diff --git a/plugins/kanban/dashboard/dist/index.js b/plugins/kanban/dashboard/dist/index.js
index d60bc19289..ee1a25f065 100644
--- a/plugins/kanban/dashboard/dist/index.js
+++ b/plugins/kanban/dashboard/dist/index.js
@@ -1996,7 +1996,10 @@
     return h("div", { className: "hermes-kanban-actions" },
       b("→ triage",  { status: "triage" },   t.status !== "triage"),
       b("→ ready",   { status: "ready" },    t.status !== "ready"),
-      b("→ running", { status: "running" },  t.status !== "running"),
+      // No direct → running button: /tasks/:id PATCH rejects status=running
+      // with 400 (issue #19535). Tasks enter running only through the
+      // dispatcher's claim_task path, which atomically creates the run row,
+      // claim lock, and worker process metadata.
       b("Block",     { status: "blocked" },
         t.status === "running" || t.status === "ready",
         DESTRUCTIVE_TRANSITIONS.blocked),
diff --git a/plugins/kanban/dashboard/dist/style.css b/plugins/kanban/dashboard/dist/style.css
index 34fc714d11..9de372cbe2 100644
--- a/plugins/kanban/dashboard/dist/style.css
+++ b/plugins/kanban/dashboard/dist/style.css
@@ -364,11 +364,15 @@
   letter-spacing: 0.02em;
 }
 .hermes-kanban-home-sub--on {
-  /* Subtly indicate the subscribed state without a hard color change so
-   * dashboard themes stay coherent. Border + tinted background. */
-  border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-ring) 55%, var(--color-border));
-  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-ring) 14%, transparent);
+  /* Subscribed toggle — use a strong ring-colored accent so the on/off
+   * distinction reads at a glance, not just from the ✓ prefix. Border +
+   * filled background + bolder weight keep the state obvious across
+   * themes (tested on default teal and NERV orange). */
+  border-color: var(--color-ring);
+  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-ring) 32%, transparent);
   color: var(--color-foreground);
+  font-weight: 600;
+  box-shadow: inset 0 0 0 1px color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-ring) 40%, transparent);
 }
 
 .hermes-kanban-section {