diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/actions.rs b/hive-c0re/src/actions.rs
index 5e9a0ab..67e15f9 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/actions.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/actions.rs
@@ -55,10 +55,14 @@ pub async fn approve(coord: Arc<Coordinator>, id: i64) -> Result<()> {
         ApprovalKind::Spawn => {
             // Run the spawn in the background so the approve POST returns
             // immediately. The dashboard reads `transient` to render a spinner.
-            coord.set_transient(&approval.agent, TransientKind::Spawning);
+            // Guard is created synchronously here (so the spinner appears
+            // the moment the operator clicks approve) and moved into the
+            // task; it auto-clears even if the runtime drops the task.
             let coord_bg = coord.clone();
             let approval_bg = approval.clone();
+            let guard = coord_bg.transient_guard(&approval_bg.agent, TransientKind::Spawning);
             tokio::spawn(async move {
+                let guard = guard;
                 let agent_bg = approval_bg.agent.clone();
                 let result = lifecycle::spawn(
                     &approval_bg.agent,
@@ -72,7 +76,7 @@ pub async fn approve(coord: Arc<Coordinator>, id: i64) -> Result<()> {
                     &coord_bg.operator_pronouns,
                 )
                 .await;
-                coord_bg.clear_transient(&agent_bg);
+                drop(guard);
                 if let Err(e) = finish_approval(&coord_bg, &approval_bg, result, None) {
                     tracing::warn!(agent = %agent_bg, error = ?e, "spawn approval failed");
                 }
@@ -285,17 +289,15 @@ async fn run_apply_commit(
 /// anyway. With `purge=true` the persistent trees are also wiped — config
 /// history, claude creds, notes — there is no undo.
 /// Refuses the manager (declarative; would fight with the host's nixos config).
-pub async fn destroy(coord: &Coordinator, name: &str, purge: bool) -> Result<()> {
+pub async fn destroy(coord: &Arc<Coordinator>, name: &str, purge: bool) -> Result<()> {
     if name == MANAGER_NAME || name == MANAGER_AGENT {
         bail!("refusing to destroy the manager ({name})");
     }
     tracing::info!(%name, purge, "destroy");
-    coord.set_transient(name, TransientKind::Destroying);
-    let result = lifecycle::destroy(name).await;
-    if result.is_err() {
-        coord.clear_transient(name);
-    }
-    result?;
+    // Guard auto-clears on the success path's final scope exit and on
+    // every early-return / cancellation along the way.
+    let _guard = coord.transient_guard(name, TransientKind::Destroying);
+    lifecycle::destroy(name).await?;
     coord.unregister_agent(name);
     let runtime = Coordinator::agent_dir(name);
     if runtime.exists() {
@@ -329,7 +331,7 @@ pub async fn destroy(coord: &Coordinator, name: &str, purge: bool) -> Result<()>
             "agent destroyed"
         },
     );
-    coord.clear_transient(name);
+    drop(_guard);
     coord.notify_manager(&HelperEvent::Destroyed {
         agent: name.to_owned(),
     });
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/auto_update.rs b/hive-c0re/src/auto_update.rs
index b07f1e5..2b2eb6e 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/auto_update.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/auto_update.rs
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ pub async fn rebuild_agent(coord: &Arc<Coordinator>, name: &str, current_rev: &s
     // lifecycle::rebuild. Dashboard rebuilds already do this via
     // lifecycle_action; this catches the auto-update scan + any
     // other direct caller.
-    coord.set_transient(name, crate::coordinator::TransientKind::Rebuilding);
+    let _guard = coord.transient_guard(name, crate::coordinator::TransientKind::Rebuilding);
     let result = lifecycle::rebuild(
         name,
         &coord.hyperhive_flake,
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ pub async fn rebuild_agent(coord: &Arc<Coordinator>, name: &str, current_rev: &s
         &coord.operator_pronouns,
     )
     .await;
-    coord.clear_transient(name);
+    drop(_guard);
     match &result {
         Ok(()) => {
             if let Err(e) = std::fs::write(rev_marker_path(name), current_rev) {
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/coordinator.rs b/hive-c0re/src/coordinator.rs
index 4d4cc8f..ec21b0d 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/coordinator.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/coordinator.rs
@@ -57,6 +57,21 @@ pub struct TransientState {
     pub since: std::time::Instant,
 }
 
