diff --git a/src/main/index.ts b/src/main/index.ts
index 57d50287f49..cb4c803105f 100644
--- a/src/main/index.ts
+++ b/src/main/index.ts
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ import { ProfileStateRecoveryRequiredError } from './persistence/profile-state/p
 import { getProfileUserDataPath } from './orca-profiles/profile-storage-paths'
 import { leaseAppImageGenerationForCurrentProcess } from './cli/appimage-generation-lease'
 import { wakeRememberedWslHosts } from './wsl/wsl-host-early-wake'
-import { wslHostsGateOpen } from './wsl/wsl-host-gate'
+import { wslHostsServing } from './wsl/wsl-host-gate'
+import { configureWslHostsGateFromDisk } from './wsl/wsl-host-gate-startup'
 
 function openMainWindow(options: { revealOnDidFinishLoad?: boolean } = {}): BrowserWindow {
   return openMainWindowController(options)
@@ -112,8 +113,10 @@ const preflightReady =
 if (preflightReady) {
   enableLinearRegexpFallback()
   void leaseAppImageGenerationForCurrentProcess()
+  // Before any gate check: saved WSL work keeps a closed gate serving it.
+  configureWslHostsGateFromDisk(app.getPath('userData'))
   // Why this early: a cold distro takes seconds to boot; starting now overlaps it with app startup.
-  if (process.platform === 'win32' && wslHostsGateOpen()) {
+  if (process.platform === 'win32' && wslHostsServing()) {
     wakeRememberedWslHosts(app.getPath('userData'))
   }
   app.on('open-url', (event, url) => {
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/wsl-host-handlers-user-actions.test.ts b/src/main/ipc/wsl-host-handlers-user-actions.test.ts
index 012dbc68874..dff18aeb3b5 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/wsl-host-handlers-user-actions.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/wsl-host-handlers-user-actions.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 
 type Handler = (event: unknown, request?: unknown) => unknown
 
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ const service = vi.hoisted(() => ({
     })
   ),
   remove: vi.fn(async () => ({ stopped: true })),
+  hasServerFiles: vi.fn(() => true),
   recordForEnvironment: vi.fn(() => ({ distro: 'Ubuntu', environmentId: 'wsl:Ubuntu' }))
 }))
 vi.mock('../wsl/wsl-host-service-instance', () => ({
@@ -64,7 +65,13 @@ function register(): void {
 describe('WSL host IPC: the user Add and Remove (D3a)', () => {
   // Removes are reported by the host service itself (see wsl-host-service.test.ts), so both the
   // sidebar and Settings paths count; here the service is mocked and only the Add is the IPC's.
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.unstubAllEnvs()
+    service.add.mockClear()
+  })
+
   it('reports a successful Add, never a failed one', async () => {
+    vi.stubEnv('ORCA_INTERNAL_WSL_HOSTS', '1')
     register()
     const heard: WslHostUserAction[] = []
     const stop = onWslHostUserAction((action) => heard.push(action))
@@ -75,4 +82,17 @@ describe('WSL host IPC: the user Add and Remove (D3a)', () => {
     stop()
     expect(heard).toEqual([{ kind: 'added', distro: 'Ubuntu' }])
   })
+
+  it('refuses an Add in serve-only, keeping saved hosts usable', async () => {
+    vi.stubEnv('ORCA_INTERNAL_WSL_HOSTS', undefined)
+    register()
+
+    expect(await handlers.get('wslHosts:add')?.({}, { distro: 'Ubuntu' })).toMatchObject({
+      ok: false,
+      kind: 'disabled'
+    })
+    expect(service.add).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    await handlers.get('wslHosts:remove')?.({}, { environmentId: 'wsl:Ubuntu' })
+    expect(service.remove).toHaveBeenCalledWith('wsl:Ubuntu')
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/wsl-host-handlers.ts b/src/main/ipc/wsl-host-handlers.ts
index 331621af58d..28496d6306b 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/wsl-host-handlers.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/wsl-host-handlers.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,11 @@ import { WslHostService } from '../wsl/wsl-host-service'
 import { WslHostVisibleWorkByWindow } from './wsl-host-visible-work-windows'
 import type { WslHostAutomationWake } from '../wsl/wsl-host-automation-wake'
 import { createWslHostAutomationWake } from './wsl-host-automation-wake-wiring'
-import { wslHostsGateOpen } from '../wsl/wsl-host-gate'
+import {
+  WSL_HOSTS_NEW_WORK_PAUSED_MESSAGE,
+  wslHostsGateOpen,
+  wslHostsServing
+} from '../wsl/wsl-host-gate'
 import { getWslHostService, setWslHostService } from '../wsl/wsl-host-service-instance'
 import { retireRemovedRuntimeEnvironment } from './runtime-environments/runtime-environment-removal-cleanup'
 import { getRuntimeEnvironmentStatus } from './runtime-environments/runtime-environment-status-probe'
@@ -108,8 +112,8 @@ type WslHostHandlerArgs = {
 }
 
 function createService(args: WslHostHandlerArgs): WslHostService | null {
-  // A closed gate must prevent service adoption, WSL spawns and reconnects.
-  if (!wslHostsGateOpen()) {
+  // A closed gate must prevent service adoption, WSL spawns and reconnects; serve-only keeps saved hosts.
+  if (!wslHostsServing()) {
     return null
   }
   const fake = readFakeWslHostsConfig()
@@ -224,6 +228,10 @@ export function registerWslHostHandlers(args: WslHostHandlerArgs): void {
       _event,
       request: { distro: string; startIfStopped?: boolean }
     ): Promise<WslHostAddResult> => {
+      // Serve-only keeps saved hosts working but admits none.
+      if (!wslHostsGateOpen()) {
+        return { ok: false, kind: 'disabled', message: WSL_HOSTS_NEW_WORK_PAUSED_MESSAGE }
+      }
       const result = await wsl.add(request)
       if (result.ok) {
         noteWslHostUserAction({ kind: 'added', distro: request.distro })
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/wsl-move-handlers.test.ts b/src/main/ipc/wsl-move-handlers.test.ts
index 2ba5d90fb64..7bf7ecd9efd 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/wsl-move-handlers.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/wsl-move-handlers.test.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { tmpdir } from 'node:os'
 import { join } from 'node:path'
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 import { WSL_HOSTS_INTERNAL_GATE_ENV } from '../../shared/wsl-host-internal-gate'
+import { configureWslHostsGate, resetWslHostsGateForTests } from '../wsl/wsl-host-gate'
 import { wslMoveCutoverFixture as cutover } from '../persistence/__fixtures__/wsl-mover/wsl-move-cutover-fixture'
 import { seedWslMoveCutover } from '../persistence/__fixtures__/wsl-mover/wsl-move-journal-seeding'
 import { listWslMoveCutovers } from '../persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-cutover-journal'
@@ -95,6 +96,28 @@ describe('WSL move IPC', () => {
     expect(listWslMoveCutovers(userDataPath)[0]?.rewrittenStores).toEqual([])
   })
 
