diff --git a/src/unified-dashboard.ts b/src/unified-dashboard.ts
index d45685d..8f9b3cd 100644
--- a/src/unified-dashboard.ts
+++ b/src/unified-dashboard.ts
@@ -808,6 +808,10 @@ export async function startUnifiedDashboard(
 
   const isRenderer = opts.serviceAgentType === 'claude-code';
   const statusJid = `dc:${opts.statusChannelId}`;
+  // The first render after a (re)start should show the status message
+  // immediately: edit the stored message if possible, but if that edit fails,
+  // repost right away instead of waiting through the steady-state retry cycle.
+  let firstStatusRender = true;
   if (isRenderer) {
     statusMessageId = readDashboardStatusMessageId(opts.statusChannelId);
   }
@@ -869,9 +873,12 @@ export async function startUnifiedDashboard(
         // times with a delay first; only give up (and repost) if all fail.
         const editId = statusMessageId;
         const editMessage = channel.editMessage;
+        // First render after start: 0 retries → repost immediately if the edit
+        // fails. Steady state: retry twice at 15s before reposting.
+        const maxRetries = firstStatusRender ? 0 : STATUS_EDIT_MAX_RETRIES;
         const edited = await editStatusMessageWithRetry({
           editOnce: () => editMessage(statusJid, editId, content),
-          maxRetries: STATUS_EDIT_MAX_RETRIES,
+          maxRetries,
           retryDelayMs: STATUS_EDIT_RETRY_DELAY_MS,
           onAttemptFailed: (attempt, willRetry, err) =>
             logger.warn(
@@ -879,7 +886,7 @@ export async function startUnifiedDashboard(
                 err,
                 messageId: editId,
                 attempt,
-                maxAttempts: STATUS_EDIT_MAX_RETRIES + 1,
+                maxAttempts: maxRetries + 1,
                 willRetry,
               },
               willRetry
@@ -901,6 +908,9 @@ export async function startUnifiedDashboard(
           writeDashboardStatusMessageId(opts.statusChannelId, id);
         }
       }
+      // A render (edit or repost) happened this tick; subsequent ticks use the
+      // steady-state retry policy.
+      firstStatusRender = false;
       if (statusMessageId) {
         await cleanupDashboardDuplicateMessages(opts, statusMessageId);
       }