diff --git a/crates/design-challenge-task/src/emit.rs b/crates/design-challenge-task/src/emit.rs
index 948e440a6..d5fdf4228 100644
--- a/crates/design-challenge-task/src/emit.rs
+++ b/crates/design-challenge-task/src/emit.rs
@@ -16,10 +16,16 @@ pub struct DesignEmitPlan {
     pub pin_block: u64,
 }
 
+/// Max epochs to walk back on catch-up (Finney public RPC prunes ~256 blocks).
+const MAX_CATCHUP_EPOCHS: u64 = 16;
+
 /// Decide whether/which epoch the design filler should emit.
 ///
-/// - Catch up `last_emitted+1` when behind by more than one epoch (repairs the
-///   end-of-epoch relabel race that skipped alternate epochs in prod).
+/// - **Cold start** (`last_emitted == 0`): emit the **current** epoch immediately.
+///   The in-process cursor resets to 0 on every process boot; walking from
+///   epoch 1 pins a pruned block and fails with `SubnetOwnerHotkey not found`.
+/// - Catch up `last_emitted+1` when behind (capped to [`MAX_CATCHUP_EPOCHS`])
+///   so end-of-epoch relabel skips can recover without exceeding prune depth.
 /// - Otherwise wait until the last [`DESIGN_EMIT_LATE_BLOCKS`] of the current
 ///   epoch so admin awards can submit Score leaves first.
 #[must_use]
@@ -34,12 +40,24 @@ pub fn design_emit_plan(
         return None;
     }
     let tempo = tempo.max(1);
+    // Cold start after deploy/restart: do not catch up from epoch 1.
+    if last_emitted == 0 {
+        return Some(DesignEmitPlan {
+            epoch: current_epoch,
+            pin_block: current_last_epoch_block,
+        });
+    }
     if last_emitted >= current_epoch {
         return None;
     }
     // Sequential catch-up for skipped epochs (award path / boundary race).
     if last_emitted + 1 < current_epoch {
-        let target = last_emitted + 1;
+        let gap = current_epoch.saturating_sub(last_emitted);
+        let target = if gap > MAX_CATCHUP_EPOCHS {
+            current_epoch.saturating_sub(MAX_CATCHUP_EPOCHS)
+        } else {
+            last_emitted + 1
+        };
         let epochs_back = current_epoch.saturating_sub(target);
         let pin_block = current_last_epoch_block.saturating_sub(epochs_back.saturating_mul(tempo));
         return Some(DesignEmitPlan {
@@ -82,6 +100,25 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(p.pin_block, 8_815_687 - (24423 - 24413) * 360);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn emit_plan_cold_start_emits_current_immediately() {
+        let p = design_emit_plan(0, 24424, 10, 360, 8_816_047).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            p,
+            DesignEmitPlan {
+                epoch: 24424,
+                pin_block: 8_816_047
+            }
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn emit_plan_caps_catchup_to_prune_window() {
+        let p = design_emit_plan(100, 24424, 10, 360, 8_816_047).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(p.epoch, 24424 - 16);
+        assert_eq!(p.pin_block, 8_816_047 - 16 * 360);
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn emit_plan_noop_when_already_emitted_current() {
         assert!(design_emit_plan(11, 11, 350, 360, 1000).is_none());
diff --git a/crates/design-challenge/src/lib.rs b/crates/design-challenge/src/lib.rs
index a7c319460..dab755e1d 100644
--- a/crates/design-challenge/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/design-challenge/src/lib.rs
@@ -84,6 +84,18 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(p.pin_block, 8_815_687 - (24423 - 24413) * 360);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn emit_plan_cold_start_emits_current_immediately() {
+        let p = design_emit_plan(0, 24424, 10, 360, 8_816_047).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            p,
+            DesignEmitPlan {
+                epoch: 24424,
+                pin_block: 8_816_047
+            }
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn emit_plan_noop_when_already_emitted_current() {
         assert!(design_emit_plan(11, 11, 350, 360, 1000).is_none());