diff --git a/bin/omarchy-iso-test b/bin/omarchy-iso-test
index 3607901..3e670a8 100755
--- a/bin/omarchy-iso-test
+++ b/bin/omarchy-iso-test
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 # Usage: omarchy-iso-test [release/omarchy.iso] [options]
 #
 #   --encrypt          Drive the encrypted install flow (default: unencrypted)
+#   --provision              Drive the deferred-provisioning install flow: no user during install, the
+#                      first boot runs omarchy-provision-owner and creates it there
 #   --reuse-base       Skip the install phase if a base image already exists
 #   --install-only     Stop after producing the installed base image
 #   --sync-omarchy DIR Push DIR's test/acceptance into the guest before running
@@ -36,6 +38,7 @@ MEMORY=8192
 INSTALL_TIMEOUT=2400
 BOOT_TIMEOUT=600
 ENCRYPT=false
+PROVISION=false
 REUSE_BASE=false
 INSTALL_ONLY=false
 KEEP_RUNNING=false
@@ -50,6 +53,7 @@ GUEST_HOSTNAME="omarchy-test"
 while (($#)); do
   case "$1" in
     --encrypt) ENCRYPT=true ;;
+    --provision) PROVISION=true ;;
     --reuse-base) REUSE_BASE=true ;;
     --install-only) INSTALL_ONLY=true ;;
     --keep-running) KEEP_RUNNING=true ;;
@@ -86,6 +90,7 @@ OVMF_VARS_TEMPLATE="/usr/share/edk2/x64/OVMF_VARS.4m.fd"
 
 BASE_NAME="$(basename "$ISO" .iso)"
 $ENCRYPT && BASE_NAME+="-encrypted"
+$PROVISION && BASE_NAME+="-provision"
 BASE_DIR="$REPO_DIR/test-runs/$BASE_NAME"
 RUN_DIR="$BASE_DIR/runs/$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)"
 BASE_DISK="$BASE_DIR/base.qcow2"
@@ -96,7 +101,9 @@ HTTP_PID=""
 
 mkdir -p "$BASE_DIR" "$RUN_DIR"
 
-QMP_SOCK="$RUN_DIR/qmp.sock"
+# Unix socket paths are capped at ~108 bytes, which a run directory nested in
+# test-runs/<iso-name>/runs/<timestamp> can exceed. Keep the socket in /tmp.
+QMP_SOCK=$(mktemp -u "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/omarchy-iso-test-qmp.XXXXXX.sock")
 PIDFILE="$RUN_DIR/qemu.pid"
 
 log() {
@@ -286,6 +293,28 @@ type_text() {
       :) press shift-semicolon ;;
       @) press shift-2 ;;
       \|) press shift-backslash ;;
+      ";") press semicolon ;;
+      "'") press apostrophe ;;
+      '"') press shift-apostrophe ;;
+      "=") press equal ;;
+      "+") press shift-equal ;;
+      "%") press shift-5 ;;
+      "&") press shift-7 ;;
+      "*") press shift-8 ;;
+      "(") press shift-9 ;;
+      ")") press shift-0 ;;
+      "<") press shift-comma ;;
+      ">") press shift-dot ;;
+      "!") press shift-1 ;;
+      "#") press shift-3 ;;
+      '$') press shift-4 ;;
+      "?") press shift-slash ;;
+      "~") press shift-grave_accent ;;
+      "\\") press backslash ;;
+      "[") press bracket_left ;;
+      "]") press bracket_right ;;
+      "{") press shift-bracket_left ;;
+      "}") press shift-bracket_right ;;
       *) echo "type_text: unsupported character: $ch" >&2; return 1 ;;
     esac
     sleep 0.05
@@ -297,6 +326,7 @@ type_text() {
 ssh_guest() {
   ssh -i "$SSH_KEY" -p "$SSH_PORT" \
     -o BatchMode=yes \
+    -o IdentitiesOnly=yes \
     -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no \
     -o UserKnownHostsFile=/dev/null \
     -o ConnectTimeout=5 \
@@ -576,10 +606,43 @@ audio-panel|meta_l-ctrl-a|omarchy-keyboard-panel|omarchy.audio'
 drive_configurator() {
   log "Driving the installer wizard"
 
+  # A greeter (animated logo + tagline) opens the installer; Return begins.
+  wait_for_screen "Opinionated" 300
+  capture_console "success-installer-00-greeter"
+  press ret
+
+  # Keyboard is the first screen. Ctrl+C there is the hidden entry into deferred provisioning
+  # mode; a normal install just selects the layout.
   wait_for_screen "keyboard layout" 300
   capture_console "success-installer-01-keyboard-layout"
+
+  if $PROVISION; then
+    press ctrl-c # arm "prepare for another owner"
+    wait_for_screen "another owner" 30
+    capture_console "success-installer-02-prepare-confirm"
+    press ret # "Yes, prepare for another owner" is the affirmative default
+
+    # Jumps straight to disk selection, then the overwrite confirm.
+    wait_for_screen "install disk" 60
+    capture_console "success-installer-03-prepare-install-disk"
+    press ret
+
+    wait_for_screen "recovery possible" 60
+    capture_console "success-installer-04-prepare-disk-warning-encrypted"
+    if ! $ENCRYPT; then
+      press ctrl-c
+      wait_for_screen "without encryption" 30
+      capture_console "success-installer-05-prepare-disk-warning-unencrypted"
+    fi
+    press ret
+    sleep 2
+    capture_console "success-installer-13-install-started"
+    return 0
+  fi
+
   press ret # English (US) is preselected
 
+  # Normal flow: user step comes before disk selection.
   wait_for_screen "Username" 120
   type_text "$GUEST_USER"
   capture_console "success-installer-02-username"
@@ -622,17 +685,93 @@ drive_configurator() {
   capture_console "success-installer-10-install-disk"
   press ret # the single virtio disk
 
+  wait_for_screen "installation mode\|recovery possible" 60
+  if ocr_screen | grep -qi "installation mode"; then
+    capture_console "success-installer-11-install-mode"
+    press ret # "Full disk install" is preselected
+  fi
+
   wait_for_screen "recovery possible" 60
-  capture_console "success-installer-11-disk-warning-encrypted"
+  capture_console "success-installer-12-disk-warning-encrypted"
   if ! $ENCRYPT; then
     press ctrl-c # toggles the confirm to the unencrypted flow
     wait_for_screen "without encryption" 30
-    capture_console "success-installer-12-disk-warning-unencrypted"
+    capture_console "success-installer-13-disk-warning-unencrypted"
   fi
   press ret
 
   sleep 2
-  capture_console "success-installer-13-install-started"
+  capture_console "success-installer-14-install-started"
+}
+
+# The deferred-provisioning first boot runs the user form on tty1 (omarchy-provision-owner) before
+# SDDM. Encrypted deferred-provisioning installs auto-unlock from the staged keyfile, so there
+# is no LUKS prompt to answer here either way.
+drive_provision_owner() {
+  log "Driving the deferred-provisioning first-boot setup"
+
+  # Deferred provisioning defers the keyboard step to first boot; it comes before the user form.
+  # Pick English (UK) (one row above the preselected English (US)) so the
+  # verifier can prove the deferred step applied a non-default layout — UK
+  # leaves every letter identical to US, so the typed password (sent as raw
+  # keycodes) still matches the literal one the harness pipes to sudo.
+  # A greeter (animated logo + tagline) opens first boot; Return begins.
+  wait_for_screen "Opinionated" 600
+  capture_console "success-provision-00-greeter"
+  press ret
+
+  wait_for_screen "keyboard layout" 120
+  press up
+  capture_console "success-provision-01-keyboard-layout-uk"
+  press ret
+
+  wait_for_screen "Username" 120
+  capture_console "success-provision-02-username"
+  type_text "$GUEST_USER"
+  press ret
+
+  wait_for_screen "Password" 60
+  type_text "$GUEST_PASSWORD"
+  capture_console "success-provision-03-password"
+  press ret
+
+  wait_for_screen "Conf *irm" 60
+  type_text "$GUEST_PASSWORD"
+  press ret
+
+  wait_for_screen "Full name" 60
+  type_text "Omarchy Test"
+  press ret
+
+  wait_for_screen "Email address" 60
+  # The keyboard step above applied English (UK), where '@' is Shift+' (not
+  # Shift+2 as on US); send that keycode so the typed email is correct under
+  # the new layout — itself further proof the deferred keymap took effect.
+  type_text "test"
+  press shift-apostrophe
+  type_text "omarchy.org"
+  capture_console "success-provision-04-email"
+  press ret
+
+  # Hostname is deferred to first boot too.
+  wait_for_screen "Hostname" 60
+  type_text "$GUEST_HOSTNAME"
+  capture_console "success-provision-05-hostname"
+  press ret
+
+  # Timezone is deferred to first boot too; accept the geo-guessed default.
+  # Generous timeout: the tzupdate geo-guess over first-boot networking can lag.
+  wait_for_screen "Timezone" 180
+  capture_console "success-provision-06-timezone"
+  press ret
+
+  wait_for_screen "look right" 60
+  capture_console "success-provision-07-review"
+  press ret
+
+  # Finalization (offline Node unpack, LUKS re-key on encrypted installs)
+  # runs before SDDM appears.
+  capture_console "success-provision-08-finalizing"
 }
 
 wait_for_install() {
@@ -649,6 +788,15 @@ wait_for_install() {
       return 0
     fi
 
+    # Deferred-provisioning installs skip the celebration and reboot on their own
+    # (no Reboot Now prompt); the first-boot greeter tagline appearing means the
+    # install finished and rebooted into setup.
+    if $PROVISION && grep -qi "Opinionated" <<<"$text"; then
+      log "Install finished and auto-rebooted into first-boot setup."
+      capture_console "success-installer-15-autoreboot"
+      return 0
+    fi
+
     if grep -qi "installation stopped" <<<"$text"; then
       capture_console "failure-installer-installation-stopped"
       echo "Install failed — screenshot saved to $RUN_DIR" >&2
@@ -751,11 +899,11 @@ EOF
   press ret
   sleep 3
 
-  type_text "curl -fsS http://10.0.2.2:$HTTP_PORT/bootstrap | bash"
+  type_text "curl -fsS http://10.0.2.2:$HTTP_PORT/bootstrap -o /tmp/bs && bash /tmp/bs"
   capture_console "success-first-boot-05-bootstrap-command"
   press ret
 
-  wait_for_ssh 180 "failure-first-boot-ssh-timeout"
+  wait_for_ssh 360 "failure-first-boot-ssh-timeout"
   capture_console "success-first-boot-06-bootstrap-complete"
 
   kill "$HTTP_PID" 2>/dev/null || true
@@ -835,11 +983,63 @@ install_phase() {
   drive_configurator
   wait_for_install
 
-  if $ENCRYPT; then
+  if $PROVISION; then
+    drive_provision_owner
+  elif $ENCRYPT; then
     unlock_luks
   fi
   bootstrap_ssh
 
