diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 0219306..2ef26bb 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,25 @@ This project uses calendar versioning: `YY.N-stage` (e.g. `26.0-alpha` = 2026, r
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Fixed
+
+- **Console banner always shows the IP fallback.** On both the live ISO and
+  the installed system the `/etc/issue` welcome was written once, after
+  `network-online.target`, and simply omitted the `http://<ip>` line when no
+  address existed yet — so on a slow-DHCP NIC (first hardware bench,
+  2026-08-24) the screen only ever offered `proksi.local`. The banner script
+  now runs from a timer (`furtka-issue.timer` on the ISO,
+  `furtka-welcome.timer` on the installed box, every 5 s) and always prints
+  a fallback line: every global IPv4 address once there is one, or a
+  "no IP address yet — check the cable / DHCP" hint until then. It only
+  rewrites `/etc/issue` and nudges agetty when the text changed, so the
+  login prompt doesn't flicker. The live ISO no longer auto-logs `root` in
+  on tty1 (releng default) — that handed the console to a shell before the
+  banner could update; tty1 now stays at the login prompt with a live
+  banner, and the banner tells you a shell is `root` + Enter away. Boxes
+  that self-update get the new timer linked + enabled automatically; the
+  refresh loop takes effect after their next reboot.
+
 ## [26.19-alpha] - 2026-08-23
 
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/assets/bin/furtka-welcome b/assets/bin/furtka-welcome
index 691cdde..2ddd3d6 100755
--- a/assets/bin/furtka-welcome
+++ b/assets/bin/furtka-welcome
@@ -1,22 +1,36 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 # Regenerates /etc/issue on the installed system so the console tells the
-# user which URL to open. Mirrors the live-ISO furtka-update-issue pattern.
-set -e
+# user which URL to open. Mirrors the live-ISO furtka-update-issue pattern:
+# runs at boot and every few seconds from furtka-welcome.timer, so the IP
+# fallback line is always on screen — with the address once DHCP handed one
+# out, or with a "no IP yet" hint before that / after the cable is pulled.
+# Only rewrites + nudges agetty when the text changed (no prompt flicker).
+set -u
 
-hostname=$(cat /etc/hostname)
-ip=$(ip -4 -o addr show scope global 2>/dev/null | awk '{print $4}' | cut -d/ -f1 | head -1)
+issue=/etc/issue
 
-{
+hostname=$(cat /etc/hostname 2>/dev/null || hostname)
+mapfile -t ips < <(ip -4 -o addr show scope global 2>/dev/null | awk '{print $4}' | cut -d/ -f1)
+
+new=$(
     echo
     echo "  Furtka is ready."
     echo
     echo "  Open in a browser on another device on your network:"
     echo
     echo "      http://${hostname}.local   (easy — try this first)"
-    if [ -n "$ip" ]; then
-        echo "      http://${ip}   (fallback if the first doesn't work)"
+    if ((${#ips[@]})); then
+        for ip in "${ips[@]}"; do
+            echo "      http://${ip}   (fallback if the first doesn't work)"
+        done
+    else
+        echo "      (fallback: no IP address yet — waiting for the network."
+        echo "       Check the cable / DHCP. This line updates by itself.)"
     fi
     echo
-} > /etc/issue
+)
 
-agetty --reload 2>/dev/null || true
+if [ "$new" != "$(cat "$issue" 2>/dev/null)" ]; then
+    printf '%s\n' "$new" > "$issue"
+    agetty --reload 2>/dev/null || true
+fi
diff --git a/assets/systemd/furtka-welcome.service b/assets/systemd/furtka-welcome.service
index 1fc1e98..5e66b71 100644
--- a/assets/systemd/furtka-welcome.service
+++ b/assets/systemd/furtka-welcome.service
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 [Unit]
 Description=Furtka console welcome banner
-After=network-online.target
-Wants=network-online.target
+# No network-online dependency on purpose: paint the banner (with a
+# "no IP yet" fallback) as early as possible; furtka-welcome.timer re-runs
+# it every few seconds so the address appears as soon as DHCP delivers.
 
