diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/heartbeat-process-recovery.test.ts b/server/src/__tests__/heartbeat-process-recovery.test.ts
index b9564bbe8b0..45842b428fb 100644
--- a/server/src/__tests__/heartbeat-process-recovery.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/heartbeat-process-recovery.test.ts
@@ -2151,12 +2151,10 @@ describeEmbeddedPostgres("heartbeat orphaned process recovery", () => {
 
     const comments = await db.select().from(issueComments).where(eq(issueComments.issueId, issueId));
     expect(comments).toHaveLength(1);
-    expect(comments[0]?.body).toContain("retried dispatch");
-    expect(comments[0]?.body).toContain("Nested recovery: suppressed");
-    expect(comments[0]?.body).toContain("already a `stranded_issue_recovery` issue");
-    expect(comments[0]?.body).toContain(`Original source issue: [${issuePrefix}-2]`);
+    expect(comments[0]?.body).toContain("stopped automatic stranded-work recovery");
+    expect(comments[0]?.body).toContain("recovery issues do not create nested `stranded_issue_recovery` issues");
+    expect(comments[0]?.body).toContain(`Recovery issue: [${recoveryIssues[0]?.identifier}]`);
     expect(comments[0]?.body).toContain("Next action:");
-    expect(comments[0]?.body).not.toContain("Recovery issue: [");
   });
 
   it("assigns open unassigned blockers back to their creator agent", async () => {
diff --git a/server/src/services/heartbeat.ts b/server/src/services/heartbeat.ts
index 29cdda9e1c5..9dbce604cdd 100644
--- a/server/src/services/heartbeat.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/heartbeat.ts
@@ -8363,8 +8363,15 @@ export function heartbeatService(db: Db, options: HeartbeatServiceOptions = {})
         return { kind: "released" as const };
       }
 
+      if (issue.originKind === RECOVERY_ORIGIN_KINDS.strandedIssueRecovery) {
+        return {
+          kind: "blocked_recovery_in_place" as const,
+          issue,
+          previousStatus: issue.status,
+        };
+      }
+
       const shouldBlockImmediately =
-        issue.originKind === RECOVERY_ORIGIN_KINDS.strandedIssueRecovery ||
         !recoveryAgentInvokable ||
         !recoveryAgent ||
         didAutomaticRecoveryFail(run, issue.status === "todo" ? "assignment_recovery" : "issue_continuation_needed");
@@ -8464,6 +8471,15 @@ export function heartbeatService(db: Db, options: HeartbeatServiceOptions = {})
       return;
     }
 
+    if (promotionResult?.kind === "blocked_recovery_in_place") {
+      await recovery.escalateStrandedRecoveryIssueInPlace({
+        issue: promotionResult.issue,
+        previousStatus: promotionResult.previousStatus as "todo" | "in_progress",
+        latestRun: run,
+      });
+      return;
+    }
+
     const promotedRun = promotionResult?.run ?? null;
     if (!promotedRun) return;
 
diff --git a/server/src/services/recovery/service.ts b/server/src/services/recovery/service.ts
index 28ff8ecaada..3aee7d2b3f1 100644
--- a/server/src/services/recovery/service.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/recovery/service.ts
@@ -2797,6 +2797,7 @@ export function recoveryService(db: Db, deps: { enqueueWakeup: RecoveryWakeup })
 
   return {
     buildRunOutputSilence,
+    escalateStrandedRecoveryIssueInPlace,
     escalateStrandedAssignedIssue,
     recordWatchdogDecision,
     scanSilentActiveRuns,