diff --git a/server/src/agents/pool/auto_assign/merge.rs b/server/src/agents/pool/auto_assign/merge.rs
index 8051882f..47113028 100644
--- a/server/src/agents/pool/auto_assign/merge.rs
+++ b/server/src/agents/pool/auto_assign/merge.rs
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ impl AgentPool {
             commits_ahead: NonZeroU32::new(1).expect("1 is non-zero"),
             claim: None,
             retries: 0,
+            server_start_time: None,
         };
         let merge_items = scan_stage_items(&merge_stage);
         for story_id in &merge_items {
diff --git a/server/src/agents/pool/auto_assign/merge_failure_block_subscriber.rs b/server/src/agents/pool/auto_assign/merge_failure_block_subscriber.rs
index fa13c8b8..623d366f 100644
--- a/server/src/agents/pool/auto_assign/merge_failure_block_subscriber.rs
+++ b/server/src/agents/pool/auto_assign/merge_failure_block_subscriber.rs
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ mod tests {
                 commits_ahead: NonZeroU32::new(1).unwrap(),
                 claim: None,
                 retries: 0,
+                server_start_time: None,
             },
             after: Stage::MergeFailure {
                 kind: kind.clone(),
diff --git a/server/src/agents/pool/auto_assign/merge_failure_subscriber.rs b/server/src/agents/pool/auto_assign/merge_failure_subscriber.rs
index 55610e95..ccc2175e 100644
--- a/server/src/agents/pool/auto_assign/merge_failure_subscriber.rs
+++ b/server/src/agents/pool/auto_assign/merge_failure_subscriber.rs
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ mod tests {
                 commits_ahead: NonZeroU32::new(1).unwrap(),
                 claim: None,
                 retries: 0,
+                server_start_time: None,
             },
             after: crate::pipeline_state::Stage::MergeFailure {
                 kind: kind.clone(),
diff --git a/server/src/agents/pool/cost_rollup_subscriber.rs b/server/src/agents/pool/cost_rollup_subscriber.rs
index ed19c6ab..7d496518 100644
--- a/server/src/agents/pool/cost_rollup_subscriber.rs
+++ b/server/src/agents/pool/cost_rollup_subscriber.rs
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ mod tests {
                 commits_ahead: NonZeroU32::new(1).unwrap(),
                 claim: None,
                 retries: 0,
+                server_start_time: None,
             },
             after: Stage::Done {
                 merged_at: Utc::now(),
diff --git a/server/src/chat/commands/status/tests.rs b/server/src/chat/commands/status/tests.rs
index e7d24061..3c26730d 100644
--- a/server/src/chat/commands/status/tests.rs
+++ b/server/src/chat/commands/status/tests.rs
@@ -549,6 +549,7 @@ fn merge_stage() -> Stage {
         commits_ahead: std::num::NonZeroU32::new(1).unwrap(),
         claim: None,
         retries: 0,
+        server_start_time: None,
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/server/src/crdt_state/read.rs b/server/src/crdt_state/read.rs
index a4197d58..27c508d0 100644
--- a/server/src/crdt_state/read.rs
+++ b/server/src/crdt_state/read.rs
@@ -403,6 +403,11 @@ pub(super) fn extract_item_view(item: &PipelineItemCrdt) -> Option<PipelineItemV
         _ => None,
     };
 
+    let merge_server_start = match item.merge_server_start.view() {
+        JsonValue::Number(n) if n > 0.0 => Some(n),
+        _ => None,
+    };
+
     let stage = project_stage_for_view(
         &stage_str,
         &story_id,
@@ -412,6 +417,7 @@ pub(super) fn extract_item_view(item: &PipelineItemCrdt) -> Option<PipelineItemV
         claim_ts_secs,
         plan_state_str.as_deref(),
         retry_count_register,
+        merge_server_start,
     )?;
 
