diff --git a/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/builds.js b/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/builds.js
index 7a39d809..e56d5060 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/builds.js
+++ b/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/builds.js
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ const NODE_KIND_LABEL = {
   prebuild: 'prebuild',
   stop_for_update: 'stop',
   swap: 'swap',
+  provision: 'provision',
   create: 'create',
   meta_lock: 'meta lock',
   reconcile: 'reconcile',
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/job_queue/exec.rs b/hive-c0re/src/job_queue/exec.rs
index 3d7efa9a..7d5dd6d4 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/job_queue/exec.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/job_queue/exec.rs
@@ -81,7 +81,8 @@ pub(super) async fn run_node(coord: &Arc<Coordinator>, claim: &Claim) -> Result<
     match &claim.kind {
         NodeKind::Prebuild { relock } => run_prebuild(coord, claim, &ctx, *relock).await,
         NodeKind::Swap => run_swap(coord, claim, &ctx).await,
-        NodeKind::Create => run_create(coord, claim, &ctx).await,
+        NodeKind::Provision => run_provision(coord, claim, &ctx).await,
+        NodeKind::Create => run_create(claim, &ctx).await,
         NodeKind::MetaLock { sweep, fanout } => {
             run_meta_lock(coord, claim, &ctx, *sweep, fanout.clone()).await
         }
@@ -191,23 +192,35 @@ async fn run_swap(coord: &Arc<Coordinator>, claim: &Claim, ctx: &Ctx<'_>) -> Res
     result.map(|()| NodeOutput::default())
 }
 
-/// First-spawn provisioning + `nixos-container create` (atomic
-/// build+create — no prebuild needed).
-async fn run_create(coord: &Arc<Coordinator>, claim: &Claim, ctx: &Ctx<'_>) -> Result<NodeOutput> {
+/// First-spawn pre-create provisioning: proposed/applied repos, state
+/// subvolume, and the meta `sync_agents` registration. Holds the
+/// deploy-window gate for the commit so it can't land inside another
+/// node's staged deploy window — same discipline as `Prebuild`, which
+/// commits under the gate then drops it before the (store-only) build.
+async fn run_provision(
+    coord: &Arc<Coordinator>,
+    claim: &Claim,
+    ctx: &Ctx<'_>,
+) -> Result<NodeOutput> {
     let name = &claim.agent;
     let agent_dir = crate::paths::agent_runtime_dir(name);
     let hive = coord.hive_env();
     let paths = Coordinator::agent_paths(name, agent_dir);
-    ctx.step("nixos-container create");
-    // create_container registers the new agent in the meta flake
-    // (sync_agents commit) before `nixos-container create` — hold the
-    // deploy-window gate so that commit can't land inside another
-    // node's staged deploy window.
-    // Runtime dir creation and MCP listener registration are deferred to
-    // the tail Reconcile (converge_start_preamble + register_agent) so this
-    // node stays purely "provision + create", not "create + start".
+    ctx.step("provisioning");
     let _window = crate::meta::exclusive().await;
-    crate::lifecycle::create_container(name, &hive, &paths).await?;
+    crate::lifecycle::provision_container(name, &hive, &paths).await?;
+    Ok(NodeOutput::default())
+}
+
+/// `nixos-container create` proper — the upstream `Provision` node
+/// already registered the agent in meta, so this only reads the store
+/// (no deploy-window gate needed, mirroring `Prebuild`'s build). Runtime
+/// dir creation and MCP listener registration are deferred to the tail
+/// `Reconcile` (`converge_start_preamble` + `register_agent`) so this
+/// node stays purely "create", not "create + start".
+async fn run_create(claim: &Claim, ctx: &Ctx<'_>) -> Result<NodeOutput> {
+    ctx.step("nixos-container create");
+    crate::lifecycle::create_only(&claim.agent).await?;
     Ok(NodeOutput::default())
 }
 
