diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/stranded-refinements.test.ts b/packages/core/src/__tests__/stranded-refinements.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..54e08aadf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/stranded-refinements.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, afterEach } from "vitest";
+import { mkdtempSync } from "node:fs";
+import { rm } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import { TaskStore } from "../store.js";
+
+function makeTmpDir(): string {
+  return mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "kb-stranded-refinements-"));
+}
+
+describe("TaskStore.listStrandedRefinements", () => {
+  let rootDir: string;
+  let store: TaskStore;
+
+  beforeEach(async () => {
+    rootDir = makeTmpDir();
+    store = new TaskStore(rootDir, join(rootDir, ".fusion-global-settings"), { inMemoryDb: true });
+    await store.init();
+  });
+
+  afterEach(async () => {
+    store.stopWatching();
+    await rm(rootDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+
+  it("classifies stranded refinement reasons and excludes fresh/paused/non-triage", async () => {
+    const createRefinement = async (label: string) => {
+      const source = await store.createTask({ description: `source-${label}`, column: "done" });
+      return store.refineTask(source.id, `refine-${label}`);
+    };
+
+    const stale = await createRefinement("stale");
+    const awaiting = await createRefinement("awaiting");
+    const failed = await createRefinement("failed");
+    const stuck = await createRefinement("stuck");
+    const backoff = await createRefinement("backoff");
+    const paused = await createRefinement("paused");
+    const fresh = await createRefinement("fresh");
+    const nonTriage = await createRefinement("todo");
+
+    await store.updateTask(awaiting.id, { status: "awaiting-approval" });
+    await store.updateTask(failed.id, { status: "failed" });
+    await store.updateTask(stuck.id, { status: "stuck-killed" });
+    await store.updateTask(backoff.id, { nextRecoveryAt: new Date(Date.now() + 60_000).toISOString() });
+    await store.updateTask(paused.id, { paused: true });
+    await store.moveTask(nonTriage.id, "todo");
+
+    const db = store.getDatabase();
+    db.prepare('UPDATE tasks SET createdAt = ?, updatedAt = ? WHERE id = ?').run(
+      new Date(Date.now() - 11 * 60_000).toISOString(),
+      new Date().toISOString(),
+      stale.id,
+    );
+
+    const list = await store.listStrandedRefinements({ freshnessThresholdMs: 10 * 60 * 1000 });
+    const byId = new Map(list.map((entry) => [entry.task.id, entry.reasons]));
+
+    expect(byId.get(stale.id)).toContain("untriaged-stale");
+    expect(byId.get(awaiting.id)).toContain("awaiting-approval");
+    expect(byId.get(failed.id)).toContain("failed");
+    expect(byId.get(stuck.id)).toContain("stuck-killed");
+    expect(byId.get(backoff.id)).toContain("recovery-backoff");
+    expect(byId.has(paused.id)).toBe(false);
+    expect(byId.has(fresh.id)).toBe(false);
+    expect(byId.has(nonTriage.id)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("returns empty when no refinement tasks are stranded", async () => {
+    await store.createTask({ description: "normal task" });
+    const list = await store.listStrandedRefinements();
+    expect(list).toEqual([]);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/dashboard/src/__tests__/stranded-refinements-routes.test.ts b/packages/dashboard/src/__tests__/stranded-refinements-routes.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..596271b39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/dashboard/src/__tests__/stranded-refinements-routes.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+// @vitest-environment node
+
+import { describe, it, expect, vi } from "vitest";
+import express from "express";
+import { mkdtempSync, mkdirSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import type { TaskStore, TaskDetail } from "@fusion/core";
+import { createApiRoutes } from "../routes.js";
+import { request as performRequest } from "../test-request.js";
+
+function createMockStore(overrides: Partial<TaskStore> = {}): TaskStore {
+  return {
+    getSettings: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({}),
+    getRootDir: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "kb-stranded-route-"))),
+    listStrandedRefinements: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue([]),
+    getTask: vi.fn(),
+    updateTask: vi.fn(),
+    moveTask: vi.fn(),
+    logEntry: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+    on: vi.fn(),
+    off: vi.fn(),
+    ...overrides,
+  } as unknown as TaskStore;
+}
+
+function createApp(store: TaskStore) {
+  const app = express();
+  app.use(express.json());
+  app.use("/api", createApiRoutes(store));
+  return app;
+}
+
+async function REQUEST(app: express.Express, method: string, path: string) {
+  return performRequest(app, method, path);
+}
+
+const BASE_TASK: TaskDetail = {
+  id: "FN-100",
+  title: "refine",
+  description: "refine",
+  column: "triage",
+  sourceType: "task_refine",
+  dependencies: [],
+  steps: [],
+  currentStep: 0,
+  log: [],
+  createdAt: new Date(Date.now() - 11 * 60_000).toISOString(),
+  updatedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
+  prompt: "",
+};
+
+describe("stranded refinement routes", () => {
+  it("GET /tasks/stranded-refinements returns list", async () => {
+    const store = createMockStore({
+      listStrandedRefinements: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue([{ task: BASE_TASK, reasons: ["untriaged-stale"], ageMs: 1000 }]),
+    });
+    const res = await REQUEST(createApp(store), "GET", "/api/tasks/stranded-refinements");
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.body.items).toHaveLength(1);
+  });
+
+  it("GET /tasks/stranded-refinements rejects invalid freshnessMinutes", async () => {
+    const store = createMockStore();
+    const res = await REQUEST(createApp(store), "GET", "/api/tasks/stranded-refinements?freshnessMinutes=0");
+    expect(res.status).toBe(400);
+  });
+
+  it("POST /tasks/:id/expedite-refinement keeps awaiting-approval status", async () => {
+    const task = { ...BASE_TASK, status: "awaiting-approval" as const };
+    const store = createMockStore({ getTask: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(task) });
+    const res = await REQUEST(createApp(store), "POST", "/api/tasks/FN-100/expedite-refinement");
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.body.expedited).toBe(false);
+    expect(res.body.requiresOperatorAction).toBe("approve-plan");
+    expect((store.updateTask as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>).mock.calls.length).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it("POST /tasks/:id/expedite-refinement clears recovery backoff", async () => {
+    const task = { ...BASE_TASK, nextRecoveryAt: new Date(Date.now() + 60_000).toISOString() };
+    const updated = { ...task, nextRecoveryAt: undefined };
+    const store = createMockStore({
+      getTask: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(task),
+      listStrandedRefinements: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue([{ task, reasons: ["recovery-backoff"], ageMs: 1000 }]),
+      updateTask: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(updated),
+    });
+    const res = await REQUEST(createApp(store), "POST", "/api/tasks/FN-100/expedite-refinement");
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.body.expedited).toBe(true);
+    expect(res.body.task.column).toBe("triage");
+  });
+
+  it("GET /tasks/:id/stranded-refinement returns detail", async () => {
+    const rootDir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "kb-stranded-detail-"));
+    mkdirSync(join(rootDir, ".fusion", "tasks", "FN-100"), { recursive: true });
+    writeFileSync(join(rootDir, ".fusion", "tasks", "FN-100", "PROMPT.md"), "# prompt\n");
+    const store = createMockStore({
+      getRootDir: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(rootDir),
+      getTask: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(BASE_TASK),
+      listStrandedRefinements: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue([{ task: BASE_TASK, reasons: ["untriaged-stale"], ageMs: 1000 }]),
+    });
+    const res = await REQUEST(createApp(store), "GET", "/api/tasks/FN-100/stranded-refinement");
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.body.promptExists).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/dashboard/src/routes/register-task-workflow-routes.ts b/packages/dashboard/src/routes/register-task-workflow-routes.ts
index c88183098..644c2effd 100644
--- a/packages/dashboard/src/routes/register-task-workflow-routes.ts
+++ b/packages/dashboard/src/routes/register-task-workflow-routes.ts
@@ -991,6 +991,35 @@ export function registerTaskWorkflowRoutes(ctx: ApiRoutesContext, deps: TaskWork
     }
   });
 