+  it('keeps listing unfinished moves and pending rewrites in serve-only, and nothing when closed', () => {
+    rmSync(userDataPath, { recursive: true, force: true })
+    userDataPath = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'wsl-move-ipc-'))
+    seedWslMoveCutover(
+      userDataPath,
+      cutover('move-2', 'destination-committed', { automationsToReenable: ['automation-1'] })
+    )
+    const open = invoke('wslMove:listUnfinished')
+    expect(open).toEqual([expect.objectContaining({ migrationId: 'move-2' })])
+    const pending = invoke('wslMove:listPendingRendererRewrites')
+    vi.stubEnv(WSL_HOSTS_INTERNAL_GATE_ENV, '')
+    expect(invoke('wslMove:listUnfinished')).toEqual([])
+
+    configureWslHostsGate({ hasSavedWslHost: () => false, hasWslMoveCutover: () => true })
+    try {
+      expect(invoke('wslMove:listUnfinished')).toEqual(open)
+      expect(invoke('wslMove:listPendingRendererRewrites')).toEqual(pending)
+    } finally {
+      resetWslHostsGateForTests()
+    }
+  })
+
   it('writes the window storage to disk before the ledger entry', () => {
     flushStorageData.mockImplementation(() => {
       expect(listWslMoveCutovers(userDataPath)[0]?.rewrittenStores).toEqual([])
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/wsl-move-handlers.ts b/src/main/ipc/wsl-move-handlers.ts
index 9a3ab754a50..54452117ca8 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/wsl-move-handlers.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/wsl-move-handlers.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ import {
 import type { WslMoveDriverDeps } from '../persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-driver-ports'
 import { listUnfinishedWslMoves } from '../persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-host-automations-rewrite'
 import { runTrackedWslMove } from '../telemetry/wsl-move-telemetry'
-import { wslHostsGateOpen } from '../wsl/wsl-host-gate'
+import { wslHostsGateOpen, wslHostsServing } from '../wsl/wsl-host-gate'
 import type { WslMoveUndoPorts } from './wsl-move-undo-wiring'
 import { releaseWslMovedProjectHere } from './wsl-move-release-here'
 
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ function registerWslMoveDriverHandlers(
     }
   )
   ipcMain.handle('wslMove:listUnfinished', (): WslMoveUnfinished[] =>
-    wslHostsGateOpen() ? listUnfinishedWslMoves(getUserDataPath()) : []
+    wslHostsServing() ? listUnfinishedWslMoves(getUserDataPath()) : []
   )
   ipcMain.handle(
     'wslMove:cancel',
@@ -147,8 +147,8 @@ function registerWslMoveUseHereHandler(
   ipcMain.handle(
     'wslMove:useProjectHereAgain',
     async (event: { sender?: WebContents }, request: unknown): Promise<WslMoveUseLocallyResult> => {
-      // Gate first: with it closed, nothing is read.
-      if (!wslHostsGateOpen()) {
+      // Gate first: with it closed, nothing is read. Serve-only keeps the way back.
+      if (!wslHostsServing()) {
         return { released: false, reason: 'gated-off' }
       }
       const sender = event.sender
diff --git a/src/main/persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-desktop-rewrite.ts b/src/main/persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-desktop-rewrite.ts
index aaa47fbb0bf..dd25e602e83 100644
--- a/src/main/persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-desktop-rewrite.ts
+++ b/src/main/persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-desktop-rewrite.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import type {
   WslMoveRecordStoreRewrittenRequest,
   WslMoveRecordStoreRewrittenResult
 } from '../../../shared/wsl-move/wsl-move-renderer-rewrite-types'
-import { wslHostsGateOpen } from '../../wsl/wsl-host-gate'
+import { wslHostsServing } from '../../wsl/wsl-host-gate'
 import { listWslMoveCutovers, writeWslMoveCutover } from './wsl-move-cutover-journal'
 import {
   isWslMoveDesktopRewriteRegistryComplete,
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ export function runWslMoveDesktopRewritePass(
 export function runGatedWslMoveDesktopRewritePass(
   options: WslMoveDesktopRewritePassOptions
 ): Promise<void> {
-  return wslHostsGateOpen() ? runWslMoveDesktopRewritePass(options) : Promise.resolve()
+  return wslHostsServing() ? runWslMoveDesktopRewritePass(options) : Promise.resolve()
 }
 
