diff --git a/docs/guides/provisioning.md b/docs/guides/provisioning.md
index ec43bb2..b908f76 100644
--- a/docs/guides/provisioning.md
+++ b/docs/guides/provisioning.md
@@ -12,12 +12,21 @@ are shown. Confirmations name the server and its current players and round;
 disruptive actions still wait for a fresh empty-lobby check. **Manage server**
 on the operations page offers the same actions for a selected server.
 
-The **Active** tab shows jobs verifying health first, then jobs executing work,
-waiting jobs, and queued jobs. File preparation, cleanup, and submitted commands
-awaiting host confirmation count as executing work. Within each group, older
-requests appear first, with recording order breaking timestamp ties. **History**
-shows the newest requests first. This display order does not change execution
-priority or capacity admission.
+Provisioning badges show the recorded lifecycle state consistently on the list
+and job details: **Queued**, **Waiting**, **Running**, **Validating**, **Completed**,
+**Completed with warnings**, **Failed**, **Interrupted**, or **Cancelled**.
+**Validating** is the display name for `awaiting-health`. The current step and
+waiting reason appear separately beneath the state. File preparation can occur
+while a job is Queued or Waiting; Running begins when the host command is submitted
+and includes waiting for its acknowledgment. These progress details do not change
+the badge, status counts, or filters.
+
+The **Active** tab shows Validating jobs first, then Running, Waiting, and Queued.
+Within each state, older requests appear first, with recording order breaking
+timestamp ties. **History** shows the newest requests first. **Needs attention**
+filters unresolved Failed, Interrupted, and Completed with warnings outcomes;
+their individual state badges remain visible. This display order does not change
+execution priority or capacity admission.
 
 **Create server** opens one dialog with game and map choices followed by automatic
 readiness checks. Blockers explain what needs attention before launch. Runtime
diff --git a/src/lib/provisioning-list.ts b/src/lib/provisioning-list.ts
index b1d2ba1..d5fb8d4 100644
--- a/src/lib/provisioning-list.ts
+++ b/src/lib/provisioning-list.ts
@@ -1,17 +1,12 @@
-import type { ProvisioningAction } from './provisioning.js';
+import { provisioningStates, type ProvisioningAction } from './provisioning.js';
 import type { ProvisioningDeployment } from './provisioning-detail.js';
 import type { ProvisioningSource } from './provisioning-detail.js';
 
 export const provisioningListStatuses = [
+    ...provisioningStates,
+    // Retain the combined filter for existing links and API clients.
     'pending',
-    'running',
-    'awaiting-health',
-    'done',
-    'attention',
-    'failed',
-    'interrupted',
-    'warning',
-    'cancelled'
+    'attention'
 ] as const;
 export const provisioningListSources = [
     'manual',
@@ -94,6 +89,7 @@ export type ProvisioningListRow = Pick<
     phase?: string | null;
     phaseStartedAt?: string | null;
     waitCode?: string | null;
+    waitMessage?: string | null;
 };
 
 export interface ProvisioningListOptions {
diff --git a/src/lib/provisioning.ts b/src/lib/provisioning.ts
index 4aaf29b..f2fe118 100644
--- a/src/lib/provisioning.ts
+++ b/src/lib/provisioning.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,16 @@
+export const activeProvisioningStates = ['queued', 'waiting', 'running', 'awaiting-health'];
+export const provisioningStates = [
+    'queued',
+    'waiting',
+    'running',
+    'awaiting-health',
+    'done',
+    'warning',
+    'failed',
+    'interrupted',
+    'cancelled'
+] as const;
+
 export const provisioningActions = [
     'create',
     'start',
diff --git a/src/lib/server/provisioning/history.ts b/src/lib/server/provisioning/history.ts
index 6a959c5..b978db5 100644
--- a/src/lib/server/provisioning/history.ts
+++ b/src/lib/server/provisioning/history.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ import { committedRebalanceStartup } from './concurrency.js';
 import { nativeDeployment } from '../backends/native.js';
 import { safetyOverride, safetyOverrideAvailability } from './safety-override.js';
 import { serverTitle } from '../../ui/server-labels.js';
-import { provisioningQueueStatus } from '../../ui/provisioning-queue.js';
 import {
     provisioningPageSize,
     provisioningPageOffset,
@@ -617,6 +616,7 @@ const deploymentListColumns = `d.id, d.server, d.server_deleted_at, d.action, d.
         d.started_at, d.finished_at, d.triggered_by, d.requested_by, d.error, d.warnings,
         d.phase_key AS phase, d.phase_started_at AS phaseStartedAt,
         CASE WHEN json_valid(d.observation_json) THEN json_extract(d.observation_json,'$.blocker.code') END AS waitCode,
+        CASE WHEN json_valid(d.observation_json) THEN json_extract(d.observation_json,'$.blocker.message') END AS waitMessage,
         (d.server_deleted_at IS NULL AND EXISTS(SELECT 1 FROM servers s WHERE s.name = d.server AND s.destroyed_at IS NULL)) AS server_exists,
         (d.server_deleted_at IS NULL AND d.action = 'destroy' AND d.state = 'waiting' AND d.stage != ?) AS canCancelRemoval,
         (d.server_deleted_at IS NULL AND d.state IN ('queued','waiting','running','awaiting-health','interrupted')
@@ -674,28 +674,9 @@ function deploymentListQuery(options: ProvisioningListOptions) {
 }
 
