diff --git a/server/test/device-pairing-notify.test.js b/server/test/device-pairing-notify.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ea1ca90
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/test/device-pairing-notify.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+'use strict';
+
+// #143 — server must tell a screen it's paired so it leaves the Connect page. The
+// app leaves the Connect page ONLY on 'device:paired'. /api/provision/pair pushes
+// that to a LIVE socket at pair time, but a screen paired-while-disconnected or that
+// reconnects after pairing never got it and sat on Connect forever (Bold). Fix:
+// re-emit 'device:paired' on reconnect when the device is paired (user_id set).
+// Uses the EXISTING client event — no client/protocol change. Unique PORT 3989.
+
+const { test, before, after } = require('node:test');
+const assert = require('node:assert/strict');
+const { spawn } = require('node:child_process');
+const path = require('node:path');
+const os = require('node:os');
+const fs = require('node:fs');
+const crypto = require('node:crypto');
+const ioClient = require('socket.io-client');
+
+const PORT = 3989;
+const BASE = `http://127.0.0.1:${PORT}`;
+const DATA_DIR = path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'st-pair-' + crypto.randomBytes(4).toString('hex'));
+const LOG = path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'st-pair-' + crypto.randomBytes(4).toString('hex') + '.log');
+let proc, JWT;
+const sleep = (ms) => new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, ms));
+
+before(async () => {
+  const logFd = fs.openSync(LOG, 'w');
+  proc = spawn('node', ['server.js'], { cwd: path.join(__dirname, '..'), env: { ...process.env, DATA_DIR, SELF_HOSTED: 'true', PORT: String(PORT), NODE_ENV: 'test' }, stdio: ['ignore', logFd, logFd] });
+  let up = false;
+  for (let i = 0; i < 80; i++) { try { const r = await fetch(BASE + '/api/status'); if (r.ok) { up = true; break; } } catch { /* */ } await sleep(250); }
+  if (!up) throw new Error('server did not boot:\n' + fs.readFileSync(LOG, 'utf8').slice(-2000));
+  // first user -> admin (self-hosted), gives a workspace for the pair endpoint
+  const r = await fetch(BASE + '/api/auth/register', { method: 'POST', headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' }, body: JSON.stringify({ email: 'op@test.local', password: 'test12345', name: 'Op' }) });
+  JWT = (await r.json()).token;
+});
+after(() => { try { proc.kill('SIGKILL'); } catch { /* */ } });
+
+// First pairing: device registers with a pairing code -> gets its device_id + token.
+function provisionWithCode(code) {
+  return new Promise((resolve) => {
+    const sock = ioClient(`${BASE}/device`, { transports: ['websocket'], reconnection: false, forceNew: true });
+    sock.on('connect', () => sock.emit('device:register', { pairing_code: code }));
+    sock.on('device:registered', (d) => { try { sock.close(); } catch { /* */ } resolve({ id: d.device_id, token: d.device_token }); });
+    setTimeout(() => resolve(null), 4000);
+  });
+}
+// Operator pairs the device in the CMS (the device socket is NOT connected now).
+async function pairViaApi(code, name) {
+  const r = await fetch(BASE + '/api/provision/pair', { method: 'POST', headers: { Authorization: 'Bearer ' + JWT, 'Content-Type': 'application/json' }, body: JSON.stringify({ pairing_code: code, name }) });
+  return r.status;
+}
+// A reconnect (device_id + token) — collect what the server pushes.
+function reconnect(id, token) {
+  return new Promise((resolve) => {
+    const sock = ioClient(`${BASE}/device`, { transports: ['websocket'], reconnection: false, forceNew: true });
+    const got = { registered: false, paired: false, pairedName: null, playlist: false };
+    sock.on('connect', () => sock.emit('device:register', { device_id: id, device_token: token, device_info: { app_version: 'test' } }));
+    sock.on('device:registered', () => { got.registered = true; });
+    sock.on('device:paired', (d) => { got.paired = true; got.pairedName = d && d.name; });
+    sock.on('device:playlist-update', () => { got.playlist = true; });
+    setTimeout(() => { try { sock.close(); } catch { /* */ } resolve(got); }, 700);
+  });
+}
+const rnd = () => String(crypto.randomInt(100000, 1000000));
+
+test('#143 repro: a device paired server-side, on reconnect, RECEIVES device:paired (leaves Connect page)', async () => {
+  const code = rnd();
+  const dev = await provisionWithCode(code);
+  assert.ok(dev && dev.id, 'provisioned (sits on Connect page, status=provisioning)');
+  assert.equal(await pairViaApi(code, 'Lobby'), 200, 'operator pairs it via the CMS while the device socket is closed');
+  const got = await reconnect(dev.id, dev.token);
+  assert.ok(got.registered, 'device reconnects');
+  assert.ok(got.paired, 'server pushes device:paired on reconnect (the exact event the client waits for)');
+  assert.equal(got.pairedName, 'Lobby', 'with the paired name');
+  assert.ok(got.playlist, 'and its playlist, so it can play');
+});
+
+test('a device NOT yet paired gets NO device:paired on reconnect (stays on the pairing flow)', async () => {
+  const code = rnd();
+  const dev = await provisionWithCode(code); // provisioned but never paired
+  const got = await reconnect(dev.id, dev.token);
+  assert.ok(got.registered, 'it still registers');
+  assert.ok(!got.paired, 'but is NOT told paired (no false pairing-complete) -> stays on Connect');
+});
+
+test('the fix uses the existing client listener: device:paired (no new protocol)', async () => {
+  // The repro test above asserts the client receives 'device:paired' — the same event the
+  // web player (index.html) and Android (ProvisioningActivity.onPaired) already handle. This
+  // test documents that no new client event/protocol was introduced (server-only fix).
+  assert.ok(true);
+});
diff --git a/server/ws/deviceSocket.js b/server/ws/deviceSocket.js
index 191067d..de9d251 100644
--- a/server/ws/deviceSocket.js
+++ b/server/ws/deviceSocket.js
@@ -445,6 +445,16 @@ module.exports = function setupDeviceSocket(io) {
           heartbeat.registerConnection(device_id, socket.id);
           socket.join(device_id);
           socket.emit('device:registered', { device_id, device_token: tokenToSend, status: 'online' });
+          // #143: a device paired/claimed server-side (user_id set) that RECONNECTS must be told
+          // it's paired — the app leaves the Connect page ONLY on 'device:paired' (web: hides the
+          // setup screen; Android ProvisioningActivity.onPaired -> MainActivity). The
+          // /api/provision/pair endpoint pushes device:paired to a LIVE socket at pair time
+          // (server.js), but a screen paired while disconnected — or that reconnects after pairing
+          // — never received it and sat on the Connect page forever showing the URL (Bold #143).
+          // Re-send the exact event the client already listens for; no client change needed.
+          if (device.user_id) {
+            socket.emit('device:paired', { device_id, name: device.name || 'Display' });
+          }
           logDeviceStatus(device_id, 'online');
           // Flush any commands/playlist-updates queued while this device was offline.
           commandQueue.flushQueue(deviceNs, device_id, buildPlaylistPayload);