diff --git a/v2/src-tauri/src/btmsg.rs b/v2/src-tauri/src/btmsg.rs
index ca5e4b1..903cb92 100644
--- a/v2/src-tauri/src/btmsg.rs
+++ b/v2/src-tauri/src/btmsg.rs
@@ -215,38 +215,41 @@ pub fn send_message(from_agent: &str, to_agent: &str, content: &str) -> Result<S
     }
 
     // Check if recipient is stale (no heartbeat in 5 min) — route to dead letter queue
-    let now = std::time::SystemTime::now()
-        .duration_since(std::time::UNIX_EPOCH)
-        .unwrap_or_default()
-        .as_secs() as i64;
-    let cutoff = now - STALE_HEARTBEAT_SECS;
+    // Skip heartbeat check for admin (tier 0) — admin messages always go through
+    if sender_tier > 0 {
+        let now = std::time::SystemTime::now()
+            .duration_since(std::time::UNIX_EPOCH)
+            .unwrap_or_default()
+            .as_secs() as i64;
+        let cutoff = now - STALE_HEARTBEAT_SECS;
 
-    let recipient_stale: bool = db
-        .query_row(
-            "SELECT COALESCE(h.timestamp, 0) < ?1 FROM agents a \
-             LEFT JOIN heartbeats h ON a.id = h.agent_id \
-             WHERE a.id = ?2",
-            params![cutoff, to_agent],
-            |row| row.get(0),
-        )
-        .unwrap_or(false);
+        let recipient_stale: bool = db
+            .query_row(
+                "SELECT COALESCE(h.timestamp, 0) < ?1 FROM agents a \
+                 LEFT JOIN heartbeats h ON a.id = h.agent_id \
+                 WHERE a.id = ?2",
+                params![cutoff, to_agent],
+                |row| row.get(0),
+            )
+            .unwrap_or(false);
 
-    if recipient_stale {
-        // Queue to dead letter instead of delivering
-        let error_msg = format!("Recipient '{}' is stale (no heartbeat in {} seconds)", to_agent, STALE_HEARTBEAT_SECS);
-        db.execute(
-            "INSERT INTO dead_letter_queue (from_agent, to_agent, content, error) VALUES (?1, ?2, ?3, ?4)",
-            params![from_agent, to_agent, content, error_msg],
-        )
-        .map_err(|e| format!("Dead letter insert error: {e}"))?;
+        if recipient_stale {
+            // Queue to dead letter instead of delivering
+            let error_msg = format!("Recipient '{}' is stale (no heartbeat in {} seconds)", to_agent, STALE_HEARTBEAT_SECS);
+            db.execute(
+                "INSERT INTO dead_letter_queue (from_agent, to_agent, content, error) VALUES (?1, ?2, ?3, ?4)",
+                params![from_agent, to_agent, content, error_msg],
+            )
+            .map_err(|e| format!("Dead letter insert error: {e}"))?;
 
-        // Also log audit event
-        let _ = db.execute(
-            "INSERT INTO audit_log (agent_id, event_type, detail) VALUES (?1, 'dead_letter', ?2)",
-            params![from_agent, format!("Message to '{}' routed to dead letter queue: {}", to_agent, error_msg)],
-        );
+            // Also log audit event
+            let _ = db.execute(
+                "INSERT INTO audit_log (agent_id, event_type, detail) VALUES (?1, 'dead_letter', ?2)",
+                params![from_agent, format!("Message to '{}' routed to dead letter queue: {}", to_agent, error_msg)],
+            );
 
-        return Err(error_msg);
+            return Err(error_msg);
+        }
     }
 
     let msg_id = uuid::Uuid::new_v4().to_string();
diff --git a/v2/src/lib/components/Agent/AgentPane.svelte b/v2/src/lib/components/Agent/AgentPane.svelte
index 6031fbc..3191e6a 100644
--- a/v2/src/lib/components/Agent/AgentPane.svelte
+++ b/v2/src/lib/components/Agent/AgentPane.svelte
@@ -151,14 +151,15 @@
   // NOTE: Do NOT stop agents in onDestroy — it fires on layout changes/remounts,
   // not just explicit close. Stop-on-close is handled by workspace teardown.
 
