diff --git a/status.sh b/status.sh
index dc43879..e59428c 100755
--- a/status.sh
+++ b/status.sh
@@ -85,6 +85,16 @@ fi
 
 # ---- 2. service unit + state ------------------------------------------------
 section "Service"
+# Can we even reach the user's systemd manager? Every uctl call below depends on
+# it. If the bus is unreachable, a healthy install looks identical to a missing
+# one (`cat`/`is-active`/`is-enabled` all just fail) — the classic false alarm
+# from running status.sh in the first seconds after reboot (before /run/user/$UID
+# exists) or as the wrong user / without a session bus. Distinguish the two.
+if ! uctl list-units --type=service >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  fail "can't reach ${SUSER}'s user systemd manager (bus unavailable) — unit checks below are blind, NOT proof the service is missing" \
+       "Run as $SUSER in a normal session (or 'sudo ./status.sh' once boot finishes). Right after reboot, /run/user/$UID_N may not exist yet — retry in a few seconds. Verify Sunshine independently: 'ss -tulnp | grep 47990'."
+  UNIT=""
+else
 UNIT=""
 for u in sunshine.service app-dev.lizardbyte.app.Sunshine.service; do
   if uctl cat "$u" >/dev/null 2>&1; then UNIT=$u; break; fi
@@ -147,6 +157,7 @@ else
          "Run 'systemctl --user status $UNIT' — move Requires=/After= into [Unit]. See TROUBLESHOOTING.md §12."
   fi
 fi
+fi  # end user-manager-reachable guard
 
 # ---- 3. config + capture backend --------------------------------------------
 section "Config & capture backend"