diff --git a/canvas/src/components/Toolbar.tsx b/canvas/src/components/Toolbar.tsx
index ce766c32..6b5c3bd7 100644
--- a/canvas/src/components/Toolbar.tsx
+++ b/canvas/src/components/Toolbar.tsx
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { showToast } from "@/components/Toaster";
 
 export function Toolbar() {
   const nodes = useCanvasStore((s) => s.nodes);
+  const wsStatus = useCanvasStore((s) => s.wsStatus);
 
   const [stopping, setStopping] = useState(false);
   const [restartingAll, setRestartingAll] = useState(false);
@@ -122,6 +123,11 @@ export function Toolbar() {
         </span>
       </div>
 
+      {/* WebSocket connection status */}
+      <div className="pl-3 border-l border-zinc-800/60">
+        <WsStatusPill status={wsStatus} />
+      </div>
+
       {/* Stop All — visible when agents have active tasks */}
       {counts.activeTasks > 0 && (
         <button
@@ -231,6 +237,31 @@ function StatusPill({ color, count, label }: { color: string; count: number; lab
   );
 }
 
+function WsStatusPill({ status }: { status: "connected" | "connecting" | "disconnected" }) {
+  if (status === "connected") {
+    return (
+      <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5" title="Real-time updates: connected">
+        <div className="w-1.5 h-1.5 rounded-full bg-emerald-400" />
+        <span className="text-[10px] text-zinc-500">Live</span>
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+  if (status === "connecting") {
+    return (
+      <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5" title="Real-time updates: reconnecting…">
+        <div className="w-1.5 h-1.5 rounded-full bg-amber-400 animate-pulse" />
+        <span className="text-[10px] text-zinc-500">Reconnecting</span>
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+  return (
+    <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5" title="Real-time updates: disconnected">
+      <div className="w-1.5 h-1.5 rounded-full bg-red-400" />
+      <span className="text-[10px] text-zinc-500">Offline</span>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
 function HelpRow({ shortcut, text }: { shortcut: string; text: string }) {
   return (
     <div className="flex items-start gap-3 rounded-lg border border-zinc-800/70 bg-zinc-900/45 px-3 py-2">
diff --git a/canvas/src/store/__tests__/socket.test.ts b/canvas/src/store/__tests__/socket.test.ts
index 1d3801a3..caef6878 100644
--- a/canvas/src/store/__tests__/socket.test.ts
+++ b/canvas/src/store/__tests__/socket.test.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ vi.mock("../canvas", () => ({
     getState: vi.fn(() => ({
       applyEvent: vi.fn(),
       hydrate: vi.fn(),
+      setWsStatus: vi.fn(),
     })),
   },
 }));
@@ -80,6 +81,7 @@ beforeEach(() => {
   vi.mocked(useCanvasStore.getState).mockReturnValue({
     applyEvent: vi.fn(),
     hydrate: vi.fn(),
+    setWsStatus: vi.fn(),
   } as unknown as ReturnType<typeof useCanvasStore.getState>);
 });
 
@@ -180,6 +182,7 @@ describe("WebSocket onmessage", () => {
     vi.mocked(useCanvasStore.getState).mockReturnValue({
       applyEvent,
       hydrate: vi.fn(),
+      setWsStatus: vi.fn(),
     } as unknown as ReturnType<typeof useCanvasStore.getState>);
 
     const msg = {
diff --git a/canvas/src/store/canvas.ts b/canvas/src/store/canvas.ts
index df980f6b..6056fafa 100644
--- a/canvas/src/store/canvas.ts
+++ b/canvas/src/store/canvas.ts
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ interface CanvasState {
   /** Agent-pushed messages keyed by workspace ID. ChatTab consumes and clears these. */
   agentMessages: Record<string, Array<{ id: string; content: string; timestamp: string }>>;
   consumeAgentMessages: (workspaceId: string) => Array<{ id: string; content: string; timestamp: string }>;
+  /** WebSocket connection status — drives the live indicator in the Toolbar. */
+  wsStatus: "connected" | "connecting" | "disconnected";
+  setWsStatus: (status: "connected" | "connecting" | "disconnected") => void;
 }
 
 export const useCanvasStore = create<CanvasState>((set, get) => ({
@@ -79,6 +82,8 @@ export const useCanvasStore = create<CanvasState>((set, get) => ({
   panelTab: "chat",
   dragOverNodeId: null,
   contextMenu: null,
+  wsStatus: "connecting",
+  setWsStatus: (status) => set({ wsStatus: status }),
 
   viewport: { x: 0, y: 0, zoom: 1 },
 
diff --git a/canvas/src/store/socket.ts b/canvas/src/store/socket.ts
index e9bfbf29..f6283660 100644
--- a/canvas/src/store/socket.ts
+++ b/canvas/src/store/socket.ts
@@ -21,11 +21,13 @@ class ReconnectingSocket {
   }
 
   connect() {
+    useCanvasStore.getState().setWsStatus("connecting");
     this.ws = new WebSocket(this.url);
 
     this.ws.onopen = () => {
       this.attempt = 0;
       this.lastEventTime = Date.now();
+      useCanvasStore.getState().setWsStatus("connected");
       this.rehydrate();
       this.startHealthCheck();
     };
@@ -42,6 +44,7 @@ class ReconnectingSocket {
 
     this.ws.onclose = () => {
       this.stopHealthCheck();
+      useCanvasStore.getState().setWsStatus("connecting");
       const delay = Math.min(1000 * 2 ** this.attempt, 30000);
       this.attempt++;
       setTimeout(() => this.connect(), delay);
@@ -90,6 +93,7 @@ class ReconnectingSocket {
       this.ws.close();
       this.ws = null;
     }
+    useCanvasStore.getState().setWsStatus("disconnected");
   }
 }