diff --git a/app/burnin/stages.py b/app/burnin/stages.py
index dd4b991..a342762 100644
--- a/app/burnin/stages.py
+++ b/app/burnin/stages.py
@@ -495,6 +495,17 @@ async def _stage_surface_validate_ssh(job_id: int, devname: str, drive_id: int)
                 pid_seen = False
                 progress = _BadblocksProgress()
 
+                # Seed bb_phase=1, bb_phase_pct=0 immediately so the
+                # drawer's per-pattern meters have something to render
+                # before badblocks emits its first "X% done" line. On a
+                # 14 TB drive that first line can be several minutes in,
+                # and a blank meter strip looks broken to the operator.
+                await _update_stage_bb_phase(
+                    job_id, "surface_validate",
+                    progress.phase, progress.phase_pct,
+                )
+                _push_update()
+
                 async def _drain(stream, is_stderr: bool):
                     nonlocal bad_blocks_total, pid_seen
                     async for raw in stream:
diff --git a/app/config.py b/app/config.py
index 370efc5..fd95468 100644
--- a/app/config.py
+++ b/app/config.py
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ class Settings(BaseSettings):
     ssh_key: str = ""             # PEM private key content (paste full key including headers)
 
     # Application version — used by the /api/v1/updates/check endpoint
-    app_version: str = "1.0.0-44"
+    app_version: str = "1.0.0-45"
 
     # ---- Authentication (1.0.0-22) ----
     # session_secret: HMAC key for signing session cookies. Empty = generate