diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/bin/hivectl.rs b/hive-c0re/src/bin/hivectl.rs
index 9374c004..40a9c81e 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/bin/hivectl.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/bin/hivectl.rs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ use std::os::unix::process::CommandExt as _;
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 
 use anyhow::{Context as _, Result, bail};
-use clap::{Parser, Subcommand};
+use clap::{Args, Parser, Subcommand};
 use hive_c0re::coordinator::Coordinator;
 
 #[derive(Parser)]
@@ -100,6 +100,36 @@ enum Cmd {
         #[arg(long)]
         fresh: bool,
     },
+    /// Stop containers hive-wide in one operator action. Bare `hivectl
+    /// stop` stops **everything** — all sub-agents plus the ci, forge,
+    /// gateway, and matrix infra containers. Narrow it with scope flags:
+    /// `--agents` (all sub-agents), `--ci` / `--forge` / `--gateway` /
+    /// `--matrix` (named infra), and `--agent <name>` (repeatable) for
+    /// specific sub-agents. Flags are additive (e.g. `--agents --matrix`).
+    /// Requires the hive-c0re daemon (connects to the host admin socket).
+    /// hive-c0re itself is never stopped — it services the request.
+    Stop {
+        #[command(flatten)]
+        scope: ScopeArgs,
+        /// Gracefully quiesce each agent (finish the current turn, drain
+        /// the inbox) before stopping, instead of a hard stop.
+        #[arg(long)]
+        graceful: bool,
+        /// Path to the hive-c0re host admin socket.
+        #[arg(long, default_value = DEFAULT_HOST_SOCKET)]
+        socket: PathBuf,
+    },
+    /// Start containers hive-wide — the inverse of `hivectl stop`. Bare
+    /// `hivectl start` starts everything back up; the same scope flags as
+    /// `stop` narrow it (`--agents`, `--ci`, `--forge`, `--gateway`,
+    /// `--matrix`, `--agent <name>`). Requires the hive-c0re daemon.
+    Start {
+        #[command(flatten)]
+        scope: ScopeArgs,
+        /// Path to the hive-c0re host admin socket.
+        #[arg(long, default_value = DEFAULT_HOST_SOCKET)]
+        socket: PathBuf,
+    },
     /// Emit the full CLI reference as `CommonMark` to stdout.
     ///
     /// Hidden tooling command (not part of day-to-day operator admin):
@@ -111,6 +141,49 @@ enum Cmd {
     MarkdownDocs,
 }
 
+/// Shared scope flags for `hivectl stop` / `hivectl start`. With no flag
+/// set the verb targets **everything** (all sub-agents + every controllable
+/// infra container). Setting any flag restricts to the selected classes,
+/// additively.
+// One bool per selectable container class, each mapping 1:1 to a clap flag;
+// orthogonal toggles, not a state machine — hence the bools allow (mirrors
+// `hive_sh4re::LifecycleScope`).
+#[allow(clippy::struct_excessive_bools)]
+#[derive(Args)]
+struct ScopeArgs {
+    /// All sub-agent containers.
+    #[arg(long)]
+    agents: bool,
+    /// A specific sub-agent by name. Repeatable: `--agent a --agent b`.
+    #[arg(long = "agent", value_name = "NAME")]
+    agent: Vec<String>,
+    /// The CI runner container (`hive-ci`).
+    #[arg(long)]
+    ci: bool,
+    /// The forge container (`hive-forge`).
+    #[arg(long)]
+    forge: bool,
+    /// The gateway container (`hive-gateway`).
+    #[arg(long)]
+    gateway: bool,
+    /// The matrix container (`hive-matrix`).
+    #[arg(long)]
+    matrix: bool,
+}
+
+impl ScopeArgs {
+    fn to_scope(&self) -> hive_sh4re::LifecycleScope {
+        hive_sh4re::LifecycleScope {
+            agents: self.agents,
+            agent_names: self.agent.clone(),
+            ci: self.ci,
+            forge: self.forge,
+            gateway: self.gateway,
+            matrix: self.matrix,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Subcommand)]
 enum ForgeCmd {
     /// Create or refresh the Forgejo account + token for `<name>`.
@@ -348,6 +421,12 @@ async fn main() -> Result<()> {
             AgentsCmd::Restart { name, socket } => agents_restart(&socket, &name).await,
             AgentsCmd::RestartAll { socket } => agents_restart_all(&socket).await,
         },
+        Cmd::Stop {
+            scope,
+            graceful,
+            socket,
+        } => stop(&socket, scope.to_scope(), graceful).await,
+        Cmd::Start { scope, socket } => start(&socket, scope.to_scope()).await,
         Cmd::Choom { name, fresh } => choom(&name, fresh),
         Cmd::MarkdownDocs => {
             print!("{}", clap_markdown::help_markdown::<Cli>());
@@ -804,6 +883,43 @@ async fn agents_restart_all(socket: &Path) -> Result<()> {
     Ok(())
 }
 
