diff --git a/docs/status-data-contract.md b/docs/status-data-contract.md
index 2873cabfe9..ec6478918f 100644
--- a/docs/status-data-contract.md
+++ b/docs/status-data-contract.md
@@ -1188,6 +1188,15 @@ goal-level refresh in a multi-agent goal must use a registered peer with
 Use agent-lane scope for a peer-local recommendation that should not replace the
 durable goal route.
 
+`connected_without_run` means a connected Goal has no recorded runs. When all
+recorded runs are agent-lane notes or status-neutral events, `latest_status_run`
+remains null; this does not mean the Goal never ran. Attention uses the current
+authoritative active-state Todo projection when available, otherwise it retains
+`unknown`. The full-history `unique_runs` count preserves this distinction when
+the displayed `latest_runs` window is empty. Neither history nor an open Todo
+proves a host is currently executing; Agent execution state still requires its
+separate lane, worker and lease facts.
+
 If a peer self-merged slice materially advanced the public product or case
 path, that peer or another registered peer should also write a project-level
 refresh with the matching `delivery_outcome=outcome_progress` (or skip the
diff --git a/loopx/control_plane/work_items/attention_queue.py b/loopx/control_plane/work_items/attention_queue.py
index 320a2eb59b..fb9976b9b9 100644
--- a/loopx/control_plane/work_items/attention_queue.py
+++ b/loopx/control_plane/work_items/attention_queue.py
@@ -240,7 +240,11 @@ def build_attention_queue(
             item = active_state_item
         else:
             item = context.goal_attention(goal)
-            if not item:
+            if not item or (
+                current_status_run is None
+                and item.get("status") == "unknown"
+                and active_state_item
+            ):
                 item = active_state_item
         if item:
             item, projection_warning = _reconcile_active_state_item(
diff --git a/loopx/control_plane/work_items/attention_routing.py b/loopx/control_plane/work_items/attention_routing.py
index d4d680a066..8ea4b42466 100644
--- a/loopx/control_plane/work_items/attention_routing.py
+++ b/loopx/control_plane/work_items/attention_routing.py
@@ -63,12 +63,18 @@ def goal_attention(
             adapter_status in connected_adapter_statuses
             or adapter_status in connected_delivery_adapter_statuses
         ):
+            # Lane notes and neutral runs do not establish Goal status, but are history.
+            has_history = bool(goal.get("unique_runs") or goal.get("latest_runs"))
             return attention_item(
                 goal_id=goal_id,
-                status="connected_without_run",
+                status="unknown" if has_history else "connected_without_run",
                 waiting_on="codex",
                 severity="action",
-                recommended_action="run the first read-only adapter tick and save a compact run record",
+                recommended_action=(
+                    "inspect the active goal state; existing history has no goal-level status run"
+                    if has_history
+                    else "run the first read-only adapter tick and save a compact run record"
+                ),
                 source="run_history",
                 **lifecycle_fields,
             )
diff --git a/tests/control_plane/test_status_no_run_projection.py b/tests/control_plane/test_status_no_run_projection.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..261aba7863
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/control_plane/test_status_no_run_projection.py
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+"""Missing Goal-level status is distinct from missing execution history."""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
+
+import pytest
+
+from canonical_authority_fixture import initialize_canonical_source_fixture
+from loopx.status import collect_status, goal_attention, latest_run
+
+
+GOAL_RUN = {
+    "classification": "state_refreshed",
+    "recommended_action": "Inspect the current deliverable.",
+    "json_exists": True,
