diff --git a/src/components/settings/SecurityTab.tsx b/src/components/settings/SecurityTab.tsx
index 5413c482..154ecb4d 100644
--- a/src/components/settings/SecurityTab.tsx
+++ b/src/components/settings/SecurityTab.tsx
@@ -225,14 +225,7 @@ export function SecurityTab() {
                 {hasPassword ? (
                   <>Update your password to keep your account secure.</>
                 ) : (
-                  <>
-                    Add password authentication to your account for increased security and backup access.
-                    {identities.length > 0 && (
-                      <span className="block mt-2 text-amber-600 dark:text-amber-400">
-                        If you've previously set a password but don't see it here, click "Add Password" to re-verify your authentication.
-                      </span>
-                    )}
-                  </>
+                  <>Add password authentication to your account for increased security and backup access.</>
                 )}
               </CardDescription>
             </CardHeader>
diff --git a/src/lib/identityService.ts b/src/lib/identityService.ts
index f9bc6e62..6faa8e05 100644
--- a/src/lib/identityService.ts
+++ b/src/lib/identityService.ts
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ async function waitForEmailProvider(maxRetries = 6): Promise<boolean> {
 
 /**
  * Add password authentication to an OAuth-only account
- * Also handles re-creating email identity for orphaned passwords
+ * Automatically creates email identity by signing in immediately after setting password
  */
 export async function addPasswordToAccount(
   password: string
@@ -203,64 +203,70 @@ export async function addPasswordToAccount(
       };
     }
     
-    // Update user with password (works for both new and existing passwords)
-    const { error } = await supabase.auth.updateUser({ password });
-    
-    if (error) throw error;
-    
-    // Force session refresh to sync identity state
-    const { error: refreshError } = await supabase.auth.refreshSession();
-    if (refreshError) {
-      console.warn('[IdentityService] Session refresh failed:', refreshError);
+    const { data: { user } } = await supabase.auth.getUser();
+    if (!user?.email) {
+      return {
+        success: false,
+        error: 'No email address found on your account'
+      };
     }
     
-    // Wait for email provider to be created
-    const emailCreated = await waitForEmailProvider();
+    // Step 1: Update password
+    console.log('[IdentityService] Setting password for user');
+    const { error: updateError } = await supabase.auth.updateUser({ password });
+    if (updateError) throw updateError;
     
-    if (!emailCreated) {
-      // Password was set but identity verification failed
-      // Try one more aggressive approach: sign in with the new password
-      console.log('[IdentityService] Attempting sign-in to trigger identity creation');
+    // Step 2: IMMEDIATELY attempt sign-in to force identity creation
+    // This is the ONLY reliable way to create the email identity
+    console.log('[IdentityService] Attempting sign-in to create email identity');
+    const { error: signInError } = await supabase.auth.signInWithPassword({
+      email: user.email,
+      password: password
+    });
+    
+    if (signInError) {
+      // Sign-in failed, but password was set
+      console.error('[IdentityService] Sign-in failed:', signInError);
       
-      const { data: { user } } = await supabase.auth.getUser();
-      if (user?.email) {
-        // Attempt to sign in (this might create the identity)
-        const { error: signInError } = await supabase.auth.signInWithPassword({
-          email: user.email,
-          password: password
-        });
-        
-        if (!signInError) {
-          // Sign-in successful, check identities again
-          const retriedEmailCreated = await waitForEmailProvider(2); // Quick retry
-          if (retriedEmailCreated) {
-            console.log('[IdentityService] Email provider created after sign-in');
-            
-            // Log audit event
-            await logIdentityChange(user.id, 'password_added', { 
-              method: 'oauth_fallback_with_signin_retry' 
-            });
-            
-            return { success: true };
-          }
+      // Check if it's just an email confirmation issue
+      if (signInError.message?.includes('Email not confirmed')) {
+        // Password is set, identity might be created, just needs confirmation
+        console.log('[IdentityService] Email confirmation required, checking identity');
+        const emailCreated = await waitForEmailProvider(3);
+        if (emailCreated) {
+          await logIdentityChange(user.id, 'password_added', { 
+            method: 'oauth_fallback_unconfirmed' 
+          });
+          return { success: true };
         }
       }
       
       return {
         success: false,
-        error: 'Password was set but email provider verification failed. Please refresh the page and try signing in with your email and password.'
+        error: `Password was set but authentication failed: ${signInError.message}. Please try signing out and signing back in with your email and password.`
       };
     }
     
-    // Log audit event
-    const { data: { user } } = await supabase.auth.getUser();
-    if (user) {
-      await logIdentityChange(user.id, 'password_added', { 
-        method: 'oauth_fallback' 
-      });
+    // Step 3: Verify identity was created
+    console.log('[IdentityService] Sign-in successful, verifying identity creation');
+    const emailCreated = await waitForEmailProvider(4);
+    
+    if (!emailCreated) {
+      console.error('[IdentityService] Identity not found after successful sign-in');
+      return {
+        success: false,
+        error: 'Password authentication was successful but identity verification failed. Please refresh the page.'
+      };
     }
     
+    // Step 4: Log success
+    console.log('[IdentityService] Email identity successfully created');
+    await logIdentityChange(user.id, 'password_added', { 
+      method: 'oauth_fallback_signin' 
+    });
+    
     return { success: true };
+    
   } catch (error: any) {
     console.error('[IdentityService] Failed to add password:', error);
     return {