 function activeDeploymentRank(row: ProvisioningListRow): number {
-    const { group } = provisioningQueueStatus(row);
-    if (group === 'verifying') return 0;
-    if (group === 'running') return 1;
-    // Launch preparation keeps its queued/waiting state until command submission.
-    if (row.phase === 'prepare' && !row.waitCode) return 1;
-    // Remote file staging currently records its progress only in the stage message.
-    if (
-        row.waitCode === 'native-host' &&
-        [
-            'Staging and verifying files on the host.',
-            'Waiting for verified remote file staging.'
-        ].includes(row.stage)
-    )
-        return 1;
-    if (group === 'queued') return 3;
-    // A submitted command remains in progress while its agent result is pending.
-    if (
-        row.state === 'running' &&
-        row.phase === 'container-action' &&
-        row.waitCode === 'native-host'
-    )
-        return 1;
+    if (row.state === 'awaiting-health') return 0;
+    if (row.state === 'running') return 1;
+    if (row.state === 'queued') return 3;
     return 2;
 }
 
@@ -714,7 +695,7 @@ function deploymentListRows(
             ...(active ? [] : [query.limit, query.offset])
         ) as ProvisioningListRow[];
     if (!rows.length) return rows;
-    // Stable sorting keeps request/insertion order within each progress group.
+    // Stable sorting keeps request/insertion order within each lifecycle state.
     if (active)
         rows.sort((left, right) => activeDeploymentRank(left) - activeDeploymentRank(right));
     const links = db()
diff --git a/src/lib/ui/components/ProvisioningStatusBadge.svelte b/src/lib/ui/components/ProvisioningStatusBadge.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4eaf709
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/ui/components/ProvisioningStatusBadge.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+<script lang="ts">
+    import Badge from './primitives/Badge.svelte';
+    import StatusPip from './primitives/StatusPip.svelte';
+    import { provisioningStatus } from '$ui/provisioning-queue.js';
+
+    let { state, size = 'sm' }: { state: string; size?: 'sm' | 'md' } = $props();
+    const status = $derived(provisioningStatus(state));
+</script>
+
+<Badge variant={status.tone} {size}><StatusPip tone={status.tone} size="sm" />{status.label}</Badge>
diff --git a/src/lib/ui/components/autoscaling/PolicyCard.svelte b/src/lib/ui/components/autoscaling/PolicyCard.svelte
index e871168..1fe8d9f 100644
--- a/src/lib/ui/components/autoscaling/PolicyCard.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/ui/components/autoscaling/PolicyCard.svelte
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
     import Badge from '../primitives/Badge.svelte';
     import Button from '../primitives/Button.svelte';
     import Stat from '../primitives/Stat.svelte';
-    import StatusBadge from '../primitives/StatusBadge.svelte';
+    import ProvisioningStatusBadge from '../ProvisioningStatusBadge.svelte';
     import Tabs from '../primitives/Tabs.svelte';
     import ObservationTime from './ObservationTime.svelte';
 
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@
                         {member ? lobbyLabel(member.name) : 'lobby'}{needsAttention
                             ? ' job'
                             : ''}</strong
-                    ><StatusBadge state={operation.state} />
+                    ><ProvisioningStatusBadge state={operation.state} />
                 </div>
                 <p>{operation.stage || 'Waiting for the next provisioning update.'}</p>
             </div>
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@
                                         : 'Scaling evaluated'}{item.server
                                     ? ` · ${lobbyLabel(item.server)}`
                                     : ''}</strong
-                            >{#if item.operationState}<StatusBadge
+                            >{#if item.operationState}<ProvisioningStatusBadge
                                     state={item.operationState}
                                 />{/if}
                         </div>
diff --git a/src/lib/ui/provisioning-presentation.ts b/src/lib/ui/provisioning-presentation.ts
index b91b558..b8b71d1 100644
--- a/src/lib/ui/provisioning-presentation.ts
+++ b/src/lib/ui/provisioning-presentation.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import {
 import {
     actionCompleted,
     actionLabels,
+    activeProvisioningStates,
     provisioningActions,
     type ProvisioningAction
 } from '$lib/provisioning.js';
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ export function provisioningRequester(
     );
 }
 
-export const activeProvisioningStates = ['queued', 'waiting', 'running', 'awaiting-health'];
+export { activeProvisioningStates } from '$lib/provisioning.js';
 