+    "markdown_exists": True,
+}
+LANE_RUN = {**GOAL_RUN, "progress_scope": "agent_lane", "agent_id": "peer"}
+CONNECTED_GOAL = {"id": "goal-a", "adapter_status": "connected-read-only"}
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("history", [
+    {"latest_status_run": GOAL_RUN, "latest_runs": [LANE_RUN]},
+    {"latest_runs": [LANE_RUN, GOAL_RUN]},
+])
+def test_new_and_legacy_run_fields_keep_goal_status(history):
+    goal = {**CONNECTED_GOAL, **history}
+    assert latest_run(goal) == GOAL_RUN
+    assert goal_attention(goal)["status"] == "state_refreshed"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("history", [
+    {"latest_status_run": None, "latest_runs": [LANE_RUN], "unique_runs": 1},
+    {"latest_runs": [LANE_RUN]},
+    {"latest_runs": [{"classification": "quota_slot_spent"}]},
+    {"latest_status_run": None, "latest_runs": [], "unique_runs": 4},
+])
+def test_history_without_goal_status_remains_unknown(history):
+    goal = {**CONNECTED_GOAL, **history}
+    assert latest_run(goal) is None
+    item = goal_attention(goal)
+    assert item["status"] == "unknown"
+    assert item["source"] == "run_history"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("history", [
+    {},
+    {"latest_status_run": None, "latest_runs": [], "unique_runs": 0},
+])
+def test_genuinely_unrun_connected_goal_keeps_initial_tick(history):
+    assert goal_attention({**CONNECTED_GOAL, **history})["status"] == "connected_without_run"
+
+
+def test_unclassified_goal_run_stays_unknown():
+    run = {"json_exists": True, "markdown_exists": True}
+    item = goal_attention({**CONNECTED_GOAL, "latest_status_run": run})
+    assert item["status"] == "unknown"
+    assert item["source"] == "latest_run"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("role,expected", [
+    (None, "unknown"),
+    ("agent", "active_state_agent_todo"),
+    ("user", "active_state_user_gate"),
+])
+def test_status_uses_canonical_work_without_promoting_agent_history(tmp_path, role, expected):
+    registry, runtime, state = tmp_path / "registry.json", tmp_path / "runtime", tmp_path / "state.md"
+    state.write_text(
+        "# Goal\n\n## Agent Todo\n\n" + (
+            ("## User Todo\n\n" if role == "user" else "") +
+            "- [ ] Inspect the current deliverable.\n"
+            "  <!-- loopx:todo todo_id=todo_work status=open " +
+            ("task_class=user_gate" if role == "user" else "claimed_by=peer") + " -->\n"
+            if role else ""
+        ), encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+    registry.write_text(json.dumps({
+        "schema_version": 1, "common_runtime_root": str(runtime),
+        "goals": [{"id": "goal-a", "repo": str(tmp_path), "state_file": str(state),
+                   "adapter": {"kind": "read_only_project_map_v0", "status": "connected-read-only"},
+                   "coordination": {"registered_agents": ["peer"]}}],
+    }), encoding="utf-8")
+    initialize_canonical_source_fixture(runtime, "goal-a", state_path=state, provider="sqlite")
+    runs = runtime / "goals/goal-a/runs"
+    runs.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    artifact = runs / "lane.json"
+    artifact.write_text("{}", encoding="utf-8")
+    index = runs / "index.jsonl"
+    index.write_text(json.dumps({
+        **LANE_RUN, "goal_id": "goal-a", "generated_at": "2026-01-01T00:00:00Z",
+        "json_path": str(artifact), "markdown_path": str(artifact),
+    }) + "\n", encoding="utf-8")
+    before = {path: path.read_bytes() for path in (registry, state, artifact, index)}
+
+    payload = collect_status(registry_path=registry, runtime_root_override=str(runtime),
+                             goal_id="goal-a", limit=1)
+
+    item, = (row for row in payload["attention_queue"]["items"] if row["goal_id"] == "goal-a")
+    assert item["status"] == expected
+    assert item["source"] == ("active_state" if role else "run_history")
+    if role == "user":
+        assert item["waiting_on"] == "controller"
+    assert payload["run_history"]["goals"][0]["latest_status_run"] is None
+    assert {path: path.read_bytes() for path in before} == before