diff --git a/src/controller/ha.c b/src/controller/ha.c
index 8900c667..a908a3a0 100644
--- a/src/controller/ha.c
+++ b/src/controller/ha.c
@@ -2410,6 +2410,9 @@ void ha_start_election_async(ha_state_t *ha, cluster_t *c,
     if (my_config_tag == 0 && n_peers > 1) {
         INFO("ha_start_election_async: no local config (tag=0, n_peers=%d) — "
              "participating as voter only, not starting own election", n_peers);
+        /* Transition to CTRL_STANDBY so myapp_run schedules fetch_config_from_primary.
+         * The primary will push config via ctrlhello once it enters COMMITTING. */
+        atomic_store_explicit(&ha->role, (int32_t)CTRL_STANDBY, memory_order_release);
         /* Free ctx — no vote sends will happen from this node this round. */
         atomic_store_explicit(&ha->elect_ctx, NULL, memory_order_release);
         pthread_mutex_destroy(&ctx->lock);