diff --git a/crates/punktfunk-host/src/audio/windows/minted.rs b/crates/punktfunk-host/src/audio/windows/minted.rs
index c8fb5523..a34e6c9a 100644
--- a/crates/punktfunk-host/src/audio/windows/minted.rs
+++ b/crates/punktfunk-host/src/audio/windows/minted.rs
@@ -353,11 +353,17 @@ pub(crate) fn discover_driver(needle: &str, inf_name: &str) -> Result<(String, S
 }
 
 /// `audio-probe mint` devtest body: one synchronous provisioning pass, results printed.
-/// Synchronous provisioning for devtests: a fresh CLI process has no startup worker to have
-/// finished yet, so `audio-probe plan` would otherwise RACE the background thread and print
-/// the name ladder instead of tier-0. Existing marker devnodes re-resolve in milliseconds.
+/// Synchronous provisioning — for the mic pump's resolve and the devtests.
+///
+/// The pump's FIRST open must not race the startup worker: measured on the target box, the
+/// pump wired 2 s before the worker latched, took the cable as its write target, and the next
+/// wiring pass would then have pointed the default recording at the minted microphone —
+/// which nothing writes into: dead mic-air until a pump reopen. Blocking the first resolve
+/// (existing marker devnodes re-resolve in milliseconds; a cold boot pays the one-time mint)
+/// keeps the pump's target and the plan's verdict the same thing. Latched calls return
+/// immediately; the opt-out env is honoured like everywhere else.
 pub(crate) fn ensure_blocking() {
-    if PROVISIONED.get().is_some() {
+    if std::env::var_os("PUNKTFUNK_NO_AUDIO_MINT").is_some() || PROVISIONED.get().is_some() {
         return;
     }
     if let Ok(m) = ensure_all() {
diff --git a/crates/punktfunk-host/src/audio/windows/wasapi_mic.rs b/crates/punktfunk-host/src/audio/windows/wasapi_mic.rs
index b27b9590..3339c27b 100644
--- a/crates/punktfunk-host/src/audio/windows/wasapi_mic.rs
+++ b/crates/punktfunk-host/src/audio/windows/wasapi_mic.rs
@@ -217,6 +217,11 @@ impl VirtualMic for WasapiVirtualMic {
 /// Resolve the mic inject target from the wiring plan, auto-installing the Steam Streaming pair
 /// when nothing usable exists (then re-planning). Runs on the COM-initialized render thread.
 fn resolve_target() -> Result<(wasapi::Device, String)> {
+    // The minted endpoints must exist BEFORE this open resolves its write target: the pump
+    // holds one device for its lifetime, so racing the provisioning worker here left the pump
+    // on the cable while later plans paired the default recording with the minted microphone
+    // nothing wrote into (see `minted::ensure_blocking`). Instant once latched.
+    super::minted::ensure_blocking();
     // set_playback=false: the mic pump runs while the host is idle — only the desktop-audio
     // capture may park the playback default (on the silent sink) for a stream's lifetime.
     let mut wiring = audio_control::wire_now(false);