diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/OnboardingController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/OnboardingController.php
index a0ff6a5..b32d817 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/OnboardingController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/OnboardingController.php
@@ -74,7 +74,9 @@ public function complete(): View|RedirectResponse
             return redirect()->route('onboarding.index');
         }
 
-        return view('onboarding.complete');
+        $systemStatus = resolve(SystemStatusService::class)->getSystemStatus();
+
+        return view('onboarding.complete', compact('systemStatus'));
     }
 
     private function needsOnboarding(): bool
diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/SettingsController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/SettingsController.php
index 3fdba8c..2952565 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/SettingsController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/SettingsController.php
@@ -24,6 +24,12 @@ public function update(Request $request): RedirectResponse
 
         Setting::setArticleProcessingEnabled($request->boolean('article_processing_enabled'));
 
+        // If redirected from onboarding, go to dashboard
+        if ($request->get('from') === 'onboarding') {
+            return redirect()->route('onboarding.index')
+                ->with('success', 'System activated successfully! Welcome to Lemmy Poster.');
+        }
+
         return redirect()->route('settings.index')
             ->with('success', 'Settings updated successfully.');
     }
diff --git a/resources/views/onboarding/complete.blade.php b/resources/views/onboarding/complete.blade.php
index ed6c368..e90b867 100644
--- a/resources/views/onboarding/complete.blade.php
+++ b/resources/views/onboarding/complete.blade.php
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
                     </div>
                     <h1 class="text-3xl font-bold text-gray-900 mb-2">Setup Complete!</h1>
                     <p class="text-gray-600 mb-6">
-                        Great! You've successfully configured Lemmy Poster. Your feeds will now be monitored and articles will be automatically posted to your configured channels.
+                        Great! You've successfully configured Lemmy Poster. Now activate the system to start monitoring feeds and posting articles.
                     </p>
                 </div>
                 
@@ -24,6 +24,63 @@
                     <div class="w-6 h-6 bg-green-500 text-white rounded-full flex items-center justify-center text-xs font-semibold">✓</div>
                 </div>
                 
+                <!-- System Activation Section -->
+                <div class="mb-8">
+                    <div class="bg-white border-2 border-gray-200 rounded-lg p-6">
+                        <div class="flex items-center justify-between mb-4">
+                            <div class="flex items-center">
+                                @if($systemStatus['is_enabled'])
+                                    <div class="w-8 h-8 bg-green-100 rounded-full flex items-center justify-center mr-3">
+                                        <x-heroicon-o-check-circle class="w-5 h-5 text-green-600" />
+                                    </div>
+                                    <div>
+                                        <h3 class="font-semibold text-gray-900">System Status</h3>
+                                        <p class="text-sm {{ $systemStatus['status_class'] }}">{{ $systemStatus['status'] }}</p>
+                                    </div>
+                                @else
+                                    <div class="w-8 h-8 bg-orange-100 rounded-full flex items-center justify-center mr-3">
+                                        <x-heroicon-o-exclamation-triangle class="w-5 h-5 text-orange-600" />
+                                    </div>
+                                    <div>
+                                        <h3 class="font-semibold text-gray-900">Ready to Activate</h3>
+                                        <p class="text-sm text-orange-600">System is configured but not active</p>
+                                    </div>
+                                @endif
+                            </div>
+                            
+                            @if(!$systemStatus['is_enabled'])
+                                <form action="{{ route('settings.update') }}" method="POST" class="inline">
+                                    @csrf
+                                    @method('PUT')
+                                    <input type="hidden" name="article_processing_enabled" value="1">
+                                    <input type="hidden" name="from" value="onboarding">
+                                    <button type="submit" class="bg-green-600 hover:bg-green-700 text-white px-4 py-2 rounded-md font-medium transition-colors">
+                                        Activate System
+                                    </button>
+                                </form>
+                            @else
+                                <span class="text-green-600 font-medium">✓ Active</span>
+                            @endif
+                        </div>
+                        
+                        @if(!$systemStatus['is_enabled'] && count($systemStatus['reasons']) > 0)
+                            <div class="mt-4 pt-4 border-t border-gray-200">
+                                <p class="text-sm text-gray-600 mb-2">System will be enabled once activated. Current setup status:</p>
+                                <ul class="text-sm text-gray-600 space-y-1">
+                                    @foreach($systemStatus['reasons'] as $reason)
+                                        @if($reason !== 'Manually disabled by user')
+                                            <li class="flex items-center">
+                                                <x-heroicon-o-check-circle class="w-4 h-4 text-green-500 mr-2 flex-shrink-0" />
+                                                {{ str_replace('No active', 'Active', $reason) . ' ✓' }}
+                                            </li>
+                                        @endif
+                                    @endforeach
+                                </ul>
+                            </div>
+                        @endif
+                    </div>
+                </div>
+                
                 <div class="space-y-4 mb-8">
                     <div class="bg-blue-50 border border-blue-200 rounded-lg p-4">
                         <h3 class="font-semibold text-blue-900 mb-2">What happens next?</h3>
diff --git a/resources/views/pages/dashboard.blade.php b/resources/views/pages/dashboard.blade.php
index a598fae..8944763 100644
--- a/resources/views/pages/dashboard.blade.php
+++ b/resources/views/pages/dashboard.blade.php
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@
             <h1 class="text-3xl font-bold text-gray-900">Dashboard</h1>
         </div>
 
+        @if(session('success'))
+            <div class="bg-green-100 border border-green-400 text-green-700 px-4 py-3 rounded mb-6">
+                {{ session('success') }}
+            </div>
+        @endif
+
         <div class="grid grid-cols-1 lg:grid-cols-3 gap-6">
             <!-- System Status Card -->
             <div class="bg-white overflow-hidden shadow rounded-lg">