diff --git a/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_jobs/__manifest__.py b/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_jobs/__manifest__.py
index 1600cdd0..1c0fb325 100644
--- a/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_jobs/__manifest__.py
+++ b/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_jobs/__manifest__.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # License OPL-1 (Odoo Proprietary License v1.0)
 {
     'name': 'Fusion Plating — Native Jobs',
-    'version': '19.0.8.20.3',
+    'version': '19.0.8.20.4',
     'category': 'Manufacturing/Plating',
     'summary': 'Native plating job model — replaces mrp.production / mrp.workorder bridge.',
     'author': 'Nexa Systems Inc.',
diff --git a/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_jobs/models/fp_job_step.py b/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_jobs/models/fp_job_step.py
index 5eee6827..e5b212f3 100644
--- a/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_jobs/models/fp_job_step.py
+++ b/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_jobs/models/fp_job_step.py
@@ -174,6 +174,18 @@ class FpJobStep(models.Model):
                 '(state=%s) by %s.'
             )) % (step.name, old_name, new_name, step.state,
                   self.env.user.name))
+
+        # Auto-promote parent job: confirmed → in_progress on first
+        # step start. Without this, fp.job.state never reaches
+        # 'in_progress' anywhere in the codebase, so the In Progress
+        # workflow milestone (trigger_on_job_state='in_progress')
+        # never fires.
+        if vals.get('state') == 'in_progress':
+            jobs_to_promote = self.mapped('job_id').filtered(
+                lambda j: j.state == 'confirmed'
+            )
+            if jobs_to_promote:
+                jobs_to_promote.write({'state': 'in_progress'})
         return result
 
     @api.model
diff --git a/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_jobs/models/fp_job_workflow_state.py b/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_jobs/models/fp_job_workflow_state.py
index e00d0a86..e9e73133 100644
--- a/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_jobs/models/fp_job_workflow_state.py
+++ b/fusion_plating/fusion_plating_jobs/models/fp_job_workflow_state.py
@@ -227,18 +227,28 @@ class FpJobWorkflowState(models.Model):
             actual = order.get(job.state, -1)
             return required >= 0 and actual >= required
 
-        # Special trigger: first wet step started
+        # Special trigger: first wet step started.
+        # For tagged recipes (any step has kind in wet/bake/mask/rack),
+        # use strict kind-based check. For untagged recipes (all steps
+        # are kind='other'), fall back to "any step started" so the
+        # milestone fires regardless of recipe authoring quality.
         if self.trigger_first_step_started:
             wet_kinds = ('wet', 'bake', 'mask', 'rack')
-            production_started = any(
-                s.state in ('in_progress', 'paused', 'done')
-                and (s.kind in wet_kinds)
-                for s in steps
-            )
-            if not production_started:
-                return False
-            # Production milestone — not blocked by quality hold here
-            return True
+            has_kind_tagging = any(s.kind in wet_kinds for s in steps)
+            if has_kind_tagging:
+                production_started = any(
+                    s.state in ('in_progress', 'paused', 'done')
+                    and (s.kind in wet_kinds)
+                    for s in steps
+                )
+            else:
+                # Untagged recipe — any started step counts as
+                # "production has started".
+                production_started = any(
+                    s.state in ('in_progress', 'paused', 'done')
+                    for s in steps
+                )
+            return production_started
 
         # Standard trigger: ALL recipe steps matching the trigger
         # (default_kind in our list OR per-node override pointing at