diff --git a/src/app.ts b/src/app.ts
index 3079694..a1fe611 100644
--- a/src/app.ts
+++ b/src/app.ts
@@ -517,6 +517,16 @@ export async function startOAuthFlow(
     };
   }
 
+  // A connection target is app-backend authority: it rides only on connect
+  // and link starts, which are the flows gated by x-heimdall-app-secret.
+  // A sign_in start is open to any browser and must not carry one.
+  if (input.mode === "sign_in" && input.connection !== undefined) {
+    return {
+      statusCode: 400,
+      body: { error: "connection_not_allowed_in_sign_in", detail: "sign_in start must not carry a connection target." },
+    };
+  }
+
   if (callbackMint(profile, provider, input.mode, input.connection) === "refused") {
     return {
       statusCode: 400,
diff --git a/tests/link-binding.test.ts b/tests/link-binding.test.ts
index 49f6662..9f52acb 100644
--- a/tests/link-binding.test.ts
+++ b/tests/link-binding.test.ts
@@ -120,6 +120,18 @@ describe("link start names its initiator", () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe("sign_in start carries no connection target", () => {
+  it("refuses connection.targetId on sign_in with connection_not_allowed_in_sign_in, with or without app auth", async () => {
+    const r = await rig("d-si");
+    const connection = { kind: "creator", targetId: "victim-target" };
+    for (const headers of [{}, appAuth]) {
+      const res = await start(r, { mode: "sign_in", connection }, headers);
+      expect([res.statusCode, res.json().error]).toEqual([400, "connection_not_allowed_in_sign_in"]);
+    }
+    expect((await start(r, { mode: "sign_in" }, {})).statusCode).toBe(201);
+  });
+});
+
 describe("link callback holds the provider identity to the initiator", () => {
   it("attaches an unlinked identity to the initiating account, not a new one", async () => {
     const r = await rig("d-new");