diff --git a/src/modules/Playerbot/Lifecycle/Instance/BotCloneEngine.cpp b/src/modules/Playerbot/Lifecycle/Instance/BotCloneEngine.cpp
index 6922004a6..39e3a5280 100644
--- a/src/modules/Playerbot/Lifecycle/Instance/BotCloneEngine.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/Playerbot/Lifecycle/Instance/BotCloneEngine.cpp
@@ -620,6 +620,10 @@ CloneResult BotCloneEngine::ExecuteClone(
     pendingConfig.battlegroundIdToQueue = battlegroundIdToQueue;
     pendingConfig.arenaTypeToQueue = arenaTypeToQueue;
 
+    // Mark as instance bot - this will be applied after login by BotPostLoginConfigurator
+    // CRITICAL: This ensures JIT bots get proper idle timeout and restricted behavior
+    pendingConfig.markAsInstanceBot = true;
+
     sBotPostLoginConfigurator->RegisterPendingConfig(std::move(pendingConfig));
 
     TC_LOG_DEBUG("playerbot.clone",
diff --git a/src/modules/Playerbot/Lifecycle/Instance/BotPostLoginConfigurator.cpp b/src/modules/Playerbot/Lifecycle/Instance/BotPostLoginConfigurator.cpp
index 76f3cabd5..9ce60f09e 100644
--- a/src/modules/Playerbot/Lifecycle/Instance/BotPostLoginConfigurator.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/Playerbot/Lifecycle/Instance/BotPostLoginConfigurator.cpp
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include "Equipment/BotGearFactory.h"
 #include "LFG/LFGBotManager.h"
 #include "PvP/BGBotManager.h"
+#include "Session/BotWorldSessionMgr.h"
 #include "BattlegroundMgr.h"
 #include "Player.h"
 #include "Item.h"
@@ -434,6 +435,19 @@ bool BotPostLoginConfigurator::ApplyPendingConfiguration(Player* player)
             player->GetName(), durationMs);
     }
 
+    // Step 9: Mark as instance bot if flagged
+    // CRITICAL FIX (2026-02-03): Instance bot marking must happen AFTER login completes
+    // Previously, MarkAsInstanceBot() was called immediately after AddPlayerBot() in JITBotFactory,
+    // but AddPlayerBot() only queues the spawn - the session doesn't exist yet!
+    // Now we mark the bot here, where the session is guaranteed to exist.
+    if (config.markAsInstanceBot)
+    {
+        sBotWorldSessionMgr->MarkAsInstanceBot(playerGuid);
+        TC_LOG_INFO("module.playerbot.configurator",
+            "Marked bot {} as INSTANCE BOT (idle timeout enabled, restricted behavior)",
+            player->GetName());
+    }
+
     // CRITICAL: Add to recently configured set BEFORE removing pending config
     // This prevents the race condition where:
     // 1. We remove pending config
diff --git a/src/modules/Playerbot/Lifecycle/Instance/BotPostLoginConfigurator.h b/src/modules/Playerbot/Lifecycle/Instance/BotPostLoginConfigurator.h
index 17bdba6ec..7c5107547 100644
--- a/src/modules/Playerbot/Lifecycle/Instance/BotPostLoginConfigurator.h
+++ b/src/modules/Playerbot/Lifecycle/Instance/BotPostLoginConfigurator.h
@@ -47,6 +47,9 @@ struct BotPendingConfiguration
     uint32 battlegroundIdToQueue = 0; // If > 0, queue bot for this BG after configuration
     uint32 arenaTypeToQueue = 0;      // If > 0, queue bot for this arena type after configuration
 
