diff --git a/src/main/index.ts b/src/main/index.ts
index 773d7443..196494b0 100644
--- a/src/main/index.ts
+++ b/src/main/index.ts
@@ -1431,6 +1431,7 @@ function wireFileWatcherEvents(context: ServiceContext): void {
 
   teamChangeCleanup = () => {
     context.fileWatcher.off('team-change', teamChangeHandler);
+    setAliveTeamsProvider(null);
     setTeamWatchScopeChangeListener(null);
     context.fileWatcher.setTeamWatchScopeProvider(null);
     reconcileScheduler?.dispose();
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/teams.ts b/src/main/ipc/teams.ts
index 7778199f..17955bae 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/teams.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/teams.ts
@@ -1939,6 +1939,9 @@ async function handleCreateTeam(
   return wrapTeamHandler('create', async () => {
     addMainBreadcrumb('team', 'create', { teamName: validation.value.teamName });
     launchIoGovernor?.noteLaunchIntent(validation.value.teamName, 'create');
+    // Keep this team's team-root/task artifacts file-watched while createTeam writes
+    // its initial config, tasks, inboxes, and launch state.
+    markTeamEngaged(validation.value.teamName);
     try {
       const response = await getTeamProvisioningService().createTeam(
         validation.value,
@@ -2104,6 +2107,9 @@ async function handleLaunchTeam(
 
     return wrapTeamHandler('create', async () => {
       launchIoGovernor?.noteLaunchIntent(tn, 'draft-launch');
+      // Draft launch runs through createTeam, so it needs the same immediate watch scope
+      // as a normal launch before startup files begin changing.
+      markTeamEngaged(tn);
       try {
         const response = await getTeamProvisioningService().createTeam(
           createRequest,
diff --git a/test/main/ipc/teams.test.ts b/test/main/ipc/teams.test.ts
index 3b39d005..ca43152d 100644
--- a/test/main/ipc/teams.test.ts
+++ b/test/main/ipc/teams.test.ts
@@ -101,6 +101,10 @@ import {
   removeTeamHandlers,
 } from '../../../src/main/ipc/teams';
 import { ConfigManager } from '../../../src/main/services/infrastructure/ConfigManager';
+import {
+  computeTeamWatchScope,
+  resetTeamWatchScopeForTests,
+} from '../../../src/main/services/infrastructure/teamWatchScope';
 import { LaunchIoGovernor } from '../../../src/main/services/team/LaunchIoGovernor';
 import { getAppDataPath } from '../../../src/main/utils/pathDecoder';
 import {
@@ -355,6 +359,7 @@ describe('ipc teams handlers', () => {
   };
 
   beforeEach(() => {
+    resetTeamWatchScopeForTests();
     handlers.clear();
     vi.clearAllMocks();
     service.listTeams.mockReset();
@@ -427,6 +432,7 @@ describe('ipc teams handlers', () => {
   });
 
   afterEach(() => {
+    resetTeamWatchScopeForTests();
     launchIoGovernor.clearForTests();
     vi.useRealTimers();
     setClaudeBasePathOverride(null);
@@ -1314,6 +1320,23 @@ describe('ipc teams handlers', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it('marks created teams engaged before provisioning writes startup artifacts', async () => {
+    const createTeam = 'created-watch-scope';
+    provisioningService.createTeam.mockImplementationOnce(async () => {
+      expect(computeTeamWatchScope().has(createTeam)).toBe(true);
+      return { runId: 'run-created-watch-scope' };
+    });
+
+    const result = (await handlers.get(TEAM_CREATE)!({ sender: { send: vi.fn() } } as never, {
+      teamName: createTeam,
+      members: [{ name: 'alice' }],
+      cwd: os.tmpdir(),
+    })) as { success: boolean };
+
+    expect(result.success).toBe(true);
+    expect(computeTeamWatchScope().has(createTeam)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
   it('returns cached TEAM_LIST data under active launch pressure without starting another scan', async () => {
     const first = (await handlers.get(TEAM_LIST)!({} as never)) as {
       success: boolean;
@@ -4378,6 +4401,7 @@ describe('ipc teams handlers', () => {
         })) as { success: boolean };
 
         expect(result.success).toBe(true);
+        expect(computeTeamWatchScope().has('draft-team')).toBe(true);
         expect(provisioningService.launchTeam).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
         expect(provisioningService.createTeam).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
           {