diff --git a/server/src/chat/commands/triage.rs b/server/src/chat/commands/triage.rs
index 067f83d6..c54621e1 100644
--- a/server/src/chat/commands/triage.rs
+++ b/server/src/chat/commands/triage.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 //! Handler for the story triage dump subcommand of `status`.
 //!
-//! Produces a triage dump for a story that is currently in-progress
-//! (`work/2_current/`): metadata, acceptance criteria, worktree/branch state,
-//! git diff, recent commits, and the tail of the agent log.
+//! Produces a triage dump for a story: metadata, acceptance criteria,
+//! worktree/branch state, git diff, recent commits, and the tail of the
+//! agent log.
+//!
+//! Reads from the CRDT pipeline state and the in-memory content store — no
+//! filesystem access for story content.  Works for stories in any pipeline
+//! stage, not just `2_current`.
 //!
 //! The command is handled entirely at the bot level — no LLM invocation.
 
@@ -26,39 +30,31 @@ pub(super) fn handle_triage(ctx: &CommandContext) -> Option<String> {
         ));
     }
 
-    let current_dir = ctx
-        .project_root
-        .join(".huskies")
-        .join("work")
-        .join("2_current");
-
-    match find_story_in_dir(&current_dir, num_str) {
-        Some((path, stem)) => Some(build_triage_dump(ctx, &path, &stem, num_str)),
+    match find_story_by_number(num_str) {
+        Some((story_id, item)) => Some(build_triage_dump(ctx, &story_id, &item, num_str)),
         None => Some(format!(
-            "Story **{num_str}** is not currently in progress (not found in `work/2_current/`)."
+            "Story **{num_str}** not found in the pipeline."
         )),
     }
 }
 
-/// Find a `.md` file whose numeric prefix matches `num_str` in `dir`.
-///
-/// Returns `(path, file_stem)` for the first match.
-fn find_story_in_dir(dir: &Path, num_str: &str) -> Option<(PathBuf, String)> {
-    let entries = std::fs::read_dir(dir).ok()?;
-    for entry in entries.flatten() {
-        let path = entry.path();
-        if path.extension().and_then(|e| e.to_str()) != Some("md") {
-            continue;
-        }
-        if let Some(stem) = path.file_stem().and_then(|s| s.to_str()) {
-            let file_num = stem
-                .split('_')
-                .next()
-                .filter(|s| !s.is_empty() && s.chars().all(|c| c.is_ascii_digit()))
-                .unwrap_or("");
-            if file_num == num_str {
-                return Some((path.clone(), stem.to_string()));
-            }
+/// Find a pipeline item whose numeric prefix matches `num_str` by querying the
+/// CRDT state.  Returns `(story_id, PipelineItem)` for the first match.
+fn find_story_by_number(
+    num_str: &str,
+) -> Option<(String, crate::pipeline_state::PipelineItem)> {
+    let items = crate::pipeline_state::read_all_typed();
+    for item in items {
+        let file_num = item
+            .story_id
+            .0
+            .split('_')
+            .next()
+            .filter(|s| !s.is_empty() && s.chars().all(|c| c.is_ascii_digit()))
+            .unwrap_or("");
+        if file_num == num_str {
+            let story_id = item.story_id.0.clone();
+            return Some((story_id, item));
         }
     }
     None
@@ -67,13 +63,13 @@ fn find_story_in_dir(dir: &Path, num_str: &str) -> Option<(PathBuf, String)> {
 /// Build the full triage dump for a story.
 fn build_triage_dump(
     ctx: &CommandContext,
-    story_path: &Path,
     story_id: &str,
+    item: &crate::pipeline_state::PipelineItem,
     num_str: &str,
 ) -> String {
-    let contents = match std::fs::read_to_string(story_path) {
-        Ok(c) => c,
-        Err(e) => return format!("Failed to read story {num_str}: {e}"),
+    let contents = match crate::db::read_content(story_id) {
+        Some(c) => c,
+        None => return format!("Story {num_str}: content not found in content store."),
     };
 
     let meta = crate::io::story_metadata::parse_front_matter(&contents).ok();
@@ -83,7 +79,9 @@ fn build_triage_dump(
 
     // ---- Header ----
     out.push_str(&format!("## Story {num_str} — {name}\n"));
-    out.push_str("**Stage:** In Progress (`2_current`)\n\n");
+    let stage_name = crate::pipeline_state::stage_label(&item.stage);
+    let dir_name = crate::pipeline_state::stage_dir_name(&item.stage);
+    out.push_str(&format!("**Stage:** {stage_name} (`{dir_name}`)\n\n"));
 
     // ---- Front matter fields ----
     if let Some(ref m) = meta {
@@ -351,27 +349,24 @@ mod tests {
     // -- not found ----------------------------------------------------------
 
