diff --git a/src/agent/loop.ts b/src/agent/loop.ts
index d9ecfd20..1426b109 100644
--- a/src/agent/loop.ts
+++ b/src/agent/loop.ts
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ const logger = createLogger("loop");
 const MAX_TOOL_CALLS_PER_TURN = 10;
 const MAX_CONSECUTIVE_ERRORS = 5;
 const MAX_REPETITIVE_TURNS = 3;
+let localWorkerRecoveryDone = false;
 
 export interface AgentLoopOptions {
   identity: AutomatonIdentity;
@@ -350,6 +351,25 @@ export async function runAgentLoop(
     }
   }
 
+  // One-time per process: reset tasks assigned to local workers from a previous process.
+  // Local workers are in-process async tasks that die with the process,
+  // so any 'assigned' tasks with local:// addresses are stale after restart.
+  if (!localWorkerRecoveryDone && hasTable(db.raw, "task_graph")) {
+    localWorkerRecoveryDone = true;
+    const staleLocalTasks = db.raw.prepare(
+      "SELECT id, assigned_to FROM task_graph WHERE status = 'assigned' AND assigned_to LIKE 'local://%'",
+    ).all() as { id: string; assigned_to: string }[];
+    for (const task of staleLocalTasks) {
+      logger.info("Resetting stale local worker task from previous process", {
+        taskId: task.id,
+        worker: task.assigned_to,
+      });
+      db.raw.prepare(
+        "UPDATE task_graph SET status = 'pending', assigned_to = NULL, started_at = NULL WHERE id = ?",
+      ).run(task.id);
+    }
+  }
+
   // Set start time
   if (!db.getKV("start_time")) {
     db.setKV("start_time", new Date().toISOString());
diff --git a/src/orchestration/orchestrator.ts b/src/orchestration/orchestrator.ts
index eae6cc56..cc5913ed 100644
--- a/src/orchestration/orchestrator.ts
+++ b/src/orchestration/orchestrator.ts
@@ -522,6 +522,12 @@ export class Orchestrator {
       const assignedTasks = getTasksByGoal(this.params.db, goal.id)
         .filter((t) => t.status === "assigned" && t.assignedTo);
       for (const task of assignedTasks) {
+        // Local workers are in-process async tasks — they either complete
+        // (calling completeTask/failTask) or die with the process.
+        // Per-tick recovery only applies to remote sandbox workers.
+        if (task.assignedTo?.startsWith("local://")) {
+          continue;
+        }
         const alive = this.params.isWorkerAlive(task.assignedTo!);
         if (!alive) {
           logger.warn("Recovering stale task from dead worker", {
@@ -964,13 +970,26 @@ export class Orchestrator {
     }
 
     const phase = asPhase(parsed.phase);
-    return {
+    const state: OrchestratorState = {
       phase: phase ?? DEFAULT_STATE.phase,
       goalId: typeof parsed.goalId === "string" ? parsed.goalId : null,
       replanCount: typeof parsed.replanCount === "number" ? Math.max(0, Math.floor(parsed.replanCount)) : 0,
       failedTaskId: typeof parsed.failedTaskId === "string" ? parsed.failedTaskId : null,
       failedError: typeof parsed.failedError === "string" ? parsed.failedError : null,
     };
+
+    // Validate goalId still points to a goal the orchestrator should track.
+    // Reset only for user-initiated terminal states (completed, cancelled)
+    // or missing goals. "failed" goals are kept because the orchestrator's
+    // own replan/failure flow puts goals into "failed" status.
+    if (state.goalId) {
+      const goal = getGoalById(this.params.db, state.goalId);
+      if (!goal || (["completed", "cancelled"].includes(goal.status) && state.phase !== "complete")) {
+        return { ...DEFAULT_STATE };
+      }
+    }
+
+    return state;
   }
 
   private saveState(state: OrchestratorState): void {