+  router.get("/tasks/stranded-refinements", async (req, res) => {
+    try {
+      const { store: scopedStore } = await getProjectContext(req);
+      const rawFreshnessMinutes = req.query.freshnessMinutes;
+      let freshnessThresholdMs: number | undefined;
+      if (rawFreshnessMinutes !== undefined) {
+        const value = Array.isArray(rawFreshnessMinutes) ? rawFreshnessMinutes[0] : rawFreshnessMinutes;
+        const parsed = Number.parseInt(String(value), 10);
+        if (!Number.isFinite(parsed) || parsed <= 0 || parsed > 1440) {
+          throw badRequest("freshnessMinutes must be a positive integer <= 1440");
+        }
+        freshnessThresholdMs = parsed * 60 * 1000;
+      }
+
+      const items = await scopedStore.listStrandedRefinements({ freshnessThresholdMs });
+      res.json({
+        items: items.map((item) => ({
+          ...item,
+          recommendation: strandedReasonRecommendation(item.reasons),
+        })),
+      });
+    } catch (err: unknown) {
+      if (err instanceof ApiError) {
+        throw err;
+      }
+      rethrowAsApiError(err);
+    }
+  });
+
   // Get single task with prompt content
   router.get("/tasks/:id", async (req, res) => {
     try {
@@ -1128,35 +1157,6 @@ export function registerTaskWorkflowRoutes(ctx: ApiRoutesContext, deps: TaskWork
     return "safe to expedite";
   };
 
