diff --git a/misc/alpine-install.func b/misc/alpine-install.func
index 537a3148e..597d58c6a 100644
--- a/misc/alpine-install.func
+++ b/misc/alpine-install.func
@@ -14,6 +14,25 @@ catch_errors
 # Get LXC IP address (must be called INSIDE container, after network is up)
 get_lxc_ip
 
+# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# post_progress_to_api()
+#
+# - Lightweight progress ping from inside the container
+# - Updates the existing telemetry record status from "installing" to "configuring"
+# - Signals that the installation is actively progressing (not stuck)
+# - Fire-and-forget: never blocks or fails the script
+# - Only executes if DIAGNOSTICS=yes and RANDOM_UUID is set
+# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+post_progress_to_api() {
+  command -v curl &>/dev/null || return 0
+  [[ "${DIAGNOSTICS:-no}" == "no" ]] && return 0
+  [[ -z "${RANDOM_UUID:-}" ]] && return 0
+
+  curl -fsS -m 5 -X POST "https://telemetry.community-scripts.org/telemetry" \
+    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+    -d "{\"random_id\":\"${RANDOM_UUID}\",\"type\":\"lxc\",\"nsapp\":\"${app:-unknown}\",\"status\":\"configuring\"}" &>/dev/null || true
+}
+
 # This function enables IPv6 if it's not disabled and sets verbose mode
 verb_ip6() {
   set_std_mode # Set STD mode based on VERBOSE
@@ -53,6 +72,7 @@ setting_up_container() {
   fi
   msg_ok "Set up Container OS"
   msg_ok "Network Connected: ${BL}$(ip addr show | grep 'inet ' | awk '{print $2}' | cut -d'/' -f1 | tail -n1)${CL}"
+  post_progress_to_api
 }
 
 # This function checks the network connection by pinging a known IP address and prompts the user to continue if the internet is not connected
@@ -87,6 +107,7 @@ update_os() {
   $STD apk -U upgrade
   source <(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/community-scripts/ProxmoxVE/main/misc/tools.func)
   msg_ok "Updated Container OS"
+  post_progress_to_api
 }
 
 # This function modifies the message of the day (motd) and SSH settings
diff --git a/misc/build.func b/misc/build.func
index 215fbb0e5..7c6baa33c 100644
--- a/misc/build.func
+++ b/misc/build.func
@@ -5265,8 +5265,8 @@ api_exit_script() {
     post_update_to_api "failed" "$exit_code"
   elif [[ "${POST_TO_API_DONE:-}" == "true" && "${POST_UPDATE_DONE:-}" != "true" ]]; then
     # Script exited with 0 but never sent a completion status
-    # This catches edge cases like early returns after post_to_api()
-    post_update_to_api "failed" "1"
+    # exit_code=0 is never an error — report as success
+    post_update_to_api "done" "0"
   fi
 }
 
diff --git a/misc/install.func b/misc/install.func
index 5a8d10d0b..8ec1838fa 100644
--- a/misc/install.func
+++ b/misc/install.func
@@ -40,6 +40,25 @@ catch_errors
 # Get LXC IP address (must be called INSIDE container, after network is up)
 get_lxc_ip
 
+# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# post_progress_to_api()
+#
+# - Lightweight progress ping from inside the container
+# - Updates the existing telemetry record status from "installing" to "configuring"
+# - Signals that the installation is actively progressing (not stuck)
+# - Fire-and-forget: never blocks or fails the script
+# - Only executes if DIAGNOSTICS=yes and RANDOM_UUID is set
+# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+post_progress_to_api() {
+  command -v curl &>/dev/null || return 0
+  [[ "${DIAGNOSTICS:-no}" == "no" ]] && return 0
+  [[ -z "${RANDOM_UUID:-}" ]] && return 0
+
+  curl -fsS -m 5 -X POST "https://telemetry.community-scripts.org/telemetry" \
+    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+    -d "{\"random_id\":\"${RANDOM_UUID}\",\"type\":\"lxc\",\"nsapp\":\"${app:-unknown}\",\"status\":\"configuring\"}" &>/dev/null || true
+}
+
 # ==============================================================================
 # SECTION 2: NETWORK & CONNECTIVITY
 # ==============================================================================
@@ -103,6 +122,7 @@ setting_up_container() {
   msg_ok "Set up Container OS"
   #msg_custom "${CM}" "${GN}" "Network Connected: ${BL}$(hostname -I)"
   msg_ok "Network Connected: ${BL}$(hostname -I)"
+  post_progress_to_api
 }
 
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -206,6 +226,7 @@ EOF
   $STD apt-get -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confold" -y dist-upgrade
   rm -rf /usr/lib/python3.*/EXTERNALLY-MANAGED
   msg_ok "Updated Container OS"
+  post_progress_to_api
 
   source <(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/community-scripts/ProxmoxVE/main/misc/tools.func)
 }