diff --git a/cmd/kilroy/main.go b/cmd/kilroy/main.go
index a0528b6c..a461bc6a 100644
--- a/cmd/kilroy/main.go
+++ b/cmd/kilroy/main.go
@@ -551,6 +551,17 @@ func attractorRun(args []string) {
 			childArgs = append(childArgs, "--force-model", spec)
 		}
 
+		// Pre-register the run in the DB with status=running so that
+		// `runs list`, `runs show`, and `runs wait --latest --label ...` can
+		// find the run immediately — before the child process calls
+		// RecordRunStart inside the engine. The child will overwrite this row
+		// (INSERT OR REPLACE) with full metadata once it starts.
+		detachRepoPath := workspace
+		if detachRepoPath == "" {
+			detachRepoPath = gitDetectDir
+		}
+		registerDetachedRunInDB(runID, graphPath, logsRoot, detachRepoPath, labels, inputs, os.Args)
+
 		if err := launchDetached(childArgs, logsRoot); err != nil {
 			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, err)
 			os.Exit(1)
diff --git a/cmd/kilroy/run_detach_db.go b/cmd/kilroy/run_detach_db.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5f29e29f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/kilroy/run_detach_db.go
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/danshapiro/kilroy/internal/attractor/engine"
+	"github.com/danshapiro/kilroy/internal/attractor/rundb"
+)
+
+// registerDetachedRunInDB writes a status=running row to the run database
+// before the detached child process starts. This ensures that
+// `kilroy attractor runs list`, `runs show`, and `runs wait` can find the run
+// immediately after the parent exits — they no longer have to wait for the child
+// to reach its own RecordRunStart call inside the engine.
+//
+// The child's engine.RunWithConfig path will later call InsertRun
+// (INSERT OR REPLACE) to overwrite this row with complete metadata (worktreeDir,
+// runBranch, dotSource, etc.). This function is best-effort: failures emit a
+// stderr warning but never abort the detach launch.
+func registerDetachedRunInDB(runID, graphPath, logsRoot, repoPath string, labels map[string]string, inputs map[string]any, invocation []string) {
+	db, err := rundb.Open(rundb.DefaultPath())
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "warning: could not open run database to pre-register run: %v\n", err)
+		return
+	}
+	defer db.Close()
+
+	// Read the graph file to populate graphName, goal, and dotSource.
+	// Failures here are non-fatal — we write whatever we can.
+	var graphName, goal, dotSrc string
+	if raw, readErr := os.ReadFile(graphPath); readErr == nil {
+		dotSrc = string(raw)
+		if g, _, parseErr := engine.Prepare(raw); parseErr == nil && g != nil {
+			graphName = g.Name
+			goal = g.Attrs["goal"]
+		}
+	}
+	// Fall back to filename if DOT parsing failed.
+	if graphName == "" {
+		base := filepath.Base(graphPath)
+		graphName = strings.TrimSuffix(base, filepath.Ext(base))
+	}
+
+	if err := db.InsertRun(rundb.RunRecord{
+		RunID:      runID,
+		GraphName:  graphName,
+		Goal:       goal,
+		Status:     "running",
+		LogsRoot:   logsRoot,
+		RepoPath:   repoPath,
+		DotSource:  dotSrc,
+		Labels:     labels,
+		Inputs:     inputs,
+		Invocation: invocation,
+		StartedAt:  time.Now(),
+	}); err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "warning: could not pre-register run in database: %v\n", err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/cmd/kilroy/run_detach_db_test.go b/cmd/kilroy/run_detach_db_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bd7a1f65
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/kilroy/run_detach_db_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,151 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/danshapiro/kilroy/internal/attractor/rundb"
+)
+
+// TestRegisterDetachedRunInDB_AppearsBefore_TerminalState verifies the key
+// invariant of the detach-registration fix: after registerDetachedRunInDB
+// returns (and before the child process calls RecordRunStart), the run row
+// exists in the DB with status=running and is discoverable via ListRuns with
+// label filters — exactly the query used by `runs wait --latest --label ...`.
+func TestRegisterDetachedRunInDB_AppearsBefore_TerminalState(t *testing.T) {
+	// Redirect the DB to a temp directory so we don't pollute the real DB.
+	t.Setenv("XDG_STATE_HOME", t.TempDir())
+
+	// Write a minimal DOT graph file.
