diff --git a/server/api/helcim/subscription.post.js b/server/api/helcim/subscription.post.js
index a32b751..8afd7be 100644
--- a/server/api/helcim/subscription.post.js
+++ b/server/api/helcim/subscription.post.js
@@ -4,8 +4,9 @@ import Member from '../../models/member.js'
 import { connectDB } from '../../utils/mongoose.js'
 import { getSlackService } from '../../utils/slack.ts'
 import { requireAuth } from '../../utils/auth.js'
-import { createHelcimSubscription, generateIdempotencyKey } from '../../utils/helcim.js'
+import { createHelcimSubscription, generateIdempotencyKey, listHelcimCustomerTransactions } from '../../utils/helcim.js'
 import { sendWelcomeEmail } from '../../utils/resend.js'
+import { upsertPaymentFromHelcim } from '../../utils/payments.js'
 
 // Function to invite member to Slack
 async function inviteToSlack(member) {
@@ -189,6 +190,19 @@ export default defineEventHandler(async (event) => {
 
     logActivity(member._id, 'subscription_created', { amount: body.contributionAmount })
 
+    try {
+      const txs = await listHelcimCustomerTransactions(body.customerCode)
+      const latestPaid = txs.find((t) => t.status === 'paid')
+      if (latestPaid) {
+        await upsertPaymentFromHelcim(member, latestPaid, {
+          paymentType: cadence,
+          sendConfirmation: true
+        })
+      }
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.error('[payments] initial charge log failed, will be picked up by reconciliation:', err?.message || err)
+    }
+
     await inviteToSlack(member)
     if (isFirstActivation) await sendWelcomeEmail(member)
 
diff --git a/tests/server/api/helcim-subscription.test.js b/tests/server/api/helcim-subscription.test.js
index 2fae9d3..9a24285 100644
--- a/tests/server/api/helcim-subscription.test.js
+++ b/tests/server/api/helcim-subscription.test.js
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@ import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach, afterEach } from 'vitest'
 import Member from '../../../server/models/member.js'
 import { requireAuth } from '../../../server/utils/auth.js'
 import { requiresPayment, getHelcimPlanId } from '../../../server/config/contributions.js'
-import { createHelcimSubscription } from '../../../server/utils/helcim.js'
+import { createHelcimSubscription, listHelcimCustomerTransactions } from '../../../server/utils/helcim.js'
+import { upsertPaymentFromHelcim } from '../../../server/utils/payments.js'
 import subscriptionHandler from '../../../server/api/helcim/subscription.post.js'
 import { createMockEvent } from '../helpers/createMockEvent.js'
 
@@ -25,6 +26,10 @@ vi.mock('../../../server/utils/resend.js', () => ({
 vi.mock('../../../server/utils/helcim.js', () => ({
   createHelcimSubscription: vi.fn(),
   generateIdempotencyKey: vi.fn().mockReturnValue('idem-key-123'),
+  listHelcimCustomerTransactions: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue([]),
+}))
+vi.mock('../../../server/utils/payments.js', () => ({
+  upsertPaymentFromHelcim: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ created: true, payment: { _id: 'p1' } })
 }))
 
 // helcimSubscriptionSchema is a Nitro auto-import used by validateBody
@@ -262,6 +267,112 @@ describe('helcim subscription endpoint', () => {
     expect(Member.findOneAndUpdate).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
 