 /** A finished restart can still release its recovery slot or hand it to a rebuild. */
 export function provisioningNeedsRefresh(detail: ProvisioningDetail): boolean {
@@ -79,6 +80,33 @@ const phaseLabels: Record<ProvisioningPhase, string> = {
     'verify-plutonium': 'Verify Plutonium revision',
     'verify-stopped': 'Confirm container is stopped'
 };
+
+export function provisioningPhaseLabel(
+    phase: ProvisioningPhase,
+    action: ProvisioningAction
+): string {
+    if (phase === 'container-action')
+        return action === 'destroy'
+            ? 'Remove server instance'
+            : `${actionLabels[action]} container`;
+    return phaseLabels[phase];
+}
+
+/** Keep the current step and recorded explanation separate from the lifecycle badge. */
+export function provisioningContext(row: {
+    state: string;
+    action: ProvisioningAction;
+    stage: string;
+    phase?: string | null;
+    waitMessage?: string | null;
+}): { step: string; detail: string | null } | null {
+    if (!activeProvisioningStates.includes(row.state)) return null;
+    const step = provisioningPhases.includes(row.phase as ProvisioningPhase)
+        ? provisioningPhaseLabel(row.phase as ProvisioningPhase, row.action)
+        : row.stage;
+    const detail = row.waitMessage || row.stage;
+    return { step, detail: detail && detail !== step ? detail : null };
+}
 type GroupDefinition = { key: string; label: string; phases: ProvisioningPhase[] };
 const request: GroupDefinition = {
     key: 'request',
@@ -356,6 +384,9 @@ export function provisioningOutcome(detail: ProvisioningDetail) {
         description = progress.blocker.automatic
             ? 'The worker will recheck this condition and continue automatically when eligible.'
             : 'Review the blocking condition below before this operation can continue.';
+    else if (progress?.phase === 'prepare' && ['queued', 'waiting'].includes(operation.state))
+        description =
+            'Preparing the files needed for the host command. The command has not been submitted yet.';
     else if (operation.state === 'queued')
         description =
             'The request is saved and awaiting provisioning evaluation. No capacity blocker has been recorded.';
diff --git a/src/lib/ui/provisioning-queue.ts b/src/lib/ui/provisioning-queue.ts
index 1e09812..8548a11 100644
--- a/src/lib/ui/provisioning-queue.ts
+++ b/src/lib/ui/provisioning-queue.ts
@@ -1,64 +1,11 @@
-import type { ProvisioningListRow } from '../provisioning-list.js';
-import { statusPresentation, type StatusTone } from './status.js';
+import { statusPresentation, type StatusPresentation } from './status.js';
 
-export function provisioningQueueStatus(
-    row: Pick<ProvisioningListRow, 'state' | 'action' | 'stage' | 'waitCode' | 'phase'>
-): {
-    label: string;
-    tone: StatusTone;
-    group: 'queued' | 'waiting' | 'verifying' | 'running' | 'complete' | 'attention' | 'cancelled';
-} {
-    if (['failed', 'interrupted', 'warning'].includes(row.state))
-        return { ...statusPresentation(row.state), group: 'attention' };
-    if (row.state === 'done') return { label: 'Complete', tone: 'online', group: 'complete' };
-    if (row.state === 'cancelled')
-        return { label: 'Cancelled', tone: 'neutral', group: 'cancelled' };
-    if (row.state === 'awaiting-health')
-        return { label: 'Verifying health', tone: 'info', group: 'verifying' };
-    if (row.phase === 'cleanup') return { label: 'Cleaning up', tone: 'info', group: 'running' };
-    const waits: Record<string, string> = {
-        'startup-capacity': 'Waiting for capacity',
-        'restart-capacity':
-            row.action === 'restart' ? 'Queued for restart' : 'Waiting for recovery capacity',
-        'operation-conflict': 'Waiting for another operation',
-        'previous-recovery': 'Waiting for recovery'
-    };
-    if (row.waitCode && waits[row.waitCode])
-        return {
-            label: waits[row.waitCode],
-            tone: 'neutral',
-            group: row.waitCode.endsWith('capacity') ? 'queued' : 'waiting'
-        };
-    if (['queued', 'waiting'].includes(row.state) || row.waitCode) {
-        // Older records may have only a stage message; never infer a failure from it.
-        if (/waiting for another server to recover/i.test(row.stage))
-            return { label: 'Queued for restart', tone: 'neutral', group: 'queued' };
-        if (
-            /waiting.*(?:empty|players)|players.*remaining|waiting for \d+ player.*to leave/i.test(
-                row.stage
-            )
-        )
-            return { label: 'Waiting for empty lobby', tone: 'neutral', group: 'waiting' };
-        if (/waiting for .*player count/i.test(row.stage))
-            return { label: 'Checking lobby occupancy', tone: 'neutral', group: 'waiting' };
-        if (/capacity/i.test(row.stage))
-            return { label: 'Waiting for capacity', tone: 'neutral', group: 'queued' };
-        return {
-            label:
-                row.state === 'queued'
-                    ? 'Queued'
-                    : row.waitCode === 'eligibility'
-                      ? 'Waiting for eligibility'
-                      : 'Waiting',
-            tone: 'neutral',
-            group: row.state === 'queued' ? 'queued' : 'waiting'
-        };
-    }
-    return {
-        label: row.phase === 'cleanup' ? 'Cleaning up' : 'In progress',
-        tone: 'info',
-        group: 'running'
-    };
+/** Lifecycle badges depend only on state; phases and blockers are supporting text. */
+export function provisioningStatus(state: string): StatusPresentation {
+    const status = statusPresentation(state);
+    if (state === 'running') return { ...status, label: 'Running' };
+    if (state === 'awaiting-health') return { ...status, label: 'Validating' };
+    return status;
 }
 