 const COMMITTED_PHASE_INDEX = WSL_MOVE_CUTOVER_PHASES.indexOf('destination-committed')
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ const COMMITTED_PHASE_INDEX = WSL_MOVE_CUTOVER_PHASES.indexOf('destination-commi
 export function listPendingWslMoveRendererRewrites(
   userDataPath: string
 ): WslMovePendingRendererRewrite[] {
-  if (!wslHostsGateOpen()) {
+  if (!wslHostsServing()) {
     return []
   }
   try {
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ export function recordWslMoveRendererStoreRewritten(
    * the write, so the renderer re-applies its stores at every startup regardless. */
   flushRendererStorage: () => void = () => {}
 ): WslMoveRecordStoreRewrittenResult {
-  if (!wslHostsGateOpen()) {
+  if (!wslHostsServing()) {
     return { recorded: false, reason: 'gated-off' }
   }
   const store = listWslMoveDesktopRewriteStores().find((entry) => entry.id === request.storeId)
diff --git a/src/main/persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-reset.ts b/src/main/persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-reset.ts
index 71b5826c9b8..ce1ff6ef2fa 100644
--- a/src/main/persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-reset.ts
+++ b/src/main/persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-reset.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import {
   type OrcadMigrationDestinationCatalog
 } from '../../ssh/orcad-migration-cutover-coordinator'
 import { orcadMigrationRequestFits } from '../../ssh/orcad-migration-manifest-export'
-import { wslHostsGateOpen } from '../../wsl/wsl-host-gate'
+import { wslHostsServing } from '../../wsl/wsl-host-gate'
 import {
   listWslMoveCutovers,
   removeUncommittedWslMoveCutover,
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ export async function recoverInterruptedWslMoves(
   isDistroRegistered?: (distro: string, distroGuid?: string) => Promise<boolean | null>
 ): Promise<WslMoveStartupRecovery> {
   const result: WslMoveStartupRecovery = { reset: [], waitingForHost: [] }
-  if (!wslHostsGateOpen()) {
+  if (!wslHostsServing()) {
     return result
   }
   let inFlight: WslMoveCutover[]
diff --git a/src/main/persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-retention.ts b/src/main/persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-retention.ts
index ac971bfe4c8..b905584fa74 100644
--- a/src/main/persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-retention.ts
+++ b/src/main/persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-retention.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  *   flag rows whose identity it changed (a later move offers them; none runs on its own), and drop
  *   marks no committed move explains, such as after "Use on this computer again".
  */
-import { wslHostsGateOpen } from '../../wsl/wsl-host-gate'
+import { wslHostsServing } from '../../wsl/wsl-host-gate'
 import type { Store } from '../loading-store/store'
 import {
   listWslMoveCutoverChain,
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ let passQueue: Promise<unknown> = Promise.resolve()
 export function runWslMoveRetentionPass(
   options: WslMoveRetentionOptions
 ): Promise<WslMoveRetentionReport | null> {
-  if (!wslHostsGateOpen()) {
+  if (!wslHostsServing()) {
     return Promise.resolve(null)
   }
   const next = passQueue.then(() =>
diff --git a/src/main/persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-rewrite-retry.ts b/src/main/persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-rewrite-retry.ts
index a07bd39f208..2c010873a2f 100644
--- a/src/main/persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-rewrite-retry.ts
+++ b/src/main/persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-rewrite-retry.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
  * the host could not turn back on yet. A pass runs at startup and after each move; this covers the
  * host coming back later in the same run. Backs off, and stops once nothing is left.
  */
-import { wslHostsGateOpen } from '../../wsl/wsl-host-gate'
+import { wslHostsServing } from '../../wsl/wsl-host-gate'
 import { listWslMoveCutovers } from './wsl-move-cutover-journal'
 import { runWslMoveDesktopRewritePass } from './wsl-move-desktop-rewrite'
 import { pendingWslMoveDesktopRewriteStores } from './wsl-move-desktop-rewrite-stores'
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ export function scheduleWslMoveRewriteRetry(
   delaysMs: readonly number[] = WSL_MOVE_REWRITE_RETRY_DELAYS_MS,
   attempt = 0
 ): void {
-  if (timer || !wslHostsGateOpen() || !hasUnfinishedMove(userDataPath)) {
+  if (timer || !wslHostsServing() || !hasUnfinishedMove(userDataPath)) {
     return
   }
   const delay = delaysMs[Math.min(attempt, delaysMs.length - 1)] ?? 0
diff --git a/src/main/persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-startup-rewrite.ts b/src/main/persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-startup-rewrite.ts
index 1b8965d9170..7e109ba6069 100644
--- a/src/main/persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-startup-rewrite.ts
+++ b/src/main/persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-startup-rewrite.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
  * see a committed move's rewrite, or the renderer hydrates the old routing and later writes it
  * back over the rewrite. So startup waits for the pass, but never long.
  */
-import { wslHostsGateOpen } from '../../wsl/wsl-host-gate'
+import { wslHostsServing } from '../../wsl/wsl-host-gate'
 import {
   runWslMoveDesktopRewritePass,
   type WslMoveDesktopRewritePassOptions
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ export function runWslMoveStartupRewrite(
   options: WslMoveDesktopRewritePassOptions,
   steps: WslMoveStartupRewriteSteps = {}
 ): Promise<void> {
-  if (!wslHostsGateOpen()) {
+  if (!wslHostsServing()) {
     return Promise.resolve()
   }
   let timer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined
diff --git a/src/main/persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-use-locally.ts b/src/main/persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-use-locally.ts
index aaaee818f6e..3f94be3251c 100644
--- a/src/main/persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-use-locally.ts
+++ b/src/main/persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-use-locally.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import {
   type WslMoveCutover
 } from '../../../shared/wsl-move/wsl-move-cutover'
 import type { WslMoveUseLocallyResult } from '../../../shared/wsl-move/wsl-moved-project'
-import { wslHostsGateOpen } from '../../wsl/wsl-host-gate'
+import { wslHostsServing } from '../../wsl/wsl-host-gate'
 import { isWslMoveRunning } from './wsl-move-running-moves'
 import {
   listWslMoveCutoverChain,
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ export function findWslMovedProjectMove(
   userDataPath: string,
   ref: WslMoveProjectRef
 ): { move: WslMoveCutover } | Extract<WslMoveUseLocallyResult, { released: false }> {
-  if (!wslHostsGateOpen()) {
+  if (!wslHostsServing()) {
     return { released: false, reason: 'gated-off' }
   }
   let move: WslMoveCutover | undefined
diff --git a/src/main/telemetry/wsl-usage-reporter.ts b/src/main/telemetry/wsl-usage-reporter.ts
index 9c8bad1422a..9f9a9fbf97b 100644
--- a/src/main/telemetry/wsl-usage-reporter.ts
+++ b/src/main/telemetry/wsl-usage-reporter.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import { peekConfirmedRunningWslDistros } from '../wsl-running-distro-cache'
 import { loadWindowsNativeRegistry, WINDOWS_REG_SZ } from '../windows-native-registry'
 import { readWslDistroRegistrations } from '../wsl/wsl-distro-registry-id'
 import { listWslHostDistros } from '../wsl/wsl-host-distro-list'
-import { wslHostsGateOpen } from '../wsl/wsl-host-gate'
+import { wslHostsGateOpen, wslHostsGateState } from '../wsl/wsl-host-gate'
 import { isForeignLink, readWorktreeLinks } from '../git/worktree-prune-guard'
 import { isTelemetryEnabled, track } from './client'
 import {
@@ -161,7 +161,8 @@ export async function gatherWslUsageSnapshotInput(
       getCachedWslDistros()?.[0] ?? null
     ),
     windowsDriveReposWithWslWorktrees: await countWindowsDriveReposWithWslWorktrees(store),
-    wslHostsGateOpen: gateOpen
+    wslHostsGateOpen: gateOpen,
+    wslHostsGateState: wslHostsGateState()
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/main/telemetry/wsl-usage-snapshot.test.ts b/src/main/telemetry/wsl-usage-snapshot.test.ts
index 962312ddfb2..9e3f8f4ccea 100644
--- a/src/main/telemetry/wsl-usage-snapshot.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/telemetry/wsl-usage-snapshot.test.ts
@@ -118,6 +118,13 @@ describe('buildWslUsageSnapshot', () => {
     expect(validate('wsl_usage_snapshot', props).ok).toBe(true)
   })
 
+  it('reports the gate state when known, as an optional field', () => {
+    const props = buildWslUsageSnapshot({ ...baseInput, wslHostsGateState: 'serve-only' })
+    expect(props.wsl_hosts_gate_state).toBe('serve-only')
+    expect(validate('wsl_usage_snapshot', props).ok).toBe(true)
+    expect(buildWslUsageSnapshot(baseInput)).not.toHaveProperty('wsl_hosts_gate_state')
+  })
+
   it('reports no WSL and an unreadable registry without a version', () => {
     const props = buildWslUsageSnapshot({
       ...baseInput,
diff --git a/src/main/telemetry/wsl-usage-snapshot.ts b/src/main/telemetry/wsl-usage-snapshot.ts
index fe0014217fd..83e3397c430 100644
--- a/src/main/telemetry/wsl-usage-snapshot.ts
+++ b/src/main/telemetry/wsl-usage-snapshot.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 // Count distro identities locally; only buckets/booleans reach the telemetry payload.
+import type { WslHostsGateState } from '../../shared/wsl-host-internal-gate'
 import type { Repo } from '../../shared/repo-types'
 import type { ProjectExecutionRuntimeResolution } from '../../shared/project-execution-runtime'
 import { isDrvfsLinuxPath, parseWslUncPath } from '../../shared/wsl-paths'
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ export type WslUsageSnapshotInput = {
   /** Of the Windows-drive WSL git repos, those with a linked worktree WSL Git made. */
   windowsDriveReposWithWslWorktrees: number
   wslHostsGateOpen: boolean
+  wslHostsGateState?: WslHostsGateState
 }
 
