diff --git a/backend/src/bridge/session-bridge.ts b/backend/src/bridge/session-bridge.ts
index 73cafc34..a9a634c9 100644
--- a/backend/src/bridge/session-bridge.ts
+++ b/backend/src/bridge/session-bridge.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ export class SessionBridge {
         this.fan({ type: "text_delta", text: m.text ?? "" });
       } else if (m.type === "system_event") {
         this.fan(m as ClientEvent);
+      } else if (m.type === "agent_end") {
+        // Fine turno di Pi (pi-agent-core agent-loop): e' l'unico segnale che il turno e'
+        // concluso. Senza inoltrarlo, il FE resta "working" per sempre quando il turno
+        // finisce senza un gate successivo (ultimo step del workflow).
+        this.fan({ type: "system_event", event: "agent_end" });
       }
       // altri method nativi (setStatus/setWidget) e altri eventi Pi ignorati in MVP
     });
@@ -43,6 +48,9 @@ export class SessionBridge {
 
   onClientEvent(cb: (e: ClientEvent) => void): void { this.cbs.add(cb); }
 
+  /** Eventi generati dal backend stesso (es. exit inatteso del child Pi), non da Pi. */
+  emitClientEvent(e: ClientEvent): void { this.fan(e); }
+
   respond(uiResponse: object & { id: string }): void {
     // Correla sull'id RPC di Pi; `value` porta l'uiResponse (con l'id del descriptor) cosi'
     // il check interno del gate (resp.id === descriptor.id) regge.
diff --git a/backend/src/pi/pi-process-manager.ts b/backend/src/pi/pi-process-manager.ts
index 5c8a8877..e724ee83 100644
--- a/backend/src/pi/pi-process-manager.ts
+++ b/backend/src/pi/pi-process-manager.ts
@@ -70,7 +70,20 @@ export class PiProcessManager {
     const rt: SessionRuntime = { rpc, bridge, child };
     this.runtimes.set(sessionId, rt);
     // Identity-checked: a stale child's exit must not evict a newer runtime.
-    child.on("exit", () => { if (this.runtimes.get(sessionId) === rt) this.runtimes.delete(sessionId); });
+    // Expected teardowns (teardown()/respawn) delete the runtime from the map BEFORE the
+    // exit event fires, so reaching this branch with `rt` still mapped means the child
+    // died on its own: tell the client, or the UI spins forever waiting for a turn end.
+    child.on("exit", (code) => {
+      if (this.runtimes.get(sessionId) === rt) {
+        this.runtimes.delete(sessionId);
+        rt.bridge.emitClientEvent({
+          type: "info",
+          level: "error",
+          text: `Pi process exited unexpectedly (code ${code ?? "?"})`,
+        });
+        rt.bridge.emitClientEvent({ type: "system_event", event: "agent_end" });
+      }
+    });
 
     const provider = o.provider ?? this.cfg.defaults.provider;
     const model = o.model ?? this.cfg.defaults.model;
diff --git a/backend/test/pi-process-manager.test.ts b/backend/test/pi-process-manager.test.ts
index b983d660..53e574e2 100644
--- a/backend/test/pi-process-manager.test.ts
+++ b/backend/test/pi-process-manager.test.ts
@@ -80,6 +80,33 @@ function recordingChild() {
   return ch;
 }
 
+test("un exit INATTESO del child notifica il client (info error + agent_end)", async () => {
+  const cfg = loadConfig({});
+  const child = recordingChild();
+  const mgr = new PiProcessManager(cfg, { spawnFn: () => child as any });
+  const rt = await mgr.spawnFor("crash-id", {});
+  const seen: any[] = [];
+  rt.bridge.onClientEvent((e) => seen.push(e));
+  child.emit("exit", 137);
+  expect(seen).toEqual([
+    { type: "info", level: "error", text: expect.stringContaining("137") },
+    { type: "system_event", event: "agent_end" },
+  ]);
+  expect(mgr.count()).toBe(0);
+});
+
+test("l'exit dopo teardown NON emette eventi al client (uscita attesa)", async () => {
+  const cfg = loadConfig({});
+  const child = recordingChild();
+  const mgr = new PiProcessManager(cfg, { spawnFn: () => child as any });
+  const rt = await mgr.spawnFor("stop-id", {});
+  const seen: any[] = [];
+  rt.bridge.onClientEvent((e) => seen.push(e));
+  mgr.teardown("stop-id");
+  child.emit("exit", 0);
+  expect(seen).toEqual([]);
+});
+
 test("spawnFor resume mode sends /riprendi-sessione <id>", async () => {
   const cfg = loadConfig({}); // no provider/model/thinking -> no rpc.request handshakes
   const child = recordingChild();
diff --git a/backend/test/session-bridge.test.ts b/backend/test/session-bridge.test.ts
index 770981be..8ae0dcb5 100644
--- a/backend/test/session-bridge.test.ts
+++ b/backend/test/session-bridge.test.ts
@@ -54,6 +54,17 @@ test("respond correla sull'id RPC di Pi (non sull'id del descriptor) e azzera il
   expect(b.pendingWidget()).toBeNull();
 });
 
