diff --git a/lib/hermes.js b/lib/hermes.js
index d3aef83..769a07d 100644
--- a/lib/hermes.js
+++ b/lib/hermes.js
@@ -55,6 +55,20 @@ export async function nostrKeyFromMnemonic(mnemonic, passphrase = "") {
   return { sk, pkHex, npub: nip19.npubEncode(pkHex) };
 }
 
+/** Same identity but from an already-derived messenger/0 root (32 bytes) —
+ *  used when the password vault already carries the root and re-entering the
+ *  mnemonic would be redundant. Input is Uint8Array(32) or 64-char hex. */
+export function nostrKeyFromRoot(root) {
+  const sk = typeof root === "string"
+    ? Uint8Array.from(Buffer.from(root, "hex"))
+    : root;
+  if (!(sk instanceof Uint8Array) || sk.length !== 32) {
+    throw new Error("nostrKeyFromRoot: expected 32-byte Uint8Array or 64-char hex");
+  }
+  const pkHex = getPublicKey(sk);
+  return { sk, pkHex, npub: nip19.npubEncode(pkHex) };
+}
+
 // ---- record parsers --------------------------------------------------------
 // The BNS resolver is transparent: whatever the name owner published in `r`
 // lands as entry.records.<key>. Here we validate and normalise the two Hermes
diff --git a/main.js b/main.js
index feaf6a0..161b319 100644
--- a/main.js
+++ b/main.js
@@ -1505,17 +1505,23 @@ ipcMain.handle("password-setup", async (_e, { masterPassword, seedSource }) => {
     if (!masterPassword || String(masterPassword).length < 4) return vaultErr("master password too short");
     if (fs.existsSync(vaultFile())) return vaultErr("vault already exists");
     const v = await loadVaultLib();
-    let purposeRootHex;
+    let purposeRootHex, messengerRootHex;
     if (seedSource && seedSource.kind === "mnemonic" && seedSource.mnemonic) {
+      // Same seed, two purpose roots — one for password derivation, one for
+      // the Nostr messaging identity. Storing both means Hermes can bind to
+      // the vault so the user never re-enters the mnemonic. Different HKDF
+      // info strings keep the two subtrees cryptographically disjoint.
       const seed = await v.bip39ToSeed(String(seedSource.mnemonic));
-      const root = await v.seedToPurposeRoot(seed, "passwords/0");
-      purposeRootHex = v.bytesToHex(root);
+      purposeRootHex = v.bytesToHex(await v.seedToPurposeRoot(seed, "passwords/0"));
+      messengerRootHex = v.bytesToHex(await v.seedToPurposeRoot(seed, "messenger/0"));
     } else {
-      // Independent random seed — 32 bytes of purposeRoot directly.
+      // Independent random seed — 32 bytes of purposeRoot directly. No mnemonic
+      // means no messenger root; Hermes will fall back to its own mnemonic entry.
       const root = require("node:crypto").webcrypto.getRandomValues(new Uint8Array(32));
       purposeRootHex = v.bytesToHex(root);
     }
-    vaultState = await v.createVault(vaultFile(), masterPassword, purposeRootHex);
+    vaultState = await v.createVault(vaultFile(), masterPassword, purposeRootHex,
+      messengerRootHex ? { messengerRootHex } : {});
     emitPwAvailability();
     return vaultOk();
   } catch (e) { return vaultErr(e?.message || e); }
@@ -1955,14 +1961,28 @@ ipcMain.handle("hermes-status", () => {
   });
 });
 
-ipcMain.handle("hermes-init", async (_e, { mnemonic } = {}) => {
-  if (!mnemonic || typeof mnemonic !== "string" || mnemonic.trim().split(/\s+/).length < 12) {
-    return hErr("enter a 12- or 24-word mnemonic");
-  }
+// Init modes:
+//   { mnemonic: "..." }  — derive from BIP-39 mnemonic (typed by user)
+//   { useVault: true }   — reuse the password vault's messenger root; no re-entry
+//                          required. Available iff vault is unlocked AND was set
+//                          up from a mnemonic (so messengerRoot was persisted).
+ipcMain.handle("hermes-init", async (_e, opts = {}) => {
   try {
     hermesTeardown();
     const H = await loadHermesLib();
-    const { sk, pkHex, npub } = await H.nostrKeyFromMnemonic(mnemonic.trim());
+    let sk, pkHex, npub;
+    if (opts.useVault) {
+      if (!vaultState || !vaultState.messengerRoot) {
+        return hErr("password vault is locked or was set up without a mnemonic");
+      }
+      ({ sk, pkHex, npub } = H.nostrKeyFromRoot(vaultState.messengerRoot));
+    } else {
+      const mnemonic = opts.mnemonic;
+      if (!mnemonic || typeof mnemonic !== "string" || mnemonic.trim().split(/\s+/).length < 12) {
+        return hErr("enter a 12- or 24-word mnemonic");
+      }
+      ({ sk, pkHex, npub } = await H.nostrKeyFromMnemonic(mnemonic.trim()));
+    }
     hermesState = {
       skHex: Buffer.from(sk).toString("hex"),
       pkHex, npub,
@@ -1977,10 +1997,17 @@ ipcMain.handle("hermes-init", async (_e, { mnemonic } = {}) => {
     await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 400));
     let connected = 0;
     for (const s of hermesState.relays.values()) if (s.ready) connected++;
-    return hOk({ npub, pkHex, relaysConnected: connected, relaysTotal: hermesState.relays.size });
+    return hOk({ npub, pkHex, source: opts.useVault ? "vault" : "mnemonic",
+                 relaysConnected: connected, relaysTotal: hermesState.relays.size });
   } catch (e) { hermesTeardown(); return hErr(e); }
 });
 