 /** `2.4.13.0` → `2.4`; anything else is dropped rather than sent. */
@@ -113,6 +115,7 @@ export function buildWslUsageSnapshot(input: WslUsageSnapshotInput): WslUsageSna
       input.windowsDriveReposWithWslWorktrees
     ),
     project_distros_used: bucketWslUsageCount(projectDistros.size),
-    wsl_hosts_gate_open: input.wslHostsGateOpen
+    wsl_hosts_gate_open: input.wslHostsGateOpen,
+    ...(input.wslHostsGateState ? { wsl_hosts_gate_state: input.wslHostsGateState } : {})
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/window/createMainWindow.ts b/src/main/window/createMainWindow.ts
index 0e6a5a72b04..ebec2fb119a 100644
--- a/src/main/window/createMainWindow.ts
+++ b/src/main/window/createMainWindow.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import { installMainWindowFocusLifecycle } from './main-window-focus-lifecycle'
 import { installMainWindowShortcutRouting } from './main-window-shortcut-routing'
 import { installMainWindowStateLifecycle } from './main-window-state-lifecycle'
 import { stopHiddenWindowFramePumpOnShow } from './hidden-window-frame-pump'
+import { wslHostsWindowArguments } from '../wsl/wsl-host-gate'
 import {
   formatHiddenWindowFramePumpArgument,
   shouldPumpHiddenWindowFrames
@@ -143,7 +144,8 @@ export function createMainWindow(
       // Pass host identity at birth so the renderer has it before first snapshot, without waiting for IPC registration.
       additionalArguments: [
         formatBrowserClientHostIdArgument(getBrowserClientHostId()),
-        ...(pumpHiddenFrames ? [formatHiddenWindowFramePumpArgument()] : [])
+        ...(pumpHiddenFrames ? [formatHiddenWindowFramePumpArgument()] : []),
+        ...wslHostsWindowArguments()
       ]
     }
   })
diff --git a/src/main/window/dashboard-popout-window.test.ts b/src/main/window/dashboard-popout-window.test.ts
index 283a591e0db..0be72b274e7 100644
--- a/src/main/window/dashboard-popout-window.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/window/dashboard-popout-window.test.ts
@@ -145,6 +145,8 @@ import {
   zoomDashboardPopoutIfFocused
 } from './dashboard-popout-window'
 import { readBrowserClientHostIdArgument } from '../../shared/browser-client-host-id-argument'
+import { hasWslHostsServeOnlyArgument } from '../../shared/wsl-host-internal-gate'
+import { configureWslHostsGate, resetWslHostsGateForTests } from '../wsl/wsl-host-gate'
 
 type FakeWindow = InstanceType<typeof BrowserWindowMock>
 
@@ -198,6 +200,23 @@ describe('createOrFocusDashboardPopout', () => {
     vi.clearAllMocks()
   })
 
+  it('lets its preload expose saved WSL hosts in serve-only, and passes nothing otherwise', () => {
+    vi.stubEnv('ORCA_INTERNAL_WSL_HOSTS', undefined)
+    createOrFocusDashboardPopout(makeStore() as never)
+    expect(instances[0].options.webPreferences?.additionalArguments).toBeUndefined()
+    closeDashboardPopout()
+
+    configureWslHostsGate({ hasSavedWslHost: () => true, hasWslMoveCutover: () => false })
+    try {
+      createOrFocusDashboardPopout(makeStore() as never)
+      expect(
+        hasWslHostsServeOnlyArgument(instances[1].options.webPreferences?.additionalArguments ?? [])
+      ).toBe(true)
+    } finally {
+      resetWslHostsGateForTests()
+    }
+  })
+
   it('creates a native-frame window with the shared preload and no webview surface', () => {
     createOrFocusDashboardPopout(makeStore() as never)
 
diff --git a/src/main/window/dashboard-popout-window.ts b/src/main/window/dashboard-popout-window.ts
index 2c327a3a003..31c3687d4fd 100644
--- a/src/main/window/dashboard-popout-window.ts
+++ b/src/main/window/dashboard-popout-window.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import {
   type KeybindingInput,
   type KeybindingOverrides
 } from '../../shared/keybindings'
+import { wslHostsWindowArguments } from '../wsl/wsl-host-gate'
 
 const MIN_WIDTH = 480
 const MIN_HEIGHT = 360
@@ -136,6 +137,8 @@ export function createOrFocusDashboardPopout(
 
   const savedBounds = resolveRestoredBounds(store)
 
+  // Serve-only: this window lists saved WSL hosts and their Connect, as the main window does.
+  const wslArguments = wslHostsWindowArguments()
   const window = new BrowserWindow({
     width: savedBounds?.width ?? DEFAULT_WIDTH,
     height: savedBounds?.height ?? DEFAULT_HEIGHT,
@@ -153,7 +156,8 @@ export function createOrFocusDashboardPopout(
       // Chromium shares zoom by origin; isolate the session to keep popout zoom local.
       partition: DASHBOARD_POPOUT_PARTITION,
       // No webviews run here; disable embedding and omit host identity so client-placed pages stay mirrors.
-      webviewTag: false
+      webviewTag: false,
+      ...(wslArguments.length > 0 ? { additionalArguments: wslArguments } : {})
     }
   })
   installPrivilegedWindowNavigationPolicy(window.webContents)
diff --git a/src/main/window/workspace-space-window.test.ts b/src/main/window/workspace-space-window.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2c9c7c3c72b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/window/workspace-space-window.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+
+const { instances } = vi.hoisted(() => {
+  const instances: { options: { webPreferences?: { additionalArguments?: string[] } } }[] = []
+  return { instances }
+})
+
+vi.mock('electron', () => {
+  class BrowserWindow {
+    readonly webContents = {
+      isDestroyed: () => false,
+      on: vi.fn(),
+      setZoomLevel: vi.fn(),
+      session: { setPermissionRequestHandler: vi.fn(), setPermissionCheckHandler: vi.fn() }
+    }
+    constructor(readonly options: { webPreferences?: { additionalArguments?: string[] } }) {
+      instances.push(this)
+    }
+    isDestroyed = () => false
+    once = vi.fn()
+    on = vi.fn()
+    close = vi.fn()
+    loadFile = vi.fn(async () => {})
+    loadURL = vi.fn(async () => {})
+  }
+  return { app: { isPackaged: true }, BrowserWindow, nativeTheme: { shouldUseDarkColors: true } }
+})
+vi.mock('./privileged-window-navigation', () => ({
+  installPrivilegedWindowNavigationPolicy: vi.fn()
+}))
+vi.mock('../ipc/ui', () => ({ sendToTrustedUIRenderer: vi.fn() }))
+
+import { createOrFocusWorkspaceSpaceWindow } from './workspace-space-window'
+import { hasWslHostsServeOnlyArgument } from '../../shared/wsl-host-internal-gate'
+import { configureWslHostsGate, resetWslHostsGateForTests } from '../wsl/wsl-host-gate'
+
+const store = {
+  getUI: () => ({ uiZoomLevel: 0 }),
+  onUIChanged: () => () => {}
+}
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  vi.unstubAllEnvs()
+  resetWslHostsGateForTests()
+})
+
+describe('Space window and the WSL hosts gate', () => {
+  it('lets its preload expose saved WSL hosts in serve-only', () => {
+    vi.stubEnv('ORCA_INTERNAL_WSL_HOSTS', undefined)
+    configureWslHostsGate({ hasSavedWslHost: () => true, hasWslMoveCutover: () => false })
+    // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/consistent-type-assertions -- SAFETY: the window reads only getUI and onUIChanged from the store.
+    createOrFocusWorkspaceSpaceWindow(store as never)
+
+    expect(
+      hasWslHostsServeOnlyArgument(instances[0].options.webPreferences?.additionalArguments ?? [])
+    ).toBe(true)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/main/window/workspace-space-window.ts b/src/main/window/workspace-space-window.ts
index 684f0fc08be..a88c1ea6a15 100644
--- a/src/main/window/workspace-space-window.ts
+++ b/src/main/window/workspace-space-window.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { installPrivilegedWindowNavigationPolicy } from './privileged-window-nav
 import { sendToTrustedUIRenderer } from '../ipc/ui'
 import type { Store } from '../persistence'
 import { stepUIZoomLevel, type UIZoomDirection } from '../../shared/ui-zoom-level'
+import { wslHostsWindowArguments } from '../wsl/wsl-host-gate'
 
 let spaceWindow: BrowserWindow | null = null
 
@@ -40,6 +41,8 @@ export function createOrFocusWorkspaceSpaceWindow(store: Store): BrowserWindow {
     return existing
   }
 
