diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/tests/it/cmd/start.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/tests/it/cmd/start.rs
index df7038632..ba6016635 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/tests/it/cmd/start.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/tests/it/cmd/start.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use fabro_test::{fabro_snapshot, test_context};
 
-use crate::support::{example_fixture, fabro_json_snapshot, read_json};
+use crate::support::{example_fixture, fabro_json_snapshot};
 
 use super::support::{output_stdout, resolve_run, wait_for_status, write_gated_workflow};
 
@@ -58,21 +58,21 @@ fn start_by_run_id_starts_created_run() {
         .assert()
         .success();
 
-    let run_dir = context.find_run_dir(run_id);
-    let status = read_json(run_dir.join("status.json"));
-    let conclusion = read_json(run_dir.join("conclusion.json"));
+    let output = context
+        .command()
+        .args(["wait", "--json", run_id])
+        .output()
+        .expect("wait should execute");
+    assert!(output.status.success(), "wait should succeed");
+    let value: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_slice(&output.stdout).expect("wait JSON");
     fabro_json_snapshot!(
         context,
         serde_json::json!({
-            "status": status["status"],
-            "reason": status["reason"],
-            "conclusion_status": conclusion["status"],
+            "status": value["status"],
         }),
         @r#"
         {
-          "status": "succeeded",
-          "reason": "completed",
-          "conclusion_status": "success"
+          "status": "succeeded"
         }
         "#
     );
@@ -98,25 +98,24 @@ fn start_by_run_id_starts_created_run_without_run_json_or_status_json() {
 
     let run_dir = context.find_run_dir(run_id);
     std::fs::remove_file(run_dir.join("run.json")).unwrap();
-    std::fs::remove_file(run_dir.join("status.json")).unwrap();
 
     context.command().args(["start", run_id]).assert().success();
-    context
+    let output = context
         .command()
-        .args(["wait", run_id])
+        .args(["wait", "--json", run_id])
         .timeout(std::time::Duration::from_secs(10))
-        .assert()
-        .success();
-
-    let conclusion = read_json(run_dir.join("conclusion.json"));
+        .output()
+        .expect("wait should execute");
+    assert!(output.status.success(), "wait should succeed");
+    let value: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_slice(&output.stdout).expect("wait JSON");
     fabro_json_snapshot!(
         context,
         serde_json::json!({
-            "conclusion_status": conclusion["status"],
+            "status": value["status"],
         }),
         @r#"
         {
-          "conclusion_status": "success"
+          "status": "succeeded"
         }
         "#
     );
@@ -190,13 +189,20 @@ digraph Smoke {
         .assert()
         .success();
 
-    let new_run_dir = context.find_run_dir(new_run_id);
-    let status = read_json(new_run_dir.join("status.json"));
-    fabro_json_snapshot!(context, &status, @r#"
+    let output = context
+        .command()
+        .args(["wait", "--json", new_run_id])
+        .output()
+        .expect("wait should execute");
+    assert!(output.status.success(), "wait should succeed");
+    let status: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_slice(&output.stdout).expect("wait JSON");
+    fabro_json_snapshot!(context, &serde_json::json!({
+        "run_id": status["run_id"],
+        "status": status["status"],
+    }), @r#"
     {
-      "status": "succeeded",
-      "reason": "completed",
-      "updated_at": "[TIMESTAMP]"
+      "run_id": "[ULID]",
+      "status": "succeeded"
     }
     "#);
 }
diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-workflow/src/operations/create.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-workflow/src/operations/create.rs
index be451c72d..345b67b94 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-workflow/src/operations/create.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-workflow/src/operations/create.rs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ use crate::pipeline::types::PersistOptions;
 use crate::pipeline::{self, Persisted, TransformOptions, Validated};
 use crate::records::RunRecord;
 use crate::run_lookup::default_runs_base;
-use crate::run_status::{RunStatus, RunStatusRecord, write_run_status};
+use crate::run_status::{RunStatus, RunStatusRecord};
 use crate::transforms::{Transform, expand_vars};
 use fabro_sandbox::daytona::detect_repo_info;
 
