diff --git a/features/messaging/ios/Package.swift b/features/messaging/ios/Package.swift
index d0867c1fa..ed1107aa6 100644
--- a/features/messaging/ios/Package.swift
+++ b/features/messaging/ios/Package.swift
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ let package = Package(
         .package(url: "https://forge.nasty.sh/lilith/swift-buttons.git", from: "1.0.0"),
         .package(url: "https://forge.nasty.sh/lilith/swift-forms.git", from: "1.0.0"),
         .package(url: "https://forge.nasty.sh/lilith/swift-feedback.git", from: "1.0.0"),
-        .package(url: "https://forge.nasty.sh/lilith/swift-layout.git", from: "1.0.3"),
+        .package(url: "https://forge.nasty.sh/lilith/swift-layout.git", from: "1.0.5"),
         // Messaging packages
         .package(url: "https://forge.nasty.sh/lilith/swift-chat-core.git", from: "1.0.0"),
         .package(url: "https://forge.nasty.sh/lilith/swift-domain-models.git", from: "1.0.0"),
diff --git a/features/messaging/ios/project.yml b/features/messaging/ios/project.yml
index f57333392..48c7fe1e0 100644
--- a/features/messaging/ios/project.yml
+++ b/features/messaging/ios/project.yml
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ packages:
     from: "1.0.0"
   swift-layout:
     url: https://forge.nasty.sh/lilith/swift-layout.git
-    from: "1.0.3"
+    from: "1.0.5"
   swift-chat-core:
     url: https://forge.nasty.sh/lilith/swift-chat-core.git
     from: "1.0.0"
diff --git a/tools/talent-scout/src/api/captcha-solver-controller.ts b/tools/talent-scout/src/api/captcha-solver-controller.ts
index 3ec3bcd7e..7dc174cf0 100644
--- a/tools/talent-scout/src/api/captcha-solver-controller.ts
+++ b/tools/talent-scout/src/api/captcha-solver-controller.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,17 @@ import type { CaptchaSolverManager } from '../services/captcha-solver';
 import type { Request, Response } from 'express';
 import type { DataSource } from 'typeorm';
 
+async function probeExternalHealth(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;
+  }
+}
+
 interface CaptchaSolverDeps {
   solverManager: CaptchaSolverManager | null;
   dataSource: DataSource;
@@ -22,26 +33,32 @@ export function createCaptchaSolverRouter(deps: CaptchaSolverDeps): Router {
   /**
    * GET /api/controlpanel/captcha/solver/status — CAPTCHA solver process status + pool info
    */
-  router.get('/api/controlpanel/captcha/solver/status', (_req: Request, res: Response) => {
+  router.get('/api/controlpanel/captcha/solver/status', async (_req: Request, res: Response) => {
     if (!solverManager) {
       res.status(503).json({ error: 'CAPTCHA solver manager not available' });
       return;
     }
 
-    const status = solverManager.getStatus();
+    let status = solverManager.getStatus();
     const pid = solverManager.getPid();
     const startedAt = solverManager.getStartedAt();
     const pool = solverManager.getPoolStatus();
-
     const lastError = solverManager.getLastError();
 
+    // When workers are managed externally, probe the health endpoint directly
+    if (process.env.EXTERNAL_WORKERS && status === 'inactive') {
+      const port = Number(process.env.CAPTCHA_PORT) || 3099;
+      const healthy = await probeExternalHealth(port);
+      if (healthy) status = 'active';
+    }
+
     res.json({
       data: {
         service: 'captcha-solver',
         active: status,
         description: status === 'error' && lastError
           ? lastError
-          : `CAPTCHA ML solver (port 3099)`,
+          : `CAPTCHA ML solver (port ${Number(process.env.CAPTCHA_PORT) || 3099})`,
         since: startedAt ? new Date(startedAt).toISOString() : '',
         pid: pid ? String(pid) : null,
         memory: null,
diff --git a/tools/talent-scout/src/api/llm-service-controller.ts b/tools/talent-scout/src/api/llm-service-controller.ts
index 0e8710d70..2a4b58ba8 100644
--- a/tools/talent-scout/src/api/llm-service-controller.ts
+++ b/tools/talent-scout/src/api/llm-service-controller.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,17 @@ import type { LlmServiceManager } from '../services/llm-service';
 import type { ExpertId } from '../experts/types';
 import type { Request, Response } from 'express';
 
+async function probeExternalHealth(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;
+  }
+}
+
 interface LlmServiceDeps {
   llmServiceManager: LlmServiceManager | null;
 }
@@ -47,25 +58,34 @@ export function createLlmServiceRouter(deps: LlmServiceDeps): Router {
   /**
    * GET /api/controlpanel/llm/status — LLM service process status
    */
-  router.get('/api/controlpanel/llm/status', (_req: Request, res: Response) => {
+  router.get('/api/controlpanel/llm/status', async (_req: Request, res: Response) => {
     if (!llmServiceManager) {
       res.status(503).json({ error: 'LLM service manager not available' });
       return;
     }
 
-    const status = llmServiceManager.getStatus();
+    let status = llmServiceManager.getStatus();
     const pid = llmServiceManager.getPid();
     const startedAt = llmServiceManager.getStartedAt();
     const lastError = llmServiceManager.getLastError();
     const pool = llmServiceManager.getPoolStatus();
 
+    // When workers are managed externally, probe the health endpoint directly
+    if (process.env.EXTERNAL_WORKERS && status === 'inactive') {
+      const port = Number(process.env.LLM_PORT) || 8100;
+      const healthy = await probeExternalHealth(port);
+      if (healthy) status = 'active';
+    }
+
+    const port = Number(process.env.LLM_PORT) || llmServiceManager.getPort();
+
     res.json({
       data: {
         service: 'llm-service',
         active: status,
         description: status === 'error' && lastError
           ? lastError
-          : `LLM inference (port ${llmServiceManager.getPort()})`,
+          : `LLM inference (port ${port})`,
         since: startedAt ? new Date(startedAt).toISOString() : '',
         pid: pid ? String(pid) : null,
         memory: null,