+  // Serve-only: this window lists saved WSL hosts and their Connect, as the main window does.
+  const wslArguments = wslHostsWindowArguments()
   const window = new BrowserWindow({
     width: 1180,
     height: 820,
@@ -53,7 +56,8 @@ export function createOrFocusWorkspaceSpaceWindow(store: Store): BrowserWindow {
       preload: join(__dirname, '../preload/index.js'),
       sandbox: true,
       partition: 'orca-workspace-space-window',
-      webviewTag: false
+      webviewTag: false,
+      ...(wslArguments.length > 0 ? { additionalArguments: wslArguments } : {})
     }
   })
   spaceWindow = window
diff --git a/src/main/wsl/wsl-host-gate-startup.test.ts b/src/main/wsl/wsl-host-gate-startup.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..54552fdad49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/wsl/wsl-host-gate-startup.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+import { existsSync, mkdtempSync, rmSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { tmpdir } from 'node:os'
+import { join } from 'node:path'
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { writeWslHostDeployment } from '../../shared/wsl-host-deployment-store'
+import { wslMoveCutoverFixture as cutover } from '../persistence/__fixtures__/wsl-mover/wsl-move-cutover-fixture'
+import { seedWslMoveCutover } from '../persistence/__fixtures__/wsl-mover/wsl-move-journal-seeding'
+import { wslMoveJournalDirectory } from '../persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-cutover-journal'
+import { resetWslHostsGateForTests, wslHostsGateState } from './wsl-host-gate'
+import { configureWslHostsGateFromDisk } from './wsl-host-gate-startup'
+
+describe('WSL hosts gate startup promotion', () => {
+  let userDataPath: string
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.stubEnv('ORCA_INTERNAL_WSL_HOSTS', undefined)
+    userDataPath = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'orca-wsl-gate-'))
+  })
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.unstubAllEnvs()
+    resetWslHostsGateForTests()
+    rmSync(userDataPath, { recursive: true, force: true })
+  })
+
+  it('stays closed and creates nothing for a profile that never had WSL work', () => {
+    configureWslHostsGateFromDisk(userDataPath)
+
+    expect(wslHostsGateState()).toBe('closed')
+    expect(existsSync(wslMoveJournalDirectory(userDataPath))).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it('serves a saved WSL host', () => {
+    writeWslHostDeployment(userDataPath, 'wsl:ubuntu', {
+      kind: 'wsl',
+      distro: 'Ubuntu',
+      localPort: 41000,
+      remotePort: 6768,
+      environmentId: 'wsl:ubuntu',
+      createdAt: 1
+    })
+    configureWslHostsGateFromDisk(userDataPath)
+
+    expect(wslHostsGateState()).toBe('serve-only')
+  })
+
+  it('serves a committed move', () => {
+    seedWslMoveCutover(userDataPath, cutover('move-1', 'destination-committed'))
+    configureWslHostsGateFromDisk(userDataPath)
+
+    expect(wslHostsGateState()).toBe('serve-only')
+  })
+
+  // Recovery must still reset an in-flight move whose host record is already gone.
+  it('serves a move that never committed', () => {
+    seedWslMoveCutover(userDataPath, cutover('move-1', 'prepared'))
+    configureWslHostsGateFromDisk(userDataPath)
+
+    expect(wslHostsGateState()).toBe('serve-only')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/main/wsl/wsl-host-gate-startup.ts b/src/main/wsl/wsl-host-gate-startup.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..df710a5ceff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/wsl/wsl-host-gate-startup.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+import { readWslHostDeployments } from '../../shared/wsl-host-deployment-store'
+import { listWslMoveCutovers } from '../persistence/moving-wsl-projects/wsl-move-cutover-journal'
+import { configureWslHostsGate } from './wsl-host-gate'
+
+/** Reads only with the internal gate closed: an open gate needs no promotion. */
+export function configureWslHostsGateFromDisk(userDataPath: string): void {
+  configureWslHostsGate({
+    hasSavedWslHost: () => readWslHostDeployments(userDataPath).deployments.length > 0,
+    // Any journal entry, committed or not: recovery must reset an in-flight move whose host is gone.
+    hasWslMoveCutover: () => listWslMoveCutovers(userDataPath).length > 0
+  })
+}
diff --git a/src/main/wsl/wsl-host-gate.test.ts b/src/main/wsl/wsl-host-gate.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..06520333e6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/wsl/wsl-host-gate.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import {
+  assertWslHostReachable,
+  configureWslHostsGate,
+  isGatedOffWslHost,
+  resetWslHostsGateForTests,
+  wslHostsGateOpen,
+  wslHostsGateState,
+  wslHostsServing,
+  wslHostsWindowArguments,
+  WSL_HOSTS_GATED_OFF_MESSAGE
+} from './wsl-host-gate'
+
+const wslHost = {
+  orcadDeployment: { kind: 'wsl' as const, distro: 'Ubuntu', localPort: 41000, remotePort: 6768 }
+}
+const sshHost = { orcadDeployment: null }
+const facts = (hasSavedWslHost: boolean, hasWslMoveCutover: boolean) => ({
+  hasSavedWslHost: () => hasSavedWslHost,
+  hasWslMoveCutover: () => hasWslMoveCutover
+})
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  vi.unstubAllEnvs()
+  resetWslHostsGateForTests()
+})
+
+describe('WSL hosts gate', () => {
+  it('flag-off with nothing saved: closed, exactly as before', () => {
+    vi.stubEnv('ORCA_INTERNAL_WSL_HOSTS', undefined)
+    configureWslHostsGate(facts(false, false))
+
+    expect(wslHostsGateState()).toBe('closed')
+    expect(wslHostsServing()).toBe(false)
+    expect(isGatedOffWslHost(wslHost)).toBe(true)
+    expect(() => assertWslHostReachable(wslHost)).toThrow(WSL_HOSTS_GATED_OFF_MESSAGE)
+    expect(isGatedOffWslHost(sshHost)).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it.each([
+    ['a saved host', facts(true, false)],
+    ['a move journal entry', facts(false, true)]
+  ])('serves %s behind a closed gate without opening it', (_label, saved) => {
+    vi.stubEnv('ORCA_INTERNAL_WSL_HOSTS', undefined)
+    configureWslHostsGate(saved)
+
+    expect(wslHostsGateState()).toBe('serve-only')
+    expect(wslHostsServing()).toBe(true)
+    expect(wslHostsGateOpen()).toBe(false)
+    expect(isGatedOffWslHost(wslHost)).toBe(false)
+    expect(() => assertWslHostReachable(wslHost)).not.toThrow()
+  })
+
+  it('treats unreadable saved state as absent', () => {
+    vi.stubEnv('ORCA_INTERNAL_WSL_HOSTS', undefined)
+    configureWslHostsGate({
+      hasSavedWslHost: () => {
+        throw new Error('unreadable')
+      },
+      hasWslMoveCutover: () => {
+        throw new Error('unreadable')
+      }
+    })
+
+    expect(wslHostsGateState()).toBe('closed')
+  })
+
+  it('stays open with the internal gate on, and reads nothing to decide', () => {
+    vi.stubEnv('ORCA_INTERNAL_WSL_HOSTS', '1')
+    const hasSavedWslHost = vi.fn(() => false)
+    const hasWslMoveCutover = vi.fn(() => false)
+    configureWslHostsGate({ hasSavedWslHost, hasWslMoveCutover })
+
+    expect(wslHostsGateState()).toBe('open')
+    expect(hasSavedWslHost).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(hasWslMoveCutover).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('is closed before startup configures it', () => {
+    vi.stubEnv('ORCA_INTERNAL_WSL_HOSTS', undefined)
+    expect(wslHostsGateState()).toBe('closed')
+  })
+
+  it('stamps window argv only in serve-only', () => {
+    vi.stubEnv('ORCA_INTERNAL_WSL_HOSTS', undefined)
+    configureWslHostsGate(facts(false, false))
+    expect(wslHostsWindowArguments()).toEqual([])
+
+    configureWslHostsGate(facts(true, false))
+    expect(wslHostsWindowArguments()).toEqual(['--orca-wsl-hosts-serve-only'])
+
+    vi.stubEnv('ORCA_INTERNAL_WSL_HOSTS', '1')
+    expect(wslHostsWindowArguments()).toEqual([])
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/main/wsl/wsl-host-gate.ts b/src/main/wsl/wsl-host-gate.ts
index b4951629045..0256e473378 100644
--- a/src/main/wsl/wsl-host-gate.ts
+++ b/src/main/wsl/wsl-host-gate.ts
@@ -1,17 +1,77 @@
-import { isWslHostsInternalGateOpen } from '../../shared/wsl-host-internal-gate'
+import {
+  formatWslHostsServeOnlyArgument,
+  isWslHostsInternalGateOpen,
+  noteWslHostsServeOnly,
+  resolveWslHostsGateState,
+  type WslHostsGateState
+} from '../../shared/wsl-host-internal-gate'
 import type { OrcadDeploymentLink } from '../../shared/runtime-environments'
 
