diff --git a/runner/harness/lifecycle.py b/runner/harness/lifecycle.py
index 6ba8b64..5c44c81 100644
--- a/runner/harness/lifecycle.py
+++ b/runner/harness/lifecycle.py
@@ -384,7 +384,13 @@ def services_converged(domain: str) -> bool:
     if proc.returncode != 0:
         return False  # a service vanished mid-check — not settled
     for state in proc.stdout.split("\n"):
-        if state.strip() not in ("", "completed", "rollback_completed"):
+        # Only ACTIVE states block convergence. 'paused'/'rollback_paused' are terminal-without-
+        # intervention: swarm's default update-failure-action pauses the update on one task flicker
+        # and the flag then persists FOREVER (immich CI 241: app service 'paused' from a restart
+        # during restore, service back at 1/1 and healthy — the wait hung to its deadline). With
+        # N/N already required above, a paused update is settled for our purposes; the HTTP-health
+        # and tier assertions still gate whether the app actually works.
+        if state.strip() in ("updating", "rollback_started"):
             return False
     return True