diff --git a/layers/identity/app/components/LikeButton.vue b/layers/identity/app/components/LikeButton.vue
index b4161d1a..adb01ded 100644
--- a/layers/identity/app/components/LikeButton.vue
+++ b/layers/identity/app/components/LikeButton.vue
@@ -36,11 +36,8 @@ const nudgeDismissed = ref(true)
 /**
  * Shown once, to a signed-in user who has not finished onboarding.
  *
- * It used to invite them to "set up digest", which asked for configuration the
- * weekly does not need: the send already falls back to the GitHub address on
- * the account. So it now confirms what the like just did instead of asking for
- * anything, and only offers the email step when there is genuinely no address
- * to send to.
+ * A like saves the Skill. It does not grant email consent. The weekly carries
+ * trending Skills; changes to liked Skills belong in the monthly digest.
  */
 const showNudge = computed(() =>
   variant === 'detail'
@@ -154,10 +151,13 @@ const revealClass = computed(() => {
 
     <p
       v-if="showNudge"
-      class="flex items-start gap-2 text-xs text-muted"
+      class="flex items-start gap-2 text-sm text-muted"
     >
       <span class="flex-1">
-        Liked. Its changes land in your next weekly.
+        Liked. Email updates are optional.
+        <NuxtLink to="/onboarding/email" class="inline-flex min-h-11 items-center underline hover:text-default">
+          Email updates
+        </NuxtLink>
       </span>
       <UButton
         icon="i-lucide-x"
@@ -165,6 +165,7 @@ const revealClass = computed(() => {
         color="neutral"
         variant="ghost"
         aria-label="Dismiss"
+        class="min-h-11 min-w-11"
         @click="dismissNudge"
       />
     </p>
diff --git a/layers/identity/app/pages/me/index.vue b/layers/identity/app/pages/me/index.vue
index be5f3010..062f9efc 100644
--- a/layers/identity/app/pages/me/index.vue
+++ b/layers/identity/app/pages/me/index.vue
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ const {
 
 const actionFailed = useActionFailure()
 const rpc = useNuxtRpc()
+const { fetchSession } = useAuth()
 
 async function refreshAccount() {
   me.value = await rpc.query(identityAccountQueries.me())
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@ const removeSubscriptionMutation = useNuxtMutation<IdentitySubscriptionRef, Iden
 const saveEmailMutation = useNuxtMutation<IdentityEmailPatchBody, IdentityMutationResponse>({
   mutation: async (body) => {
     const result = await rpc.execute(identityAccountQueries.saveEmail(), body)
+    await fetchSession()
     await refreshAccount()
     return result
   },
@@ -179,7 +181,7 @@ onMounted(() => {
   if (route.query.welcome === '1') {
     toast.add({
       title: 'You\'re all set',
-      description: 'Watched repos send a digest when they change.',
+      description: 'Your email choices are saved. You can change them in Email updates.',
       color: 'success',
       icon: 'i-lucide-check-circle',
     })
@@ -273,7 +275,7 @@ async function deleteAccount() {
                 Your skills
               </h1>
               <p class="mt-3 max-w-2xl text-base leading-relaxed text-muted text-pretty">
-                Like a skill to keep it here. We track meaningful changes and include them in your digest.
+                Like a skill to keep it here. Email updates are optional.
               </p>
             </div>
             <div class="flex shrink-0 flex-wrap items-center gap-4">
@@ -284,6 +286,13 @@ async function deleteAccount() {
             </div>
           </div>
 
+          <div v-if="me.onboarded_at === null" class="mt-6 flex flex-col items-start gap-3 rounded-lg border border-default p-4 sm:flex-row sm:items-center sm:justify-between">
+            <p class="text-sm leading-relaxed text-muted">
+              Choose which emails you receive. You can change this later.
+            </p>
+            <UButton to="/onboarding/email" label="Choose email updates" color="neutral" variant="outline" class="min-h-11 shrink-0" />
+          </div>
+
           <div v-if="likesLoading" class="editorial-state mt-6 flex flex-col items-start justify-center" role="status">
             <UIcon name="i-lucide-loader-circle" class="size-5 animate-spin text-muted" aria-hidden="true" />
             <h2 class="mt-4 text-lg font-semibold">
@@ -346,7 +355,7 @@ async function deleteAccount() {
               Add your first skill
             </h2>
             <p class="mt-2 max-w-xl text-sm leading-relaxed text-muted">
-              Like any skill to keep it here and receive useful changes in your digest.
+              Like any skill to keep it here. Turn on the monthly digest to receive its changes.
             </p>
             <UButton to="/skills" class="mt-5 min-h-11" icon="i-lucide-search" label="Browse skills" />
           </div>
diff --git a/layers/identity/app/pages/onboarding/email.vue b/layers/identity/app/pages/onboarding/email.vue
index 7e4782d9..a7715b62 100644
--- a/layers/identity/app/pages/onboarding/email.vue
+++ b/layers/identity/app/pages/onboarding/email.vue
@@ -8,12 +8,17 @@ const { data: me, error: accountError, status: accountStatus, refresh: retryAcco
 const { fetchSession } = useAuth()
 
