diff --git a/docs/rich-views.md b/docs/rich-views.md
index 8f0d99c..1e49fba 100644
--- a/docs/rich-views.md
+++ b/docs/rich-views.md
@@ -19,6 +19,13 @@ Generation defaults to governed current records: approved records whose approved
 
 The local server binds to `127.0.0.1:4321` by default. Supply `--port` to choose another local port. To generate and serve in one step, use `rich-view serve` with `--trails-dir` and optional repeated `--scope` arguments. Omitting scope includes all discovered scopes. Manual regeneration replaces generated pages, including obsolete routes. The footer records the input scope and generation time; it never implies that the snapshot is live. A future file watcher or JJ change trigger can invoke the same generator, but automatic regeneration is not included.
 
+
+Astro can use its managed background server in an agent environment. The FAVA
+serve command waits for HTTP readiness even when Astro's starter exits successfully,
+then prints the supported `npm exec astro dev status` and `npm exec astro dev stop`
+controls for the generated reader directory. A failed starter or an unavailable
+server still fails; a foreground server retains Ctrl-C cleanup.
+
 ## Read the dashboard
 
 The index and `/scopes/<full-scope>/` dashboards include descendant records. Summary counts describe the included records: total thoughts, descendant scopes, active decisions, draft/proposed records, and superseded records. An active decision is an approved decision without an effective approved successor. A raw replacement link alone does not retire it.
@@ -39,4 +46,4 @@ Astro's supported Unified processor handles Markdown. `rehype-sanitize` removes
 
 ## Acceptance still requiring an operator
 
-Implementation and fixture/browser verification are separate from the five real context re-entry or review sessions in issue #54. The operator still needs to record whether the dashboard reduces raw-file opening or manual reconstruction, what remains hard to inspect, and a continue, revise, or stop decision. Synthetic QA sessions do not count toward that acceptance. Automated verification establishes functional behavior; it supplies no completed operator sessions or product-outcome decision.
+Implementation and fixture/browser verification are separate from the five real context re-entry or review sessions in issue #54. The operator still needs to record whether the dashboard reduces raw-file opening or manual reconstruction, what remains hard to inspect, and a continue, revise, or stop decision. Synthetic QA sessions do not count toward that acceptance. Automated verification establishes functional behavior; it supplies no completed operator sessions or product-outcome decision.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/fava_trails/cli.py b/src/fava_trails/cli.py
index 53f3841..bc22b7f 100644
--- a/src/fava_trails/cli.py
+++ b/src/fava_trails/cli.py
@@ -1009,8 +1009,17 @@ def cmd_rich_view_serve(args: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
         print(f"  URL: {url}")
         print(f"  Reader: {output_dir}")
         print(f"  Scopes: {scopes}")
-        print("  Press Ctrl-C to stop.")
+        if process.poll() == 0:
+            _print_reader_background_controls(output_dir)
+            return 0
+        print("  Attached Astro servers stop with Ctrl-C.")
         _run_reader_process(process)
+        exit_code = process.poll()
+        if exit_code not in (None, 0):
+            raise subprocess.SubprocessError(f"Astro dev server exited with code {exit_code}")
+        # Agent-aware Astro versions may detach just after the readiness probe.
+        if exit_code == 0 and _reader_server_is_ready(url):
+            _print_reader_background_controls(output_dir)
     except KeyboardInterrupt:
         print("\nStopped local FAVA reader.")
         return 0
@@ -1064,8 +1073,9 @@ def _wait_for_reader_server(url: str, process: subprocess.Popen, *, timeout: flo
     deadline = time.monotonic() + timeout
     last_error: Exception | None = None
     while time.monotonic() < deadline:
-        if process.poll() is not None:
-            raise subprocess.SubprocessError("Astro dev server exited before becoming ready")
+        exit_code = process.poll()
+        if exit_code not in (None, 0):
+            raise subprocess.SubprocessError(f"Astro dev server exited before becoming ready (exit {exit_code})")
         try:
             with urllib.request.urlopen(url, timeout=0.5):
                 return
@@ -1075,6 +1085,21 @@ def _wait_for_reader_server(url: str, process: subprocess.Popen, *, timeout: flo
     raise TimeoutError(f"Timed out waiting for local FAVA reader at {url}: {last_error}")
 
