diff --git a/src/main/ipc/teams.ts b/src/main/ipc/teams.ts
index 93c95603..e3d0f353 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/teams.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/teams.ts
@@ -1286,12 +1286,29 @@ async function handleAddMember(
     return { success: false, error: 'role must be a string' };
   }
 
-  return wrapTeamHandler('addMember', () =>
-    getTeamDataService().addMember(vTeam.value!, {
-      name: vName.value!,
+  return wrapTeamHandler('addMember', async () => {
+    const tn = vTeam.value!;
+    const memberName = vName.value!;
+    await getTeamDataService().addMember(tn, {
+      name: memberName,
       role: role,
-    })
-  );
+    });
+
+    // If team is alive, notify the lead to spawn the new teammate
+    const provisioning = getTeamProvisioningService();
+    if (provisioning.isTeamAlive(tn)) {
+      const roleHint = typeof role === 'string' && role.trim() ? ` with role "${role.trim()}"` : '';
+      const spawnMessage =
+        `A new teammate "${memberName}"${roleHint} has been added to the team. ` +
+        `Please spawn them immediately using the Task tool with team_name="${tn}" and name="${memberName}".`;
+      try {
+        await provisioning.sendMessageToTeam(tn, spawnMessage);
+      } catch {
+        // Best-effort: lead process may not be responsive
+        logger.warn(`Failed to notify lead about new member "${memberName}" in ${tn}`);
+      }
+    }
+  });
 }
 
 async function handleRemoveMember(
diff --git a/src/main/services/team/TeamMemberResolver.ts b/src/main/services/team/TeamMemberResolver.ts
index a44ff571..3ebbd4c6 100644
--- a/src/main/services/team/TeamMemberResolver.ts
+++ b/src/main/services/team/TeamMemberResolver.ts
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ export class TeamMemberResolver {
         ) ?? null;
       const memberMessages = messages.filter((message) => message.from === name);
       const latestMessage = memberMessages[0] ?? null;
-      const status = this.resolveStatus(latestMessage);
+      const status = this.resolveStatus(latestMessage, currentTask !== null);
       const configMember = configMemberMap.get(name);
       const metaMember = metaMemberMap.get(name);
       members.push({
@@ -103,9 +103,11 @@ export class TeamMemberResolver {
     return members;
   }
 
-  private resolveStatus(message: InboxMessage | null): MemberStatus {
+  private resolveStatus(message: InboxMessage | null, hasActiveTask: boolean): MemberStatus {
     if (!message) {
-      return 'unknown';
+      // Member exists in config but has no messages yet —
+      // if they own an in_progress task they're clearly active, otherwise idle
+      return hasActiveTask ? 'active' : 'idle';
     }
 
     const structured = this.parseStructuredMessage(message.text);
diff --git a/src/renderer/utils/memberHelpers.ts b/src/renderer/utils/memberHelpers.ts
index 90596d3b..fd10157b 100644
--- a/src/renderer/utils/memberHelpers.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/utils/memberHelpers.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ export function getPresenceLabel(
   if (member.status === 'terminated') return 'terminated';
   if (isTeamProvisioning) return 'connecting';
   if (isTeamAlive === false) return 'offline';
-  if (member.status === 'unknown') return 'unknown';
+  if (member.status === 'unknown') return 'idle';
   return member.currentTaskId ? 'working' : 'idle';
 }