diff --git a/lib/db.ts b/lib/db.ts
index 380b59d..4236467 100644
--- a/lib/db.ts
+++ b/lib/db.ts
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ export interface Run {
   log_path: string | null;
   error: string | null;
   pid: number | null;
+  owner_pid: number | null;
 }
 
 function createDb(): Database.Database {
@@ -123,7 +124,8 @@ function createDb(): Database.Database {
       finished_at TEXT,
       log_path TEXT,
       error TEXT,
-      pid INTEGER
+      pid INTEGER,
+      owner_pid INTEGER
     );
   `);
   // Lightweight migrations for databases created before these columns existed.
@@ -162,6 +164,11 @@ function createDb(): Database.Database {
     "ALTER TABLE pipelines ADD COLUMN env TEXT NOT NULL DEFAULT '{}'",
     "env"
   );
+  addColumnIfMissing(
+    "runs",
+    "ALTER TABLE runs ADD COLUMN owner_pid INTEGER",
+    "owner_pid"
+  );
   return db;
 }
 
@@ -294,11 +301,12 @@ export function createRun(input: {
   started_at?: string;
   log_path?: string;
   pid?: number;
+  owner_pid?: number;
 }): Run {
   const res = db
     .prepare(
-      `INSERT INTO runs (pipeline_id, status, started_at, log_path, pid)
-       VALUES (@pipeline_id, @status, @started_at, @log_path, @pid)`
+      `INSERT INTO runs (pipeline_id, status, started_at, log_path, pid, owner_pid)
+       VALUES (@pipeline_id, @status, @started_at, @log_path, @pid, @owner_pid)`
     )
     .run({
       pipeline_id: input.pipeline_id,
@@ -306,6 +314,7 @@ export function createRun(input: {
       started_at: input.started_at ?? null,
       log_path: input.log_path ?? null,
       pid: input.pid ?? null,
+      owner_pid: input.owner_pid ?? null,
     });
   return getRun(Number(res.lastInsertRowid))!;
 }
diff --git a/lib/jobs.ts b/lib/jobs.ts
index 0160d60..ae7ed8c 100644
--- a/lib/jobs.ts
+++ b/lib/jobs.ts
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ class JobManager {
       pipeline_id: pipelineId,
       status: "running",
       started_at: new Date().toISOString(),
+      owner_pid: process.pid,
     });
     const runsDir = path.join(DATA_DIR, "runs");
     fs.mkdirSync(runsDir, { recursive: true });
@@ -324,16 +325,21 @@ export const jobManager: JobManager =
   g.__jobManager ?? (g.__jobManager = new JobManager());
 
 // Reconcile runs left in running/queued by a previous server process.
-// A run whose recorded pid is dead is stale (the subprocess died with the
-// old server or never existed) -> failed. A run whose pid is still alive is
-// an orphaned sling/atlas subprocess that kept running after the old server
-// exited -> SIGTERM it and mark the run cancelled.
+// Each run records owner_pid (the Node process that started it). A run whose
+// owner is still alive belongs to a live worker of the current server — skip
+// it, otherwise a newly loaded worker would kill healthy runs mid-flight.
+// Only runs with a dead (or legacy null) owner are reconciled: dead child pid
+// -> failed; live child pid -> orphaned sling/atlas subprocess, SIGTERM it
+// and mark cancelled.
 function reconcileOrphanRuns() {
   const stale = db
     .prepare("SELECT * FROM runs WHERE status IN ('running', 'queued')")
     .all() as Run[];
   const now = new Date().toISOString();
   for (const run of stale) {
+    if (run.owner_pid != null && isProcessAlive(run.owner_pid)) {
+      continue;
+    }
     const alive = run.pid != null && isProcessAlive(run.pid);
     if (alive) {
       try {