     Some(PipelineItemView {
@@ -449,6 +455,7 @@ fn project_stage_for_view(
     claim_ts_secs: Option<u64>,
     plan_state_str: Option<&str>,
     retries: u32,
+    merge_server_start: Option<f64>,
 ) -> Option<crate::pipeline_state::Stage> {
     use crate::pipeline_state::{
         AgentClaim, AgentName, ArchiveReason, BranchName, GitSha, PlanState, Stage,
@@ -518,6 +525,7 @@ fn project_stage_for_view(
             commits_ahead: NonZeroU32::new(1).expect("1 is non-zero"),
             claim,
             retries,
+            server_start_time: merge_server_start,
         }),
         "merge_failure" => {
             // Story 986: read the typed kind directly from ContentKey::MergeFailureKind
diff --git a/server/src/crdt_state/types.rs b/server/src/crdt_state/types.rs
index b9c24de9..960fb90b 100644
--- a/server/src/crdt_state/types.rs
+++ b/server/src/crdt_state/types.rs
@@ -100,6 +100,11 @@ pub struct PipelineItemCrdt {
     /// Wire values: `"missing"` (default/empty), `"drafted"`, `"confirmed"`.
     /// Updated by the filesystem watcher on PLAN.md create/modify/remove events.
     pub plan_state: LwwRegisterCrdt<String>,
+    /// Story 1036: Unix timestamp (f64 seconds) of the server process that
+    /// started the currently active merge task for this item.  Zero / absent
+    /// means no merge task is in flight.  Projected into `Stage::Merge {
+    /// server_start_time }` so callers never read this register directly.
+    pub merge_server_start: LwwRegisterCrdt<f64>,
 }
 
 /// CRDT node that holds a single peer's presence entry.
diff --git a/server/src/crdt_state/write/item.rs b/server/src/crdt_state/write/item.rs
index be3e729e..81471de5 100644
--- a/server/src/crdt_state/write/item.rs
+++ b/server/src/crdt_state/write/item.rs
@@ -267,6 +267,14 @@ pub fn write_item(
         Stage::Merge { retries, .. } => *retries as f64,
         _ => 0.0,
     };
+    // Extract merge_server_start from Stage::Merge; 0.0 clears the register.
+    let merge_server_start_val: f64 = match stage {
+        Stage::Merge {
+            server_start_time: Some(t),
+            ..
+        } => *t,
+        _ => 0.0,
+    };
     let Some(state_mutex) = get_crdt() else {
         return;
     };
@@ -335,6 +343,11 @@ pub fn write_item(
         apply_and_persist(&mut state, |s| {
             s.crdt.doc.items[idx].claim_ts.set(claim_ts_val)
         });
+        apply_and_persist(&mut state, |s| {
+            s.crdt.doc.items[idx]
+                .merge_server_start
+                .set(merge_server_start_val)
+        });
         if let Some(ma) = merged_at {
             apply_and_persist(&mut state, |s| s.crdt.doc.items[idx].merged_at.set(ma));
         }
@@ -380,6 +393,7 @@ pub fn write_item(
             "epic": "",
             "resume_to": "",
             "plan_state": "",
+            "merge_server_start": merge_server_start_val,
         })
         .into();
 
@@ -409,6 +423,7 @@ pub fn write_item(
             item.epic.advance_seq(floor);
             item.resume_to.advance_seq(floor);
             item.plan_state.advance_seq(floor);
+            item.merge_server_start.advance_seq(floor);
         }
 
         // Broadcast a CrdtEvent for the new item.
@@ -484,11 +499,13 @@ pub fn set_retry_count(story_id: &str, count: i64) {
             commits_ahead,
             claim,
             retries: _,
+            server_start_time,
         } => Stage::Merge {
             feature_branch,
             commits_ahead,
             claim,
             retries: count.max(0) as u32,
+            server_start_time,
         },
         _ => return,
     };
@@ -525,6 +542,7 @@ pub fn bump_retry_count(story_id: &str) -> i64 {
             commits_ahead,
             claim,
             retries,
+            server_start_time,
         } => {
             let n = retries + 1;
             (
@@ -533,6 +551,7 @@ pub fn bump_retry_count(story_id: &str) -> i64 {
                     commits_ahead,
                     claim,
                     retries: n,
+                    server_start_time,
                 },
                 n,
             )
diff --git a/server/src/crdt_state/write/migrations.rs b/server/src/crdt_state/write/migrations.rs
index f092f5b1..a96a6b38 100644
--- a/server/src/crdt_state/write/migrations.rs
+++ b/server/src/crdt_state/write/migrations.rs
@@ -391,6 +391,7 @@ mod stage_migration_tests {
                     commits_ahead: NonZeroU32::new(1).unwrap(),
                     claim: None,
                     retries: 0,
+                    server_start_time: None,
                 },
             ),
             (
diff --git a/server/src/db/content_store.rs b/server/src/db/content_store.rs
index d79dce99..143f8fc6 100644
--- a/server/src/db/content_store.rs
+++ b/server/src/db/content_store.rs
@@ -56,6 +56,10 @@ pub enum ContentKey<'a> {
     /// "completed" so the mergemaster agent exit handler in `spawn.rs` can
     /// distinguish a clean success from a transient crash (bug 1008).
     MergeSuccess(&'a str),
+    /// JSON-serialised `MergeReport` written by the merge runner on successful
+    /// completion.  Read by `get_merge_status` to surface gate output for the
+    /// "completed" state without a separate MergeJob CRDT register (story 1036).
+    MergeReport(&'a str),
 }
 
