diff --git a/src/backend/database/database.ts b/src/backend/database/database.ts
index e14612201..c93ae8ea1 100644
--- a/src/backend/database/database.ts
+++ b/src/backend/database/database.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ import { attachPluginWebSockets } from "../plugins/ws.js";
 import pluginRoutes from "./routes/plugins.js";
 import { createPluginAssetsRouter } from "../plugins/assets.js";
 import { getPluginRuntime } from "../plugins/index.js";
+import { pluginEvents, TOPICS } from "../plugins/events.js";
 import { createCorsMiddleware } from "../utils/cors-config.js";
 import { createCompressionMiddleware } from "../utils/compression-config.js";
 import fs from "fs";
@@ -1388,6 +1389,9 @@ app.post(
             }
           }
           await applyDefaultsAfterHostWrites(importedHostIds);
+          for (const hostId of importedHostIds) {
+            pluginEvents.emit(TOPICS.hostCreated, { hostId, userId });
+          }
         } catch {
           apiLogger.info("ssh_data table not found in import file, skipping");
         }
diff --git a/src/backend/database/routes/host-bulk-routes.ts b/src/backend/database/routes/host-bulk-routes.ts
index 38f99652c..9886cc906 100644
--- a/src/backend/database/routes/host-bulk-routes.ts
+++ b/src/backend/database/routes/host-bulk-routes.ts
@@ -140,7 +140,14 @@ export function parseSSHConfig(content: string): SSHConfigHost[] {
  * Tells status checks and other pollers about hosts an import wrote, the way
  * a single host create or update does.
  */
-export function notifyImportedHosts(userId: string, hostIds: number[]): void {
+export function notifyImportedHosts(
+  userId: string,
+  hostIds: number[],
+  createdHostIds: number[],
+): void {
+  for (const hostId of createdHostIds) {
+    pluginEvents.emit(TOPICS.hostCreated, { hostId, userId });
+  }
   for (const hostId of hostIds) {
     pluginEvents.emit(TOPICS.hostUpdated, { hostId, userId });
   }
@@ -588,6 +595,7 @@ export function registerHostBulkRoutes(
 
       const knownAuthTypes = listKnownAuthTypes();
       const writtenHostIds: number[] = [];
+      const createdHostIds: number[] = [];
       for (const { host: hostData, index: i, exportId } of orderedHosts) {
         try {
           const effectiveConnectionType = hostData.connectionType || "ssh";
@@ -797,6 +805,7 @@ export function registerHostBulkRoutes(
             );
             if (exportId !== undefined) importedIds.set(exportId, saved.id);
             savedHostId = saved.id;
+            createdHostIds.push(saved.id);
             results.success++;
           }
 
@@ -828,7 +837,7 @@ export function registerHostBulkRoutes(
       }
 
       await applyDefaultsAfterHostWrites(writtenHostIds);
-      notifyImportedHosts(userId, writtenHostIds);
+      notifyImportedHosts(userId, writtenHostIds, createdHostIds);
 
       res.json({
         message: `Import completed: ${results.success} created, ${results.updated} updated, ${results.failed} failed`,
@@ -948,6 +957,7 @@ export function registerHostBulkRoutes(
       }
 
       const writtenHostIds: number[] = [];
+      const createdHostIds: number[] = [];
       for (let i = 0; i < hostsToImport.length; i++) {
         const hostData = normalizeImportedHost(
           hostsToImport[i] as Record<string, unknown>,
@@ -1023,6 +1033,7 @@ export function registerHostBulkRoutes(
               sshDataObj,
             );
             writtenHostIds.push(saved.id);
+            createdHostIds.push(saved.id);
             results.success++;
           }
         } catch (error) {
@@ -1034,7 +1045,7 @@ export function registerHostBulkRoutes(
       }
 
       await applyDefaultsAfterHostWrites(writtenHostIds);
-      notifyImportedHosts(userId, writtenHostIds);
+      notifyImportedHosts(userId, writtenHostIds, createdHostIds);
 
       res.json({
         message: `Import completed: ${results.success} created, ${results.updated} updated, ${results.failed} failed`,
diff --git a/src/backend/database/routes/host.ts b/src/backend/database/routes/host.ts
index 63f472617..4f6001b82 100644
--- a/src/backend/database/routes/host.ts
+++ b/src/backend/database/routes/host.ts
@@ -486,6 +486,7 @@ router.post(
       });
 
