diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/main/runtime-host-desktop-candidate.ts b/apps/desktop/src/main/runtime-host-desktop-candidate.ts
index cce904ca8b..f621beb29a 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/main/runtime-host-desktop-candidate.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/main/runtime-host-desktop-candidate.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import {
   connectOrSpawnRuntimeHost,
   connectRuntimeHostProfile,
   type RuntimeHostPeerClient,
+  type RuntimeHostConnectionPhase,
   type RuntimeHostSshInteraction,
   type RuntimeHostSshTunnel,
   type RuntimeHostSshTunnelInput,
@@ -202,6 +203,7 @@ export interface DesktopRuntimeHostCandidateStartInput
   readonly onExit?: (details: CandidateExitDetails) => void;
   readonly candidateLaunchBarrier?: RuntimeHostCandidateLaunchBarrier;
   readonly peerClient?: RuntimeHostPeerClient;
+  readonly onConnectionPhase?: (phase: RuntimeHostConnectionPhase) => void;
   readonly profileTarget?: {
     readonly profile: PersistedRuntimeHostProfile;
     readonly credential?: string;
@@ -435,6 +437,9 @@ async function startProfileDesktopRuntimeHostCandidate(
       : { handshakeTimeoutMs: input.handshakeTimeoutMs }),
     readyTimeoutMs: input.electionDeadlineMs ?? 45_000,
     ...(input.peerClient === undefined ? {} : { peerClient: input.peerClient }),
+    ...(input.onConnectionPhase === undefined
+      ? {}
+      : { onConnectionPhase: input.onConnectionPhase }),
     ...(profileTarget.sshInteraction === undefined
       ? {}
       : { sshInteraction: profileTarget.sshInteraction }),
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/main/runtime-host-desktop-manager.ts b/apps/desktop/src/main/runtime-host-desktop-manager.ts
index 8602849434..6a0c4e3f85 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/main/runtime-host-desktop-manager.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/main/runtime-host-desktop-manager.ts
@@ -872,6 +872,9 @@ class RuntimeHostDesktopManagerImpl implements RuntimeHostDesktopManager {
             ipcMain: this.#ipcMain.createTarget(target.epoch),
             isTargetActive: () => this.#ipcMain.isActive(target.epoch),
             isTargetValid: () => target.valid,
+            onConnectionPhase: (phase) => {
+              target.input.onConnectionPhase?.(phase);
+            },
             signal,
             ...(takeoverHostEpoch === undefined ? {} : { takeoverHostEpoch }),
           },
@@ -1154,6 +1157,7 @@ class RuntimeHostDesktopManagerImpl implements RuntimeHostDesktopManager {
       );
     }
   }
+
 }
 
 function trackOwnedProcess(
diff --git a/packages/runtime-host/src/__tests__/peer-native.test.ts b/packages/runtime-host/src/__tests__/peer-native.test.ts
index dd0847f2fe..326ef26634 100644
--- a/packages/runtime-host/src/__tests__/peer-native.test.ts
+++ b/packages/runtime-host/src/__tests__/peer-native.test.ts
@@ -119,10 +119,14 @@ module.exports = {
       },
     });
     const native = await import(nativePath);
+    const phases: string[] = [];
     const abort = new AbortController();
-    const pending = client.connect(peerConnectInput('pending'), abort.signal);
+    const pending = client.connect(peerConnectInput('pending'), abort.signal, (phase) => {
+      phases.push(phase);
+    });
     await waitForRequestCount(native.default.stats, 1);
     assert.equal(routesPrepared, true);
+    assert.deepEqual(phases, ['discovering', 'connecting']);
     abort.abort();
     await assert.rejects(pending, /aborted/u);
 