 [Service]
 Type=oneshot
 ExecStart=/opt/furtka/current/assets/bin/furtka-welcome
-RemainAfterExit=yes
 
 [Install]
 WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/assets/systemd/furtka-welcome.timer b/assets/systemd/furtka-welcome.timer
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7687c9c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/assets/systemd/furtka-welcome.timer
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Keep the Furtka console welcome (IP fallback) up to date
+
+[Timer]
+OnBootSec=3s
+OnUnitActiveSec=5s
+AccuracySec=1s
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=timers.target
diff --git a/iso/README.md b/iso/README.md
index 64227f9..8dce49b 100644
--- a/iso/README.md
+++ b/iso/README.md
@@ -27,13 +27,15 @@ The build starts from Arch's stock `releng` profile (the same one used to build
 | `overlay/airootfs/opt/furtka/`               | Directory where `webinstaller/` is copied at build time                          |
 | `overlay/airootfs/etc/hostname`              | Live-ISO hostname (`proksi`) so mDNS advertises the installer as `proksi.local`  |
 | `overlay/airootfs/etc/issue`                 | Welcome banner on the TTY pointing users at `http://proksi.local:5000`           |
-| `overlay/airootfs/usr/local/bin/furtka-update-issue` | Rewrites `/etc/issue` at runtime so the banner also shows the DHCP-assigned IP as a fallback URL |
-| `overlay/airootfs/etc/systemd/system/`       | `furtka-webinstaller.service` (Flask on :5000) + `furtka-issue.service` (runs the banner-updater on network-online), each symlinked into `multi-user.target.wants/` to auto-start on boot |
+| `overlay/airootfs/usr/local/bin/furtka-update-issue` | Rewrites `/etc/issue` at runtime so the banner always carries a fallback line: the DHCP-assigned IP(s), or a "no IP yet — check cable / DHCP" hint until one arrives. Only touches the file (and `agetty --reload`s) when the text changed |
+| `overlay/airootfs/etc/systemd/system/`       | `furtka-webinstaller.service` (Flask on :5000) + `furtka-issue.service` (banner-updater, first run at boot) in `multi-user.target.wants/`, and `furtka-issue.timer` (re-runs the updater every 5 s) in `timers.target.wants/` |
 
 The systemd service runs `flask --app app run --host 0.0.0.0 --port 5000` under `/opt/furtka`. The `0.0.0.0` binding is important — the Flask default is localhost-only, which wouldn't be reachable from another machine on the LAN.
 
 mDNS is wired: `avahi-daemon` + `nss-mdns` come from `packages.extra`, the live ISO's hostname is `proksi`, and as soon as `systemd-networkd-wait-online` fires the installer is reachable at `http://proksi.local:5000`. The raw IP still shows on the console for fallback — some Windows clients need the Bonjour service for `.local` to resolve at all.
 
+`build.sh` also deletes releng's `getty@tty1.service.d/autologin.conf`. With root auto-logged-in, tty1 belongs to a shell and `agetty --reload` can't redraw the banner, so the IP line was a snapshot of whatever DHCP had done by the time getty started. Without autologin tty1 sits at the login prompt showing the live banner; for a shell type `root` + Enter (releng's root has no password) — the banner says so.
+
 ## Test flow
 
 1. Build: `./iso/build.sh`
diff --git a/iso/build.sh b/iso/build.sh
index e87a5c2..1587633 100755
--- a/iso/build.sh
+++ b/iso/build.sh
@@ -45,6 +45,15 @@ cat "$SCRIPT_DIR/overlay/profiledef.sh" >> "$PROFILE_WORK/profiledef.sh"
 
 cp -a "$SCRIPT_DIR/overlay/airootfs/." "$PROFILE_WORK/airootfs/"
 