 export function provisioningWarnings(raw: string): string[] {
diff --git a/src/routes/collections/launches/[id]/+page.svelte b/src/routes/collections/launches/[id]/+page.svelte
index a8ed504..e1c4d4f 100644
--- a/src/routes/collections/launches/[id]/+page.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/collections/launches/[id]/+page.svelte
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
     import { page } from '$app/stores';
     import SectionHeader from '$ui/components/primitives/SectionHeader.svelte';
     import Breadcrumbs from '$ui/components/primitives/Breadcrumbs.svelte';
-    import Badge from '$ui/components/primitives/Badge.svelte';
+    import ProvisioningStatusBadge from '$ui/components/ProvisioningStatusBadge.svelte';
     import Button from '$ui/components/primitives/Button.svelte';
     import type { CollectionDetail } from '$lib/deployment-plan.js';
 
@@ -64,28 +64,10 @@
     const firstQueued = $derived(
         detail?.servers.find((server) => !server.server_deleted_at && server.state === 'queued')
     );
-    const labels: Record<string, string> = {
-        queued: 'Queued',
-        running: 'Launching',
-        'awaiting-health': 'Checking readiness',
-        done: 'Ready',
-        warning: 'Needs review',
-        failed: 'Failed',
-        interrupted: 'Interrupted',
-        waiting: 'Waiting',
-        cancelled: 'Cancelled'
-    };
     const waitingForPort = (server: CollectionServer) =>
         server.state === 'queued' &&
         (server.stage.startsWith('Waiting for removal') ||
             server.stage.startsWith('Waiting for port'));
-    function stateLabel(server: CollectionServer) {
-        if (waitingForPort(server)) return 'Waiting for removal';
-        if (server.action === 'destroy' && server.state === 'done') return 'Removed';
-        if (server.action === 'destroy' && server.state === 'running') return 'Removing';
-        return labels[server.state] ?? server.state;
-    }
-
     function queueHint(server: CollectionServer) {
         const reason = server.stage || 'Waiting for a startup slot and available host capacity.';
         return server.queuePosition && server.queuePosition > 1
@@ -382,15 +364,7 @@
                                             name={server.server}
                                             deletedAt={server.server_deleted_at}
                                         /></strong
-                                    ><Badge
-                                        variant={needsAttention(server)
-                                            ? 'danger'
-                                            : server.state === 'done'
-                                              ? 'online'
-                                              : launching(server)
-                                                ? 'info'
-                                                : 'neutral'}>{stateLabel(server)}</Badge
-                                    >
+                                    ><ProvisioningStatusBadge state={server.state} />
                                 </div>
                                 <p class:error={!!server.error}>
                                     {server.error ??
diff --git a/src/routes/maintenance/[id]/+page.svelte b/src/routes/maintenance/[id]/+page.svelte
index 6fc27d5..0c835b5 100644
--- a/src/routes/maintenance/[id]/+page.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/maintenance/[id]/+page.svelte
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
     import EmptyState from '$ui/components/primitives/EmptyState.svelte';
     import ListFooter from '$ui/components/primitives/ListFooter.svelte';
     import SectionHeader from '$ui/components/primitives/SectionHeader.svelte';
-    import StatusBadge from '$ui/components/primitives/StatusBadge.svelte';
+    import ProvisioningStatusBadge from '$ui/components/ProvisioningStatusBadge.svelte';
 
     let detail = $state<WatchdogDetail | null>(null);
     let loadError = $state('');
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@
                                         ? 'Restart server'
                                         : 'Rebuild server'}
                                 </h3>
-                                {#if action.operation_state}<StatusBadge
+                                {#if action.operation_state}<ProvisioningStatusBadge
                                         state={action.operation_state}
                                     />{/if}
                             </div>
diff --git a/src/routes/provisioning/+page.svelte b/src/routes/provisioning/+page.svelte
index 1daaee1..6ecd190 100644
--- a/src/routes/provisioning/+page.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/provisioning/+page.svelte
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
     import Tabs from '$ui/components/primitives/Tabs.svelte';
     import HistoricalServerIdentity from '$ui/components/HistoricalServerIdentity.svelte';
     import SectionHeader from '$ui/components/primitives/SectionHeader.svelte';
-    import Badge from '$ui/components/primitives/Badge.svelte';
+    import ProvisioningStatusBadge from '$ui/components/ProvisioningStatusBadge.svelte';
     import Button from '$ui/components/primitives/Button.svelte';
     import Dialog from '$ui/components/primitives/Dialog.svelte';
     import EmptyState from '$ui/components/primitives/EmptyState.svelte';
@@ -34,13 +34,22 @@
         type ProvisioningListRow as Deployment,
         type ProvisioningListPage
     } from '$lib/provisioning-list.js';
-    import { provisioningActions, actionLabels } from '$lib/provisioning.js';
+    import {
+        provisioningActions,
+        provisioningStates,
+        activeProvisioningStates,
+        actionLabels
+    } from '$lib/provisioning.js';
 
