diff --git a/Where/WhereUI/Sources/Developer/Flyover/WhereFlyoverWorld.swift b/Where/WhereUI/Sources/Developer/Flyover/WhereFlyoverWorld.swift
index 8548aa3d0..47029b9a2 100644
--- a/Where/WhereUI/Sources/Developer/Flyover/WhereFlyoverWorld.swift
+++ b/Where/WhereUI/Sources/Developer/Flyover/WhereFlyoverWorld.swift
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
                 preferences: scope.preferences,
                 now: now,
             )
-            await report.activate()
+            await report.activate(trigger: .initialAppearance)
 
             return WhereFlyoverWorld(
                 scope: scope,
diff --git a/Where/WhereUI/Sources/Launch/WhereLaunch.swift b/Where/WhereUI/Sources/Launch/WhereLaunch.swift
index e880233ad..058c88b06 100644
--- a/Where/WhereUI/Sources/Launch/WhereLaunch.swift
+++ b/Where/WhereUI/Sources/Launch/WhereLaunch.swift
@@ -74,6 +74,19 @@ public enum LaunchStepID: String, Sendable {
 /// skipped node can't leave a hole in the data flow.
 @MainActor
 public enum WhereLaunch {
+    /// Which scene callback observed the app entering the foreground.
+    enum ForegroundTrigger {
+        case initialAppearance
+        case sceneBecameActive
+
+        var logValue: String {
+            switch self {
+                case .initialAppearance: "initial-appearance"
+                case .sceneBecameActive: "scene-became-active"
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     private static let logger = WhereLog.root(WhereLaunchLog.self)
 
     /// Start the built-in ambient sources (network path, thermal state, low
@@ -133,6 +146,60 @@ public enum WhereLaunch {
         return runner
     }
 
+    /// Promote the launch for a visible scene and record what the runner had
+    /// completed before that scene arrived. A prior `.ready` phase is the direct
+    /// signature of a process that finished its headless drive before foregrounding.
+    static func enterForeground(
+        _ runner: LifecycleRunner<WhereSession>,
+        trigger: ForegroundTrigger,
+    ) async {
+        let event = foregroundEnteredEvent(for: runner, trigger: trigger)
+        await runner.enterForeground()
+        logger { event }
+    }
+
+    /// Snapshot the pre-promotion runner state before `enterForeground()` can
+    /// replace both values. Kept separate so its diagnostic contract is testable
+    /// without sharing the process-global log pipeline.
+    static func foregroundEnteredEvent(
+        for runner: LifecycleRunner<WhereSession>,
+        trigger: ForegroundTrigger,
+    ) -> WhereLaunchLog {
+        .foregroundEntered(
+            trigger: trigger.logValue,
+            previousReason: diagnosticName(for: runner.reason),
+            previousPhase: diagnosticName(for: runner.phase),
+        )
+    }
+
+    private static func diagnosticName(for reason: LifecycleReason) -> String {
+        switch reason {
+            case .userForeground:
+                "user-foreground"
+            case let .background(cause):
+                switch cause {
+                    case .location: "background-location"
+                    case .remoteNotification: "background-remote-notification"
+                    case .backgroundTask: "background-task"
+                    case .other: "background-other"
+                }
+            case .undetermined:
+                "undetermined"
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static func diagnosticName(
+        for phase: LifecycleRunner<WhereSession>.Phase,
+    ) -> String {
+        switch phase {
+            case .launching: "launching"
+            case .running: "running"
+            case .awaitingGate: "awaiting-gate"
+            case .failed: "failed"
+            case .ready: "ready"
+        }
+    }
+
     /// The typed launch plan. The trunk mirrors the imperative
     /// `WhereSession.start()` order (a parity test guards this); the only
     /// insertions are the `onboarding` gate at its head and the
diff --git a/Where/WhereUI/Sources/Logging/WhereLaunchLog.swift b/Where/WhereUI/Sources/Logging/WhereLaunchLog.swift
index 91ca9ca26..6f0005dc7 100644
--- a/Where/WhereUI/Sources/Logging/WhereLaunchLog.swift
+++ b/Where/WhereUI/Sources/Logging/WhereLaunchLog.swift
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import PeriscopeCore
 
