diff --git a/src/servers/api/command-hq/router.ts b/src/servers/api/command-hq/router.ts
index f4d1456a..3d77735d 100644
--- a/src/servers/api/command-hq/router.ts
+++ b/src/servers/api/command-hq/router.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import {
   loopPidPath,
   spawnedRecordPath,
   stopCommanderProcesses,
+  liveLoopPid,
 } from './spawned';
 import type { ServerMessage } from '../chat/types';
 import {
@@ -255,7 +256,10 @@ commandHqRouter.get('/commanders', async (ctx) => {
       categoryId: row.categoryId,
       tagIds: tagsByRow.get(row.id) ?? [],
       running: runningById.get(row.sessionId) ?? false,
-      watcherArmed: row.watcherArmed,
+      // The pid file is the FACT; `watcher_armed` is a claim only one path sets. A commander that started
+      // its loop as a plain background job recorded its pid correctly and still reported unarmed, so the
+      // grid offered nothing to stop — which is the one thing this column exists to make possible.
+      watcherArmed: row.watcherArmed || liveLoopPid(who.email, row.sessionId) !== null,
       watcherArmedAt: row.watcherArmedAt,
       watcherStoppedAt: row.watcherStoppedAt,
       watcherLastFiredAt: lastFiredByRow.get(row.id) ?? null,
@@ -401,7 +405,7 @@ commandHqRouter.get('/commanders/:sessionId', async (ctx) => {
     categoryId: row.categoryId,
     tagIds: tagsByRow.get(row.id) ?? [],
     running,
-    watcherArmed: row.watcherArmed,
+    watcherArmed: row.watcherArmed || liveLoopPid(who.email, row.sessionId) !== null,
     watcherArmedAt: row.watcherArmedAt,
     watcherStoppedAt: row.watcherStoppedAt,
     watcherLastFiredAt: lastFiredByRow.get(row.id) ?? null,