diff --git a/cmd/spinifex/cmd/get.go b/cmd/spinifex/cmd/get.go
index 7bcc9d39a..6536399ac 100644
--- a/cmd/spinifex/cmd/get.go
+++ b/cmd/spinifex/cmd/get.go
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ func runGetVMs(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	})
 
 	tableData := pterm.TableData{
-		{"INSTANCE", "STATUS", "TYPE", "VCPU", "MEM", "NODE", "IP", "AGE"},
+		{"INSTANCE", "STATUS", "HEALTH", "CRASHES", "TYPE", "VCPU", "MEM", "NODE", "IP", "AGE"},
 	}
 
 	for _, v := range allVMs {
@@ -297,9 +297,15 @@ func runGetVMs(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		if v.LaunchTime > 0 {
 			age = formatUptime(time.Now().Unix() - v.LaunchTime)
 		}
+		health := v.Health
+		if health == "" {
+			health = "-"
+		}
 		tableData = append(tableData, []string{
 			v.InstanceID,
 			v.Status,
+			health,
+			strconv.Itoa(v.CrashCount),
 			v.InstanceType,
 			strconv.Itoa(v.VCPU),
 			formatMemGB(v.MemoryGB),
diff --git a/spinifex/daemon/daemon_handlers.go b/spinifex/daemon/daemon_handlers.go
index 62be46a9d..a84f3343d 100644
--- a/spinifex/daemon/daemon_handlers.go
+++ b/spinifex/daemon/daemon_handlers.go
@@ -448,6 +448,8 @@ func (d *Daemon) handleNodeVMs(msg *nats.Msg) {
 			Status:       string(v.Status),
 			InstanceType: v.InstanceType,
 			ManagedBy:    v.ManagedBy,
+			Health:       vmHealthLabel(v),
+			CrashCount:   v.Health.CrashCount,
 		}
 		if it, ok := d.resourceMgr.instanceTypes[v.InstanceType]; ok {
 			info.VCPU = int(instanceTypeVCPUs(it))
@@ -470,3 +472,19 @@ func (d *Daemon) handleNodeVMs(msg *nats.Msg) {
 
 	respondWithJSON(msg, resp)
 }
+
+// vmHealthLabel derives the display health for spx get vms. Only running VMs
+// carry health: QMP-unresponsive past the failure gate is impaired, a VM that
+// has crashed before but is running again is recovering, otherwise ok.
+func vmHealthLabel(v *vm.VM) string {
+	if v.Status != vm.StateRunning {
+		return "-"
+	}
+	if v.Health.QMPConsecutiveFailures >= vm.QMPMaxConsecutiveFailures {
+		return "impaired"
+	}
+	if v.Health.CrashCount > 0 {
+		return "recovering"
+	}
+	return "ok"
+}
diff --git a/spinifex/daemon/daemon_handlers_test.go b/spinifex/daemon/daemon_handlers_test.go
index 48ee041ad..7f94f280a 100644
--- a/spinifex/daemon/daemon_handlers_test.go
+++ b/spinifex/daemon/daemon_handlers_test.go
@@ -4133,3 +4133,24 @@ func TestRespondWithJSON_RespondFailureLogs(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Contains(t, logged, "Failed to respond to NATS request")
 	assert.NotContains(t, logged, "Failed to marshal response")
 }
+
+func TestVMHealthLabel(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name   string
+		status vm.InstanceState
+		health vm.InstanceHealthState
+		want   string
+	}{
+		{"stopped", vm.StateStopped, vm.InstanceHealthState{}, "-"},
+		{"running clean", vm.StateRunning, vm.InstanceHealthState{}, "ok"},
+		{"running after crash", vm.StateRunning, vm.InstanceHealthState{CrashCount: 2}, "recovering"},
+		{"qmp impaired", vm.StateRunning, vm.InstanceHealthState{QMPConsecutiveFailures: vm.QMPMaxConsecutiveFailures}, "impaired"},
+		{"qmp impaired wins over crash", vm.StateRunning, vm.InstanceHealthState{CrashCount: 5, QMPConsecutiveFailures: vm.QMPMaxConsecutiveFailures}, "impaired"},
+	}
+	for _, tc := range tests {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			v := &vm.VM{ID: "i-x", Status: tc.status, Health: tc.health}
+			assert.Equal(t, tc.want, vmHealthLabel(v))
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/spinifex/daemon/resource.go b/spinifex/daemon/resource.go
index a7aa27848..22d3d7ad9 100644
--- a/spinifex/daemon/resource.go
+++ b/spinifex/daemon/resource.go
@@ -118,6 +118,25 @@ func canAllocateCount(availVCPU, allocVCPU int, availMem, allocMem float64,
 	return max(result, 0)
 }
 
