diff --git a/lib/images/windows/templates/generalize.nix b/lib/images/windows/templates/generalize.nix
index 5db8285..52109d6 100644
--- a/lib/images/windows/templates/generalize.nix
+++ b/lib/images/windows/templates/generalize.nix
@@ -238,8 +238,13 @@ in
     ${lib.optionalString (staticIP != null) ''
     :: This VM's only NIC sits on a macvtap bridged to the host's LAN, so its
     :: address is a LAN address that nothing hands out -- the guest asserts it.
-    :: Clearing first makes the command idempotent across re-runs.
-    call C:\vmix-static-ip.cmd
+    :: Registered to run at every boot rather than applied here. OOBE runs in
+    :: the build VM, whose NIC is qemu user networking on another subnet with
+    :: another MAC -- so an address set now lands on an adapter that does not
+    :: exist on the real host. Windows sees the target's NIC as new hardware
+    :: and falls back to DHCP, which is exactly what happened. Per-boot also
+    :: survives the adapter being replaced again later.
+    schtasks /create /tn "vmix-static-ip" /tr "C:\vmix-static-ip.cmd" /sc onstart /ru SYSTEM /rl HIGHEST /f > nul 2>&1
     ''}
 
     ${lib.optionalString (writeFilter != null) ''