diff --git a/deploy/docker/sec-config.yaml b/deploy/docker/sec-config.yaml
index 4eda271..c242f03 100644
--- a/deploy/docker/sec-config.yaml
+++ b/deploy/docker/sec-config.yaml
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ default:
         cookieName: betterframe_session
         totpIssuer: BetterFrame
         noderedUrl: http://nodered:1880
+        selfUrl: http://server:18080
 
     service-api-http:
       plugin: service-api-http
diff --git a/server/src/plugins/service-admin-http/index.ts b/server/src/plugins/service-admin-http/index.ts
index 6c78f6f..388f64c 100644
--- a/server/src/plugins/service-admin-http/index.ts
+++ b/server/src/plugins/service-admin-http/index.ts
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ const ConfigSchema = av.object(
     totpIssuer: av.string().minLength(1).default("BetterFrame"),
     cookieName: av.string().minLength(1).default("betterframe_session"),
     noderedUrl: av.string().minLength(1).default("http://127.0.0.1:1880"),
+    // URL Node-RED uses to reach this server. Native: localhost. Docker: container name.
+    selfUrl: av.string().minLength(1).default("http://127.0.0.1:18080"),
   },
   { unknownKeys: "strip" },
 );
@@ -198,10 +200,69 @@ export class Plugin extends BSBService<InstanceType<typeof Config>, typeof Event
       host: this.config.host,
       port: this.config.port,
     });
+
+    // Auto-provision the Node-RED bf-server-config so the user doesn't have
+    // to set server URL + API key manually. Best-effort with retries because
+    // Node-RED may still be starting.
+    void this.provisionNoderedBridge(repo, secrets, auth, nodered, obs);
   }
 
   async run(_obs: Observable): Promise<void> {}
 
+  private async provisionNoderedBridge(
+    repo: Repository,
+    secrets: SecretsApi,
+    auth: AuthApi,
+    nodered: NoderedBridge,
+    obs: Observable,
+  ): Promise<void> {
+    let plaintext: string;
+    try {
+      plaintext = await this.getOrMintNoderedApiKey(repo, secrets, auth);
+    } catch (err) {
+      obs.log.warn("nodered: mint key failed: {err}", { err: (err as Error).message });
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // Retry a few times — Node-RED may still be booting.
+    const delaysMs = [2000, 5000, 10000, 30000];
+    for (let attempt = 0; attempt < delaysMs.length; attempt += 1) {
+      await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, delaysMs[attempt]));
+      const result = await nodered.ensureServerConfig(this.config.selfUrl, plaintext);
+      if (result === "created") {
+        obs.log.info("nodered: provisioned bf-server-config at {url}", {
+          url: this.config.selfUrl,
+        });
+        return;
+      }
+      if (result === "exists") {
+        obs.log.info("nodered: bf-server-config already present, skipping");
+        return;
+      }
+      // failed — retry
+    }
+    obs.log.warn("nodered: provisioning bf-server-config gave up after retries");
+  }
+
+  private async getOrMintNoderedApiKey(
+    repo: Repository,
+    secrets: SecretsApi,
+    auth: AuthApi,
+  ): Promise<string> {
+    const KEY = "nodered_api_key";
+    const stored = repo.getSetupExtra(KEY);
+    if (typeof stored === "string" && stored.length > 0) {
+      return secrets.decryptString(stored, "nodered_api_key");
+    }
+    const { plaintext } = await auth.createApiKey({
+      name: "node-red-bridge",
+      scopes: ["admin"],
+      expiresAt: null,
+    });
+    repo.setSetupExtra(KEY, secrets.encryptString(plaintext, "nodered_api_key"));
+    return plaintext;
+  }
+
   async dispose(): Promise<void> {
     if (this.server) {
       await this.server.close();
diff --git a/server/src/shared/nodered-bridge.ts b/server/src/shared/nodered-bridge.ts
index 4cb6aa4..0f1eae6 100644
--- a/server/src/shared/nodered-bridge.ts
+++ b/server/src/shared/nodered-bridge.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,13 @@ export interface NoderedDashboard {
 export interface NoderedBridge {
   forward(topic: string, payload: Record<string, unknown>): void;
   listDashboards(): Promise<NoderedDashboard[]>;
+  /**
+   * Idempotently provision a `bf-server-config` node in Node-RED's flow graph
+   * carrying the BetterFrame server URL + admin API key. Skips if any
+   * `bf-server-config` node already exists (assume user owns it). Best-effort;
+   * caller should retry on transient failure (Node-RED may still be booting).
+   */
+  ensureServerConfig(serverUrl: string, apiKey: string): Promise<"created" | "exists" | "failed">;
 }
 