+async fn stop(socket: &Path, scope: hive_sh4re::LifecycleScope, graceful: bool) -> Result<()> {
+    let resp =
+        hive_c0re::client::request(socket, hive_sh4re::HostRequest::Stop { scope, graceful })
+            .await
+            .with_context(|| format!("connect to daemon socket {}", socket.display()))?;
+    render_lifecycle(&resp, "stopped")
+}
+
+async fn start(socket: &Path, scope: hive_sh4re::LifecycleScope) -> Result<()> {
+    let resp = hive_c0re::client::request(socket, hive_sh4re::HostRequest::Start { scope })
+        .await
+        .with_context(|| format!("connect to daemon socket {}", socket.display()))?;
+    render_lifecycle(&resp, "started")
+}
+
+/// Render a hive-wide stop/start response: one `<verb>: <name>` line per
+/// touched container, then surface any aggregated per-target failure as a
+/// non-zero exit. `verb` is the past-tense word printed per item
+/// (`stopped` / `started`).
+fn render_lifecycle(resp: &hive_sh4re::HostResponse, verb: &str) -> Result<()> {
+    let items = resp.agents.as_deref().unwrap_or(&[]);
+    if items.is_empty() {
+        println!("{verb}: nothing matched the requested scope");
+    } else {
+        for item in items {
+            println!("{verb}: {item}");
+        }
+    }
+    if !resp.ok {
+        bail!(
+            "{verb}: {}",
+            resp.error.as_deref().unwrap_or("unknown error")
+        );
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 /// Reject usernames containing `:` (field separator) or control chars
 /// that would corrupt the htpasswd file format.
 fn validate_htpasswd_username(username: &str) -> Result<()> {
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/priv_client.rs b/hive-c0re/src/priv_client.rs
index 6f38a131..4993d0eb 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/priv_client.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/priv_client.rs
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@
 
 use anyhow::{Context as _, Result, bail};
 use hive_sh4re::priv_proto::{
-    BindMount, JournalQuery, NetworkIsolation, PRIV_SOCK, PrivEvent, PrivRequest, PrivResponse,
-    PrivStream,
+    BindMount, InfraAction, JournalQuery, NetworkIsolation, PRIV_SOCK, PrivEvent, PrivRequest,
+    PrivResponse, PrivStream,
 };
 use tokio::io::{AsyncBufReadExt, AsyncWriteExt, BufReader};
 use tokio::net::UnixStream;
@@ -295,6 +295,20 @@ pub async fn restart_infra_container(container: &str) -> Result<()> {
     .await?)
 }
 
