diff --git a/surfaces/gui/e2e/boot.spec.ts b/surfaces/gui/e2e/boot.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c5000875
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfaces/gui/e2e/boot.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+// Cold-boot fixes (owner-hit 2026-07-23): the splash wears the real OpenWorker mark
+// (6-point star SVG, not the ✦ text glyph that read as another product's logo), and the
+// model picker recovers when the mount-time settings fetch loses the race against the
+// sidecar boot — previously "Loading models…" stuck until the user visited Settings.
+import { expect } from "@playwright/test";
+import { test } from "./fixtures";
+
+test("boot splash shows the OpenWorker star, not the sparkle glyph", async ({ page }) => {
+  // Hold health long enough to observe the splash.
+  await page.route("**/v1/health", async (route) => {
+    await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 1500));
+    await route.fallback();
+  });
+  await page.goto("/");
+  const mark = page.locator(".boot-mark");
+  await expect(mark).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(mark.locator("svg")).toBeVisible(); // the Icon logo, not a text glyph
+  await expect(mark).not.toContainText("✦");
+  await expect(page.getByText(/Starting OpenWorker|Restoring your session/)).toBeVisible();
+});
+
+test("model picker recovers when settings fetches die during sidecar boot", async ({ page }) => {
+  // Real cold-start shape: EVERY request fails until the sidecar is up (health included),
+  // then everything answers. The mount-time settings fetches all lose that race and are
+  // swallowed — the post-health reload must populate the picker without a Settings visit.
+  let sidecarUp = false;
+  await page.route("**/v1/health", async (route) => {
+    await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 700));
+    sidecarUp = true;
+    await route.fallback();
+  });
+  await page.route("**/v1/settings", async (route) => {
+    if (route.request().method() === "GET" && !sidecarUp) {
+      await route.abort();
+      return;
+    }
+    await route.fallback();
+  });
+  await page.goto("/");
+  await expect(page.locator(".dd").filter({ hasText: "Claude Opus 4.8" })).toBeVisible({
+    timeout: 10_000,
+  });
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("models-loading")).toHaveCount(0);
+});
diff --git a/surfaces/gui/src/App.tsx b/surfaces/gui/src/App.tsx
index 94195b7b..ea51da70 100644
--- a/surfaces/gui/src/App.tsx
+++ b/surfaces/gui/src/App.tsx
@@ -437,6 +437,10 @@ export function App() {
           // flip to the real session. Cowork ignores default_workspace (a Code concept).
           if (h.default_workspace && gatesWorkspace(agent)) setWorkspace(h.default_workspace);
           else await resumeLastOrGate();
+          // The mount-time loadSettings races the sidecar boot and swallows its failure —
+          // on a cold start that left "Loading models…" stuck until the user visited
+          // Settings (owner-hit 2026-07-23). Health just answered, so this one lands.
+          loadSettings();
           if (!cancelled) setBooting(false);
         })
         .catch(() => {
@@ -1123,7 +1127,11 @@ export function App() {
             <span /><span /><span />
           </div>
         )}
-        <div className="boot-mark">✦</div>
+        {/* The real OpenWorker mark (6-point star, same as the app/tray icon) — the old
+            ✦ text glyph was a 4-point sparkle that read as another product's logo. */}
+        <div className="boot-mark">
+          <Icon name="logo" size={38} />
+        </div>
         <div className="boot-text">{resumedExisting ? "Restoring your session…" : "Starting OpenWorker…"}</div>
       </div>
     );