diff --git a/docs/web-ui.md b/docs/web-ui.md
index 51a6a6f9..11ff2084 100644
--- a/docs/web-ui.md
+++ b/docs/web-ui.md
@@ -433,8 +433,14 @@ body sits to the right with three stacked lines
   entry for this agent is `queued` or `running` but no
   operator-initiated transient is set, the card surfaces a
   `building…` / `meta-updating…` badge sourced from
-  `rebuildQueueState` (#398) — so the SW4RM tab shows the same
+  `rebuildQueueState` — so the SW4RM tab shows the same
   rebuild progress visible on the SYST3M tab's R3BU1LD QU3U3.
+  The row visual splits queued vs running: a **queued** entry shows
+  only the pending-state pill (no row tint, so a long queue doesn't
+  paint half the tab amber); a **running** entry keeps the amber
+  row tint AND draws a **rotating amber ring** around the agent
+  icon, so it's obvious at a glance which container is actually
+  moving.
   Container name + port, and a `ctx · Nk` chip showing the
   agent's last-turn context size (from `ContainerView.ctx_tokens`,
   read from the turn-stats sqlite on each `build_all` sweep;
diff --git a/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/dashboard.css b/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/dashboard.css
index 20260a0e..c0a92dba 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/dashboard.css
+++ b/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/dashboard.css
@@ -341,11 +341,38 @@ a:hover {
   flex: 1;
   min-width: 0;
 }
-.container-row.pending {
+/* Pending state splits queued vs running (#769): queued ops show
+   only the pending-state badge — the row sits unhighlighted so a
+   long queue doesn't paint half the SW4RM tab amber. Running ops
+   keep the amber row tint AND get a rotating amber ring on the
+   agent icon so it's obvious which container is actually moving. */
+.container-row.pending .actions { opacity: 0.4; pointer-events: none; }
+.container-row.pending-running {
   border-color: var(--amber);
   background: rgba(250, 179, 135, 0.05);
 }
-.container-row.pending .actions { opacity: 0.4; pointer-events: none; }
+/* The spinner is a transparent border ring with two adjacent sides
+   coloured amber, rotated by a CSS animation — looks like an
+   orbiting arc around the icon. Override the icon's overflow:hidden
+   so the ring can sit just outside the square; it composes naturally
+   with the mauve selected-ring (selected + running shows both). */
+@keyframes container-icon-spin {
+  to { transform: rotate(360deg); }
+}
+.container-row.pending-running > .container-icon {
+  overflow: visible;
+}
+.container-row.pending-running > .container-icon::after {
+  content: '';
+  position: absolute;
+  inset: -4px;
+  border-radius: 10px;
+  border: 2px solid transparent;
+  border-top-color: var(--amber);
+  border-right-color: var(--amber);
+  animation: container-icon-spin 1s linear infinite;
+  pointer-events: none;
+}
 .container-row .head {
   display: flex;
   align-items: center;
diff --git a/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/tabs.js b/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/tabs.js
index c5460031..605bcc1f 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/tabs.js
+++ b/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/tabs.js
@@ -497,10 +497,19 @@ window.marked = marked;
               : (op.kind === 'meta_update' ? 'meta-update queued'
                   : op.kind === 'destroy'  ? 'destroy queued'
                   : 'rebuild queued')));
+      // Split the visual into queued vs running (#769): queued ops get
+      // no row highlight — the badge text alone says "wait, queued" —
+      // while running ops keep the amber row tint + add a rotating
+      // amber ring on the agent icon. Operator-initiated transients
+      // always count as running (the op is already in flight even if
+      // the queue worker hasn't picked it up yet).
+      const opRunning = transientKind != null
+        || (op != null && op.state === 'running');
       const selected = selectionState.has(c.name);
       const li = el('li', {
         class: 'container-row'
           + (pending ? ' pending' : '')
+          + (opRunning ? ' pending-running' : '')
           + (selected ? ' selected' : ''),
       });
       // Topology: depth contributes left-padding; the glyph string in