, otherwise just add the tour button
     addTourButton();
     if (shouldLoadOnboarding()) {
       loadOnboarding();
@@ -89,6 +94,9 @@
 
   // Check if onboarding should auto-start (first-time user)
   function shouldLoadOnboarding() {
+    if (typeof SITE !== 'undefined' && SITE.onboardingCompleted) {
+      return false;
+    }
     try {
       const data = JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('dashcaddy_onboarding'));
       return !data || (!data.tourCompleted && data.currentStep === 0);
@@ -140,11 +148,10 @@
   function addTourButton() {
     if (document.getElementById('restart-tour-btn')) return;
 
-    // Check if tour has been completed before
-    let tourDone = false;
+    let tourDone = typeof SITE !== 'undefined' && SITE.onboardingCompleted;
     try {
       const data = JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('dashcaddy_onboarding'));
-      tourDone = data && data.tourCompleted;
+      tourDone = tourDone || !!(data && data.tourCompleted);
     } catch (_) {}
 
     // Before first completion: show in primary toolbar. After: tuck into Admin section.
diff --git a/status/js/globals.js b/status/js/globals.js
index 859178b..d7a6cee 100644
--- a/status/js/globals.js
+++ b/status/js/globals.js
@@ -35,9 +35,10 @@ const SITE = {
   configurationType: (_cachedCfg && _cachedCfg.configurationType) || 'homelab',
   domain: (_cachedCfg && _cachedCfg.domain) || '',
   defaults: (_cachedCfg && _cachedCfg.defaults) || {},
-  routingMode: (_cachedCfg && _cachedCfg.routingMode) || 'subdomain'
+  routingMode: (_cachedCfg && _cachedCfg.routingMode) || 'subdomain',
+  onboardingCompleted: false
 };
-(async function loadSiteConfig() {
+window.__dashcaddySiteConfigLoaded = (async function loadSiteConfig() {
   try {
     const r = await fetch('/api/v1/config');
     if (r.ok) {
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ const SITE = {
       if (c.domain) SITE.domain = c.domain;
       if (c.defaults) SITE.defaults = c.defaults;
       if (c.routingMode) SITE.routingMode = c.routingMode;
+      SITE.onboardingCompleted = c.onboardingCompleted === true;
       // Cache only non-sensitive display config (TLD, domain, routing mode)
       // DNS IPs and server topology are NOT cached — fetched from API each load
       localStorage.setItem('dashcaddy_site_config', JSON.stringify({
diff --git a/status/js/onboarding.js b/status/js/onboarding.js
index 638294d..f690ade 100644
--- a/status/js/onboarding.js
+++ b/status/js/onboarding.js
@@ -22,6 +22,12 @@
     try {
       console.log('[Onboarding] Initializing system...');
 
+      if (window.__dashcaddySiteConfigLoaded) {
+        try {
+          await window.__dashcaddySiteConfigLoaded;
+        } catch (_) { /* ignore */ }
+      }
+
       // Initialize Error Handler first
       errorHandler = new ErrorHandler();
       console.log('[Onboarding] Error Handler initialized');
@@ -44,7 +50,8 @@
 
       // Check if tour should auto-start
       if (tourManager.shouldAutoStart()) {
-        console.log('[Onboarding] Auto-starting tour for first-time user');
+        console.log('[Onboarding] Auto-starting tour for first-time install');
+        await progressTracker.markInstallOnboardingCompleted();
         // Wait a bit for page to fully load
         setTimeout(() => {
           tourManager.startTour();
diff --git a/status/js/progress-tracker.js b/status/js/progress-tracker.js
index 9ed9d8c..9fb2757 100644
--- a/status/js/progress-tracker.js
+++ b/status/js/progress-tracker.js
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
     constructor(storageKey = 'dashcaddy_onboarding') {
       this.storageKey = storageKey;
       this.storageVersion = '1.0';
+      this.installOnboardingCompleted = typeof SITE !== 'undefined' && SITE.onboardingCompleted === true;
       
       // Initialize storage if it doesn't exist
       this._initializeStorage();
@@ -159,6 +160,36 @@
       return state.tourCompleted === true;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Check if onboarding has already been consumed for this install.
+     * @returns {boolean} True if auto-onboarding should stay suppressed
+     */
+    isInstallOnboardingCompleted() {
+      return this.installOnboardingCompleted === true;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Persist install-wide onboarding completion so it only auto-starts once.
+     * Manual Help Tour restarts are still allowed via local state reset.
+     * @returns {Promise<void>}
+     */
+    async markInstallOnboardingCompleted() {
+      if (this.installOnboardingCompleted) return;
+
+      this.installOnboardingCompleted = true;
+      if (typeof SITE !== 'undefined') SITE.onboardingCompleted = true;
+
+      try {
+        await secureFetch('/api/v1/config', {
+          method: 'POST',
+          headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+          body: JSON.stringify({ onboardingCompleted: true })
+        });
+      } catch (error) {
+        console.error('[ProgressTracker] Failed to persist install onboarding state:', error);
+      }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Mark the entire tour as completed
      */
diff --git a/status/js/tour-manager.js b/status/js/tour-manager.js
index f841892..7b60d2a 100644
--- a/status/js/tour-manager.js
+++ b/status/js/tour-manager.js
@@ -70,7 +70,8 @@
      * Check if tour should auto-start
      */
     shouldAutoStart() {
-      return !this.progressTracker.isTourCompleted() && 
+      return !this.progressTracker.isInstallOnboardingCompleted() &&
+             !this.progressTracker.isTourCompleted() && 
              this.progressTracker.getCurrentStep() === 0;
     }