diff --git a/pkg/gateway/gateway.go b/pkg/gateway/gateway.go
index b5e8c1f36..8065a0795 100644
--- a/pkg/gateway/gateway.go
+++ b/pkg/gateway/gateway.go
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@ func Run(debug bool, homePath, configPath string, allowEmptyStartup bool) error
 	// Enforce singleton: write PID file with generated token.
 	pidData, err := pid.WritePidFile(homePath, cfg.Gateway.Host, cfg.Gateway.Port)
 	if err != nil {
+		logger.Warnf("write pid file failed: %v", err)
 		return fmt.Errorf("singleton check failed: %w", err)
 	}
 	defer pid.RemovePidFile(homePath)
diff --git a/pkg/pid/pidfile.go b/pkg/pid/pidfile.go
index 584b9b2b5..69d02bc65 100644
--- a/pkg/pid/pidfile.go
+++ b/pkg/pid/pidfile.go
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ func WritePidFile(homePath, host string, port int) (*PidFileData, error) {
 		os.Remove(tmp)
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to rename pid file: %w", err)
 	}
+	logger.Debugf("wrote pid file: %s success", pidPath)
 
 	return data, nil
 }
@@ -108,10 +109,12 @@ func ReadPidFileWithCheck(homePath string) *PidFileData {
 	pidPath := pidFilePath(homePath)
 	data, err := readPidFileUnlocked(pidPath)
 	if err != nil {
+		logger.Debugf("failed to read pid file: %s", err)
 		return nil
 	}
 
 	if !isProcessRunning(data.PID) {
+		logger.Debugf("process not running, remove pid file: %s", pidPath)
 		os.Remove(pidPath)
 		return nil
 	}
diff --git a/web/backend/api/gateway.go b/web/backend/api/gateway.go
index 6f5f5dd5d..b54e55bac 100644
--- a/web/backend/api/gateway.go
+++ b/web/backend/api/gateway.go
@@ -628,6 +628,7 @@ func (h *Handler) startGatewayLocked(initialStatus string, existingPid int) (int
 				gateway.mu.Lock()
 				if gateway.cmd == cmd {
 					gateway.pidData = pd
+					gateway.picoToken = cfg.Channels.Pico.Token.String()
 					setGatewayRuntimeStatusLocked("running")
 				}
 				gateway.mu.Unlock()
@@ -922,34 +923,13 @@ func (h *Handler) gatewayStatusData() map[string]any {
 		data["pid"] = pidData.PID
 		gateway.mu.Unlock()
 	} else {
-		// Fallback: probe health endpoint to get pid and status
-		_, statusCode, err := h.getGatewayHealth(cfg, 2*time.Second)
-		if err != nil {
-			gateway.mu.Lock()
-			data["gateway_status"] = gatewayStatusWithoutHealthLocked()
-			gateway.pidData = nil
-			gateway.mu.Unlock()
-			logger.ErrorC("gateway", fmt.Sprintf("Gateway health check failed: %v", err))
-		} else {
-			logger.InfoC("gateway", fmt.Sprintf("Gateway health status: %d", statusCode))
-			if statusCode != http.StatusOK {
-				gateway.mu.Lock()
-				setGatewayRuntimeStatusLocked("error")
-				gateway.pidData = nil
-				gateway.mu.Unlock()
-				data["gateway_status"] = "error"
-				data["status_code"] = statusCode
-			} else {
-				gateway.mu.Lock()
-				setGatewayRuntimeStatusLocked("running")
-				bootDefaultModel := gateway.bootDefaultModel
-				if bootDefaultModel != "" {
-					data["boot_default_model"] = bootDefaultModel
-				}
-				data["gateway_status"] = "running"
-				gateway.mu.Unlock()
-			}
-		}
+		// Intentionally skip health probe here; the startup goroutine
+		// (startGatewayLocked) already handles liveness detection via
+		// pidFile polling and health fallback.
+		gateway.mu.Lock()
+		data["gateway_status"] = gatewayStatusWithoutHealthLocked()
+		gateway.pidData = nil
+		gateway.mu.Unlock()
 	}
 
 	gatewayStatus, _ := data["gateway_status"].(string)
diff --git a/web/backend/api/gateway_test.go b/web/backend/api/gateway_test.go
index fc8ee13f3..2ddb1fd8d 100644
--- a/web/backend/api/gateway_test.go
+++ b/web/backend/api/gateway_test.go
@@ -15,8 +15,11 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
 	"github.com/sipeed/picoclaw/pkg/auth"
 	"github.com/sipeed/picoclaw/pkg/config"
+	ppid "github.com/sipeed/picoclaw/pkg/pid"
 	"github.com/sipeed/picoclaw/web/backend/utils"
 )
 
@@ -444,7 +447,7 @@ func TestGatewayStatusKeepsRunningWhenHealthProbeFailsAfterRunning(t *testing.T)
 	}
 }
 
-func TestGatewayStatusReportsRunningFromHealthProbe(t *testing.T) {
+func TestGatewayStatusReportsRunningFromPidProbe(t *testing.T) {
 	resetGatewayTestState(t)
 
 	configPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json")
@@ -468,6 +471,9 @@ func TestGatewayStatusReportsRunningFromHealthProbe(t *testing.T) {
 		return mockGatewayHealthResponse(http.StatusOK, cmd.Process.Pid), nil
 	}
 
+	_, err := ppid.WritePidFile(globalConfigDir(), "localhost", 0)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
 	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
 	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/api/gateway/status", nil)
 	mux.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
@@ -513,6 +519,8 @@ func TestGatewayStatusRequiresRestartAfterDefaultModelChange(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("FindProcess() error = %v", err)
 	}
+	_, err = ppid.WritePidFile(globalConfigDir(), "localhost", 0)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	bootSignature := computeConfigSignature(cfg)
 	gateway.mu.Lock()