diff --git a/client/scripts/quest_hud_controller.gd b/client/scripts/quest_hud_controller.gd
index 8328ab0..b6a3e81 100644
--- a/client/scripts/quest_hud_controller.gd
+++ b/client/scripts/quest_hud_controller.gd
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ var _progress_error: String = ""
 var _defs_error: String = ""
 var _accept_quest_patch: Dictionary = {}
 var _previous_status_by_quest: Dictionary = {}
+var _quest_was_active_in_session: Dictionary = {}
 var _last_reward_quest_id: String = ""
 var _last_reward_summary: Dictionary = {}
 
@@ -58,6 +59,10 @@ func setup(
 		_defs_client.connect(
 			"definitions_sync_failed", Callable(self, "_on_definitions_sync_failed")
 		)
+	if is_instance_valid(_item_defs_client) and _item_defs_client.has_signal("definitions_ready"):
+		_item_defs_client.connect(
+			"definitions_ready", Callable(self, "_on_item_definitions_ready")
+		)
 	_render_progress_label()
 	_render_accept_feedback_label()
 	_render_reward_label()
@@ -109,6 +114,7 @@ func _on_sync_failed(reason: String) -> void:
 
 func _on_accept_result_received(quest_id: String, result: Dictionary) -> void:
 	if bool(result.get("accepted", false)):
+		_mark_quest_active_in_session(quest_id)
 		_render_accept_feedback_label("Quest accept: %s accepted" % _display_name(quest_id))
 		var quest_variant: Variant = result.get("quest", null)
 		if quest_variant is Dictionary:
@@ -144,6 +150,17 @@ func _on_definitions_sync_failed(reason: String) -> void:
 	_render_progress_label()
 
 
+func _on_item_definitions_ready(_definitions_by_id: Dictionary) -> void:
+	if not _last_reward_quest_id.is_empty():
+		_render_reward_label()
+
+
+func _mark_quest_active_in_session(quest_id: String) -> void:
+	var qid := quest_id.strip_edges()
+	if not qid.is_empty():
+		_quest_was_active_in_session[qid] = true
+
+
 func _detect_and_apply_completion_transitions(snapshot: Dictionary) -> void:
 	var boot_seed := _previous_status_by_quest.is_empty()
 	var transitions: Array = []
@@ -157,8 +174,13 @@ func _detect_and_apply_completion_transitions(snapshot: Dictionary) -> void:
 			if qid.is_empty():
 				continue
 			var new_status := str(row.get("status", "not_started"))
+			if new_status == "active":
+				_mark_quest_active_in_session(qid)
 			var prev_status := str(_previous_status_by_quest.get(qid, "not_started"))
-			if not boot_seed and prev_status != "completed" and new_status == "completed":
+			var can_detect := (
+				not boot_seed or bool(_quest_was_active_in_session.get(qid, false))
+			)
+			if can_detect and prev_status != "completed" and new_status == "completed":
 				var summary := QuestProgressClient.completion_reward_summary(qid, snapshot)
 				if not summary.is_empty():
 					transitions.append({"questId": qid, "summary": summary})
diff --git a/client/test/quest_hud_controller_test.gd b/client/test/quest_hud_controller_test.gd
index f91ae6d..bd936eb 100644
--- a/client/test/quest_hud_controller_test.gd
+++ b/client/test/quest_hud_controller_test.gd
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ extends GdUnitTestSuite
 const QuestHudController := preload("res://scripts/quest_hud_controller.gd")
 const QuestProgressClient := preload("res://scripts/quest_progress_client.gd")
 const QuestDefinitionsClient := preload("res://scripts/quest_definitions_client.gd")
+const ItemDefsClient := preload("res://scripts/item_definitions_client.gd")
 
 const OPERATOR_CHAIN_QUEST_ID := "prototype_quest_operator_chain"
 
@@ -545,6 +546,21 @@ func test_completion_transition_paints_reward_label_with_skill_xp() -> void:
 	assert_str(reward_label.text).contains("Salvage +25 XP")
 
