diff --git a/playbook/shopfloor-setup/gea-shopfloor-cmm/09-Setup-CMM.ps1 b/playbook/shopfloor-setup/gea-shopfloor-cmm/09-Setup-CMM.ps1
index 74e26dc..f1a5953 100644
--- a/playbook/shopfloor-setup/gea-shopfloor-cmm/09-Setup-CMM.ps1
+++ b/playbook/shopfloor-setup/gea-shopfloor-cmm/09-Setup-CMM.ps1
@@ -314,6 +314,32 @@ if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $restoreScript) {
     Write-CMMLog "Restore-CMM.ps1 not found at $restoreScript - skipping settings restore" 'WARN'
 }
 
+# ============================================================================
+# Step 2.5: drop Register-PCDMIS-COM.bat on the SupportUser desktop
+# ============================================================================
+# PC-DMIS COM must be registered for goCMM to connect, but /regserver no-ops
+# until PC-DMIS is licensed - which happens manually post-image (clmadmin.exe).
+# So we cannot register at imaging time; instead leave a one-click helper the
+# tech runs AFTER activating the license. SupportUser is a pre-existing profile
+# (see 03-ShellDefaults), so its Desktop exists now. Public Desktop would get
+# reorganized by 06-OrganizeDesktop's sweep, so target SupportUser directly;
+# fall back to Public Desktop only if the SupportUser profile is absent.
+$regBat = Join-Path $stagingRoot 'Register-PCDMIS-COM.bat'
+if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $regBat) {
+    $deskTargets = @()
+    if (Test-Path 'C:\Users\SupportUser') { $deskTargets += 'C:\Users\SupportUser\Desktop' }
+    else { $deskTargets += 'C:\Users\Public\Desktop' }
+    foreach ($d in $deskTargets) {
+        try {
+            if (-not (Test-Path $d)) { New-Item -Path $d -ItemType Directory -Force | Out-Null }
+            Copy-Item -LiteralPath $regBat -Destination (Join-Path $d 'Register-PCDMIS-COM.bat') -Force
+            Write-CMMLog "Staged Register-PCDMIS-COM.bat -> $d"
+        } catch { Write-CMMLog "Failed to stage Register-PCDMIS-COM.bat to ${d}: $_" 'WARN' }
+    }
+} else {
+    Write-CMMLog "Register-PCDMIS-COM.bat not in staging ($regBat) - desktop helper NOT placed" 'WARN'
+}
+
 # ============================================================================
 # Step 3: Conditional cleanup of the bootstrap staging dir
 # ============================================================================
diff --git a/playbook/shopfloor-setup/gea-shopfloor-cmm/Register-PCDMIS-COM.bat b/playbook/shopfloor-setup/gea-shopfloor-cmm/Register-PCDMIS-COM.bat
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..11b8180
--- /dev/null
+++ b/playbook/shopfloor-setup/gea-shopfloor-cmm/Register-PCDMIS-COM.bat
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+@echo off
+REM ============================================================================
+REM Register-PCDMIS-COM.bat  -  register the PC-DMIS COM / automation server.
+REM
+REM WHY: goCMM connects to PC-DMIS over COM. If the COM server is not
+REM registered, goCMM throws "Object reference not set to an instance of an
+REM object" at startup (it calls Type.GetTypeFromProgID on the PC-DMIS ProgID,
+REM gets null, then Activator.CreateInstance(null) -> ArgumentNullException).
+REM
+REM IMPORTANT: PC-DMIS must be LICENSED FIRST. /regserver does NOT register the
+REM COM server until a valid license is present. Activate the license with
+REM clmadmin.exe, THEN run this. Safe to re-run any time goCMM stops connecting.
+REM
+REM Needs admin - this script self-elevates via UAC.
+REM ============================================================================
+
+REM --- self-elevate if not already running as admin ---
+net session >nul 2>&1
+if %errorlevel% neq 0 (
+    echo Requesting administrator rights...
+    powershell -NoProfile -Command "Start-Process -FilePath '%~f0' -Verb RunAs"
+    exit /b
+)
+
+echo ================================================================
+echo   Register PC-DMIS COM server  (run AFTER licensing PC-DMIS)
+echo ================================================================
+echo.
+
+setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
+set "FOUND="
+for %%D in (
+    "C:\Program Files\Hexagon"
+    "C:\Program Files (x86)\Hexagon"
+    "C:\Program Files\WAI"
+    "C:\Program Files (x86)\WAI"
+) do (
+    if exist %%~D (
+        for /f "delims=" %%F in ('dir /b /s "%%~D\Pcdlrn.exe" 2^>nul') do (
+            set "FOUND=1"
+            echo Registering: %%F
+            "%%F" /regserver
+            if !errorlevel! equ 0 (echo   OK) else (echo   regserver returned !errorlevel!)
+        )
+    )
+)
+
+echo.
+if not defined FOUND (
+    echo ERROR: Pcdlrn.exe not found. Is PC-DMIS installed?
+) else (
+    echo Done.
+    echo If goCMM still errors, confirm PC-DMIS is LICENSED ^(clmadmin.exe^) and
+    echo that you ran this AFTER activating the license, then re-run.
+)
+echo.
+pause