diff --git a/desktop/src-tauri/src/event_sync.rs b/desktop/src-tauri/src/event_sync.rs
index d8dfe94b1..efd16489a 100644
--- a/desktop/src-tauri/src/event_sync.rs
+++ b/desktop/src-tauri/src/event_sync.rs
@@ -19,6 +19,24 @@ pub fn run_event_sync(app: &tauri::AppHandle, owner_keys: &nostr::Keys) {
     crate::managed_agents::reconcile::reconcile_agents_to_events(app, owner_keys);
 }
 
+/// Spawn the best-effort event reconcile off the synchronous Tauri setup path.
+///
+/// The owner keys are cloned before spawning so the task never touches the
+/// `AppState::keys` mutex. The reconcile itself is still synchronous JSON,
+/// SQLite, and signing work, so it runs on the blocking pool rather than an
+/// async worker.
+pub fn spawn_event_sync(app: tauri::AppHandle, owner_keys: nostr::Keys) {
+    tauri::async_runtime::spawn(async move {
+        if let Err(e) = tauri::async_runtime::spawn_blocking(move || {
+            run_event_sync(&app, &owner_keys);
+        })
+        .await
+        {
+            eprintln!("buzz-desktop: event-sync: spawn_blocking failed: {e}");
+        }
+    });
+}
+
 /// Reconcile `personas.json` into the persona-event retention store.
 ///
 /// Must run AFTER `migrate_packs_to_teams` (depends on field renames being
diff --git a/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs b/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
index 341c99d7b..def24183f 100644
--- a/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
+++ b/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
@@ -226,14 +226,13 @@ pub fn run() {
             resolve_persisted_identity(&app_handle, &state)
                 .map_err(|e| -> Box<dyn std::error::Error> { e.into() })?;
 
-            // Sync team-dir edits and reconcile persona/team events. Needs the
-            // resolved owner keys, so it runs after identity resolution.
+            // Snapshot owner keys after identity resolution; the best-effort
+            // event reconcile itself runs off the synchronous setup path below.
             let owner_keys = state
                 .keys
                 .lock()
                 .map(|k| k.clone())
                 .map_err(|e| -> Box<dyn std::error::Error> { e.to_string().into() })?;
-            event_sync::run_event_sync(&app_handle, &owner_keys);
 
             // Backfill the pinned persona snapshot for any pre-existing agent
             // that predates the record-authoritative-spawn cutover (persona_id
@@ -332,6 +331,12 @@ pub fn run() {
 
             try_regenerate_nest(&app_handle);
 
+            // Sync team-dir edits and reconcile persona/team/agent events after
+            // setup can continue. It is best-effort retention backfill, unlike
+            // identity resolution above, so JSON/SQLite/signing work must not
+            // hold the boot path hostage.
+            event_sync::spawn_event_sync(app_handle.clone(), owner_keys);
+
             if let Some(mgr) = huddle::models::global_model_manager() {
                 mgr.start_stt_download(state.http_client.clone());
                 mgr.start_tts_download(state.http_client.clone());