     import { contextHref } from '$lib/navigation-context.js';
     import { confirmAction } from '$ui/confirm.js';
     import { serverTitle } from '$ui/server-labels.js';
-    import { elapsedTime, provisioningRequester } from '$ui/provisioning-presentation.js';
-    import { provisioningQueueStatus, provisioningWarnings } from '$ui/provisioning-queue.js';
+    import {
+        elapsedTime,
+        provisioningContext,
+        provisioningRequester
+    } from '$ui/provisioning-presentation.js';
+    import { provisioningStatus, provisioningWarnings } from '$ui/provisioning-queue.js';
 
     let lifecycleOpen = $state(false);
     let filtersOpen = $state(false);
@@ -257,17 +266,13 @@
         })
     );
     const queueSummary = $derived.by(() => {
-        const groups = { queued: 0, waiting: 0, verifying: 0, running: 0 };
+        const counts = new Map(activeProvisioningStates.map((state) => [state, 0]));
         for (const row of visibleActive) {
-            const group = provisioningQueueStatus(row).group;
-            if (group in groups) groups[group as keyof typeof groups]++;
+            if (counts.has(row.state)) counts.set(row.state, counts.get(row.state)! + 1);
         }
-        return Object.entries(groups)
+        return [...counts]
             .filter(([, count]) => count)
-            .map(
-                ([label, count]) =>
-                    `${count} ${label === 'verifying' ? 'verifying health' : label === 'running' ? 'in progress' : label}`
-            )
+            .map(([state, count]) => `${count} ${provisioningStatus(state).label.toLowerCase()}`)
             .join(' · ');
     });
     function clearFilters() {
@@ -336,18 +341,14 @@
         >
         <Field label="Status">
             <Select bind:value={historyState} onchange={() => saveContext(true)}
-                ><option value="all">All statuses</option><option value="pending"
-                    >Waiting / queued</option
-                ><option value="running">In progress</option><option value="awaiting-health"
-                    >Verifying health</option
-                ><option value="done">Complete</option><option value="attention"
-                    >Needs attention</option
-                ><option value="failed">Failed</option><option value="interrupted"
-                    >Interrupted</option
-                ><option value="warning">Warnings</option><option value="cancelled"
-                    >Cancelled</option
-                ></Select
-            ></Field
+                ><option value="all">All statuses</option>
+                {#each provisioningStates as state}<option value={state}
+                        >{provisioningStatus(state).label}</option
+                    >{/each}
+                <option value="attention">Needs attention</option>
+                {#if historyState === 'pending'}<option value="pending">Waiting / queued</option
+                    >{/if}
+            </Select></Field
         >
         <Field label="Source">
             <Select bind:value={source} onchange={() => saveContext(true)}
@@ -491,7 +492,7 @@
             >
             <tbody
                 >{#each rows as row (row.id)}
-                    {@const status = provisioningQueueStatus(row)}
+                    {@const context = provisioningContext(row)}
                     {@const primarySource = row.sources?.[0]}
                     {@const operationHref = contextHref(
                         `/provisioning/${encodeURIComponent(row.id)}`,
@@ -512,9 +513,14 @@
                             /></td
                         >
                         <td><a href={operationHref}>{actionLabels[row.action]}</a></td>
-                        <td
-                            ><Badge variant={status.tone} size="md">{status.label}</Badge
-                            >{#if ['queued', 'waiting'].includes(status.group) && row.phaseStartedAt && now - Date.parse(row.phaseStartedAt) >= 600000}<small
+                        <td class="status-cell"
+                            ><ProvisioningStatusBadge state={row.state} size="md" />
+                            {#if context}<small>Current step: {context.step}</small>
+                                {#if context.detail}<small class="status-detail"
+                                        >{context.detail}</small
+                                    >{/if}
+                            {/if}
+                            {#if ['queued', 'waiting'].includes(row.state) && row.phaseStartedAt && now - Date.parse(row.phaseStartedAt) >= 600000}<small
                                     >In this stage {elapsedTime(row.phaseStartedAt, now)}</small
                                 >{/if}</td
                         >
@@ -716,6 +722,14 @@
         max-width: 240px;
         overflow-wrap: anywhere;
     }
+    .status-cell {
+        min-width: 200px;
+        max-width: 320px;
+        overflow-wrap: anywhere;
+    }
+    .status-detail {
+        color: var(--text-secondary);
+    }
     .requester-cell {
         max-width: 180px;
         overflow-wrap: anywhere;
diff --git a/src/routes/provisioning/[id]/+page.svelte b/src/routes/provisioning/[id]/+page.svelte
index c3fb156..03482cf 100644
--- a/src/routes/provisioning/[id]/+page.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/provisioning/[id]/+page.svelte
@@ -16,13 +16,14 @@
     import {
         elapsedTime,
         isProvisioningDetail,
+        provisioningContext,
         provisioningNeedsRefresh,
         provisioningOutcome,
         provisioningRequester
     } from '$ui/provisioning-presentation.js';
     import SectionHeader from '$ui/components/primitives/SectionHeader.svelte';
     import Breadcrumbs from '$ui/components/primitives/Breadcrumbs.svelte';
-    import StatusBadge from '$ui/components/primitives/StatusBadge.svelte';
+    import ProvisioningStatusBadge from '$ui/components/ProvisioningStatusBadge.svelte';
     import Badge from '$ui/components/primitives/Badge.svelte';
     import Button from '$ui/components/primitives/Button.svelte';
     import Card from '$ui/components/primitives/Card.svelte';
@@ -65,6 +66,15 @@
     const phaseStartedAt = $derived(timestampISO(detail?.progress?.phaseStartedAt));
     const canOverride = $derived(data.user?.role === 'admin' && detail?.canOverrideSafety);
     const outcome = $derived(detail ? provisioningOutcome(detail) : null);
+    const context = $derived(
+        deployment
+            ? provisioningContext({
+                  ...deployment,
+                  phase: detail?.progress?.phase,
+                  waitMessage: detail?.progress?.blocker?.message
+              })
+            : null
+    );
     const active = $derived(outcome?.active ?? false);
     const needsRefresh = $derived(detail ? provisioningNeedsRefresh(detail) : false);
     const duration = $derived(
@@ -268,14 +278,18 @@
             aria-labelledby="outcome-title"
         >
             <div class="badges">
-                <StatusBadge state={deployment.state} />{#if deployment.server_deleted_at}<Badge
-                        >Deleted identity</Badge
+                <ProvisioningStatusBadge
+                    state={deployment.state}
+                />{#if deployment.server_deleted_at}<Badge>Deleted identity</Badge
                     >{/if}{#if detail.progress?.recovery?.state === 'held'}<Badge variant="warning"
                         >Recovery capacity held</Badge
                     >{/if}
             </div>
             <div class="outcome-message" aria-live="polite" aria-atomic="true">
-                <h2 id="outcome-title">{outcome.headline}</h2>
+                <h2 id="outcome-title">
+                    {context ? `Current step: ${context.step}` : outcome.headline}
+                </h2>
+                {#if context?.detail}<p>{context.detail}</p>{/if}
                 {#if outcome.description}<p>{outcome.description}</p>{/if}
                 {#if outcome.checksSummary}<p>
                         <span aria-hidden="true">✓</span>{' '}{outcome.checksSummary}
diff --git a/tests/unit/provisioning-list.test.ts b/tests/unit/provisioning-list.test.ts
index e4f2b57..eeaccee 100644
--- a/tests/unit/provisioning-list.test.ts
+++ b/tests/unit/provisioning-list.test.ts
@@ -47,6 +47,26 @@ async function setup() {
 }
 