 
+def _reader_server_is_ready(url: str) -> bool:
+    try:
+        with urllib.request.urlopen(url, timeout=0.5):
+            return True
+    except (OSError, urllib.error.URLError):
+        return False
+
+
+def _print_reader_background_controls(output_dir: Path) -> None:
+    print("  Astro is running its managed background server.")
+    print(f"  In {output_dir}:")
+    print("    Status: npm exec astro dev status")
+    print("    Stop:   npm exec astro dev stop")
+
+
 def _run_reader_process(process: subprocess.Popen) -> None:
     try:
         process.wait()
diff --git a/tests/test_rich_views.py b/tests/test_rich_views.py
index c68b2f0..8eb12f5 100644
--- a/tests/test_rich_views.py
+++ b/tests/test_rich_views.py
@@ -575,3 +575,83 @@ def _make_serve_args(
             "no_install": no_install,
         },
     )()
+
+
+def test_reader_readiness_waits_for_background_exit_zero_to_become_ready():
+    import urllib.error
+    from contextlib import nullcontext
+
+    process = Mock()
+    process.poll.return_value = 0
+    with patch("fava_trails.cli.urllib.request.urlopen", side_effect=[urllib.error.URLError("starting"), nullcontext()]) as request:
+        with patch("fava_trails.cli.time.sleep"):
+            cli._wait_for_reader_server("http://127.0.0.1:4321/", process, timeout=1)
+    assert request.call_count == 2
+
+
+def test_reader_readiness_rejects_failed_startup_even_if_a_url_is_occupied():
+    import subprocess
+
+    process = Mock()
+    process.poll.return_value = 2
+    with patch("fava_trails.cli.urllib.request.urlopen") as request:
+        with pytest.raises(subprocess.SubprocessError, match="exit 2"):
+            cli._wait_for_reader_server("http://127.0.0.1:4321/", process)
+    request.assert_not_called()
+
+
+def test_reader_successful_exit_without_server_still_times_out():
+    import urllib.error
+
+    process = Mock()
+    process.poll.return_value = 0
+    with patch("fava_trails.cli.urllib.request.urlopen", side_effect=urllib.error.URLError("unavailable")):
+        with patch("fava_trails.cli.time.monotonic", side_effect=[0, 0.1, 2]):
+            with patch("fava_trails.cli.time.sleep"):
+                with pytest.raises(TimeoutError, match="Timed out"):
+                    cli._wait_for_reader_server("http://127.0.0.1:4321/", process, timeout=1)
+
+
+def test_reader_background_start_reports_supported_status_and_stop(tmp_path, capsys):
+    trails_dir = tmp_path / "trails"
+    output_dir = tmp_path / "reader"
+    _write_thought(trails_dir, "mw/eng/alpha", "decisions", EXPLICIT_TITLE_ID, "# Alpha")
+    process = Mock()
+    process.poll.return_value = 0
+    with patch("fava_trails.cli._ensure_reader_node_modules"), patch("fava_trails.cli._wait_for_reader_server"):
+        with patch("fava_trails.cli._run_reader_process") as run_process:
+            with patch("subprocess.Popen", return_value=process):
+                assert cmd_rich_view_serve(_make_serve_args(trails_dir=trails_dir, out=output_dir)) == 0
+    run_process.assert_not_called()
+    output = capsys.readouterr().out
+    assert "managed background server" in output
+    assert "npm exec astro dev status" in output and "npm exec astro dev stop" in output
+    assert "Press Ctrl-C" not in output
+
+
+def test_reader_detach_after_readiness_reports_background_controls(tmp_path, capsys):
+    trails_dir = tmp_path / "trails"
+    output_dir = tmp_path / "reader"
+    _write_thought(trails_dir, "mw/eng/alpha", "decisions", EXPLICIT_TITLE_ID, "# Alpha")
+    process = Mock()
+    process.poll.side_effect = [None, 0]
+    with patch("fava_trails.cli._ensure_reader_node_modules"), patch("fava_trails.cli._wait_for_reader_server"):
+        with patch("fava_trails.cli._run_reader_process") as run_process:
+            with patch("fava_trails.cli._reader_server_is_ready", return_value=True):
+                with patch("subprocess.Popen", return_value=process):
+                    assert cmd_rich_view_serve(_make_serve_args(trails_dir=trails_dir, out=output_dir)) == 0
+    run_process.assert_called_once_with(process)
+    assert "managed background server" in capsys.readouterr().out
+
+
+def test_reader_failure_after_readiness_returns_failure(tmp_path, capsys):
+    trails_dir = tmp_path / "trails"
+    output_dir = tmp_path / "reader"
+    _write_thought(trails_dir, "mw/eng/alpha", "decisions", EXPLICIT_TITLE_ID, "# Alpha")
+    process = Mock()
+    process.poll.side_effect = [None, 2]
+    with patch("fava_trails.cli._ensure_reader_node_modules"), patch("fava_trails.cli._wait_for_reader_server"):
+        with patch("fava_trails.cli._run_reader_process"):
+            with patch("subprocess.Popen", return_value=process):
+                assert cmd_rich_view_serve(_make_serve_args(trails_dir=trails_dir, out=output_dir)) == 1
+    assert "exited with code 2" in capsys.readouterr().err