+  # SSH can come up (console bootstrap logs in on a spare TTY) while
+  # omarchy-provision-owner is still finalizing the user and re-keying LUKS. Saving
+  # the base mid-finalization produces a flaky image, so wait for the pending
+  # flag to clear before powering off.
+  if $PROVISION; then
+    log "Waiting for provisioning first-boot setup to finish"
+    local waited=0 rc
+    while true; do
+      # Capture rc via `|| rc=$?` so a non-zero result doesn't trip `set -e`
+      # (this command is intentionally allowed to "fail" — that's the signal).
+      rc=0
+      ssh_guest "test -f /var/lib/omarchy/provisioning/pending" 2>/dev/null || rc=$?
+      # rc 0 = flag still present; rc 255 = SSH not up yet (finalization may
+      # still be running) — keep waiting. Only a clean "file absent" (rc 1)
+      # means provisioning finished, so we don't snapshot mid-finalization on a
+      # transient SSH blip.
+      (( rc == 0 || rc == 255 )) || break
+      if ((waited >= 900)); then
+        capture_console "failure-provision-finalization-timeout"
+        echo "Timed out waiting for provisioning first-boot setup to complete" >&2
+        return 1
+      fi
+      sleep 10
+      ((waited += 10))
+    done
+
+    # The owner's hostname and timezone are set at first boot now, not baked
+    # into the install — confirm they actually landed on the running system.
+    # Hostname is deterministic (we typed it), so a mismatch is a hard failure;
+    # timezone is geo-guessed, so just report what landed.
+    local got_host="" got_tz=""
+    got_host=$(ssh_guest "cat /etc/hostname" 2>/dev/null | tr -d '\r\n') || got_host=""
+    got_tz=$(ssh_guest "timedatectl show -p Timezone --value" 2>/dev/null | tr -d '\r\n') || got_tz=""
+    if [[ $got_host != "$GUEST_HOSTNAME" ]]; then
+      capture_console "failure-provision-hostname-not-applied"
+      echo "First-boot hostname is '${got_host:-<empty>}', expected '$GUEST_HOSTNAME'" >&2
+      return 1
+    fi
+    log "hostname applied at first boot: $got_host"
+    if [[ -n $got_tz && $got_tz != "UTC" ]]; then
+      log "timezone applied at first boot: $got_tz"
+    else
+      echo "WARN: timezone is '${got_tz:-<empty>}' (expected the owner's choice, not UTC)" >&2
+    fi
+
+    # Deferred first-boot setup hands straight off to SDDM once the oneshot
+    # service exits — no celebration screen, no Start Omarchy button to confirm.
+    capture_console "success-provision-09-handoff"
+  fi
+
   ssh_guest "echo $GUEST_PASSWORD | sudo -S cat /var/log/omarchy-install-timing.json 2>/dev/null" \
     >"$RUN_DIR/omarchy-install-timing.json" 2>/dev/null || true
   ssh_guest "echo $GUEST_PASSWORD | sudo -S cat /var/log/pacman.log 2>/dev/null" \
diff --git a/configs/airootfs/root/.automated_script.sh b/configs/airootfs/root/.automated_script.sh
index 5a57508..16904f8 100644
--- a/configs/airootfs/root/.automated_script.sh
+++ b/configs/airootfs/root/.automated_script.sh
@@ -101,6 +101,16 @@ else
   ./configurator
 fi
 
+# Deferred-provisioning installs skip the celebration/reboot prompt and reboot on
+# their own — the owner completes setup at first boot. Signalled by the config's
+# defer_provisioning flag (interactive) or the defer-provisioning marker (cidata).
+# Parse the flag with jq (the same JSON semantics the orchestrator uses) rather
+# than a line regex, so a reformatted config can't read as a direct install.
+if [[ -f /root/defer-provisioning ]] ||
+  [[ "$(jq -r '.omarchy_install.defer_provisioning // false' /root/user_configuration.json 2>/dev/null)" == "true" ]]; then
+  export OMARCHY_UI_DEFER_PROVISIONING=yes
+fi
+
 # The foreground dashboard is now the sole visible install UI owner. It starts
 # the actual installer as a non-interactive child, logs child output, waits for
 # completion, then renders the final installed-time/reboot prompt itself.
@@ -117,4 +127,5 @@ rm -f /run/omarchy-install/state.json
     --email-file /root/user_email_address.txt \
     --encrypt-file /root/user_encrypt_installation.txt \
     --authorized-keys-file /root/authorized_keys \
-    --tailscale-authkey-file /root/tailscale_authkey
+    --tailscale-authkey-file /root/tailscale_authkey \
+    --defer-provisioning-file /root/defer-provisioning
diff --git a/configs/airootfs/root/configurator b/configs/airootfs/root/configurator
index 5b67e24..3a1ca9e 100644
--- a/configs/airootfs/root/configurator
+++ b/configs/airootfs/root/configurator
@@ -38,12 +38,111 @@ measure_terminal() {
 }
 measure_terminal
 
+# The live VT resizes late during boot: tty1 starts as the 80-column boot
+# console and only grows once the kernel framebuffer/KMS takes over (noticeably
+# late in VMs). The logo is wider than 80 columns, so a first draw against that
+# transient narrow console wraps the logo ("smushed") and can't center it
+# (padding clamps to 0, so it hugs the left). A terminal emulator (or sudo's
+# pty) has the same problem the other way: it reports a stale 24x80 for a few
+# hundred ms after start before its real winsize is set. Either way, hold the
+# first draw until the width settles at (or above) the logo width. A real VT
+# that never widens (e.g. nomodeset) still proceeds after the cap.
+wait_for_stable_terminal() {
+  local width last="" stable=0 waited=0
+  while (( waited < 5000 )); do
+    width=$(stty size 2>/dev/null </dev/tty | awk '{print $2}')
+    [[ $width =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]] || width=0
+    if [[ $width == "$last" ]] && (( width >= LOGO_WIDTH )); then
+      (( ++stable >= 3 )) && break
+    else
+      stable=0
+    fi
+    last=$width
+    sleep 0.2
+    (( waited += 200 ))
+  done
+}
+
 clear_logo() {
   measure_terminal
   printf "\033[H\033[2J"
   gum style --foreground 2 --padding "1 0 0 $PADDING_LEFT" "$(<"$LOGO_PATH")"
 }
 
+# Vertically-centered welcome shown once before the keyboard step — the same
+# frame the deferred-provisioning first boot opens on, so install and first boot
+# bookend the setup identically. Logo, the Omarchy tagline, and a single button,
+# centered like the boot logo. No animation.
+greeter() {
+  measure_terminal
+
+  local rows logo_h content_h top cols logo_row tagline_row hint_row
+  local tagline hint tpad hpad anim
+  cols=$TERM_WIDTH
+  rows=$(stty size 2>/dev/null </dev/tty | awk '{print $1}')
+  [[ $rows =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]] || rows=${LINES:-24}
+  logo_h=$(wc -l <"$LOGO_PATH")
+
+  # logo + blank + tagline + blank + hint
+  content_h=$((logo_h + 4))
+  top=$(((rows - content_h) / 2))
+  (( top < 0 )) && top=0
+  logo_row=$((top + 1))
+  tagline_row=$((top + logo_h + 2))
+  hint_row=$((top + logo_h + 4))
+
+  printf '\033[?25l\033[H\033[2J'
+
+  printf '\033[%d;1H' "$logo_row"
+  gum style --foreground 2 --padding "0 0 0 $PADDING_LEFT" "$(<"$LOGO_PATH")"
+
+  tagline="Beautiful, Modern & Opinionated Linux by DHH"
+  tpad=$(((cols - ${#tagline}) / 2)); (( tpad < 0 )) && tpad=0
+  printf '\033[%d;%dH%s' "$tagline_row" "$((tpad + 1))" "$tagline"
+
+  hint="Press Return to Start Install"
+  hpad=$(((cols - ${#hint}) / 2)); (( hpad < 0 )) && hpad=0
+  printf '\033[%d;%dH\033[2m%s\033[0m' "$hint_row" "$((hpad + 1))" "$hint"
+
+  # ColorShift the logo: a green base (indexed color 2) with a cyan accent (6)
+  # drifting through, settling on green. Indexed ANSI colors, not hex — the
+  # framebuffer console can't render tte's truecolor faithfully (it crushes the
+  # palette to a muddy lavender), but the 16 indexed colors map to the Tokyo
+  # Night palette and render true. One long-running invocation (many cycles) so
+  # it never restarts — a restart is what flashed. The effect reads from
+  # /dev/null so it never swallows the Return; --reuse-canvas paints upward from
+  # the saved cursor, anchored one row below the logo.
+  if command -v tte >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    printf '\033[%d;1H\0337' "$((logo_row + logo_h))"
+    # Run tte directly (not inside a `while` subshell) so $anim is tte's own
+    # PID: killing a wrapping subshell would orphan tte, which then keeps
+    # painting the logo over the keyboard step. --cycles is high enough that it
+    # never ends on its own before Return.
+    tte -i "$LOGO_PATH" \
+      --canvas-width "$cols" \
+      --anchor-text c \
+      --frame-rate 60 \
+      --reuse-canvas \
+      colorshift \
+      --gradient-stops 2 10 6 10 \
+      --gradient-frames 3 \
+      --cycles 1000 \
+      --final-gradient-stops 2 \
+      </dev/null >/dev/tty 2>/dev/null &
+    anim=$!
+  fi
+
+  IFS= read -r _ </dev/tty || true
+  # Tolerate tte's kill signal in `wait` so a future `set -e` here can't abort.
+  [[ -n ${anim:-} ]] && { kill "$anim" 2>/dev/null; wait "$anim" 2>/dev/null || true; }
+  # tte leaves the tty in raw/no-echo mode when killed; restore it or the gum
+  # prompts in the keyboard step that follows silently die.
+  stty sane </dev/tty 2>/dev/null || true
+  # Reset the screen so the leftover animation frame doesn't linger under the
+  # keyboard step that follows.
+  printf '\033[0m\033[H\033[2J\033[?25h'
+}
+
 abort() {
   gum style "${1:-Aborted installation}"
   echo
@@ -73,11 +172,22 @@ notice() {
 # STEP 1: KEYBOARD LAYOUT
 
 keyboard_form() {
-  step "Let's setup your machine..."
+  # The Ctrl+C hint sits directly under the header (no blank line between),
+  # matching the disk-overwrite screen's unencrypted offer. Ctrl+C on the first
+  # screen is the hidden entry into deferred provisioning; $1 is "true" only for that first
+  # invocation, so the review-loop re-edit can't flip a user install into it.
+  local allow_defer_provisioning="${1:-false}"
+  clear_logo
+  echo
+  say "Let's setup your machine..."
+  if $allow_defer_provisioning; then
+    say --foreground 8 "Press Ctrl+C to prepare this machine for another owner."
+  fi
+  echo
+
   keyboards=$'Azerbaijani|azerty
 Belarusian|by
 Belgian|be-latin1
-Bosnian|ba
 Bulgarian|bg-cp1251
 Croatian|croat
 Czech|cz
@@ -103,7 +213,6 @@ Irish|ie
 Italian|it
 Japanese|jp106
 Kazakh|kazakh
-Khmer (Cambodia)|khmer
 Kyrgyz|kyrgyz
 Lao|la-latin1
 Latvian|lv
@@ -124,7 +233,19 @@ Swedish|sv-latin1
 Tajik|tj_alt-UTF8
 Turkish|trq
 Ukrainian|ua'
-  choice=$(printf '%s\n' "$keyboards" | cut -d'|' -f1 | gum choose --height 10 --selected "English (US)" --header "Select keyboard layout") || abort
+  choice=$(printf '%s\n' "$keyboards" | cut -d'|' -f1 | gum choose --height 10 --selected "English (US)" --header "Select keyboard layout")
+  local status=$?
+
+  if $allow_defer_provisioning && (( status == 130 )); then
+    if confirm_prepare_for_another_owner; then
+      defer_provisioning=true
+      return 0
+    fi
+    keyboard_form true # declined: back to the keyboard picker
+    return
+  fi
+  (( status == 0 )) || abort
+
   keyboard=$(printf '%s\n' "$keyboards" | awk -F'|' -v c="$choice" '$1==c{print $2; exit}')
 