+  it('logs the newest paid Helcim transaction to Payment on paid monthly creation', async () => {
+    requireAuth.mockResolvedValue(undefined)
+    requiresPayment.mockReturnValue(true)
+    getHelcimPlanId.mockReturnValue('99999')
+
+    const mockMember = {
+      _id: 'member-9',
+      email: 'log@example.com',
+      name: 'Logger',
+      circle: 'founder',
+      contributionAmount: 15,
+      status: 'active',
+    }
+    Member.findOneAndUpdate.mockResolvedValue(mockMember)
+    createHelcimSubscription.mockResolvedValue({
+      data: [{ id: 'sub-log-1', status: 'active', nextBillingDate: '2026-05-18' }]
+    })
+    listHelcimCustomerTransactions.mockResolvedValueOnce([
+      { id: 'tx-newest', date: '2026-04-20', amount: 15, status: 'paid', currency: 'CAD' },
+      { id: 'tx-older', date: '2026-04-19', amount: 15, status: 'paid', currency: 'CAD' }
+    ])
+
+    const event = createMockEvent({
+      method: 'POST',
+      path: '/api/helcim/subscription',
+      body: { customerId: 'cust-log', contributionAmount: 15, customerCode: 'code-log', cardToken: 'tok', cadence: 'monthly' }
+    })
+
+    const result = await subscriptionHandler(event)
+
+    expect(result.success).toBe(true)
+    expect(listHelcimCustomerTransactions).toHaveBeenCalledWith('code-log')
+    expect(upsertPaymentFromHelcim).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      mockMember,
+      expect.objectContaining({ id: 'tx-newest' }),
+      { paymentType: 'monthly', sendConfirmation: true }
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('uses cadence=annual when logging the initial charge on annual creation', async () => {
+    requireAuth.mockResolvedValue(undefined)
+    requiresPayment.mockReturnValue(true)
+    getHelcimPlanId.mockReturnValue('88888')
+
+    const mockMember = {
+      _id: 'member-10',
+      email: 'annuallog@example.com',
+      name: 'AnnualLogger',
+      circle: 'founder',
+      contributionAmount: 15,
+      status: 'active',
+    }
+    Member.findOneAndUpdate.mockResolvedValue(mockMember)
+    createHelcimSubscription.mockResolvedValue({
+      data: [{ id: 'sub-annual-log', status: 'active', nextBillingDate: '2027-04-20' }]
+    })
+    listHelcimCustomerTransactions.mockResolvedValueOnce([
+      { id: 'tx-annual', date: '2026-04-20', amount: 180, status: 'paid', currency: 'CAD' }
+    ])
+
+    const event = createMockEvent({
+      method: 'POST',
+      path: '/api/helcim/subscription',
+      body: { customerId: 'cust-a', contributionAmount: 15, customerCode: 'code-a', cardToken: 'tok', cadence: 'annual' }
+    })
+
+    await subscriptionHandler(event)
+
+    expect(upsertPaymentFromHelcim).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      mockMember,
+      expect.objectContaining({ id: 'tx-annual' }),
+      { paymentType: 'annual', sendConfirmation: true }
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('still returns success when payment logging throws (reconciliation will catch)', async () => {
+    requireAuth.mockResolvedValue(undefined)
+    requiresPayment.mockReturnValue(true)
+    getHelcimPlanId.mockReturnValue('99999')
+
+    const mockMember = {
+      _id: 'member-11',
+      email: 'boom@example.com',
+      name: 'Boom',
+      circle: 'founder',
+      contributionAmount: 15,
+      status: 'active',
+    }
+    Member.findOneAndUpdate.mockResolvedValue(mockMember)
+    createHelcimSubscription.mockResolvedValue({
+      data: [{ id: 'sub-boom', status: 'active', nextBillingDate: '2026-05-18' }]
+    })
+    listHelcimCustomerTransactions.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error('helcim down'))
+
+    const event = createMockEvent({
+      method: 'POST',
+      path: '/api/helcim/subscription',
+      body: { customerId: 'cust-boom', contributionAmount: 15, customerCode: 'code-boom', cardToken: 'tok', cadence: 'monthly' }
+    })
+
+    const result = await subscriptionHandler(event)
+
+    expect(result.success).toBe(true)
+    expect(upsertPaymentFromHelcim).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
   it('Helcim API failure returns 500 and does NOT activate member', async () => {
     requireAuth.mockResolvedValue(undefined)
     requiresPayment.mockReturnValue(true)