diff --git a/packages/engine/src/mission-execution-loop.ts b/packages/engine/src/mission-execution-loop.ts
index 5fc784b2bf..9b498d054a 100644
--- a/packages/engine/src/mission-execution-loop.ts
+++ b/packages/engine/src/mission-execution-loop.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,9 @@ import type {
   Mission,
   ValidationDiagnostics,
 } from "@fusion/core";
-import { MissionRemediationStoppedError, normalizeMissionAssertionType, normalizeValidationDiagnostics, renderValidationFailureDescription } from "@fusion/core";
+import { MissionRemediationStoppedError, normalizeMissionAssertionType, normalizeValidationDiagnostics, renderValidationFailureDescription,
+  resolveTaskLifecycleColumns,
+} from "@fusion/core";
 import { GitCheckoutMaterializer, type CheckoutMaterializer, type VerificationOutcome } from "./mission-verification.js";
 import { createFnAgent, promptWithFallback, type AgentResult } from "./pi.js";
 import { mergeEffectiveSettings } from "./effective-settings.js";
@@ -318,7 +320,13 @@ export class MissionExecutionLoop extends EventEmitter {
                   // If the feature has a linked task that's already done, re-trigger validation
                   if (feature.taskId) {
                     const linkedTask = await this.taskStore.getTask(feature.taskId).catch(() => null);
-                    if (linkedTask && (linkedTask.column === "done" || linkedTask.column === "archived")) {
+                    const linkedLifecycle = linkedTask
+                      ? await resolveTaskLifecycleColumns(this.taskStore, linkedTask.id)
+                      : undefined;
+                    if (linkedTask && (
+                      linkedTask.column === (linkedLifecycle?.complete ?? "done")
+                      || linkedTask.column === (linkedLifecycle?.archived ?? "archived")
+                    )) {
                       await this.processTaskOutcome(feature.taskId);
                     }
                   }
@@ -335,7 +343,13 @@ export class MissionExecutionLoop extends EventEmitter {
                 if (feature.taskId) {
                   try {
                     const linkedTask = await this.taskStore.getTask(feature.taskId).catch(() => null);
-                    if (linkedTask && (linkedTask.column === "done" || linkedTask.column === "archived")) {
+                    const linkedLifecycle = linkedTask
+                      ? await resolveTaskLifecycleColumns(this.taskStore, linkedTask.id)
+                      : undefined;
+                    if (linkedTask && (
+                      linkedTask.column === (linkedLifecycle?.complete ?? "done")
+                      || linkedTask.column === (linkedLifecycle?.archived ?? "archived")
+                    )) {
                       await this.processTaskOutcome(feature.taskId);
                     }
                     recoveredCount++;
@@ -361,7 +375,13 @@ export class MissionExecutionLoop extends EventEmitter {
 
                 try {
                   const linkedTask = await this.taskStore.getTask(feature.taskId).catch(() => null);
-                  if (linkedTask && (linkedTask.column === "done" || linkedTask.column === "archived")) {
+                  const linkedLifecycle = linkedTask
+                      ? await resolveTaskLifecycleColumns(this.taskStore, linkedTask.id)
+                      : undefined;
+                    if (linkedTask && (
+                      linkedTask.column === (linkedLifecycle?.complete ?? "done")
+                      || linkedTask.column === (linkedLifecycle?.archived ?? "archived")
+                    )) {
                     loopLog.log(`Recovery: re-triggering implementing feature ${feature.id} from completed task ${feature.taskId}`);
                     await this.processTaskOutcome(feature.taskId);
                     recoveredCount++;
@@ -665,7 +685,12 @@ export class MissionExecutionLoop extends EventEmitter {
     if (!taskId) return null;
     const linkedTask = await this.taskStore.getTask(taskId).catch(() => null);
     const column = linkedTask?.column;
-    if (!column || column === "done" || column === "archived") return null;
+    const premergeLifecycle = linkedTask ? await resolveTaskLifecycleColumns(this.taskStore, linkedTask.id) : undefined;
+    if (
+      !column
+      || column === (premergeLifecycle?.complete ?? "done")
+      || column === (premergeLifecycle?.archived ?? "archived")
+    ) return null;
     return column;
   }
 
diff --git a/scripts/lib/lifecycle-column-census-baseline.json b/scripts/lib/lifecycle-column-census-baseline.json
index 1f623b75a6..f3be903dce 100644
--- a/scripts/lib/lifecycle-column-census-baseline.json
+++ b/scripts/lib/lifecycle-column-census-baseline.json
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
     "packages/dashboard/app/components/TaskDetailModal.tsx": 30,
     "packages/engine/src/scheduler.ts": 26,
     "packages/core/src/store.ts": 12,
-    "packages/engine/src/mission-execution-loop.ts": 10,
     "packages/core/src/task-store/async-comments-attachments.ts": 9,
     "packages/dashboard/app/components/TaskContextMenu.tsx": 9,
     "packages/dashboard/src/github-tracking-comments.ts": 9,
@@ -92,6 +91,7 @@
     "packages/engine/src/auto-merge-finalization.ts": 2,
     "packages/engine/src/cli-agent/state-machine.ts": 2,
     "packages/engine/src/merger-scope-auto-widen.ts": 2,
+    "packages/engine/src/mission-execution-loop.ts": 2,
     "plugins/fusion-plugin-even-cards/src/cards/board-cards.ts": 2,
     "plugins/fusion-plugin-reports/src/store/report-store.ts": 2,
     "packages/cli/src/commands/pr.ts": 1,