   # Only attempt to load keyboard layout if we're on a real console
@@ -134,9 +255,22 @@ Ukrainian|ua'
   fi
 }
 
-keyboard_form
+# Ctrl+C on the first screen offers to prepare the machine for another owner.
+# Confirm it before committing, so an accidental Ctrl+C doesn't silently switch
+# the whole install.
+confirm_prepare_for_another_owner() {
+  clear_logo
+  echo
+  say "This prepares the machine for another owner."
+  say --foreground 8 "The system installs now, but setup is delayed until first boot."
+  echo
+  gum confirm --affirmative "Yes, prepare for another owner" --negative "No, keep setting up" \
+    "Prepare this machine for another owner?"
+}
 
-# STEP 2: USER
+# The user step. Deferred-provisioning installs skip it entirely — the machine's first owner
+# picks their keyboard and creates their user in the first-boot setup, so the
+# operator sets nothing user-specific.
 
 user_form() {
   step "Let's setup your user account..."
@@ -197,11 +331,12 @@ user_form() {
   fi
 }
 
-user_form
+user_step() {
+  user_form
 
-while true; do
-  # Add manual padding since gum table -p doesn't respect padding
-  echo -e "Field,Value
+  while true; do
+    # Add manual padding since gum table -p doesn't respect padding
+    echo -e "Field,Value
 Username,$username
 Password,$(printf "%${#password}s" | tr ' ' '*')
 Full name,${full_name:-[Skipped]}
@@ -209,16 +344,17 @@ Email address,${email_address:-[Skipped]}
 Hostname,$hostname
 Timezone,$timezone
 Keyboard,$keyboard" |
-    gum table -s "," -p | sed "s/^/${PADDING_LEFT_SPACES}/"
+      gum table -s "," -p | sed "s/^/${PADDING_LEFT_SPACES}/"
 
-  echo
-  if gum confirm --negative "No, change it" "Does this look right?"; then
-    break
-  else
-    keyboard_form
-    user_form
-  fi
-done
+    echo
+    if gum confirm --negative "No, change it" "Does this look right?"; then
+      break
+    else
+      keyboard_form
+      user_form
+    fi
+  done
+}
 
 # STEP 3: DISK
 
@@ -347,11 +483,22 @@ wait_for_device() {
 
 # Save the configurator answers the installer consumes: git identity and
 # encryption choice as plain files, account details as archinstall credentials.
+# Deferred-provisioning installs defer the user to first boot: no credentials, and on encrypted
+# targets the orchestrator generates a throwaway LUKS passphrase itself.
 write_user_files() {
   echo "$full_name" >user_full_name.txt
   echo "$email_address" >user_email_address.txt
   printf '%s\n' "$encrypt_installation" >user_encrypt_installation.txt
 
+  if $defer_provisioning; then
+    cat <<-_EOF_ >user_credentials.json
+{
+    "users": []
+}
+_EOF_
+    return
+  fi
+
   local password_escaped password_hash_escaped username_escaped
   password_escaped=$(echo -n "$password" | jq -Rsa)
   password_hash_escaped=$(echo -n "$password_hash" | jq -Rsa)
@@ -413,10 +560,10 @@ not_enough_space() {
   return 1
 }
 
-run_partition_install() {
-  local dry=false
-  [[ "${1:-}" == "dry" ]] && dry=true
-
+# Decide half of the free-space install: checks, free-space analysis, and the
+# encryption confirm. Sets the globals run_partition_execute needs. Returns 1
+# to fall back to the install-mode picker.
+run_partition_decide() {
   step "Checking for BitLocker on $disk"
   local bl_part
   bl_part=$(detect_bitlocker || true)
@@ -448,7 +595,8 @@ run_partition_install() {
 
   # An unlabeled disk has no partition table for parted to scan, so we
   # synthesize a whole-disk free region and mklabel gpt before mkpart.
-  local FREE_SPACE_INFO needs_mklabel=false pt_type disk_size_b
+  local FREE_SPACE_INFO pt_type disk_size_b
+  needs_mklabel=false
   pt_type=$(lsblk -dno PTTYPE "$disk" 2>/dev/null)
   if [[ -z "$pt_type" ]]; then
     disk_size_b=$(lsblk -bdno SIZE "$disk" 2>/dev/null)
@@ -491,7 +639,6 @@ run_partition_install() {
   local EFI_SIZE_B=$((2 * gib))
   local MIN_INSTALL_B=$((32 * gib))    # Minimum total Omarchy allocation
 
-  local EFI_START_B EFI_END_B ROOT_START_B ROOT_END_B
   EFI_START_B=$(( (FREE_START_B + ALIGN - 1) / ALIGN * ALIGN ))
   EFI_END_B=$((EFI_START_B + EFI_SIZE_B))
   ROOT_START_B=$(( (EFI_END_B + 1 + ALIGN - 1) / ALIGN * ALIGN ))
@@ -554,7 +701,6 @@ run_partition_install() {
     esac
   done
 
-  local esp_mount_in_target
   if [[ "$encrypt_installation" == "true" ]]; then
     esp_mount_in_target=/boot
   else
@@ -563,12 +709,11 @@ run_partition_install() {
 
   kernel_choice=$(detect_kernel)
 
-  local last_part efi_part_num root_part_num
+  local last_part
   last_part=$(lsblk -n -o PARTN "$disk" 2>/dev/null | grep -E '^[0-9]+$' | sort -n | tail -1)
   efi_part_num=$(( ${last_part:-0} + 1 ))
   root_part_num=$(( efi_part_num + 1 ))
 
-  local efi_dev root_partition_device root_mapper
   efi_dev=$(partition_path "$disk" "$efi_part_num")
   root_partition_device=$(partition_path "$disk" "$root_part_num")
   if [[ "$encrypt_installation" == "true" ]]; then
@@ -576,6 +721,14 @@ run_partition_install() {
   else
     root_mapper="$root_partition_device"
   fi
+}
+
+# Execute half of the free-space install: partition, format, mount, and write
+# the pre-mounted (protected) install configuration. Runs after the user step
+# so LUKS can be formatted with the user's password.
+run_partition_execute() {
+  local dry=false
+  [[ "${1:-}" == "dry" ]] && dry=true
 
   if $dry; then
     $needs_mklabel && say "[dry] would initialize GPT on $disk"
@@ -634,10 +787,6 @@ run_partition_install() {
     mount "$efi_dev" /mnt"$esp_mount_in_target"
   fi
 
-  clear
-
-  write_user_files
-
   local luks_uuid_json="null" luks_uuid
   if [[ "$encrypt_installation" == "true" ]]; then
     if $dry; then
@@ -716,10 +865,6 @@ run_partition_install() {
     "version": "3.0.9"
 }
 _EOF_
-
-  if $dry; then
-    print_dry_run_files
-  fi
 }
 
 disk_form() {
@@ -771,8 +916,7 @@ open_partition_tool() {
 }
 
 # If the disk has no partition table or no unallocated free space, the only
-# viable path is a full-disk install. Skip the install-mode picker and go
-# straight to confirmation.
+# viable paths write the whole disk, so the free-space mode is not offered.
 requires_full_disk_install() {
   local pt_type free_space_b
   pt_type=$(lsblk -dno PTTYPE "$disk" 2>/dev/null)
@@ -799,7 +943,7 @@ install_mode_form() {
 
   # The free-space/protected path registers an EFI boot entry and is UEFI-only.
   # Full-disk installs still support BIOS through the orchestrator's BIOS branch.
-  if [[ -d /sys/firmware/efi ]]; then
+  if [[ -d /sys/firmware/efi ]] && ! $full_disk_only; then
     choices+=("Free space install (alongside existing data)")
   fi
   choices+=("Choose a different disk")
@@ -846,30 +990,43 @@ confirm_disk_overwrite() {
   done
 }
 
+# Decide what and how to install: sets install_target (full_disk|free_space),
+# install_target and encrypt_installation. Nothing is written to disk yet —
+# the user step runs between this and the execution below. (deferred provisioning never
+# reaches here; it's armed by Ctrl+C on the first screen and goes straight to
+# disk selection.)
 select_installation() {
   local full_disk_only
 
   while true; do
     if requires_full_disk_install; then
       full_disk_only=true
-      install_mode="Full disk install"
     else
       full_disk_only=false
+    fi
+
+    # With no free-space option to offer, a full-disk install is the only
+    # mode, so skip the picker and go straight to the overwrite confirm.
+    if $full_disk_only; then
+      install_mode="Full disk install"
+    else
       install_mode_form
     fi
 
     case "$install_mode" in
       "Full disk install")
         if confirm_disk_overwrite; then
+          install_target="full_disk"
           return 0
         fi
-        if $full_disk_only; then
-          disk_form
-        fi
+        # When the picker was skipped, declining the overwrite means the user
+        # wants a different disk.
+        $full_disk_only && disk_form
         ;;
-      "Free space install (alongside existing data)")
-        if run_partition_install "$@"; then
-          exit 0
+      "Free space install"*)
+        if run_partition_decide; then
+          install_target="free_space"
+          return 0
         fi
         ;;
       "Choose a different disk")
@@ -879,13 +1036,64 @@ select_installation() {
   done
 }
 
-disk_form
-select_installation "$@"
+# STEP 1: KEYBOARD (Ctrl+C here arms deferred provisioning and jumps to disk selection)
+
+defer_provisioning=false
+install_target="full_disk"
+
+# Let the live VT reach its settled width before the first screen so the logo
+# isn't measured against the transient 80-column boot console.
+wait_for_stable_terminal
+
+greeter
+
+keyboard_form true
+
+if $defer_provisioning; then
+  # Deferred provisioning: no user setup, and the keyboard is deferred to the machine's first
+  # boot. A defined default keymap so it boots before then; the owner picks
+  # their real layout in the OOBE, which re-keys the console and, on encrypted
+  # installs, rebuilds the initramfs so the LUKS prompt matches.
+  keyboard="us"
+  username=""
+  password=""
+  password_hash=""
+  full_name=""
+  email_address=""
+  # Neutral defaults for the install; the owner overwrites both in the
+  # first-boot OOBE (omarchy-provision-owner).
+  hostname="omarchy"
+  timezone="UTC"
+
+  # Jump straight to disk selection + overwrite confirmation (encrypted by
+  # default, Ctrl+C toggles unencrypted). deferred provisioning is always a full-disk install.
+  disk_form
+  until confirm_disk_overwrite; do
+    disk_form
+  done
+  install_target="full_disk"
+else
+  # Normal install: keyboard (done above) → user → disk → install mode. The
+  # keyboard chosen above is already loaded, so the LUKS passphrase entered in
+  # the user step is typed under the right layout.
+  user_step
+  disk_form
+  select_installation
+fi
 
 clear
 
 write_user_files
 
+if [[ $install_target == "free_space" ]]; then
+  run_partition_execute "$@"
+
+  if [[ ${1:-} == "dry" ]]; then
+    print_dry_run_files
+  fi
+  exit 0
+fi
+
 # Setup partition layout
 disk_size=$(lsblk -bdno SIZE "$disk")
 mib=$((1024 * 1024))
@@ -902,14 +1110,21 @@ main_partition_size=$((disk_size_in_mib - main_partition_start - gpt_backup_rese
 kernel_choice=$(detect_kernel)
 
 if [[ $encrypt_installation == true ]]; then
+  # Deferred-provisioning installs carry no password: the orchestrator generates a throwaway
+  # LUKS passphrase and stages it for the first-boot re-key.
+  if $defer_provisioning; then
+    encryption_password_line=""
+  else
+    encryption_password_line=",
+            \"encryption_password\": $(echo -n "$password" | jq -Rsa)"
+  fi
   disk_encryption_config=$(cat <<-_EOF_
 ,
         "disk_encryption": {
             "encryption_type": "luks",
             "lvm_volumes": [],
             "iter_time": 2000,
-            "partitions": [ "8c2c2b92-1070-455d-b76a-56263bab24aa" ],
-            "encryption_password": $(echo -n "$password" | jq -Rsa)
+            "partitions": [ "8c2c2b92-1070-455d-b76a-56263bab24aa" ]$encryption_password_line
         }
 _EOF_
 )
@@ -927,6 +1142,7 @@ cat <<-_EOF_ >user_configuration.json
     "custom_commands": [],
     "omarchy_install": {
         "mode": "full_disk",
+        "defer_provisioning": $defer_provisioning,
         "target_mount": "/mnt",
         "boot": {
             "esp_mount": "/boot",
diff --git a/configs/airootfs/usr/local/bin/omarchy-cidata-load b/configs/airootfs/usr/local/bin/omarchy-cidata-load
index 67bcd28..6578849 100755
--- a/configs/airootfs/usr/local/bin/omarchy-cidata-load
+++ b/configs/airootfs/usr/local/bin/omarchy-cidata-load
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@
 # Anything less than the pair means this isn't an autoinstall drive, and the
 # caller falls back to the wizard.
 #
+# A `defer-provisioning` marker file stands in for user_credentials.json: deferred-provisioning
+# installs defer user creation to first boot, so imaging rigs ship no credentials.
+#
 # The optional argument prefixes every path the script touches; tests use it to
 # run against a sandbox instead of the live system.
 