+/// Start / stop / restart a hive infrastructure container (`hive-ci`,
+/// `hive-gateway`, `hive-forge`, `hive-matrix`) on the host via `systemctl
+/// <action> container@<container>.service`. hive-priv re-validates
+/// `container` against its root-side allowlist
+/// (`CONTROLLABLE_INFRA_CONTAINERS`). Used by the hive-wide `hivectl stop` /
+/// `hivectl start` flow.
+pub async fn control_infra_container(container: &str, action: InfraAction) -> Result<()> {
+    ok(call(&PrivRequest::ControlInfraContainer {
+        container: container.to_owned(),
+        action,
+    })
+    .await?)
+}
+
 fn check(resp: PrivResponse) -> Result<(String, String)> {
     if resp.ok {
         Ok((resp.stdout, resp.stderr))
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/server.rs b/hive-c0re/src/server.rs
index 69e643d6..ceb46b3e 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/server.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/server.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ use std::path::Path;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
 use anyhow::{Context, Result};
-use hive_sh4re::{HostRequest, HostResponse};
+use hive_sh4re::priv_proto::InfraAction;
+use hive_sh4re::{HostRequest, HostResponse, LifecycleScope};
 use tokio::io::{AsyncBufReadExt, AsyncWriteExt, BufReader};
 use tokio::net::{UnixListener, UnixStream};
 
@@ -93,6 +94,8 @@ async fn dispatch(req: &HostRequest, coord: Arc<Coordinator>) -> HostResponse {
                 HostResponse::success()
             }
             HostRequest::RestartAll => handle_restart_all().await?,
+            HostRequest::Stop { scope, graceful } => handle_stop(scope, *graceful).await?,
+            HostRequest::Start { scope } => handle_start(scope).await?,
             HostRequest::Destroy { name, purge } => {
                 actions::destroy(&coord, name, *purge).await?;
                 HostResponse::success()
@@ -199,6 +202,134 @@ async fn handle_restart_all() -> Result<HostResponse> {
     }
 }
 
