fixes

adminsite/app/(customer)/instances/link/LinkForm.tsx

@@ -7,7 +7,16 @@ import { Field } from "@/components/Field";
 
 const UUID_RE = /^[0-9a-f]{8}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{12}$/i;
 
-export function LinkForm({ onLinked }: { onLinked: (instanceId: string) => void }) {
+export function LinkForm({
+    onLinked,
+    claimId,
+}: {
+    onLinked: (instanceId: string) => void;
+    // When set, this is a PAID placeholder awaiting its real install UUID: claim
+    // it in place rather than creating a fresh (Free) instance. The name was
+    // chosen at checkout, so it is not asked for again.
+    claimId?: string;
+}) {
     const [id, setId] = useState("");
     const [name, setName] = useState("");
     const [error, setError] = useState<string | undefined>();
@@ -28,7 +37,9 @@ export function LinkForm({ onLinked }: { onLinked: (instanceId: string) => void
         setBusy(true);
         setError(undefined);
         try {
-            const inst = await api.link(value, name.trim());
+            const inst = claimId
+                ? await api.claimLink(claimId, value)
+                : await api.link(value, name.trim());
             onLinked(inst.instance_id);
         } catch (err) {
             setError(
@@ -58,12 +69,14 @@ export function LinkForm({ onLinked }: { onLinked: (instanceId: string) => void
                     </>
                 }
             />
-            <Field
-                label="Name it (optional)"
-                value={name}
-                onChange={(e) => setName(e.target.value)}
-                hint="So you can tell it apart from your other installs."
-            />
+            {!claimId && (
+                <Field
+                    label="Name it (optional)"
+                    value={name}
+                    onChange={(e) => setName(e.target.value)}
+                    hint="So you can tell it apart from your other installs."
+                />
+            )}
             <Button type="submit" disabled={busy} className="justify-self-start">
                 {busy ? "Linking…" : "Link and issue licence"}
             </Button>

adminsite/app/(customer)/instances/link/page.tsx

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 "use client";
 
-import { useRouter } from "next/navigation";
+import { useRouter, useSearchParams } from "next/navigation";
 import { useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import { LinkForm } from "./LinkForm";
 import { PageHeader } from "@/components/PageHeader";
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ import { PageHeader } from "@/components/PageHeader";
 export default function LinkPage() {
     const router = useRouter();
     const qc = useQueryClient();
+    // A paid placeholder passes its id here so its install is claimed in place
+    // rather than a second, Free instance being created alongside it.
+    const claimId = useSearchParams().get("claim") ?? undefined;
 
     return (
         <div className="grid max-w-2xl gap-6">
@@ -17,6 +20,7 @@ export default function LinkPage() {
                 subtitle="Every licence is tied to one install, so we need its ID before we can issue yours. Paste it below and your licence is ready on the next screen."
             />
             <LinkForm
+                claimId={claimId}
                 onLinked={(instanceId) => {
                     qc.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ["account"] });
                     // Straight to the download, not back to a list: the licence is

adminsite/components/InstanceRecord.tsx

@@ -221,7 +221,17 @@ export function InstanceRecord({
 
                 <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2.5">
                     {state === "none" ? (
-                        <LinkButton href="/instances/link">Link an install</LinkButton>
+                        // A paid placeholder (awaiting_link) must CLAIM its install, not
+                        // create a second Free instance beside it — so pass its id.
+                        <LinkButton
+                            href={
+                                instance.status === "awaiting_link"
+                                    ? `/instances/link?claim=${instance.instance_id}`
+                                    : "/instances/link"
+                            }
+                        >
+                            Link an install
+                        </LinkButton>
                     ) : cloud && instance.slug ? (
                         <>
                             <LinkButton