diff --git a/apps/flipcash/features/menu/src/main/kotlin/com/flipcash/app/menu/internal/MenuScreenViewModel.kt b/apps/flipcash/features/menu/src/main/kotlin/com/flipcash/app/menu/internal/MenuScreenViewModel.kt
index 980b11cf72..f76bf29b7a 100644
--- a/apps/flipcash/features/menu/src/main/kotlin/com/flipcash/app/menu/internal/MenuScreenViewModel.kt
+++ b/apps/flipcash/features/menu/src/main/kotlin/com/flipcash/app/menu/internal/MenuScreenViewModel.kt
@@ -302,11 +302,11 @@ internal class MenuScreenViewModel @Inject constructor(
         combine(
             userManager.state
                 .filter { it.authState is AuthState.Ready }
-                .map { it.userProfile?.username },
+                .map { it.userProfile?.username to (it.userProfile?.isUsernameAutoAssigned == true) },
             userFlags.resolvedFlags.map { it.usernameMinBalance.effectiveValue },
             totalBalance.observeTotalBalance(),
-        ) { username, minimum, balance ->
-            val progress = when (val gate = usernameGate(username, minimum, balance)) {
+        ) { (username, isAutoAssigned), minimum, balance ->
+            val progress = when (val gate = usernameGate(username, isAutoAssigned, minimum, balance)) {
                 UsernameGate.Claimed -> null
                 UsernameGate.Unlocked -> UsernameProgress.Unlocked
                 is UsernameGate.Locked -> UsernameProgress.Locked(
diff --git a/apps/flipcash/features/menu/src/main/kotlin/com/flipcash/app/menu/internal/UsernameGate.kt b/apps/flipcash/features/menu/src/main/kotlin/com/flipcash/app/menu/internal/UsernameGate.kt
index 48ce924e9e..f4d1e0f65b 100644
--- a/apps/flipcash/features/menu/src/main/kotlin/com/flipcash/app/menu/internal/UsernameGate.kt
+++ b/apps/flipcash/features/menu/src/main/kotlin/com/flipcash/app/menu/internal/UsernameGate.kt
@@ -16,7 +16,10 @@ import com.getcode.opencode.model.financial.minus
  * Mirrors iOS `usernameGate(session:minimum:)` in `UsernameGate.swift`.
  */
 internal sealed interface UsernameGate {
-    /** A handle is already claimed — the nudge is spent, and changing it lives in My Account. */
+    /**
+     * A handle the user chose is already claimed — the nudge is spent, and changing it lives in
+     * My Account. A handle the server assigned does not count: the user hasn't picked it.
+     */
     data object Claimed : UsernameGate
 
     /** Nothing in the way: either the balance clears the minimum, or there is no minimum. */
@@ -35,16 +38,19 @@ internal sealed interface UsernameGate {
 }
 
 /**
- * @param username the account's claimed handle, null or blank when it hasn't claimed one.
+ * @param username the account's handle, null or blank when it has none.
+ * @param isAutoAssigned whether [username] was assigned by the server rather than chosen by the
+ *   user. An assigned handle still counts as unclaimed, so the nudge keeps showing.
  * @param minimum the balance the account must hold to claim, from the `usernameMinBalance` flag.
  * @param balance the account's total balance, in the same currency as [minimum].
  */
 internal fun usernameGate(
     username: String?,
+    isAutoAssigned: Boolean,
     minimum: Fiat,
     balance: Fiat,
 ): UsernameGate = when {
-    !username.isNullOrBlank() -> UsernameGate.Claimed
+    !username.isNullOrBlank() && !isAutoAssigned -> UsernameGate.Claimed
     // A zero minimum is no gate at all — which is also what an unresolved flag looks like. Either
     // reading leaves nothing holding the account back, so both fail open.
     !minimum.isPositive -> UsernameGate.Unlocked
diff --git a/apps/flipcash/features/menu/src/test/kotlin/com/flipcash/app/menu/internal/UsernameGateTest.kt b/apps/flipcash/features/menu/src/test/kotlin/com/flipcash/app/menu/internal/UsernameGateTest.kt
index 30628e48ad..bd14478968 100644
--- a/apps/flipcash/features/menu/src/test/kotlin/com/flipcash/app/menu/internal/UsernameGateTest.kt
+++ b/apps/flipcash/features/menu/src/test/kotlin/com/flipcash/app/menu/internal/UsernameGateTest.kt
@@ -14,14 +14,33 @@ class UsernameGateTest {
     fun `a claimed handle spends the nudge, whatever the balance`() {
         assertEquals(
             UsernameGate.Claimed,
-            usernameGate(username = "mcansh", minimum = usd(25.0), balance = Fiat.Zero),
+            usernameGate(username = "mcansh", isAutoAssigned = false, minimum = usd(25.0), balance = Fiat.Zero),
         )
     }
 