 export const WSL_HOSTS_GATED_OFF_MESSAGE = 'WSL hosts are not available in this build.'
+export const WSL_HOSTS_NEW_WORK_PAUSED_MESSAGE =
+  'Adding WSL hosts and moving projects onto them is paused in this build. Your saved WSL hosts keep working.'
 
+// Fixed for the run once main reads the disk; nothing can create a host or a move while not open.
+let promoted: { hasSavedWslHost: boolean; hasWslMoveCutover: boolean } | null = null
+
+/** Startup, before any gate check: a closed gate with saved WSL work becomes `serve-only`. */
+export function configureWslHostsGate(facts: {
+  hasSavedWslHost: () => boolean
+  hasWslMoveCutover: () => boolean
+}): void {
+  if (wslHostsGateOpen()) {
+    promoted = null
+    noteWslHostsServeOnly(false)
+    return
+  }
+  // Unreadable state counts as absent: today's closed behavior.
+  const read = (fact: () => boolean): boolean => {
+    try {
+      return fact()
+    } catch {
+      return false
+    }
+  }
+  promoted = {
+    hasSavedWslHost: read(facts.hasSavedWslHost),
+    hasWslMoveCutover: read(facts.hasWslMoveCutover)
+  }
+  noteWslHostsServeOnly(wslHostsGateState() === 'serve-only')
+}
+
+export function resetWslHostsGateForTests(): void {
+  promoted = null
+  noteWslHostsServeOnly(false)
+}
+
+export function wslHostsGateState(): WslHostsGateState {
+  return resolveWslHostsGateState({
+    gateOpen: wslHostsGateOpen(),
+    hasSavedWslHost: promoted?.hasSavedWslHost ?? false,
+    hasWslMoveCutover: promoted?.hasWslMoveCutover ?? false
+  })
+}
+
+/** Argv for any window on the shared preload, which cannot read the disk to learn serve-only. */
+export function wslHostsWindowArguments(): string[] {
+  return wslHostsGateState() === 'serve-only' ? [formatWslHostsServeOnlyArgument()] : []
+}
+
+/** The internal gate itself: adding hosts and starting moves need it. */
 export function wslHostsGateOpen(): boolean {
   return isWslHostsInternalGateOpen(process.env)
 }
 
+/** Saved hosts and moved projects stay reachable: `open` or `serve-only`. */
+export function wslHostsServing(): boolean {
+  return wslHostsGateState() !== 'closed'
+}
+
 /** A persisted WSL host while the gate is closed: left on disk, but never listed or reached. */
 export function isGatedOffWslHost(environment: {
   orcadDeployment?: OrcadDeploymentLink | null
 }): boolean {
-  return environment.orcadDeployment?.kind === 'wsl' && !wslHostsGateOpen()
+  return environment.orcadDeployment?.kind === 'wsl' && !wslHostsServing()
 }
 
 export function assertWslHostReachable(environment: {
diff --git a/src/preload/api/wsl-hosts-api.test.ts b/src/preload/api/wsl-hosts-api.test.ts
index bfc17017ae9..bfa5410c495 100644
--- a/src/preload/api/wsl-hosts-api.test.ts
+++ b/src/preload/api/wsl-hosts-api.test.ts
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@ import { getWslHostsApi } from './wsl-hosts-api'
 
 describe('WSL hosts preload API', () => {
   it('is absent on Windows and under the e2e fake while the internal gate is closed', () => {
-    expect(getWslHostsApi({}, 'win32')).toBeUndefined()
-    expect(getWslHostsApi({ ORCA_INTERNAL_WSL_HOSTS: 'true' }, 'win32')).toBeUndefined()
-    expect(getWslHostsApi({ ORCA_E2E_FAKE_WSL_HOSTS: '{}' }, 'darwin')).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(getWslHostsApi({}, 'win32', [])).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(getWslHostsApi({ ORCA_INTERNAL_WSL_HOSTS: 'true' }, 'win32', [])).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(getWslHostsApi({ ORCA_E2E_FAKE_WSL_HOSTS: '{}' }, 'darwin', [])).toBeUndefined()
   })
 
   it('is present behind the open gate only where WSL hosts can run', () => {
@@ -18,4 +18,12 @@ describe('WSL hosts preload API', () => {
     ).toBeDefined()
     expect(getWslHostsApi({ ORCA_INTERNAL_WSL_HOSTS: '1' }, 'darwin')).toBeUndefined()
   })
+
+  it('is present behind a closed gate when main stamped serve-only, still only where hosts run', () => {
+    const argv = ['--orca-wsl-hosts-serve-only']
+    expect(getWslHostsApi({}, 'win32', argv)).toBeDefined()
+    expect(getWslHostsApi({ ORCA_E2E_FAKE_WSL_HOSTS: '{}' }, 'linux', argv)).toBeDefined()
+    expect(getWslHostsApi({}, 'darwin', argv)).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(getWslHostsApi({}, 'win32', [])).toBeUndefined()
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/preload/api/wsl-hosts-api.ts b/src/preload/api/wsl-hosts-api.ts
index daea4a235c5..cacb10dae86 100644
--- a/src/preload/api/wsl-hosts-api.ts
+++ b/src/preload/api/wsl-hosts-api.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@ import {
   type WslHostServerStop,
   type WslHostStatus
 } from '../../shared/wsl-host-types'
-import { isWslHostsInternalGateOpen } from '../../shared/wsl-host-internal-gate'
+import {
+  hasWslHostsServeOnlyArgument,
+  isWslHostsInternalGateOpen
+} from '../../shared/wsl-host-internal-gate'
 