+	graphDir := t.TempDir()
+	graphFile := filepath.Join(graphDir, "test_detach.dot")
+	dotContent := []byte(`digraph test_detach_graph {
+  graph [goal="Test detach registration"]
+  start [shape=Mdiamond]
+  done [shape=Msquare]
+  start -> done
+}`)
+	if err := os.WriteFile(graphFile, dotContent, 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write graph file: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	const runID = "detach-register-test-001"
+	logsRoot := t.TempDir()
+	labels := map[string]string{"env": "test", "task": "detach-db-test"}
+	invocation := []string{"kilroy", "attractor", "run", "--detach", "--graph", graphFile, "--label", "env=test"}
+
+	// This is the call the parent makes before forking the child.
+	registerDetachedRunInDB(runID, graphFile, logsRoot, "/tmp/repo", labels, nil, invocation)
+
+	// Verify the run appears in the DB.
+	db, err := rundb.Open(rundb.DefaultPath())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("open rundb: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer db.Close()
+
+	// GetRun must return the row.
+	run, err := db.GetRun(runID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("GetRun: %v", err)
+	}
+	if run == nil {
+		t.Fatal("run not found in DB: GetRun returned nil (bug: detached runs not pre-registered)")
+	}
+
+	// Status must be running (not yet terminal).
+	if run.Status != "running" {
+		t.Errorf("status = %q, want \"running\"", run.Status)
+	}
+	// Graph name parsed from DOT source.
+	if run.GraphName != "test_detach_graph" {
+		t.Errorf("graph_name = %q, want \"test_detach_graph\"", run.GraphName)
+	}
+	// Labels populated.
+	if run.Labels["env"] != "test" {
+		t.Errorf("labels[env] = %q, want \"test\"", run.Labels["env"])
+	}
+	if run.Labels["task"] != "detach-db-test" {
+		t.Errorf("labels[task] = %q, want \"detach-db-test\"", run.Labels["task"])
+	}
+	// LogsRoot set.
+	if run.LogsRoot != logsRoot {
+		t.Errorf("logs_root = %q, want %q", run.LogsRoot, logsRoot)
+	}
+	// started_at is a recent timestamp.
+	if run.StartedAt.IsZero() || run.StartedAt.After(time.Now().Add(time.Second)) {
+		t.Errorf("unexpected started_at: %v", run.StartedAt)
+	}
+
+	// ListRuns with label filter — this is what `runs wait --latest --label env=test` uses.
+	runs, err := db.ListRuns(rundb.ListFilter{Labels: map[string]string{"task": "detach-db-test"}, Limit: 1})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ListRuns: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(runs) == 0 {
+		t.Fatal("ListRuns: run not found by label filter (bug: detached runs not pre-registered)")
+	}
+	if runs[0].RunID != runID {
+		t.Errorf("ListRuns[0].RunID = %q, want %q", runs[0].RunID, runID)
+	}
+	if runs[0].Status != "running" {
+		t.Errorf("ListRuns[0].Status = %q, want \"running\"", runs[0].Status)
+	}
+
+	// Simulate the engine completing the run (what the child does at the end).
+	// The child first calls INSERT OR REPLACE (which is still status=running),
+	// then calls CompleteRun. Verify the status transitions correctly.
+	if err := db.CompleteRun(runID, "success", "", "", nil); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("CompleteRun: %v", err)
+	}
+	completed, err := db.GetRun(runID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("GetRun after complete: %v", err)
+	}
+	if completed == nil {
+		t.Fatal("run disappeared after CompleteRun")
+	}
+	if completed.Status != "success" {
+		t.Errorf("post-complete status = %q, want \"success\"", completed.Status)
+	}
+	if completed.CompletedAt == nil {
+		t.Error("completed_at is nil after CompleteRun")
+	}
+}
+
+// TestRegisterDetachedRunInDB_FallsBackToFilename verifies that when the graph
+// file cannot be parsed (or is absent), registerDetachedRunInDB still writes the
+// row using the filename stem as a fallback graph name.
+func TestRegisterDetachedRunInDB_FallsBackToFilename(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("XDG_STATE_HOME", t.TempDir())
+
+	// Point to a non-existent graph file.
+	const runID = "detach-fallback-test-001"
+	logsRoot := t.TempDir()
+	labels := map[string]string{"test": "fallback"}
+
+	registerDetachedRunInDB(runID, "/nonexistent/path/my_graph.dot", logsRoot, "", labels, nil, nil)
+
+	db, err := rundb.Open(rundb.DefaultPath())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("open rundb: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer db.Close()
+
+	run, err := db.GetRun(runID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("GetRun: %v", err)
+	}
+	if run == nil {
+		t.Fatal("run not found in DB: fallback path failed")
+	}
+	if run.Status != "running" {
+		t.Errorf("status = %q, want \"running\"", run.Status)
+	}
+	// Filename stem used when DOT parsing fails.
+	if run.GraphName != "my_graph" {
+		t.Errorf("graph_name = %q, want \"my_graph\"", run.GraphName)
+	}
+}