@@ -120,7 +120,6 @@ pub async fn create(store: &dyn Store, request: CreateRunInput) -> Result<Create
     )?;
 
     write_run_config_snapshot(&run_dir, resolved.workflow_toml_path.as_deref())?;
-    write_run_status(&run_dir, RunStatus::Submitted, None);
     emit_run_created_event(
         &persisted,
         &resolved.raw_source,
@@ -451,8 +450,6 @@ mod tests {
     use std::time::Duration;
 
     use crate::operations::{ValidateInput, validate};
-    use crate::run_status::RunStatusRecordExt;
-
     fn memory_store() -> InMemoryStore {
         InMemoryStore::default()
     }
@@ -752,10 +749,9 @@ mod tests {
             created.persisted.run_record().workflow_slug.as_deref(),
             Some("slug")
         );
+        let run_store = store.open_run(&fixtures::RUN_1).await.unwrap().unwrap();
         assert_eq!(
-            crate::run_status::RunStatusRecord::load(&created.run_dir.join("status.json"))
-                .unwrap()
-                .status,
+            run_store.get_status().await.unwrap().unwrap().status,
             crate::run_status::RunStatus::Submitted
         );
         assert!(!created.run_dir.join("id.txt").exists());
diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-workflow/src/operations/resume.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-workflow/src/operations/resume.rs
index 8c13ae0ce..268f04a69 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-workflow/src/operations/resume.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-workflow/src/operations/resume.rs
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ pub async fn resume(run_dir: &Path, services: StartServices) -> Result<Started,
         .ok_or_else(|| FabroError::Precondition("no checkpoint to resume from".to_string()))?;
 
     cleanup_resume_artifacts(run_dir);
-    run_status::write_run_status(run_dir, RunStatus::Submitted, None);
     services
         .run_store
         .put_status(&run_status::RunStatusRecord::new(
diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-workflow/src/operations/start.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-workflow/src/operations/start.rs
index 1b0eddceb..ff75d17e6 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-workflow/src/operations/start.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-workflow/src/operations/start.rs
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ use crate::pipeline::{
     PullRequestOptions, RetroOptions, SandboxEnvSpec, build_conclusion_from_store,
     classify_engine_result,
 };
-use crate::records::{Checkpoint, Conclusion, ConclusionExt, RunRecord, RunRecordExt};
+use crate::records::{Checkpoint, Conclusion, RunRecord, RunRecordExt};
 use crate::run_options::{GitCheckpointOptions, LifecycleOptions, RunOptions};
 use crate::run_status::{self, RunStatus, StatusReason};
 use fabro_config::run::PullRequestSettings;
@@ -600,7 +600,6 @@ impl RunSession {
 }
 
 struct DetachedRunBootstrapGuard {
-    run_dir: PathBuf,
     run_store: Arc<dyn RunStore>,
     cancel_token: Option<Arc<AtomicBool>>,
     active: bool,
@@ -608,17 +607,11 @@ struct DetachedRunBootstrapGuard {
 
 impl DetachedRunBootstrapGuard {
     fn arm(
-        run_dir: &Path,
+        _run_dir: &Path,
         run_store: Arc<dyn RunStore>,
         cancel_token: Option<Arc<AtomicBool>>,
     ) -> Self {
-        run_status::write_run_status(
-            run_dir,
-            RunStatus::Starting,
-            Some(StatusReason::SandboxInitializing),
-        );
         Self {
-            run_dir: run_dir.to_path_buf(),
             run_store,
             cancel_token,
             active: true,
@@ -642,7 +635,6 @@ impl Drop for DetachedRunBootstrapGuard {
             } else {
                 StatusReason::SandboxInitFailed
             };
-            run_status::write_run_status(&self.run_dir, RunStatus::Failed, Some(reason));
             let run_store = Arc::clone(&self.run_store);
             if let Ok(handle) = Handle::try_current() {
                 handle.spawn(async move {
@@ -715,10 +707,6 @@ impl Drop for DetachedRunCompletionGuard {
             "postrun_aborted"
         };
 
