diff --git a/api/agent_health.py b/api/agent_health.py
index ea3bc572..2ee564e5 100644
--- a/api/agent_health.py
+++ b/api/agent_health.py
@@ -14,8 +14,10 @@ volume is shared, those checks always return ``None`` and the dashboard
 incorrectly shows "Gateway not running". To stay accurate without forcing a
 ``pid: "service:hermes-agent"`` compose workaround, we accept a recent
 ``updated_at`` timestamp on ``gateway_state.json`` (combined with
-``gateway_state == "running"``) as an equivalent live-process signal — the
-gateway already writes that file on every tick.
+``gateway_state == "running"``) as an equivalent live-process signal.  Older
+gateway builds do not refresh that file periodically, so a stale
+``gateway_state == "running"`` record is treated as inconclusive rather than a
+confirmed outage.
 """
 
 from __future__ import annotations
@@ -126,6 +128,41 @@ def _runtime_status_is_stale_stopped(
     return age_s > threshold_s
 
 
+def _runtime_status_is_stale_running(
+    runtime_status: dict[str, Any] | None,
+    *,
+    now: datetime | None = None,
+    threshold_s: float = GATEWAY_FRESHNESS_THRESHOLD_S,
+) -> bool:
+    """Return ``True`` when the gateway last self-reported running, but stale.
+
+    WebUI often runs in a separate container from the gateway. In that shape PID
+    checks can be impossible, and older gateway versions only update
+    ``gateway_state.json`` on lifecycle/platform changes. A stale ``running``
+    file therefore means "not enough information from WebUI" rather than
+    "gateway is down".
+    """
+    if not isinstance(runtime_status, dict):
+        return False
+    if runtime_status.get("gateway_state") != "running":
+        return False
+
+    raw_updated_at = runtime_status.get("updated_at")
+    if not isinstance(raw_updated_at, str) or not raw_updated_at:
+        return False
+
+    try:
+        updated_at = datetime.fromisoformat(raw_updated_at)
+    except (TypeError, ValueError):
+        return False
+    if updated_at.tzinfo is None:
+        return False
+
+    reference = now if now is not None else datetime.now(timezone.utc)
+    age_s = (reference - updated_at).total_seconds()
+    return age_s > threshold_s
+
+
 def _gateway_status_module():
     """Load gateway.status lazily so tests and WebUI-only installs stay isolated."""
     return importlib.import_module("gateway.status")
@@ -309,6 +346,17 @@ def build_agent_health_payload() -> dict[str, Any]:
             },
         }
 
+    if _runtime_status_is_stale_running(runtime_status):
+        return {
+            "alive": None,
+            "checked_at": checked_at,
+            "details": {
+                "state": "unknown",
+                "reason": "gateway_stale_running_state",
+                **safe_details,
+            },
+        }
+
     if isinstance(runtime_status, dict):
         return {
             "alive": False,
diff --git a/tests/test_issue1879_cross_container_gateway_liveness.py b/tests/test_issue1879_cross_container_gateway_liveness.py
index 2eeaf38e..73a10b75 100644
--- a/tests/test_issue1879_cross_container_gateway_liveness.py
+++ b/tests/test_issue1879_cross_container_gateway_liveness.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ cross-container liveness signal.
 These tests pin every behavior the fix promises:
 
   * fresh + running gateway_state, no PID  → alive (cross-container path)
-  * stale updated_at + running              → down (no false positives)
+  * stale updated_at + running              → unknown (old gateways may not tick)
   * fresh updated_at + non-running state    → down (crash-without-cleanup case)
   * stale updated_at + stopped state        → unknown (old root gateway was
     intentionally stopped; do not nag profile-gateway users)
@@ -116,8 +116,8 @@ def test_cross_container_alive_path_does_not_leak_raw_process_fields(monkeypatch
 # -- Stale / missing / malformed timestamps -----------------------------------
 
 
-def test_stale_updated_at_reports_down_even_when_gateway_state_running(monkeypatch):
-    """A long-dead gateway with a fossilised state file must surface as down."""
+def test_stale_updated_at_with_running_state_reports_unknown(monkeypatch):
+    """Older gateways may not refresh the file while still processing messages."""
     from api import agent_health
 
     stale_ts = _iso(datetime.now(timezone.utc) - timedelta(seconds=300))
@@ -130,9 +130,10 @@ def test_stale_updated_at_reports_down_even_when_gateway_state_running(monkeypat
 
     payload = agent_health.build_agent_health_payload()
 
-    assert payload["alive"] is False
-    assert payload["details"]["state"] == "down"
-    assert payload["details"]["reason"] == "gateway_not_running"
+    assert payload["alive"] is None
+    assert payload["details"]["state"] == "unknown"
+    assert payload["details"]["reason"] == "gateway_stale_running_state"
+    assert payload["details"]["gateway_state"] == "running"
 
 
 def test_fresh_updated_at_with_non_running_state_reports_down(monkeypatch):