diff --git a/hive-sh4re/src/jobs.rs b/hive-sh4re/src/jobs.rs
index a3075977..fc854fa0 100644
--- a/hive-sh4re/src/jobs.rs
+++ b/hive-sh4re/src/jobs.rs
@@ -192,4 +192,32 @@ impl DagView {
             State::Done
         }
     }
+
+    /// A short human label for the DAG, derived from its node kinds — the
+    /// shared replacement for the old `Template` wire string now that the kind
+    /// isn't sent. Priority-ordered so the most distinctive node wins (an
+    /// approval deploy reads as "deploy" even though it also rebuilds). Purely
+    /// cosmetic (progress/queue display); consumers that need exactness inspect
+    /// the node kinds directly.
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn label(&self) -> &'static str {
+        let has = |k: &str| self.nodes.iter().any(|n| n.kind == k);
+        if has("approval_deploy") {
+            "deploy"
+        } else if has("meta_lock") {
+            "meta-update"
+        } else if has("create") || has("provision") {
+            "spawn"
+        } else if has("swap") || has("prebuild") || has("post_swap") {
+            "rebuild"
+        } else if has("write_perm_file") {
+            "perm-change"
+        } else if has("signal") || has("drain") {
+            "graceful"
+        } else if has("set_wanted") || has("stop_for_update") {
+            "power"
+        } else {
+            "reconcile"
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/hivectl/src/dag_progress.rs b/hivectl/src/dag_progress.rs
index 4d257800..89ff638c 100644
--- a/hivectl/src/dag_progress.rs
+++ b/hivectl/src/dag_progress.rs
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ async fn wait_for_dags_plain(socket: &Path, ids: Vec<u64>) -> Result<()> {
                 // sees whether the agent came back.
                 if d.nodes.iter().all(|n| n.state.is_terminal()) {
                     if d.rollup_state() == hive_sh4re::jobs::State::Failed {
-                        failed.push(format!("{} {}", d.source.as_str(), dag_agents(d)));
+                        failed.push(format!("{} {}", d.label(), dag_agents(d)));
                     }
                 } else {
                     all_terminal = false;
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ async fn wait_for_dags_animated(socket: &Path, ids: Vec<u64>) -> Result<()> {
                 hdr.set_message(format!(
                     "{} {} {} · {}",
                     state_glyph(d.rollup_state()),
-                    d.source.as_str(),
+                    d.label(),
                     dag_agents(d),
                     fmt_dur(dag_elapsed(d, now)),
                 ));
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ async fn wait_for_dags_animated(socket: &Path, ids: Vec<u64>) -> Result<()> {
                 }
                 if d.nodes.iter().all(|n| n.state.is_terminal()) {
                     if d.rollup_state() == hive_sh4re::jobs::State::Failed {
-                        failed.push(format!("{} {}", d.source.as_str(), dag_agents(d)));
+                        failed.push(format!("{} {}", d.label(), dag_agents(d)));
                     }
                 } else {
                     all_terminal = false;
@@ -290,16 +290,16 @@ fn state_glyph(state: hive_sh4re::jobs::State) -> &'static str {
     }
 }
 
-/// One progress line for a DAG: roll-up glyph, `source`, agents, then the
-/// node chain — the CLI twin of the dashboard's queue card. The header shows
-/// what the backend sends (`source` + the raw node kinds); only the roll-up
-/// state glyph is derived from the node set. Used by the plain (non-TTY) path.
+/// One progress line for a DAG: roll-up glyph, derived label, agents, then
+/// the node chain — the CLI twin of the dashboard's queue card. Both the
+/// roll-up state and the label are derived from the node set (the wire no
+/// longer carries them). Used by the plain (non-TTY) path.
 fn render_dag_line(d: &hive_sh4re::jobs::DagView) -> String {
     use std::fmt::Write as _;
     let mut out = format!(
         "{} {} {:<12}",
         state_glyph(d.rollup_state()),
-        d.source.as_str(),
+        d.label(),
         dag_agents(d)
     );
     for (i, n) in d.nodes.iter().enumerate() {
@@ -337,12 +337,10 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn render_dag_line_shows_source_and_chain() {
-        // The header shows what the backend sends: the roll-up state glyph
-        // (derived — Running here) + the DAG `source` ("manual"); the operation
-        // is read off the node chain, not a client-side label. (`Done` nodes
-        // are included here to exercise glyph rendering; production filters
-        // them off.)
+    fn render_dag_line_shows_chain_with_derived_label_and_state() {
+        // Roll-up state (Running) + label ("rebuild") are derived from the node
+        // set — the wire no longer carries them. (`Done` nodes are included
+        // here to exercise glyph rendering; production filters them off.)
         let dag = DagView {
             id: 7,
             source: Source::Manual,
@@ -358,7 +356,7 @@ mod tests {
             ],
         };
         let line = render_dag_line(&dag);
-        assert!(line.starts_with("▶ manual alice"), "{line}");
+        assert!(line.starts_with("▶ rebuild alice"), "{line}");
         assert!(
             line.contains("✔ prebuild → ✔ stop_for_update → ▶ swap → ⏸ reconcile"),
             "{line}"
@@ -379,7 +377,7 @@ mod tests {
             nodes: vec![failed],
         };
         let line = render_dag_line(&dag);
-        assert!(line.contains("✖ manual"), "{line}");
+        assert!(line.contains("✖ rebuild"), "{line}");
         assert!(line.contains("— nix build exploded"), "{line}");
     }
 }