+// HostUnderMemoryPressure reports whether live MemAvailable has fallen below the
+// host reserve, i.e. the node has eaten into the headroom kept for the daemon
+// and co-located services. Surfaced as DescribeInstanceStatus SystemStatus.
+// Returns false when the live gate is disabled or unreadable (fail open — the
+// accounting gate still bounds admission).
+func (rm *ResourceManager) HostUnderMemoryPressure() bool {
+	if rm.readMemAvailableGB == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	avail, ok := rm.readMemAvailableGB()
+	if !ok {
+		return false
+	}
+	rm.mu.RLock()
+	reserve := rm.reservedMem
+	rm.mu.RUnlock()
+	return avail < reserve
+}
+
 // liveMemCount clamps n by how many guests of memGB fit in live headroom
 // (availMemGB − reservedMemGB). Negative headroom yields 0.
 func liveMemCount(n int, availMemGB, reservedMemGB, memGB float64) int {
diff --git a/spinifex/daemon/resource_test.go b/spinifex/daemon/resource_test.go
index e29c38ced..36d0247e4 100644
--- a/spinifex/daemon/resource_test.go
+++ b/spinifex/daemon/resource_test.go
@@ -573,6 +573,28 @@ func TestLiveMemGate(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+func TestHostUnderMemoryPressure(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("nil reader fails open", func(t *testing.T) {
+		rm := &ResourceManager{reservedMem: 2}
+		assert.False(t, rm.HostUnderMemoryPressure())
+	})
+
+	t.Run("read failure fails open", func(t *testing.T) {
+		rm := &ResourceManager{reservedMem: 2, readMemAvailableGB: func() (float64, bool) { return 0, false }}
+		assert.False(t, rm.HostUnderMemoryPressure())
+	})
+
+	t.Run("available above reserve is healthy", func(t *testing.T) {
+		rm := &ResourceManager{reservedMem: 2, readMemAvailableGB: func() (float64, bool) { return 4, true }}
+		assert.False(t, rm.HostUnderMemoryPressure())
+	})
+
+	t.Run("available below reserve is pressure", func(t *testing.T) {
+		rm := &ResourceManager{reservedMem: 2, readMemAvailableGB: func() (float64, bool) { return 1, true }}
+		assert.True(t, rm.HostUnderMemoryPressure())
+	})
+}
+
 func TestResolveNbdkitCharge(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("defaults when unset", func(t *testing.T) {
 		main, aux := resolveNbdkitCharge(func(string) string { return "" })
diff --git a/spinifex/handlers/ec2/instance/service_impl.go b/spinifex/handlers/ec2/instance/service_impl.go
index 46b55f5c7..609c76328 100644
--- a/spinifex/handlers/ec2/instance/service_impl.go
+++ b/spinifex/handlers/ec2/instance/service_impl.go
@@ -2429,7 +2429,23 @@ var (
 	}
 )
 
-func (s *InstanceServiceImpl) buildInstanceStatus(v *vm.VM) *ec2.InstanceStatus {
+// hostHealthReporter is an optional capability on the resource manager that
+// reports node-level memory pressure, surfaced as DescribeInstanceStatus
+// SystemStatus. Implemented by daemon.ResourceManager.
+type hostHealthReporter interface {
+	HostUnderMemoryPressure() bool
+}
+
+// hostUnderMemoryPressure reports whether the node is under memory pressure when
+// the resource manager supports the check, false otherwise (fail open).
+func (s *InstanceServiceImpl) hostUnderMemoryPressure() bool {
+	if hr, ok := s.resourceMgr.(hostHealthReporter); ok {
+		return hr.HostUnderMemoryPressure()
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+func (s *InstanceServiceImpl) buildInstanceStatus(v *vm.VM, systemImpaired bool) *ec2.InstanceStatus {
 	state := &ec2.InstanceState{}
 	if info, ok := vm.EC2StateCodes[v.Status]; ok {
 		state.SetCode(info.Code)
@@ -2439,11 +2455,25 @@ func (s *InstanceServiceImpl) buildInstanceStatus(v *vm.VM) *ec2.InstanceStatus
 		state.SetName(vm.EC2StateCodes[vm.StatePending].Name)
 	}
 
