diff --git a/src/renderer/components/team/members/MemberCard.tsx b/src/renderer/components/team/members/MemberCard.tsx
index 7b0e01c4..55db083a 100644
--- a/src/renderer/components/team/members/MemberCard.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/components/team/members/MemberCard.tsx
@@ -126,6 +126,10 @@ export const MemberCard = ({
   const spawnCardClass = launchPresentation.cardClass;
   const launchVisualState = launchPresentation.launchVisualState;
   const launchStatusLabel = launchPresentation.launchStatusLabel;
+  const displayPresenceLabel =
+    launchVisualState === 'runtime_pending' || launchVisualState === 'permission_pending'
+      ? (launchStatusLabel ?? presenceLabel)
+      : presenceLabel;
   const colors = getTeamColorSet(memberColor);
   const { isLight } = useTheme();
   const pending = taskCounts?.pending ?? 0;
@@ -155,8 +159,7 @@ export const MemberCard = ({
     (presenceLabel === 'starting' ||
       presenceLabel === 'connecting' ||
       launchVisualState === 'runtime_pending');
-  const launchBadgeLabel =
-    presenceLabel === 'starting' ? presenceLabel : (launchStatusLabel ?? presenceLabel);
+  const launchBadgeLabel = presenceLabel === 'starting' ? presenceLabel : displayPresenceLabel;
   const showRuntimeAdvisoryBadge =
     !isRemoved &&
     Boolean(runtimeAdvisoryLabel) &&
@@ -201,7 +204,7 @@ export const MemberCard = ({
             </div>
             <span
               className={`absolute -bottom-0.5 -right-0.5 size-2.5 rounded-full border-2 border-[var(--color-surface)] ${dotClass}`}
-              aria-label={presenceLabel}
+              aria-label={displayPresenceLabel}
             />
           </div>
           <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
@@ -295,7 +298,7 @@ export const MemberCard = ({
                     variant="secondary"
                     className="shrink-0 bg-red-500/15 px-1.5 py-0.5 text-[10px] font-normal leading-none text-red-400"
                   >
-                    {presenceLabel}
+                    {displayPresenceLabel}
                   </Badge>
                 </span>
               </TooltipTrigger>
@@ -325,7 +328,7 @@ export const MemberCard = ({
               className={`shrink-0 px-1.5 py-0.5 text-[10px] font-normal leading-none ${isRemoved ? 'bg-zinc-600 text-zinc-300' : 'text-[var(--color-text-muted)]'}`}
               title={isRemoved ? 'This member has been removed' : activityTitle}
             >
-              {isRemoved ? 'removed' : presenceLabel}
+              {isRemoved ? 'removed' : displayPresenceLabel}
             </Badge>
           ) : null}
           {showStartingSkeleton ? (
diff --git a/src/renderer/components/team/members/MemberDetailHeader.tsx b/src/renderer/components/team/members/MemberDetailHeader.tsx
index f6b910b4..e159488a 100644
--- a/src/renderer/components/team/members/MemberDetailHeader.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/components/team/members/MemberDetailHeader.tsx
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ export const MemberDetailHeader = ({
         />
         <span
           className={`absolute -bottom-0.5 -right-0.5 size-3 rounded-full border-2 border-[var(--color-surface)] ${dotClass}`}
-          aria-label={presenceLabel}
+          aria-label={badgeLabel}
         />
       </div>
       <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
diff --git a/src/renderer/components/team/members/MemberHoverCard.tsx b/src/renderer/components/team/members/MemberHoverCard.tsx
index 0ed187ad..2ab37e50 100644
--- a/src/renderer/components/team/members/MemberHoverCard.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/components/team/members/MemberHoverCard.tsx
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ export const MemberHoverCard = ({
               />
               <span
                 className={`absolute -bottom-0.5 -right-0.5 size-3 rounded-full border-2 border-[var(--color-surface)] ${dotClass}`}
-                aria-label={presenceLabel}
+                aria-label={badgeLabel}
               />
             </div>
             <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
diff --git a/test/renderer/components/team/members/MemberCard.test.ts b/test/renderer/components/team/members/MemberCard.test.ts
index fd23edf4..3ce27e9b 100644
--- a/test/renderer/components/team/members/MemberCard.test.ts
+++ b/test/renderer/components/team/members/MemberCard.test.ts
@@ -201,6 +201,41 @@ describe('MemberCard starting-state visuals', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it('keeps runtime-pending accessibility copy honest even when launch badge is hidden by an active task', 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(MemberCard, {
+          member: {
+            ...member,
+            currentTaskId: currentTask.id,
+          },
+          memberColor: 'blue',
+          currentTask,
+          isTeamAlive: true,
+          isTeamProvisioning: false,
+          spawnStatus: 'online',
+          spawnLaunchState: 'runtime_pending_bootstrap',
+          spawnRuntimeAlive: true,
+          spawnLivenessSource: 'process',
+        })
+      );
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+
+    expect(host.textContent).not.toContain('online');
+    expect(host.querySelector('[aria-label="connecting"]')).not.toBeNull();
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      root.unmount();
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+  });
+
   it('keeps the starting treatment and runtime summary visible while a runtime is still joining', async () => {
     vi.stubGlobal('IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT', true);
     const host = document.createElement('div');
@@ -258,7 +293,7 @@ describe('MemberCard starting-state visuals', () => {
     });
 
     expect(host.textContent).toContain('awaiting permission');
-    expect(host.querySelector('[aria-label="connecting"]')).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(host.querySelector('[aria-label="awaiting permission"]')).not.toBeNull();
     expect(host.querySelector('.member-waiting-shimmer')).not.toBeNull();
 
     await act(async () => {
diff --git a/test/renderer/components/team/members/MemberDetailHeader.test.ts b/test/renderer/components/team/members/MemberDetailHeader.test.ts
index 2cdfdd8d..17c21bd5 100644
--- a/test/renderer/components/team/members/MemberDetailHeader.test.ts
+++ b/test/renderer/components/team/members/MemberDetailHeader.test.ts
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ describe('MemberDetailHeader spawn-aware presence', () => {
 
     expect(host.textContent).toContain('connecting');
     expect(host.textContent).not.toContain('online');
+    expect(host.querySelector('[aria-label="connecting"]')).not.toBeNull();
 
     await act(async () => {
       root.unmount();
diff --git a/test/renderer/components/team/members/MemberHoverCard.test.ts b/test/renderer/components/team/members/MemberHoverCard.test.ts
index f9fe301d..fe06f72b 100644
--- a/test/renderer/components/team/members/MemberHoverCard.test.ts
+++ b/test/renderer/components/team/members/MemberHoverCard.test.ts
@@ -190,6 +190,7 @@ describe('MemberHoverCard spawn-aware presence', () => {
 
     expect(host.textContent).toContain('connecting');
     expect(host.textContent).not.toContain('online');
+    expect(host.querySelector('[aria-label="connecting"]')).not.toBeNull();
 
     await act(async () => {
       root.unmount();
@@ -225,6 +226,7 @@ describe('MemberHoverCard spawn-aware presence', () => {
 
     expect(host.textContent).toContain('connecting');
     expect(host.textContent).not.toContain('online');
+    expect(host.querySelector('[aria-label="connecting"]')).not.toBeNull();
 
     await act(async () => {
       root.unmount();