+// Cheap query: "is the vault-bound sign-in path available right now?" Panel
+// uses this to decide whether to show the 'Use password vault' button.
+ipcMain.handle("hermes-can-use-vault", () => hOk({
+  available: !!(vaultState && vaultState.messengerRoot),
+}));
+
 ipcMain.handle("hermes-close", () => { hermesTeardown(); return hOk(); });
 
 ipcMain.handle("hermes-inbox", () => {
diff --git a/messages-preload.js b/messages-preload.js
index 07ddfc2..36aa387 100644
--- a/messages-preload.js
+++ b/messages-preload.js
@@ -3,9 +3,11 @@
 const { contextBridge, ipcRenderer } = require("electron");
 
 contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld("hermes", {
-  status:   () => ipcRenderer.invoke("hermes-status"),
-  init:     (mnemonic) => ipcRenderer.invoke("hermes-init", { mnemonic }),
-  close:    () => ipcRenderer.invoke("hermes-close"),
+  status:      () => ipcRenderer.invoke("hermes-status"),
+  canUseVault: () => ipcRenderer.invoke("hermes-can-use-vault"),
+  init:        (mnemonic) => ipcRenderer.invoke("hermes-init", { mnemonic }),
+  initFromVault: () => ipcRenderer.invoke("hermes-init", { useVault: true }),
+  close:       () => ipcRenderer.invoke("hermes-close"),
   inbox:    () => ipcRenderer.invoke("hermes-inbox"),
   send:     (to, text) => ipcRenderer.invoke("hermes-send", { to, text }),
   // Server-push: new decrypted message arrived. Callback gets { senderPkHex, senderName, text, createdAt }.
diff --git a/messages.html b/messages.html
index 3524b7f..abf0a12 100644
--- a/messages.html
+++ b/messages.html
@@ -93,11 +93,20 @@
 <main>
 
   <section id="setup">
-    <p class="lede">Enter your wallet mnemonic. Hermes derives its Nostr identity at
+    <p class="lede">Hermes derives its Nostr identity at
       <code class="inline">silentmode/messenger/0</code> — a purpose disjoint from your
       wallet's transaction key, so a compromised relay never yields tx-signing power.
-      Nothing is stored on disk; close the panel and the identity is dropped.</p>
+      Nothing is stored on disk beyond the vault; close the panel and the identity is dropped.</p>
     <div class="warn">This is a proof build. Use a wallet you don't hold funds in.</div>
+
+    <div id="vaultBind" style="display:none; margin-bottom:16px">
+      <div class="row">
+        <button id="btnVault">Sign in with password vault</button>
+        <span style="color:var(--mut); font-size:12px">recommended — no mnemonic to re-type</span>
+      </div>
+      <div style="text-align:center; color:var(--dim); font-size:12px; margin:14px 0">— or —</div>
+    </div>
+
     <label>
       Mnemonic (12 or 24 words)
       <textarea id="mnemonic" placeholder="word word word …" autocomplete="off" spellcheck="false"></textarea>
@@ -157,6 +166,17 @@ async function refreshInbox() {
   box.scrollTop = box.scrollHeight;
 }
 
+function afterInit(res) {
+  if (!res.ok) { $("setupErr").textContent = "error: " + res.err; return false; }
+  $("ident").innerHTML = "your npub: <b>" + res.npub.slice(0, 12) + "…" + res.npub.slice(-6) + "</b>"
+    + (res.source ? " <span style='color:var(--dim); font-size:11px'>(" + res.source + ")</span>" : "");
+  setStatus(res.relaysConnected + "/" + res.relaysTotal + " relays",
+            res.relaysConnected > 0 ? "ok" : "");
+  setMode("app");
+  refreshInbox();
+  return true;
+}
+
 $("btnInit").addEventListener("click", async () => {
   const mnemonic = $("mnemonic").value.trim();
   if (!mnemonic) { $("setupErr").textContent = "enter a mnemonic"; return; }
@@ -164,11 +184,15 @@ $("btnInit").addEventListener("click", async () => {
   $("setupErr").textContent = "";
   const res = await hermes.init(mnemonic);
   $("btnInit").disabled = false;
-  if (!res.ok) { $("setupErr").textContent = "error: " + res.err; return; }
-  $("ident").innerHTML = "your npub: <b>" + res.npub.slice(0, 12) + "…" + res.npub.slice(-6) + "</b>";
-  setStatus(res.relaysConnected + "/" + res.relaysTotal + " relays", "ok");
-  setMode("app");
-  refreshInbox();
+  afterInit(res);
+});
+
+$("btnVault").addEventListener("click", async () => {
+  $("btnVault").disabled = true;
+  $("setupErr").textContent = "";
+  const res = await hermes.initFromVault();
+  $("btnVault").disabled = false;
+  afterInit(res);
 });
 
 $("btnSend").addEventListener("click", async () => {
@@ -191,15 +215,19 @@ hermes.onStatus((s) => {
 });
 
 // Query status on load: maybe already initialised from a previous open.
-hermes.status().then((r) => {
+hermes.status().then(async (r) => {
   if (r && r.ok && r.ready) {
     $("ident").innerHTML = "your npub: <b>" + r.npub.slice(0, 12) + "…" + r.npub.slice(-6) + "</b>";
     setStatus(r.relaysConnected + "/" + r.relaysTotal + " relays", "ok");
     setMode("app");
     refreshInbox();
-  } else {
-    setStatus("locked", "");
+    return;
   }
+  setStatus("locked", "");
+  // Show the vault sign-in shortcut iff the vault is currently unlocked AND
+  // was set up from a mnemonic (so it carries the messenger root).
+  const v = await hermes.canUseVault();
+  if (v && v.ok && v.available) $("vaultBind").style.display = "block";
 });
 </script>
 </body>