 const email = ref(me.value?.digest_email || me.value?.email || '')
+// A stored address records a deliberate choice, including a previous opt-out.
+const hasEmailChoices = computed(() => !!me.value?.onboarded_at || !!me.value?.digest_email)
+const optIn = ref(hasEmailChoices.value ? !!me.value?.email_opt_in : true)
+const weeklyOptIn = ref(hasEmailChoices.value ? !!me.value?.weekly_opt_in : true)
 watch(me, (account, previous) => {
-  if (account && !previous)
+  if (account && !previous) {
     email.value = account.digest_email || account.email || ''
+    optIn.value = hasEmailChoices.value ? account.email_opt_in : true
+    weeklyOptIn.value = hasEmailChoices.value ? account.weekly_opt_in : true
+  }
 })
-const optIn = ref(true)
-const weeklyOptIn = ref(true)
 
 const actionFailed = useActionFailure()
 const rpc = useNuxtRpc()
@@ -95,14 +100,14 @@ useSeoMeta({ title: 'Email opt-in', robots: 'noindex' })
       </div>
 
       <label class="flex min-h-11 items-start gap-3 cursor-pointer">
-        <input v-model="weeklyOptIn" type="checkbox" class="mt-0.5 size-4 accent-primary">
+        <input v-model="weeklyOptIn" type="checkbox" :disabled="submitting" class="mt-0.5 size-4 accent-primary">
         <span class="text-sm text-muted leading-relaxed">
           Send me distinct trending Skills each Monday.
         </span>
       </label>
 