+/// Stop the containers a [`LifecycleScope`] selects (`hivectl stop`): the
+/// scoped sub-agents, then the scoped infra containers. Agents go down
+/// before infra so they're not mid-request against a forge/matrix that's
+/// already gone. Per-target failures are aggregated rather than aborting on
+/// the first error, mirroring `handle_restart_all`.
+async fn handle_stop(scope: &LifecycleScope, graceful: bool) -> Result<HostResponse> {
+    tracing::info!(?scope, graceful, "stop");
+    let mut ok_items: Vec<String> = Vec::new();
+    let mut errors: Vec<String> = Vec::new();
+
+    for agent in scoped_agents(scope).await? {
+        // TODO(graceful agent stop): when `graceful`, run the per-agent
+        // quiesce (turn-end → drain → reject new messages) before the kill.
+        // The flag is threaded through the wire now; the quiesce itself
+        // lands with the graceful-agent-stop work.
+        let _ = graceful;
+        match lifecycle::kill(&agent).await {
+            Ok(()) => ok_items.push(agent),
+            Err(e) => {
+                tracing::warn!(%agent, error = ?e, "stop: agent kill failed");
+                errors.push(format!("{agent}: {e:#}"));
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    for container in scoped_infra(scope) {
+        match crate::priv_client::control_infra_container(container, InfraAction::Stop).await {
+            Ok(()) => ok_items.push(container.to_owned()),
+            Err(e) => {
+                tracing::warn!(%container, error = ?e, "stop: infra stop failed");
+                errors.push(format!("{container}: {e:#}"));
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    Ok(finish_lifecycle(ok_items, &errors))
+}
+
+/// Start the containers a [`LifecycleScope`] selects (`hivectl start`) —
+/// the inverse of [`handle_stop`]. Infra comes up before agents so the
+/// agents find forge/matrix/gateway ready. Per-target failures aggregated.
+async fn handle_start(scope: &LifecycleScope) -> Result<HostResponse> {
+    tracing::info!(?scope, "start");
+    let mut ok_items: Vec<String> = Vec::new();
+    let mut errors: Vec<String> = Vec::new();
+
+    for container in scoped_infra(scope) {
+        match crate::priv_client::control_infra_container(container, InfraAction::Start).await {
+            Ok(()) => ok_items.push(container.to_owned()),
+            Err(e) => {
+                tracing::warn!(%container, error = ?e, "start: infra start failed");
+                errors.push(format!("{container}: {e:#}"));
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    for agent in scoped_agents(scope).await? {
+        match lifecycle::start(&agent).await {
+            Ok(()) => ok_items.push(agent),
+            Err(e) => {
+                tracing::warn!(%agent, error = ?e, "start: agent start failed");
+                errors.push(format!("{agent}: {e:#}"));
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    Ok(finish_lifecycle(ok_items, &errors))
+}
+
+/// Resolve which sub-agent logical names a scope targets: every live
+/// container (from `lifecycle::list`) when `agents` is set or the scope is
+/// "everything", plus any explicit `agent_names`. Returns de-duplicated
+/// logical names with the `h-` container prefix stripped.
+async fn scoped_agents(scope: &LifecycleScope) -> Result<Vec<String>> {
+    use std::collections::BTreeSet;
+    let mut set: BTreeSet<String> = BTreeSet::new();
+    if scope.agents || scope.is_everything() {
+        for c in lifecycle::list().await? {
+            let logical = c
+                .strip_prefix(lifecycle::AGENT_PREFIX)
+                .unwrap_or(&c)
+                .to_owned();
+            set.insert(logical);
+        }
+    }
+    for n in &scope.agent_names {
+        set.insert(n.clone());
+    }
+    Ok(set.into_iter().collect())
+}
+
+/// Resolve which infra container names a scope targets. An "everything"
+/// scope (no flags set) selects all controllable infra; otherwise each set
+/// flag maps to its container. Fixed order for deterministic output.
+fn scoped_infra(scope: &LifecycleScope) -> Vec<&'static str> {
+    let everything = scope.is_everything();
+    let mut out = Vec::new();
+    if everything || scope.ci {
+        out.push("hive-ci");
+    }
+    if everything || scope.forge {
+        out.push("hive-forge");
+    }
+    if everything || scope.gateway {
+        out.push("hive-gateway");
+    }
+    if everything || scope.matrix {
+        out.push("hive-matrix");
+    }
+    out
+}
+
+/// Build the aggregated lifecycle response: `ok` with the touched names when
+/// every target succeeded, otherwise `ok: false` with the joined errors and
+/// the partial success list (matches `handle_restart_all`).
+fn finish_lifecycle(ok_items: Vec<String>, errors: &[String]) -> HostResponse {
+    if errors.is_empty() {
+        HostResponse::list(ok_items)
+    } else {
+        HostResponse {
+            ok: false,
+            error: Some(errors.join("; ")),
+            agents: Some(ok_items),
+            approvals: None,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// Rebuild `name`'s container, notifying the manager of the outcome
 /// (success or failure) and kicking the agent's next turn on success.
 async fn handle_rebuild(coord: &Arc<Coordinator>, name: &str) -> Result<HostResponse> {
diff --git a/hive-priv/src/main.rs b/hive-priv/src/main.rs
index 55c69f94..e3a0515b 100644
--- a/hive-priv/src/main.rs
+++ b/hive-priv/src/main.rs
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@ use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 
 use anyhow::{Context as _, Result, bail};
 use hive_sh4re::priv_proto::{
-    AGENT_PREFIX, AGENT_STATE_ROOT, BindMount, JournalQuery, MANAGER_NAME, META_DIR,
-    NetworkIsolation, PRIV_SOCK, PrivEvent, PrivRequest, PrivResponse, PrivStream, PrivStreamLine,
-    RESTARTABLE_INFRA_CONTAINERS, SIBLING_CONTAINERS,
+    AGENT_PREFIX, AGENT_STATE_ROOT, BindMount, CONTROLLABLE_INFRA_CONTAINERS, InfraAction,
+    JournalQuery, MANAGER_NAME, META_DIR, NetworkIsolation, PRIV_SOCK, PrivEvent, PrivRequest,
+    PrivResponse, PrivStream, PrivStreamLine, RESTARTABLE_INFRA_CONTAINERS, SIBLING_CONTAINERS,
 };
 use tokio::io::{AsyncBufReadExt, AsyncWriteExt, BufReader};
 use tokio::net::unix::OwnedWriteHalf;
@@ -268,6 +268,11 @@ async fn exec(req: PrivRequest, writer: &mut OwnedWriteHalf) -> Result<(String,
         PrivRequest::RestartInfraContainer { ref container } => {
             restart_infra_container(container).await
         }
+
+        PrivRequest::ControlInfraContainer {
+            ref container,
+            action,
+        } => control_infra_container(container, action).await,
     }
 }
 
