diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/status-cards.test.ts b/server/src/__tests__/status-cards.test.ts
index 68245be4f69..a0a89a7dd82 100644
--- a/server/src/__tests__/status-cards.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/status-cards.test.ts
@@ -194,6 +194,47 @@ describeEmbeddedPostgres("status card routes", () => {
     expect(await db.select().from(issues)).toEqual([]);
   });
 
+  it("keeps a card with a queued compile when its activity record fails", async () => {
+    const company = await seedCompany();
+    await enableStatusCards();
+    await seedSummarizer(company.id);
+    // Fail only the card's creation activity record, which is written after the compile is queued.
+    const failingActivityDb = new Proxy(db, {
+      get(target, property) {
+        if (property === "insert") {
+          return (table: unknown) => {
+            const builder = target.insert(table as never);
+            if (table !== activityLog) return builder;
+            return new Proxy(builder, {
+              get(inner, key) {
+                if (key === "values") {
+                  return (values: { action?: string }) => {
+                    if (values?.action === "status_card.created") throw new Error("activity log unavailable");
+                    return inner.values(values as never);
+                  };
+                }
+                const value = Reflect.get(inner, key, inner);
+                return typeof value === "function" ? value.bind(inner) : value;
+              },
+            });
+          };
+        }
+        const value = Reflect.get(target, property, target);
+        return typeof value === "function" ? value.bind(target) : value;
+      },
+    }) as Db;
+    const response = await request(createApp(failingActivityDb, localBoardActor()))
+      .post(`/api/companies/${company.id}/status-cards`)
+      .send({ interestPrompt: "Recently updated launch tasks" });
+
+    expect(response.status).toBe(500);
+    const cards = await db.select().from(statusCards);
+    expect(cards).toHaveLength(1);
+    const generation = await db.select().from(issues).where(eq(issues.id, cards[0]!.generatingIssueId!)).then((rows) => rows[0]);
+    expect(generation).toBeDefined();
+    expect(generation!.status).not.toBe("cancelled");
+  });
+
   it("creates, patches, archives, restores, lists updates, and deletes a card", async () => {
     const company = await seedCompany();
     await enableStatusCards();
diff --git a/server/src/routes/status-cards.ts b/server/src/routes/status-cards.ts
index f244942edb3..b86de76ae97 100644
--- a/server/src/routes/status-cards.ts
+++ b/server/src/routes/status-cards.ts
@@ -172,21 +172,23 @@ export function statusCardRoutes(db: Db, opts: { heartbeat?: IssueAssignmentWake
     await assertCanMutate(req, companyId);
     assertAgentPromptLimit(req, req.body.interestPrompt);
     const actor = getActorInfo(req);
-    // Resolve the link before creating the card: the catch below deletes the card, so nothing that
-    // runs after the compile is queued may fail there.
+    // Resolve the link before creating the card, so a failed lookup leaves nothing behind.
     const issuePrefix = await companyIssuePrefix(companyId);
     const card = await service.create(companyId, req.body, {
       agentId: actor.actorType === "agent" ? actor.actorId : null,
       userId: actor.actorType === "user" ? actor.actorId : null,
     });
+    // Only a failure to queue the compile removes the new card. Once the compile is queued, the card
+    // and its generation task exist together, so later failures must not delete the card alone.
+    let compile: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof enqueueCompile>>;
     try {
-      const compile = await enqueueCompile(req, card.id);
-      await logMutation(req, companyId, "status_card.created", card.id, { state: card.state });
-      res.status(201).json(withHref(publicCard(compile.card), issuePrefix));
+      compile = await enqueueCompile(req, card.id);
     } catch (error) {
       await service.remove(card.id);
       throw error;
     }
+    await logMutation(req, companyId, "status_card.created", card.id, { state: card.state });
+    res.status(201).json(withHref(publicCard(compile.card), issuePrefix));
   });
 
   router.get("/status-cards/:id", async (req, res) => {