@@ -35,10 +38,20 @@ done
 mkdir -p "$mnt"
 mount -o ro "$device" "$mnt" || exit 1
 
+# Clear any inputs a previous load in this live session left in /root before
+# copying the current drive: a stale `defer-provisioning` marker or credentials file would
+# otherwise force a fresh drive back into deferred provisioning or hand it an old
+# LUKS passphrase. The interactive wizard writes these same names, but a
+# cidata load always precedes it, so nothing of the user's is discarded here.
+optional_inputs=(user_credentials.json defer-provisioning user_full_name.txt user_email_address.txt user_encrypt_installation.txt authorized_keys tailscale_authkey)
+for file in user_configuration.json "${optional_inputs[@]}"; do
+  rm -f "$dest/$file"
+done
+
 loaded=1
-if [[ -f $mnt/user_configuration.json && -f $mnt/user_credentials.json ]]; then
-  files=("$mnt"/user_configuration.json "$mnt"/user_credentials.json)
-  for file in user_full_name.txt user_email_address.txt user_encrypt_installation.txt authorized_keys tailscale_authkey; do
+if [[ -f $mnt/user_configuration.json ]] && [[ -f $mnt/user_credentials.json || -f $mnt/defer-provisioning ]]; then
+  files=("$mnt"/user_configuration.json)
+  for file in "${optional_inputs[@]}"; do
     [[ -f $mnt/$file ]] && files+=("$mnt/$file")
   done
   if cp "${files[@]}" "$dest"/; then
diff --git a/configs/airootfs/usr/local/bin/omarchy-install-dashboard b/configs/airootfs/usr/local/bin/omarchy-install-dashboard
index 9dc2672..bf6da9d 100755
--- a/configs/airootfs/usr/local/bin/omarchy-install-dashboard
+++ b/configs/airootfs/usr/local/bin/omarchy-install-dashboard
@@ -321,11 +321,13 @@ install_progress() {
     "Installing Arch + Omarchy")  lo=65  hi=700  tau=150 pkg_signal=1 ;;
     "Configuring hibernation")    lo=700 hi=720  tau=10  ;;
     "Configuring system")         lo=720 hi=850  tau=120 ;;
-    "Finalizing Limine boot")     lo=850 hi=950  tau=90  ;;
+    "Staging provisioning")          lo=850 hi=855  tau=5   ;;
+    "Finalizing Limine boot")     lo=855 hi=950  tau=90  ;;
     "Finalizing user")            lo=950 hi=978  tau=30  ;;
     "Configuring login")          lo=978 hi=988  tau=5   ;;
     "Configuring DNS resolver")   lo=988 hi=994  tau=5   ;;
-    "Validating boot setup")      lo=994 hi=1000 tau=5   ;;
+    "Validating boot setup")      lo=994 hi=998  tau=5   ;;
+    "Creating factory snapshot")  lo=998 hi=1000 tau=5   ;;
     *)
       # Unknown names used to inherit a 1->99 sweep. Derive an even band from
       # the published index instead; with no index, a bounded slice, so a
@@ -734,6 +736,17 @@ if (( status != 0 )); then
   exit "$failure_status"
 fi
 
+# Deferred-provisioning installs finish silently and reboot on their own — the
+# owner completes setup (and sees the send-off) at first boot, so the "Installed
+# Omarchy in ..." celebration and the Reboot Now prompt belong to a direct
+# install only.
+if [[ ${OMARCHY_UI_DEFER_PROVISIONING:-} == "yes" ]]; then
+  printf '%s' "$CLEAR" >"$TTY_PATH" 2>/dev/null || true
+  [[ ${OMARCHY_UI_AUTO_REBOOT:-} == "no" ]] && exit 0
+  reboot 2>/dev/null || systemctl reboot 2>/dev/null || true
+  exit 0
+fi
+
 set +e
 render_finish
 finish_render_status=$?
diff --git a/configs/airootfs/usr/local/bin/omarchy-iso-install b/configs/airootfs/usr/local/bin/omarchy-iso-install
index baceddf..59aca95 100755
--- a/configs/airootfs/usr/local/bin/omarchy-iso-install
+++ b/configs/airootfs/usr/local/bin/omarchy-iso-install
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
     --encrypt-file)         export OMARCHY_INSTALL_ENCRYPT_FILE="$2"; shift 2 ;;
     --authorized-keys-file) export OMARCHY_INSTALL_AUTHORIZED_KEYS_FILE="$2"; shift 2 ;;
     --tailscale-authkey-file) export OMARCHY_INSTALL_TAILSCALE_AUTHKEY_FILE="$2"; shift 2 ;;
+    --defer-provisioning-file)             export OMARCHY_INSTALL_DEFER_PROVISIONING_FILE="$2"; shift 2 ;;
     *)                      echo "omarchy-iso-install: unknown arg $1" >&2; exit 2 ;;
   esac
 done
diff --git a/configs/airootfs/usr/share/omarchy-iso/orchestrator/context.py b/configs/airootfs/usr/share/omarchy-iso/orchestrator/context.py
index 72958e1..9b5c50f 100644
--- a/configs/airootfs/usr/share/omarchy-iso/orchestrator/context.py
+++ b/configs/airootfs/usr/share/omarchy-iso/orchestrator/context.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 
 import json
 import os
+import secrets
 from dataclasses import dataclass, field
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ class InstallContext:
     user_credentials: dict
     arch_config_path: Path
     omarchy_install: dict[str, Any]
+    defer_provisioning: bool = False
 
     target: Path = Path("/mnt")
     omarchy_path: Path = Path("/usr/share/omarchy")
@@ -48,10 +50,54 @@ class InstallContext:
         user_configuration = json.loads(config_path.read_text())
         omarchy_install = user_configuration.get("omarchy_install") or _default_omarchy_install(user_configuration)
 
+        # Deferred provisioning: the whole system installs but user creation is deferred to
+        # first boot. Selected by the configurator (omarchy_install.defer_provisioning) or by
+        # an `defer-provisioning` marker file on an autoinstall drive, which also replaces the
+        # user_credentials.json requirement.
+        defer_provisioning_marker = _optional_path(os.environ.get("OMARCHY_INSTALL_DEFER_PROVISIONING_FILE"))
+        defer_provisioning = bool(omarchy_install.get("defer_provisioning")) or defer_provisioning_marker is not None
+        omarchy_install["defer_provisioning"] = defer_provisioning
+
+        if creds_path.exists():
+            user_credentials = json.loads(creds_path.read_text())
+        elif defer_provisioning:
+            user_credentials = {"users": []}
+        else:
+            raise RuntimeError(f"credentials file missing: {creds_path}")
+
+        if defer_provisioning:
+            # Deferred provisioning promises no account until first boot. A supplied
+            # credentials file (a rig handing over its LUKS passphrase) must
+            # not smuggle in users or a root password.
+            encryption_password = user_credentials.get("encryption_password")
+            user_credentials = {"users": []}
+            if encryption_password:
+                user_credentials["encryption_password"] = encryption_password
+
         arch_configuration = dict(user_configuration)
         arch_configuration.pop("omarchy_install", None)
+
+        if defer_provisioning:
+            # The userless invariant covers the archinstall config too: a
+            # combined/legacy config could carry account authentication that
+            # archinstall would still act on (users, a root password). Strip
+            # every such field so no account is created before first boot.
+            _strip_account_fields(arch_configuration)
+
         state_dir = Path(os.environ.get("OMARCHY_INSTALL_STATE_DIR", "/run/omarchy-install"))
         state_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+
+        if defer_provisioning:
+            # Encrypted deferred-provisioning installs have no user password to protect LUKS
+            # with. Generate a throwaway passphrase (staged for first-boot
+            # re-key by the stage_provisioning_state phase) and hand it to archinstall
+            # through both places it may look: the disk_encryption block and
+            # the credentials file.
+            _inject_provisioning_encryption_password(arch_configuration, user_credentials)
+            creds_path = state_dir / "provisioning-user_credentials.json"
+            creds_path.write_text(json.dumps(user_credentials, indent=2) + "\n")
+            creds_path.chmod(0o600)
+
         arch_config_path = state_dir / "archinstall-user_configuration.json"
         arch_config_path.write_text(json.dumps(arch_configuration, indent=2) + "\n")
 
@@ -64,9 +110,10 @@ class InstallContext:
             authorized_keys_path=_optional_path(os.environ.get("OMARCHY_INSTALL_AUTHORIZED_KEYS_FILE")),
             tailscale_authkey_path=_optional_path(os.environ.get("OMARCHY_INSTALL_TAILSCALE_AUTHKEY_FILE")),
             user_configuration=user_configuration,
-            user_credentials=json.loads(creds_path.read_text()),
+            user_credentials=user_credentials,
             arch_config_path=arch_config_path,
             omarchy_install=omarchy_install,
+            defer_provisioning=defer_provisioning,
             state_dir=state_dir,
         )
         disk_config = user_configuration.get("disk_config", {})
@@ -77,7 +124,12 @@ class InstallContext:
 
     @property
     def username(self) -> str:
-        return self.user_credentials["users"][0]["username"]
+        users = self.user_credentials.get("users") or []
+        if users:
+            return users[0]["username"]
+        if self.defer_provisioning:
+            return ""
+        raise RuntimeError("user_credentials.json contains no users")
 
     @property
     def mode(self) -> str:
@@ -91,6 +143,38 @@ class InstallContext:
         return self.mode == "protected"
 