@@ -423,6 +428,37 @@ async fn restart_infra_container(container: &str) -> Result<(String, String)> {
     ))
 }
 
+/// `ControlInfraContainer` — start/stop/restart a hive infrastructure
+/// container via `systemctl <verb> container@<container>.service`. The
+/// `container` is validated against `CONTROLLABLE_INFRA_CONTAINERS` here,
+/// root-side; this is the authoritative allowlist (hive-c0re itself can
+/// never appear in it, so a hive-wide stop can't sever the daemon socket
+/// the request arrived on).
+async fn control_infra_container(container: &str, action: InfraAction) -> Result<(String, String)> {
+    if !CONTROLLABLE_INFRA_CONTAINERS.contains(&container) {
+        bail!("container {container:?} is not a controllable hive infra container");
+    }
+    let verb = action.systemctl_verb();
+    let unit = format!("container@{container}.service");
+    let out = Command::new("systemctl")
+        .args([verb, &unit])
+        .output()
+        .await
+        .with_context(|| format!("systemctl {verb} {unit}"))?;
+    if !out.status.success() {
+        bail!(
+            "systemctl {verb} {unit} exited {}: {}",
+            out.status,
+            String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr).trim()
+        );
+    }
+    tracing::info!(target: "infra-control", "{verb} {unit}");
+    Ok((
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stdout).into_owned(),
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr).into_owned(),
+    ))
+}
+
 /// Shared helper for `WriteAgentForgeToken` and `WriteAgentMatrixToken`.
 /// Writes `content` to `AGENT_STATE_ROOT/<agent_name>/state/<filename>`,
 /// chowns to the agent user (derived from the state dir's existing owner),
diff --git a/hive-sh4re/src/lib.rs b/hive-sh4re/src/lib.rs
index 7308761e..ba3789a7 100644
--- a/hive-sh4re/src/lib.rs
+++ b/hive-sh4re/src/lib.rs
@@ -58,6 +58,68 @@ pub enum HostRequest {
         child: String,
         new_parent: Option<String>,
     },
+    /// Stop managed containers hive-wide in one operator action
+    /// (`hivectl stop`): agents plus the selected infra containers. `scope`
+    /// selects which classes; an all-false scope means **everything** (the
+    /// bare `hivectl stop`). `graceful` runs the per-agent quiesce (graceful
+    /// agent stop, issue tracker `graceful agent stop`) instead of a hard
+    /// stop. Agents stop via the lifecycle path; infra containers via the
+    /// host `container@<name>` units.
+    Stop {
+        #[serde(default)]
+        scope: LifecycleScope,
+        #[serde(default)]
+        graceful: bool,
+    },
+    /// Start managed containers hive-wide — the inverse of `Stop`
+    /// (`hivectl start`). Same `scope` semantics (all-false = everything);
+    /// no graceful flag (start is unconditional).
+    Start {
+        #[serde(default)]
+        scope: LifecycleScope,
+    },
+}
+
+/// Selects which container classes a hive-wide [`HostRequest::Stop`] /
+/// [`HostRequest::Start`] touches. An all-false scope means **everything**
+/// (the bare `hivectl stop` / `start`); set individual fields to restrict
+/// (e.g. only `agents` → just the sub-agent containers). `agents` covers
+/// every managed sub-agent container; the rest are the named infra
+/// containers (`hive-ci`, `hive-forge`, `hive-gateway`, `hive-matrix`).
+//
+// A flat bag of independent flag toggles — one bool per selectable
+// container class — is exactly the right shape here: each maps 1:1 to a
+// `hivectl` `--ci` / `--forge` / `--gateway` / `--matrix` flag, and they're
+// orthogonal (any subset is valid), so a state machine or two-variant enums
+// would only obscure the mapping. Hence the `struct_excessive_bools` allow.
+#[allow(clippy::struct_excessive_bools)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Default, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+pub struct LifecycleScope {
+    /// All sub-agent containers (`--agents`).
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub agents: bool,
+    /// Specific sub-agents by logical name (`--agent <name>`, repeatable).
+    /// Additive with the rest of the scope; redundant when `agents` is set
+    /// (which already covers every sub-agent).
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub agent_names: Vec<String>,
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub ci: bool,
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub forge: bool,
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub gateway: bool,
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub matrix: bool,
+}
+
+impl LifecycleScope {
+    /// True when nothing is explicitly selected — interpreted as "all
+    /// classes" (the bare `hivectl stop` / `start` with no scope flags).
+    pub fn is_everything(&self) -> bool {
+        !(self.agents || self.ci || self.forge || self.gateway || self.matrix)
+            && self.agent_names.is_empty()
+    }
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
diff --git a/hive-sh4re/src/priv_proto.rs b/hive-sh4re/src/priv_proto.rs
index b23fca72..8265e4ff 100644
--- a/hive-sh4re/src/priv_proto.rs
+++ b/hive-sh4re/src/priv_proto.rs
@@ -27,6 +27,37 @@ pub const SIBLING_CONTAINERS: &[&str] = &["hive-forge", "hive-matrix", "hive-gat
 /// it is the authoritative allowlist regardless of what the caller sends.
 pub const RESTARTABLE_INFRA_CONTAINERS: &[&str] = &["hive-ci", "hive-gateway", "hive-forge"];
 