+# releng auto-logs root in on tty1. That turns our /etc/issue banner into a
+# one-shot snapshot: once agetty has handed tty1 to a shell, `agetty --reload`
+# from furtka-update-issue has nothing left to redraw, so the IP fallback only
+# shows if DHCP happened to beat getty. Drop the drop-in: tty1 stays at the
+# login prompt with a live-refreshed banner (furtka-issue.timer), and a shell
+# is one `root` + Enter away (releng's root has no password) — the banner says
+# so.
+rm -rf "$PROFILE_WORK/airootfs/etc/systemd/system/getty@tty1.service.d"
+
 echo "==> Rebranding boot menu (GRUB + syslinux + systemd-boot)"
 # releng ships menu entries labelled "Arch Linux install medium" across three
 # bootloader configs (BIOS syslinux, GRUB, systemd-boot for UEFI). Rewrite to
diff --git a/iso/overlay/airootfs/etc/issue b/iso/overlay/airootfs/etc/issue
index 42ea414..8c905a3 100644
--- a/iso/overlay/airootfs/etc/issue
+++ b/iso/overlay/airootfs/etc/issue
@@ -2,5 +2,6 @@
   Furtka Live Installer starting…
 
   Once ready, open http://proksi.local:5000 on another device
-  on your network. The exact URL will appear below.
+  on your network. The exact URL (and an IP fallback) will
+  appear here in a few seconds.
 
diff --git a/iso/overlay/airootfs/etc/systemd/system/furtka-issue.service b/iso/overlay/airootfs/etc/systemd/system/furtka-issue.service
index d1768ed..78cde54 100644
--- a/iso/overlay/airootfs/etc/systemd/system/furtka-issue.service
+++ b/iso/overlay/airootfs/etc/systemd/system/furtka-issue.service
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 [Unit]
 Description=Write Furtka /etc/issue with current IP for the console welcome
-After=network-online.target
-Wants=network-online.target
+# No network-online dependency on purpose: the first run should paint the
+# banner (with a "no IP yet" fallback) as early as possible; the timer
+# re-runs it until an address shows up.
 
 [Service]
 Type=oneshot
 ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/furtka-update-issue
-RemainAfterExit=yes
 
 [Install]
 WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/iso/overlay/airootfs/etc/systemd/system/furtka-issue.timer b/iso/overlay/airootfs/etc/systemd/system/furtka-issue.timer
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7687c9c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/iso/overlay/airootfs/etc/systemd/system/furtka-issue.timer
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Keep the Furtka console welcome (IP fallback) up to date
+
+[Timer]
+OnBootSec=3s
+OnUnitActiveSec=5s
+AccuracySec=1s
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=timers.target
diff --git a/iso/overlay/airootfs/etc/systemd/system/timers.target.wants/furtka-issue.timer b/iso/overlay/airootfs/etc/systemd/system/timers.target.wants/furtka-issue.timer
new file mode 120000
index 0000000..94ed0e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/iso/overlay/airootfs/etc/systemd/system/timers.target.wants/furtka-issue.timer
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../furtka-issue.timer
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/iso/overlay/airootfs/usr/local/bin/furtka-update-issue b/iso/overlay/airootfs/usr/local/bin/furtka-update-issue
index e0b649f..f63565f 100755
--- a/iso/overlay/airootfs/usr/local/bin/furtka-update-issue
+++ b/iso/overlay/airootfs/usr/local/bin/furtka-update-issue
@@ -2,22 +2,40 @@
 # Regenerates /etc/issue so the live-ISO console tells the user which URL
 # to open in their browser. Shows proksi.local (via avahi/mDNS) as the
 # preferred URL and the raw IP as a fallback for networks where mDNS
-# doesn't work. Reload at the end nudges agetty to redraw.
-set -e
+# doesn't work.
+#
+# Runs at boot and then every few seconds from furtka-issue.timer, so the
+# fallback line is *always* on screen: with the address once DHCP has
+# handed one out, or with a "no IP yet" hint before that / when the cable
+# is unplugged. Only rewrites + nudges agetty when the text actually
+# changed, so the login prompt doesn't flicker on every tick.
+set -u
 