       res.json(await withProtocolAuth(stripSensitiveFields(resolvedHost)));
+      pluginEvents.emit(TOPICS.hostCreated, { hostId: createdHost.id, userId });
       notifyStatsHostUpdated(createdHost.id as number, userId, "host_create");
     } catch (err) {
       sshLogger.error("Failed to save SSH host to database", err, {
diff --git a/src/backend/plugins/ctx-hosts.ts b/src/backend/plugins/ctx-hosts.ts
index d4ea27262..c94ec7e71 100644
--- a/src/backend/plugins/ctx-hosts.ts
+++ b/src/backend/plugins/ctx-hosts.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import { hostStatusService } from "../hosts/status/host-status-service.js";
 import { parseSshOptions } from "../hosts/ssh-options.js";
 import { hostTerminalExport } from "../database/routes/host-normalizers.js";
 import type { DisposableBag } from "./disposables.js";
+import { pluginEvents, TOPICS } from "./events.js";
 import { pluginLogger } from "../utils/logger.js";
 
 type AuditFn = (
@@ -502,6 +503,7 @@ export function createPluginHosts({ manifest, bag, audit }: Deps): PluginHosts {
       await writeSettings(created.id, writes);
       await markSettingsOwn(created.id, writes);
       await audit("hosts_create", `host ${created.id}`, { success: true });
+      pluginEvents.emit(TOPICS.hostCreated, { hostId: created.id, userId });
       return (
         await toRecords([created as unknown as Record<string, unknown>])
       )[0];
diff --git a/src/backend/plugins/events.ts b/src/backend/plugins/events.ts
index 9b5554896..9751be450 100644
--- a/src/backend/plugins/events.ts
+++ b/src/backend/plugins/events.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ export const TOPICS = {
   hostStatus: "host.status",
   /** A host's key was accepted again after it changed. */
   hostKeyUpdated: "host.key.updated",
+  /** A host was added and anything inventorying hosts should pick it up. */
+  hostCreated: "host.created",
   /** A host's connection details changed and pollers should re-read them. */
   hostUpdated: "host.updated",
   /** A host was deleted and any poller holding it should drop it. */
diff --git a/src/backend/sync/entities.ts b/src/backend/sync/entities.ts
index e44f0e5f1..ee916cd58 100644
--- a/src/backend/sync/entities.ts
+++ b/src/backend/sync/entities.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import {
 import { FieldCrypto } from "../utils/field-crypto.js";
 import { syncLogger } from "../utils/logger.js";
 import { getPluginRuntime } from "../plugins/index.js";
+import { pluginEvents, TOPICS } from "../plugins/events.js";
 import { singletonSyncId } from "./wire.js";
 import { parseDefaultOverrides } from "../../types/host-defaults.js";
 import {
@@ -174,7 +175,7 @@ export function registerCoreSyncEntities(): void {
               )
             : {},
       }),
-      afterWrite: async ({ id, userId, wire, resolveId }) => {
+      afterWrite: async ({ id, userId, wire, created, resolveId }) => {
         if (id === null) return;
         // The server owns host defaults: it keeps what the host set itself
         // and resolves the rest. A desktop takes the server's values as sent.
@@ -195,6 +196,9 @@ export function registerCoreSyncEntities(): void {
         const { SharedHostSecretsManager } =
           await import("../utils/shared-host-secrets-manager.js");
         await SharedHostSecretsManager.getInstance().resyncHost(id);
+        if (created) {
+          pluginEvents.emit(TOPICS.hostCreated, { hostId: id, userId });
+        }
       },
       remove: async (row, userId) => {
         const { deleteOwnedHost } = await import("../hosts/delete-host.js");
diff --git a/src/backend/tests/database/import-route.test.ts b/src/backend/tests/database/import-route.test.ts
index 085a7e03d..5670594fc 100644
--- a/src/backend/tests/database/import-route.test.ts
+++ b/src/backend/tests/database/import-route.test.ts
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ function exportFile(): string {
 
 async function invoke(path: string, user: unknown = { isExternal: false }) {
   const writes: string[] = [];
+  const events: Array<[string, unknown]> = [];
   const hosts: Array<Record<string, unknown>> = [];
   const importHostProtocolLogins = vi.fn();
   const handler = runInNewContext(
@@ -98,6 +99,11 @@ async function invoke(path: string, user: unknown = { isExternal: false }) {
       importHostDefaults: async () => ({ imported: 0, skipped: 0 }),
       DatabaseSaveTrigger: { forceSave: async () => {} },
       getErrorMessage: (error: Error) => error.message,
+      pluginEvents: {
+        emit: (topic: string, payload: unknown) =>
+          events.push([topic, payload]),
+      },
+      TOPICS: { hostCreated: "host.created" },
     },
   );
   const res = { json: vi.fn(), status: vi.fn() };
@@ -106,7 +112,7 @@ async function invoke(path: string, user: unknown = { isExternal: false }) {
     { userId: "user-1", file: { path, originalname: "export.db" } },
     res,
   );
-  return { res, writes, hosts, importHostProtocolLogins };
+  return { res, writes, hosts, events, importHostProtocolLogins };
 }
 
 it("points imported hosts at the credentials imported with them", async () => {
@@ -122,6 +128,17 @@ it("points imported hosts at the credentials imported with them", async () => {
   ]);
 });
 