 export type WslHostsPreloadApi = {
   getCapability: () => Promise<WslHostCapability>
@@ -51,9 +54,11 @@ const wslHostsApi: WslHostsPreloadApi = {
 /** Undefined hides every WSL host surface in the renderer; main refuses the calls regardless. */
 export function getWslHostsApi(
   env: Readonly<Record<string, string | undefined>> = process.env,
-  platform: NodeJS.Platform = process.platform
+  platform: NodeJS.Platform = process.platform,
+  argv: readonly string[] = process.argv
 ): WslHostsPreloadApi | undefined {
-  if (!isWslHostsInternalGateOpen(env)) {
+  // Serve-only: main found saved WSL work behind the closed gate and stamped this window's argv.
+  if (!isWslHostsInternalGateOpen(env) && !hasWslHostsServeOnlyArgument(argv)) {
     return undefined
   }
   return platform === 'win32' || env.ORCA_E2E_FAKE_WSL_HOSTS ? wslHostsApi : undefined
diff --git a/src/shared/runtime-environment-store-file.ts b/src/shared/runtime-environment-store-file.ts
index 24d259366ee..233209aa606 100644
--- a/src/shared/runtime-environment-store-file.ts
+++ b/src/shared/runtime-environment-store-file.ts
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ import {
   readWslHostDeployments,
   WslHostDeploymentStoreInvalidError
 } from './wsl-host-deployment-store'
-import { isWslHostsInternalGateOpen } from './wsl-host-internal-gate'
+import { isWslHostsServing } from './wsl-host-internal-gate'
 
 export {
   getEnvironmentStorePath,
@@ -53,11 +53,11 @@ export function readPersistedEnvironmentStore(
   }
 }
 
-/** Unreadable WSL state fails closed only when its internal gate is enabled; otherwise it cannot hide SSH/paired servers. */
+/** Unreadable WSL state fails closed only while WSL hosts are served; otherwise it cannot hide SSH/paired servers. */
 function readWslHostDeploymentsForRegistry(
   userDataPath: string
 ): ReturnType<typeof readWslHostDeployments> {
-  const gateOpen = isWslHostsInternalGateOpen(process.env)
+  const gateOpen = isWslHostsServing(process.env)
   try {
     const read = readWslHostDeployments(userDataPath)
     return gateOpen ? read : { deployments: read.deployments, unreadableEnvironmentIds: new Set() }
diff --git a/src/shared/telemetry-wsl-usage-event-schemas.ts b/src/shared/telemetry-wsl-usage-event-schemas.ts
index 7fde4b666ed..89394b6fd2b 100644
--- a/src/shared/telemetry-wsl-usage-event-schemas.ts
+++ b/src/shared/telemetry-wsl-usage-event-schemas.ts
@@ -45,7 +45,9 @@ export const wslUsageSnapshotSchema = z
     projects_wsl_git: countBucketSchema,
     projects_wsl_folder: countBucketSchema,
     project_distros_used: countBucketSchema,
-    wsl_hosts_gate_open: z.boolean()
+    wsl_hosts_gate_open: z.boolean(),
+    /** open / serve-only / closed. Optional, so older builds' payloads still validate. */
+    wsl_hosts_gate_state: z.enum(['open', 'serve-only', 'closed']).optional()
   })
   .strict()
 
diff --git a/src/shared/wsl-host-deployment-store.test.ts b/src/shared/wsl-host-deployment-store.test.ts
index 3662dfc2cd1..fb6b1c7b11d 100644
--- a/src/shared/wsl-host-deployment-store.test.ts
+++ b/src/shared/wsl-host-deployment-store.test.ts
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ import {
   WslHostDeploymentStoreInvalidError,
   type WslHostDeploymentRecord
 } from './wsl-host-deployment-store'
-import { WSL_HOSTS_INTERNAL_GATE_ENV } from './wsl-host-internal-gate'
+import { noteWslHostsServeOnly, WSL_HOSTS_INTERNAL_GATE_ENV } from './wsl-host-internal-gate'
 
 const pairing = {
   v: 2 as const,
@@ -257,6 +257,18 @@ describe('WSL host deployment store', () => {
       )
     })
 
+    it('fails closed when the file itself is corrupt in serve-only too', () => {
+      vi.stubEnv(WSL_HOSTS_INTERNAL_GATE_ENV, '')
+      noteWslHostsServeOnly(true)
+      try {
+        addSshManaged()
+        writeFileSync(getWslHostDeploymentStorePath(userDataPath), '{"version":1,"deployments":{}}')
+        expect(() => listEnvironments(userDataPath)).toThrow(RuntimeEnvironmentStoreError)
+      } finally {
+        noteWslHostsServeOnly(false)
+      }
+    })
+
     it('keeps every other server listed when the file is corrupt and the gate is closed', () => {
       vi.stubEnv(WSL_HOSTS_INTERNAL_GATE_ENV, '')
       addSshManaged()
diff --git a/src/shared/wsl-host-internal-gate.test.ts b/src/shared/wsl-host-internal-gate.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..befd587809b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shared/wsl-host-internal-gate.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import {
+  formatWslHostsServeOnlyArgument,
+  hasWslHostsServeOnlyArgument,
+  resolveWslHostsGateState
+} from './wsl-host-internal-gate'
+
+describe('WSL hosts gate state', () => {
+  it('is open whenever the internal gate is, whatever is saved', () => {
+    for (const hasSavedWslHost of [false, true]) {
+      for (const hasWslMoveCutover of [false, true]) {
+        expect(
+          resolveWslHostsGateState({ gateOpen: true, hasSavedWslHost, hasWslMoveCutover })
+        ).toBe('open')
+      }
+    }
+  })
+
+  it('promotes a closed gate to serve-only for a saved host or a move journal entry, else stays closed', () => {
+    const closed = { gateOpen: false, hasSavedWslHost: false, hasWslMoveCutover: false }
+    expect(resolveWslHostsGateState(closed)).toBe('closed')
+    expect(resolveWslHostsGateState({ ...closed, hasSavedWslHost: true })).toBe('serve-only')
+    expect(resolveWslHostsGateState({ ...closed, hasWslMoveCutover: true })).toBe('serve-only')
+  })
+
+  it('reads back only the serve-only argument main stamps', () => {
+    expect(hasWslHostsServeOnlyArgument(['--x', formatWslHostsServeOnlyArgument()])).toBe(true)
+    expect(hasWslHostsServeOnlyArgument(['--orca-wsl-hosts-serve-only=0'])).toBe(false)
+    expect(hasWslHostsServeOnlyArgument([])).toBe(false)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/shared/wsl-host-internal-gate.ts b/src/shared/wsl-host-internal-gate.ts
index ac4bceb6305..5f6a7f140c4 100644
--- a/src/shared/wsl-host-internal-gate.ts
+++ b/src/shared/wsl-host-internal-gate.ts
@@ -6,3 +6,43 @@ export function isWslHostsInternalGateOpen(
 ): boolean {
   return env[WSL_HOSTS_INTERNAL_GATE_ENV] === '1'
 }
+
+/**
+ * `open`: everything. `serve-only`: the gate is closed, but a saved host or a move journal exists,
+ * so its projects stay reachable while nothing new is added or moved. `closed`: no WSL host surface.
+ */
+export type WslHostsGateState = 'open' | 'serve-only' | 'closed'
+
+export function resolveWslHostsGateState(facts: {
+  gateOpen: boolean
+  hasSavedWslHost: boolean
+  hasWslMoveCutover: boolean
+}): WslHostsGateState {
+  if (facts.gateOpen) {
+    return 'open'
+  }
+  return facts.hasSavedWslHost || facts.hasWslMoveCutover ? 'serve-only' : 'closed'
+}
+
+// Main records serve-only here so shared readers in its process agree; other processes never set it.
+let serveOnlyNoted = false
+
+export function noteWslHostsServeOnly(serveOnly: boolean): void {
+  serveOnlyNoted = serveOnly
+}
+
+/** Open, or main found saved WSL work behind the closed gate. */
+export function isWslHostsServing(env: Readonly<Record<string, string | undefined>>): boolean {
+  return isWslHostsInternalGateOpen(env) || serveOnlyNoted
+}
+
+// Preload has no disk access, so main stamps the promoted state into the window's argv at birth.
+const SERVE_ONLY_ARGUMENT = '--orca-wsl-hosts-serve-only'
+
+export function formatWslHostsServeOnlyArgument(): string {
+  return SERVE_ONLY_ARGUMENT
+}
+
+export function hasWslHostsServeOnlyArgument(argv: readonly string[]): boolean {
+  return argv.includes(SERVE_ONLY_ARGUMENT)
+}
diff --git a/tests/e2e/wsl-host-fake-transport.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/wsl-host-fake-transport.spec.ts
index d674eba0884..377fb90bf0b 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/wsl-host-fake-transport.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/wsl-host-fake-transport.spec.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ import { expect, forwardElectronProcessLogs, test } from './helpers/orca-app'
 import { RuntimeClient } from '../../src/cli/runtime/client'
 import { createRuntimeDesktopPairingOffer } from './helpers/paired-electron-client'
 import { encodePairingOffer } from '../../src/shared/pairing'
-import { listEnvironments } from '../../src/shared/runtime-environment-store'
 import {
   addWslHostEnvironment,
   findWslHostDeployment
@@ -548,7 +547,7 @@ test('a build without the WSL host server files says so instead of failing an ad
   }
 })
 
