diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/onboarding/WelcomeWizard.import.browser.test.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/onboarding/WelcomeWizard.import.browser.test.tsx
index 642e396609..aa562f7f4a 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/onboarding/WelcomeWizard.import.browser.test.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/onboarding/WelcomeWizard.import.browser.test.tsx
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ const state = vi.hoisted(() => ({
   onDone: vi.fn(),
   scan: vi.fn(),
   refreshScan: vi.fn(),
+  waitForProject: vi.fn(),
 }));
 
 vi.mock(import("@goat/client-runtime/state/session"), async (original) => {
@@ -87,6 +88,7 @@ vi.mock(import("../../state/entities"), async (original) => {
     ...(await original()),
     useProjects: (() => useAtomValue(state.projects as Atom.Atom<Project[]>)) as never,
     readProjects: (() => appAtomRegistry.get(state.projects as Atom.Atom<Project[]>)) as never,
+    waitForProject: ((ref: unknown) => state.waitForProject(ref)) as never,
   };
 });
 vi.mock(import("../../state/projects"), async (original) => ({
@@ -187,6 +189,27 @@ function recordProject({ environmentId, input }: CreateProjectInput) {
   return AsyncResult.success(undefined);
 }
 
+// Resolves once the project reaches the mocked projects atom; the real helper's timeout is
+// replaced per test with a rejection.
+function waitForRecordedProject(ref: { environmentId: EnvironmentId; projectId: string }) {
+  const find = () =>
+    appAtomRegistry
+      .get(projectsAtom())
+      .find(
+        (project) => project.id === ref.projectId && project.environmentId === ref.environmentId,
+      );
+  return new Promise<Project>((resolve) => {
+    const current = find();
+    if (current) return resolve(current);
+    const unsubscribe = appAtomRegistry.subscribe(projectsAtom(), () => {
+      const project = find();
+      if (!project) return;
+      unsubscribe();
+      resolve(project);
+    });
+  });
+}
+
 function deferred<T>() {
   let resolve!: (value: T) => void;
   const promise = new Promise<T>((complete) => {
@@ -260,6 +283,7 @@ function setup() {
   state.onDone.mockReset();
   state.scan.mockReset();
   state.refreshScan.mockReset();
+  state.waitForProject.mockReset().mockImplementation(waitForRecordedProject);
   return now;
 }
 
@@ -314,3 +338,23 @@ vi.mock("@goat/shared/goatConnect", async (importOriginal) => ({
   ...(await importOriginal<typeof import("@goat/shared/goatConnect")>()),
   isGoatConnectEnabled: () => true,
 }));
+
+it("finishes setup without landing when the imported project never reaches the client", async () => {
+  using _now = setup();
+  state.candidates = state.candidates.slice(0, 1);
+  // The server accepts the project, but it never shows up in the client's projects.
+  state.createProject.mockResolvedValue(AsyncResult.success(undefined));
+  state.waitForProject.mockRejectedValue(new Error("The project did not appear."));
+  state.completeOnboarding.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("offline"));
+  await using _screen = await mountImport();
+
+  await click("Import 1 project");
+  await vi.waitFor(() => expect(state.completeOnboarding).toHaveBeenCalledOnce());
+  // A failed completion hands the step back instead of leaving it importing.
+  await vi.waitFor(() => expect(button("Import 1 project").disabled).toBe(false));
+  expect(state.onDone).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+  await click("Import 1 project");
+  await vi.waitFor(() => expect(state.onDone).toHaveBeenCalledOnce());
+  expect(state.onDone).toHaveBeenCalledWith(undefined);
+});
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/onboarding/WelcomeWizard.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/onboarding/WelcomeWizard.tsx
index 71d4b990c2..e3a86211c4 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/onboarding/WelcomeWizard.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/onboarding/WelcomeWizard.tsx
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ import {
 } from "../../onboarding/providerReadiness.logic";
 import { newProjectId, randomUUID } from "../../lib/utils";
 import { agentSessionImport } from "../../state/agentSessions";
-import { readProjects, useProjects } from "../../state/entities";
+import { readProjects, waitForProject } from "../../state/entities";
 import { useEnvironments, usePrimaryEnvironment } from "../../state/environments";
 import {
   isOnboardingRelayEnvironment,
@@ -1220,11 +1220,9 @@ function ImportStep({
   const writableEnvironments = useEnvironmentsWithScope(scans, AuthOrchestrationOperateScope);
   const createProject = useAtomCommand(projectEnvironment.create, { reportFailure: false });
   const importThreads = useAtomCommand(agentSessionImport, { reportFailure: false });
-  const projects = useProjects();
   const [selectedPaths, setSelectedPaths] = useState<ReadonlySet<string> | null>(null);
   const importWarningRef = useRef("");
   const importedThreadCountRef = useRef(0);
-  const [landingProject, setLandingProject] = useState<ScopedProjectRef | null>(null);
   const importedProjectsRef = useRef(new Map<string, ScopedProjectRef>());
   const projectsWithImportedHistoryRef = useRef(new Map<string, ScopedProjectRef>());
   const lastImportSelectionRef = useRef<ReadonlyArray<string>>([]);
@@ -1240,25 +1238,6 @@ function ImportStep({
     };
   }, []);
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (
-      landingProject !== null &&
-      projects.some(
-        (project) =>
-          project.id === landingProject.projectId &&
-          project.environmentId === landingProject.environmentId,
-      )
-    ) {
-      // oxlint-disable-next-line react/set-state-in-effect -- The landing project is known only once the projects subscription delivers it.
-      setLandingProject(null);
-      void onDone(landingProject, importWarningRef.current, importedThreadCountRef.current).then(
-        (completed) => {
-          if (!completed) setIsImporting(false);
-        },
-      );
-    }
-  }, [landingProject, onDone, projects, setIsImporting]);
-
   const { available: candidates, recent } = partitionOnboardingProjects(
     scans.flatMap((scan) =>
       (scan.data?.candidates ?? []).map((candidate) => ({
@@ -1292,7 +1271,23 @@ function ImportStep({
       return;
     }
     setIsImporting(true);
-    setLandingProject(projectRef);
+    const importGeneration = importGenerationRef.current;
+    // waitForProject gives up after its timeout, so a project that never reaches the client
+    // still finishes setup, just without landing in it.
+    void waitForProject(projectRef)
+      .then(
+        () => projectRef,
+        () => undefined,
+      )
+      .then(async (landing) => {
+        if (importGeneration !== importGenerationRef.current) return;
+        const completed = await onDone(
+          landing,
+          importWarningRef.current,
+          importedThreadCountRef.current,
+        );
+        if (!completed) setIsImporting(false);
+      });
   };
 
   const runImport = async (selection: typeof candidates) => {