diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/container_view.rs b/hive-c0re/src/container_view.rs
index 53ba20d9..89f64e29 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/container_view.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/container_view.rs
@@ -312,8 +312,8 @@ fn read_harness_flags(name: &hive_types::Ident) -> (bool, bool, bool) {
 ///
 /// NB: a caller building `AgentMeta` for a *stopped* container must clear
 /// the result — the on-disk status is a stale snapshot from before the
-/// stop. [`read_agent_status_live`] applies that rule, and is what the
-/// socket server and the swarm status reader actually call.
+/// stop. [`read_agent_status_live`] and [`read_agent_status_bounded`] apply
+/// that rule, for the socket server and the swarm status reader respectively.
 fn read_agent_status(name: &hive_types::Ident) -> (Option<String>, Option<i64>) {
     let path = Coordinator::agent_notes_dir(name).join("hyperhive-status");
     let meta = std::fs::metadata(&path).ok();
@@ -357,7 +357,24 @@ fn read_agent_status(name: &hive_types::Ident) -> (Option<String>, Option<i64>)
 pub async fn read_agent_status_live(
     name: &hive_types::Ident,
 ) -> (Option<String>, Option<i64>, bool) {
-    if !lifecycle::is_running(name.as_str()).await {
+    status_if_running(name, lifecycle::is_running(name.as_str()).await)
+}
+
+/// [`read_agent_status_live`] on the bounded [`lifecycle::running_state`],
+/// for periodic workers; `None` when the unit state is unreadable.
+pub async fn read_agent_status_bounded(
+    name: &hive_types::Ident,
+) -> Option<(Option<String>, Option<i64>, bool)> {
+    lifecycle::running_state(name.as_str())
+        .await
+        .map(|running| status_if_running(name, running))
+}
+
+fn status_if_running(
+    name: &hive_types::Ident,
+    running: bool,
+) -> (Option<String>, Option<i64>, bool) {
+    if !running {
         return (None, None, false);
     }
     let (text, set_at) = read_agent_status(name);
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle/mod.rs b/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle/mod.rs
index ca78d8fc..4328b8fa 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle/mod.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle/mod.rs
@@ -627,19 +627,28 @@ pub async fn unit_state(name: &str) -> UnitState {
 }
 
 /// True when the container's systemd unit is active. Used by the dashboard
-/// to gate stop/restart buttons. A state that could not be read (see
-/// [`running_state`]) is `false`.
+/// to gate stop/restart buttons.
 ///
 /// Kept boolean on purpose: nearly every caller is reconcile/power logic
 /// asking "is it up? if not, start it", and that question has two answers.
 /// A caller that needs to tell *failed* from *stopped* wants
 /// [`unit_state`] instead.
+///
+/// Unbounded: its callers record or act on the answer, so a hung `systemctl`
+/// must not read as "not running". Periodic workers use [`running_state`].
 pub async fn is_running(name: &str) -> bool {
-    running_state(name).await == Some(true)
+    let container = container_name(name);
+    let unit = format!("container@{container}.service");
+    Command::new("systemctl")
+        .args(["is-active", "--quiet", &unit])
+        .status()
+        .await
+        .is_ok_and(|s| s.success())
 }
 
-/// Whether the container's systemd unit is active; `None` when `systemctl`
-/// could not be run or did not answer within [`IS_ACTIVE_TIMEOUT`].
+/// Whether the container's systemd unit is active, for periodic workers that
+/// must not stall on a hung `systemctl`; `None` when it could not be run or
+/// did not answer within [`IS_ACTIVE_TIMEOUT`].
 pub async fn running_state(name: &str) -> Option<bool> {
     let container = container_name(name);
     let unit = format!("container@{container}.service");
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/swarm_agent_status.rs b/hive-c0re/src/swarm_agent_status.rs
index 54dd1777..7ba8f140 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/swarm_agent_status.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/swarm_agent_status.rs
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@
 //! `swarm_queue_client::agent_status`'s module doc for why hive status and
 //! agent status live in separate buckets. Same direction, though: a hive
 //! **offers** what it already knows about its own agents (via
-//! [`crate::container_view::read_agent_status_live`], the same read
-//! `GetAgentMeta` serves to the dashboard), and the swarm controller never
-//! reaches down to collect it.
+//! [`crate::container_view::read_agent_status_bounded`], the bounded form of
+//! the read `GetAgentMeta` serves to the dashboard), and the swarm
+//! controller never reaches down to collect it.
 //!
 //! **One publish per agent, not one document for the hive.** Each agent
 //! gets its own key (`swarm_queue_client::agent_status::key`), so one
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ const FAILURES_BEFORE_BANNER: u32 = 3;
 ///
 /// Takes no `Coordinator` handle, unlike its sibling: this task only reads
 /// agent state that already exists on disk / in the container runtime
-/// (`lifecycle::agents_for_meta_listing`, `container_view::read_agent_status_live`),
+/// (`lifecycle::agents_for_meta_listing`, `container_view::read_agent_status_bounded`),
 /// it never touches the job queue or broker the way `swarm_status::spawn`'s
 /// deploy-event listener does.
 pub fn spawn(mut shutdown: tokio::sync::watch::Receiver<bool>) {
@@ -121,8 +121,12 @@ async fn publish_all(client: &async_nats::Client, hive: &str) -> Result<usize> {
             tracing::warn!(agent = %spec.name, "agent status: name failed Ident::parse, skipping");
             continue;
         };
-        let (status_text, status_set_at, running) =
-            crate::container_view::read_agent_status_live(&ident).await;
+        let Some((status_text, status_set_at, running)) =
+            crate::container_view::read_agent_status_bounded(&ident).await
+        else {
+            tracing::warn!(agent = %spec.name, "agent status: unit state unreadable, skipping");
+            continue;
+        };
         let payload = swarm_queue_client::agent_status::AgentStatus {
             status_text,
             status_set_at,