-	status := instanceStatusNotApplicable
-	reachability := instanceStatusNotApplicable
-	if v.Status == vm.StateRunning {
-		status = instanceStatusOK
-		reachability = instanceStatusPassed
+	status, reachability, impairedSince := instanceHealthSummary(v)
+
+	instDetail := &ec2.InstanceStatusDetails{
+		Name:   aws.String(reachabilityDetailName),
+		Status: aws.String(reachability),
+	}
+	if impairedSince != nil {
+		instDetail.ImpairedSince = impairedSince
+	}
+
+	// SystemStatus reflects host/node health, independent of the VM process: a
+	// running VM's host is reachable unless under memory pressure; non-running
+	// instances are not-applicable.
+	systemStatus, systemReach := instanceStatusOK, instanceStatusPassed
+	switch {
+	case v.Status != vm.StateRunning:
+		systemStatus, systemReach = instanceStatusNotApplicable, instanceStatusNotApplicable
+	case systemImpaired:
+		systemStatus, systemReach = instanceStatusImpaired, instanceStatusFailed
 	}
 
 	return &ec2.InstanceStatus{
@@ -2451,26 +2481,58 @@ func (s *InstanceServiceImpl) buildInstanceStatus(v *vm.VM) *ec2.InstanceStatus
 		InstanceId:       aws.String(v.ID),
 		InstanceState:    state,
 		InstanceStatus: &ec2.InstanceStatusSummary{
-			Status: aws.String(status),
-			Details: []*ec2.InstanceStatusDetails{{
-				Name:   aws.String(reachabilityDetailName),
-				Status: aws.String(reachability),
-			}},
+			Status:  aws.String(status),
+			Details: []*ec2.InstanceStatusDetails{instDetail},
 		},
 		SystemStatus: &ec2.InstanceStatusSummary{
-			Status: aws.String(status),
+			Status: aws.String(systemStatus),
 			Details: []*ec2.InstanceStatusDetails{{
 				Name:   aws.String(reachabilityDetailName),
-				Status: aws.String(reachability),
+				Status: aws.String(systemReach),
 			}},
 		},
 	}
 }
 
+// instanceInitializingGrace is the post-launch window during which a running VM
+// reports initializing, matching AWS's status-check grace period.
+const instanceInitializingGrace = 2 * time.Minute
+
+// instanceHealthSummary maps a VM's runtime and QMP health into AWS
+// InstanceStatus fields: the status label, the reachability detail status, and
+// an optional ImpairedSince timestamp. Only running VMs carry real health; all
+// other states are not-applicable per AWS behavior.
+func instanceHealthSummary(v *vm.VM) (status, reachability string, impairedSince *time.Time) {
+	if v.Status != vm.StateRunning {
+		return instanceStatusNotApplicable, instanceStatusNotApplicable, nil
+	}
+
+	// QMP unresponsive past the failure gate → impaired/failed.
+	if v.Health.QMPConsecutiveFailures >= vm.QMPMaxConsecutiveFailures {
+		var impPtr *time.Time
+		if !v.Health.ImpairedSince.IsZero() {
+			since := v.Health.ImpairedSince
+			impPtr = &since
+		}
+		return instanceStatusImpaired, instanceStatusFailed, impPtr
+	}
+
+	// Grace period: freshly launched VMs report initializing until reachable.
+	if v.Instance != nil && v.Instance.LaunchTime != nil &&
+		time.Since(*v.Instance.LaunchTime) < instanceInitializingGrace {
+		return instanceStatusInitializing, instanceStatusInitializing, nil
+	}
+
+	return instanceStatusOK, instanceStatusPassed, nil
+}
+
 const (
 	instanceStatusOK            = "ok"
 	instanceStatusPassed        = "passed"
 	instanceStatusNotApplicable = "not-applicable"
+	instanceStatusImpaired      = "impaired"
+	instanceStatusFailed        = "failed"
+	instanceStatusInitializing  = "initializing"
 	reachabilityDetailName      = "reachability"
 )
 
@@ -2536,6 +2598,10 @@ func (s *InstanceServiceImpl) DescribeInstanceStatus(input *ec2.DescribeInstance
 		includedStates = describeInstanceStatusAllIncluded
 	}
 
+	// SystemStatus is node-wide: evaluate host memory pressure once per request
+	// rather than per instance.
+	systemImpaired := s.hostUnderMemoryPressure()
+
 	var statuses []*ec2.InstanceStatus
 	s.vmMgr.View(func(vms map[string]*vm.VM) {
 		for _, v := range vms {
@@ -2548,7 +2614,7 @@ func (s *InstanceServiceImpl) DescribeInstanceStatus(input *ec2.DescribeInstance
 			if !includedStates[v.Status] {
 				continue
 			}
-			is := s.buildInstanceStatus(v)
+			is := s.buildInstanceStatus(v, systemImpaired)
 			if len(parsedFilters) > 0 && !instanceStatusMatchesFilters(v, is, parsedFilters) {
 				continue
 			}
diff --git a/spinifex/handlers/ec2/instance/service_impl_test.go b/spinifex/handlers/ec2/instance/service_impl_test.go
index e75bfceeb..d11573d31 100644
--- a/spinifex/handlers/ec2/instance/service_impl_test.go
+++ b/spinifex/handlers/ec2/instance/service_impl_test.go
@@ -530,8 +530,12 @@ type fakeResourceCapacityProvider struct {
 	reservationAllocated []*ec2.InstanceTypeInfo
 	reservationReleased  []*ec2.InstanceTypeInfo
 	reservationAvailFn   func(string, string, *ec2.InstanceTypeInfo) int
+
+	memPressure bool
 }
 