+test("agent_end di Pi diventa un system_event agent_end per il FE", () => {
+  const { rpc, fire } = fakeRpc();
+  const b = new SessionBridge(rpc);
+  const seen: any[] = [];
+  b.onClientEvent((e) => seen.push(e));
+  // Pi emette agent_end alla fine di ogni prompt (pi-agent-core agent-loop); e' il solo
+  // segnale di fine turno: senza mapparlo il FE non puo' mai uscire dallo stato "working".
+  fire({ type: "agent_end", messages: [] });
+  expect(seen).toEqual([{ type: "system_event", event: "agent_end" }]);
+});
+
 test("steer invia un comando steer", () => {
   const { rpc, sent } = fakeRpc();
   new SessionBridge(rpc).steer("considera solo il 2024");
diff --git a/frontend/src/shell/AppShell.tsx b/frontend/src/shell/AppShell.tsx
index 9c742336..fb14de05 100644
--- a/frontend/src/shell/AppShell.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/shell/AppShell.tsx
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@ export function AppShell() {
     // working spinner shows straight away; the backend calls run after.
     setPanelSession(null);
     resetSession();
+    // Optimistic: the resume POST is about to hand the ball to the harness.
+    setAgentActive(true);
     setActiveSessionId(id);
     try {
       await resumeSession(id);
@@ -152,13 +154,17 @@ export function AppShell() {
     );
   }
 
-  // The harness "holds the ball" whenever a session is live and no widget is
-  // waiting on the human; once a widget appears, input is back in the user's court.
+  // The harness "holds the ball" whenever a session is live, no widget is waiting on
+  // the human, AND the Pi turn is still in flight (agentActive). Without the last
+  // condition the final workflow step — which ends with no follow-up gate — would
+  // leave the spinner on forever.
   const pendingWidget = useSessionStore((s) => s.pendingWidget);
   const resetSession = useSessionStore((s) => s.resetSession);
   const setPhase = useSessionStore((s) => s.setPhase);
+  const setAgentActive = useSessionStore((s) => s.setAgentActive);
   const lastSystemEvent = useSessionStore((s) => s.lastSystemEvent);
-  const working = Boolean(activeSessionId) && !pendingWidget;
+  const agentActive = useSessionStore((s) => s.agentActive);
+  const working = Boolean(activeSessionId) && !pendingWidget && agentActive;
   // Processing time counts only while the harness works, not while a finalized
   // session sits idle or a gate awaits the reviewer (pendingWidget).
   const running = working && !finalized;
diff --git a/frontend/src/store/sessionStore.test.ts b/frontend/src/store/sessionStore.test.ts
index ea418110..f50eb666 100644
--- a/frontend/src/store/sessionStore.test.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/store/sessionStore.test.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,35 @@ test("ui_request without a phase keeps the existing currentPhase", () => {
   expect(useSessionStore.getState().currentPhase).toBe("F2");
 });
 