       <label class="flex min-h-11 items-start gap-3 cursor-pointer">
-        <input v-model="optIn" type="checkbox" class="mt-0.5 size-4 accent-primary">
+        <input v-model="optIn" type="checkbox" :disabled="submitting" class="mt-0.5 size-4 accent-primary">
         <span class="text-sm text-muted leading-relaxed">
           Send me watched changes once a month.
         </span>
diff --git a/layers/identity/server/api/me/email.patch.ts b/layers/identity/server/api/me/email.patch.ts
index 487d3d77..72827d84 100644
--- a/layers/identity/server/api/me/email.patch.ts
+++ b/layers/identity/server/api/me/email.patch.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import type { UserSession } from '#auth-utils'
 import { defineApiHandler } from '#shared/server/handler'
 import { identityEmailPatchBodySchema, identityMutationResponseSchema } from '../../../shared/contracts/account'
 import { authenticated } from '../../policies/authenticated'
@@ -8,7 +9,7 @@ export default defineApiHandler({
   schema: identityEmailPatchBodySchema,
   policy: [authenticated],
   response: identityMutationResponseSchema,
-  handler: async ({ event, body, platform }) => {
+  handler: async ({ event, body, platform, session }) => {
     const u = await requireUserRow(event)
     // The schema drops blank addresses, so an opted-in caller can never wipe
     // the stored one here. Absent means unchanged, for every field: an
@@ -21,6 +22,13 @@ export default defineApiHandler({
     if (plan._tag === 'MissingAddress')
       throw createError({ statusCode: 400, message: 'Add a valid email address to receive emails' })
     await updateAccountSettings(platform.db, u.id, plan.columns)
+    const current = session as unknown as UserSession | null
+    if (current?.user && (body.email_opt_in !== undefined || body.weekly_opt_in !== undefined)) {
+      await setUserSession(event, {
+        ...current,
+        user: { ...current.user, onboarded: true },
+      })
+    }
     return { ok: true as const }
   },
 })
diff --git a/layers/identity/server/utils/account-settings.ts b/layers/identity/server/utils/account-settings.ts
index 46c7e352..c913e4e0 100644
--- a/layers/identity/server/utils/account-settings.ts
+++ b/layers/identity/server/utils/account-settings.ts
@@ -70,6 +70,11 @@ export async function updateAccountSettings(
   if (!named.length)
     return
   const assignments = named.map((column, index) => `${column} = ?${index + 1}`)
+  // Email choices finish setup from every entry point, including /me and the
+  // CLI. A separate onboarding request must not gate an explicit digest opt-in.
+  // Keep the first completion date, which starts the digest activity window.
+  if (columns.email_opt_in !== undefined || columns.weekly_opt_out !== undefined)
+    assignments.push('onboarded_at = COALESCE(onboarded_at, unixepoch())')
   await db.prepare(`UPDATE users SET ${assignments.join(', ')} WHERE id = ?${named.length + 1}`)
     .bind(...named.map(column => columns[column]!), userId)
     .run()
diff --git a/test/unit/account-email-completion.test.ts b/test/unit/account-email-completion.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d6683d7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/account-email-completion.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import type { SqliteD1 } from './helpers/d1-sqlite'
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { planAccountSettings, updateAccountSettings } from '../../layers/identity/server/utils/account-settings'
+import { loadDigestEligibleUsers } from '../../layers/identity/server/utils/digest-select'
+import { allMigrations, createSqliteD1 } from './helpers/d1-sqlite'
+
+describe('email choices complete account setup', () => {
+  let d1: SqliteD1
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    d1 = createSqliteD1(allMigrations())
+    d1.raw.exec(`INSERT INTO users (id, github_id, login, email, created_at, last_login_at)
+      VALUES (900001, 900001, 'new-account', 'account@example.com', 1, 1)`)
+  })
+  afterEach(() => d1.close())
+
+  it('makes a digest opt-in eligible without a separate onboarding request', async () => {
+    const plan = planAccountSettings({ email: 'account@example.com', digest_email: null }, { digest: true, weekly: false })
+    if (plan._tag !== 'Ok')
+      throw new Error('Expected valid email choices')
+    await updateAccountSettings(d1.db, 900001, plan.columns)
+    expect((await loadDigestEligibleUsers(d1.db)).map(user => user.login)).toEqual(['new-account'])
+  })
+
+  it('records an explicit opt-out without enabling either email', async () => {
+    await updateAccountSettings(d1.db, 900001, { email_opt_in: 0, weekly_opt_out: 1 })
+    const row = d1.raw.prepare('SELECT onboarded_at, email_opt_in, weekly_opt_out FROM users WHERE id = 900001').get()
+    expect(row).toMatchObject({ onboarded_at: expect.any(Number), email_opt_in: 0, weekly_opt_out: 1 })
+    expect(await loadDigestEligibleUsers(d1.db)).toEqual([])
+  })
+
+  it('keeps the original completion date on later email changes', async () => {
+    d1.raw.exec('UPDATE users SET onboarded_at = 123 WHERE id = 900001')
+    await updateAccountSettings(d1.db, 900001, { email_opt_in: 1 })
+    expect(d1.raw.prepare('SELECT onboarded_at FROM users WHERE id = 900001').get()).toEqual({ onboarded_at: 123 })
+  })
+
+  it('leaves setup incomplete for privacy or address-only changes', async () => {
+    await updateAccountSettings(d1.db, 900001, { likes_public: 0, digest_email: 'changed@example.com' })
+    expect(d1.raw.prepare('SELECT onboarded_at FROM users WHERE id = 900001').get()).toEqual({ onboarded_at: null })
+  })
+})
diff --git a/test/unit/digest-opt-in-address.test.ts b/test/unit/digest-opt-in-address.test.ts
index daf59523..45af6fe4 100644
--- a/test/unit/digest-opt-in-address.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/digest-opt-in-address.test.ts
@@ -102,12 +102,15 @@ describe('digest opt-in requires a deliverable address', () => {
 describe('me email patch endpoint', () => {
   let sqlite: Database.Database
   let emailPatchHandler: EventHandler
+  const establishSession = vi.fn()
 
   beforeEach(async () => {
     vi.resetModules()
+    establishSession.mockReset()
     vi.stubGlobal('defineEventHandler', (handler: EventHandler) => handler)
     vi.stubGlobal('createError', (input: Record<string, unknown>) => Object.assign(new Error(String(input.message)), input))
     vi.stubGlobal('getUserSession', () => Promise.resolve({ user: { id: 1, login: 'harlan' } }))
+    vi.stubGlobal('setUserSession', establishSession)
 
     sqlite = new Database(':memory:')
     sqlite.exec(`
@@ -161,6 +164,20 @@ describe('me email patch endpoint', () => {
       .toEqual({ digest_email: 'new@example.com', email_opt_in: 1, weekly_opt_out: 0 })
   })
 