 
+def _strip_account_fields(arch_configuration: dict) -> None:
+    """Remove every field archinstall reads to create users or set a root
+    password, so it cannot ship a hidden provisioning account.
+    Encryption material lives elsewhere (disk_config.disk_encryption) and is
+    untouched."""
+    for key in ("!users", "!root-password", "root_enc_password", "users"):
+        arch_configuration.pop(key, None)
+
+    auth = arch_configuration.get("auth_config")
+    if isinstance(auth, dict):
+        for key in ("users", "root_enc_password"):
+            auth.pop(key, None)
+
+
+def _inject_provisioning_encryption_password(arch_configuration: dict, user_credentials: dict) -> None:
+    """Ensure an encrypted deferred-provisioning install has a LUKS passphrase archinstall can
+    use. Reuse one the input already carries (an autoinstall rig may supply
+    its own); otherwise generate a throwaway. Mutates the disk_encryption
+    block in place — arch_configuration shares it with user_configuration, so
+    the stage_provisioning_state phase can read the effective passphrase back."""
+    disk_encryption = (arch_configuration.get("disk_config") or {}).get("disk_encryption")
+    if disk_encryption is None:
+        return
+
+    password = disk_encryption.get("encryption_password") or user_credentials.get("encryption_password")
+    if not password:
+        password = secrets.token_urlsafe(24)
+
+    disk_encryption["encryption_password"] = password
+    user_credentials["encryption_password"] = password
+
+
 def _default_omarchy_install(user_configuration: dict) -> dict[str, Any]:
     disk_config = user_configuration.get("disk_config", {})
     mode = "protected" if disk_config.get("config_type") == "pre_mounted_config" else "full_disk"
diff --git a/configs/airootfs/usr/share/omarchy-iso/orchestrator/main.py b/configs/airootfs/usr/share/omarchy-iso/orchestrator/main.py
index a73f7db..9b6ebf5 100644
--- a/configs/airootfs/usr/share/omarchy-iso/orchestrator/main.py
+++ b/configs/airootfs/usr/share/omarchy-iso/orchestrator/main.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ def build_phases(ctx: InstallContext):
         arch_install_system,
         configure_hibernation,
         run_system_finalizer,
+        stage_provisioning_state,
         finalize_limine_boot,
         run_chroot_finalizer,
         configure_dns_resolver,
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ def build_phases(ctx: InstallContext):
         configure_ssh_access,
         configure_tailscale,
         validate_boot,
+        create_factory_snapshot,
     )
 
     return [
@@ -49,6 +51,9 @@ def build_phases(ctx: InstallContext):
         ("Installing Arch + Omarchy",  arch_install_system),
         ("Configuring hibernation",    configure_hibernation),
         ("Configuring system",         run_system_finalizer),
+        # Before finalize_limine_boot: the deferred-provisioning cryptkey drop-in and keyfile
+        # must be in place for the final UKI build.
+        ("Staging provisioning",          stage_provisioning_state),
         ("Finalizing Limine boot",     finalize_limine_boot),
         ("Finalizing user",            run_chroot_finalizer),
         ("Configuring login",          configure_login),
@@ -56,6 +61,7 @@ def build_phases(ctx: InstallContext):
         ("Configuring Tailscale",      configure_tailscale),
         ("Configuring DNS resolver",   configure_dns_resolver),
         ("Validating boot setup",      validate_boot),
+        ("Creating factory snapshot",  create_factory_snapshot),
     ]
 
 
@@ -66,7 +72,8 @@ def main() -> int:
         error(f"Configuration error: {e}")
         return 2
 
-    info(f"Installing Omarchy for {ctx.username} → {ctx.target}")
+    who = ctx.username or "deferred provisioning (user created at first boot)"
+    info(f"Installing Omarchy for {who} → {ctx.target}")
 
     from .phases_impl import (
         boost_cpu_governor,
diff --git a/configs/airootfs/usr/share/omarchy-iso/orchestrator/phases_impl.py b/configs/airootfs/usr/share/omarchy-iso/orchestrator/phases_impl.py
index 76a28e2..ffdebe0 100644
--- a/configs/airootfs/usr/share/omarchy-iso/orchestrator/phases_impl.py
+++ b/configs/airootfs/usr/share/omarchy-iso/orchestrator/phases_impl.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ Phase ordering (full-disk and protected/pre-mounted):
     configure_hibernation  → root-owned swap/resume drop-ins
     run_system_finalizer   → arch-chroot root omarchy-setup-system, including Snapper
     finalize_limine_boot   → final Limine config/UKI build after hardware drop-ins
-    run_chroot_finalizer   → arch-chroot -u user omarchy-finalize-user
+    run_chroot_finalizer   → arch-chroot -u user omarchy-provision-user
     configure_login        → sddm state + encrypted-install autologin
     configure_ssh_access   → authorized_keys for autoinstall; no-op otherwise
     configure_tailscale    → tailnet join staged for first boot; no-op otherwise
@@ -1006,7 +1006,7 @@ def _debug_run(ctx: InstallContext, cmd: list[str]) -> None:
 #  2. bind-mount the offline mirror + /opt/packages into /mnt for target pacman
 #     and bundled language runtimes
 #  3. arch-chroot as root → omarchy-setup-system --first-install
-#  4. arch-chroot as user → omarchy-finalize-user --first-install
+#  4. arch-chroot as user → omarchy-provision-user --first-install
 # ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 def _prepare_target_setup(ctx: InstallContext) -> None:
@@ -1136,16 +1136,142 @@ def _run_target_setup_command(ctx: InstallContext, cmd: list[str], *, user: str
 
 
 def run_system_finalizer(ctx: InstallContext) -> None:
+    if ctx.defer_provisioning:
+        cmd = ["/usr/bin/omarchy-setup-system", "--defer-provisioning", "--first-install"]
+    else:
+        cmd = ["/usr/bin/omarchy-setup-system", "--install-user", ctx.username, "--first-install"]
+
     _mask_mkinitcpio_pacman_hooks(ctx, ctx.target, TARGET_DEFERRED_BOOT_HOOKS)
     try:
-        _run_target_setup_command(
-            ctx,
-            ["/usr/bin/omarchy-setup-system", "--install-user", ctx.username, "--first-install"],
-        )
+        _run_target_setup_command(ctx, cmd)
     finally:
         _unmask_mkinitcpio_pacman_hooks(ctx, ctx.target, TARGET_DEFERRED_BOOT_HOOKS)
 
 
+# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+# stage_provisioning_state: produce the on-disk "provisioning state" the runtime's first-boot
+# setup (omarchy-provision-owner) and factory reset (omarchy-system-factory-reset) consume.
+#
+# Every install stashes the bundled Node tarball in /var/lib/omarchy/provisioning/
+# so a later factory reset can finalize the new owner's user offline. deferred-provisioning
+# installs additionally arm the first-boot setup service and, on encrypted
+# targets, stage the throwaway LUKS passphrase: the keyfile embedded in the
+# initramfs auto-unlocks boot during the provisioning window, and first-boot setup
+# re-keys the volume to the owner's password and removes it.
+#
+# Runs before finalize_limine_boot so the cryptkey cmdline drop-in and the
+# keyfile land in the final UKI build.
+# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+PROVISION_STATE_DIR = "var/lib/omarchy/provisioning"
+PROVISION_KEYFILE = "etc/omarchy/provisioning.key"
+NODE_PACKAGES_DIR = Path("/opt/packages")
+
+
+def stage_provisioning_state(ctx: InstallContext) -> None:
+    # World-readable: first-boot finalization reads the Node tarball as the
+    # new user. The only secret inside (luks-key) is itself 0600 root.
+    provisioning_dir = ctx.target / PROVISION_STATE_DIR
+    provisioning_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    provisioning_dir.chmod(0o755)
+
+    _stage_node_tarball(ctx, provisioning_dir)
+
+    if not ctx.defer_provisioning:
+        return
+
+    service_src = ctx.target / "usr/share/omarchy/install/provisioning/omarchy-provision-owner.service"
+    setup_bin = ctx.target / "usr/bin/omarchy-provision-owner"
+    if not service_src.exists() or not setup_bin.exists():
+        raise RuntimeError(
+            "deferred-provisioning install requested, but the installed Omarchy runtime does not ship "
+            "first-boot setup (omarchy-provision-owner + install/provisioning/omarchy-provision-owner.service). "
+            "Update the runtime package this ISO bundles before installing in deferred provisioning."
+        )
+
+    info("› arming first-boot setup")
+    (provisioning_dir / "pending").touch()
+
+    unit_dst = ctx.target / "etc/systemd/system/omarchy-provision-owner.service"
+    unit_dst.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    shutil.copy2(service_src, unit_dst)
+    wants_dir = ctx.target / "etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants"
+    wants_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    link = wants_dir / "omarchy-provision-owner.service"
+    link.unlink(missing_ok=True)
+    link.symlink_to("/etc/systemd/system/omarchy-provision-owner.service")
+
+    if _provision_install_encrypted(ctx):
+        _stage_provisioning_luks_unlock(ctx, provisioning_dir)
+
+
+def _stage_node_tarball(ctx: InstallContext, provisioning_dir) -> None:
+    tarballs = sorted(NODE_PACKAGES_DIR.glob("node-v*-linux-x64.tar.gz"))
+    if not tarballs:
+        # Hard error on every install, not just deferred-provisioning installs: the stash is what lets a
+        # later factory reset finalize the next owner offline, and an ISO
+        # build always bundles the tarball — its absence means a broken build.
+        raise RuntimeError(
+            f"no bundled Node tarball in {NODE_PACKAGES_DIR} — first-boot setup "
+            "and factory reset could not finalize a user offline"
+        )
+
+    packages_dir = provisioning_dir / "packages"
+    packages_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    target_tarball = packages_dir / tarballs[0].name
+    if not target_tarball.exists():
+        info("› stashing Node tarball for offline first-boot setup")
+        shutil.copy2(tarballs[0], target_tarball)
+
+
+def _provision_install_encrypted(ctx: InstallContext) -> bool:
+    if _storage_intent(ctx).get("luks_uuid"):
+        return True
+    disk_encryption = (ctx.user_configuration.get("disk_config") or {}).get("disk_encryption")
+    if disk_encryption and disk_encryption.get("encryption_type", "luks") != "no_encryption":
+        return True
+    return ctx.encrypt
+
+
+def _provision_encryption_password(ctx: InstallContext) -> str | None:
+    disk_encryption = (ctx.user_configuration.get("disk_config") or {}).get("disk_encryption") or {}
+    return disk_encryption.get("encryption_password") or ctx.user_credentials.get("encryption_password")
+
+
+def _stage_provisioning_luks_unlock(ctx: InstallContext, provisioning_dir) -> None:
+    password = _provision_encryption_password(ctx)
+    if not password:
+        # Full-disk deferred-provisioning installs get a generated passphrase injected by
+        # InstallContext; only a pre-mounted (rig-partitioned) LUKS target can
+        # land here, and it must hand over the passphrase it formatted with.
+        raise RuntimeError(
+            "deferred-provisioning install on a pre-encrypted target requires the LUKS passphrase "
+            "in user_credentials.json (encryption_password) so first boot can re-key"
+        )
+
+    info("› staging LUKS auto-unlock for the provisioning window")
+
+    # Byte-for-byte the slot passphrase: no trailing newline anywhere.
+    luks_key = provisioning_dir / "luks-key"
+    luks_key.write_text(password)
+    luks_key.chmod(0o600)
+
+    keyfile = ctx.target / PROVISION_KEYFILE
+    keyfile.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    keyfile.write_text(password)
+    keyfile.chmod(0o600)
+
+    cmdline_dropin = ctx.target / "etc/limine-entry-tool.d/99-omarchy-provisioning-unlock.conf"
+    cmdline_dropin.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    cmdline_dropin.write_text(
+        'KERNEL_CMDLINE[default]+=" cryptkey=rootfs:/etc/omarchy/provisioning.key"\n'
+    )
+
+    files_dropin = ctx.target / "etc/mkinitcpio.conf.d/99-omarchy-provisioning-key.conf"
+    files_dropin.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    files_dropin.write_text("FILES+=(/etc/omarchy/provisioning.key)\n")
+
+
 def finalize_limine_boot(ctx: InstallContext) -> None:
     """Finalize Limine after target system setup has written all dynamic
     boot drop-ins (hibernation, hardware quirks, protected-mode ESP settings).
@@ -1239,9 +1365,13 @@ def _limine_kernel_cmdline(config_text: str) -> str:
 
 
 def run_chroot_finalizer(ctx: InstallContext) -> None:
+    if ctx.defer_provisioning:
+        info("› deferred-provisioning install: user finalization deferred to first boot")
+        return
+
     _run_target_setup_command(
         ctx,
-        ["/usr/bin/omarchy-finalize-user", "--force", "--first-install"],
+        ["/usr/bin/omarchy-provision-user", "--force", "--first-install"],
         user=ctx.username,
     )
 