+test("agentActive lifecycle: off by default, on with activity, off on agent_end", () => {
+  const st = useSessionStore.getState();
+  expect(useSessionStore.getState().agentActive).toBe(false);
+  // Any streamed text means the turn is alive (also covers reattaching mid-turn).
+  st.applyEvent({ type: "text_delta", text: "Analisi" });
+  expect(useSessionStore.getState().agentActive).toBe(true);
+  // Pi's end-of-turn signal (mapped by the backend) releases the working state.
+  st.applyEvent({ type: "system_event", event: "agent_end" });
+  expect(useSessionStore.getState().agentActive).toBe(false);
+});
+
+test("setLastUserEntry hands the ball back to the harness (agentActive on)", () => {
+  useSessionStore.getState().setLastUserEntry({ kind: "choice", text: "approve" });
+  expect(useSessionStore.getState().agentActive).toBe(true);
+});
+
+test("setAgentActive drives the flag directly (resume optimistic spin)", () => {
+  useSessionStore.getState().setAgentActive(true);
+  expect(useSessionStore.getState().agentActive).toBe(true);
+  useSessionStore.getState().resetSession();
+  expect(useSessionStore.getState().agentActive).toBe(false);
+});
+
+test("a ui_request keeps agentActive on (turn blocked on the gate, not ended)", () => {
+  const st = useSessionStore.getState();
+  st.applyEvent({ type: "ui_request", ui_request: { id: "u1", widget: "select" } });
+  expect(useSessionStore.getState().agentActive).toBe(true);
+});
+
 test("pushToast appends an error toast", () => {
   useSessionStore.getState().pushToast({ level: "error", text: "boom" });
   expect(useSessionStore.getState().toasts.at(-1)).toEqual({ level: "error", text: "boom" });
diff --git a/frontend/src/store/sessionStore.ts b/frontend/src/store/sessionStore.ts
index eea9af11..ebe23e7c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/store/sessionStore.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/store/sessionStore.ts
@@ -15,12 +15,17 @@ interface SessionState {
   lastSystemEvent: StreamEvent | null;
   currentPhase: string | null;
   phaseError: string | null;
+  // True while a Pi turn is in flight. Turned off by the backend-forwarded `agent_end`
+  // system event — the only end-of-turn signal on the final workflow step, where no
+  // follow-up gate arrives to release the spinner.
+  agentActive: boolean;
   applyEvent: (e: StreamEvent) => void;
   clearPending: () => void;
   resetSession: () => void;
   setPhase: (phase: string | null) => void;
   pushToast: (toast: { level: string; text: string }) => void;
   setLastUserEntry: (e: { kind: "input" | "choice"; text: string }) => void;
+  setAgentActive: (v: boolean) => void;
 }
 
 const empty = {
@@ -32,6 +37,7 @@ const empty = {
   lastSystemEvent: null,
   currentPhase: null as string | null,
   phaseError: null as string | null,
+  agentActive: false,
 };
 
 export const useSessionStore = create<SessionState>((set) => ({
@@ -41,6 +47,8 @@ export const useSessionStore = create<SessionState>((set) => ({
       if (e.type === "ui_request")
         return {
           pendingWidget: e.ui_request,
+          // The turn is blocked on the gate, not ended: keep the agent marked active.
+          agentActive: true,
           currentPhase: e.ui_request.phase
             ? e.ui_request.phase.split("_")[0]
             : st.currentPhase,
@@ -52,19 +60,25 @@ export const useSessionStore = create<SessionState>((set) => ({
         const last = t.at(-1);
         if (last && !st.pendingWidget) t[t.length - 1] = { role: "assistant", text: last.text + e.text };
         else t.push({ role: "assistant", text: e.text });
-        return { transcript: t };
+        // Streamed text means the turn is alive (also covers reattaching mid-turn).
+        return { transcript: t, agentActive: true };
       }
       if (e.type === "info") {
         const stepMessages = [...st.stepMessages, { level: e.level ?? "info", text: e.text }];
         // An error during the active phase marks that phase red until the next gate.
         return e.level === "error" ? { stepMessages, phaseError: st.currentPhase } : { stepMessages };
       }
-      if (e.type === "system_event") return { lastSystemEvent: e };
+      if (e.type === "system_event")
+        return e.event === "agent_end"
+          ? { lastSystemEvent: e, agentActive: false }
+          : { lastSystemEvent: e };
       return {};
     }),
   clearPending: () => set({ pendingWidget: null }),
   resetSession: () => set({ ...empty }),
   setPhase: (phase) => set({ currentPhase: phase }),
   pushToast: (toast) => set((st) => ({ toasts: [...st.toasts, toast] })),
-  setLastUserEntry: (e) => set({ lastUserEntry: e, stepMessages: [] }),
+  // A user entry (question, gate choice, steer) hands the ball back to the harness.
+  setLastUserEntry: (e) => set({ lastUserEntry: e, stepMessages: [], agentActive: true }),
+  setAgentActive: (v) => set({ agentActive: v }),
 }));