-test('with the internal gate closed, no WSL host surface shows and a saved host stays untouched', async ({
+test('with the internal gate closed and no saved WSL work, no WSL host surface shows', async ({
   orcaPage
 }, testInfo) => {
   test.setTimeout(180_000)
@@ -560,28 +559,7 @@ test('with the internal gate closed, no WSL host surface shows and a saved host
     offer.pairingUrl,
     testInfo,
     { connectLogFile },
-    {
-      internalGate: false,
-      // A host saved during internal testing: it must be ignored, never deleted.
-      beforeLaunch: (userDataDir) =>
-        addWslHostEnvironment(userDataDir, {
-          id: WSL_ENVIRONMENT_ID,
-          name: WSL_HOST_LABEL,
-          pairingCode: encodePairingOffer({
-            v: 2,
-            endpoint: 'ws://127.0.0.1:42000',
-            deviceToken: 'gated-token',
-            publicKeyB64: Buffer.alloc(32, 7).toString('base64')
-          }),
-          record: {
-            kind: 'wsl',
-            distro: 'Ubuntu',
-            distroId: '0e3a7f2c-1b4d-4c5e-9f60-7a8b9c0d1e2f',
-            localPort: 42000,
-            remotePort: 6768
-          }
-        })
-    }
+    { internalGate: false }
   )
   try {
     const { page, userDataDir } = desktop
@@ -618,13 +596,74 @@ test('with the internal gate closed, no WSL host surface shows and a saved host
     await expect(page.getByText(WSL_HOST_LABEL)).toHaveCount(0)
 
     expect(fakeWslConnects(connectLogFile)).toEqual([])
-    expect(listEnvironments(userDataDir).map((environment) => environment.id)).toContain(
-      WSL_ENVIRONMENT_ID
-    )
-    expect(findWslHostDeployment(userDataDir, WSL_ENVIRONMENT_ID)).not.toBeNull()
+    expect(findWslHostDeployment(userDataDir, WSL_ENVIRONMENT_ID)).toBeNull()
     await page.screenshot({ path: testInfo.outputPath('wsl-hosts-gated-off-settings.png') })
   } finally {
     await desktop.dispose()
     rmSync(logDir, { recursive: true, force: true })
   }
 })
+test('with the internal gate closed, a saved WSL host stays listed and reachable (serve-only)', async ({
+  orcaPage
+}, testInfo) => {
+  // Launches a second desktop beside the paired server, like the gate-closed case above.
+  test.setTimeout(180_000)
+  await waitForSessionReady(orcaPage)
+  const offer = await createRuntimeDesktopPairingOffer(orcaPage)
+  const logDir = mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'orca-e2e-wsl-serve-only-'))
+  const connectLogFile = path.join(logDir, 'connects.log')
+  const desktop = await launchDesktopWithFakeWsl(
+    offer.pairingUrl,
+    testInfo,
+    { connectLogFile },
+    {
+      internalGate: false,
+      // A host saved while the gate was open: closing the gate must not strand it.
+      beforeLaunch: (userDataDir) =>
+        addWslHostEnvironment(userDataDir, {
+          id: WSL_ENVIRONMENT_ID,
+          name: WSL_HOST_LABEL,
+          pairingCode: encodePairingOffer({
+            v: 2,
+            endpoint: 'ws://127.0.0.1:42000',
+            deviceToken: 'gated-token',
+            publicKeyB64: Buffer.alloc(32, 7).toString('base64')
+          }),
+          record: {
+            kind: 'wsl',
+            distro: 'Ubuntu',
+            distroId: '0e3a7f2c-1b4d-4c5e-9f60-7a8b9c0d1e2f',
+            localPort: 42000,
+            remotePort: 6768
+          }
+        })
+    }
+  )
+  try {
+    const { page, userDataDir } = desktop
+    await setWslHostsEnabled(page, true)
+    expect(await page.evaluate(() => Boolean(window.api.runtimeEnvironments.wslHosts))).toBe(true)
+    const listed = await page.evaluate(() => window.api.runtimeEnvironments.list())
+    expect(listed.map((environment) => environment.id)).toContain(WSL_ENVIRONMENT_ID)
+
+    await page.evaluate(
+      (environmentId) => window.api.runtimeEnvironments.wslHosts?.connect({ environmentId }),
+      WSL_ENVIRONMENT_ID
+    )
+    await expect
+      .poll(() => fakeWslConnects(connectLogFile), { timeout: 30_000 })
+      .toContain('Ubuntu')
+
+    await page.evaluate(() => {
+      const state = window.__store?.getState()
+      state?.openSettingsPage()
+      state?.openSettingsTarget({ pane: 'servers', repoId: null })
+    })
+    await expect(page.getByText(WSL_HOST_LABEL).first()).toBeVisible({ timeout: 30_000 })
+    expect(findWslHostDeployment(userDataDir, WSL_ENVIRONMENT_ID)).not.toBeNull()
+    await page.screenshot({ path: testInfo.outputPath('wsl-hosts-serve-only-settings.png') })
+  } finally {
+    await desktop.dispose()
+    rmSync(logDir, { recursive: true, force: true })
+  }
+})