diff --git a/bin/omarchy-iso-test b/bin/omarchy-iso-test
index 7858b3a..dd49ab6 100755
--- a/bin/omarchy-iso-test
+++ b/bin/omarchy-iso-test
@@ -703,7 +703,7 @@ drive_oem_setup() {
   capture_console "success-oem-02-password"
   press ret
 
-  wait_for_screen "Confirm" 60
+  wait_for_screen "Conf *irm" 60
   type_text "$GUEST_PASSWORD"
   press ret
 
@@ -932,6 +932,25 @@ install_phase() {
   fi
   bootstrap_ssh
 
+  # SSH can come up (console bootstrap logs in on a spare TTY) while
+  # omarchy-oem-setup 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 $OEM; then
+    log "Waiting for OEM first-boot setup to finish"
+    local waited=0
+    while ssh_guest "test -f /var/lib/omarchy/oem/pending" 2>/dev/null; do
+      if ((waited >= 900)); then
+        capture_console "failure-oem-finalization-timeout"
+        echo "Timed out waiting for OEM first-boot setup to complete" >&2
+        return 1
+      fi
+      sleep 10
+      ((waited += 10))
+    done
+    capture_console "success-oem-06-setup-complete"
+  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 $GUEST_PASSWORD | sudo -S cat /var/log/pacman.log 2>/dev/null" \
diff --git a/configs/airootfs/usr/local/bin/omarchy-cidata-load b/configs/airootfs/usr/local/bin/omarchy-cidata-load
index d8e83e9..cabc210 100755
--- a/configs/airootfs/usr/local/bin/omarchy-cidata-load
+++ b/configs/airootfs/usr/local/bin/omarchy-cidata-load
@@ -38,10 +38,20 @@ done
 mkdir -p "$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 `oem` marker or credentials file would
+# otherwise force a fresh drive's config back into OEM mode 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 oem 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 || -f $mnt/oem ]]; then
   files=("$mnt"/user_configuration.json)
-  for file in user_credentials.json oem user_full_name.txt user_email_address.txt user_encrypt_installation.txt authorized_keys tailscale_authkey; do
+  for file in "${optional_inputs[@]}"; do
     [[ -f $mnt/$file ]] && files+=("$mnt/$file")
   done
   if cp "${files[@]}" "$dest"/; then
diff --git a/configs/airootfs/usr/share/omarchy-iso/orchestrator/context.py b/configs/airootfs/usr/share/omarchy-iso/orchestrator/context.py
index 018c559..a189e50 100644
--- a/configs/airootfs/usr/share/omarchy-iso/orchestrator/context.py
+++ b/configs/airootfs/usr/share/omarchy-iso/orchestrator/context.py
@@ -76,6 +76,14 @@ class InstallContext:
 
         arch_configuration = dict(user_configuration)
         arch_configuration.pop("omarchy_install", None)
+
+        if oem:
+            # 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)
 
@@ -135,6 +143,20 @@ 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 an OEM install 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_oem_encryption_password(arch_configuration: dict, user_credentials: dict) -> None:
     """Ensure an encrypted OEM install has a LUKS passphrase archinstall can
     use. Reuse one the input already carries (an autoinstall rig may supply
diff --git a/test/cidata-load-test.sh b/test/cidata-load-test.sh
index e59a67c..67e798b 100644
--- a/test/cidata-load-test.sh
+++ b/test/cidata-load-test.sh
@@ -153,6 +153,29 @@ attach_drive cidata
 [[ ! -e $sandbox/root/oem ]] || fail "oem marker alone copies nothing"
 pass "oem marker alone falls back to the wizard"
 
+# Stale OEM 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 oem
+# marker or credentials.
+new_sandbox
+attach_drive cidata
+write_required_pair
+: >"$sandbox/root/oem"                       # leftover from a prior OEM load
+echo 'old-keys' >"$sandbox/root/authorized_keys"
+run_load || fail "normal drive after a stale OEM load loads"
+[[ ! -e $sandbox/root/oem ]] || fail "stale oem marker is cleared"
+[[ ! -e $sandbox/root/authorized_keys ]] || fail "stale optional inputs are cleared"
+pass "stale OEM inputs are cleared before loading a normal drive"
+
+# A drive that isn't an autoinstall drive at all still clears stale inputs so
+# the wizard that follows doesn't inherit them.
+new_sandbox
+attach_drive cidata
+echo '{"disk_config": {}}' >"$sandbox/media/user_configuration.json" # half a pair
+: >"$sandbox/root/oem"
+! run_load || fail "half-pair drive still falls back"
+[[ ! -e $sandbox/root/oem ]] || fail "stale oem 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_oem_state.py b/test/test_oem_state.py
index 422dcd3..d683718 100644
--- a/test/test_oem_state.py
+++ b/test/test_oem_state.py
@@ -137,6 +137,20 @@ class ContextOemTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(synthesized["users"], [])
         self.assertNotIn("root_enc_password", synthesized)
 
+    def test_oem_strips_account_fields_from_arch_config(self):
+        config = self.base_config(oem=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_oem_unencrypted_touches_nothing(self):
         self.write_config(self.base_config(oem=True))
         ctx = self.from_env()