     #[test]
-    fn whatsup_story_not_in_current_returns_friendly_message() {
+    fn whatsup_story_not_in_pipeline_returns_friendly_message() {
+        // Initialize the content store so read_all_typed() returns nothing for
+        // this number without panicking.
+        crate::db::ensure_content_store();
         let tmp = tempfile::TempDir::new().unwrap();
-        // Create the directory but put the story in backlog, not current
-        write_story_file(
-            tmp.path(),
-            "1_backlog",
-            "42_story_not_in_current.md",
-            "---\nname: Not in current\n---\n",
-        );
-        let output = status_triage_cmd(tmp.path(), "42").unwrap();
+        // Use a number unlikely to collide with other tests' CRDT entries.
+        let output = status_triage_cmd(tmp.path(), "99997").unwrap();
         assert!(
-            output.contains("42"),
+            output.contains("99997"),
             "message should include story number: {output}"
         );
         assert!(
-            output.contains("not") || output.contains("Not"),
-            "message should say not found/in progress: {output}"
+            output.contains("not found") || output.contains("Not found"),
+            "message should say not found: {output}"
         );
     }
 
-    // -- found in 2_current -------------------------------------------------
+    // -- found in any pipeline stage ----------------------------------------
 
     #[test]
     fn whatsup_shows_story_name_and_stage() {
@@ -389,11 +384,49 @@ mod tests {
             "should show story name: {output}"
         );
         assert!(
-            output.contains("In Progress") || output.contains("2_current"),
+            output.contains("Coding") || output.contains("2_current"),
             "should show pipeline stage: {output}"
         );
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn whatsup_works_for_story_in_backlog() {
+        let tmp = tempfile::TempDir::new().unwrap();
+        write_story_file(
+            tmp.path(),
+            "1_backlog",
+            "9901_story_backlog_item.md",
+            "---\nname: Backlog Item\n---\n",
+        );
+        let output = status_triage_cmd(tmp.path(), "9901").unwrap();
+        assert!(output.contains("9901"), "should show story number: {output}");
+        assert!(
+            output.contains("Backlog Item"),
+            "should show story name: {output}"
+        );
+        assert!(
+            output.contains("Backlog") || output.contains("1_backlog"),
+            "should show backlog stage: {output}"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn whatsup_works_for_story_in_qa() {
+        let tmp = tempfile::TempDir::new().unwrap();
+        write_story_file(
+            tmp.path(),
+            "3_qa",
+            "9902_story_qa_item.md",
+            "---\nname: QA Item\n---\n",
+        );
+        let output = status_triage_cmd(tmp.path(), "9902").unwrap();
+        assert!(output.contains("9902"), "should show story number: {output}");
+        assert!(
+            output.contains("QA Item"),
+            "should show story name: {output}"
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn whatsup_shows_acceptance_criteria() {
         let tmp = tempfile::TempDir::new().unwrap();
diff --git a/server/src/http/mcp/status_tools.rs b/server/src/http/mcp/status_tools.rs
index 44fad140..a518eb2c 100644
--- a/server/src/http/mcp/status_tools.rs
+++ b/server/src/http/mcp/status_tools.rs
@@ -158,19 +158,13 @@ pub(super) async fn tool_status(args: &Value, ctx: &AppContext) -> Result<String
 
     let root = ctx.state.get_project_root()?;
 
-    // Read from CRDT/DB content store — verify the item is in 2_current.
-    let typed_item = crate::pipeline_state::read_typed(story_id)
+    // Read from CRDT/DB content store — works for stories in any pipeline stage.
+    let _typed_item = crate::pipeline_state::read_typed(story_id)
         .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to read pipeline state: {e}"))?
         .ok_or_else(|| format!(
-            "Story '{story_id}' not found in work/2_current/. Check the story_id and ensure it is in the current stage."
+            "Story '{story_id}' not found in the pipeline."
         ))?;
 
-    if typed_item.stage.dir_name() != "2_current" {
-        return Err(format!(
-            "Story '{story_id}' not found in work/2_current/. Check the story_id and ensure it is in the current stage."
-        ));
-    }
-
     let contents = crate::db::read_content(story_id).ok_or_else(|| {
         format!("Story '{story_id}' has no content in the content store.")
     })?;
@@ -334,7 +328,7 @@ mod tests {
         let ctx = crate::http::context::AppContext::new_test(tmp.path().to_path_buf());
         let result = tool_status(&json!({"story_id": "999_story_nonexistent"}), &ctx).await;
         assert!(result.is_err());
-        assert!(result.unwrap_err().contains("not found in work/2_current/"));
+        assert!(result.unwrap_err().contains("not found in the pipeline"));
     }
 
     #[tokio::test]
@@ -362,4 +356,22 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(ac[1]["text"], "Second criterion");
         assert_eq!(ac[1]["checked"], true);
     }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn tool_status_works_for_story_in_backlog() {
+        let tmp = tempdir().unwrap();
+
+        crate::db::ensure_content_store();
+        let story_content = "---\nname: Backlog Story\n---\n\n## Acceptance Criteria\n\n- [ ] One thing\n";
+        crate::db::write_item_with_content("9887_story_backlog_test", "1_backlog", story_content);
+
+        let ctx = crate::http::context::AppContext::new_test(tmp.path().to_path_buf());
+        let result = tool_status(&json!({"story_id": "9887_story_backlog_test"}), &ctx)
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+        let parsed: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_str(&result).unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(parsed["story_id"], "9887_story_backlog_test");
+        assert_eq!(parsed["front_matter"]["name"], "Backlog Story");
+    }
 }