diff --git a/src/workspaces/officerdev/src/apps/Chat/components/BackgroundTaskTray.tsx b/src/workspaces/officerdev/src/apps/Chat/components/BackgroundTaskTray.tsx
index cd2c9212..a26a2f24 100644
--- a/src/workspaces/officerdev/src/apps/Chat/components/BackgroundTaskTray.tsx
+++ b/src/workspaces/officerdev/src/apps/Chat/components/BackgroundTaskTray.tsx
@@ -82,7 +82,19 @@ export const BackgroundTaskTray = ({ messages, sessionId }: BackgroundTaskTrayPr
     try {
       await client.delete(`/chat/tasks/${taskId}${force ? '?force=1' : ''}`);
     } catch (err) {
-      toast.error(err instanceof Error ? err.message : 'Could not stop that job');
+      const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : '';
+      // The server saying it cannot FIND the job is authoritative, not an error to report: there is no
+      // output file, therefore no pid, therefore nothing running. The chip was the last thing claiming
+      // otherwise.
+      //
+      // Without this the tray showed a job that could not be stopped, killed or dismissed — a chip with
+      // no way out, because dismiss is only offered for a task the tray believes has finished. Pressing
+      // Stop then Kill both answered {"stopped":false,"reason":"no such task"} and changed nothing.
+      if (message.includes('no such task') || message.includes('already stopped')) {
+        dismiss(taskId);
+        return;
+      }
+      toast.error(message || 'Could not stop that job');
     }
   };