+/// RAII handle returned by `Coordinator::transient_guard`. Cleared on
+/// drop — including drop-via-cancellation, the path that bare
+/// `set_transient` / `clear_transient` pairs leaked through. Holds an
+/// `Arc<Coordinator>` so the guard is freely returnable / movable.
+pub struct TransientGuard {
+    coord: Arc<Coordinator>,
+    name: String,
+}
+
+impl Drop for TransientGuard {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        self.coord.clear_transient(&self.name);
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy)]
 pub enum TransientKind {
     /// `lifecycle::spawn` is running (nixos-container create + update + start).
@@ -122,6 +137,13 @@ impl Coordinator {
     }
 
     /// Mark an agent as in-progress (only one state per agent for now).
+    ///
+    /// Prefer `transient_guard` when possible — it auto-clears on drop
+    /// even if the surrounding future is cancelled (HTTP request
+    /// aborted, runtime shutdown mid-rebuild, panic between set and
+    /// clear). The bare `set_transient` / `clear_transient` pair leaks
+    /// the transient on any of those paths and the dashboard then
+    /// shows the agent stuck in "rebuilding…" forever.
     pub fn set_transient(&self, name: &str, kind: TransientKind) {
         self.transient.lock().unwrap().insert(
             name.to_owned(),
@@ -136,6 +158,19 @@ impl Coordinator {
         self.transient.lock().unwrap().remove(name);
     }
 
+    /// Set a transient state and return a guard that clears it on drop.
+    /// Use this from any path where the surrounding future could be
+    /// cancelled or panic between set and clear (HTTP handlers, spawned
+    /// tasks). The guard's `Drop` runs even on task cancellation, so
+    /// the dashboard's spinner can't get pinned forever.
+    pub fn transient_guard(self: &Arc<Self>, name: &str, kind: TransientKind) -> TransientGuard {
+        self.set_transient(name, kind);
+        TransientGuard {
+            coord: self.clone(),
+            name: name.to_owned(),
+        }
+    }
+
     pub fn transient_snapshot(&self) -> HashMap<String, TransientState> {
         self.transient.lock().unwrap().clone()
     }
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/dashboard.rs b/hive-c0re/src/dashboard.rs
index 3e31d57..4a80218 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/dashboard.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/dashboard.rs
@@ -1125,9 +1125,9 @@ where
     Fut: std::future::Future<Output = anyhow::Result<()>>,
 {
     let logical = strip_container_prefix(name);
-    state.coord.set_transient(&logical, kind);
+    let _guard = state.coord.transient_guard(&logical, kind);
     let result = body(logical.clone()).await;
-    state.coord.clear_transient(&logical);
+    drop(_guard);
     match result {
         Ok(()) => {
             extra(state, &logical);
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/manager_server.rs b/hive-c0re/src/manager_server.rs
index 72d58d4..1146b9f 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/manager_server.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/manager_server.rs
@@ -228,9 +228,10 @@ async fn dispatch(req: &ManagerRequest, coord: &Arc<Coordinator>) -> ManagerResp
                     message: "update: hyperhive_flake has no canonical path".into(),
                 };
             };
-            coord.set_transient(name, crate::coordinator::TransientKind::Rebuilding);
+            let _guard =
+                coord.transient_guard(name, crate::coordinator::TransientKind::Rebuilding);
             let result = crate::auto_update::rebuild_agent(coord, name, &current_rev).await;
-            coord.clear_transient(name);
+            drop(_guard);
             match result {
                 Ok(()) => {
                     coord.kick_agent(name, "container rebuilt");
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/migrate.rs b/hive-c0re/src/migrate.rs
index 9b59437..bf5e9f2 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/migrate.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/migrate.rs
@@ -101,9 +101,9 @@ pub async fn run(coord: &Arc<Coordinator>) -> Result<()> {
         // update activation triggers. Without this, crash_watch
         // would fire ContainerCrash for every agent here and the
         // manager would spuriously try to recover them.
-        coord.set_transient(name, crate::coordinator::TransientKind::Rebuilding);
+        let _guard = coord.transient_guard(name, crate::coordinator::TransientKind::Rebuilding);
         let result = repoint_container(name).await;
-        coord.clear_transient(name);
+        drop(_guard);
         if let Err(e) = result {
             tracing::warn!(%name, error = ?e, "migration: container repoint failed");
             all_ok = false;