--- a/ipn/ipnlocal/local.go
+++ b/ipn/ipnlocal/local.go
@@ -707,7 +707,12 @@
 		eventbus.SubscribeFunc(ec, b.onHealthChange)
 	}
 	if buildfeatures.HasPortList {
-		eventbus.SubscribeFunc(ec, b.setPortlistServices)
+		// PortlistServices is a named eventbus topic. Register the exact named
+		// type; subscribing with []tailcfg.Service silently misses every event.
+		// See https://github.com/tailscale/tailscale/issues/18297.
+		eventbus.SubscribeFunc(ec, func(sl PortlistServices) {
+			b.setPortlistServices([]tailcfg.Service(sl))
+		})
 	}
 	eventbus.SubscribeFunc(ec, b.onAppConnectorRouteUpdate)
 	eventbus.SubscribeFunc(ec, b.onAppConnectorStoreRoutes)