 describe('bounded provisioning lists', () => {
+    it('filters Queued and Waiting independently while preserving combined pending links', async () => {
+        const { add, handle } = await setup();
+        add('queued', 'queued');
+        add('waiting', 'waiting', 'restart');
+        add('running', 'running', 'restart');
+        handle.prepare("UPDATE server_deployments SET phase_key='prepare' WHERE id='queued'").run();
+        const { GET } = await import('../../src/routes/api/provisioning/+server.js');
+        for (const [status, expected] of [
+            ['queued', ['queued']],
+            ['waiting', ['waiting']],
+            ['running', ['running']],
+            ['pending', ['waiting', 'queued']]
+        ] as const) {
+            const result = await GET({
+                url: new URL(`http://localhost/api/provisioning?view=active&status=${status}`)
+            }).json();
+            expect(result.deployments.map((row: { id: string }) => row.id)).toEqual(expected);
+        }
+    });
+
     it('keeps recovery sources concise as incident summaries change, including after retention', async () => {
         const { add, handle, deploymentListPage } = await setup();
         add('recovery', 'waiting', 'rebuild');
@@ -293,13 +313,17 @@ describe('bounded provisioning lists', () => {
             )
             .run(
                 JSON.stringify({
-                    blocker: { code: 'restart-capacity' },
+                    blocker: {
+                        code: 'restart-capacity',
+                        message: 'Waiting for another server to recover'
+                    },
                     checks: ['private snapshot'],
                     checkpoints: []
                 })
             );
         expect(deploymentListPage({ view: 'active' }).deployments[0]).toMatchObject({
             waitCode: 'restart-capacity',
+            waitMessage: 'Waiting for another server to recover',
             phase: 'eligibility',
             phaseStartedAt: '2026-01-01'
         });
@@ -308,7 +332,7 @@ describe('bounded provisioning lists', () => {
         );
     });
 