+    // Instance Bot Flag - marks bot for idle timeout and restricted behavior
+    bool markAsInstanceBot = false;  // If true, mark as instance bot after login
+
     // Timing
     std::chrono::steady_clock::time_point createdAt;
 
diff --git a/src/modules/Playerbot/Lifecycle/Instance/InstanceBotPool.cpp b/src/modules/Playerbot/Lifecycle/Instance/InstanceBotPool.cpp
index bb3bbc39d..849e9b4d1 100644
--- a/src/modules/Playerbot/Lifecycle/Instance/InstanceBotPool.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/Playerbot/Lifecycle/Instance/InstanceBotPool.cpp
@@ -1687,6 +1687,10 @@ bool InstanceBotPool::WarmUpBot(ObjectGuid botGuid)
         }
     }
 
+    // Mark as instance bot - this will be applied after login by BotPostLoginConfigurator
+    // CRITICAL: This ensures warm pool bots get proper idle timeout and restricted behavior
+    pendingConfig.markAsInstanceBot = true;
+
     sBotPostLoginConfigurator->RegisterPendingConfig(std::move(pendingConfig));
 
     TC_LOG_INFO("playerbot.pool", "InstanceBotPool::WarmUpBot - Registered pending config for bot {} (level={}, spec={}, gearScore={}, contentId={}, type={})",
diff --git a/src/modules/Playerbot/Lifecycle/Instance/JITBotFactory.cpp b/src/modules/Playerbot/Lifecycle/Instance/JITBotFactory.cpp
index 540d83cb1..5fc99503e 100644
--- a/src/modules/Playerbot/Lifecycle/Instance/JITBotFactory.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/Playerbot/Lifecycle/Instance/JITBotFactory.cpp
@@ -1022,21 +1022,18 @@ RequestProgress JITBotFactory::ProcessRequest(FactoryRequest& request)
                 ++loginSuccessCount;
 
                 // ====================================================================
-                // CRITICAL FIX (2026-01-22): Mark JIT bots as INSTANCE BOTS!
+                // NOTE: Instance bot marking is now handled via BotPostLoginConfigurator!
                 // ====================================================================
-                // Without this, JIT bots would:
-                // - NOT get the 60-second idle logout timeout
-                // - Stay online forever causing bot explosion (1500+ bots)
-                // - Do quests and other activities (pool flag not set)
-                // - Cause massive server lag (50s+ response times)
+                // Previously, we called MarkAsInstanceBot() here, but AddPlayerBot()
+                // only queues the spawn to _pendingSpawns - the session doesn't exist yet!
+                // This caused "session not found" errors and bots not being properly tracked.
                 //
-                // By marking as instance bot, they get:
-                // - Auto-logout after 60 seconds if not in queue/group/instance
-                // - Restricted behavior (no questing, just queue and fight)
+                // The fix: Set markAsInstanceBot=true in BotPendingConfiguration (done in
+                // BotCloneEngine.cpp), and BotPostLoginConfigurator::ApplyPendingConfiguration()
+                // will call MarkAsInstanceBot() AFTER the session is created.
                 // ====================================================================
-                sBotWorldSessionMgr->MarkAsInstanceBot(botGuid);
 
-                TC_LOG_DEBUG("playerbot.jit", "JITBotFactory::ProcessRequest - Logged in bot {} (account {}), marked as INSTANCE BOT",
+                TC_LOG_DEBUG("playerbot.jit", "JITBotFactory::ProcessRequest - Logged in bot {} (account {}), will be marked as INSTANCE BOT after login completes",
                     botGuid.ToString(), accountId);
                 BOT_TRACK_SUCCESS(BotOperationCategory::SPAWN, "JITBotFactory::LoginBot", botGuid);
             }
@@ -1052,7 +1049,7 @@ RequestProgress JITBotFactory::ProcessRequest(FactoryRequest& request)
             }
         }
 
-        TC_LOG_INFO("playerbot.jit", "JITBotFactory::ProcessRequest - Logged in {}/{} bots (all marked as INSTANCE BOTS)",
+        TC_LOG_INFO("playerbot.jit", "JITBotFactory::ProcessRequest - Logged in {}/{} bots (will be marked as INSTANCE BOTS after post-login config)",
             loginSuccessCount, progress.created);
 
         // Determine status - STRICT requirements to ensure full groups