diff --git a/custom_addons/encoach_ai/services/__pycache__/elai_service.cpython-312.pyc b/custom_addons/encoach_ai/services/__pycache__/elai_service.cpython-312.pyc
index 01837d98..5caae276 100644
Binary files a/custom_addons/encoach_ai/services/__pycache__/elai_service.cpython-312.pyc and b/custom_addons/encoach_ai/services/__pycache__/elai_service.cpython-312.pyc differ
diff --git a/custom_addons/encoach_ai/services/elai_service.py b/custom_addons/encoach_ai/services/elai_service.py
index 2a6c1bfa..8fb55d31 100644
--- a/custom_addons/encoach_ai/services/elai_service.py
+++ b/custom_addons/encoach_ai/services/elai_service.py
@@ -130,8 +130,22 @@ class ElaiService:
             )
             resp.raise_for_status()
             data = resp.json()
+            video_id = data.get("_id", data.get("id"))
+
+            # Step 2: trigger rendering -- ELAI requires a separate render call
+            try:
+                render_resp = _requests.post(
+                    f"{ELAI_BASE}/videos/{video_id}/render",
+                    headers=self._headers(),
+                    timeout=30,
+                )
+                render_resp.raise_for_status()
+                _logger.info("ELAI render triggered for video %s", video_id)
+            except Exception as render_err:
+                _logger.warning("ELAI render trigger failed for %s: %s (video created but not rendered)", video_id, render_err)
+
             self._log("create_video", int((time.time() - t0) * 1000))
-            return {"video_id": data.get("_id", data.get("id")), "status": data.get("status", "pending")}
+            return {"video_id": video_id, "status": "rendering"}
         except _requests.exceptions.HTTPError as exc:
             body = ""
             try:
@@ -156,9 +170,11 @@ class ElaiService:
         )
         resp.raise_for_status()
         data = resp.json()
+        video_url = data.get("url", "") or data.get("video_url", "")
         return {
             "video_id": video_id,
             "status": data.get("status", "unknown"),
-            "url": data.get("url", ""),
+            "url": video_url,
+            "video_url": video_url,
             "duration": data.get("duration"),
         }