@@ -1285,29 +1415,32 @@ def configure_login(ctx: InstallContext) -> None:
     )
 
     autologin_conf = sddm_dir / "autologin.conf"
-    if ctx.encrypt:
+    if ctx.encrypt and not ctx.defer_provisioning:
         autologin_conf.write_text(
             "[Autologin]\n"
             f"User={ctx.username}\n"
             "Session=omarchy.desktop\n"
         )
     else:
+        # deferred-provisioning installs have no user yet; omarchy-provision-owner writes autologin
+        # and SDDM state at first boot once the owner exists.
         autologin_conf.unlink(missing_ok=True)
 
-    state_dir = ctx.target / "var" / "lib" / "sddm"
-    state_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
-    (state_dir / "state.conf").write_text(
-        f"[Last]\nSession=omarchy.desktop\nUser={ctx.username}\n"
-    )
+    if not ctx.defer_provisioning:
+        state_dir = ctx.target / "var" / "lib" / "sddm"
+        state_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        (state_dir / "state.conf").write_text(
+            f"[Last]\nSession=omarchy.desktop\nUser={ctx.username}\n"
+        )
+        subprocess.run(
+            ["arch-chroot", str(ctx.target), "chown", "sddm:sddm",
+             "/var/lib/sddm", "/var/lib/sddm/state.conf"],
+            check=False, capture_output=True,
+        )
 
     autologin = ctx.target / "etc" / "systemd" / "system" / "getty@tty1.service.d" / "autologin.conf"
     autologin.unlink(missing_ok=True)
 
-    subprocess.run(
-        ["arch-chroot", str(ctx.target), "chown", "sddm:sddm",
-         "/var/lib/sddm", "/var/lib/sddm/state.conf"],
-        check=False, capture_output=True,
-    )
     subprocess.run(
         ["arch-chroot", str(ctx.target), "systemctl", "enable", "sddm.service"],
         check=False, capture_output=True,
@@ -1326,24 +1459,36 @@ def configure_ssh_access(ctx: InstallContext) -> None:
         return
 
     keys = _authorized_keys(ctx.authorized_keys_path)
-    info(f"› installing {len(keys)} SSH key(s) for {ctx.username}")
 
-    ssh_dir = ctx.target / "home" / ctx.username / ".ssh"
-    ssh_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
-    ssh_dir.chmod(0o700)
+    if ctx.defer_provisioning:
+        # No user to authorize yet. Stage the keys in provisioning state for
+        # omarchy-provision-owner to install once first boot creates the owner, and
+        # still open the door (sshd + ufw) below.
+        info(f"› staging {len(keys)} SSH key(s) for the first-boot user")
+        provisioning_dir = ctx.target / PROVISION_STATE_DIR
+        provisioning_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        staged = provisioning_dir / "authorized_keys"
+        staged.write_text("".join(f"{key}\n" for key in keys))
+        staged.chmod(0o600)
+    else:
+        info(f"› installing {len(keys)} SSH key(s) for {ctx.username}")
 
-    authorized_keys = ssh_dir / "authorized_keys"
-    authorized_keys.write_text("".join(f"{key}\n" for key in keys))
-    authorized_keys.chmod(0o600)
+        ssh_dir = ctx.target / "home" / ctx.username / ".ssh"
+        ssh_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        ssh_dir.chmod(0o700)
 
-    # Ask the target for the uid rather than assuming the first user is 1000.
-    # Uncaptured so a failure shows up in the install log, and checked because
-    # a root-owned authorized_keys is one sshd refuses to read.
-    subprocess.run(
-        ["arch-chroot", str(ctx.target), "chown", "-R",
-         f"{ctx.username}:{ctx.username}", f"/home/{ctx.username}/.ssh"],
-        check=True,
-    )
+        authorized_keys = ssh_dir / "authorized_keys"
+        authorized_keys.write_text("".join(f"{key}\n" for key in keys))
+        authorized_keys.chmod(0o600)
+
+        # Ask the target for the uid rather than assuming the first user is 1000.
+        # Uncaptured so a failure shows up in the install log, and checked because
+        # a root-owned authorized_keys is one sshd refuses to read.
+        subprocess.run(
+            ["arch-chroot", str(ctx.target), "chown", "-R",
+             f"{ctx.username}:{ctx.username}", f"/home/{ctx.username}/.ssh"],
+            check=True,
+        )
 
     info("› enabling sshd")
     subprocess.run(
@@ -1550,6 +1695,34 @@ def validate_boot(ctx: InstallContext) -> None:
     if ctx.is_protected:
         _validate_pre_mounted_filesystems(ctx)
 
+    if ctx.defer_provisioning:
+        _validate_provisioning_state(ctx)
+
+
+def _validate_provisioning_state(ctx: InstallContext) -> None:
+    """An deferred-provisioning install that boots without a working first-boot setup is a
+    user-less brick; insist the armed state is complete before reboot."""
+    provisioning_dir = ctx.target / PROVISION_STATE_DIR
+    if not (provisioning_dir / "pending").exists():
+        raise RuntimeError(f"deferred-provisioning install but {provisioning_dir / 'pending'} is missing")
+
+    link = ctx.target / "etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/omarchy-provision-owner.service"
+    if not link.is_symlink():
+        raise RuntimeError("deferred-provisioning install but omarchy-provision-owner.service is not enabled")
+
+    if not list((provisioning_dir / "packages").glob("node-v*.tar.gz")):
+        raise RuntimeError(f"deferred-provisioning install but no Node tarball staged in {provisioning_dir / 'packages'}")
+
+    if _provision_install_encrypted(ctx):
+        for required in (provisioning_dir / "luks-key", ctx.target / PROVISION_KEYFILE):
+            if not required.exists():
+                raise RuntimeError(f"encrypted deferred-provisioning install but {required} is missing")
+        limine_conf_text = (
+            ctx.target / _boot_intent(ctx)["esp_mount"].lstrip("/") / "limine.conf"
+        ).read_text()
+        if "cryptkey=rootfs:" not in limine_conf_text:
+            raise RuntimeError("encrypted deferred-provisioning install but limine.conf has no cryptkey= for auto-unlock")
+
 
 def _assert_boot_hooks_restored(ctx: InstallContext) -> None:
     """Never hand over a system whose UKI rebuild hook is still masked.
@@ -1607,6 +1780,90 @@ def _validate_pre_mounted_filesystems(ctx: InstallContext) -> None:
             raise RuntimeError(f"{crypttab} missing LUKS UUID {storage['luks_uuid']}")
 
 
+# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+# create_factory_snapshot: read-only snapshot of @ kept at the btrfs top level
+# as @factory — outside snapper's .snapshots, so cleanup timers and the Limine
+# snapshot menu never touch it. Zero bytes at creation; grows only with drift.
+# Taken at the end of every install, it is what makes omarchy-system-factory-reset a
+# true factory reset.
+# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+def create_factory_snapshot(ctx: InstallContext) -> None:
+    fstype = _findmnt_value(ctx.target, "FSTYPE")
+    if fstype != "btrfs":
+        info(f"› target root is {fstype or 'unknown'}, not btrfs; skipping factory snapshot")
+        return
+
+    options = (_findmnt_value(ctx.target, "OPTIONS") or "").split(",")
+    if not any(opt in ("subvol=/@", "subvol=@") for opt in options):
+        info("› target root is not the @ subvolume; skipping factory snapshot")
+        return
+
+    device = (_findmnt_value(ctx.target, "SOURCE") or "").split("[")[0]
+    if not device:
+        raise RuntimeError(f"could not determine the btrfs device backing {ctx.target}")
+
+    top = ctx.state_dir / "factory-top"
+    top.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    subprocess.run(["mount", "-o", "subvolid=5", device, str(top)], check=True)
+    try:
+        root_subvol = top / "@"
+        if not root_subvol.is_dir():
+            raise RuntimeError(f"no @ subvolume at the top level of {device}")
+
+        factory = top / "@factory"
+        if factory.exists():
+            subprocess.run(
+                ["btrfs", "subvolume", "delete", str(factory)],
+                check=True, capture_output=True,
+            )
+
+        info("› snapshotting @ as @factory (read-only)")
+        subprocess.run(
+            ["btrfs", "subvolume", "snapshot", str(root_subvol), str(factory)],
+            check=True,
+        )
+        _scrub_factory_snapshot(factory)
+        subprocess.run(
+            ["btrfs", "property", "set", "-ts", str(factory), "ro", "true"],
+            check=True,
+        )
+    finally:
+        subprocess.run(["umount", str(top)], check=False, capture_output=True)
+
+
+# Provisioning credentials staged for THIS deployment's first boot must not
+# survive into the factory image: a reset years later would otherwise hand the
+# next owner the original deployment's SSH keys or rejoin its tailnet, and a
+# stale LUKS key (dead after the first re-key) has no business lingering.
+# The mkinitcpio/cmdline drop-ins go with the keyfile — a reset rebuild would
+# otherwise fail on FILES pointing at a scrubbed path.
+FACTORY_SCRUB_PATHS = (
+    "var/lib/omarchy/provisioning/authorized_keys",
+    "var/lib/omarchy/provisioning/luks-key",
+    "etc/omarchy/provisioning.key",
+    "etc/limine-entry-tool.d/99-omarchy-provisioning-unlock.conf",
+    "etc/mkinitcpio.conf.d/99-omarchy-provisioning-key.conf",
+    "etc/tailscale/authkey",
+    "etc/systemd/system/omarchy-tailscale-join.service",
+    "etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/omarchy-tailscale-join.service",
+)
+
+
+def _scrub_factory_snapshot(factory: Path) -> None:
+    for rel in FACTORY_SCRUB_PATHS:
+        (factory / rel).unlink(missing_ok=True)
+
+
+def _findmnt_value(path: Path, column: str) -> str | None:
+    res = subprocess.run(
+        ["findmnt", "-no", column, str(path)],
+        capture_output=True, text=True,
+    )
+    value = res.stdout.strip()
+    return value if res.returncode == 0 and value else None
+
+
 CPU_SYSFS = Path("/sys/devices/system/cpu")
 
 
diff --git a/plans/oem-install.md b/plans/oem-install.md
index 726148d..42ddd4a 100644
--- a/plans/oem-install.md
+++ b/plans/oem-install.md
@@ -102,12 +102,12 @@ user's password.
 ## Runtime-side changes (omarchy repo)
 
 - `omarchy-oem-setup` + `omarchy-oem-setup.service` (the OOBE above).
-- `omarchy-reset-computer` (below).
+- `omarchy-system-factory-reset` (below).
 - Relax `omarchy-setup-system`: when the install user doesn't exist yet, the
   three `usermod -aG` scripts append to `/var/lib/omarchy/oem/groups` instead
   of failing the getent check.
 
