diff --git a/tests/test_auth.py b/tests/test_auth.py
index 7483808..406cbec 100644
--- a/tests/test_auth.py
+++ b/tests/test_auth.py
@@ -203,6 +203,49 @@ def test_read_internal_token_returns_none_when_missing(
             assert _read_internal_token() is None
 
 
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Regression — touch_last_used stamps E2E connects
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+class TestTouchLastUsed:
+    """E2E nodes never call validate(), so last_used_at needs a direct stamp."""
+
+    def _store(self, tmp_path: Path):
+        from cryptography.fernet import Fernet
+        from hermes_node_plugin.tokens import TokenStore
+
+        key = Fernet.generate_key().decode("ascii")
+        store = TokenStore(path=tmp_path / "tokens.json", key=key)
+        return store
+
+    def test_touch_last_used_stamps_existing_record(self, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+        store = self._store(tmp_path)
+        store.create("workmac")
+        before = store.list()[0]
+        assert before.last_used_at is None
+
+        store.touch_last_used("workmac")
+
+        after = store.list()[0]
+        assert after.last_used_at is not None, "last_used_at should be stamped"
+
+    def test_touch_last_used_skips_revoked(self, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+        store = self._store(tmp_path)
+        store.create("workmac")
+        store.revoke("workmac")
+
+        # Revoked records must not be stamped (mirrors validate() semantics).
+        store.touch_last_used("workmac")
+        assert store.list()[0].last_used_at is None
+
+    def test_touch_last_used_unknown_name_is_noop(self, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+        store = self._store(tmp_path)
+        # Should not raise on a name with no record.
+        store.touch_last_used("ghost")
+        assert store.list() == []
+
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Smoke — create_app
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/tokens.py b/tokens.py
index 541c8ef..ceb1f06 100644
--- a/tokens.py
+++ b/tokens.py
@@ -528,6 +528,45 @@ def validate(self, name: str, presented_token: str) -> bool:
             pass
         return True
 
+    def touch_last_used(self, name: str) -> None:
+        """Stamp ``last_used_at`` for ``name`` without validating a token.
+
+        The legacy auth path records the connect time inside
+        :meth:`validate` (it has the presented token to check). E2E nodes
+        authenticate via proof instead — :meth:`validate` is never called
+        for them — so ``last_used_at`` would otherwise stay ``None`` and
+        ``hermes node list`` renders it as ``-``. This method lets the E2E
+        path record the successful connect explicitly, using the node name
+        only (the proof was already verified by the caller).
+
+        Best-effort, mirroring :meth:`validate`: a write failure is
+        swallowed — the connect already succeeded, the stamp is a
+        nice-to-have audit field. No token comparison happens here.
+
+        Args:
+            name: Node name whose record to stamp.
+
+        Raises:
+            TokenStoreError: ``name`` fails the character / length policy.
+        """
+        name = _validate_name(name)
+        now = _now_iso()
+
+        def _write(records: list[_StoredRecord]) -> list[_StoredRecord]:
+            for rec in records:
+                if rec.name == name and not rec.revoked:
+                    rec.last_used_at = now
+                    break
+            return records
+
+        try:
+            self._mutate(_write)
+        except Exception:  # noqa: S110
+            # Broad on purpose: a transient disk/permission failure must
+            # not convert a successful auth into a server crash. Same
+            # contract as validate()'s best-effort write.
+            pass
+
     def resolve_token(self, name: str) -> str:
         """Return the raw pairing token for ``name``, or raise TokenStoreError.
 
diff --git a/wsserver/server.py b/wsserver/server.py
index 4605e15..e701a35 100644
--- a/wsserver/server.py
+++ b/wsserver/server.py
@@ -955,6 +955,16 @@ async def ws_nodes(websocket: WebSocket) -> None:
             server_proof = _e2e.compute_server_proof(e2e_handshake_key)
             is_valid = True  # proof verified — skip token store check
             logger.warning("E2E proof verified for %r session=%s", auth.node_name, session_id)
+            # E2E bypasses token_store.validate() (the only place that
+            # stamps last_used_at), so record the successful connect here
+            # or `hermes node list` shows "-" forever for E2E nodes.
+            # Best-effort; offloaded to a thread like the legacy path.
+            try:
+                await asyncio.to_thread(token_store.touch_last_used, auth.node_name)
+            except Exception as exc:
+                logger.debug(
+                    "touch_last_used failed for %r: %s", auth.node_name, exc
+                )
         else:
             # Legacy auth — validate token
             is_valid = False