diff --git a/hermes_cli/main.py b/hermes_cli/main.py
index 75a64c256965..95bca3408d07 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/main.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/main.py
@@ -6571,11 +6571,11 @@ def cmd_gui(args: argparse.Namespace):
     sys.exit(launch_result.returncode)
 
 
-def _find_stale_dashboard_pids(
+def _scan_dashboard_processes(
     *,
     exclude_pids: set[int] | None = None,
-) -> list[int]:
-    """Return PIDs of ``hermes dashboard`` processes other than ourselves.
+) -> list[tuple[int, str]]:
+    """Return matching ``dashboard``/``serve`` processes with their cmdlines.
 
     ``hermes dashboard`` is a long-lived server process commonly started and
     forgotten.  When ``hermes update`` replaces files on disk, the running
@@ -6611,7 +6611,7 @@ def _find_stale_dashboard_pids(
         "hermes_cli/main.py serve",
     ]
     self_pid = os.getpid()
-    dashboard_pids: list[int] = []
+    dashboard_processes: list[tuple[int, str]] = []
 
     try:
         if sys.platform == "win32":
@@ -6650,7 +6650,7 @@ def _find_stale_dashboard_pids(
                         and int(pid_str) != self_pid
                     ):
                         try:
-                            dashboard_pids.append(int(pid_str))
+                            dashboard_processes.append((int(pid_str), current_cmd))
                         except ValueError:
                             pass
         else:
@@ -6680,13 +6680,72 @@ def _find_stale_dashboard_pids(
                         continue
                     command = parts[1]
                     if any(p in command for p in patterns) and pid != self_pid:
-                        dashboard_pids.append(pid)
+                        dashboard_processes.append((pid, command))
     except (FileNotFoundError, subprocess.TimeoutExpired, OSError):
         return []
 
     if exclude_pids:
-        dashboard_pids = [p for p in dashboard_pids if p not in exclude_pids]
-    return dashboard_pids
+        dashboard_processes = [
+            proc for proc in dashboard_processes if proc[0] not in exclude_pids
+        ]
+    return dashboard_processes
+
+
+def _find_stale_dashboard_pids(
+    *,
+    exclude_pids: set[int] | None = None,
+) -> list[int]:
+    """Return PIDs of stale ``dashboard``/``serve`` processes for update cleanup."""
+    return [pid for pid, _cmd in _scan_dashboard_processes(exclude_pids=exclude_pids)]
+
+
+def _parse_dashboard_runtime(command: str) -> tuple[str, str, int] | None:
+    """Best-effort parse of a dashboard/server cmdline into mode, host, and port."""
+    mode = None
+    if any(
+        pattern in command
+        for pattern in (
+            "hermes dashboard",
+            "hermes_cli.main dashboard",
+            "hermes_cli/main.py dashboard",
+        )
+    ):
+        mode = "dashboard"
+    elif any(
+        pattern in command
+        for pattern in (
+            "hermes serve",
+            "hermes_cli.main serve",
+            "hermes_cli/main.py serve",
+        )
+    ):
+        mode = "serve"
+    if mode is None:
+        return None
+
+    port = 9119
+    host = "127.0.0.1"
+
+    port_match = re.search(r"(?:^|\s)--port(?:=|\s+)(\d+)", command)
+    if port_match:
+        try:
+            port = int(port_match.group(1))
+        except ValueError:
+            return None
+
+    host_match = re.search(r"(?:^|\s)--host(?:=|\s+)(\"[^\"]+\"|'[^']+'|\S+)", command)
+    if host_match:
+        host = host_match.group(1).strip("\"'") or "127.0.0.1"
+
+    return mode, host, port
+
+
+def _dashboard_probe_host(host: str | None) -> str:
+    """Map wildcard binds to a loopback address suitable for local probing."""
+    normalized = (host or "127.0.0.1").strip().strip("[]")
+    if normalized in {"", "0.0.0.0", "::"}:
+        return "127.0.0.1"
+    return normalized
 
 
 def _print_curator_first_run_notice() -> None:
@@ -7238,7 +7297,7 @@ def _kill_stale_dashboard_processes(
     reason: str = "the running backend no longer matches the updated frontend",
     *,
     restart_managed: bool = False,
-) -> None:
+) -> dict[str, list]:
     """Kill running ``hermes dashboard`` / ``hermes serve`` processes.
 
