diff --git a/internal/cli/client.go b/internal/cli/client.go
index 4277bb0..cbbbc42 100644
--- a/internal/cli/client.go
+++ b/internal/cli/client.go
@@ -64,7 +64,14 @@ func newClientCreateCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "create",
 		Short: "Provision a tracebloc client for this machine (auto-named; no flags required)",
-		Args:  cobra.NoArgs,
+		// HIDDEN: provisioning is the installer's job — provision.sh calls this with
+		// zero flags (cli#137). It stays fully callable (including `--help`, so the
+		// installer's capability probe still works), but is kept off the user-facing
+		// surface: a human running `client create` STANDALONE mints a client the
+		// installer never deploys — an orphaned "phantom" (backend#970). Mirrors the
+		// hidden `list`; leaves `tracebloc client` showing only the user-useful `status`.
+		Hidden: true,
+		Args:   cobra.NoArgs,
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
 			return runClientCreate(cmd.Context(), printerFor(cmd), clientPrompter(),
 				clientCreateOpts{name: name, location: location, kubeconfigPath: kubeconfigPath, contextOverride: contextOverride, credentialFile: credentialFile, yes: yes})
diff --git a/internal/cli/client_test.go b/internal/cli/client_test.go
index a721d84..eb5718d 100644
--- a/internal/cli/client_test.go
+++ b/internal/cli/client_test.go
@@ -1338,3 +1338,29 @@ func TestClientStatus_WaitCtrlCIsSilent(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("Ctrl-C should exit silently (nil-inner exitError), got: %v", err)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestClientSubcommandVisibility(t *testing.T) {
+	// `create` and `list` are installer-internal — Hidden so a user isn't invited to
+	// run them (a standalone `tracebloc client create` mints a client the installer
+	// never deploys, i.e. an orphaned phantom, backend#970). `status` stays
+	// user-visible. Hidden != disabled: all remain runnable (the installer still
+	// invokes create/list).
+	hidden := map[string]bool{}
+	runnable := map[string]bool{}
+	for _, c := range newClientCmd().Commands() {
+		hidden[c.Name()] = c.Hidden
+		runnable[c.Name()] = c.RunE != nil
+	}
+	if !hidden["create"] {
+		t.Error("client create must be Hidden (installer-internal; standalone mints a phantom)")
+	}
+	if !hidden["list"] {
+		t.Error("client list must stay Hidden")
+	}
+	if hidden["status"] {
+		t.Error("client status must stay user-visible")
+	}
+	if !runnable["create"] {
+		t.Error("hidden create must still be runnable (the installer invokes it)")
+	}
+}