diff --git a/src/host-sweep.ts b/src/host-sweep.ts
index 09c82ac76..93a7e8729 100644
--- a/src/host-sweep.ts
+++ b/src/host-sweep.ts
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ export function _resetStuckProcessingRowsForTesting(
   session: Session,
   reason: string,
 ): void {
-  resetStuckProcessingRows(inDb, outDb, session, reason);
+  resetStuckProcessingRows(inDb, outDb, session, reason, outDb);
 }
 
 function resetStuckProcessingRows(
@@ -264,6 +264,7 @@ function resetStuckProcessingRows(
   outDb: Database.Database,
   session: Session,
   reason: string,
+  writableOutDb?: Database.Database,
 ): void {
   const claims = getProcessingClaims(outDb);
   const now = Date.now();
@@ -300,19 +301,17 @@ function resetStuckProcessingRows(
   // would re-read them, see the old status_changed timestamp, conclude the
   // freshly respawned container is stuck, and SIGKILL it before its
   // agent-runner has a chance to run clearStaleProcessingAcks() on startup.
-  // We're safe to write outbound.db here because we just killed the container
-  // that owned it (or it crashed and left no writer behind).
-  // outDb was opened readonly for reads above; reopen with write access for this delete.
-  let outDbRw: Database.Database | null = null;
+  const ownsDb = !writableOutDb;
+  let useDb: Database.Database | null = writableOutDb ?? null;
   try {
-    outDbRw = openOutboundDbRw(session.agent_group_id, session.id);
-    const cleared = deleteOrphanProcessingClaims(outDbRw);
+    if (!useDb) useDb = openOutboundDbRw(session.agent_group_id, session.id);
+    const cleared = deleteOrphanProcessingClaims(useDb);
     if (cleared > 0) {
       log.info('Cleared orphan processing claims', { sessionId: session.id, cleared, reason });
     }
   } catch (err) {
     log.warn('Failed to clear orphan processing claims', { sessionId: session.id, err });
   } finally {
-    outDbRw?.close();
+    if (ownsDb) useDb?.close();
   }
 }