 interface NoderedFlowNode {
@@ -35,6 +42,8 @@ interface NoderedFlowNode {
   name?: string;
   hidden?: boolean;
   disabled?: boolean;
+  z?: string;
+  [k: string]: unknown;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -108,5 +117,76 @@ export function initNoderedBridge(config: NoderedConfig, log: NoderedLog): Noder
         return [];
       }
     },
+    async ensureServerConfig(
+      serverUrl: string,
+      apiKey: string,
+    ): Promise<"created" | "exists" | "failed"> {
+      try {
+        return await provisionServerConfig(base, timeoutMs, serverUrl, apiKey);
+      } catch (err) {
+        log.warn(`nodered ensureServerConfig failed: ${(err as Error).message}`);
+        return "failed";
+      }
+    },
   };
 }
+
+const BF_SERVER_CONFIG_ID = "bfsrv-default";
+
+async function provisionServerConfig(
+  base: string,
+  timeoutMs: number,
+  serverUrl: string,
+  apiKey: string,
+): Promise<"created" | "exists" | "failed"> {
+  const ctrl = new AbortController();
+  const t = setTimeout(() => ctrl.abort(), timeoutMs);
+  try {
+    // GET current flows + revision
+    const getResp = await fetch(`${base}/nrdp/flows`, {
+      method: "GET",
+      headers: { accept: "application/json" },
+      signal: ctrl.signal,
+    });
+    if (!getResp.ok) throw new Error(`GET /flows HTTP ${String(getResp.status)}`);
+    // Node-RED returns either an array (legacy) or {flows, rev} (current).
+    const raw = (await getResp.json()) as NoderedFlowNode[] | { flows: NoderedFlowNode[]; rev?: string };
+    const flows: NoderedFlowNode[] = Array.isArray(raw) ? raw : (raw.flows ?? []);
+    const rev: string | undefined = Array.isArray(raw) ? undefined : raw.rev;
+
+    // Skip if ANY bf-server-config already exists — user owns it.
+    if (flows.some((n) => n.type === "bf-server-config")) {
+      return "exists";
+    }
+
+    const newNode: NoderedFlowNode = {
+      id: BF_SERVER_CONFIG_ID,
+      type: "bf-server-config",
+      name: "BetterFrame (auto)",
+      server_url: serverUrl.replace(/\/+$/, ""),
+      // Credentials get peeled off by Node-RED's runtime and stored encrypted
+      // into flows_cred.json. The node body keeps only non-credential fields.
+      credentials: { api_key: apiKey },
+    };
+
+    const body: Record<string, unknown> = {
+      flows: [...flows, newNode],
+    };
+    if (rev) body.rev = rev;
+
+    const postResp = await fetch(`${base}/nrdp/flows`, {
+      method: "POST",
+      headers: {
+        "content-type": "application/json",
+        accept: "application/json",
+        "node-red-deployment-type": "nodes",
+      },
+      body: JSON.stringify(body),
+      signal: ctrl.signal,
+    });
+    if (!postResp.ok) throw new Error(`POST /flows HTTP ${String(postResp.status)}`);
+    return "created";
+  } finally {
+    clearTimeout(t);
+  }
+}