     @Test
     fun `a blank handle counts as unclaimed`() {
         assertIs<UsernameGate.Locked>(
-            usernameGate(username = "   ", minimum = usd(25.0), balance = Fiat.Zero),
+            usernameGate(username = "   ", isAutoAssigned = false, minimum = usd(25.0), balance = Fiat.Zero),
+        )
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `an auto-assigned handle still counts as unclaimed`() {
+        assertIs<UsernameGate.Locked>(
+            usernameGate(username = "user4821", isAutoAssigned = true, minimum = usd(25.0), balance = Fiat.Zero),
+        )
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `an auto-assigned handle follows the balance rules of no handle`() {
+        assertEquals(
+            UsernameGate.Unlocked,
+            usernameGate(username = "user4821", isAutoAssigned = true, minimum = usd(25.0), balance = usd(25.0)),
+        )
+        assertEquals(
+            UsernameGate.Unlocked,
+            usernameGate(username = "user4821", isAutoAssigned = true, minimum = Fiat.Zero, balance = Fiat.Zero),
         )
     }
 
@@ -29,7 +48,7 @@ class UsernameGateTest {
     fun `a zero minimum fails open`() {
         assertEquals(
             UsernameGate.Unlocked,
-            usernameGate(username = null, minimum = Fiat.Zero, balance = Fiat.Zero),
+            usernameGate(username = null, isAutoAssigned = false, minimum = Fiat.Zero, balance = Fiat.Zero),
         )
     }
 
@@ -37,7 +56,7 @@ class UsernameGateTest {
     fun `exactly the minimum unlocks`() {
         assertEquals(
             UsernameGate.Unlocked,
-            usernameGate(username = null, minimum = usd(25.0), balance = usd(25.0)),
+            usernameGate(username = null, isAutoAssigned = false, minimum = usd(25.0), balance = usd(25.0)),
         )
     }
 
@@ -45,13 +64,13 @@ class UsernameGateTest {
     fun `above the minimum unlocks`() {
         assertEquals(
             UsernameGate.Unlocked,
-            usernameGate(username = null, minimum = usd(25.0), balance = usd(25.01)),
+            usernameGate(username = null, isAutoAssigned = false, minimum = usd(25.0), balance = usd(25.01)),
         )
     }
 
     @Test
     fun `below the minimum reports the shortfall and how far along it is`() {
-        val gate = usernameGate(username = null, minimum = usd(25.0), balance = usd(20.0))
+        val gate = usernameGate(username = null, isAutoAssigned = false, minimum = usd(25.0), balance = usd(20.0))
 
         assertIs<UsernameGate.Locked>(gate)
         assertEquals(usd(25.0), gate.minimum)
@@ -61,7 +80,7 @@ class UsernameGateTest {
 
     @Test
     fun `an empty balance is zero progress, not a divide by zero`() {
-        val gate = usernameGate(username = null, minimum = usd(25.0), balance = Fiat.Zero)
+        val gate = usernameGate(username = null, isAutoAssigned = false, minimum = usd(25.0), balance = Fiat.Zero)
 
         assertIs<UsernameGate.Locked>(gate)
         assertEquals(usd(25.0), gate.shortfall)
@@ -70,7 +89,7 @@ class UsernameGateTest {
 
     @Test
     fun `a negative balance clamps to zero progress rather than a backwards bar`() {
-        val gate = usernameGate(username = null, minimum = usd(25.0), balance = usd(-5.0))
+        val gate = usernameGate(username = null, isAutoAssigned = false, minimum = usd(25.0), balance = usd(-5.0))
 
         assertIs<UsernameGate.Locked>(gate)
         assertEquals(0f, gate.fraction)