 /// Structured events for the app launch sequence (`WhereLaunch` /
 /// `WhereBootstrap`), including the process-global log-store bootstrap.
-enum WhereLaunchLog: LogEvent {
+enum WhereLaunchLog: LogEvent, Equatable {
     /// Names the launch spans — one budgeted span per measured launch or
     /// teardown step (see `MeasuredStep`), plus the two log-store chores the
     /// bootstrap runs off the critical path.
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ enum WhereLaunchLog: LogEvent {
     }
 
     case runnerCreated(reason: String)
+    /// A scene asked the runner to enter the foreground. The previous phase says
+    /// whether a headless drive had already reached `.ready` before UI appeared.
+    case foregroundEntered(trigger: String, previousReason: String, previousPhase: String)
     case servicesAssembled
     /// Assembling the service layer (store open + `WhereServices.make`) failed;
     /// the `resolve-scope` step surfaces it and the launch parks in `.failed`.
@@ -60,7 +63,8 @@ enum WhereLaunchLog: LogEvent {
 
     var level: LogLevel {
         switch self {
-            case .runnerCreated, .servicesAssembled, .loggingStoreReady, .historyPruned:
+            case .runnerCreated, .foregroundEntered, .servicesAssembled, .loggingStoreReady,
+                 .historyPruned:
                 .info
             // The store is still usable when pruning fails (degraded-but-handled),
             // unlike an outright open failure. A detached-step failure is the
@@ -77,6 +81,9 @@ enum WhereLaunchLog: LogEvent {
         switch self {
             case let .runnerCreated(reason):
                 "Lifecycle runner created (reason: \(reason))"
+            case let .foregroundEntered(trigger, previousReason, previousPhase):
+                "Entered foreground (trigger: \(trigger), previous reason: \(previousReason),"
+                    + " previous phase: \(previousPhase))"
             case .servicesAssembled:
                 "WhereServices assembled"
             case let .servicesAssemblyFailed(description):
diff --git a/Where/WhereUI/Sources/Logging/YearReportModelLog.swift b/Where/WhereUI/Sources/Logging/YearReportModelLog.swift
index 5c21f5856..e3781b2fe 100644
--- a/Where/WhereUI/Sources/Logging/YearReportModelLog.swift
+++ b/Where/WhereUI/Sources/Logging/YearReportModelLog.swift
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import WhereCore
 /// Structured events for `YearReportModel`. The affected year rides on
 /// `externalID`. A successful load is `.info`; read failures that leave a
 /// degraded UI state are `.warning`.
-enum YearReportModelLog: LogEvent {
+enum YearReportModelLog: LogEvent, Equatable {
     /// Names the model's timed span.
     ///
     /// Only the composed pass is timed: the report read, the evidence-day fetch,
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ enum YearReportModelLog: LogEvent {
         case sceneRefresh
     }
 
+    case activationStarted(year: Int, trigger: String, isFirstActivation: Bool, hadReport: Bool)
     case selectedYear(year: Int)
     case reportLoaded(year: Int, dayCount: Int)
     case reportLoadFailed(year: Int, description: String)
@@ -32,7 +33,7 @@ enum YearReportModelLog: LogEvent {
 
     var level: LogLevel {
         switch self {
-            case .selectedYear, .reportLoaded: .info
+            case .activationStarted, .selectedYear, .reportLoaded: .info
             case .reportLoadFailed, .evidenceDayKeysLoadFailed, .dataIssueScanFailed,
                  .clearYearFailed, .locationsLoadFailed, .dayLocationsLoadFailed,
                  .representativeCoordinatesLoadFailed:
@@ -42,6 +43,10 @@ enum YearReportModelLog: LogEvent {
 
     var message: String {
         switch self {
+            case let .activationStarted(year, trigger, isFirstActivation, hadReport):
+                "Year report activation started for \(year)"
+                    + " (trigger: \(trigger), first: \(isFirstActivation),"
+                    + " had report: \(hadReport))"
             case let .selectedYear(year):
                 "Selected year \(year)"
             case let .reportLoaded(year, dayCount):
@@ -65,7 +70,8 @@ enum YearReportModelLog: LogEvent {
 