     Called at the end of ``hermes update`` (default ``reason``) and also
@@ -7263,7 +7322,7 @@ def _kill_stale_dashboard_processes(
     stop and ``Restart=on-failure`` would never fire (#68934).
     """
     if restart_managed and _restart_managed_dashboard_service(reason):
-        return
+        return {"matched": [], "killed": [], "failed": []}
 
     # When the Hermes Desktop Electron app spawns this dashboard as a
     # backend child, it sets HERMES_DESKTOP_CHILD_PID so that the update
@@ -7287,7 +7346,7 @@ def _kill_stale_dashboard_processes(
 
     pids = _find_stale_dashboard_pids(exclude_pids=exclude)
     if not pids:
-        return
+        return {"matched": [], "killed": [], "failed": []}
 
     print()
     print(f"⟲ Stopping {len(pids)} dashboard process(es) ({reason})")
@@ -7400,6 +7459,7 @@ def _kill_stale_dashboard_processes(
                     restarted_services.append(svc_name)
                 else:
                     failed_restarts.append((svc_name, "systemctl restart returned non-zero"))
+                    unrecovered.append(pid)
             elif pid in pid_cmdline:
                 respawn_cmds.append(pid_cmdline[pid])
             else:
@@ -7419,9 +7479,38 @@ def _kill_stale_dashboard_processes(
             print("  Restart anything not auto-restarted when you're ready:")
             print("    hermes dashboard --port <port>")
     elif killed:
+        unrecovered = list(killed)
         print("  Restart the dashboard when you're ready:")
         print("    hermes dashboard --port <port>")
 
+    return {
+        "matched": list(pids),
+        "killed": list(killed),
+        "failed": list(failed),
+        "unrecovered": list(unrecovered),
+    }
+
+
+def _finish_dashboard_update_cleanup(node_failures: list[str]) -> None:
+    """Refresh managed dashboards or stop stale manual ones after an update."""
+    if node_failures:
+        print()
+        print("  ℹ Leaving running dashboard process(es) untouched because the")
+        print("    Node.js dependency refresh did not complete.")
+        return
+
+    stop_result = _kill_stale_dashboard_processes(restart_managed=True)
+    if not stop_result.get("unrecovered"):
+        return
+
+    print()
+    print(
+        "⚠ A web dashboard/serve process was stopped during update and could "
+        "not be auto-restarted."
+    )
+    print("  Re-launch it when you want the web UI back:")
+    print("    hermes dashboard --port <port>")
+
 
 # Back-compat alias: some tests and any external callers may import the old
 # warn-only name.  The new behaviour (kill stale processes) replaces it.
@@ -7736,12 +7825,7 @@ def _update_via_zip(args):
         logger.debug("Curator recent-run notice failed: %s", e)
     # Don't stop a working dashboard when the Node refresh failed — see the
     # git-update path for rationale (#30271).
-    if node_failures:
-        print()
-        print("  ℹ Leaving running dashboard process(es) untouched because the")
-        print("    Node.js dependency refresh did not complete.")
-    else:
-        _kill_stale_dashboard_processes(restart_managed=True)
+    _finish_dashboard_update_cleanup(node_failures)
 
 
 def _stash_local_changes_if_needed(git_cmd: list[str], cwd: Path) -> Optional[str]:
@@ -13279,16 +13363,11 @@ def _cmd_update_impl(args, gateway_mode: bool):
             logger.debug("Legacy unit check during update failed: %s", e)
 
         # Restart a managed dashboard through systemd, or stop stale manual
-        # dashboard processes.  Raw-killing a systemd-owned dashboard PID makes
+        # dashboard processes. Raw-killing a systemd-owned dashboard PID makes
         # systemd treat it as a clean stop, leaving the Cloudflare origin dead.
         # Preserve the safety rule above: a failed Node refresh leaves the
         # currently running dashboard untouched.
-        if node_failures:
-            print()
-            print("  ℹ Leaving running dashboard process(es) untouched because the")
-            print("    Node.js dependency refresh did not complete.")
-        else:
-            _kill_stale_dashboard_processes(restart_managed=True)
+        _finish_dashboard_update_cleanup(node_failures)
 
         print()
         print("Tip: You can now select a provider and model:")
@@ -14045,40 +14124,31 @@ def _render_distribution_plan(plan) -> None:
 
 
 def _report_dashboard_status() -> int:
-    """Print ``hermes dashboard`` PIDs and return the count.
+    """Print live listening dashboard processes and return the count."""
+    from gateway.status import _pid_exists
 
-    Uses the same detection logic as ``_find_stale_dashboard_pids`` (the
-    current process is excluded, but since ``hermes dashboard --status``
-    runs in a short-lived CLI process that never matches the pattern,
-    the exclusion is irrelevant here).
-    """
-    pids = _find_stale_dashboard_pids()
-    if not pids:
+    live: list[tuple[int, str]] = []
+    for pid, command in _scan_dashboard_processes():
+        runtime = _parse_dashboard_runtime(command)
+        if runtime is None:
+            continue
+        mode, host, port = runtime
+        if mode != "dashboard":
+            continue
+        if port <= 0 or not _pid_exists(pid):
+            continue
+        if not _dashboard_listening(host, port):
+            continue
+        live.append((pid, command))
+
+    if not live:
         print("No hermes dashboard processes running.")
         return 0
 
-    print(f"{len(pids)} hermes dashboard process(es) running:")
-    for pid in pids:
-        # Best-effort: show the full cmdline so users can tell profiles apart.
-        cmdline = ""
-        try:
-            if sys.platform != "win32":
-                cmdline_path = f"/proc/{pid}/cmdline"
-                if os.path.exists(cmdline_path):
-                    with open(cmdline_path, "rb") as f:
-                        cmdline = (
-                            f.read()
-                            .replace(b"\x00", b" ")
-                            .decode("utf-8", errors="replace")
-                            .strip()
-                        )
-        except (OSError, ValueError):
-            pass
-        if cmdline:
-            print(f"    PID {pid}: {cmdline}")
-        else:
-            print(f"    PID {pid}")
-    return len(pids)
+    print(f"{len(live)} hermes dashboard process(es) running:")
+    for pid, command in live:
+        print(f"    PID {pid}: {command}")
+    return len(live)
 
 
 def _dashboard_listening(host: str, port: int) -> bool:
@@ -14090,7 +14160,7 @@ def _dashboard_listening(host: str, port: int) -> bool:
     import socket
 
     try:
-        with socket.create_connection((host or "127.0.0.1", port), timeout=1.5):
+        with socket.create_connection((_dashboard_probe_host(host), port), timeout=1.5):
             return True
     except OSError:
         return False
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_dashboard_lifecycle_flags.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_dashboard_lifecycle_flags.py
index 1d2745a98733..8bd741d041d9 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_dashboard_lifecycle_flags.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_dashboard_lifecycle_flags.py
@@ -30,8 +30,7 @@ def _ns(**kw):
 
 class TestDashboardStatus:
     def test_status_no_processes(self, capsys):
-        with patch("hermes_cli.main._find_stale_dashboard_pids",
-                   return_value=[]), \
+        with patch("hermes_cli.main._scan_dashboard_processes", return_value=[]), \
              pytest.raises(SystemExit) as exc:
             cmd_dashboard(_ns(status=True))
         assert exc.value.code == 0
@@ -39,8 +38,13 @@ class TestDashboardStatus:
         assert "No hermes dashboard processes running" in out
 
     def test_status_with_processes(self, capsys):
-        with patch("hermes_cli.main._find_stale_dashboard_pids",
-                   return_value=[12345, 12346]), \
+        processes = [
+            (12345, "hermes dashboard --port 9119"),
+            (12346, "python -m hermes_cli.main dashboard --host 0.0.0.0 --port 9120"),
+        ]
+        with patch("hermes_cli.main._scan_dashboard_processes", return_value=processes), \
+             patch("gateway.status._pid_exists", return_value=True), \
+             patch("hermes_cli.main._dashboard_listening", return_value=True), \
              pytest.raises(SystemExit) as exc:
             cmd_dashboard(_ns(status=True))
         # Status is informational — always exits 0.
@@ -50,6 +54,42 @@ class TestDashboardStatus:
         assert "PID 12345" in out
         assert "PID 12346" in out
 
+    def test_status_ignores_headless_serve_children_and_non_listeners(self, capsys):
+        processes = [
+            (11111, "hermes serve --port 0"),
+            (22222, "hermes dashboard --port 9119"),
+            (33333, "hermes dashboard --port 9120"),
+        ]
+
+        def fake_listening(host, port):
+            return port == 9119
+
+        with patch("hermes_cli.main._scan_dashboard_processes", return_value=processes), \
+             patch("gateway.status._pid_exists", return_value=True), \
+             patch("hermes_cli.main._dashboard_listening", side_effect=fake_listening), \
+             pytest.raises(SystemExit) as exc:
+            cmd_dashboard(_ns(status=True))
+
+        assert exc.value.code == 0
+        out = capsys.readouterr().out
+        assert "1 hermes dashboard process(es) running" in out
+        assert "PID 22222" in out
+        assert "PID 11111" not in out
+        assert "PID 33333" not in out
+
+    def test_status_ignores_dead_pids(self, capsys):
+        with patch(
+            "hermes_cli.main._scan_dashboard_processes",
+            return_value=[(12345, "hermes dashboard --port 9119")],
+        ), \
+             patch("gateway.status._pid_exists", return_value=False), \
+             pytest.raises(SystemExit) as exc:
+            cmd_dashboard(_ns(status=True))
+
+        assert exc.value.code == 0
+        out = capsys.readouterr().out
+        assert "No hermes dashboard processes running" in out
+
     def test_status_does_not_try_to_import_fastapi(self):
         """`--status` must not require dashboard runtime deps — it's a
         process-table scan only.  We prove this by making fastapi import
@@ -60,8 +100,7 @@ class TestDashboardStatus:
                 raise ImportError("fastapi missing")
             return orig_import(name, *a, **kw)
 
-        with patch("hermes_cli.main._find_stale_dashboard_pids",
-                   return_value=[]), \
+        with patch("hermes_cli.main._scan_dashboard_processes", return_value=[]), \
              patch("builtins.__import__", side_effect=fake_import), \
              pytest.raises(SystemExit) as exc:
             cmd_dashboard(_ns(status=True))
@@ -131,8 +170,7 @@ class TestLifecycleFlagsTakePrecedence:
     a new server."""
 
     def test_status_wins_over_stop(self, capsys):
-        with patch("hermes_cli.main._find_stale_dashboard_pids",
-                   return_value=[]), \
+        with patch("hermes_cli.main._scan_dashboard_processes", return_value=[]), \
              patch("hermes_cli.main._kill_stale_dashboard_processes") as mock_kill, \
              pytest.raises(SystemExit):
             cmd_dashboard(_ns(status=True, stop=True))
@@ -174,8 +212,7 @@ class TestArgparseWiring:
         # be too invasive.  Instead parse args as if via the CLI by
         # intercepting parse_args.  This is overkill for a smoke test —
         # we just want to know the flags don't KeyError.
-        with patch("hermes_cli.main._find_stale_dashboard_pids",
-                   return_value=[]), \
+        with patch("hermes_cli.main._scan_dashboard_processes", return_value=[]), \
              pytest.raises(SystemExit) as exc:
             mod.cmd_dashboard(_ns(status=True))
         assert exc.value.code == 0
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_update_stale_dashboard.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_update_stale_dashboard.py
index d42b8f04e4c5..bb60a33c030c 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_update_stale_dashboard.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_update_stale_dashboard.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ from unittest.mock import patch, MagicMock
 import pytest
 
 from hermes_cli.main import (
+    _finish_dashboard_update_cleanup,
     _find_stale_dashboard_pids,
     _kill_stale_dashboard_processes,
     _restart_managed_dashboard_service,
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ def _refresh_bindings_against_live_module():
     ordering within the worker.  The fix lives in the test module because
     the two pollutants above are load-bearing for their own tests.
     """
+    global _finish_dashboard_update_cleanup
     global _find_stale_dashboard_pids
     global _kill_stale_dashboard_processes
     global _restart_managed_dashboard_service
@@ -55,6 +57,7 @@ def _refresh_bindings_against_live_module():
     if live is None:
         live = importlib.import_module("hermes_cli.main")
 
+    _finish_dashboard_update_cleanup = live._finish_dashboard_update_cleanup
     _find_stale_dashboard_pids = live._find_stale_dashboard_pids
     _kill_stale_dashboard_processes = live._kill_stale_dashboard_processes
     _restart_managed_dashboard_service = live._restart_managed_dashboard_service
@@ -237,8 +240,9 @@ class TestKillStaleDashboardPosix:
 
     def test_no_stale_processes_is_a_noop(self, capsys):
         with patch("hermes_cli.main._find_stale_dashboard_pids", return_value=[]):
-            _kill_stale_dashboard_processes()
+            result = _kill_stale_dashboard_processes()
         assert capsys.readouterr().out == ""
+        assert result == {"matched": [], "killed": [], "failed": []}
 
     def test_sigterm_graceful_exit(self, capsys):
         """Processes that exit on SIGTERM (the probe gets ProcessLookupError)
@@ -258,13 +262,16 @@ class TestKillStaleDashboardPosix:
                    return_value=[12345, 12346]), \
              patch("os.kill", side_effect=fake_kill), \
              patch("time.sleep"):
-            _kill_stale_dashboard_processes()
+            result = _kill_stale_dashboard_processes()
 
         # Both got SIGTERM.
         sigterms = [pid for pid, sig in killed_signals if sig == _signal.SIGTERM]
         assert sorted(sigterms) == [12345, 12346]
         # No SIGKILL was needed.
         assert not any(sig == _signal.SIGKILL for _, sig in killed_signals)
+        assert result["matched"] == [12345, 12346]
+        assert result["killed"] == [12345, 12346]
+        assert result["failed"] == []
 
         out = capsys.readouterr().out
         assert "Stopping 2 dashboard" in out
@@ -514,6 +521,44 @@ class TestBackCompatAlias:
         assert _warn_stale_dashboard_processes is _kill_stale_dashboard_processes
 
 
+class TestDashboardUpdateCleanup:
+    """The git and Windows ZIP update paths share this final cleanup."""
+
+    def test_all_failed_stops_do_not_claim_the_dashboard_was_stopped(self, capsys):
+        with patch(
+            "hermes_cli.main._kill_stale_dashboard_processes",
+            return_value={"matched": [12345], "killed": [], "failed": [(12345, "denied")],
+                          "unrecovered": []},
+        ):
+            _finish_dashboard_update_cleanup([])
+
+        assert "stopped during update" not in capsys.readouterr().out
+
+    def test_auto_restarted_stop_prints_no_notice(self, capsys):
+        """A killed process that was auto-restarted (systemd unit or argv
+        respawn) must not trigger the manual-relaunch warning."""
+        with patch(
+            "hermes_cli.main._kill_stale_dashboard_processes",
+            return_value={"matched": [12345], "killed": [12345], "failed": [],
+                          "unrecovered": []},
+        ):
+            _finish_dashboard_update_cleanup([])
+
+        assert "stopped during update" not in capsys.readouterr().out
+
+    def test_unrecovered_stop_prints_shared_update_notice(self, capsys):
+        with patch(
+            "hermes_cli.main._kill_stale_dashboard_processes",
+            return_value={"matched": [12345], "killed": [12345], "failed": [],
+                          "unrecovered": [12345]},
+        ):
+            _finish_dashboard_update_cleanup([])
+
+        out = capsys.readouterr().out
+        assert "stopped during update and could not be auto-restarted" in out
+        assert "hermes dashboard --port <port>" in out
+
+
 class TestWindowsWmicEncoding:
     """Regression tests for #17049 — the Windows wmic branch must not crash
     `hermes update` on non-UTF-8 system locales (e.g. cp936 on zh-CN).