diff --git a/frontend/packages/agent/src/Root.tsx b/frontend/packages/agent/src/Root.tsx
index 8d5fb605..7aabfc37 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/agent/src/Root.tsx
+++ b/frontend/packages/agent/src/Root.tsx
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ export function Root() {
             paused={false}
             onTogglePause={() => {}}
             thinking={false}
-            onCancelTurn={() => {}}
+            onCancelTurn={() => Promise.resolve()}
           />
         </Header>
         <main className="agent-main">
@@ -210,12 +210,12 @@ export function Root() {
             );
           }}
           thinking={effectiveTurnState === 'thinking'}
-          onCancelTurn={() => {
+          onCancelTurn={() =>
             postCancelTurn().then((r) => {
               if (!r.ok) liveStreamRef.current?.pushNote(`✗ /cancel failed${r.detail ? ': ' + r.detail : ''}`);
               refresh();
-            });
-          }}
+            })
+          }
         />
       </Header>
       <main className="agent-main">
diff --git a/frontend/packages/agent/src/components/StatusChips.tsx b/frontend/packages/agent/src/components/StatusChips.tsx
index 52cf5bcb..8c00f94e 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/agent/src/components/StatusChips.tsx
+++ b/frontend/packages/agent/src/components/StatusChips.tsx
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 // selection state live in the caller (`Root.tsx`, via the
 // `useAgentState` hook), so this component can still be demoed and
 // reviewed against plain sample data independent of live `/api/state`.
-import { useEffect, useState } from 'preact/hooks';
+import { useState } from 'preact/hooks';
 import { Badge, type BadgeTone } from '@hive/shared/badge.js';
 import { Dropdown, type DropdownOption } from '@hive/shared/dropdown.js';
 import './StatusChips.css';
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ export interface StatusChipsProps {
   onTogglePause: () => void;
   lastTurnLabel?: string;
   thinking: boolean;
-  onCancelTurn: () => void;
+  onCancelTurn: () => Promise<void>;
 }
 
 const MODEL_DESCRIPTIONS: Record<string, string> = {
@@ -105,14 +105,14 @@ export function StatusChips({
   thinking,
   onCancelTurn,
 }: StatusChipsProps) {
+  // `.finally()` on the caller's promise (not a `thinking`-flip effect):
+  // re-enables the button once the request actually settles, success or
+  // failure alike — ported from app.js's original
+  // `postCancelTurn().finally(() => { btn.disabled = false; })`. A
+  // `thinking`-only reset would leave the button stuck disabled on a
+  // failed request (argus, PR review): the turn is still in flight, so
+  // `thinking` never flips to trigger a reset.
   const [cancelBusy, setCancelBusy] = useState(false);
-  // The button unmounts (not just hides) once `thinking` flips false, but
-  // `cancelBusy` lives in this component's own state across re-renders —
-  // reset it here so a *later* turn doesn't inherit a stale "busy" from a
-  // previous cancel click.
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (!thinking) setCancelBusy(false);
-  }, [thinking]);
   return (
     <div class="status-chips">
       <Badge value={aliveLabel} tone={aliveTone} />
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ export function StatusChips({
           disabled={cancelBusy}
           onClick={() => {
             setCancelBusy(true);
-            onCancelTurn();
+            onCancelTurn().finally(() => setCancelBusy(false));
           }}
         >
           ■ cancel turn