     var externalID: String? {
         switch self {
-            case let .selectedYear(year), let .reportLoaded(year, _),
+            case let .activationStarted(year, _, _, _), let .selectedYear(year),
+                 let .reportLoaded(year, _),
                  let .reportLoadFailed(year, _), let .evidenceDayKeysLoadFailed(year, _),
                  let .clearYearFailed(year, _), let .locationsLoadFailed(_, year, _),
                  let .representativeCoordinatesLoadFailed(year, _):
diff --git a/Where/WhereUI/Sources/MainTabs.swift b/Where/WhereUI/Sources/MainTabs.swift
index 8061f58de..325637caf 100644
--- a/Where/WhereUI/Sources/MainTabs.swift
+++ b/Where/WhereUI/Sources/MainTabs.swift
@@ -68,11 +68,11 @@ struct MainTabs: View {
         // Subscribe + pull once the scene is on screen, and again whenever it
         // returns to the foreground; cancel the subscription on background so a
         // backgrounded scene drives no refreshes.
-        .task { await report.activate() }
+        .task { await report.activate(trigger: .initialAppearance) }
         .onChange(of: scenePhase) { _, newPhase in
             switch newPhase {
                 case .active:
-                    Task { await report.activate() }
+                    Task { await report.activate(trigger: .foregroundReturn) }
                 case .background:
                     report.deactivate()
                 case .inactive:
diff --git a/Where/WhereUI/Sources/Model/YearReportModel.swift b/Where/WhereUI/Sources/Model/YearReportModel.swift
index 37156e844..634df1ce2 100644
--- a/Where/WhereUI/Sources/Model/YearReportModel.swift
+++ b/Where/WhereUI/Sources/Model/YearReportModel.swift
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import WhereCore
 /// logged-in lifetime — a `YearReportModel` is created by `MainTabs` only once the
 /// real UI is on screen (the launch's `.ready` state) and torn down with it. It
 /// owns the store's data-change subscription, started on scene `.active`
-/// (`activate()`) and cancelled on background (`deactivate()`), so a headless
+/// (`activate(trigger:)`) and cancelled on background (`deactivate()`), so a headless
 /// background relaunch never drives a `refresh()` no UI consumes.
 ///
 /// `services` / `preferences` / `now` / `calendar` are exposed so the
@@ -23,6 +23,21 @@ import WhereCore
 @MainActor
 @Observable
 public final class YearReportModel {
+    /// Why the scene is activating its report model. Kept typed at the API
+    /// boundary while the corresponding persisted log payload uses a stable
+    /// explicit string.
+    public enum ActivationTrigger: Sendable {
+        case initialAppearance
+        case foregroundReturn
+
+        var logValue: String {
+            switch self {
+                case .initialAppearance: "initial-appearance"
+                case .foregroundReturn: "foreground-return"
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Where the current year's data is in its load lifecycle.
     public enum LoadState: Equatable {
         case idle
@@ -132,6 +147,10 @@ public final class YearReportModel {
     /// the main actor, and `deinit` runs with no other live references.
     @ObservationIgnored private nonisolated(unsafe) var dataChangeTask: Task<Void, Never>?
 
+    /// Distinguishes a newly constructed scene model's first pull from later
+    /// foreground refreshes in diagnostics. Main-actor isolated with the model.
+    private var hasActivated = false
+
     private static let logger = WhereLog.session(YearReportModelLog.self)
 
     /// Observed mirror of `preferences.driftThresholdMeters`, which isn't itself
@@ -262,14 +281,30 @@ public final class YearReportModel {
     /// Start observing committed writes and pull fresh data. Called by `MainTabs`
     /// when the scene becomes active. Safe to call repeatedly — the subscription
     /// is set up at most once until `deactivate()`.
-    public func activate() async {
+    public func activate(trigger: ActivationTrigger) async {
+        let event = activationStartedEvent(trigger: trigger)
+        Self.logger { event }
         observeDataChanges()
         await refreshAll(forceDataIssueCount: false)
     }
 