+it("publishes host.created once for each imported host", async () => {
+  const { events } = await invoke(exportFile());
+
+  expect(events).toEqual(
+    [501, 502, 503, 504].map((hostId) => [
+      "host.created",
+      { hostId, userId: "user-1" },
+    ]),
+  );
+});
+
 it("removes the uploaded file when the user is gone", async () => {
   const path = exportFile();
   const { res } = await invoke(path, null);
diff --git a/src/backend/tests/database/routes/host-bulk-routes.test.ts b/src/backend/tests/database/routes/host-bulk-routes.test.ts
index 42832f7d6..969120fa1 100644
--- a/src/backend/tests/database/routes/host-bulk-routes.test.ts
+++ b/src/backend/tests/database/routes/host-bulk-routes.test.ts
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ describe("notifyImportedHosts", () => {
       seen.push(payload);
     });
     try {
-      notifyImportedHosts("user-1", [4, 7]);
+      notifyImportedHosts("user-1", [4, 7], []);
     } finally {
       off();
     }
diff --git a/src/backend/tests/database/routes/host-create-auth-type.test.ts b/src/backend/tests/database/routes/host-create-auth-type.test.ts
index a958e39fe..de7c0ed73 100644
--- a/src/backend/tests/database/routes/host-create-auth-type.test.ts
+++ b/src/backend/tests/database/routes/host-create-auth-type.test.ts
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ const { hosts, sshCredentials } =
 const { saveLevel } = await import("../../../hosts/defaults/service.js");
 const { default: hostRouter } =
   await import("../../../database/routes/host.js");
+const { pluginEvents, TOPICS } = await import("../../../plugins/events.js");
 
 const app = express();
 app.use(express.json());
@@ -192,3 +193,24 @@ describe("host update authType", () => {
     expect(res.status).toBe(400);
   });
 });
+
+describe("host.created", () => {
+  it("is published once when a host is created, and not on update", async () => {
+    const seen: unknown[] = [];
+    const off = pluginEvents.on(TOPICS.hostCreated, (payload) => {
+      seen.push(payload);
+    });
+    try {
+      const created = await request(app)
+        .post("/host/db/host")
+        .send({ ...base, authType: "password", password: "pw" });
+      expect(created.status).toBe(200);
+      await request(app)
+        .put(`/host/db/host/${created.body.id}`)
+        .send({ ...base, name: "renamed" });
+      expect(seen).toEqual([{ hostId: created.body.id, userId: USER }]);
+    } finally {
+      off();
+    }
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/backend/tests/database/routes/host-import-terminal-settings.test.ts b/src/backend/tests/database/routes/host-import-terminal-settings.test.ts
index fa999baf6..63f96b6f1 100644
--- a/src/backend/tests/database/routes/host-import-terminal-settings.test.ts
+++ b/src/backend/tests/database/routes/host-import-terminal-settings.test.ts
@@ -37,11 +37,14 @@ vi.mock("../../../database/repositories/factory.js", () => ({
 }));
 import { registerHostBulkRoutes } from "../../../database/routes/host-bulk-routes.js";
 import { buildExportPayload } from "../../../../ui/sidebar/host-export-payload";
+import { pluginEvents, TOPICS } from "../../../plugins/events.js";
 
