diff --git a/cmd/haul/main.go b/cmd/haul/main.go
index cfd7303..0338aba 100644
--- a/cmd/haul/main.go
+++ b/cmd/haul/main.go
@@ -114,18 +114,18 @@ func main() {
 		"utp", cfg.Torrent.EnableUTP,
 	)
 
-	// ── Pulse integration (non-blocking) ──────────────────────────────────
-	go func() {
-		pi, piErr := pulse.New(cfg.Pulse, cfg.Server.Host, cfg.Server.Port, logger)
-		if piErr != nil {
-			logger.Warn("pulse integration failed", "error", piErr)
-		}
-		if pi != nil {
-			// Keep reference for cleanup — but since this is in a goroutine,
-			// we rely on process exit to clean up the heartbeat.
-			_ = pi
-		}
-	}()
+	// ── Pulse integration ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
+	// Registers with Pulse using retry/backoff (~2 minutes). If Pulse is
+	// unreachable, Haul continues in standalone mode. The service API key
+	// is sent during registration so Pilot/Prism can discover and
+	// authenticate with this Haul instance automatically.
+	pulseIntegration, pulseErr := pulse.New(cfg.Pulse, cfg.Server.Host, cfg.Server.Port, cfg.Auth.APIKey.Value(), logger)
+	if pulseErr != nil {
+		logger.Warn("pulse unavailable — running standalone", "error", pulseErr)
+	}
+	if pulseIntegration != nil {
+		defer pulseIntegration.Close()
+	}
 
 	// ── Services ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 	categorySvc := category.NewService(database.SQL)
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 57f0b6c..c8c4108 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/anacrolix/dht/v2 v2.23.0
 	github.com/anacrolix/publicip v0.3.1
 	github.com/anacrolix/torrent v1.61.0
-	github.com/beacon-stack/pulse v0.1.0
+	github.com/beacon-stack/pulse v0.2.0
 	github.com/coder/websocket v1.8.14
 	github.com/danielgtaylor/huma/v2 v2.37.3
 	github.com/go-chi/chi/v5 v5.2.5
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index a96fe59..2831d6a 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -90,8 +90,8 @@ github.com/andybalholm/cascadia v1.3.3/go.mod h1:xNd9bqTn98Ln4DwST8/nG+H0yuB8Hmg
 github.com/apache/thrift v0.12.0/go.mod h1:cp2SuWMxlEZw2r+iP2GNCdIi4C1qmUzdZFSVb+bacwQ=
 github.com/bahlo/generic-list-go v0.2.0 h1:5sz/EEAK+ls5wF+NeqDpk5+iNdMDXrh3z3nPnH1Wvgk=
 github.com/bahlo/generic-list-go v0.2.0/go.mod h1:2KvAjgMlE5NNynlg/5iLrrCCZ2+5xWbdbCW3pNTGyYg=
-github.com/beacon-stack/pulse v0.1.0 h1:PUUkyef7H07xpip/KzhVoq+uzAeh+dvGd+L1uMH6A+Q=
-github.com/beacon-stack/pulse v0.1.0/go.mod h1:LyTlxljRmkoi7JOhLvtm6XnvYThcQn8eTk5l4a3Y4ko=
+github.com/beacon-stack/pulse v0.2.0 h1:S0ncxtQvP2MJF5Swz81TSCDFw6lez7wXKJXuLbK1bps=
+github.com/beacon-stack/pulse v0.2.0/go.mod h1:LyTlxljRmkoi7JOhLvtm6XnvYThcQn8eTk5l4a3Y4ko=
 github.com/benbjohnson/immutable v0.2.0/go.mod h1:uc6OHo6PN2++n98KHLxW8ef4W42ylHiQSENghE1ezxI=
 github.com/benbjohnson/immutable v0.4.1-0.20221220213129-8932b999621d h1:2qVb9bsAMtmAfnxXltm+6eBzrrS7SZ52c3SedsulaMI=
 github.com/benbjohnson/immutable v0.4.1-0.20221220213129-8932b999621d/go.mod h1:iAr8OjJGLnLmVUr9MZ/rz4PWUy6Ouc2JLYuMArmvAJM=
diff --git a/internal/pulse/integration.go b/internal/pulse/integration.go
index c48a77f..942cec2 100644
--- a/internal/pulse/integration.go
+++ b/internal/pulse/integration.go
@@ -16,9 +16,15 @@ type Integration struct {
 	logger *slog.Logger
 }
 
-// New creates and registers with Pulse. Returns nil (not an error)
-// if Pulse is not configured.
-func New(cfg config.PulseConfig, serverHost string, serverPort int, logger *slog.Logger) (*Integration, error) {
+// New creates and registers with Pulse using retry/backoff. Returns nil
+// (not an error) if Pulse is not configured (empty URL). Returns nil + error
+// if Pulse is configured but unreachable after retries — the caller should
+// continue in standalone mode.
+//
+// serviceAPIKey is this Haul instance's own API key. It's sent during
+// registration so Pilot/Prism can discover and authenticate with Haul
+// via Pulse's service registry.
+func New(cfg config.PulseConfig, serverHost string, serverPort int, serviceAPIKey string, logger *slog.Logger) (*Integration, error) {
 	if cfg.URL == "" {
 		logger.Info("pulse integration disabled (no URL configured)")
 		return nil, nil
@@ -49,14 +55,15 @@ func New(cfg config.PulseConfig, serverHost string, serverPort int, logger *slog
 		healthURL = apiURL + "/health"
 	}
 
-	client, err := sdk.New(sdk.Config{
-		PulseURL:    cfg.URL,
-		APIKey:      apiKey,
-		ServiceName: version.AppName,
-		ServiceType: "download-client",
-		APIURL:      apiURL,
-		HealthURL:   healthURL,
-		Version:     version.Version,
+	client, err := sdk.NewWithRetry(sdk.Config{
+		PulseURL:      cfg.URL,
+		APIKey:        apiKey,
+		ServiceName:   version.AppName,
+		ServiceType:   "download-client",
+		APIURL:        apiURL,
+		HealthURL:     healthURL,
+		Version:       version.Version,
+		ServiceAPIKey: serviceAPIKey,
 		Capabilities: []string{
 			"supports_torrent",
 			"supports_categories",
@@ -65,7 +72,10 @@ func New(cfg config.PulseConfig, serverHost string, serverPort int, logger *slog
 		Logger: logger,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("pulse registration failed: %w", err)
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	if client == nil {
+		return nil, nil
 	}
 
 	return &Integration{Client: client, logger: logger}, nil