diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/actions.rs b/hive-c0re/src/actions.rs
index 9036b2b..2a79cc6 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/actions.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/actions.rs
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ pub async fn approve(coord: Arc<Coordinator>, id: i64) -> Result<()> {
             let inputs: Vec<String> =
                 serde_json::from_str(&approval.commit_ref).unwrap_or_default();
             let result = crate::meta::lock_update(&inputs).await;
-            finish_approval(&coord, &approval, result, None)
+            finish_approval(&coord, &approval, result, None, false)
         }
         ApprovalKind::Spawn => {
             // Run the spawn in the background so the approve POST returns
@@ -210,12 +210,24 @@ fn finish_approval(
                 });
             }
         }
-        ApprovalKind::Spawn => coord.notify_manager(&HelperEvent::Spawned {
-            agent: approval.agent.clone(),
-            ok,
-            note,
-            sha: approval.fetched_sha.clone(),
-        }),
+        ApprovalKind::Spawn => {
+            coord.notify_manager(&HelperEvent::Spawned {
+                agent: approval.agent.clone(),
+                ok,
+                note,
+                sha: approval.fetched_sha.clone(),
+            });
+            // Newly spawned container has no claude session yet. Emit
+            // NeedsLogin immediately so the manager prompts the operator
+            // rather than waiting for crash_watch (which would miss it
+            // because the agent appears simultaneously in both prev_needs
+            // and current_needs, making the diff empty on the first tick).
+            if ok {
+                coord.notify_manager(&HelperEvent::NeedsLogin {
+                    agent: approval.agent.clone(),
+                });
+            }
+        }
         ApprovalKind::ApplyCommit if is_first_spawn => {
             coord.notify_manager(&HelperEvent::Spawned {
                 agent: approval.agent.clone(),
@@ -223,6 +235,11 @@ fn finish_approval(
                 note,
                 sha: approval.fetched_sha.clone(),
             });
+            if ok {
+                coord.notify_manager(&HelperEvent::NeedsLogin {
+                    agent: approval.agent.clone(),
+                });
+            }
         }
         ApprovalKind::ApplyCommit => coord.notify_manager(&HelperEvent::Rebuilt {
             agent: approval.agent.clone(),