diff --git a/doc/execution-semantics.md b/doc/execution-semantics.md
index 19e215df864..50a386a359d 100644
--- a/doc/execution-semantics.md
+++ b/doc/execution-semantics.md
@@ -1476,4 +1476,7 @@ not require or synthesize a legacy `scheduledRetryReason`.
 The card describes recovery of the existing run. It does not describe a fresh
 owner disposition turn. This also covers native bootstrap/session recovery,
 which shares the same resume policy. Inbox rows, source cards, and blocker chips
-use the same activity projection and keep board-owned repairs actionable.
+use the same activity projection. Board-owned repairs stay actionable until a
+verified native retry actually starts. Once an explicit board retry is running,
+its live activity takes precedence over the prior owner and exhausted budget.
+Resolved and cancelled actions remain resolved.
diff --git a/ui/src/components/IssueRecoveryActionCard.test.tsx b/ui/src/components/IssueRecoveryActionCard.test.tsx
index 077b1707b8e..75e4b3330cf 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/IssueRecoveryActionCard.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/IssueRecoveryActionCard.test.tsx
@@ -150,6 +150,18 @@ describe("IssueRecoveryActionCard", () => {
     expect(node.querySelector('[data-testid="recovery-retry-progress"]')?.getAttribute("data-recovery-lane")).toBe("native_run");
   });
 
+  it("describes actual export progress after the board retries an exhausted repair", () => {
+    const node = render(<IssueRecoveryActionCard action={buildAction({
+      kind: "active_run_watchdog", cause: "native_finalization_invalid", ownerType: "board", status: "escalated", attemptCount: 3,
+      wakePolicy: { kind: "resume_native_run", runId: "native-run" },
+      nativeRunActivity: { runId: "native-run", status: "running", workspaceOperationId: "export-operation" },
+    })} />);
+    expect(node.querySelector("section")?.getAttribute("data-recovery-state")).toBe("in_progress");
+    expect(node.textContent).toContain("Paperclip is recovering the existing run");
+    expect(node.querySelector('[data-testid="recovery-recovery-owner"]')?.textContent).toContain("Paperclip");
+    expect(node.textContent).not.toContain("Automatic retries are finished");
+  });
+
   it("renders state and kind attributes with owner names and the recorded next action", () => {
     const node = render(
       <IssueRecoveryActionCard
diff --git a/ui/src/components/IssueRecoveryActionCard.tsx b/ui/src/components/IssueRecoveryActionCard.tsx
index 671b888f1ef..67c9ea1fc2d 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/IssueRecoveryActionCard.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/IssueRecoveryActionCard.tsx
@@ -904,8 +904,8 @@ function formatTimeAbsolute(value: string | Date | null | undefined): string | n
  */
 function lineageHeadline(lineage: RecoveryRetryLineage): string {
   if (lineage.lane === "native_run") {
-    if (lineage.exhausted) return "Paperclip could not recover the existing run within its retry budget. Review the recorded failure before retrying. The task stays with its original owner.";
     if (lineage.liveRunId) return "Paperclip is recovering the existing run. The task stays with its original owner.";
+    if (lineage.exhausted) return "Paperclip could not recover the existing run within its retry budget. Review the recorded failure before retrying. The task stays with its original owner.";
     if (lineage.retryExpired) return "The retry for the existing run came due and did not start. Review the recorded failure and retry when ready. The task stays with its original owner.";
     if (lineage.nextRetryAt) return "Paperclip has scheduled another attempt to resume the existing run. The task stays with its original owner.";
     return "The existing run still needs recovery. Review the recorded failure before retrying. The task stays with its original owner.";
@@ -1028,7 +1028,7 @@ export function IssueRecoveryActionCard({
   // the budget ran out or the scheduled attempt simply never fired.