-  router.get("/tasks/stranded-refinements", async (req, res) => {
-    try {
-      const { store: scopedStore } = await getProjectContext(req);
-      const rawFreshnessMinutes = req.query.freshnessMinutes;
-      let freshnessThresholdMs: number | undefined;
-      if (rawFreshnessMinutes !== undefined) {
-        const value = Array.isArray(rawFreshnessMinutes) ? rawFreshnessMinutes[0] : rawFreshnessMinutes;
-        const parsed = Number.parseInt(String(value), 10);
-        if (!Number.isFinite(parsed) || parsed <= 0 || parsed > 1440) {
-          throw badRequest("freshnessMinutes must be a positive integer <= 1440");
-        }
-        freshnessThresholdMs = parsed * 60 * 1000;
-      }
-
-      const items = await scopedStore.listStrandedRefinements({ freshnessThresholdMs });
-      res.json({
-        items: items.map((item) => ({
-          ...item,
-          recommendation: strandedReasonRecommendation(item.reasons),
-        })),
-      });
-    } catch (err: unknown) {
-      if (err instanceof ApiError) {
-        throw err;
-      }
-      rethrowAsApiError(err);
-    }
-  });
-
   router.get("/tasks/:id/stranded-refinement", async (req, res) => {
     try {
       const { existsSync } = await import("node:fs");
@@ -1237,19 +1237,30 @@ export function registerTaskWorkflowRoutes(ctx: ApiRoutesContext, deps: TaskWork
         return res.json({ task, expedited: false, requiresOperatorAction: "retry-stuck" });
       }
 
-      if (!task.nextRecoveryAt) {
+      const stranded = await scopedStore.listStrandedRefinements();
+      const strandedEntry = stranded.find((item) => item.task.id === task.id);
+      const hasExpediteLog = (task.log ?? []).some((entry) => entry.action === "Refinement expedited");
+      const canExpedite = strandedEntry?.reasons.includes("untriaged-stale") || strandedEntry?.reasons.includes("recovery-backoff");
+
+      if (hasExpediteLog && !task.nextRecoveryAt) {
         return res.json({ task, expedited: true, alreadyExpedited: true });
       }
 
+      if (!canExpedite) {
+        return res.json({ task, expedited: false, alreadyExpedited: false, reason: "not-stranded" });
+      }
+
       const updated = await scopedStore.updateTask(task.id, {
         nextRecoveryAt: undefined,
       });
-      await scopedStore.logEntry(task.id, "Refinement expedited", "Cleared nextRecoveryAt");
+      await scopedStore.logEntry(task.id, "Refinement expedited", strandedEntry?.reasons.includes("recovery-backoff")
+        ? "Cleared nextRecoveryAt"
+        : "Expedite request recorded for stale refinement");
 
       res.json({
         task: updated,
         expedited: true,
-        alreadyExpedited: false,
+        alreadyExpedited: hasExpediteLog && !task.nextRecoveryAt,
       });
     } catch (err: unknown) {
       if (err instanceof ApiError) {