 impl<'a> ContentKey<'a> {
@@ -80,6 +84,7 @@ impl<'a> ContentKey<'a> {
             ContentKey::MergeFixupPending(id) => format!("{id}:merge_fixup_pending"),
             ContentKey::MergeFailureKind(id) => format!("{id}:merge_failure_kind"),
             ContentKey::MergeSuccess(id) => format!("{id}:merge_success"),
+            ContentKey::MergeReport(id) => format!("{id}:merge_report"),
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/server/src/db/gc.rs b/server/src/db/gc.rs
index 46f6adf2..e9b84eac 100644
--- a/server/src/db/gc.rs
+++ b/server/src/db/gc.rs
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ pub(crate) fn purge_content_keys_for_story(story_id: &str) {
     delete_content(ContentKey::CommitRecoveryPending(story_id));
     delete_content(ContentKey::MergeFixupPending(story_id));
     delete_content(ContentKey::MergeFailureKind(story_id));
+    delete_content(ContentKey::MergeReport(story_id));
 }
 
 /// Spawn a background task that purges content-store entries when a story reaches a terminal stage.
diff --git a/server/src/pipeline_state/events.rs b/server/src/pipeline_state/events.rs
index a1533fb2..9056d25a 100644
--- a/server/src/pipeline_state/events.rs
+++ b/server/src/pipeline_state/events.rs
@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@ mod tests {
             commits_ahead: NonZeroU32::new(3).unwrap(),
             claim: None,
             retries: 0,
+            server_start_time: None,
         };
         // Stage::Merge has exactly two fields: feature_branch and commits_ahead.
         // There is no way to attach an agent name to it. The type system
diff --git a/server/src/pipeline_state/projection.rs b/server/src/pipeline_state/projection.rs
index 322b4fbd..ca07a47b 100644
--- a/server/src/pipeline_state/projection.rs
+++ b/server/src/pipeline_state/projection.rs
@@ -177,6 +177,7 @@ mod tests {
                 commits_ahead: nz(1),
                 claim: None,
                 retries: 0,
+                server_start_time: None,
             },
             Some("Test"),
         );
diff --git a/server/src/pipeline_state/tests.rs b/server/src/pipeline_state/tests.rs
index 86750af3..b452372e 100644
--- a/server/src/pipeline_state/tests.rs
+++ b/server/src/pipeline_state/tests.rs
@@ -203,6 +203,7 @@ fn block_from_any_active_stage() {
         commits_ahead: nz(1),
         claim: None,
         retries: 0,
+        server_start_time: None,
     };
     let result = transition(
         m,
@@ -359,6 +360,7 @@ fn merge_failed_final() {
         commits_ahead: nz(1),
         claim: None,
         retries: 0,
+        server_start_time: None,
     };
     let result = transition(
         s,
@@ -462,6 +464,7 @@ fn bug_502_agent_not_in_stage() {
         commits_ahead: NonZeroU32::new(3).unwrap(),
         claim: None,
         retries: 0,
+        server_start_time: None,
     };
     // Stage::Merge has exactly two fields: feature_branch and commits_ahead.
     // There is no way to attach an agent name to it. The type system
@@ -552,6 +555,7 @@ fn reject_from_active_stages() {
         commits_ahead: nz(1),
         claim: None,
         retries: 0,
+        server_start_time: None,
     };
     let result = transition(
         m,
@@ -945,6 +949,7 @@ fn merge_aborted_returns_to_coding() {
         commits_ahead: nz(2),
         claim: None,
         retries: 0,
+        server_start_time: None,
     };
     let result = transition(s, PipelineEvent::MergeAborted).unwrap();
     assert!(
@@ -1056,6 +1061,7 @@ fn hotfix_requested_rejected_from_non_done_stages() {
             commits_ahead: nz(1),
             claim: None,
             retries: 0,
+            server_start_time: None,
         },
     ] {
         let result = transition(stage.clone(), PipelineEvent::HotfixRequested);
@@ -1101,6 +1107,7 @@ fn audit_entry_is_single_line_with_all_fields() {
             commits_ahead: nz(3),
             claim: None,
             retries: 0,
+            server_start_time: None,
         },
         event: PipelineEvent::GatesPassed {
             feature_branch: fb("feature/story-42"),
@@ -1139,6 +1146,7 @@ fn audit_entry_merge_to_done() {
             commits_ahead: nz(1),
             claim: None,
             retries: 0,
+            server_start_time: None,
         },
         after: Stage::Done {
             merged_at: chrono::Utc::now(),
@@ -1232,6 +1240,7 @@ fn audit_entry_merge_to_merge_failure() {
             commits_ahead: nz(1),
             claim: None,
             retries: 0,
+            server_start_time: None,
         },
         after: Stage::MergeFailure {
             kind: MergeFailureKind::Other("conflicts".into()),
diff --git a/server/src/pipeline_state/transition.rs b/server/src/pipeline_state/transition.rs
index 811f7ee3..c64812e7 100644
--- a/server/src/pipeline_state/transition.rs
+++ b/server/src/pipeline_state/transition.rs
@@ -166,6 +166,7 @@ pub fn transition(state: Stage, event: PipelineEvent) -> Result<Stage, Transitio
             commits_ahead,
             claim: None,
             retries: 0,
+            server_start_time: None,
         }),
         (
             Qa,
@@ -178,6 +179,7 @@ pub fn transition(state: Stage, event: PipelineEvent) -> Result<Stage, Transitio
             commits_ahead,
             claim: None,
             retries: 0,
+            server_start_time: None,
         }),
         (Qa, GatesFailed { .. }) => Ok(Coding {
             claim: None,
@@ -394,6 +396,7 @@ pub fn transition(state: Stage, event: PipelineEvent) -> Result<Stage, Transitio
             commits_ahead,
             claim: None,
             retries: 0,
+            server_start_time: None,
         }),
 
