diff --git a/src/app/api/devices/route.ts b/src/app/api/devices/route.ts
index a498b2a97..04af899b5 100644
--- a/src/app/api/devices/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/devices/route.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import { apiError, apiSuccess, safeJson } from "@/lib/api-response";
 import { annotate } from "@/lib/logging/context";
 import { prisma } from "@/lib/db";
 import { auditLog } from "@/lib/auth/audit";
+import { encrypt } from "@/lib/crypto";
 
 const deviceSchema = z
   .object({
@@ -157,6 +158,28 @@ export const POST = apiHandler(async (request: NextRequest) => {
     id = created.id;
   }
 
+  // Auto-create the APNS NotificationChannel row when the device
+  // registers with an apnsToken. Without this row the dispatcher's APNS
+  // branch (`dispatcher.ts:41-49`) never fires for the user — every
+  // production iOS install would otherwise need a manual settings
+  // toggle that doesn't exist. Mirrors the legacy Telegram on-first-
+  // dispatch auto-migration, but eager so the very first reminder
+  // after device registration already routes through APNs. Config is
+  // an encrypted empty record by design — the per-device token +
+  // environment live on the Device row.
+  if (apnsToken) {
+    await prisma.notificationChannel.upsert({
+      where: { userId_type: { userId: user.id, type: "APNS" } },
+      create: {
+        userId: user.id,
+        type: "APNS",
+        enabled: true,
+        config: encrypt("{}"),
+      },
+      update: {},
+    });
+  }
+
   await auditLog("devices.register", {
     userId: user.id,
     details: {
diff --git a/tests/integration/device-register.test.ts b/tests/integration/device-register.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..104b40271
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/device-register.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,148 @@
+/**
+ * v1.4.23 W6 follow-up — `POST /api/devices` integration test.
+ *
+ * Locks in three guarantees:
+ *
+ *  1. Registering a device with an `apnsToken` auto-creates a
+ *     `NotificationChannel { type: "APNS" }` row for the user. Without
+ *     this row the dispatcher's APNS branch never fires (HIGH-1 in the
+ *     v1.4.23 W6 code review).
+ *  2. Registering without an `apnsToken` does NOT create the channel —
+ *     the iOS client may upsert device metadata before APNs grants a
+ *     token, and we must not enable APNs delivery prematurely.
+ *  3. Registering a SECOND device with the same `apnsToken` for the
+ *     same user is idempotent — the channel row stays at one. The
+ *     same-user collision path returns 200 (upsert) rather than 409
+ *     (the cross-user hijack guard).
+ */
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+process.env.ENCRYPTION_KEY ??=
+  "0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef";
+
+import { cookieJar, headerJar } from "./mock-next-headers";
+import { getPrismaClient, truncateAllTables } from "./setup";
+
+vi.mock("next/headers", async () => {
+  const { cookieJar, headerJar } = await import("./mock-next-headers");
+  return {
+    headers: vi.fn(async () => ({
+      get: (name: string) => headerJar.get(name.toLowerCase()) ?? null,
+    })),
+    cookies: vi.fn(async () => ({
+      get: (name: string) => {
+        const value = cookieJar.get(name);
+        return value ? { name, value } : undefined;
+      },
+      set: (name: string, value: string) => {
+        cookieJar.set(name, value);
+      },
+      delete: (name: string) => {
+        cookieJar.delete(name);
+      },
+    })),
+  };
+});
+
+vi.mock("@/lib/db-compat", () => ({
+  ensureDbCompatibility: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+}));
+
+beforeEach(async () => {
+  await truncateAllTables(getPrismaClient());
+  cookieJar.clear();
+  headerJar.clear();
+});
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  vi.restoreAllMocks();
+});
+
+async function seedSession(username: string) {
+  const prisma = getPrismaClient();
+  const user = await prisma.user.create({
+    data: { username, email: `${username}@example.test` },
+  });
+  const session = await prisma.session.create({
+    data: { userId: user.id, expiresAt: new Date(Date.now() + 60_000) },
+  });
+  cookieJar.set("healthlog_session", session.id);
+  return user;
+}
+
+function buildRequest(body: Record<string, unknown>) {
+  return new Request("http://localhost/api/devices", {
+    method: "POST",
+    headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
+    body: JSON.stringify(body),
+  }) as unknown as import("next/server").NextRequest;
+}
+
+describe("POST /api/devices", () => {
+  it("auto-upserts a NotificationChannel { type: APNS } when apnsToken is supplied", async () => {
+    const user = await seedSession("device-apns-channel");
+    const { POST } = await import("@/app/api/devices/route");
+
+    const req = buildRequest({
+      token: "legacy-token-1",
+      bundleId: "io.healthlog.ios",
+      apnsToken: "abcdef0123456789",
+      apnsEnvironment: "sandbox",
+    });
+    const res = await (POST as (r: import("next/server").NextRequest) => Promise<Response>)(req);
+    expect(res.status).toBe(201);
+
+    const channel = await getPrismaClient().notificationChannel.findFirst({
+      where: { userId: user.id, type: "APNS" },
+    });
+    expect(channel).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(channel?.enabled).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("does NOT create an APNS channel when apnsToken is omitted", async () => {
+    const user = await seedSession("device-no-apns");
+    const { POST } = await import("@/app/api/devices/route");
+
+    const req = buildRequest({
+      token: "legacy-token-2",
+      bundleId: "io.healthlog.ios",
+    });
+    const res = await (POST as (r: import("next/server").NextRequest) => Promise<Response>)(req);
+    expect(res.status).toBe(201);
+
+    const channel = await getPrismaClient().notificationChannel.findFirst({
+      where: { userId: user.id, type: "APNS" },
+    });
+    expect(channel).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("re-registering the same apnsToken for the same user keeps the channel row at one", async () => {
+    const user = await seedSession("device-apns-idempotent");
+    const { POST } = await import("@/app/api/devices/route");
+
+    const first = await (POST as (r: import("next/server").NextRequest) => Promise<Response>)(
+      buildRequest({
+        token: "legacy-token-3",
+        bundleId: "io.healthlog.ios",
+        apnsToken: "deadbeef",
+        apnsEnvironment: "sandbox",
+      }),
+    );
+    expect(first.status).toBe(201);
+
+    const second = await (POST as (r: import("next/server").NextRequest) => Promise<Response>)(
+      buildRequest({
+        token: "legacy-token-3",
+        bundleId: "io.healthlog.ios",
+        apnsToken: "deadbeef",
+        apnsEnvironment: "sandbox",
+      }),
+    );
+    expect(second.status).toBe(201);
+
+    const channels = await getPrismaClient().notificationChannel.findMany({
+      where: { userId: user.id, type: "APNS" },
+    });
+    expect(channels).toHaveLength(1);
+  });
+});