+/// Infra containers hive-c0re may stop/start/restart hive-wide for the
+/// `hivectl stop` / `hivectl start` operator flow. Superset of
+/// [`RESTARTABLE_INFRA_CONTAINERS`]: it adds `hive-matrix`, because a full
+/// stop is a deliberate operator action (unlike the disruptive mid-sync
+/// *restart* the `infra_admin` MCP path forbids). `hive-c0re` is still
+/// excluded — it runs the daemon servicing the request and must never stop
+/// itself. hive-priv re-validates against this list root-side.
+pub const CONTROLLABLE_INFRA_CONTAINERS: &[&str] =
+    &["hive-ci", "hive-gateway", "hive-forge", "hive-matrix"];
+
+/// Lifecycle verb for [`PrivRequest::ControlInfraContainer`]. Maps directly
+/// to `systemctl <verb> container@<container>.service`.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "snake_case")]
+pub enum InfraAction {
+    Start,
+    Stop,
+    Restart,
+}
+
+impl InfraAction {
+    /// The `systemctl` subcommand this action maps to.
+    pub fn systemctl_verb(self) -> &'static str {
+        match self {
+            InfraAction::Start => "start",
+            InfraAction::Stop => "stop",
+            InfraAction::Restart => "restart",
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// Host path of the meta flake. The flake ref for agent `<name>` is
 /// `{META_DIR}#{name}`, derived by `hive-priv` — never passed over the wire.
 pub const META_DIR: &str = "/var/lib/hyperhive/meta";
@@ -316,6 +347,16 @@ pub enum PrivRequest {
         /// [`RESTARTABLE_INFRA_CONTAINERS`].
         container: String,
     },
+
+    /// Start/stop/restart a hive infrastructure container on the host via
+    /// `systemctl <action> container@<container>.service`. hive-priv
+    /// validates `container` against [`CONTROLLABLE_INFRA_CONTAINERS`]
+    /// root-side. Generalises [`PrivRequest::RestartInfraContainer`] for the
+    /// hive-wide `hivectl stop` / `hivectl start` operator flow.
+    ControlInfraContainer {
+        container: String,
+        action: InfraAction,
+    },
 }
 
 /// Response from the privileged helper.