diff --git a/backend/migrations/core/001_init.js b/backend/migrations/core/001_init.js
index 2c24dcaa..654d2e09 100644
--- a/backend/migrations/core/001_init.js
+++ b/backend/migrations/core/001_init.js
@@ -33,11 +33,34 @@ exports.up = async function(knex) {
       // Try to save credentials to file, but don't fail if we can't
       const dataDir = path.join(__dirname, '..', '..', 'data');
       const setupInfoPath = path.join(dataDir, 'ADMIN_CREDENTIALS.txt');
-      
+
+      // Detect a pending install-from-backup trigger. If one exists,
+      // these credentials are about to be obsoleted by the restore —
+      // the backup's admin row replaces this fresh-install one a few
+      // seconds from now. We still write the file (in case the
+      // restore fails and the fresh admin is the only way in) but
+      // annotate the top so admins reading the file after restore
+      // don't waste time trying credentials that no longer exist.
+      // Flagged on PR #596 review.
+      const fsSync = require('fs');
+      const backupRoot = process.env.BACKUP_ROOT || '/backup';
+      const triggerWillFire = fsSync.existsSync(path.join(backupRoot, 'RESTORE_ON_INSTALL'))
+        || fsSync.existsSync(path.join(backupRoot, 'RESTORE_ON_INSTALL.txt'));
+      const restoreNotice = triggerWillFire ? `
+
+⚠️  RESTORE_ON_INSTALL TRIGGER DETECTED ⚠️
+These credentials are temporary. An install-from-backup run is queued
+to fire on the next server start, which will REPLACE this admin row
+with the one from the backup. After the restore completes, log in
+with your ORIGINAL pre-disaster credentials — not the ones below.
+If the restore fails for some reason, the credentials below remain
+valid as a fallback recovery path.
+` : '';
+
       const setupInfo = `
 ========================================
 PicPeak Admin Credentials
-========================================
+========================================${restoreNotice}
 
 Your admin account has been created with these credentials:
 
diff --git a/backend/src/services/_installFromBackupBoot.js b/backend/src/services/_installFromBackupBoot.js
index 71502585..bbf5f45d 100644
--- a/backend/src/services/_installFromBackupBoot.js
+++ b/backend/src/services/_installFromBackupBoot.js
@@ -159,6 +159,17 @@ async function isDatabaseFresh(db, logger) {
 async function tryInstallFromBackup(db, logger) {
   const log = logger || { info: () => {}, warn: () => {}, error: () => {} };
 
+  // The container's winston logger writes to `/app/logs/combined.log`
+  // by default and may not always tee to stdout, so admins running
+  // `docker logs picpeak-beta-backend` after a `compose up` would
+  // see no signal that a restore happened — flagged on PR #596
+  // review. We mirror the key trigger / start / end lines to
+  // console.log as well so the docker-logs surface tells the story
+  // without needing to exec into the container.
+  const announce = (msg) => {
+    try { console.log(`[install-from-backup] ${msg}`); } catch (_) { /* defensive */ }
+  };
+
   const backupRoot = process.env.BACKUP_ROOT || '/backup';
   if (!fs.existsSync(backupRoot)) {
     return { ran: false };
@@ -170,15 +181,18 @@ async function tryInstallFromBackup(db, logger) {
   }
 
   log.info(`Install-from-backup: trigger file found at ${trigger.triggerPath}, target manifest ${trigger.manifestPath}`);
+  announce(`trigger file detected → ${trigger.manifestPath}`);
 
   const forceOverride = process.env.INSTALL_FROM_BACKUP_FORCE === 'true';
   const isFresh = await isDatabaseFresh(db, log);
   if (!isFresh && !forceOverride) {
     log.warn('Install-from-backup: skipping. Trigger file left in place so you can correct + retry.');
+    announce('skipping — install has existing data and INSTALL_FROM_BACKUP_FORCE is not set');
     return { ran: false, error: 'Database not empty' };
   }
 
   log.info(`Install-from-backup: restoring from ${trigger.manifestPath}...`);
+  announce(`starting restore from ${trigger.manifestPath}`);
 
   try {
     const { restoreService } = require('./restoreService');
@@ -206,6 +220,7 @@ async function tryInstallFromBackup(db, logger) {
     }
 
     log.info(`Install-from-backup: restore completed successfully from ${trigger.manifestPath}`);
+    announce('restore completed successfully');
 
     // Remove the trigger so the next boot doesn't redo it.
     try {
@@ -219,6 +234,7 @@ async function tryInstallFromBackup(db, logger) {
   } catch (err) {
     log.error(`Install-from-backup: FAILED — ${err.message}`);
     log.warn('Trigger file left in place so you can fix the input and retry by restarting the container.');
+    announce(`FAILED — ${err.message}. Trigger file left in place for retry.`);
     return { ran: false, error: err.message };
   }
 }