diff --git a/src/Shared/AutopilotMonitor.DecisionCore/Engine/DecisionEngine.Classic.cs b/src/Shared/AutopilotMonitor.DecisionCore/Engine/DecisionEngine.Classic.cs
index 2ea6e231..d8e2601c 100644
--- a/src/Shared/AutopilotMonitor.DecisionCore/Engine/DecisionEngine.Classic.cs
+++ b/src/Shared/AutopilotMonitor.DecisionCore/Engine/DecisionEngine.Classic.cs
@@ -243,6 +243,15 @@ namespace AutopilotMonitor.DecisionCore.Engine
         /// Handle <see cref="DecisionSignalKind.DesktopArrived"/>. Mirror of the Hello handler:
         /// records <see cref="DecisionState.DesktopArrivedUtc"/>, and if Hello has already
         /// resolved the session completes here.
+        /// <para>
+        /// Hello-disabled fast-path: when <see cref="DecisionState.HelloPolicyEnabled"/> is
+        /// explicitly <c>false</c> AND we have reached AccountSetup (so the Hello-skip is the
+        /// genuine post-ESP state rather than a premature mid-DeviceSetup classification),
+        /// synthesise <c>HelloOutcome="Skipped"</c> here and route directly through Finalizing.
+        /// This avoids waiting out the full 5-min HelloSafety window when the policy reader
+        /// already told us no Hello wizard is expected. Belt-and-suspenders alongside the
+        /// EspExiting → HelloSafety reducer path: the path that fires first wins.
+        /// </para>
         /// </summary>
         private DecisionStep HandleDesktopArrivedV1(DecisionState state, DecisionSignal signal)
         {
@@ -254,6 +263,32 @@ namespace AutopilotMonitor.DecisionCore.Engine
 
             var helloAlreadyResolved = state.HelloResolvedUtc != null;
 
+            // Hello-disabled fast-path. Both guards required:
+            //   1. HelloPolicyEnabled?.Value == false — policy reader confirmed no Hello wizard
+            //   2. AccountSetupEnteredUtc != null    — same gate as ShouldTransitionToAwaitingHello,
+            //      prevents a premature pre-AccountSetup completion if HelloPolicyDetected fires
+            //      before AccountSetup is observed.
+            // Skipping unknown policy (HelloPolicyEnabled == null) preserves the prior pessimistic
+            // behaviour: keep waiting for Hello / HelloSafety.
+            if (!helloAlreadyResolved
+                && state.HelloPolicyEnabled?.Value == false
+                && state.AccountSetupEnteredUtc != null)
+            {
+                builder.HelloResolvedUtc = new SignalFact<DateTime>(signal.OccurredAtUtc, signal.SessionSignalOrdinal);
+                builder.HelloOutcome = new SignalFact<string>("Skipped", signal.SessionSignalOrdinal);
+                // Cancel HelloSafety if it was armed by an earlier EspExiting — we're completing
+                // now via the fast-path, the deadline would otherwise fire post-Completion and
+                // dead-end in the reducer.
+                builder.CancelDeadline(DeadlineNames.HelloSafety);
+
+                return TransitionToFinalizing(
+                    state: state,
+                    signal: signal,
+                    preparedBuilder: builder,
+                    nextStepIndex: nextStep,
+                    trigger: nameof(DecisionSignalKind.DesktopArrived) + ":HelloDisabledFastPath");
+            }
+
             // Plan §5 Fix 6: mirror of HandleHelloResolvedV1. When both prerequisites are in,
             // go through Finalizing (non-terminal) instead of jumping straight to Completed.
             if (helloAlreadyResolved)