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/job_queue/model.rs b/hive-c0re/src/job_queue/model.rs
index 2bdfa8c3..684da72e 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/job_queue/model.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/job_queue/model.rs
@@ -75,9 +75,14 @@ pub enum NodeKind {
     /// rebuild is the reconcile verb — and carries the post-rebuild
     /// bookkeeping tail (rev marker, forge/matrix sync, kick, rescan).
     Swap,
-    /// First-spawn `nixos-container create` plus the pre-create
-    /// provisioning (proposed/applied repos, state subvolume, meta
-    /// registration).
+    /// First-spawn pre-create provisioning: proposed/applied repos,
+    /// state subvolume, and meta registration (`sync_agents`). Runs
+    /// ahead of `Create` so the `nixos-container create --flake
+    /// meta#<name>` ref resolves. Store/meta-only — no container yet —
+    /// so it's lease- and build-slot-exempt like `Prebuild`.
+    Provision,
+    /// First-spawn `nixos-container create` proper. Assumes the
+    /// upstream `Provision` node already registered the agent in meta.
     Create,
     /// Meta flake lock bump. `sweep = false`: `meta::lock_update`
     /// (commit fused, under `META_LOCK`) with the DAG's `inputs`;
@@ -139,6 +144,7 @@ impl NodeKind {
         match self {
             NodeKind::Prebuild { .. } => "prebuild",
             NodeKind::Swap => "swap",
+            NodeKind::Provision => "provision",
             NodeKind::Create => "create",
             NodeKind::MetaLock { .. } => "meta_lock",
             NodeKind::Reconcile => "reconcile",
@@ -169,10 +175,12 @@ impl NodeKind {
 
     /// Container-affecting kinds require the DAG to hold the agent's
     /// lifecycle lease (acquired at the first such node, held until the
-    /// DAG is terminal). Lease-exempt kinds (`Prebuild`, `MetaLock`,
-    /// `WritePermFile`) touch the store / meta repo, not the running
-    /// container — which is exactly why a `Prebuild` can overlap
-    /// another DAG's work on the same agent.
+    /// DAG is terminal). Lease-exempt kinds (`Prebuild`, `Provision`,
+    /// `MetaLock`, `WritePermFile`) touch the store / meta repo, not the
+    /// running container — which is exactly why a `Prebuild` can overlap
+    /// another DAG's work on the same agent. `Provision` precedes the
+    /// container's existence entirely, so the lease is first taken at the
+    /// `Create` node it feeds.
     pub fn needs_lease(&self) -> bool {
         matches!(
             self,
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/job_queue/templates.rs b/hive-c0re/src/job_queue/templates.rs
index 112ab256..586e1d01 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/job_queue/templates.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/job_queue/templates.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 //! restart(a):        [wanted=Up]       StopForUpdate(a) → Reconcile(a)
 //! start(a):          [wanted=Up]       Reconcile(a)
 //! stop(a):           [wanted=Offline]  Reconcile(a)
-//! spawn(a):          [wanted=Up]  Create(a) → WriteDropin(a) → Reconcile(a)
+//! spawn(a):          [wanted=Up]  Provision(a) → Create(a) → WriteDropin(a) → Reconcile(a)
 //! perm-change(a):    WritePermFile(a) → «rebuild subgraph»
 //! meta-update(inp):  MetaLock(inp) → «fan-out rebuild(a) per affected a»
 //! startup sweep:     MetaLock(hyperhive, non-fatal) → «fan-out rebuild(stale a)»
@@ -194,9 +194,10 @@ pub fn reconcile_only(
     }
 }
 