-  // Auto-prompt: pick up externally triggered prompts (e.g. periodic context refresh)
+  // Auto-prompt: pick up externally triggered prompts (e.g. periodic context refresh, play button)
   $effect(() => {
     if (!autoPrompt || isRunning) return;
-    // Only trigger if session exists and is idle (done/error)
-    if (!session || (session.status !== 'done' && session.status !== 'error')) return;
+    // Allow: no session yet (first start) or session completed (done/error)
+    if (session && session.status !== 'done' && session.status !== 'error') return;
     const prompt = autoPrompt;
+    const resume = !!session; // new query if first start, resume if existing session
     onautopromptconsumed?.();
-    startQuery(prompt, true); // resume session with context refresh
+    startQuery(prompt, resume);
   });
 
   let promptRef = $state<HTMLTextAreaElement | undefined>();
diff --git a/v2/src/lib/components/Workspace/AgentSession.svelte b/v2/src/lib/components/Workspace/AgentSession.svelte
index 73cd65c..69f7332 100644
--- a/v2/src/lib/components/Workspace/AgentSession.svelte
+++ b/v2/src/lib/components/Workspace/AgentSession.svelte
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
     type AgentMessageRecord,
   } from '../../adapters/groups-bridge';
   import { registerSessionProject } from '../../agent-dispatcher';
+  import { onAgentStart, onAgentStop } from '../../stores/workspace.svelte';
+  import { stopAgent } from '../../adapters/agent-bridge';
   import { trackProject, updateProjectSession } from '../../stores/health.svelte';
   import {
     createAgentSession,
@@ -97,11 +99,30 @@
     lastPromptTime = Date.now();
   }
 
+  // Listen for play-button start events from GroupAgentsPanel
+  const unsubAgentStart = onAgentStart((projectId) => {
+    if (projectId !== project.id) return;
+    // Only auto-start if not already running and no pending prompt
+    if (contextRefreshPrompt) return;
+    const startPrompt = project.isAgent
+      ? 'Start your work. Check your inbox with `btmsg inbox` and review the task board with `bttask board`. Take action on any pending items.'
+      : 'Review the instructions above and begin your work.';
+    contextRefreshPrompt = startPrompt;
+  });
+
+  // Listen for stop-button events from GroupAgentsPanel
+  const unsubAgentStop = onAgentStop((projectId) => {
+    if (projectId !== project.id) return;
+    stopAgent(sessionId).catch(() => {});
+  });
+
   // Start timer and clean up
   startReinjectionTimer();
   onDestroy(() => {
     if (reinjectionTimer) clearInterval(reinjectionTimer);
     if (wakeCheckTimer) clearInterval(wakeCheckTimer);
+    unsubAgentStart();
+    unsubAgentStop();
   });
 
   // Wake scheduler integration — poll for wake events (Manager agents only)
diff --git a/v2/src/lib/components/Workspace/CommsTab.svelte b/v2/src/lib/components/Workspace/CommsTab.svelte
index 5cb919b..2202134 100644
--- a/v2/src/lib/components/Workspace/CommsTab.svelte
+++ b/v2/src/lib/components/Workspace/CommsTab.svelte
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <script lang="ts">
   import { onMount, onDestroy } from 'svelte';
-  import { getActiveGroup } from '../../stores/workspace.svelte';
+  import { getActiveGroup, emitAgentStart } from '../../stores/workspace.svelte';
   import {
     type BtmsgAgent,
     type BtmsgMessage,
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
     getChannelMessages,
     sendChannelMessage,
     createChannel,
+    setAgentStatus,
   } from '../../adapters/btmsg-bridge';
 
