diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/InstanceSettings.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/InstanceSettings.svelte
index 423f25a46c..4753c532b4 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/InstanceSettings.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/InstanceSettings.svelte
@@ -57,6 +57,14 @@
 	let version: string = $state('')
 	let loading = $state(true)
 
+	export function getVersion(): string {
+		return version
+	}
+
+	export function getLicenseKey(): string {
+		return $values?.['license_key'] ?? ''
+	}
+
 	loadSettings()
 	loadVersion()
 
@@ -1021,12 +1029,24 @@
 						warning={setting.key === 'base_url' && baseUrlIsFallback ? 'Auto-detected from browser — not yet saved' : undefined}
 					/>
 				{/if}
+				{#if quickSetup && category === 'Core' && setting.key === 'base_url'}
+					{@const licenseKeySetting = settings['Core'].find((s) => s.key === 'license_key')}
+					{#if licenseKeySetting}
+						<InstanceSetting
+							{openSmtpSettings}
+							on:closeDrawer={() => closeDrawer?.()}
+							{loading}
+							setting={licenseKeySetting}
+							{values}
+							{version}
+							{oauths}
+						/>
+					{/if}
+				{/if}
 			{/each}
 			{#if quickSetup && category === 'Core'}
-				{@const licenseKeySetting = settings['Core'].find((s) => s.key === 'license_key')}
 				{@const extraSettings = [
 					...settings['Jobs'].filter((s) => s.key === 'job_isolation'),
-					...(licenseKeySetting ? [licenseKeySetting] : []),
 					...settings['Jobs'].filter((s) => s.key === 'retention_period_secs'),
 					...(settings['Object Storage']?.filter((s) => s.key === 'object_store_cache_config') ??
 						[])
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/(root)/(logged)/user/(user)/instance_settings/+page.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/(root)/(logged)/user/(user)/instance_settings/+page.svelte
index 37d42ff03a..0f474b47ec 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/(root)/(logged)/user/(user)/instance_settings/+page.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/(root)/(logged)/user/(user)/instance_settings/+page.svelte
@@ -116,6 +116,20 @@
 	let passwordValid = $derived(newPassword.length >= 2)
 	let accountFormValid = $derived(emailValid && passwordValid)
 
+	// --- EE license key warning ---
+	let showLicenseKeyWarning = $state(false)
+	let pendingNextCallback: (() => void) | undefined = $state(undefined)
+
+	function isEeImage(): boolean {
+		const v = instanceSettings?.getVersion() ?? ''
+		return v.startsWith('EE')
+	}
+
+	function isLicenseKeyEmpty(): boolean {
+		const key = instanceSettings?.getLicenseKey() ?? ''
+		return key.trim() === ''
+	}
+
 	// --- Full settings mode state ---
 	let fullTab = $state('general')
 	let instanceSettingsCategory = $derived(tabToCategoryMap[fullTab] ?? 'Core')
@@ -139,6 +153,16 @@
 
 
 
+	/** Check if we need to warn about missing EE license key before proceeding */
+	function proceedFromCore(callback: () => void) {
+		if (wizardStep === 0 && isEeImage() && isLicenseKeyEmpty()) {
+			pendingNextCallback = callback
+			showLicenseKeyWarning = true
+			return
+		}
+		saveAndProceed(callback)
+	}
+
 	/** Auto-save dirty settings, then run the callback */
 	async function saveAndProceed(callback: () => void) {
 		if (yamlMode) {
@@ -454,7 +478,7 @@
 						<Button
 							variant="accent"
 							unifiedSize="md"
-							onClick={() => saveAndProceed(() => (wizardStep += 1))}
+							onClick={() => proceedFromCore(() => (wizardStep += 1))}
 						>
 							{currentStepDirty ? 'Save & Next' : 'Next'}
 						</Button>
@@ -522,3 +546,27 @@
 		</div>
 	</ConfirmationModal>
 {/if}
+
+{#if showLicenseKeyWarning}
+	<ConfirmationModal
+		open={showLicenseKeyWarning}
+		title="License key required"
+		confirmationText="Continue without license key"
+		on:canceled={() => {
+			showLicenseKeyWarning = false
+			pendingNextCallback = undefined
+		}}
+		on:confirmed={() => {
+			showLicenseKeyWarning = false
+			const cb = pendingNextCallback
+			pendingNextCallback = undefined
+			if (cb) saveAndProceed(cb)
+		}}
+	>
+		<div class="flex flex-col w-full space-y-4">
+			<span>
+				You are running the Enterprise Edition image but have not entered a license key. A valid license key is required to use EE features. Are you sure you want to continue without one?
+			</span>
+		</div>
+	</ConfirmationModal>
+{/if}