diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 37b3c4f..dcc648e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -733,7 +733,7 @@ reaches the mirror in minutes rather than hours:
 
 1. **check-versions** (`*:0/5`): Pulls latest from git, compares PKGBUILD versions to published versions, creates state files if builds are needed
 2. **auto-release-edge** (`*:1/5`): If a state file exists, builds all edge packages that need updates
-3. **auto-release-rc** (`*:2/5`): Builds the rc channel from the `rc` branch worktree (`/root/omarchy-pkgs-rc`), publishing into the shared channel tree. The orchestrator also triggers this immediately over ssh when cutting an RC
+3. **auto-release-rc** (`*:2/5`): Builds the rc channel from the `rc` branch worktree (`/root/omarchy-pkgs-rc`), publishing into the shared channel tree. It runs from the main checkout and creates that worktree on demand, so a host with no rc branch yet is a no-op rather than a failing unit. The orchestrator also triggers this immediately over ssh when cutting an RC
 4. **auto-release-stable** (`*:3/5`): If a state file exists, builds `release_ring=fast` packages for stable and replicates them to rc
 
 That cadence is only safe because of three guards:
diff --git a/bin/auto-release-rc b/bin/auto-release-rc
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..07dfc31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/auto-release-rc
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Scheduled entry point for the rc channel.
+#
+# The rc channel builds from the standing `rc` branch in its own worktree, but
+# that branch does not exist until the first RC is cut — and a host set up
+# before then has no worktree either. This runs from the MAIN checkout, which
+# always exists, and makes both conditions non-events: no branch means nothing
+# to build, and a missing worktree is created on demand rather than failing
+# the unit every five minutes.
+
+set -e
+
+BUILD_ROOT=$(realpath "${BASH_SOURCE[0]%/*}/..")
+source "$BUILD_ROOT/helpers/message-helpers.sh"
+
+RC_WORKTREE="${OMARCHY_RC_WORKTREE:-/root/omarchy-pkgs-rc}"
+STATE_DIR="${OMARCHY_STATE_DIR:-/root/.state}"
+
+# Nothing queued: the common case. Exit before touching the network.
+[[ -f "$STATE_DIR/.sync-needed-rc" ]] || exit 0
+
+git -C "$BUILD_ROOT" fetch --quiet origin rc 2>/dev/null || true
+
+if ! git -C "$BUILD_ROOT" show-ref --verify --quiet refs/remotes/origin/rc; then
+  print_info "No rc branch yet — nothing to build (the first RC cut creates it)"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+if [[ ! -d "$RC_WORKTREE" ]]; then
+  print_info "Creating rc worktree at $RC_WORKTREE..."
+  if git -C "$BUILD_ROOT" show-ref --verify --quiet refs/heads/rc; then
+    git -C "$BUILD_ROOT" worktree add "$RC_WORKTREE" rc
+  else
+    git -C "$BUILD_ROOT" worktree add --track -b rc "$RC_WORKTREE" origin/rc
+  fi
+fi
+
+# The rc branch is rebuilt as master + pins for each cut and force-pushed, so
+# this follows with a hard reset rather than a fast-forward pull.
+git -C "$RC_WORKTREE" fetch origin rc
+git -C "$RC_WORKTREE" reset --hard origin/rc
+
+exec "$RC_WORKTREE/bin/auto-release" rc
diff --git a/bin/setup b/bin/setup
index a12559e..83cf5ec 100755
--- a/bin/setup
+++ b/bin/setup
@@ -229,8 +229,8 @@ else
   elif git -C "$BUILD_ROOT" show-ref --verify --quiet refs/remotes/origin/rc; then
     git -C "$BUILD_ROOT" worktree add --track -b rc "$RC_WORKTREE" origin/rc
   else
-    print_info "No rc branch yet — the first RC cut creates it, and the rc build"
-    echo "    trigger creates this worktree on demand. Nothing to do."
+    print_info "No rc branch yet — the first RC cut creates it, and the rc"
+    echo "    release unit creates this worktree on demand. Nothing to do."
   fi
 fi
 echo ""
diff --git a/systemd/omarchy-auto-release-rc.service b/systemd/omarchy-auto-release-rc.service
index 21b9a4e..86bb943 100644
--- a/systemd/omarchy-auto-release-rc.service
+++ b/systemd/omarchy-auto-release-rc.service
@@ -5,13 +5,11 @@ Wants=network-online.target
 
 [Service]
 Type=oneshot
-# The rc channel builds from the rc branch worktree, but publishes into the
-# primary checkout's channel tree via OMARCHY_REPO_ROOT. The rc branch is
-# rebuilt (master + pin commits) each release train and force-pushed, so this
-# worktree follows with a hard reset rather than a fast-forward pull.
-ExecStartPre=/usr/bin/git -C /root/omarchy-pkgs-rc fetch origin rc
-ExecStartPre=/usr/bin/git -C /root/omarchy-pkgs-rc reset --hard origin/rc
-ExecStart=/bin/bash -c 'source /root/.omarchy/build-credentials && /root/omarchy-pkgs-rc/bin/auto-release rc'
+# Runs from the main checkout: bin/auto-release-rc creates and syncs the rc
+# branch worktree itself, so a host with no rc branch yet is a no-op instead
+# of a unit that fails every five minutes. Builds happen in the worktree but
+# publish into the primary checkout's channel tree via OMARCHY_REPO_ROOT.
+ExecStart=/bin/bash -c 'source /root/.omarchy/build-credentials && /root/omarchy-pkgs/bin/auto-release-rc'
 Environment=OMARCHY_STATE_DIR=/root/.state
 Environment=OMARCHY_REPO_ROOT=/root/omarchy-pkgs/pkgs.omarchy.org
 TimeoutStartSec=7200