diff --git a/frontend/src/components/AppHeader.vue b/frontend/src/components/AppHeader.vue
index 2a3ea94..deeab1c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/AppHeader.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/AppHeader.vue
@@ -243,10 +243,14 @@ router.afterEach(() => {
   font-weight: 500;
   color: var(--color-text-muted);
 }
-.status-green .status-dot  { background: var(--color-success, #2ecc71); animation: status-pulse 2.5s ease-in-out infinite; }
-.status-yellow .status-dot { background: var(--color-warning, #f59e0b); animation: pulse-dot 2s infinite; }
+/* Status dots are indicator lights, not semantic-palette buttons —
+   they want to read as vital (Moss/Warning/Error are too muted for
+   a "ready" indicator). Hardcoded bright values; the rest of the
+   system still uses the semantic tokens. */
+.status-green .status-dot  { background: #4ade80; animation: status-pulse 2.5s ease-in-out infinite; }
+.status-yellow .status-dot { background: #facc15; animation: pulse-dot 2s infinite; }
 .status-orange .status-dot { background: #f97316; }
-.status-red .status-dot    { background: var(--color-danger, #e74c3c); }
+.status-red .status-dot    { background: #ef4444; }
 .status-gray .status-dot   { background: var(--color-text-muted); animation: pulse-dot 2s infinite; }
 @keyframes pulse-dot {
   0%, 100% { opacity: 1; }