+  it('refreshes browser completion after an explicit email choice', async () => {
+    vi.stubGlobal('readBody', () => Promise.resolve({ email_opt_in: false, weekly_opt_in: false }))
+    await emailPatchHandler(patchEvent())
+    expect(establishSession).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.anything(), expect.objectContaining({
+      user: { id: 1, login: 'harlan', onboarded: true },
+    }))
+  })
+
+  it('does not complete browser setup for an address-only patch', async () => {
+    vi.stubGlobal('readBody', () => Promise.resolve({ digest_email: 'changed@example.com' }))
+    await emailPatchHandler(patchEvent())
+    expect(establishSession).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
   function patchEvent(): H3Event {
     return {
       method: 'PATCH',
diff --git a/test/unit/email-form-submit.nuxt.test.ts b/test/unit/email-form-submit.nuxt.test.ts
index 694214e4..35b04589 100644
--- a/test/unit/email-form-submit.nuxt.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/email-form-submit.nuxt.test.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ const account = ref({
   repo_indexing: false,
   timezone: 'UTC',
   stars_synced_at: null,
-  onboarded_at: null,
+  onboarded_at: null as number | null,
 })
 
 mockNuxtImport('useNuxtRpcQuery', () => (operation: { path: string }) => ({
@@ -45,6 +45,28 @@ beforeEach(() => {
   vi.clearAllMocks()
   mocks.execute.mockResolvedValue({ ok: true })
   mocks.query.mockResolvedValue({ ...account.value })
+  account.value.onboarded_at = null
+  account.value.email_opt_in = true
+  account.value.weekly_opt_in = true
+})
+
+it('keeps saved email choices when returning to completed onboarding', async () => {
+  account.value.onboarded_at = 1
+  account.value.email_opt_in = false
+  account.value.weekly_opt_in = false
+  const wrapper = await mountSuspended(OnboardingEmail, { route: '/onboarding/email' })
+  for (const checkbox of wrapper.findAll('input[type="checkbox"]'))
+    expect((checkbox.element as HTMLInputElement).checked).toBe(false)
+  wrapper.unmount()
+})
+
+it('offers unfinished accounts a path back to email choices', async () => {
+  const wrapper = await mountSuspended(Account, { route: '/me' })
+  expect(wrapper.get('a[href="/onboarding/email"]').text()).toBe('Choose email updates')
+  account.value.onboarded_at = 1
+  await flushPromises()
+  expect(wrapper.find('a[href="/onboarding/email"]').exists()).toBe(false)
+  wrapper.unmount()
 })
 
 describe.each(screens)('$name email submission', ({ component, form: selector }) => {
diff --git a/test/unit/like-button.nuxt.test.ts b/test/unit/like-button.nuxt.test.ts
index 2d98a5d6..8c39d090 100644
--- a/test/unit/like-button.nuxt.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/like-button.nuxt.test.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import LikeButton from '../../layers/identity/app/components/LikeButton.vue'
 import { useLikes } from '../../layers/identity/app/composables/useLikes'
 
 const loggedIn = ref(true)
+const onboarded = ref(true)
 /** False while the browser is still loading the session after hydration. */
 const sessionKnown = ref(true)
 const fetchMock = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn())
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ mockNuxtImport('useAuth', () => () => ({
     if (!sessionKnown.value)
       return { _tag: 'pending' }
     return loggedIn.value
-      ? { _tag: 'signed-in', user: { login: 'harlan', onboarded: true } }
+      ? { _tag: 'signed-in', user: { login: 'harlan', onboarded: onboarded.value } }
       : { _tag: 'anonymous' }
   }),
   user: ref({ login: 'harlan', onboarded: true }),
@@ -75,6 +76,8 @@ beforeEach(() => {
   mutation = { _tag: 'ok', likeCount: 0 }
   listGate = null
   loggedIn.value = true
+  onboarded.value = true
+  sessionStorage.clear()
   sessionKnown.value = true
   fetchMock.mockReset()
   fetchMock.mockImplementation(async (path: string, options?: { method?: string }) => {
@@ -92,6 +95,19 @@ beforeEach(() => {
 })
 
 describe('likeButton toggle semantics', () => {
+  it('offers email choices after a first like without promising an unconsented email', async () => {
+    onboarded.value = false
+    likedItems = [{ ...skill, likeCount: 1 }]
+    const wrapper = await mountSuspended(LikeButton, { props: skill })
+    await flushPromises()
+
+    expect(wrapper.text()).not.toContain('land in your next weekly')
+    expect(wrapper.get('a[href="/onboarding/email"]').text()).toBe('Email updates')
+    await wrapper.get('button[aria-label="Dismiss"]').trigger('click')
+    expect(wrapper.find('a[href="/onboarding/email"]').exists()).toBe(false)
+    wrapper.unmount()
+  })
+
   it('exposes pressed state and an action-specific label that follows the like', async () => {
     const wrapper = await mountSuspended(LikeButton, { props: { ...skill, count: 4 } })
     await flushPromises()