diff --git a/apps/web/src/pages/workspace/agent-activity.tsx b/apps/web/src/pages/workspace/agent-activity.tsx
index 1ee43c6b..570ab9c5 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/pages/workspace/agent-activity.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/pages/workspace/agent-activity.tsx
@@ -6,12 +6,16 @@
  */
 import { useQuery } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import type { AgentActivity } from "@corbits-builder/client";
-import { readProjectActivity } from "../../api/activity.ts";
+import {
+  readProjectActivity,
+  readProjectRunStates,
+} from "../../api/activity.ts";
 import { keys } from "../../queries/keys.ts";
 import { wording } from "../../config.ts";
 
 const POLL_MS = 10_000;
 const BUSY_POLL_MS = 3_000;
+const RUN_STATE_POLL_MS = 5_000;
 const text = wording.activity;
 // The calls that hold until the person answers.
 const ASKS = new Set(["instruct_coder", "request_approval", "design_app"]);
@@ -126,6 +130,34 @@ export function useProjectActivity(projectId: string) {
   });
 }
 
+/**
+ * Each live run's state by its latest committed event, polled while any run is live. A run that
+ * parks on an approval raises no room event, so this is how the page learns the person's turn came.
+ */
+export function useProjectRunStates(projectId: string) {
+  return useQuery({
+    queryKey: keys.projectRunStates.of(projectId),
+    queryFn: ({ signal }) => readProjectRunStates(projectId, signal),
+    refetchInterval: (query) =>
+      query.state.data !== undefined && query.state.data.runs.length > 0
+        ? RUN_STATE_POLL_MS
+        : POLL_MS,
+    refetchOnWindowFocus: false,
+  });
+}
+
+/** The runs held on an approval, as one string a React effect can depend on. */
+export function heldOnApproval(
+  states: { runs: readonly { runId: string; state: string }[] } | undefined,
+): string {
+  if (states === undefined) return "";
+  return states.runs
+    .filter((run) => run.state === "approval")
+    .map((run) => run.runId)
+    .sort()
+    .join(",");
+}
+
 /** The roles with a run mid-turn right now, from the hub's native activity read. */
 export function useRolesAtWork(projectId: string): ReadonlySet<string> {
   const agents = useProjectActivity(projectId).data?.agents ?? [];
diff --git a/apps/web/src/pages/workspace/index.tsx b/apps/web/src/pages/workspace/index.tsx
index 60c5504a..f0d79378 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/pages/workspace/index.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/pages/workspace/index.tsx
@@ -34,7 +34,12 @@ import {
   PromptInputToolbar,
   useAttachments,
 } from "@corbits/react-ui";
-import { useProjectActivity, useRolesAtWork } from "./agent-activity.tsx";
+import {
+  heldOnApproval,
+  useProjectActivity,
+  useProjectRunStates,
+  useRolesAtWork,
+} from "./agent-activity.tsx";
 import {
   dispatchLive,
   DispatchRoomContext,
@@ -510,8 +515,12 @@ export function StageWorkspace({
     };
   }, [projectId, runId]);
 
+  // The runs held on an approval, from the polled run states: a coder's package request raises no
+  // room event, so the room alone would not say the person's turn came until something else moved.
+  const awaitingApproval = heldOnApproval(useProjectRunStates(projectId).data);
   // A room that moved may mean a message reached the coordinator from elsewhere, or a coordinator
-  // or coder decision opened; read who is at work and the open decisions.
+  // or coder decision opened; read who is at work and the open decisions. A run parking on an
+  // approval moves no room, so the open decisions are read again then too.
   useEffect(() => {
     void queryClient.invalidateQueries({
       queryKey: keys.projectActivity.of(projectId),
@@ -519,7 +528,7 @@ export function StageWorkspace({
     void queryClient.invalidateQueries({
       queryKey: keys.openDecisions.of(projectId),
     });
-  }, [projectId, queryClient, snapshot, gateDone]);
+  }, [projectId, queryClient, snapshot, gateDone, awaitingApproval]);
 
   const settling = awaitingCommit(liveRun, mirror);
   useEffect(() => {