diff --git a/IngrediCheck/Components/PersistentBottomSheet.swift b/IngrediCheck/Components/PersistentBottomSheet.swift
index 5a50915..8579346 100644
--- a/IngrediCheck/Components/PersistentBottomSheet.swift
+++ b/IngrediCheck/Components/PersistentBottomSheet.swift
@@ -585,18 +585,25 @@ struct PersistentBottomSheet: View {
         case .whosThisFor:
             WhosThisFor {
                 AnalyticsService.shared.trackOnboarding("Onboarding Flow Selected", properties: ["flow_type": "individual"])
-                // Guest login already happened on .heyThere screen, just proceed
+                await authController.signIn()
+                guard authController.session != nil else {
+                    Log.error("PersistentBottomSheet", "Sign-in failed, cannot create Bite Buddy family")
+                    return
+                }
                 do {
                     try await familyStore.createBiteBuddyFamily()
                     coordinator.showCanvas(.dietaryPreferencesAndRestrictions(isFamilyFlow: false))
                     coordinator.navigateInBottomSheet(.dietaryPreferencesSheet(isFamilyFlow: false))
                 } catch {
                     Log.error("PersistentBottomSheet", "Failed to create Bite Buddy family: \(error)")
-                    // Don't navigate forward on error - user stays on current screen
                 }
             } addFamilyPressed: {
                 AnalyticsService.shared.trackOnboarding("Onboarding Flow Selected", properties: ["flow_type": "family"])
-                // Guest login already happened on .heyThere screen, just proceed
+                await authController.signIn()
+                guard authController.session != nil else {
+                    Log.error("PersistentBottomSheet", "Sign-in failed, cannot proceed to family flow")
+                    return
+                }
                 coordinator.showCanvas(.letsMeetYourIngrediFam)
             }
             
diff --git a/IngrediCheck/Store/AuthController.swift b/IngrediCheck/Store/AuthController.swift
index d0d381b..35fe956 100644
--- a/IngrediCheck/Store/AuthController.swift
+++ b/IngrediCheck/Store/AuthController.swift
@@ -132,9 +132,8 @@ private enum AuthFlowMode {
     
     private let keychain = KeychainSwift()
     @MainActor private var appleSignInCoordinator: AppleSignInCoordinator?
-    
-    private static let anonUserNameKey = "anonEmail"
-    private static let anonPasswordKey = "anonPassword"
+    @MainActor private var signInTask: Task<Void, Never>?
+
     private static let deviceIdKey = "deviceId"
     private static var hasRegisteredDevice = false
     
@@ -293,27 +292,36 @@ private enum AuthFlowMode {
 
         await MainActor.run {
             OnboardingPersistence.shared.reset()
-            clearAnonymousCredentials()
             Self.hasRegisteredDevice = false
         }
     }
 
+    @MainActor
     func signIn() async {
-        
-        Log.debug("AuthController", "signIn()")
-
-        guard await signInState != .signedIn else {
-            Log.debug("AuthController", "Already Signed In, so not Signing in again")
+        guard signInState != .signedIn else {
+            Log.debug("AuthController", "signIn(): Already signed in")
             return
         }
 
-        if let anonymousEmail = keychain.get(AuthController.anonUserNameKey),
-           let anonymousPassword = keychain.get(AuthController.anonPasswordKey),
-           await signInWithLegacyGuest(email: anonymousEmail, password: anonymousPassword) {
+        // Deduplicate: if sign-in is already in flight, join it
+        if let existing = signInTask {
+            Log.debug("AuthController", "signIn(): Joining existing sign-in task")
+            await existing.value
             return
         }
 
-        await signInWithNewAnonymousAccount()
+        Log.debug("AuthController", "signIn(): Starting new sign-in")
+
+        // Unstructured Task — does NOT inherit parent's cancellation,
+        // so SwiftUI .task(id:) cancellation won't kill the network request.
+        // Inherits @MainActor (no Sendable issues with self).
+        let task = Task {
+            await signInWithNewAnonymousAccount()
+        }
+
+        signInTask = task
+        await task.value
+        signInTask = nil
     }
 
     @MainActor
@@ -342,7 +350,6 @@ private enum AuthFlowMode {
 
             let session = try await finalizeAuth(with: credentials, mode: .link)
             self.session = session
-            clearAnonymousCredentials()
             isUpgradingAccount = false
         } catch {
             isUpgradingAccount = false
@@ -356,24 +363,14 @@ private enum AuthFlowMode {
         let webService = WebService()
         try? await webService.deleteUserAccount()
         await self.signOut()
-        clearAnonymousCredentials()
     }
     
-    private func signInWithLegacyGuest(email: String, password: String) async -> Bool {
-        do {
-            _ = try await supabaseClient.auth.signIn(email: email, password: password)
-            return true
-        } catch {
-            Log.error("AuthController", "Anonymous signin failed for stored credentials: \(error)")
-            keychain.delete(AuthController.anonUserNameKey)
-            keychain.delete(AuthController.anonPasswordKey)
-            return false
-        }
-    }
-
     private func signInWithNewAnonymousAccount() async {
         do {
-            _ = try await supabaseClient.auth.signInAnonymously()
+            let session = try await supabaseClient.auth.signInAnonymously()
+            await MainActor.run {
+                self.handleSessionChange(event: .signedIn, session: session)
+            }
         } catch {
             Log.error("AuthController", "signInAnonymously failed: \(error)")
         }
@@ -532,11 +529,6 @@ private enum AuthFlowMode {
         return rootViewController
     }
 
-    private func clearAnonymousCredentials() {
-        keychain.delete(AuthController.anonUserNameKey)
-        keychain.delete(AuthController.anonPasswordKey)
-    }
-
     public func signInWithGoogle(completion: ((Result<Void, Error>) -> Void)? = nil) {
         Task {
             do {
diff --git a/IngrediCheck/Views/HeyThereScreen.swift b/IngrediCheck/Views/HeyThereScreen.swift
index c53bc52..9ae8e89 100644
--- a/IngrediCheck/Views/HeyThereScreen.swift
+++ b/IngrediCheck/Views/HeyThereScreen.swift
@@ -83,19 +83,19 @@ struct HeyThereScreen: View {
             }
         }
         .task(id: coordinator.currentBottomSheetRoute) {
-            // Trigger anonymous sign-in only when explicitly asking "Who's this for?"
-            // This prevents "Get Started" or other pre-onboarding states from creating sessions.
             if coordinator.currentBottomSheetRoute == .whosThisFor {
                 if authController.session == nil {
                     print("[OnboardingMeta] Auto-triggering guest login on .whosThisFor screen")
                     await authController.signIn()
 
-                    // Sync initial state to Supabase immediately after session is created
-                    print("[OnboardingMeta] Syncing initial state after guest login")
-                    await OnboardingPersistence.shared.sync(from: coordinator)
-
-                    // Pre-download tutorial video in background
-                    Task { await TutorialVideoManager.shared.downloadIfNeeded() }
+                    // signIn() creates an internal unstructured Task that survives
+                    // cancellation, so the sign-in completes regardless. But post-work
+                    // (sync, video download) should only run if we're still on this route.
+                    if !Task.isCancelled {
+                        print("[OnboardingMeta] Syncing initial state after guest login")
+                        await OnboardingPersistence.shared.sync(from: coordinator)
+                        Task { await TutorialVideoManager.shared.downloadIfNeeded() }
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }