diff --git a/gateway/status.py b/gateway/status.py
index b925571c96d..c13752af171 100644
--- a/gateway/status.py
+++ b/gateway/status.py
@@ -595,7 +595,7 @@ def write_runtime_status(
     if restart_requested is not _UNSET:
         payload["restart_requested"] = bool(restart_requested)
     if active_agents is not _UNSET:
-        payload["active_agents"] = max(0, int(active_agents))
+        payload["active_agents"] = parse_active_agents(active_agents)
     if served_profiles is not _UNSET:
         # Profiles this gateway multiplexes (multi-profile mode). Absent/empty
         # for a single-profile gateway. Lets `hermes status` show per-profile
@@ -624,11 +624,11 @@ def read_runtime_status() -> Optional[dict[str, Any]]:
 def parse_active_agents(raw: Any) -> int:
     """Coerce a persisted ``active_agents`` value to a clamped non-negative int.
 
-    The status file is written atomically but can still hold an
-    absent/None/garbage ``active_agents`` after a partial write or a manual
-    edit.  Both HTTP surfaces (``/api/status`` and ``/health/detailed``) read it
-    through this single helper so the field they expose is consistent and never
-    negative.  Mirrors the write-side clamp in ``write_runtime_status``.
+    The shared coercion for the in-flight gateway-turn count. Used on the WRITE
+    side (``write_runtime_status``) and by both HTTP read surfaces
+    (``/api/status`` and ``/health/detailed``) so the count is clamped to a
+    single contract — never negative, never raising on a manually-edited or
+    otherwise non-numeric value (degrades to ``0``).
     """
     try:
         return max(0, int(raw))
diff --git a/hermes_cli/gateway.py b/hermes_cli/gateway.py
index cf65af98c40..34f7b96a984 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/gateway.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/gateway.py
@@ -4573,7 +4573,9 @@ def _runtime_health_lines() -> list[str]:
         lines.append(f"⚠ Last startup issue: {exit_reason}")
     elif gateway_state == "draining":
         action = "restart" if restart_requested else "shutdown"
-        count = int(active_agents or 0)
+        from gateway.status import parse_active_agents
+
+        count = parse_active_agents(active_agents)
         lines.append(f"⏳ Gateway draining for {action} ({count} active agent(s))")
     elif gateway_state == "stopped" and exit_reason:
         lines.append(f"⚠ Last shutdown reason: {exit_reason}")
diff --git a/hermes_cli/web_server.py b/hermes_cli/web_server.py
index 8e1e0e72124..74ea8182533 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/web_server.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/web_server.py
@@ -1844,7 +1844,7 @@ async def get_status(profile: Optional[str] = None):
         # liveness via the single shared contract in gateway.status.  Liveness
         # keys off gateway_running (a live PID/health probe), NEVER
         # gateway_updated_at — a healthy idle gateway never advances that.
-        active_agents = parse_active_agents(runtime.get("active_agents", 0)) if runtime else 0
+        active_agents = parse_active_agents((runtime or {}).get("active_agents", 0))
         gateway_busy = derive_gateway_busy(
             gateway_running=gateway_running,
             gateway_state=gateway_state,
@@ -1862,8 +1862,12 @@ async def get_status(profile: Optional[str] = None):
             from hermes_cli.gateway import _get_restart_drain_timeout
 
             restart_drain_timeout = _get_restart_drain_timeout()
-        except Exception:
-            restart_drain_timeout = None
+        except ImportError:
+            # Resolver moved/renamed — fall back to the real default so the
+            # field stays a numeric poll-deadline hint, never None.
+            from gateway.restart import DEFAULT_GATEWAY_RESTART_DRAIN_TIMEOUT
+
+            restart_drain_timeout = DEFAULT_GATEWAY_RESTART_DRAIN_TIMEOUT
 
         # Dashboard auth gate (Phase 7): surface whether the gate is engaged
         # and which providers are registered so ``hermes status`` and the