 
+func test_first_success_paints_reward_when_quest_was_active_in_session() -> void:
+	# Arrange
+	var controller: Node = QuestHudController.new()
+	var reward_label := Label.new()
+	auto_free(controller)
+	auto_free(reward_label)
+	add_child(controller)
+	controller.set("_reward_label", reward_label)
+	controller.call("_mark_quest_active_in_session", QuestHudController.GATHER_QUEST_ID)
+	# Act — first successful GET already completed (missed intermediate snapshots)
+	controller.call("_on_progress_received", _completed_gather_with_summary_snapshot())
+	# Assert
+	assert_str(reward_label.text).contains("Salvage +25 XP")
+
+
 func test_boot_completed_snapshot_does_not_paint_reward_label() -> void:
 	# Arrange
 	var controller: Node = QuestHudController.new()
@@ -641,6 +657,41 @@ func test_definitions_ready_repaints_reward_label_with_display_name() -> void:
 	assert_str(reward_label.text).not_contains("prototype_quest_gather_intro")
 
 
+func _survey_drone_item_defs_json() -> String:
+	return (
+		'{"schemaVersion":1,"items":[{"id":"survey_drone_kit",'
+		+ '"displayName":"Survey Drone Kit","inventorySlotKind":"bag"}]}'
+	)
+
+
+func test_item_definitions_ready_repaints_reward_item_display_name() -> void:
+	# Arrange
+	var item_transport := MockHttpTransport.new()
+	item_transport.body_json = _survey_drone_item_defs_json()
+	var item_defs: Node = ItemDefsClient.new()
+	item_defs.set("injected_http", item_transport)
+	auto_free(item_transport)
+	auto_free(item_defs)
+	add_child(item_defs)
+	await get_tree().process_frame
+	var controller: Node = QuestHudController.new()
+	var reward_label := Label.new()
+	auto_free(controller)
+	auto_free(reward_label)
+	add_child(controller)
+	controller.set("_reward_label", reward_label)
+	controller.set("_item_defs_client", item_defs)
+	controller.call("_on_progress_received", _active_operator_chain_snapshot())
+	controller.call("_on_progress_received", _completed_operator_chain_with_summary_snapshot())
+	assert_str(reward_label.text).contains("survey_drone_kit")
+	# Act
+	item_defs.call("request_sync_from_server")
+	controller.call("_on_item_definitions_ready", {})
+	# Assert
+	assert_str(reward_label.text).contains("Survey Drone Kit ×1")
+	assert_str(reward_label.text).not_contains("survey_drone_kit ×1")
+
+
 func test_sync_failure_shows_progress_error_and_idle_reward_label() -> void:
 	# Arrange
 	var controller: Node = QuestHudController.new()
diff --git a/docs/plans/NEO-131-implementation-plan.md b/docs/plans/NEO-131-implementation-plan.md
index 546b4f8..03b051e 100644
--- a/docs/plans/NEO-131-implementation-plan.md
+++ b/docs/plans/NEO-131-implementation-plan.md
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
 - **`quest_progress_client.gd`:** **`completion_reward_summary`** static helper; parse preserves NEO-129 nested summary on completed rows.
 - **`quest_hud_controller.gd`:** transition-only detection (**`_previous_status_by_quest`**); **`QuestRewardDeliveryLabel`** render with item-def display names + title-case skill XP lines; sync error idle state.
 - **`main.gd` / `main.tscn`:** **`QuestRewardDeliveryLabel`** after accept feedback; **`ItemDefinitionsClient`** threaded into controller **`setup`**.
-- **Tests:** `quest_progress_client_test.gd` (summary parse); `quest_hud_controller_test.gd` (transition, boot idempotency, sync error, item grant display name, `definitions_ready` reward repaint).
+- **Tests:** `quest_progress_client_test.gd` (summary parse); `quest_hud_controller_test.gd` (transition, boot idempotency, first-success-after-active, sync error, item grant display name, quest/item `definitions_ready` reward repaint).
 - **Docs:** `client/README.md`; `docs/manual-qa/NEO-131.md`; E7.M2 module + backlog alignment.
 
 ## Technical approach
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ Operator chain adds item line: **`survey_drone_kit` ×1** + **`salvage` 50** XP.
 - On **`_on_progress_received`**, before overwriting snapshot:
   - For each quest row in new snapshot, compare **`status`** to previous.
   - When previous ∉ **`{completed}`** and new **`status == "completed"`** with non-empty **`completionRewardSummary`**, set **`_last_reward_quest_id`** + **`_last_reward_summary`**.
-- On boot first snapshot: seed **`_previous_status_by_quest`** without firing transition (no “replay” grants).
+- On boot first snapshot: seed **`_previous_status_by_quest`** without firing transition unless the quest was **`active` in-session** (accept or prior active row) — covers failed GET then first success already **`completed`**; Godot restart idempotency unchanged.
 - On sync failure: clear **`_last_reward_summary`** paint to **`—`**; preserve NEO-122 progress error lines.
 
 ### 3. Reward label render