diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle.rs b/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle.rs
index cb12cb55..fd3986a6 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/lifecycle.rs
@@ -336,34 +336,14 @@ pub async fn rebuild_no_meta(
     let container = container_name(name);
     let flake_ref = format!("{}#{name}", crate::meta::meta_dir().display());
     if container_exists(name).await {
-        // Existing container: preserve the prior running state across
-        // rebuild (closes #371) and apply both the new system profile
-        // AND any `/etc/nixos-containers/<c>.conf` / drop-in changes
-        // in a single start rather than `update`'s reload-then-outer-
-        // restart double-bounce.
-        //
-        // `nixos-container update` only runs `systemctl reload
-        // container@<c>` when the container is up (per the
-        // `isContainerRunning` check in nixos-container.pl), so
-        // stopping first makes `update` boot-style: build + nix-env
-        // --set the new profile, skip the in-container
-        // switch-to-configuration, let the next `start` apply both
-        // the new profile and the new EXTRA_NSPAWN_FLAGS in one go.
-        // If the container was already stopped, `update` builds + sets
-        // the profile and we leave it stopped.
-        let was_running = is_running(name).await;
+        // Existing container: update nspawn flags, then rebuild + restart
+        // so any bind-mount / networking changes take effect.
         set_nspawn_flags(&container, agent_dir, claude_dir, notes_dir)?;
         set_resource_limits(&container)?;
         systemd_daemon_reload().await?;
-        if was_running {
-            run(&["stop", &container]).await?;
-        }
         run(&["update", &container, "--flake", &flake_ref]).await?;
-        if was_running {
-            run(&["start", &container]).await
-        } else {
-            Ok(())
-        }
+        run(&["stop", &container]).await?;
+        run(&["start", &container]).await
     } else {
         // First spawn: create the container first (which writes the nspawn
         // conf file), then overwrite with our flags and start.