diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 6047b19..4931a6f 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -90,6 +90,11 @@ CLUSEV_BUILD_BRANCH=
 # default in config/clusev.php — an empty value here would instead disable the check, so leave the
 # key absent rather than blank. Never put a private repo URL in a tracked file — only in the .env.
 # CLUSEV_REPOSITORY=https://github.com/clusev/clusev
+# Dev-only release controls (dashboard Release page + host git-bridge + live pipeline). Leave unset on
+# any non-dev install. Both values below are PRIVATE — never commit them, set only on the dev box:
+#   CLUSEV_RELEASE_CONTROLS=true                 # enables the /release page + watcher install
+#   GIT_STAGING_ACCESS_TOKEN=                    # GitHub PAT, READ only (Actions:Read + Contents:Read)
+#   CLUSEV_STAGING_SLUG=owner/private-mirror     # the GitHub-private mirror repo (for live CI status)
 # Display timezone for dashboard times (DB stays UTC). install.sh sets this from the host; UTC default.
 APP_TIMEZONE=UTC
 # External reverse-proxy TLS: set to the upstream proxy's address/CIDR so Caddy trusts its
diff --git a/app/Livewire/Release/Index.php b/app/Livewire/Release/Index.php
index 5447fd6..6ac1c5a 100644
--- a/app/Livewire/Release/Index.php
+++ b/app/Livewire/Release/Index.php
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ class Index extends Component
         if ($url === '') {
             Setting::put('pipeline_test_server', '');
             $this->testServer = '';
+            app(PipelineStatus::class)->refresh(); // drop the stale cached test-step status
             $this->dispatch('notify', message: __('release.test_server_cleared'));
 
             return;
@@ -179,6 +180,7 @@ class Index extends Component
         }
         Setting::put('pipeline_test_server', $url);
         $this->testServer = $url;
+        app(PipelineStatus::class)->refresh(); // reflect the new test server immediately
         $this->dispatch('notify', message: __('release.test_server_saved'));
     }
 
diff --git a/resources/views/livewire/release/index.blade.php b/resources/views/livewire/release/index.blade.php
index b0a5160..8a8748b 100644
--- a/resources/views/livewire/release/index.blade.php
+++ b/resources/views/livewire/release/index.blade.php
@@ -139,6 +139,12 @@
                                 'unset' => __('release.state_unset'),
                                 default => __('release.state_unknown'),
                             };
+                            $detailClass = match ($s['state']) {
+                                'done' => 'text-online',
+                                'running' => 'text-warning',
+                                'failed' => 'text-offline',
+                                default => 'text-ink-4',
+                            };
                         @endphp
                         <li class="flex gap-3" wire:key="pstep-{{ $s['key'] }}">
                             <div class="flex flex-col items-center">
@@ -161,10 +167,11 @@
                             </div>
                             <div @class(['min-w-0', 'pb-5' => ! $loop->last])>
                                 <p class="font-mono text-xs text-ink">{{ $names[$s['key']] }}</p>
+                                <p class="mt-0.5 font-mono text-[11px] text-ink-4">{{ $sub[$s['key']] }}</p>
                                 @if ($s['key'] === 'ci' && $s['url'])
-                                    <a href="{{ $s['url'] }}" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="mt-0.5 block font-mono text-[11px] text-cyan hover:text-cyan-bright">{{ $detail }}</a>
+                                    <a href="{{ $s['url'] }}" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="mt-1 block font-mono text-[11px] text-cyan hover:text-cyan-bright">{{ $detail }}</a>
                                 @else
-                                    <p class="mt-0.5 font-mono text-[11px] text-ink-4">{{ $detail }}</p>
+                                    <p class="mt-1 font-mono text-[11px] {{ $detailClass }}">{{ $detail }}</p>
                                 @endif
 
                                 @if ($s['key'] === 'test')
diff --git a/tests/Feature/PipelineStatusTest.php b/tests/Feature/PipelineStatusTest.php
index e5062df..3223d07 100644
--- a/tests/Feature/PipelineStatusTest.php
+++ b/tests/Feature/PipelineStatusTest.php
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ class PipelineStatusTest extends TestCase
 {
     use RefreshDatabase;
 
-    private const SLUG = 'boksbc/clusev-staging';
+    private const SLUG = 'acme/staging';
 
     protected function setUp(): void
     {
@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ class PipelineStatusTest extends TestCase
     public function test_mirror_done_when_the_tag_exists_on_github(): void
     {
         Http::fake([
-            'api.github.com/repos/boksbc/clusev-staging/git/refs/tags/v0.9.61-beta1' => Http::response(['ref' => 'refs/tags/v0.9.61-beta1']),
-            'api.github.com/repos/boksbc/clusev-staging/actions/runs*' => Http::response(['workflow_runs' => []]),
+            'api.github.com/repos/acme/staging/git/refs/tags/v0.9.61-beta1' => Http::response(['ref' => 'refs/tags/v0.9.61-beta1']),
+            'api.github.com/repos/acme/staging/actions/runs*' => Http::response(['workflow_runs' => []]),
         ]);
         $p = app(PipelineStatus::class)->forTrackedBeta();
         $this->assertSame('done', $this->step($p, 'mirror')['state']);
@@ -74,8 +74,8 @@ class PipelineStatusTest extends TestCase
     public function test_mirror_pending_on_404(): void
     {
         Http::fake([
-            'api.github.com/repos/boksbc/clusev-staging/git/refs/tags/*' => Http::response([], 404),
-            'api.github.com/repos/boksbc/clusev-staging/actions/runs*' => Http::response(['workflow_runs' => []]),
+            'api.github.com/repos/acme/staging/git/refs/tags/*' => Http::response([], 404),
+            'api.github.com/repos/acme/staging/actions/runs*' => Http::response(['workflow_runs' => []]),
         ]);
         $p = app(PipelineStatus::class)->forTrackedBeta();
         $this->assertSame('pending', $this->step($p, 'mirror')['state']);
@@ -85,12 +85,12 @@ class PipelineStatusTest extends TestCase
     {
         $run = fn (string $status, ?string $conclusion) => Http::response(['workflow_runs' => [[
             'head_branch' => 'v0.9.61-beta1', 'status' => $status, 'conclusion' => $conclusion,
-            'html_url' => 'https://github.com/boksbc/clusev-staging/actions/runs/1',
+            'html_url' => 'https://github.com/acme/staging/actions/runs/1',
         ]]]);
 