-## Reset: `omarchy-reset-computer`
+## Reset: `omarchy-system-factory-reset`
 
 Behind a very explicit confirmation (typed, not y/n):
 
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ on it existing. So:
 - VM: OEM install (encrypted + unencrypted) → reboot → OOBE → session; verify
   LUKS passphrase is the user's, throwaway key gone, groups applied,
   `omarchy-finalize-user` state marker present.
-- VM: normal install → use system → `omarchy-reset-computer` → OOBE as new
+- VM: normal install → use system → `omarchy-system-factory-reset` → OOBE as new
   user; verify no trace of prior user (home, NM connections, tailscale,
   machine-id, host keys, snapper snapshots).
 - Autoinstall: cidata drive with `oem` marker and no credentials → unattended
diff --git a/test/cidata-load-test.sh b/test/cidata-load-test.sh
index abb7970..4914dc6 100644
--- a/test/cidata-load-test.sh
+++ b/test/cidata-load-test.sh
@@ -124,6 +124,58 @@ run_load || fail "required pair plus authorized_keys loads"
 [[ ! -e $sandbox/root/tailscale_authkey ]] || fail "absent tailscale_authkey is not copied"
 pass "present optional files are copied, absent ones skipped"
 
+# A defer-provisioning marker replaces user_credentials.json: deferred-provisioning installs
+# creation to first boot, so imaging rigs ship no credentials at all.
+new_sandbox
+attach_drive cidata
+echo '{"disk_config": {}}' >"$sandbox/media/user_configuration.json"
+: >"$sandbox/media/defer-provisioning"
+run_load || fail "config plus defer-provisioning marker loads"
+[[ -f $sandbox/root/defer-provisioning ]] || fail "defer-provisioning marker is copied"
+[[ ! -e $sandbox/root/user_credentials.json ]] || fail "defer-provisioning drive copies no credentials"
+pass "defer-provisioning marker stands in for credentials"
+
+# The defer-provisioning marker and credentials can coexist (rig supplies its own LUKS
+# passphrase in the credentials file); both are copied.
+new_sandbox
+attach_drive cidata
+write_required_pair
+: >"$sandbox/media/defer-provisioning"
+run_load || fail "defer-provisioning marker plus credentials loads"
+[[ -f $sandbox/root/defer-provisioning && -f $sandbox/root/user_credentials.json ]] || fail "both defer-provisioning marker and credentials are copied"
+pass "defer-provisioning marker plus credentials copies both"
+
+# An defer-provisioning marker without the configuration is still not an autoinstall drive.
+new_sandbox
+attach_drive cidata
+: >"$sandbox/media/defer-provisioning"
+! run_load || fail "defer-provisioning marker alone is not an autoinstall drive"
+[[ ! -e $sandbox/root/defer-provisioning ]] || fail "defer-provisioning marker alone copies nothing"
+pass "defer-provisioning marker alone falls back to the wizard"
+
+# Stale deferred-provisioning inputs from a previous load in the same session are cleared before
+# the current drive is copied: a normal drive must not inherit an old defer-provisioning
+# marker or credentials.
+new_sandbox
+attach_drive cidata
+write_required_pair
+: >"$sandbox/root/defer-provisioning"                       # leftover from a prior deferred-provisioning load
+echo 'old-keys' >"$sandbox/root/authorized_keys"
+run_load || fail "normal drive after a stale defer-provisioning load loads"
+[[ ! -e $sandbox/root/defer-provisioning ]] || fail "stale defer-provisioning marker is cleared"
+[[ ! -e $sandbox/root/authorized_keys ]] || fail "stale optional inputs are cleared"
+pass "stale deferred-provisioning inputs are cleared before loading a normal drive"
+
+# A drive that isn't an autoinstall drive at all still clears stale inputs so
+# the wizard that follows doesn't inherit them.
+new_sandbox
+attach_drive cidata
+echo '{"disk_config": {}}' >"$sandbox/media/user_configuration.json" # half a pair
+: >"$sandbox/root/defer-provisioning"
+! run_load || fail "half-pair drive still falls back"
+[[ ! -e $sandbox/root/defer-provisioning ]] || fail "stale defer-provisioning marker cleared even on fallback"
+pass "stale inputs are cleared even when falling back to the wizard"
+
 # Half the required pair is not an autoinstall drive: unmount and fall back.
 new_sandbox
 attach_drive cidata
diff --git a/test/test_configure_ssh_access.py b/test/test_configure_ssh_access.py
index 812761e..50050d2 100644
--- a/test/test_configure_ssh_access.py
+++ b/test/test_configure_ssh_access.py
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ class ConfigureSshAccessTest(unittest.TestCase):
         if authorized_keys is not None:
             authorized_keys_path = self.target / "authorized_keys"
             authorized_keys_path.write_text(authorized_keys)
-        return types.SimpleNamespace(target=self.target, username="jeff", authorized_keys_path=authorized_keys_path)
+        return types.SimpleNamespace(target=self.target, username="jeff", authorized_keys_path=authorized_keys_path, defer_provisioning=False)
 
