diff --git a/src/gui/src/initgui.js b/src/gui/src/initgui.js
index 889dc1460..911dccfef 100644
--- a/src/gui/src/initgui.js
+++ b/src/gui/src/initgui.js
@@ -1963,6 +1963,18 @@ window.initgui = async function (options) {
         }
         // update local user data
         if (whoami) {
+            // The server renders the /app/<name> landing overlay only for
+            // requests it saw as anonymous, but its only signal is the session
+            // cookie — which can be gone (e.g. browser restart) while the
+            // localStorage session is still valid. whoami just proved this is
+            // a logged-in user, so drop the overlay. This must happen before
+            // the verification gates below: the overlay's max z-index would
+            // cover them.
+            const app_landing = document.getElementById('appLanding');
+            if (app_landing) {
+                app_landing.classList.add('fade-out');
+                setTimeout(() => app_landing.remove(), 600);
+            }
             // Verification gates run in order: email → phone (SMS) → card,
             // matching the server-side order in assertVerifiedAccount.
             if (whoami.requires_email_confirmation) {