diff --git a/packages/runtime-host/src/client/host-profile.ts b/packages/runtime-host/src/client/host-profile.ts
index 5d46de2f7b..f3230ff452 100644
--- a/packages/runtime-host/src/client/host-profile.ts
+++ b/packages/runtime-host/src/client/host-profile.ts
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ import {
   readRuntimeHostPeerAuthenticationResult,
   writeRuntimeHostPeerAuthentication,
 } from '../transport/peer-native.js';
-import type { RuntimeHostPeerClient } from './peer-client.js';
+import type { RuntimeHostPeerClient, RuntimeHostPeerConnectionPhase } from './peer-client.js';
 import { RuntimeHostPermanentReconnectError } from './reconnect-lifecycle.js';
 import { RuntimeHostRemoteCompatibilityError } from './remote-compatibility-error.js';
 import {
@@ -156,6 +156,12 @@ export interface ResolvedRuntimeHostProfile {
   readonly credential?: string;
 }
 
+export type RuntimeHostConnectionPhase =
+  | RuntimeHostPeerConnectionPhase
+  | 'authenticating'
+  | 'handshaking'
+  | 'waiting_for_ready';
+
 export function sameResolvedRuntimeHostProfileTarget(
   left: ResolvedRuntimeHostProfile,
   right: ResolvedRuntimeHostProfile,
@@ -272,6 +278,7 @@ export async function connectRuntimeHostProfile(
     readonly readyTimeoutMs?: number;
     readonly sshInteraction?: RuntimeHostSshInteraction;
     readonly peerClient?: RuntimeHostPeerClient;
+    readonly onConnectionPhase?: (phase: RuntimeHostConnectionPhase) => void;
   },
   overrides: {
     connect?: typeof connectRemoteRuntimeHost;
@@ -326,6 +333,7 @@ export async function connectRemoteRuntimeHostProfile(
     readonly readyTimeoutMs?: number;
     readonly sshInteraction?: RuntimeHostSshInteraction;
     readonly peerClient?: RuntimeHostPeerClient;
+    readonly onConnectionPhase?: (phase: RuntimeHostConnectionPhase) => void;
   },
   overrides: {
     connect?: typeof connectRemoteRuntimeHost;
@@ -351,8 +359,12 @@ export async function connectRemoteRuntimeHostProfile(
       ...(input.handshakeTimeoutMs === undefined
         ? {}
         : { handshakeTimeoutMs: input.handshakeTimeoutMs }),
+      ...(input.onConnectionPhase === undefined
+        ? {}
+        : { onConnectionPhase: input.onConnectionPhase }),
     });
   } else {
+    notifyConnectionPhase(input.onConnectionPhase, 'connecting');
     const activation =
       transport.kind === 'ssh' && transport.activation
         ? await (overrides.activateSshOperator ?? activateRuntimeHostSshOperator)({
@@ -420,6 +432,7 @@ export async function connectRemoteRuntimeHostProfile(
   }
   try {
     input.signal?.throwIfAborted();
+    notifyConnectionPhase(input.onConnectionPhase, 'waiting_for_ready');
     await (overrides.waitForReady ?? waitForRuntimeHostReady)(
       connection,
       input.readyTimeoutMs ?? 45_000,
@@ -454,6 +467,7 @@ export async function connectPeerRuntimeHost(input: {
   readonly signal?: AbortSignal;
   readonly connectTimeoutMs?: number;
   readonly handshakeTimeoutMs?: number;
+  readonly onConnectionPhase?: (phase: RuntimeHostConnectionPhase) => void;
 }): Promise<RuntimeHostConnection> {
   input.signal?.throwIfAborted();
   const stream = await input.peerClient.connect(
@@ -464,6 +478,7 @@ export async function connectPeerRuntimeHost(input: {
       directDeadlineMs: Math.min(input.connectTimeoutMs ?? 40_000, 120_000),
     },
     input.signal,
+    input.onConnectionPhase,
   );
   const abort = () => stream.abort();
   input.signal?.addEventListener('abort', abort, { once: true });
@@ -471,6 +486,7 @@ export async function connectPeerRuntimeHost(input: {
   let transferred = false;
   try {
     input.signal?.throwIfAborted();
+    notifyConnectionPhase(input.onConnectionPhase, 'authenticating');
     await writeRuntimeHostPeerAuthentication(stream, input.credential);
     const authentication = await readRuntimeHostPeerAuthenticationResult(
       stream,
@@ -481,6 +497,7 @@ export async function connectPeerRuntimeHost(input: {
         `Runtime Host profile ${input.profileId} rejected its access credential`,
       );
     }
+    notifyConnectionPhase(input.onConnectionPhase, 'handshaking');
     const result = await connectRuntimeHostMessageTransport({
       transport: new FramedByteStreamTransport(
         new RuntimeHostPeerByteStream(stream, authentication.remainder),
@@ -512,6 +529,17 @@ export async function connectPeerRuntimeHost(input: {
   }
 }
 