   const ADMIN_ID = 'admin';
@@ -127,6 +128,13 @@
     try {
       if (currentView.type === 'dm') {
         await sendMessage(ADMIN_ID, currentView.agentId, text);
+        // Auto-wake agent if stopped
+        const recipient = agents.find(a => a.id === currentView.agentId);
+        if (recipient && recipient.status !== 'active') {
+          await setAgentStatus(currentView.agentId, 'active');
+          emitAgentStart(currentView.agentId);
+          await pollBtmsg();
+        }
       } else if (currentView.type === 'channel') {
         await sendChannelMessage(currentView.channelId, ADMIN_ID, text);
       } else {
@@ -140,6 +148,11 @@
     }
   }
 
+  /** Refresh agent list (reused by poll and wake logic) */
+  async function pollBtmsg() {
+    await loadData();
+  }
+
   function handleKeydown(e: KeyboardEvent) {
     if (e.key === 'Enter' && !e.shiftKey) {
       e.preventDefault();
diff --git a/v2/src/lib/components/Workspace/GroupAgentsPanel.svelte b/v2/src/lib/components/Workspace/GroupAgentsPanel.svelte
index b75a8f0..c4a9f49 100644
--- a/v2/src/lib/components/Workspace/GroupAgentsPanel.svelte
+++ b/v2/src/lib/components/Workspace/GroupAgentsPanel.svelte
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <script lang="ts">
   import { onMount, onDestroy } from 'svelte';
-  import { getActiveGroup, getEnabledProjects, setActiveProject } from '../../stores/workspace.svelte';
+  import { getActiveGroup, getEnabledProjects, setActiveProject, emitAgentStart, emitAgentStop } from '../../stores/workspace.svelte';
   import type { GroupAgentConfig, GroupAgentStatus, ProjectConfig } from '../../types/groups';
   import { getGroupAgents, setAgentStatus, type BtmsgAgent } from '../../adapters/btmsg-bridge';
   import type { AgentId } from '../../types/ids';
@@ -63,6 +63,12 @@
     try {
       await setAgentStatus(agent.id, newStatus);
       await pollBtmsg(); // Refresh immediately
+      if (newStatus === 'active') {
+        setActiveProject(agent.id);
+        emitAgentStart(agent.id);
+      } else {
+        emitAgentStop(agent.id);
+      }
     } catch (e) {
       console.warn('Failed to set agent status:', e);
     }
diff --git a/v2/src/lib/stores/workspace.svelte.ts b/v2/src/lib/stores/workspace.svelte.ts
index 739b214..1f4aa24 100644
--- a/v2/src/lib/stores/workspace.svelte.ts
+++ b/v2/src/lib/stores/workspace.svelte.ts
@@ -82,6 +82,42 @@ export function emitTerminalToggle(projectId: string): void {
   }
 }
 
+// --- Agent start event (play button in GroupAgentsPanel) ---
+
+type AgentStartCallback = (projectId: string) => void;
+let agentStartCallbacks: AgentStartCallback[] = [];
+
+export function onAgentStart(cb: AgentStartCallback): () => void {
+  agentStartCallbacks.push(cb);
+  return () => {
+    agentStartCallbacks = agentStartCallbacks.filter(c => c !== cb);
+  };
+}
+
+export function emitAgentStart(projectId: string): void {
+  for (const cb of agentStartCallbacks) {
+    cb(projectId);
+  }
+}
+
+// --- Agent stop event (stop button in GroupAgentsPanel) ---
+
+type AgentStopCallback = (projectId: string) => void;
+let agentStopCallbacks: AgentStopCallback[] = [];
+
+export function onAgentStop(cb: AgentStopCallback): () => void {
+  agentStopCallbacks.push(cb);
+  return () => {
+    agentStopCallbacks = agentStopCallbacks.filter(c => c !== cb);
+  };
+}
+
+export function emitAgentStop(projectId: string): void {
+  for (const cb of agentStopCallbacks) {
+    cb(projectId);
+  }
+}
+
 // --- Getters ---
 
 export function getGroupsConfig(): GroupsFile | null {