diff --git a/hive-agent/src/boot_announce.rs b/hive-agent/src/boot_announce.rs
index 53d64f85..43c9a509 100644
--- a/hive-agent/src/boot_announce.rs
+++ b/hive-agent/src/boot_announce.rs
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@ pub fn announce(label: &str, todos: &Todos, wake: &Notify) {
          still in your window."
     );
     match todos.upsert(SUBSYSTEM, Some(KEY), &summary, None, true) {
-        Ok(_) => wake.notify_one(),
+        Ok((_, true)) => wake.notify_one(),
+        Ok((_, false)) => {}
         Err(e) => tracing::warn!(error = ?e, "boot_announce: todo upsert failed"),
     }
 }
@@ -59,6 +60,16 @@ pub fn announce(label: &str, todos: &Todos, wake: &Notify) {
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
 
+    /// Drains any pending permit so the next check starts from "no wake
+    /// armed" — `notify_one` coalesces multiple calls into a single
+    /// stored permit, so an un-drained leftover from a prior step would
+    /// make this step's check pass regardless of whether `announce` wove
+    /// in a fresh one.
+    fn wake_fired(wake: &Notify) -> bool {
+        use futures_util::FutureExt as _;
+        wake.notified().now_or_never().is_some()
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn two_boots_without_an_ack_leave_one_row() {
         let dir = tempfile::tempdir().expect("tempdir");
@@ -87,4 +98,33 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(rows.len(), 1);
         assert_eq!(rows[0].id, id);
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn only_a_changed_upsert_wakes() {
+        let dir = tempfile::tempdir().expect("tempdir");
+        let todos = Todos::open(&dir.path().join("state.sqlite")).expect("open");
+        let wake = Notify::new();
+
+        // First boot: fresh row, must wake.
+        announce("a", &todos, &wake);
+        assert!(wake_fired(&wake), "first boot wakes");
+
+        // Second boot before any ack: same row, unchanged summary — must
+        // NOT wake. This is the restart-storm case: a boot while the
+        // notice is still pending costs nothing extra.
+        announce("a", &todos, &wake);
+        assert!(
+            !wake_fired(&wake),
+            "repeat boot with the row still open must not wake"
+        );
+
+        // Ack it, then boot again: the row reopens — must wake again.
+        let id = todos.list(Some(SUBSYSTEM)).expect("list")[0].id;
+        todos.mark_done(id).expect("mark_done");
+        announce("a", &todos, &wake);
+        assert!(
+            wake_fired(&wake),
+            "boot after an ack reopens the row and wakes"
+        );
+    }
 }