diff --git a/server/src/matrix/start.rs b/server/src/matrix/start.rs
index 1632897..465d3c1 100644
--- a/server/src/matrix/start.rs
+++ b/server/src/matrix/start.rs
@@ -165,6 +165,12 @@ pub async fn handle_start(
                 info.agent_name
             )
         }
+        Err(e) if e.contains("All coder agents are busy") => {
+            format!(
+                "**{story_name}** has been queued in `work/2_current/` and will start \
+                 automatically when a coder becomes available."
+            )
+        }
         Err(e) => {
             format!("Failed to start **{story_name}**: {e}")
         }
@@ -312,6 +318,42 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn handle_start_says_queued_not_error_when_all_coders_busy() {
+        use crate::agents::{AgentPool, AgentStatus};
+        use std::sync::Arc;
+
+        let tmp = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let project_root = tmp.path();
+        let sk = project_root.join(".storkit");
+        let backlog = sk.join("work/1_backlog");
+        std::fs::create_dir_all(&backlog).unwrap();
+        std::fs::write(
+            sk.join("project.toml"),
+            "[[agent]]\nname = \"coder-1\"\nstage = \"coder\"\n",
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        std::fs::write(
+            backlog.join("356_story_test.md"),
+            "---\nname: Test Story\n---\n",
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+
+        let agents = Arc::new(AgentPool::new_test(3000));
+        agents.inject_test_agent("other-story", "coder-1", AgentStatus::Running);
+
+        let response = handle_start("Timmy", "356", None, project_root, &agents).await;
+
+        assert!(
+            !response.contains("Failed"),
+            "response must not say 'Failed' when coders are busy: {response}"
+        );
+        assert!(
+            response.to_lowercase().contains("queue") || response.to_lowercase().contains("available"),
+            "response must mention queued/available state: {response}"
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn start_command_is_registered() {
         use crate::matrix::commands::commands;