         // ── Demote MergeFailure → Backlog (manual parking) ───────────────
diff --git a/server/src/pipeline_state/types.rs b/server/src/pipeline_state/types.rs
index b91efb24..cf1354dd 100644
--- a/server/src/pipeline_state/types.rs
+++ b/server/src/pipeline_state/types.rs
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ impl PlanState {
 /// | superseded      | `Superseded { .. }`    |
 /// | rejected        | `Rejected { .. }`      |
 /// | abandoned       | `Abandoned { .. }`     |
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub enum Stage {
     /// Story has been created but not yet triaged into the backlog.
     Upcoming,
@@ -233,6 +233,12 @@ pub enum Stage {
     ///
     /// `retries` counts how many times the mergemaster agent has been restarted
     /// for this item.  Replaces the separate `retry_count` CRDT register (story 997).
+    ///
+    /// `server_start_time` is the Unix timestamp (f64 seconds) captured when
+    /// the current server process first called `server_start_time()`.  Written
+    /// by the merge runner when it begins a merge task; `None` means no merge
+    /// task is in flight on any node right now.  Used by `reap_stale_merge_jobs`
+    /// to detect merges left running by a previous server process (story 1036).
     Merge {
         feature_branch: BranchName,
         commits_ahead: NonZeroU32,
@@ -240,6 +246,9 @@ pub enum Stage {
         claim: Option<AgentClaim>,
         /// Number of mergemaster restarts for this item.  Zero on the first attempt.
         retries: u32,
+        /// Unix timestamp of the server process that started the active merge task.
+        /// `None` means no merge task is currently in flight.
+        server_start_time: Option<f64>,
     },
 
     /// Mergemaster squashed to master. Always carries merge metadata.
@@ -371,6 +380,7 @@ impl Stage {
                 commits_ahead: NonZeroU32::new(1).expect("1 is non-zero"),
                 claim: None,
                 retries: 0,
+                server_start_time: None,
             }),
             "merge_failure" => Some(Stage::MergeFailure {
                 kind: MergeFailureKind::Other(String::new()),
@@ -455,7 +465,7 @@ pub enum ExecutionState {
 ///
 /// The retry count is no longer a top-level field — callers read it from the
 /// Stage variant (`Stage::Coding { retries }` / `Stage::Merge { retries }`).
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct PipelineItem {
     pub story_id: StoryId,
     pub name: String,
diff --git a/server/src/worktree/sweep.rs b/server/src/worktree/sweep.rs
index a2be93f2..8304ea73 100644
--- a/server/src/worktree/sweep.rs
+++ b/server/src/worktree/sweep.rs
@@ -196,6 +196,7 @@ mod tests {
             commits_ahead: NonZeroU32::new(1).unwrap(),
             claim: None,
             retries: 0,
+            server_start_time: None,
         };
         assert!(!worktree_should_be_swept(Some(&stage)));
     }
@@ -380,6 +381,7 @@ mod tests {
                     commits_ahead: NonZeroU32::new(1).unwrap(),
                     claim: None,
                     retries: 0,
+                    server_start_time: None,
                 })
             } else {
                 None