+    /// Snapshot the facts that exist before an activation changes presentation
+    /// state. Split from emission so the diagnostic contract is deterministic to
+    /// test without attaching a suite to the process-global logging facade.
+    func activationStartedEvent(trigger: ActivationTrigger) -> YearReportModelLog {
+        let event = YearReportModelLog.activationStarted(
+            year: selectedYear,
+            trigger: trigger.logValue,
+            isFirstActivation: !hasActivated,
+            hadReport: report != nil,
+        )
+        hasActivated = true
+        return event
+    }
+
     /// Stop observing committed writes. Called by `MainTabs` when the scene goes
     /// to the background, so a backgrounded scene drives no refreshes; the next
-    /// `activate()` re-subscribes and pulls (covering the background→foreground
+    /// `activate(trigger:)` re-subscribes and pulls (covering the background→foreground
     /// gap).
     public func deactivate() {
         dataChangeTask?.cancel()
diff --git a/Where/WhereUI/Sources/RootView.swift b/Where/WhereUI/Sources/RootView.swift
index 11d651848..1e2722dfe 100644
--- a/Where/WhereUI/Sources/RootView.swift
+++ b/Where/WhereUI/Sources/RootView.swift
@@ -219,14 +219,14 @@ public struct RootView: View {
             // entire (possibly slow) headless drive instead of the splash.
             .task {
                 if scenePhase == .active {
-                    await launcher.enterForeground()
+                    await WhereLaunch.enterForeground(launcher, trigger: .initialAppearance)
                 }
                 await launcher.run()
             }
             .onChange(of: scenePhase) { _, newPhase in
                 guard newPhase == .active else { return }
                 Task {
-                    await launcher.enterForeground()
+                    await WhereLaunch.enterForeground(launcher, trigger: .sceneBecameActive)
                     await model.session?.appBecameActive()
                 }
             }
diff --git a/Where/WhereUI/Tests/PrimaryRegionLocationsTests.swift b/Where/WhereUI/Tests/PrimaryRegionLocationsTests.swift
index 29f115891..072ed6c79 100644
--- a/Where/WhereUI/Tests/PrimaryRegionLocationsTests.swift
+++ b/Where/WhereUI/Tests/PrimaryRegionLocationsTests.swift
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ struct PrimaryRegionLocationsTests {
         )
 
         try await services.journal.ingest(first)
-        await report.activate()
+        await report.activate(trigger: .initialAppearance)
         defer { report.deactivate() }
         let initialReport = try #require(report.report)
         let initialLocations = try #require(report.primaryRegionLocations)
diff --git a/Where/WhereUI/Tests/WhereLaunchLogTests.swift b/Where/WhereUI/Tests/WhereLaunchLogTests.swift
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..52635cc85
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Where/WhereUI/Tests/WhereLaunchLogTests.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+import PeriscopeCore
+import Testing
+@testable import WhereUI
+
+/// Pins the foreground diagnostic whose prior phase distinguishes a completed
+/// headless drive from a launch still progressing when its scene appeared.
+struct WhereLaunchLogTests {
+    @Test func foregroundEntryRecordsThePriorRunnerState() {
+        let event = WhereLaunchLog.foregroundEntered(
+            trigger: "scene-became-active",
+            previousReason: "undetermined",
+            previousPhase: "ready",
+        )
+
+        #expect(event.level == .info)
+        #expect(event.message == "Entered foreground (trigger: scene-became-active,"
+            + " previous reason: undetermined,"
+            + " previous phase: ready)")
+    }
+}
diff --git a/Where/WhereUI/Tests/WhereLaunchTests.swift b/Where/WhereUI/Tests/WhereLaunchTests.swift
index 25c2c3414..395fbf677 100644
--- a/Where/WhereUI/Tests/WhereLaunchTests.swift
+++ b/Where/WhereUI/Tests/WhereLaunchTests.swift
@@ -218,11 +218,21 @@ struct WhereLaunchTests {
         #expect(launcher.reason.buildsNoViewTree)
         #expect(model.session?.isTracking == true)
         #expect(try await store.allSamples().isEmpty)
+        #expect(
+            WhereLaunch.foregroundEnteredEvent(
+                for: launcher,
+                trigger: .sceneBecameActive,
+            ) == .foregroundEntered(
+                trigger: "scene-became-active",
+                previousReason: "undetermined",
+                previousPhase: "ready",
+            ),
+        )
 