-    it('puts verification and executing work ahead of preflight waits and capacity queues', async () => {
+    it('orders active jobs by lifecycle state regardless of phases and blockers', async () => {
         const { add, handle, listDeployments, deploymentListPage } = await setup();
         const addProgress = (
             id: string,
@@ -403,18 +427,18 @@ describe('bounded provisioning lists', () => {
         const expected = [
             'verify-older',
             'verify-newer',
-            'staging',
-            'staging-wait',
-            'preparing-queued',
+            'capacity',
+            'eligibility',
+            'operation-conflict',
             'executing',
             'agent-wait',
-            'cleanup',
-            'eligibility',
+            'legacy-capacity',
             'host-wait',
-            'operation-conflict',
+            'staging',
+            'staging-wait',
+            'cleanup',
             'queued',
-            'capacity',
-            'legacy-capacity'
+            'preparing-queued'
         ];
         expect(listDeployments({ view: 'active' }).map((row) => row.id)).toEqual(expected);
         const { GET } = await import('../../src/routes/api/provisioning/+server.js');
@@ -424,7 +448,7 @@ describe('bounded provisioning lists', () => {
         expect(active.deployments.map((row: { id: string }) => row.id)).toEqual(expected);
         expect(active).toMatchObject({ total: expected.length, needsReview: 2 });
 
-        // Progress priority applies only to Active; retained outcomes and mixed reads stay newest first.
+        // State priority applies only to Active; retained outcomes and mixed reads stay newest first.
         expect(
             deploymentListPage({ view: 'history', limit: 1 }).deployments.map((row) => row.id)
         ).toEqual(['failed']);
diff --git a/tests/unit/provisioning-queue.test.ts b/tests/unit/provisioning-queue.test.ts
index eeb4140..823e5d6 100644
--- a/tests/unit/provisioning-queue.test.ts
+++ b/tests/unit/provisioning-queue.test.ts
@@ -1,74 +1,75 @@
 import { expect, it } from 'vitest';
-import {
-    provisioningQueueStatus,
-    provisioningWarnings
-} from '../../src/lib/ui/provisioning-queue.js';
+import { render } from 'svelte/server';
+import { provisioningContext } from '../../src/lib/ui/provisioning-presentation.js';
+import { provisioningStatus, provisioningWarnings } from '../../src/lib/ui/provisioning-queue.js';
+import ProvisioningStatusBadge from '../../src/lib/ui/components/ProvisioningStatusBadge.svelte';
 
-it('distinguishes capacity, occupancy, recovery and verification without inventing errors', () => {
-    const row = { action: 'restart' as const, state: 'waiting', stage: 'Waiting' };
-    expect(provisioningQueueStatus({ ...row, waitCode: 'restart-capacity' })).toMatchObject({
-        label: 'Queued for restart',
-        tone: 'neutral',
-        group: 'queued'
-    });
-    expect(
-        provisioningQueueStatus({
-            ...row,
-            stage: 'Queued to restart; waiting for another server to recover'
-        })
-    ).toMatchObject({ group: 'queued' });
-    expect(
-        provisioningQueueStatus({ ...row, stage: 'Waiting for 3 player(s) to leave.' })
-    ).toMatchObject({ label: 'Waiting for empty lobby', group: 'waiting' });
-    expect(
-        provisioningQueueStatus({ ...row, stage: 'Waiting for a fresh local player count.' })
-    ).toMatchObject({ label: 'Checking lobby occupancy' });
-    expect(provisioningQueueStatus({ ...row, waitCode: 'operation-conflict' })).toMatchObject({
-        label: 'Waiting for another operation'
-    });
-    expect(
-        provisioningQueueStatus({
-            ...row,
-            state: 'awaiting-health',
-            waitCode: 'native-host',
-            stage: 'Waiting for container readiness: starting'
-        })
-    ).toMatchObject({ label: 'Verifying health', group: 'verifying' });
-    expect(
-        provisioningQueueStatus({
-            ...row,
-            state: 'running',
-            waitCode: 'native-host',
-            stage: 'Waiting for startup capacity.'
-        })
-    ).toMatchObject({ label: 'Waiting for capacity', group: 'queued' });
-    expect(provisioningQueueStatus({ ...row, phase: 'cleanup' })).toMatchObject({
-        label: 'Cleaning up',
-        group: 'running'
-    });
+it.each([
+    ['queued', 'Queued', 'neutral'],
+    ['waiting', 'Waiting', 'neutral'],
+    ['running', 'Running', 'info'],
+    ['awaiting-health', 'Validating', 'info'],
+    ['done', 'Completed', 'online'],
+    ['warning', 'Completed with warnings', 'warning'],
+    ['failed', 'Failed', 'danger'],
+    ['interrupted', 'Interrupted', 'danger'],
+    ['cancelled', 'Cancelled', 'neutral']
+])('renders the recorded %s lifecycle state consistently', (state, label, tone) => {
+    expect(provisioningStatus(state)).toMatchObject({ label, tone });
+    const body = render(ProvisioningStatusBadge, { props: { state } }).body;
+    expect(body).toContain(label);
+    expect(body).toContain(`v-${tone}`);
+    expect(body).toContain('aria-hidden="true"');
 });
 
