diff --git a/src/renderer/components/team/members/MemberDetailHeader.tsx b/src/renderer/components/team/members/MemberDetailHeader.tsx
index 7a0ffc8d..f6b910b4 100644
--- a/src/renderer/components/team/members/MemberDetailHeader.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/components/team/members/MemberDetailHeader.tsx
@@ -82,8 +82,14 @@ export const MemberDetailHeader = ({
     leadActivity,
   });
   const presenceLabel = launchPresentation.presenceLabel;
+  const launchVisualState = launchPresentation.launchVisualState;
+  const launchStatusLabel = launchPresentation.launchStatusLabel;
   const dotClass = launchPresentation.dotClass;
   const runtimeAdvisoryTitle = launchPresentation.runtimeAdvisoryTitle;
+  const badgeLabel =
+    launchVisualState === 'runtime_pending' || launchVisualState === 'permission_pending'
+      ? (launchStatusLabel ?? presenceLabel)
+      : presenceLabel;
 
   const canEditRole =
     !isLeadMember(member) && !member.removedAt && !isTeamProvisioning && !!onUpdateRole;
@@ -144,7 +150,7 @@ export const MemberDetailHeader = ({
                   className="px-1.5 py-0.5 text-[10px] font-normal leading-none text-[var(--color-text-muted)]"
                   title={runtimeAdvisoryTitle}
                 >
-                  {presenceLabel}
+                  {badgeLabel}
                 </Badge>
                 {/* NOTE: lead context token display disabled — usage formula is inaccurate */}
               </>
diff --git a/src/renderer/components/team/members/MemberHoverCard.tsx b/src/renderer/components/team/members/MemberHoverCard.tsx
index 569d9951..0ed187ad 100644
--- a/src/renderer/components/team/members/MemberHoverCard.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/components/team/members/MemberHoverCard.tsx
@@ -121,8 +121,14 @@ export const MemberHoverCard = ({
     leadActivity: isLeadMember(member) ? leadActivity : undefined,
   });
   const presenceLabel = launchPresentation.presenceLabel;
+  const launchVisualState = launchPresentation.launchVisualState;
+  const launchStatusLabel = launchPresentation.launchStatusLabel;
   const dotClass = launchPresentation.dotClass;
   const runtimeAdvisoryTitle = launchPresentation.runtimeAdvisoryTitle;
+  const badgeLabel =
+    launchVisualState === 'runtime_pending' || launchVisualState === 'permission_pending'
+      ? (launchStatusLabel ?? presenceLabel)
+      : presenceLabel;
   const currentTask: TeamTaskWithKanban | null = member.currentTaskId
     ? (tasks.find((t) => t.id === member.currentTaskId) ?? null)
     : null;
@@ -172,7 +178,7 @@ export const MemberHoverCard = ({
                     border: `1px solid ${getThemedBorder(colors, isLight)}40`,
                   }}
                 >
-                  {presenceLabel}
+                  {badgeLabel}
                 </Badge>
               </div>
               {roleLabel && (
diff --git a/test/renderer/components/team/members/MemberDetailHeader.test.ts b/test/renderer/components/team/members/MemberDetailHeader.test.ts
index 0658e1a9..2cdfdd8d 100644
--- a/test/renderer/components/team/members/MemberDetailHeader.test.ts
+++ b/test/renderer/components/team/members/MemberDetailHeader.test.ts
@@ -100,6 +100,36 @@ describe('MemberDetailHeader spawn-aware presence', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it('shows connecting while the runtime is online but bootstrap is still pending', async () => {
+    vi.stubGlobal('IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT', true);
+    const host = document.createElement('div');
+    document.body.appendChild(host);
+    const root = createRoot(host);
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      root.render(
+        React.createElement(MemberDetailHeader, {
+          member,
+          isTeamAlive: true,
+          isTeamProvisioning: false,
+          spawnStatus: 'online',
+          spawnLaunchState: 'runtime_pending_bootstrap',
+          spawnRuntimeAlive: true,
+          spawnLivenessSource: 'process',
+        })
+      );
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+
+    expect(host.textContent).toContain('connecting');
+    expect(host.textContent).not.toContain('online');
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      root.unmount();
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+  });
+
   it('shows runtime retry text after the teammate has already joined', async () => {
     vi.stubGlobal('IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT', true);
     const host = document.createElement('div');
diff --git a/test/renderer/components/team/members/MemberHoverCard.test.ts b/test/renderer/components/team/members/MemberHoverCard.test.ts
index 23e66673..f9fe301d 100644
--- a/test/renderer/components/team/members/MemberHoverCard.test.ts
+++ b/test/renderer/components/team/members/MemberHoverCard.test.ts
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ describe('MemberHoverCard spawn-aware presence', () => {
     });
   });
 
-  it('keeps runtime-pending members in starting state while launch is still settling', async () => {
+  it('shows connecting for runtime-pending members while launch is still settling', async () => {
     vi.stubGlobal('IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT', true);
     storeState.progress = {
       runId: 'run-1',
@@ -188,7 +188,42 @@ describe('MemberHoverCard spawn-aware presence', () => {
       await Promise.resolve();
     });
 
-    expect(host.textContent).toContain('starting');
+    expect(host.textContent).toContain('connecting');
+    expect(host.textContent).not.toContain('online');
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      root.unmount();
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('shows connecting while runtime is online but bootstrap is still pending outside launch settling', async () => {
+    vi.stubGlobal('IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT', true);
+    storeState.progress = null;
+    storeState.memberSpawnStatusesByTeam['northstar-core'].alice = {
+      status: 'online',
+      launchState: 'runtime_pending_bootstrap',
+      updatedAt: '2026-04-09T10:00:00.000Z',
+      runtimeAlive: true,
+      livenessSource: 'process',
+    };
+    storeState.memberSpawnSnapshotsByTeam['northstar-core'] = undefined;
+
+    const host = document.createElement('div');
+    document.body.appendChild(host);
+    const root = createRoot(host);
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      root.render(
+        React.createElement(MemberHoverCard, {
+          name: 'alice',
+          children: React.createElement('button', { type: 'button' }, 'alice'),
+        })
+      );
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+
+    expect(host.textContent).toContain('connecting');
     expect(host.textContent).not.toContain('online');
 
     await act(async () => {