diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/commands/project_commands.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/commands/project_commands.rs
index 46ecbf9..b30040d 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/commands/project_commands.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/commands/project_commands.rs
@@ -259,16 +259,18 @@ pub async fn stop_project_container(
         .get(&project_id)
         .ok_or_else(|| format!("Project {} not found", project_id))?;
 
-    if let Some(ref container_id) = project.container_id {
-        state.projects_store.update_status(&project_id, ProjectStatus::Stopping)?;
+    state.projects_store.update_status(&project_id, ProjectStatus::Stopping)?;
 
+    if let Some(ref container_id) = project.container_id {
         // Close exec sessions for this project
         state.exec_manager.close_sessions_for_container(container_id).await;
 
-        docker::stop_container(container_id).await?;
-        state.projects_store.update_status(&project_id, ProjectStatus::Stopped)?;
+        if let Err(e) = docker::stop_container(container_id).await {
+            log::warn!("Docker stop failed for container {} (project {}): {} — resetting to Stopped anyway", container_id, project_id, e);
+        }
     }
 
+    state.projects_store.update_status(&project_id, ProjectStatus::Stopped)?;
     Ok(())
 }
 
diff --git a/app/src-tauri/src/storage/projects_store.rs b/app/src-tauri/src/storage/projects_store.rs
index de6f3d5..5f930e4 100644
--- a/app/src-tauri/src/storage/projects_store.rs
+++ b/app/src-tauri/src/storage/projects_store.rs
@@ -70,17 +70,38 @@ impl ProjectsStore {
             (Vec::new(), false)
         };
 
+        // Reconcile stale transient statuses: on a cold app start no Docker
+        // operations can be in flight, so Starting/Stopping are always stale.
+        let mut projects = projects;
+        let mut needs_save = needs_save;
+        for p in projects.iter_mut() {
+            match p.status {
+                crate::models::ProjectStatus::Starting | crate::models::ProjectStatus::Stopping => {
+                    log::warn!(
+                        "Reconciling stale '{}' status for project '{}' ({}) → Stopped",
+                        serde_json::to_string(&p.status).unwrap_or_default().trim_matches('"'),
+                        p.name,
+                        p.id
+                    );
+                    p.status = crate::models::ProjectStatus::Stopped;
+                    p.updated_at = chrono::Utc::now().to_rfc3339();
+                    needs_save = true;
+                }
+                _ => {}
+            }
+        }
+
         let store = Self {
             projects: Mutex::new(projects),
             file_path,
         };
 
-        // Persist migrated format back to disk
+        // Persist migrated/reconciled format back to disk
         if needs_save {
-            log::info!("Migrated projects.json from single-path to multi-path format");
+            log::info!("Saving reconciled/migrated projects.json to disk");
             let projects = store.lock();
             if let Err(e) = store.save(&projects) {
-                log::error!("Failed to save migrated projects: {}", e);
+                log::error!("Failed to save projects: {}", e);
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/app/src/components/projects/ProjectCard.tsx b/app/src/components/projects/ProjectCard.tsx
index 4c93a1d..306d990 100644
--- a/app/src/components/projects/ProjectCard.tsx
+++ b/app/src/components/projects/ProjectCard.tsx
@@ -315,9 +315,12 @@ export default function ProjectCard({ project }: Props) {
                 <ActionButton onClick={handleOpenTerminal} disabled={loading} label="Terminal" accent />
               </>
             ) : (
-              <span className="text-xs text-[var(--text-secondary)]">
-                {project.status}...
-              </span>
+              <>
+                <span className="text-xs text-[var(--text-secondary)]">
+                  {project.status}...
+                </span>
+                <ActionButton onClick={handleStop} disabled={loading} label="Force Stop" danger />
+              </>
             )}
             <ActionButton
               onClick={(e) => { e?.stopPropagation?.(); setShowConfig(!showConfig); }}