         // A scene activates → promote. The re-drive skips the already-completed
         // background steps and runs the now-applicable foreground-only
         // capture-today, which logs today's fix.
-        await launcher.enterForeground()
+        await WhereLaunch.enterForeground(launcher, trigger: .sceneBecameActive)
         #expect(launcher.phase.isReady)
         #expect(launcher.reason == .userForeground)
         try await waitUntilAsync { await (try? store.allSamples().count) == 1 }
diff --git a/Where/WhereUI/Tests/YearReportModelLogTests.swift b/Where/WhereUI/Tests/YearReportModelLogTests.swift
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dd03d0a8e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Where/WhereUI/Tests/YearReportModelLogTests.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import PeriscopeCore
+import Testing
+@_spi(Testing) import WhereCore
+@testable import WhereUI
+
+/// Pins the structured activation diagnostic used to explain a transient
+/// Locations loading screen after the fact.
+struct YearReportModelLogTests {
+    @Test func activationRecordsItsTriggerAndPriorReportState() {
+        let event = YearReportModelLog.activationStarted(
+            year: 2026,
+            trigger: "foreground-return",
+            isFirstActivation: false,
+            hadReport: true,
+        )
+
+        #expect(event.level == .info)
+        #expect(event.externalID == WhereStoreID.year(2026))
+        #expect(event.message == "Year report activation started for 2026"
+            + " (trigger: foreground-return, first: false, had report: true)")
+    }
+}
diff --git a/Where/WhereUI/Tests/YearReportModelTests.swift b/Where/WhereUI/Tests/YearReportModelTests.swift
index 3cf55983b..e1bcbc872 100644
--- a/Where/WhereUI/Tests/YearReportModelTests.swift
+++ b/Where/WhereUI/Tests/YearReportModelTests.swift
@@ -62,6 +62,41 @@ struct YearReportModelTests {
         #expect(reloaded.showsRecordedLocationDots == false)
     }
 
+    @Test func activationDiagnosticsDistinguishFreshAndRetainedReports() throws {
+        let services = try makeServices()
+        let fresh = YearReportModel(
+            services: services,
+            selectedYear: 2026,
+            preferences: makePreferences(),
+        )
+
+        #expect(fresh.activationStartedEvent(trigger: .initialAppearance) == .activationStarted(
+            year: 2026,
+            trigger: "initial-appearance",
+            isFirstActivation: true,
+            hadReport: false,
+        ))
+        #expect(fresh.activationStartedEvent(trigger: .foregroundReturn) == .activationStarted(
+            year: 2026,
+            trigger: "foreground-return",
+            isFirstActivation: false,
+            hadReport: false,
+        ))
+
+        let preloaded = YearReportModel(
+            services: services,
+            details: Self.details(YearReport(year: 2026, days: [], totals: [:])),
+            selectedYear: 2026,
+            preferences: makePreferences(),
+        )
+        #expect(preloaded.activationStartedEvent(trigger: .initialAppearance) == .activationStarted(
+            year: 2026,
+            trigger: "initial-appearance",
+            isFirstActivation: true,
+            hadReport: true,
+        ))
+    }
+
     // MARK: - Year load / stale fetches / save errors
 
     @Test func staleYearFetchDoesNotOverwriteNewerSelection() async throws {
@@ -424,7 +459,7 @@ struct YearReportModelTests {
             preferences: makePreferences(),
             now: { now },
         )
-        await report.activate()
+        await report.activate(trigger: .initialAppearance)
         #expect(report.report?.days.count == 1)
         #expect(report.loadState == .loaded)
 
@@ -458,7 +493,7 @@ struct YearReportModelTests {
             preferences: makePreferences(),
             now: { now },
         )
-        await report.activate()
+        await report.activate(trigger: .initialAppearance)
         #expect(report.report?.days.count == 0)
         report.deactivate()
 
@@ -468,7 +503,7 @@ struct YearReportModelTests {
             preferences: makePreferences(),
             now: { now },
         )
-        await probe.activate()
+        await probe.activate(trigger: .initialAppearance)
 
         try await services.journal.addManualDay(
             date: date(year: 2026, month: 1, day: 1),
@@ -501,7 +536,7 @@ struct YearReportModelTests {
             preferences: makePreferences(),
             now: { now },
         )
-        await report.activate()
+        await report.activate(trigger: .initialAppearance)
         #expect(report.report?.days.count == 0)
         report.deactivate()
 
@@ -514,7 +549,7 @@ struct YearReportModelTests {
         #expect(report.report?.days.count == 0)
 
         // Foregrounding re-subscribes and pulls the gap.
-        await report.activate()
+        await report.activate(trigger: .foregroundReturn)
         #expect(report.report?.days.count == 1)
     }
 
@@ -535,7 +570,7 @@ struct YearReportModelTests {
             preferences: makePreferences(),
         )
 
-        await report.activate()
+        await report.activate(trigger: .initialAppearance)
 
         #expect(report.evidenceDayKeys == [Self.cday(2026, 3, 4)])
     }
@@ -581,7 +616,7 @@ struct YearReportModelTests {
             selectedYear: 2026,
             preferences: makePreferences(),
         )
-        await report.activate()
+        await report.activate(trigger: .initialAppearance)
         #expect(report.evidenceDayKeys == [Self.cday(2026, 5, 2)])
 
         await report.select(year: 2025)