diff --git a/Containerfile b/Containerfile
index fdf6871..1a9f73e 100644
--- a/Containerfile
+++ b/Containerfile
@@ -51,6 +51,11 @@ RUN groupadd -g ${GROUP_ID} marvin || true && \
 RUN printf "marvin:100000:65536\n" > /etc/subuid && \
     printf "marvin:100000:65536\n" > /etc/subgid
 
+# NOTE: don't bake /etc/hostname or /etc/hosts here — podman regenerates
+# both when boco creates the build container, so they never reach the
+# qcow2. The entrypoint sets the hostname live; node identity comes from
+# TURNSTONE_NODE_ID.
+
 # SSH access for marvin (pubkey generated by scripts/build.sh)
 COPY configs/ssh/authorized_keys /tmp/authorized_keys
 RUN install -o ${USER_ID} -g ${GROUP_ID} -m 700 -d /home/marvin/.ssh && \
diff --git a/start-turnstone.sh b/start-turnstone.sh
index 2eaa727..1b3c069 100755
--- a/start-turnstone.sh
+++ b/start-turnstone.sh
@@ -6,6 +6,12 @@ set -euo pipefail
 
 export HOME=/home/marvin
 
+# The boco kernel boots with hostname "(none)" (no systemd to read
+# /etc/hostname) — set it live so turnstone node IDs and service URLs
+# are sane (turnstone-vm_xxxx instead of (none)_xxxx). The Arch base
+# has no `hostname` binary, so use the syscall via python.
+python3 -c 'import socket; socket.sethostname("turnstone-vm")' || true
+
 # sshd: host keys baked per-boot, ops channel on guest port 22
 ssh-keygen -A
 mkdir -p /run/sshd
@@ -50,6 +56,17 @@ setpriv --reuid=marvin --regid=marvin --init-groups \
   /usr/local/bin/turnstone-console --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8090 &
 echo "start-turnstone: console starting on :8090"
 
-# NOTE: turnstone reads $HOME/.config/turnstone/config.toml as marvin
+# NOTE: turnstone reads $HOME/.config/turnstone/config.toml as marvin.
+#
+# Stable node identity: node_id defaults to {hostname}_{random-per-boot},
+# so every boot inserts a NEW services row and the console probes stale
+# ones (409 node_id mismatch → "unreachable"). Pin both:
+#   - TURNSTONE_NODE_ID: one registry row, upserted every boot
+#   - TURNSTONE_ADVERTISE_URL: loopback — the console's collector probes
+#     the registered URL, and the guest's slirp IPv6 (fec0::/fe80::)
+#     lands in the SSRF guard's never-allowed lane, which got the node
+#     refused outright.
+export TURNSTONE_NODE_ID="${TURNSTONE_NODE_ID:-turnstone-vm-main}"
+export TURNSTONE_ADVERTISE_URL="${TURNSTONE_ADVERTISE_URL:-http://127.0.0.1:8080}"
 exec setpriv --reuid=marvin --regid=marvin --init-groups \
   /usr/local/bin/turnstone-server --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8080