+function notifyConnectionPhase(
+  observer: ((phase: RuntimeHostConnectionPhase) => void) | undefined,
+  phase: RuntimeHostConnectionPhase,
+): void {
+  try {
+    observer?.(phase);
+  } catch {
+    // Connection progress is diagnostic state and cannot control the connection.
+  }
+}
+
 function requireRuntimeHostPeerClient(
   peerClient: RuntimeHostPeerClient | undefined,
 ): RuntimeHostPeerClient {
diff --git a/packages/runtime-host/src/client/index.ts b/packages/runtime-host/src/client/index.ts
index c77d5c0cde..e898eb0e87 100644
--- a/packages/runtime-host/src/client/index.ts
+++ b/packages/runtime-host/src/client/index.ts
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ export {
   type RuntimeHostProfile,
   type RuntimeHostProfileAccess,
   type RuntimeHostProfileCatalog,
+  type RuntimeHostConnectionPhase,
   type RuntimeHostProfileDocument,
 } from './host-profile.js';
 export {
diff --git a/packages/runtime-host/src/client/peer-client.ts b/packages/runtime-host/src/client/peer-client.ts
index 5afaced96a..3a2b567c15 100644
--- a/packages/runtime-host/src/client/peer-client.ts
+++ b/packages/runtime-host/src/client/peer-client.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ export interface RuntimeHostPeerConnectInput {
   readonly directDeadlineMs: number;
 }
 
+export type RuntimeHostPeerConnectionPhase = 'discovering' | 'connecting';
+
 export interface RuntimeHostPeerRouteResolver {
   resolveRoutes(peerId: string):
     | {
@@ -67,6 +69,7 @@ export interface RuntimeHostPeerClient {
   connect(
     input: RuntimeHostPeerConnectInput,
     signal?: AbortSignal,
+    onPhase?: (phase: RuntimeHostPeerConnectionPhase) => void,
   ): Promise<RuntimeHostPeerNativeStream>;
   connectMeshControl(
     input: RuntimeHostPeerConnectInput,
@@ -204,8 +207,11 @@ class RuntimeHostPeerClientImpl implements RuntimeHostPeerClient {
   async connect(
     input: RuntimeHostPeerConnectInput,
     signal?: AbortSignal,
+    onPhase?: (phase: RuntimeHostPeerConnectionPhase) => void,
   ): Promise<RuntimeHostPeerNativeStream> {
+    notifyPhase(onPhase, 'discovering');
     await this.#prepareRoutes(input, signal);
+    notifyPhase(onPhase, 'connecting');
     return this.#connect(input, signal, 'application');
   }
 
@@ -473,6 +479,17 @@ interface InboundConsumer {
   readonly reject: (error: Error) => void;
 }
 
+function notifyPhase(
+  observer: ((phase: RuntimeHostPeerConnectionPhase) => void) | undefined,
+  phase: RuntimeHostPeerConnectionPhase,
+): void {
+  try {
+    observer?.(phase);
+  } catch {
+    // Connection progress is diagnostic state and cannot control the connection.
+  }
+}
+
 function waitForPeerConnectTurn(previous: Promise<void>, signal?: AbortSignal): Promise<void> {
   if (!signal) return previous;
   if (signal.aborted) return Promise.reject(signal.reason);