-it('keeps recorded terminal outcomes ahead of leftover progress and blockers', () => {
+it('keeps waiting reasons and preparation separate from the recorded state', () => {
     const row = {
+        state: 'running',
         action: 'restart' as const,
-        state: 'done',
-        stage: 'Old waiting text',
-        waitCode: 'restart-capacity',
-        phase: 'cleanup'
+        phase: 'container-action',
+        stage: 'Waiting for host acknowledgment',
+        waitMessage: 'Waiting for another operation to finish'
     };
-    expect(provisioningQueueStatus(row)).toMatchObject({ label: 'Complete', group: 'complete' });
-    expect(provisioningQueueStatus({ ...row, state: 'failed' })).toMatchObject({
-        label: 'Failed',
-        tone: 'danger',
-        group: 'attention'
-    });
-    expect(provisioningQueueStatus({ ...row, state: 'cancelled' })).toMatchObject({
-        label: 'Cancelled',
-        group: 'cancelled',
-        tone: 'neutral'
+    expect(provisioningContext(row)).toEqual({
+        step: 'Restart container',
+        detail: 'Waiting for another operation to finish'
     });
+    expect(provisioningStatus(row.state).label).toBe('Running');
+
+    const preparing = { ...row, state: 'queued', phase: 'prepare', waitMessage: null };
+    expect(provisioningContext(preparing)?.step).toBe('Prepare server files');
+    expect(provisioningStatus(preparing.state).label).toBe('Queued');
 });
 
+it('preserves legacy stage text without parsing it into a lifecycle label', () => {
+    const row = {
+        state: 'waiting',
+        action: 'rebuild' as const,
+        stage: 'Waiting for 3 player(s) to leave.'
+    };
+    expect(provisioningContext(row)).toEqual({ step: row.stage, detail: null });
+    expect(provisioningContext({ ...row, phase: 'future-phase' })).toEqual({
+        step: row.stage,
+        detail: null
+    });
+    expect(provisioningStatus(row.state).label).toBe('Waiting');
+});
+
+it.each(['done', 'warning', 'failed', 'interrupted', 'cancelled'])(
+    'does not describe leftover progress as current for %s jobs',
+    (state) => {
+        expect(
+            provisioningContext({
+                state,
+                action: 'restart',
+                stage: 'Waiting for startup capacity',
+                waitMessage: 'Waiting for recovery',
+                phase: 'cleanup'
+            })
+        ).toBeNull();
+    }
+);
+
 it('only displays strings from recorded warning arrays', () => {
     expect(provisioningWarnings('["Warning",null,3]')).toEqual(['Warning']);
     expect(provisioningWarnings('null')).toEqual([]);
diff --git a/tests/unit/ui-provisioning-detail.test.ts b/tests/unit/ui-provisioning-detail.test.ts
index 4095cc9..54ae3b6 100644
--- a/tests/unit/ui-provisioning-detail.test.ts
+++ b/tests/unit/ui-provisioning-detail.test.ts
@@ -123,6 +123,49 @@ function recovery(state: RecoveryObservation['state']): RecoveryObservation {
 }
 
 describe('provisioning detail summary and technical details', () => {
+    it('explains file preparation while preserving the Queued lifecycle state', () => {
+        const detail = fixture('queued');
+        detail.deployment.finished_at = null;
+        detail.deployment.stage = 'Preparing launch files for the host agent';
+        detail.progress!.phase = 'prepare';
+        const body = pageBody(detail);
+        const badges = body.match(/<div\b[^>]*class="badges[^>]*>[\s\S]*?<\/div>/)?.[0];
+        expect(badges).toContain('Queued');
+        expect(body).toContain('Current step: Prepare server files');
+        expect(body).toContain('The command has not been submitted yet.');
+        expect(body).not.toContain('awaiting provisioning evaluation');
+    });
+
+    it('shows Validating with the current step and blocker as separate supporting text', () => {
+        const detail = fixture('awaiting-health');
+        detail.deployment.finished_at = null;
+        detail.deployment.stage = 'Checking game status';
+        detail.progress!.blocker = {
+            code: 'native-host',
+            message: 'Waiting for fresh game telemetry',
+            automatic: true
+        };
+        const body = pageBody(detail);
+        const badges = body.match(/<div\b[^>]*class="badges[^>]*>[\s\S]*?<\/div>/)?.[0];
+        expect(badges).toContain('Validating');
+        expect(badges).not.toContain('Waiting for fresh game telemetry');
+        expect(body).toContain('Current step: Verify game status');
+        expect(body).toContain('Waiting for fresh game telemetry');
+        expect(body).not.toContain('Verifying health');
+    });
+
+    it('keeps failed outcomes visible even when a prior blocker remains recorded', () => {
+        const detail = fixture('failed');
+        detail.progress!.blocker = {
+            code: 'startup-capacity',
+            message: 'Waiting for startup capacity',
+            automatic: true
+        };
+        const body = pageBody(detail);
+        expect(body).toContain('Restart failed');
+        expect(body).not.toContain('Current step:');
+    });
+
     it('puts requester, absolute start and one duration above the outcome', () => {
         const body = pageBody(fixture());
         const summary = body.match(/<p\b[^>]*class="operation-summary[^>]*>[\s\S]*?<\/p>/)?.[0];