diff --git a/tools/talent-scout/src/api/controlpanel-controller.ts b/tools/talent-scout/src/api/controlpanel-controller.ts
index 6c16fbab0..664b5ca38 100644
--- a/tools/talent-scout/src/api/controlpanel-controller.ts
+++ b/tools/talent-scout/src/api/controlpanel-controller.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,22 @@ import { registerRateRoutes } from './rate-controller';
 
 import type { ControlPanelDeps } from './controlpanel-deps';
 
+// ============================================================================
+// Helpers
+// ============================================================================
+
+/** Quick health probe for externally-managed services. */
+async function probeHealth(port: number): Promise<boolean> {
+  try {
+    const res = await fetch(`http://127.0.0.1:${port}/health`, {
+      signal: AbortSignal.timeout(2000),
+    });
+    return res.ok;
+  } catch {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
 // ============================================================================
 // Router Factory
 // ============================================================================
@@ -82,9 +98,25 @@ export function createControlPanelRouter(deps: ControlPanelDeps): Router {
         : 'inactive' as const;
 
     // Derive captcha solver status
-    const captchaStatus = captchaSolverManager
-      ? captchaSolverManager.getStatus()
-      : 'not_configured' as const;
+    // When EXTERNAL_WORKERS is set, the managers don't spawn processes themselves,
+    // so getStatus() returns 'inactive'. Probe the health endpoint directly instead.
+    let captchaStatus: 'active' | 'inactive' | 'not_configured' | 'error' | 'starting' | 'connected' | 'disconnected' | 'paused';
+    let llmStatus: 'active' | 'inactive' | 'not_configured' | 'error' | 'starting' | 'connected' | 'disconnected' | 'paused';
+
+    if (process.env.EXTERNAL_WORKERS) {
+      const captchaPort = Number(process.env.CAPTCHA_PORT) || 3099;
+      const llmPort = Number(process.env.LLM_PORT) || 8100;
+
+      captchaStatus = await probeHealth(captchaPort) ? 'active' : 'inactive';
+      llmStatus = await probeHealth(llmPort) ? 'active' : 'inactive';
+    } else {
+      captchaStatus = captchaSolverManager
+        ? captchaSolverManager.getStatus()
+        : 'not_configured';
+      llmStatus = llmServiceManager
+        ? llmServiceManager.getStatus()
+        : 'not_configured';
+    }
 
     // Derive tor status
     const torSnapshot = torMonitor?.getSnapshot();
@@ -116,9 +148,7 @@ export function createControlPanelRouter(deps: ControlPanelDeps): Router {
           processingWorker: { status: procWorkerStatus, requires: ['redis'] },
           captchaSolver: { status: captchaStatus, requires: [] },
           llmService: {
-            status: llmServiceManager
-              ? llmServiceManager.getStatus()
-              : 'not_configured' as const,
+            status: llmStatus,
             requires: [],
             poolMode: llmServiceManager?.isPoolMode() ?? false,
             pool: llmServiceManager ? llmServiceManager.getPoolStatus() : null,