-        run_status::write_run_status(&self.run_dir, RunStatus::Failed, Some(reason));
-        if !self.run_dir.join("conclusion.json").exists() {
-            let _ = write_failure_conclusion(&self.run_dir, message, Some(reason));
-        }
         let serialized_notice = load_run_id(&self.run_dir).and_then(|run_id| {
             let envelope = canonicalize_event(
                 &run_id,
@@ -832,8 +820,7 @@ async fn persist_detached_failure(
     )
     .map_err(|err| FabroError::Io(err.to_string()))?;
 
-    let conclusion = write_failure_conclusion(run_dir, &message, Some(reason))?;
-    run_status::write_run_status(run_dir, RunStatus::Failed, Some(reason));
+    let conclusion = build_failure_conclusion(&message);
     if let Err(err) = run_store.put_conclusion(&conclusion).await {
         tracing::warn!(error = %err, "Failed to save detached failure conclusion to store");
     }
@@ -872,20 +859,6 @@ async fn persist_detached_failure(
     Ok(())
 }
 
-fn write_failure_conclusion(
-    run_dir: &Path,
-    message: &str,
-    _reason: Option<StatusReason>,
-) -> Result<Conclusion, FabroError> {
-    if run_dir.join("conclusion.json").exists() {
-        return Conclusion::load(&run_dir.join("conclusion.json"));
-    }
-
-    let conclusion = build_failure_conclusion(message);
-    conclusion.save(&run_dir.join("conclusion.json"))?;
-    Ok(conclusion)
-}
-
 fn build_failure_conclusion(message: &str) -> Conclusion {
     Conclusion {
         timestamp: Utc::now(),
@@ -922,7 +895,7 @@ mod tests {
     use crate::handler::exit::ExitHandler;
     use crate::handler::start::StartHandler;
     use crate::operations::resume;
-    use crate::records::CheckpointExt;
+    use crate::records::{CheckpointExt, ConclusionExt};
 
     const MINIMAL_DOT: &str = r#"digraph Test {
         graph [goal="Build feature"]
@@ -1044,7 +1017,8 @@ mod tests {
         .unwrap();
 
         assert_eq!(started.finalized.conclusion.status, StageStatus::Success);
-        assert!(run_dir.join("conclusion.json").exists());
+        let run_store = store.open_run(&fixtures::RUN_1).await.unwrap().unwrap();
+        assert!(run_store.get_conclusion().await.unwrap().is_some());
     }
 
     #[tokio::test]
diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-workflow/src/pipeline/finalize.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-workflow/src/pipeline/finalize.rs
index ee96fd642..9e08e5d14 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-workflow/src/pipeline/finalize.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-workflow/src/pipeline/finalize.rs
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ use crate::error::FabroError;
 use crate::event::{EventEmitter, RunNoticeLevel, WorkflowRunEvent};
 use crate::git::{MetadataStore, scan_node_files_from_store};
 use crate::outcome::{Outcome, OutcomeExt, StageStatus};
-use crate::records::{Checkpoint, CheckpointExt, Conclusion, ConclusionExt, StageSummary};
+use crate::records::{Checkpoint, CheckpointExt, Conclusion, StageSummary};
 use crate::run_options::RunOptions;
-use crate::run_status::{RunStatus, StatusReason, write_run_status};
+use crate::run_status::{RunStatus, StatusReason};
 use crate::sandbox_git::git_push_host;
 use fabro_hooks::{HookContext, HookEvent, HookRunner};
 use fabro_retro::retro::extract_stage_durations;
@@ -249,13 +249,12 @@ fn build_conclusion_from_parts(
 }
 
 pub fn persist_terminal_outcome(
-    run_dir: &Path,
+    _run_dir: &Path,
     conclusion: &Conclusion,
     run_status: RunStatus,
     status_reason: Option<StatusReason>,
 ) {
-    let _ = conclusion.save(&run_dir.join("conclusion.json"));
-    write_run_status(run_dir, run_status, status_reason);
+    let _ = (conclusion, run_status, status_reason);
 }
 
 /// Write a finalize commit to the shadow branch with retro.json and final node files.
@@ -512,7 +511,7 @@ mod tests {
         .await
         .unwrap();
 
-        assert!(run_dir.join("conclusion.json").exists());
+        assert!(run_store.get_conclusion().await.unwrap().is_some());
         assert_eq!(concluded.conclusion.status, StageStatus::Success);
     }
 }