     def configure(self, **kwargs):
         phases_impl.configure_ssh_access(self.ctx(**kwargs))
diff --git a/test/test_provisioning_state.py b/test/test_provisioning_state.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d2df6e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_provisioning_state.py
@@ -0,0 +1,440 @@
+"""Unit tests for deferred-provisioning install support in the orchestrator.
+
+Covers the InstallContext deferred-provisioning plumbing (marker file, credential-less input,
+throwaway LUKS passphrase injection) and the stage_provisioning_state /
+create_factory_snapshot / configure_login phases against a temp target with
+subprocess mocked out.
+"""
+
+import json
+import os
+import sys
+import tempfile
+import types
+import unittest
+from pathlib import Path
+from subprocess import CompletedProcess
+from unittest import mock
+
+sys.path.insert(0, str(Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent / "configs/airootfs/usr/share/omarchy-iso"))
+
+sys.modules.setdefault(
+    "orchestrator.archinstall_adapter", types.ModuleType("orchestrator.archinstall_adapter")
+)
+
+from orchestrator import phases_impl  # noqa: E402
+from orchestrator.context import InstallContext  # noqa: E402
+
+
+class ContextDeferProvisioningTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.tmp = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory()
+        self.addCleanup(self.tmp.cleanup)
+        self.dir = Path(self.tmp.name)
+        self.state_dir = self.dir / "state"
+
+        self.env = {
+            "OMARCHY_INSTALL_CONFIG": str(self.dir / "user_configuration.json"),
+            "OMARCHY_INSTALL_CREDS": str(self.dir / "user_credentials.json"),
+            "OMARCHY_INSTALL_STATE_DIR": str(self.state_dir),
+        }
+
+    def write_config(self, config):
+        (self.dir / "user_configuration.json").write_text(json.dumps(config))
+
+    def write_creds(self, creds):
+        (self.dir / "user_credentials.json").write_text(json.dumps(creds))
+
+    def from_env(self, **extra_env):
+        env = {**self.env, **extra_env}
+        with mock.patch.dict(os.environ, env, clear=False):
+            for key in ("OMARCHY_INSTALL_DEFER_PROVISIONING_FILE",):
+                if key not in env:
+                    os.environ.pop(key, None)
+            return InstallContext.from_env()
+
+    def base_config(self, defer_provisioning=None, disk_encryption=None):
+        config = {
+            "disk_config": {"config_type": "default_layout"},
+            "omarchy_install": {"mode": "full_disk", "target_mount": "/mnt"},
+        }
+        if defer_provisioning is not None:
+            config["omarchy_install"]["defer_provisioning"] = defer_provisioning
+        if disk_encryption is not None:
+            config["disk_config"]["disk_encryption"] = disk_encryption
+        return config
+
+    def test_defer_provisioning_flag_from_config(self):
+        self.write_config(self.base_config(defer_provisioning=True))
+        ctx = self.from_env()
+        self.assertTrue(ctx.defer_provisioning)
+        self.assertEqual(ctx.user_credentials, {"users": []})
+        self.assertEqual(ctx.username, "")
+
+    def test_marker_file_arms_deferred_provisioning_without_credentials(self):
+        self.write_config(self.base_config())
+        marker = self.dir / "defer_provisioning"
+        marker.touch()
+        ctx = self.from_env(OMARCHY_INSTALL_DEFER_PROVISIONING_FILE=str(marker))
+        self.assertTrue(ctx.defer_provisioning)
+        self.assertTrue(ctx.omarchy_install["defer_provisioning"])
+
+    def test_absent_marker_file_is_not_deferred_provisioning(self):
+        self.write_config(self.base_config())
+        self.write_creds({"users": [{"username": "jeff"}]})
+        ctx = self.from_env(OMARCHY_INSTALL_DEFER_PROVISIONING_FILE=str(self.dir / "missing-defer_provisioning"))
+        self.assertFalse(ctx.defer_provisioning)
+        self.assertEqual(ctx.username, "jeff")
+
+    def test_missing_credentials_without_defer_provisioning_raises(self):
+        self.write_config(self.base_config())
+        with self.assertRaisesRegex(RuntimeError, "credentials file missing"):
+            self.from_env()
+
+    def test_deferred_provisioning_generates_throwaway_luks_passphrase(self):
+        self.write_config(self.base_config(defer_provisioning=True, disk_encryption={
+            "encryption_type": "luks", "partitions": ["x"],
+        }))
+        ctx = self.from_env()
+
+        password = ctx.user_configuration["disk_config"]["disk_encryption"]["encryption_password"]
+        self.assertTrue(password)
+        self.assertEqual(ctx.user_credentials["encryption_password"], password)
+
+        # archinstall reads both files from disk; the injected passphrase must
+        # be present in each.
+        arch_config = json.loads(ctx.arch_config_path.read_text())
+        self.assertEqual(
+            arch_config["disk_config"]["disk_encryption"]["encryption_password"], password
+        )
+        synthesized = json.loads(ctx.creds_path.read_text())
+        self.assertEqual(synthesized["encryption_password"], password)
+
+    def test_deferred_provisioning_reuses_rig_supplied_passphrase(self):
+        self.write_config(self.base_config(defer_provisioning=True, disk_encryption={
+            "encryption_type": "luks", "partitions": ["x"],
+        }))
+        self.write_creds({"users": [], "encryption_password": "rig-secret"})
+        ctx = self.from_env()
+        self.assertEqual(
+            ctx.user_configuration["disk_config"]["disk_encryption"]["encryption_password"],
+            "rig-secret",
+        )
+
+    def test_deferred_provisioning_discards_account_material(self):
+        # A rig credentials file must not smuggle in users or a root password.
+        self.write_config(self.base_config(defer_provisioning=True))
+        self.write_creds({
+            "users": [{"username": "backdoor", "enc_password": "x", "sudo": True}],
+            "root_enc_password": "x",
+            "encryption_password": "rig-secret",
+        })
+        ctx = self.from_env()
+        self.assertEqual(ctx.user_credentials["users"], [])
+        self.assertNotIn("root_enc_password", ctx.user_credentials)
+        self.assertEqual(ctx.user_credentials["encryption_password"], "rig-secret")
+        synthesized = json.loads(ctx.creds_path.read_text())
+        self.assertEqual(synthesized["users"], [])
+        self.assertNotIn("root_enc_password", synthesized)
+
+    def test_defer_provisioning_strips_account_fields(self):
+        config = self.base_config(defer_provisioning=True)
+        config["!users"] = [{"username": "rig"}]
+        config["!root-password"] = "hunter2"
+        config["root_enc_password"] = "x"
+        config["auth_config"] = {"users": [{"username": "rig"}], "root_enc_password": "x"}
+        self.write_config(config)
+        ctx = self.from_env()
+
+        arch_config = json.loads(ctx.arch_config_path.read_text())
+        for key in ("!users", "!root-password", "root_enc_password", "users"):
+            self.assertNotIn(key, arch_config)
+        self.assertEqual(arch_config["auth_config"], {})
+
+    def test_deferred_provisioning_unencrypted_touches_nothing(self):
+        self.write_config(self.base_config(defer_provisioning=True))
+        ctx = self.from_env()
+        self.assertNotIn("encryption_password", ctx.user_credentials)
+
+
+def make_ctx(target, **overrides):
+    defaults = dict(
+        target=target,
+        defer_provisioning=True,
+        encrypt=False,
+        username="",
+        omarchy_install={"mode": "full_disk", "defer_provisioning": True, "storage": {}},
+        user_configuration={"disk_config": {}},
+        user_credentials={"users": []},
+        state_dir=target / "state",
+        authorized_keys_path=None,
+    )
+    defaults.update(overrides)
+    return types.SimpleNamespace(**defaults)
+
+
+class StageProvisioningStateTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.tmp = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory()
+        self.addCleanup(self.tmp.cleanup)
+        self.target = Path(self.tmp.name) / "mnt"
+        self.target.mkdir()
+
+        info_patch = mock.patch.object(phases_impl, "info")
+        info_patch.start()
+        self.addCleanup(info_patch.stop)
+
+        # A fake bundled Node tarball on the "live ISO".
+        self.packages = Path(self.tmp.name) / "opt-packages"
+        self.packages.mkdir()
+        (self.packages / "node-v24.0.0-linux-x64.tar.gz").write_bytes(b"node")
+        node_patch = mock.patch.object(phases_impl, "NODE_PACKAGES_DIR", self.packages)
+        node_patch.start()
+        self.addCleanup(node_patch.stop)
+
+    def install_runtime_provisioning_support(self):
+        service = self.target / "usr/share/omarchy/install/provisioning/omarchy-provision-owner.service"
+        service.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        service.write_text("[Unit]\n")
+        setup_bin = self.target / "usr/bin/omarchy-provision-owner"
+        setup_bin.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        setup_bin.write_text("#!/bin/bash\n")
+
+    def provisioning_dir(self):
+        return self.target / "var/lib/omarchy/provisioning"
+
+    def test_normal_install_stages_only_the_node_tarball(self):
+        ctx = make_ctx(self.target, defer_provisioning=False)
+        phases_impl.stage_provisioning_state(ctx)
+
+        self.assertTrue((self.provisioning_dir() / "packages/node-v24.0.0-linux-x64.tar.gz").exists())
+        self.assertFalse((self.provisioning_dir() / "pending").exists())
+        self.assertFalse((self.target / "etc/systemd/system/omarchy-provision-owner.service").exists())
+
+    def test_deferred_provisioning_against_runtime_without_support_fails_clearly(self):
+        ctx = make_ctx(self.target)
+        with self.assertRaisesRegex(RuntimeError, "does not ship"):
+            phases_impl.stage_provisioning_state(ctx)
+
+    def test_deferred_provisioning_without_node_tarball_fails(self):
+        for tarball in self.packages.glob("*.tar.gz"):
+            tarball.unlink()
+        self.install_runtime_provisioning_support()
+        ctx = make_ctx(self.target)
+        with self.assertRaisesRegex(RuntimeError, "Node tarball"):
+            phases_impl.stage_provisioning_state(ctx)
+
+    def test_missing_node_tarball_fails_normal_installs_too(self):
+        # The stash is what makes a later factory reset work offline.
+        for tarball in self.packages.glob("*.tar.gz"):
+            tarball.unlink()
+        ctx = make_ctx(self.target, defer_provisioning=False)
+        with self.assertRaisesRegex(RuntimeError, "Node tarball"):
+            phases_impl.stage_provisioning_state(ctx)
+
+    def test_deferred_provisioning_arms_first_boot_setup(self):
+        self.install_runtime_provisioning_support()
+        ctx = make_ctx(self.target)
+        phases_impl.stage_provisioning_state(ctx)
+
+        self.assertTrue((self.provisioning_dir() / "pending").exists())
+        self.assertTrue((self.target / "etc/systemd/system/omarchy-provision-owner.service").exists())
+        link = self.target / "etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/omarchy-provision-owner.service"
+        self.assertTrue(link.is_symlink())
+        self.assertEqual(
+            os.readlink(link), "/etc/systemd/system/omarchy-provision-owner.service"
+        )
+        # Unencrypted: no LUKS staging.
+        self.assertFalse((self.provisioning_dir() / "luks-key").exists())
+
+    def test_deferred_provisioning_encrypted_stages_luks_auto_unlock(self):
+        self.install_runtime_provisioning_support()
+        ctx = make_ctx(
+            self.target,
+            user_configuration={"disk_config": {"disk_encryption": {
+                "encryption_type": "luks",
+                "encryption_password": "throwaway-secret",
+            }}},
+        )
+        phases_impl.stage_provisioning_state(ctx)
+
+        # Byte-for-byte the slot passphrase — no trailing newline.
+        self.assertEqual((self.provisioning_dir() / "luks-key").read_text(), "throwaway-secret")
+        keyfile = self.target / "etc/omarchy/provisioning.key"
+        self.assertEqual(keyfile.read_text(), "throwaway-secret")
+        self.assertEqual(keyfile.stat().st_mode & 0o777, 0o600)
+
+        cmdline = (self.target / "etc/limine-entry-tool.d/99-omarchy-provisioning-unlock.conf").read_text()
+        self.assertIn("cryptkey=rootfs:/etc/omarchy/provisioning.key", cmdline)
+        files = (self.target / "etc/mkinitcpio.conf.d/99-omarchy-provisioning-key.conf").read_text()
+        self.assertIn("FILES+=(/etc/omarchy/provisioning.key)", files)
+
+    def test_deferred_provisioning_pre_encrypted_without_passphrase_fails(self):
+        self.install_runtime_provisioning_support()
+        ctx = make_ctx(
+            self.target,
+            omarchy_install={"mode": "protected", "defer_provisioning": True, "storage": {"luks_uuid": "abc"}},
+        )
+        with self.assertRaisesRegex(RuntimeError, "passphrase"):
+            phases_impl.stage_provisioning_state(ctx)
+
+
+class ConfigureLoginDeferProvisioningTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.tmp = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory()
+        self.addCleanup(self.tmp.cleanup)
+        self.target = Path(self.tmp.name)
+        self.calls = []
+
+        run_patch = mock.patch.object(
+            phases_impl.subprocess, "run",
+            side_effect=lambda cmd, **kw: (self.calls.append(cmd), CompletedProcess(cmd, 0))[1],
+        )
+        run_patch.start()
+        self.addCleanup(run_patch.stop)
+
+    def test_deferred_provisioning_login_leaves_user_state_to_first_boot(self):
+        ctx = make_ctx(self.target, encrypt=True)
+        phases_impl.configure_login(ctx)
+
+        self.assertTrue((self.target / "etc/sddm.conf.d/99-omarchy-login.conf").exists())
+        self.assertFalse((self.target / "etc/sddm.conf.d/autologin.conf").exists())
+        self.assertFalse((self.target / "var/lib/sddm/state.conf").exists())
+        self.assertTrue(any("sddm.service" in cmd for cmd in self.calls))
+
+    def test_normal_encrypted_login_still_autologs_in(self):
+        ctx = make_ctx(self.target, defer_provisioning=False, encrypt=True, username="jeff")
+        phases_impl.configure_login(ctx)
+
+        autologin = (self.target / "etc/sddm.conf.d/autologin.conf").read_text()
+        self.assertIn("User=jeff", autologin)
+        state = (self.target / "var/lib/sddm/state.conf").read_text()
+        self.assertIn("User=jeff", state)
+
+
+class ConfigureSshAccessDeferProvisioningTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.tmp = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory()
+        self.addCleanup(self.tmp.cleanup)
+        self.target = Path(self.tmp.name) / "mnt"
+        self.target.mkdir()
+
+        info_patch = mock.patch.object(phases_impl, "info")
+        info_patch.start()
+        self.addCleanup(info_patch.stop)
+
+        def fake_run(cmd, **kwargs):
+            self.calls.append(cmd)
+            if "ufw" in cmd:
+                rules = self.target / "etc/ufw/user.rules"
+                rules.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+                rules.write_text("-A ufw-user-input -p tcp --dport 22 -j ACCEPT\n")
+            return CompletedProcess(cmd, 0)
+
+        self.calls = []
+        run_patch = mock.patch.object(phases_impl.subprocess, "run", side_effect=fake_run)
+        run_patch.start()
+        self.addCleanup(run_patch.stop)
+
+    def test_deferred_provisioning_stages_keys_for_first_boot(self):
+        keys = Path(self.tmp.name) / "authorized_keys"
+        keys.write_text("ssh-ed25519 AAAA rig@host\n")
+        ctx = make_ctx(self.target, authorized_keys_path=keys)
+
+        phases_impl.configure_ssh_access(ctx)
+
+        staged = self.target / "var/lib/omarchy/provisioning/authorized_keys"
+        self.assertEqual(staged.read_text(), "ssh-ed25519 AAAA rig@host\n")
+        self.assertEqual(staged.stat().st_mode & 0o777, 0o600)
+        # No user yet — nothing under /home, no chown.
+        self.assertFalse((self.target / "home").exists())
+        self.assertFalse(any("chown" in cmd for cmd in self.calls))
+        # The door is still opened for first boot.
+        self.assertTrue(any("sshd.service" in cmd for cmd in self.calls))
+
+
+class CreateFactorySnapshotTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.tmp = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory()
+        self.addCleanup(self.tmp.cleanup)
+        self.target = Path(self.tmp.name) / "mnt"
+        self.target.mkdir()
+        self.state_dir = Path(self.tmp.name) / "state"
+        self.state_dir.mkdir()
+
+        info_patch = mock.patch.object(phases_impl, "info")
+        info_patch.start()
+        self.addCleanup(info_patch.stop)
+
+        self.findmnt = {
+            "FSTYPE": "btrfs",
+            "OPTIONS": "rw,noatime,compress=zstd:3,subvol=/@",
+            "SOURCE": "/dev/mapper/omarchy_root[/@]",
+        }
+        self.calls = []
+
+        def fake_run(cmd, **kwargs):
+            self.calls.append(cmd)
+            if cmd[0] == "findmnt":
+                return CompletedProcess(cmd, 0, stdout=self.findmnt[cmd[2]] + "\n", stderr="")
+            if cmd[0] == "mount":
+                # Simulate the top level containing @.
+                (Path(cmd[-1]) / "@").mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+            return CompletedProcess(cmd, 0, stdout="", stderr="")
+
+        run_patch = mock.patch.object(phases_impl.subprocess, "run", side_effect=fake_run)
+        run_patch.start()
+        self.addCleanup(run_patch.stop)
+
+    def ctx(self):
+        return make_ctx(self.target, defer_provisioning=False, state_dir=self.state_dir)
+
+    def test_snapshots_root_as_factory(self):
+        phases_impl.create_factory_snapshot(self.ctx())
+
+        top = str(self.state_dir / "factory-top")
+        self.assertIn(["mount", "-o", "subvolid=5", "/dev/mapper/omarchy_root", top], self.calls)
+        self.assertIn(
+            ["btrfs", "subvolume", "snapshot", f"{top}/@", f"{top}/@factory"],
+            self.calls,
+        )
+        self.assertIn(
+            ["btrfs", "property", "set", "-ts", f"{top}/@factory", "ro", "true"],
+            self.calls,
+        )
+        self.assertIn(["umount", top], self.calls)
+
+    def test_factory_snapshot_scrubs_provisioning_credentials(self):
+        # Simulate the snapshot carrying deployment credentials; the scrub
+        # must drop them before the snapshot goes read-only.
+        top = self.state_dir / "factory-top"
+        factory = top / "@factory"
+        secrets = [
+            factory / "var/lib/omarchy/provisioning/authorized_keys",
+            factory / "etc/tailscale/authkey",
+            factory / "etc/omarchy/provisioning.key",
+        ]
+        keep = factory / "var/lib/omarchy/provisioning/groups"
+        for path in [*secrets, keep]:
+            path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+            path.write_text("secret")
+
+        phases_impl.create_factory_snapshot(self.ctx())
+
+        for path in secrets:
+            self.assertFalse(path.exists(), path)
+        self.assertTrue(keep.exists())
+
+    def test_non_btrfs_target_skips(self):
+        self.findmnt["FSTYPE"] = "ext4"
+        phases_impl.create_factory_snapshot(self.ctx())
+        self.assertFalse(any(cmd[0] == "mount" for cmd in self.calls))
+
+    def test_non_subvol_root_skips(self):
+        self.findmnt["OPTIONS"] = "rw,noatime"
+        phases_impl.create_factory_snapshot(self.ctx())
+        self.assertFalse(any(cmd[0] == "mount" for cmd in self.calls))
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()