 let handler: RequestHandler;
+let sshConfigHandler: RequestHandler;
 const router = {
   post: (path: string, ...handlers: RequestHandler[]) => {
     if (path === "/bulk-import") handler = handlers.at(-1)!;
+    if (path === "/ssh-config-import") sshConfigHandler = handlers.at(-1)!;
   },
   put: () => {},
   patch: () => {},
@@ -202,3 +205,53 @@ it("does not save dependent hosts when importing their jump host fails", async (
   );
   expect(mocks.create).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
 });
+
+function collectCreated() {
+  const seen: unknown[] = [];
+  const off = pluginEvents.on(TOPICS.hostCreated, (payload) => {
+    seen.push(payload);
+  });
+  return { seen, off };
+}
+
+it("publishes host.created once for each host a JSON import creates", async () => {
+  mocks.list.mockResolvedValue([{ ...host, id: 19 }]);
+  mocks.create.mockResolvedValueOnce({ id: 501 });
+  const { seen, off } = collectCreated();
+  try {
+    await importHosts([host, { ...host, ip: "192.0.2.2" }], true);
+  } finally {
+    off();
+  }
+  // The overwritten host already existed, so only the new one is announced.
+  expect(seen).toEqual([{ hostId: 501, userId: "user-1" }]);
+});
+
+it("publishes host.created once for each host an SSH config import creates", async () => {
+  mocks.create
+    .mockResolvedValueOnce({ id: 601 })
+    .mockResolvedValueOnce({ id: 602 });
+  const { seen, off } = collectCreated();
+  try {
+    await sshConfigHandler(
+      {
+        userId: "user-1",
+        body: {
+          content:
+            "Host a\n  HostName 10.0.0.1\n  User root\nHost b\n  HostName 10.0.0.2\n  User root\n",
+        },
+      } as unknown as Request,
+      {
+        json: vi.fn(),
+        status: vi.fn().mockReturnThis(),
+      } as unknown as Response,
+      vi.fn(),
+    );
+  } finally {
+    off();
+  }
+  expect(seen).toEqual([
+    { hostId: 601, userId: "user-1" },
+    { hostId: 602, userId: "user-1" },
+  ]);
+});
diff --git a/src/backend/tests/plugins/ctx-hosts.test.ts b/src/backend/tests/plugins/ctx-hosts.test.ts
index a3f74e30d..e9d40c753 100644
--- a/src/backend/tests/plugins/ctx-hosts.test.ts
+++ b/src/backend/tests/plugins/ctx-hosts.test.ts
@@ -207,6 +207,7 @@ vi.mock("../../hosts/delete-host.js", () => ({
 const { createPluginHosts } = await import("../../plugins/ctx-hosts.js");
 const { PluginCapabilityError } =
   await import("@termix-ssh/plugin-sdk/backend");
+const { pluginEvents, TOPICS } = await import("../../plugins/events.js");
 
 function manifest(capabilities: string[]) {
   return {
@@ -436,6 +437,29 @@ describe("ctx.hosts", () => {
     ]);
   });
 
+  it("publishes host.created for a host it creates", async () => {
+    h.granted = new Set(["hosts:write"]);
+    const hosts = createPluginHosts({
+      manifest: manifest(["hosts:write"]),
+      audit: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+    });
+    const seen: unknown[] = [];
+    const off = pluginEvents.on(TOPICS.hostCreated, (payload) => {
+      seen.push(payload);
+    });
+    try {
+      await hosts.create({
+        ip: "10.0.0.5",
+        port: 22,
+        username: "root",
+        authType: "password",
+      });
+    } finally {
+      off();
+    }
+    expect(seen).toEqual([{ hostId: 99, userId: "user-1" }]);
+  });
+
   it("refuses a field the SDK does not take instead of dropping it", async () => {
     h.granted = new Set(["hosts:write"]);
     const hosts = createPluginHosts({
diff --git a/src/backend/tests/sync/two-way.test.ts b/src/backend/tests/sync/two-way.test.ts
index 15795f8ff..35c7915e6 100644
--- a/src/backend/tests/sync/two-way.test.ts
+++ b/src/backend/tests/sync/two-way.test.ts
@@ -163,6 +163,7 @@ const { createResolvers, writeWireRow } = await import("../../sync/store.js");
 const { getEntity } = await import("../../plugins/sync-registry.js");
 const { FieldCrypto } = await import("../../utils/field-crypto.js");
 const { syncLogger } = await import("../../utils/logger.js");
+const { pluginEvents, TOPICS } = await import("../../plugins/events.js");
 
 const app = express();
 app.use(express.json({ limit: "5mb" }));
@@ -338,6 +339,44 @@ describe("linking a desktop", () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe("a synced host", () => {
+  it("publishes host.created when it is written for the first time only", async () => {
+    const [desk] = desktops;
+    const seen: unknown[] = [];
+    const off = pluginEvents.on(TOPICS.hostCreated, (payload) => {
+      seen.push(payload);
+    });
+    const wire = {
+      syncId: "host-new",
+      name: "new",
+      ip: "10.0.0.2",
+      port: 22,
+      username: "root",
+      authType: "password",
+    };
+    try {
+      await on(desk, async () => {
+        const resolvers = createResolvers(desk.userId);
+        const first = await writeWireRow(
+          getEntity("hosts")!,
+          desk.userId,
+          wire,
+          resolvers,
+        );
+        await writeWireRow(
+          getEntity("hosts")!,
+          desk.userId,
+          { ...wire, name: "renamed" },
+          resolvers,
+        );
+        expect(seen).toEqual([{ hostId: first.id, userId: desk.userId }]);
+      });
+    } finally {
+      off();
+    }
+  });
+});
+
 describe("after linking", () => {
   it("sends edits and deletes both ways", async () => {
     const [desk] = desktops;