diff --git a/api/updates.py b/api/updates.py
index b9797279..5e03cc5e 100644
--- a/api/updates.py
+++ b/api/updates.py
@@ -1281,7 +1281,7 @@ def _probe_dirty(
     out, ok = _run_git(['diff-index', '--quiet', 'HEAD', '--'], path, timeout=timeout)
     if ok:
         return False
-    if out == 'git exited with status 1' or (legacy_empty_is_dirty and not out):
+    if out == 'git exited with status 1' or (legacy_empty_is_dirty and (not out or out.startswith('git exited with status '))):
         return True
     logger.warning(
         'git dirty probe failed; treating working-tree state as unknown: %s',
diff --git a/tests/test_updates.py b/tests/test_updates.py
index c4ee98f1..e51368dc 100644
--- a/tests/test_updates.py
+++ b/tests/test_updates.py
@@ -95,6 +95,19 @@ def test_is_dirty_preserves_legacy_empty_failure_contract(tmp_path, monkeypatch)
     assert updates._is_dirty(tmp_path) is True
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    'probe_output',
+    ['git exited with status 2', 'git exited with status 128'],
+)
+def test_is_dirty_legacy_broad_status_contract(tmp_path, monkeypatch, probe_output):
+    (tmp_path / '.git').mkdir()
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        updates, '_run_git', lambda *args, **kwargs: (probe_output, False),
+    )
+
+    assert updates._is_dirty(tmp_path) is True
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     'probe_output',
     [