diff --git a/src/renderer/components/dashboard/CliStatusBanner.tsx b/src/renderer/components/dashboard/CliStatusBanner.tsx
index ff41320d..26118973 100644
--- a/src/renderer/components/dashboard/CliStatusBanner.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/components/dashboard/CliStatusBanner.tsx
@@ -387,6 +387,7 @@ const InstalledBanner = ({
     () => filterMainScreenCliProviders(cliStatus.providers),
     [cliStatus.providers]
   );
+  const canOpenExtensions = cliStatus.installed;
   const runtimeLabel = formatRuntimeLabel(cliStatus);
   const runtimeAuthSummary = formatRuntimeAuthSummary(cliStatus, visibleProviders);
 
@@ -471,8 +472,8 @@ const InstalledBanner = ({
               disabled={isBusy || cliStatusLoading || multimodelBusy}
             />
           </div>
-          {/* Extensions button — only when installed + authenticated */}
-          {cliStatus.authLoggedIn && (
+          {/* Extensions button — available whenever the runtime is installed */}
+          {canOpenExtensions && (
             <button
               onClick={openExtensionsTab}
               className="flex shrink-0 items-center gap-1.5 rounded-md border px-3 py-1.5 text-xs font-medium transition-colors hover:bg-white/5"
diff --git a/src/renderer/components/settings/sections/CliStatusSection.tsx b/src/renderer/components/settings/sections/CliStatusSection.tsx
index 2524867b..c861e1c0 100644
--- a/src/renderer/components/settings/sections/CliStatusSection.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/components/settings/sections/CliStatusSection.tsx
@@ -163,6 +163,7 @@ export const CliStatusSection = (): React.JSX.Element | null => {
     !cliStatus && cliStatusLoading && multimodelEnabled
       ? createLoadingMultimodelCliStatus()
       : cliStatus;
+  const canOpenExtensions = effectiveCliStatus?.installed === true;
   const showInstalledControls =
     effectiveCliStatus !== null && (installerState === 'idle' || installerState === 'completed');
 
@@ -396,7 +397,7 @@ export const CliStatusSection = (): React.JSX.Element | null => {
                     </button>
                   ) : null}
                   {/* Extensions button — right-aligned */}
-                  {effectiveCliStatus.authLoggedIn && (
+                  {canOpenExtensions && (
                     <button
                       type="button"
                       onClick={openExtensionsTab}
diff --git a/test/renderer/components/cli/CliStatusVisibility.test.ts b/test/renderer/components/cli/CliStatusVisibility.test.ts
index d383257d..c2caea96 100644
--- a/test/renderer/components/cli/CliStatusVisibility.test.ts
+++ b/test/renderer/components/cli/CliStatusVisibility.test.ts
@@ -283,6 +283,39 @@ describe('CLI status visibility during completed install state', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it('keeps the dashboard Extensions button visible before authentication completes', async () => {
+    vi.stubGlobal('IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT', true);
+    storeState.cliStatus = createInstalledCliStatus({
+      authLoggedIn: false,
+    });
+
+    const host = document.createElement('div');
+    document.body.appendChild(host);
+    const root = createRoot(host);
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      root.render(React.createElement(CliStatusBanner));
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+
+    const extensionsButton = Array.from(host.querySelectorAll('button')).find((button) =>
+      button.textContent?.includes('Extensions')
+    );
+    expect(extensionsButton).not.toBeNull();
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      extensionsButton?.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent('click', { bubbles: true }));
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+
+    expect(storeState.openExtensionsTab).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      root.unmount();
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+  });
+
   it('preserves dashboard runtime backend refresh errors for the manage dialog', async () => {
     vi.stubGlobal('IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT', true);
     storeState.cliInstallerState = 'idle';
@@ -483,7 +516,7 @@ describe('CLI status visibility during completed install state', () => {
     });
   });
 
-  it('hides the settings Extensions button when the runtime is not authenticated yet', async () => {
+  it('keeps the settings Extensions button visible when the runtime is installed but not authenticated yet', async () => {
     vi.stubGlobal('IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT', true);
     storeState.cliStatus = createInstalledCliStatus({
       authLoggedIn: false,
@@ -498,7 +531,17 @@ describe('CLI status visibility during completed install state', () => {
       await Promise.resolve();
     });
 
-    expect(host.textContent).not.toContain('Extensions');
+    const extensionsButton = Array.from(host.querySelectorAll('button')).find((button) =>
+      button.textContent?.includes('Extensions')
+    );
+    expect(extensionsButton).not.toBeNull();
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      extensionsButton?.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent('click', { bubbles: true }));
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+
+    expect(storeState.openExtensionsTab).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
 
     await act(async () => {
       root.unmount();