diff --git a/packages/node/meshnet_node/startup.py b/packages/node/meshnet_node/startup.py
index adb4144..f15a187 100644
--- a/packages/node/meshnet_node/startup.py
+++ b/packages/node/meshnet_node/startup.py
@@ -331,6 +331,9 @@ def _attach_relay_bridge(node: StubNodeServer | TorchNodeServer, bridge: RelayHt
     node.stop = _stop_with_bridge  # type: ignore[method-assign]
 
 
+_PENDING_NODE_ID = "pending"
+
+
 def _start_heartbeat(
     tracker_url: str,
     node_id: str,
@@ -421,7 +424,7 @@ def _start_heartbeat(
     def _loop() -> None:
         nonlocal node_id
         hb_url = f"{tracker_url}/v1/nodes/{node_id}/heartbeat"
-        outage_streak = 0  # consecutive intervals where tracker was unreachable
+        outage_streak = 1 if node_id == _PENDING_NODE_ID else 0
 
         while True:
             time.sleep(interval)
@@ -476,9 +479,6 @@ def _start_heartbeat(
     return t
 
 
-_PENDING_NODE_ID = "pending"
-
-
 def _register_with_tracker(
     tracker_url: str,
     reg_payload: dict,
@@ -782,16 +782,9 @@ def run_startup(
             **registration_capabilities,
             **relay_fields,
         }
-        tracker_node_id: str | None = None
-        try:
-            reg_resp = _post_json(f"{tracker_url}/v1/nodes/register", reg_payload)
-            tracker_node_id = str(reg_resp.get("node_id") or "?")
-            setattr(node, "tracker_node_id", tracker_node_id)
-            print(f"  Registered with tracker — node ID: {tracker_node_id}", flush=True)
-            _start_heartbeat(tracker_url, tracker_node_id, reg_payload, node_ref=node, start_time=_node_start_time)
-        except Exception as exc:
-            setattr(node, "tracker_node_id", None)
-            print(f"  Warning: tracker registration failed: {exc}", flush=True)
+        tracker_node_id = _register_with_tracker(
+            tracker_url, reg_payload, node, _node_start_time,
+        )
 
         print(
             f"\n{'=' * 32}\n"
@@ -917,16 +910,9 @@ def run_startup(
             **registration_capabilities,
             **relay_fields,
         }
-        tracker_node_id = None
-        try:
-            reg_resp = _post_json(f"{tracker_url}/v1/nodes/register", auto_reg_payload)
-            tracker_node_id = str(reg_resp.get("node_id") or "?")
-            setattr(node, "tracker_node_id", tracker_node_id)
-            print(f"  Registered with tracker — node ID: {tracker_node_id}", flush=True)
-            _start_heartbeat(tracker_url, tracker_node_id, auto_reg_payload, node_ref=node, start_time=_node_start_time)
-        except Exception as exc:
-            setattr(node, "tracker_node_id", None)
-            print(f"  Warning: tracker registration failed: {exc}", flush=True)
+        tracker_node_id = _register_with_tracker(
+            tracker_url, auto_reg_payload, node, _node_start_time,
+        )
         shard_count = assigned_shard_end - assigned_shard_start + 1
         print(
             f"\n{'=' * 32}\n"
diff --git a/tests/test_node_startup.py b/tests/test_node_startup.py
index d70332d..b7a67be 100644
--- a/tests/test_node_startup.py
+++ b/tests/test_node_startup.py
@@ -5,8 +5,10 @@ import io
 import os
 import sys
 import tarfile
+import threading
 import time
 import types
+import urllib.error
 import urllib.request
 from pathlib import Path
 
@@ -1644,6 +1646,79 @@ def test_preset_model_startup_honors_pinned_shard_range(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
         tracker.stop()
 
 
+def test_torch_startup_retries_registration_when_tracker_unreachable(
+    tmp_path,
+    monkeypatch,
+):
+    """Failed initial registration should start background retry, not stay unregistered."""
+    import meshnet_node.startup as startup_mod
+
+    class FakeBackend:
+        total_layers = 24
+
+    class FakeTorchNodeServer:
+        def __init__(self, **kwargs):
+            self.backend = FakeBackend()
+            self.port = None
+            self.chat_completion_count = 0
+            self.tracker_node_id = None
+
+        def start(self):
+            self.port = 7000
+            return self.port
+
+        def stop(self):
+            pass
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        startup_mod,
+        "detect_hardware",
+        lambda: {"device": "cuda", "gpu_name": "Test GPU", "vram_mb": 8192, "ram_mb": 16 * 1024},
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(startup_mod, "TorchNodeServer", FakeTorchNodeServer)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        startup_mod,
+        "_detect_num_layers",
+        lambda *_args, **_kwargs: 24,
+    )
+
+    heartbeat_calls = []
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        startup_mod,
+        "_start_heartbeat",
+        lambda *args, **kwargs: heartbeat_calls.append((args, kwargs)) or threading.Thread(),
+    )
+
+    register_calls = {"count": 0}
+
+    def flaky_register(url, payload):
+        register_calls["count"] += 1
+        raise urllib.error.URLError("connection refused")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(startup_mod, "_post_json", flaky_register)
+
+    tracker = TrackerServer()
+    tracker_port = tracker.start()
+    tracker_url = f"http://127.0.0.1:{tracker_port}"
+    try:
+        node = run_startup(
+            tracker_url=tracker_url,
+            model_id="Qwen/Qwen2.5-0.5B-Instruct",
+            wallet_path=tmp_path / "wallet.json",
+        )
+        try:
+            assert register_calls["count"] == 1
+            assert node.tracker_node_id is None
+            assert len(heartbeat_calls) == 1
+            args, kwargs = heartbeat_calls[0]
+            assert args[1] == startup_mod._PENDING_NODE_ID
+            assert kwargs["node_ref"] is node
+        finally:
+            node.stop()
+    finally:
+        tracker.stop()
+
+
 def test_real_model_startup_registers_downloaded_inventory_without_checksum(
     tmp_path,
     monkeypatch,