diff --git a/openless-all/app/src/components/Onboarding.tsx b/openless-all/app/src/components/Onboarding.tsx
index 249f1ba6..90ee702a 100644
--- a/openless-all/app/src/components/Onboarding.tsx
+++ b/openless-all/app/src/components/Onboarding.tsx
@@ -293,7 +293,12 @@ function DesktopOnboarding({
     ]);
     setAccessibility(a);
     setMicrophone(m);
-    const aOk = !requiresAccessibility || a === 'granted' || a === 'notApplicable';
+    // Gate on the real permission status — macOS returns granted/denied, other
+    // platforms return notApplicable. This must NOT depend on the hotkey
+    // capability flag: it is null while it loads, so trusting it let mic-only
+    // onboarding finish before we knew macOS needs Accessibility, dropping users
+    // into the app with a dead hotkey. Mirrors the gate in App.tsx.
+    const aOk = a === 'granted' || a === 'notApplicable';
     const mOk = m === 'granted' || m === 'notApplicable';
     if (aOk && mOk) {
       onComplete();
@@ -362,7 +367,7 @@ function DesktopOnboarding({
       >
         <BrandHeader title={t('onboarding.welcome')} desc={t('onboarding.intro')} />
 
-        {requiresAccessibility && (
+        {(requiresAccessibility || accessibility === 'denied') && (
           <PermissionStep
             index={1}
             title={capability?.requiresAccessibilityPermission ? t('onboarding.accessibilityTitle') : t('onboarding.hotkeyTitle')}
@@ -380,13 +385,13 @@ function DesktopOnboarding({
                     : t('onboarding.actionGrant')
             }
             onAction={onGrantAccessibility}
-            disabled={busy || !capability?.requiresAccessibilityPermission || accessibility === 'granted' || accessibility === 'notApplicable'}
+            disabled={busy || accessibility === 'granted' || accessibility === 'notApplicable'}
             hint={capability?.requiresAccessibilityPermission ? t('onboarding.accessibilityHint') : undefined}
           />
         )}
 
         <PermissionStep
-          index={requiresAccessibility ? 2 : 1}
+          index={(requiresAccessibility || accessibility === 'denied') ? 2 : 1}
           title={t('onboarding.micTitle')}
           desc={t('onboarding.micDesc')}
           status={microphone}