         Http::fake([
-            'api.github.com/repos/boksbc/clusev-staging/git/refs/tags/*' => Http::response(['ref' => 'x']),
-            'api.github.com/repos/boksbc/clusev-staging/actions/runs*' => $run('in_progress', null),
+            'api.github.com/repos/acme/staging/git/refs/tags/*' => Http::response(['ref' => 'x']),
+            'api.github.com/repos/acme/staging/actions/runs*' => $run('in_progress', null),
         ]);
         $p = app(PipelineStatus::class)->forTrackedBeta();
         $this->assertSame('running', $this->step($p, 'ci')['state']);
@@ -99,15 +99,15 @@ class PipelineStatusTest extends TestCase
 
         $this->resetForNextPhase();
         Http::fake([
-            'api.github.com/repos/boksbc/clusev-staging/git/refs/tags/*' => Http::response(['ref' => 'x']),
-            'api.github.com/repos/boksbc/clusev-staging/actions/runs*' => $run('completed', 'success'),
+            'api.github.com/repos/acme/staging/git/refs/tags/*' => Http::response(['ref' => 'x']),
+            'api.github.com/repos/acme/staging/actions/runs*' => $run('completed', 'success'),
         ]);
         $this->assertSame('done', $this->step(app(PipelineStatus::class)->forTrackedBeta(), 'ci')['state']);
 
         $this->resetForNextPhase();
         Http::fake([
-            'api.github.com/repos/boksbc/clusev-staging/git/refs/tags/*' => Http::response(['ref' => 'x']),
-            'api.github.com/repos/boksbc/clusev-staging/actions/runs*' => $run('completed', 'failure'),
+            'api.github.com/repos/acme/staging/git/refs/tags/*' => Http::response(['ref' => 'x']),
+            'api.github.com/repos/acme/staging/actions/runs*' => $run('completed', 'failure'),
         ]);
         $this->assertSame('failed', $this->step(app(PipelineStatus::class)->forTrackedBeta(), 'ci')['state']);
     }
@@ -115,8 +115,8 @@ class PipelineStatusTest extends TestCase
     public function test_ci_pending_when_no_run_matches_the_tag(): void
     {
         Http::fake([
-            'api.github.com/repos/boksbc/clusev-staging/git/refs/tags/*' => Http::response(['ref' => 'x']),
-            'api.github.com/repos/boksbc/clusev-staging/actions/runs*' => Http::response(['workflow_runs' => [['head_branch' => 'v9.9.9', 'status' => 'completed', 'conclusion' => 'success']]]),
+            'api.github.com/repos/acme/staging/git/refs/tags/*' => Http::response(['ref' => 'x']),
+            'api.github.com/repos/acme/staging/actions/runs*' => Http::response(['workflow_runs' => [['head_branch' => 'v9.9.9', 'status' => 'completed', 'conclusion' => 'success']]]),
         ]);
         $this->assertSame('pending', $this->step(app(PipelineStatus::class)->forTrackedBeta(), 'ci')['state']);
     }
@@ -161,4 +161,30 @@ class PipelineStatusTest extends TestCase
         Http::assertSent(fn ($req) => $req->hasHeader('Authorization')
             && ! str_contains($req->url(), 'tok_secret'));
     }
+
+    public function test_github_5xx_degrades_to_unknown(): void
+    {
+        Http::fake(['api.github.com/*' => Http::response('boom', 500)]);
+        $p = app(PipelineStatus::class)->forTrackedBeta();
+        $this->assertSame('unknown', $this->step($p, 'mirror')['state']);
+        $this->assertSame('unknown', $this->step($p, 'ci')['state']);
+    }
+
+    public function test_github_throwing_degrades_to_unknown_never_throws(): void
+    {
+        Http::fake(['api.github.com/*' => fn () => throw new \RuntimeException('net down')]);
+        $p = app(PipelineStatus::class)->forTrackedBeta();
+        $this->assertSame('unknown', $this->step($p, 'mirror')['state']);
+        $this->assertSame('unknown', $this->step($p, 'ci')['state']);
+    }
+
+    public function test_test_server_unreachable_is_unknown(): void
+    {
+        Http::fake([
+            'api.github.com/*' => Http::response([], 404),
+            '*/version.json' => Http::response('nope', 503),
+        ]);
+        Setting::put('pipeline_test_server', 'http://staging.local');
+        $this->assertSame('unknown', $this->step(app(PipelineStatus::class)->forTrackedBeta(), 'test')['state']);
+    }
 }