-ip=$(ip -4 -o addr show scope global 2>/dev/null | awk '{print $4}' | cut -d/ -f1 | head -1)
+issue=/etc/issue
 
-{
+mapfile -t ips < <(ip -4 -o addr show scope global 2>/dev/null | awk '{print $4}' | cut -d/ -f1)
+
+new=$(
     echo
     echo "  Open Furtka in a browser on another device on your network:"
     echo
     echo "      http://proksi.local:5000   (easy — try this first)"
-    if [ -n "$ip" ]; then
-        echo "      http://${ip}:5000   (fallback if the first doesn't work)"
+    if ((${#ips[@]})); then
+        for ip in "${ips[@]}"; do
+            echo "      http://${ip}:5000   (fallback if the first doesn't work)"
+        done
+    else
+        echo "      (fallback: no IP address yet — waiting for the network."
+        echo "       Check the cable / DHCP. This line updates by itself.)"
     fi
     echo
     echo "  Then follow the wizard to install Furtka on this machine."
     echo
-} > /etc/issue
+    echo "  Need a shell? Log in as root (no password)."
+    echo
+)
 
-agetty --reload 2>/dev/null || true
+if [ "$new" != "$(cat "$issue" 2>/dev/null)" ]; then
+    printf '%s\n' "$new" > "$issue"
+    agetty --reload 2>/dev/null || true
+fi
diff --git a/tests/test_webinstaller_assets.py b/tests/test_webinstaller_assets.py
index 041c210..6c80c48 100644
--- a/tests/test_webinstaller_assets.py
+++ b/tests/test_webinstaller_assets.py
@@ -227,6 +227,25 @@ def test_systemd_units_reference_current_paths():
         )
 
 
+def test_welcome_banner_is_timer_driven():
+    """The console banner must keep refreshing so the IP fallback is always
+    on screen. A oneshot with RemainAfterExit=yes never re-runs from a timer
+    (the unit stays 'active'), and a network-online dependency would delay the
+    first paint — both regressions the hardware bench hit in 26.19."""
+    timer = (ASSETS / "systemd" / "furtka-welcome.timer").read_text()
+    assert "OnUnitActiveSec=" in timer
+    assert "furtka-welcome.timer" in app._FURTKA_UNITS
+    service = (ASSETS / "systemd" / "furtka-welcome.service").read_text()
+    assert "RemainAfterExit" not in service
+    assert "network-online.target" not in service
+
+
+def test_welcome_banner_always_prints_fallback_line():
+    script = (ASSETS / "bin" / "furtka-welcome").read_text()
+    assert "no IP address yet" in script
+    assert "fallback" in script
+
+
 def test_read_asset_raises_for_missing_file():
     with pytest.raises(FileNotFoundError):
         app._read_asset("does/not/exist.html")
diff --git a/webinstaller/app.py b/webinstaller/app.py
index 08236a3..d19fcf1 100644
--- a/webinstaller/app.py
+++ b/webinstaller/app.py
@@ -279,6 +279,9 @@ def _resource_manager_commands():
     file isn't present (dev box without an ISO build), returns [] so the rest
     of the install still works — the resource manager just won't be installed,
     and nothing else on the system references furtka-* units.
+    # Re-runs the welcome banner every few seconds so the console always
+    # shows the current IP fallback (or a "no IP yet" hint).
+    "furtka-welcome.timer",
     """
     if not RESOURCE_MANAGER_PAYLOAD.exists():
         print(
@@ -478,7 +481,7 @@ def build_archinstall_config(s):
             "docker",
             # Base OS post-install services. Only packaged units go here —
             # archinstall runs `systemctl enable` on this list *before*
-            # custom_commands, so our own furtka-welcome + furtka-status.timer
+            # custom_commands, so our own furtka-welcome.timer + furtka-status.timer
             # units (written in custom_commands) are enabled there instead.
             "caddy",
             "avahi-daemon",