-/// First-deploy spawn (approval-driven): pre-start provisioning +
-/// `nixos-container create`, drop-in write, then `Reconcile` starts the
-/// container (`wanted = Up` written at approve time).
+/// First-deploy spawn (approval-driven): `Provision` (proposed/applied
+/// repos, state subvolume, meta registration) then `Create`
+/// (`nixos-container create`), drop-in write, then `Reconcile` starts
+/// the container (`wanted = Up` written at approve time).
 pub fn spawn(agent: &str, approval_id: i64, reason: String) -> DagSpec {
     DagSpec {
         template: Template::Spawn,
@@ -210,17 +211,21 @@ pub fn spawn(agent: &str, approval_id: i64, reason: String) -> DagSpec {
         transient: Some(TransientKind::Spawning),
         nodes: vec![
             NodeSpec {
-                kind: NodeKind::Create,
+                kind: NodeKind::Provision,
                 deps: Vec::new(),
             },
             NodeSpec {
-                kind: NodeKind::WriteDropin,
+                kind: NodeKind::Create,
                 deps: after_ok(0),
             },
             NodeSpec {
-                kind: NodeKind::Reconcile,
+                kind: NodeKind::WriteDropin,
                 deps: after_ok(1),
             },
+            NodeSpec {
+                kind: NodeKind::Reconcile,
+                deps: after_ok(2),
+            },
         ],
     }
 }
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/job_queue/tests.rs b/hive-c0re/src/job_queue/tests.rs
index 321a6419..958040da 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/job_queue/tests.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/job_queue/tests.rs
@@ -874,13 +874,13 @@ fn graceful_signal_and_drain_hold_no_build_slot() {
 }
 
 #[test]
-fn spawn_shape_create_dropin_reconcile() {
+fn spawn_shape_provision_create_dropin_reconcile() {
     let q = JobQueue::new(1);
     let id = submit(
         &q,
         templates::spawn("newbie", 7, "approval #7 spawn".to_owned()),
     );
-    for expected in ["create", "write_dropin", "reconcile"] {
+    for expected in ["provision", "create", "write_dropin", "reconcile"] {
         let c = claim_one(&q);
         assert_eq!(c.kind.as_str(), expected);
         assert_eq!(c.approval_id, Some(7));
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle/mod.rs b/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle/mod.rs
index f9c59695..c8840634 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle/mod.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle/mod.rs
@@ -226,11 +226,13 @@ pub async fn spawn(name: &str, hive: &HiveEnv, paths: &AgentPaths) -> Result<()>
     priv_run("start", name).await
 }
 
-/// First-spawn provisioning + `nixos-container create`, without the
-/// drop-in write or the start — the job queue's `Create` node.
-/// `spawn` composes this with `write_dropins` + start for direct
-/// callers (root-agent bootstrap).
-pub async fn create_container(name: &str, hive: &HiveEnv, paths: &AgentPaths) -> Result<()> {
+/// First-spawn pre-create provisioning — the job queue's `Provision`
+/// node. Fail fast on a port collision, set up the proposed/applied
+/// repos + state subvolume + claude/notes dirs, then register the new
+/// agent in the meta flake (`sync_agents`) so the later
+/// `nixos-container create --flake meta#<name>` ref resolves. Does NOT
+/// create the container — that's `create_only` / the `Create` node.
+pub async fn provision_container(name: &str, hive: &HiveEnv, paths: &AgentPaths) -> Result<()> {
     validate(name)?;
     if let Some(other) = port_collision(name).await {
         bail!(
@@ -247,10 +249,25 @@ pub async fn create_container(name: &str, hive: &HiveEnv, paths: &AgentPaths) ->
     // before `nixos-container create` so the `--flake meta#<name>`
     // ref resolves.
     let agents = agents_after_spawn(name).await?;
-    crate::meta::sync_agents(hive, &agents).await?;
+    crate::meta::sync_agents(hive, &agents).await
+}
+
+/// The `nixos-container create` proper — the job queue's `Create` node.
+/// Assumes `provision_container` already registered the agent in meta.
+pub async fn create_only(name: &str) -> Result<()> {
     priv_run("create", name).await
 }
 
+/// First-spawn provisioning + `nixos-container create`, without the
+/// drop-in write or the start. `spawn` composes this with
+/// `write_dropins` + start for direct callers (root-agent bootstrap);
+/// the job queue instead runs `provision_container` (`Provision` node)
+/// and `create_only` (`Create` node) as separate DAG steps.
+pub async fn create_container(name: &str, hive: &HiveEnv, paths: &AgentPaths) -> Result<()> {
+    provision_container(name, hive, paths).await?;
+    create_only(name).await
+}
+
 /// Rebuild-path preamble shared by the job queue's `Prebuild` node and
 /// `rebuild_no_meta`: fail fast on a port collision, then make sure
 /// the applied repo + state dirs exist. Container untouched.