diff --git a/internal/web/templates/host_tile.templ b/internal/web/templates/host_tile.templ
index 56b92d5..86c31f6 100644
--- a/internal/web/templates/host_tile.templ
+++ b/internal/web/templates/host_tile.templ
@@ -113,6 +113,9 @@ func tileStatus(r *model.Run) string {
 	case model.StateWaitingReboot:
 		return "Waiting for reboot"
 	}
+	if cancelledFromHold(r) {
+		return "Failed (cancelled)"
+	}
 	return string(r.State)
 }
 
@@ -120,6 +123,9 @@ func tileMood(r *model.Run) string {
 	if r == nil {
 		return "idle"
 	}
+	if cancelledFromHold(r) {
+		return "fail"
+	}
 	switch r.State {
 	case model.StateCompleted:
 		return "pass"
@@ -131,6 +137,15 @@ func tileMood(r *model.Run) string {
 	return "active"
 }
 
+// cancelledFromHold is true when a FailedHolding run was later Cancelled
+// by the operator (tracked by State=Cancelled with FailedStage still
+// set — mid-stage cancels don't stamp FailedStage). These deserve a
+// fail-colored tile because the run did fail; the cancel was just the
+// operator choosing not to recover.
+func cancelledFromHold(r *model.Run) bool {
+	return r != nil && r.State == model.StateCancelled && r.FailedStage != ""
+}
+
 func sshInvocation(keyPath, ip string) string {
 	if keyPath == "" {
 		return "ssh root@" + ip + "  (hold key not yet recorded)"
diff --git a/internal/web/templates/host_tile_test.go b/internal/web/templates/host_tile_test.go
index e331d4e..b7fd510 100644
--- a/internal/web/templates/host_tile_test.go
+++ b/internal/web/templates/host_tile_test.go
@@ -131,6 +131,48 @@ func TestHostTile_NoStageStrip(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestTileStatusCancelledFromHold: a run that entered FailedHolding and
+// was later Cancelled by the operator should read as a failure, not a
+// plain cancel. The discriminator is FailedStage being set — mid-stage
+// cancels leave it empty.
+func TestTileStatusCancelledFromHold(t *testing.T) {
+	cases := []struct {
+		name       string
+		run        *model.Run
+		wantStatus string
+		wantMood   string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:       "cancelled from hold shows failed",
+			run:        &model.Run{State: model.StateCancelled, FailedStage: "Storage"},
+			wantStatus: "Failed (cancelled)",
+			wantMood:   "fail",
+		},
+		{
+			name:       "mid-stage cancel stays plain cancelled",
+			run:        &model.Run{State: model.StateCancelled},
+			wantStatus: "Cancelled",
+			wantMood:   "idle",
+		},
+		{
+			name:       "failed-holding itself still reads as FailedHolding",
+			run:        &model.Run{State: model.StateFailedHolding, FailedStage: "Storage"},
+			wantStatus: string(model.StateFailedHolding),
+			wantMood:   "fail",
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tc := range cases {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if got := tileStatus(tc.run); got != tc.wantStatus {
+				t.Errorf("tileStatus = %q, want %q", got, tc.wantStatus)
+			}
+			if got := tileMood(tc.run); got != tc.wantMood {
+				t.Errorf("tileMood = %q, want %q", got, tc.wantMood)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestLastSeenLabelAndClass(t *testing.T) {
 	if got := lastSeenLabel(nil); got != "never" {
 		t.Fatalf("label nil = %q, want never", got)