diff --git a/extensions/device-pair/notify.test.ts b/extensions/device-pair/notify.test.ts
index 91bca82a0aab..9ceff22a7a99 100644
--- a/extensions/device-pair/notify.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/device-pair/notify.test.ts
@@ -96,12 +96,11 @@ describe("device-pair notify persistence", () => {
     });
   }
 
-  it("keeps one notify poll in flight across service recreation", async () => {
+  it("defers the first notify poll and keeps one in flight across service recreation", async () => {
     vi.useFakeTimers();
     const firstPoll = createDeferred<Awaited<ReturnType<typeof listDevicePairingMock>>>();
     const failedPoll = createDeferred<Awaited<ReturnType<typeof listDevicePairingMock>>>();
     listDevicePairingMock
-      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ pending: [], paired: [] })
       .mockImplementationOnce(() => firstPoll.promise)
       .mockImplementationOnce(() => failedPoll.promise)
       .mockResolvedValue({ pending: [], paired: [] });
@@ -109,29 +108,30 @@ describe("device-pair notify persistence", () => {
     let service = createPairingNotifierService(api);
 
     await service.start({} as never);
-    expect(listDevicePairingMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(listDevicePairingMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
 
     await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(10_000);
-    expect(listDevicePairingMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    expect(listDevicePairingMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
     await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(20_000);
-    expect(listDevicePairingMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    expect(listDevicePairingMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
 
     await service.stop?.({} as never);
     service = createPairingNotifierService(createApi());
     await service.start({} as never);
-    expect(listDevicePairingMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(10_000);
+    expect(listDevicePairingMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
 
     firstPoll.resolve({ pending: [], paired: [] });
     await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(0);
     await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(10_000);
-    expect(listDevicePairingMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3);
+    expect(listDevicePairingMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
     await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(20_000);
-    expect(listDevicePairingMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3);
+    expect(listDevicePairingMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
 
     failedPoll.reject(new Error("poll failed"));
     await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(0);
     await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(10_000);
-    expect(listDevicePairingMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(4);
+    expect(listDevicePairingMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3);
 
     await service.stop?.({} as never);
   });
@@ -166,9 +166,7 @@ describe("device-pair notify persistence", () => {
       },
       action: "on",
     });
-    listDevicePairingMock
-      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ pending: [], paired: [] })
-      .mockResolvedValue({ pending: [firstRequest], paired: [] });
+    listDevicePairingMock.mockResolvedValue({ pending: [firstRequest], paired: [] });
     let service = createPairingNotifierService(api);
 
     await service.start({} as never);
@@ -211,7 +209,7 @@ describe("device-pair notify persistence", () => {
       ctx: { channel: "telegram", senderId: "old-chat" },
       action: "on",
     });
-    listDevicePairingMock.mockResolvedValueOnce({ pending: [], paired: [] }).mockResolvedValue({
+    listDevicePairingMock.mockResolvedValue({
       pending: [
         {
           requestId: "request-1",
@@ -261,7 +259,7 @@ describe("device-pair notify persistence", () => {
       ctx: { channel: "telegram", senderId: "chat-123" },
       action: "once",
     });
-    listDevicePairingMock.mockResolvedValueOnce({ pending: [], paired: [] }).mockResolvedValue({
+    listDevicePairingMock.mockResolvedValue({
       pending: [
         {
           requestId: "request-1",
@@ -325,6 +323,7 @@ describe("device-pair notify persistence", () => {
     const service = createPairingNotifierService(api);
 
     await service.start({} as never);
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(10_000);
 
     expect(sendText).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     await expect(
@@ -367,6 +366,7 @@ describe("device-pair notify persistence", () => {
     });
     const service = createPairingNotifierService(api);
     await service.start({} as never);
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(10_000);
 
     expect(sendText).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
       expect.objectContaining({ text: expect.stringContaining("ID: request-same-ms") }),
@@ -404,6 +404,7 @@ describe("device-pair notify persistence", () => {
     const service = createPairingNotifierService(api);
 
     await service.start({} as never);
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(10_000);
 
     expect(sendText).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
     expect(sendText).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
diff --git a/extensions/device-pair/notify.ts b/extensions/device-pair/notify.ts
index f7c7ea61b734..e64a9fe7db78 100644
--- a/extensions/device-pair/notify.ts
+++ b/extensions/device-pair/notify.ts
@@ -454,14 +454,13 @@ export function createPairingNotifierService(api: OpenClawPluginApi): OpenClawPl
 
   return {
     id: "device-pair-notifier",
-    start: async () => {
+    start: () => {
       const tick = async () => {
         await runNotifyPoll(api);
       };
 
-      await tick().catch((err: unknown) => {
-        api.logger.warn(`device-pair: initial notify poll failed: ${formatErrorMessage(err)}`);
-      });
+      // Pairing notifications are eventual background work. Starting on the
+      // existing interval keeps SQLite pairing scans out of Gateway readiness.
       notifyInterval = setInterval(() => {
         tick().catch((err: unknown) => {
           api.logger.warn(`device-pair: notify poll failed: ${formatErrorMessage(err)}`);