diff --git a/docs/systems/auth.md b/docs/systems/auth.md
index e5b50248..79dad638 100644
--- a/docs/systems/auth.md
+++ b/docs/systems/auth.md
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ If `requestedAvatarColor` is provided and is in `AVATAR_COLORS`, use it. Otherwi
 4. Check username uniqueness (exact match on lowercased username)
 5. Hash password (bcrypt, 12 rounds)
 6. Generate Snowflake ID
-7. Insert user row with `status: 'online'`, admin flag if first user
+7. Insert user row (status defaults to `'offline'` at the schema level; it is set to `'online'` only when the client establishes a WebSocket via the WS auth path in `ws/handler.ts`). Admin flag set if first user.
 8. Sign JWT with `{ userId, username }`
 9. Return `{ token, user }` (user sanitized via `sanitizeUser(user, true)`)
 
diff --git a/packages/server/src/routes/auth.ts b/packages/server/src/routes/auth.ts
index 445ffa63..be717e38 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/routes/auth.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/routes/auth.ts
@@ -166,12 +166,19 @@ export async function authRoutes(app: FastifyInstance): Promise<void> {
       ? requestedAvatarColor
       : AVATAR_COLORS[Math.floor(Math.random() * AVATAR_COLORS.length)];
 
+    // Note: status is left at the schema default ('offline') and is set to
+    // 'online' exclusively by the WebSocket auth path (ws/handler.ts). A
+    // successful REST /register does not by itself imply a live connection —
+    // the client may never establish a WS (transient network failure, mobile
+    // background, error path between this 201 response and /ws connect),
+    // which would otherwise produce a permanently stuck-online row that no
+    // disconnect timer can clean up. The WS handshake will flip it to
+    // 'online' once a real socket attaches.
     db.insert(schema.users).values({
       id: userId,
       username: trimmedUsername,
       displayName: displayName?.trim() || null,
       passwordHash,
-      status: 'online',
       isAdmin: isFirstUser ? 1 : 0,
       homeInstance: homeInstance || null,
       homeUserId: (homeInstance && homeUserId && typeof homeUserId === 'string') ? homeUserId : null,