   const wakeSummary = lineage?.retryExpired
     ? "The scheduled retry did not run — a retry or a decision is needed"
-    : lineage?.exhausted && lineage.lane !== "board"
+    : lineage?.exhausted && !lineage.liveRunId && lineage.lane !== "board"
     ? "Automatic retries are finished — a decision is needed"
     : readWakePolicySummary(action);
   const evidenceSummary = pickEvidenceSummary(action);
@@ -1184,7 +1184,7 @@ export function IssueRecoveryActionCard({
                 className="inline-flex flex-wrap items-center gap-1.5"
                 data-testid="recovery-recovery-owner"
               >
-                {lineage.lane === "native_run" && action.ownerType !== "board" ? (
+                {lineage.lane === "native_run" && (action.ownerType !== "board" || Boolean(lineage.liveRunId)) ? (
                   <>
                     <span className="font-medium">Paperclip</span>
                     <span className="text-muted-foreground">recovers the existing run</span>
diff --git a/ui/src/lib/recovery-display.test.ts b/ui/src/lib/recovery-display.test.ts
index 5c71fed94e2..8c6275febf6 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/recovery-display.test.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/recovery-display.test.ts
@@ -171,6 +171,13 @@ describe("deriveRecoveryDisplayState", () => {
       },
     );
 
+    it.each(["active", "escalated"] as const)("shows a board-admitted export as progress despite prior %s repair ownership", (status) => {
+      expect(deriveRecoveryDisplayState({
+        ...action, status, ownerType: "board", attemptCount: 3,
+        nativeRunActivity: { runId: "finalizing-run", status: "running", workspaceOperationId: "export-operation" },
+      }, { now })).toBe("in_progress");
+    });
+
     it("keeps exhausted retries and board-owned failures actionable", () => {
       const wakePolicy = { ...action.wakePolicy, notBefore: "2026-09-27T02:01:00.000Z" };
       expect(deriveRecoveryDisplayState({ ...action, wakePolicy, attemptCount: 3 }, { now })).toBe("needed");
diff --git a/ui/src/lib/recovery-display.ts b/ui/src/lib/recovery-display.ts
index dff2fc5d67b..83458672d9c 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/recovery-display.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/recovery-display.ts
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@ export function deriveRecoveryDisplayState(
   context?: RecoveryLivenessContext,
 ): RecoveryDisplayState {
   if (action.status === "resolved") return "resolved";
-  if (action.status === "escalated") return "escalated";
   if (action.status === "cancelled") return "resolved";
   // A bounded retry lineage still holding a durable path is work the server will do on its
   // own. Shouting "recovery needed" over it would ask a human to fix something nobody has to
@@ -86,6 +85,11 @@ export function deriveRecoveryDisplayState(
     timeoutAt: action.timeoutAt,
     nativeRunActivity: action.nativeRunActivity,
   }, context);
+  // An explicit board retry may retain its old owner/budget while the exact
+  // native run is already making progress. Actual activity wins over that
+  // historical repair state, but a merely scheduled board retry does not.
+  if (lineage?.lane === "native_run" && lineage.liveRunId) return "in_progress";
+  if (action.status === "escalated") return "escalated";
   if (action.kind === "active_run_watchdog") {
     // Native finalization shares the watchdog kind, but resumes a failed
     // coordinator rather than observing a live agent turn. Preserve board
diff --git a/ui/src/lib/recovery-lineage.ts b/ui/src/lib/recovery-lineage.ts
index c172ef4db08..1bd8e61edf3 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/recovery-lineage.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/recovery-lineage.ts
@@ -198,7 +198,8 @@ export function readRecoveryRetryLineage(
     sourceAttempt: nativeResume ? null : lane === "source_owner" ? attempt : evidenceSourceAttempt,
     sourceMaxAttempts: nativeResume ? null : lane === "source_owner" ? maxAttempts : evidenceSourceMaxAttempts,
     hasDurablePath:
-      !exhausted && (liveRunId !== null || (nextRetryAt !== null && !retryExpired)),
+      (nativeResume && liveRunId !== null) ||
+      (!exhausted && (liveRunId !== null || (nextRetryAt !== null && !retryExpired))),
   };
 }