+func (f *fakeResourceCapacityProvider) HostUnderMemoryPressure() bool { return f.memPressure }
+
 func (f *fakeResourceCapacityProvider) GetAvailableInstanceTypeInfos(showCapacity bool) []*ec2.InstanceTypeInfo {
 	f.calls++
 	f.gotShowCap = showCapacity
@@ -3188,6 +3192,104 @@ func TestDescribeInstanceStatus_TagFilter(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, "i-tag", *out.InstanceStatuses[0].InstanceId)
 }
 
+func TestDescribeInstanceStatus_QMPUnresponsiveImpaired(t *testing.T) {
+	owner := "111122223333"
+	v := runningVM("i-imp", owner)
+	since := time.Now().Add(-90 * time.Second)
+	v.Health.QMPConsecutiveFailures = vm.QMPMaxConsecutiveFailures
+	v.Health.ImpairedSince = since
+	svc := instanceStatusService(t, "az-a", map[string]*vm.VM{v.ID: v})
+
+	out, err := svc.DescribeInstanceStatus(&ec2.DescribeInstanceStatusInput{}, owner)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Len(t, out.InstanceStatuses, 1)
+
+	s := out.InstanceStatuses[0]
+	assert.Equal(t, "running", *s.InstanceState.Name)
+	assert.Equal(t, "impaired", *s.InstanceStatus.Status)
+	require.Len(t, s.InstanceStatus.Details, 1)
+	assert.Equal(t, "failed", *s.InstanceStatus.Details[0].Status)
+	require.NotNil(t, s.InstanceStatus.Details[0].ImpairedSince)
+	assert.WithinDuration(t, since, *s.InstanceStatus.Details[0].ImpairedSince, time.Second)
+	// SystemStatus is host-level: the node is still reachable.
+	assert.Equal(t, "ok", *s.SystemStatus.Status)
+}
+
+func TestDescribeInstanceStatus_BelowThresholdStaysOK(t *testing.T) {
+	owner := "111122223333"
+	v := runningVM("i-ok", owner)
+	v.Health.QMPConsecutiveFailures = vm.QMPMaxConsecutiveFailures - 1
+	svc := instanceStatusService(t, "az-a", map[string]*vm.VM{v.ID: v})
+
+	out, err := svc.DescribeInstanceStatus(&ec2.DescribeInstanceStatusInput{}, owner)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Len(t, out.InstanceStatuses, 1)
+	assert.Equal(t, "ok", *out.InstanceStatuses[0].InstanceStatus.Status)
+	assert.Equal(t, "passed", *out.InstanceStatuses[0].InstanceStatus.Details[0].Status)
+}
+
+func TestDescribeInstanceStatus_RecentLaunchInitializing(t *testing.T) {
+	owner := "111122223333"
+	v := runningVM("i-new", owner)
+	now := time.Now()
+	v.Instance.LaunchTime = &now
+	svc := instanceStatusService(t, "az-a", map[string]*vm.VM{v.ID: v})
+
+	out, err := svc.DescribeInstanceStatus(&ec2.DescribeInstanceStatusInput{}, owner)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Len(t, out.InstanceStatuses, 1)
+	assert.Equal(t, "initializing", *out.InstanceStatuses[0].InstanceStatus.Status)
+	assert.Equal(t, "initializing", *out.InstanceStatuses[0].InstanceStatus.Details[0].Status)
+}
+
+func TestDescribeInstanceStatus_PastGraceOK(t *testing.T) {
+	owner := "111122223333"
+	v := runningVM("i-old", owner)
+	old := time.Now().Add(-5 * time.Minute)
+	v.Instance.LaunchTime = &old
+	svc := instanceStatusService(t, "az-a", map[string]*vm.VM{v.ID: v})
+
+	out, err := svc.DescribeInstanceStatus(&ec2.DescribeInstanceStatusInput{}, owner)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Len(t, out.InstanceStatuses, 1)
+	assert.Equal(t, "ok", *out.InstanceStatuses[0].InstanceStatus.Status)
+}
+
+func TestDescribeInstanceStatus_MemoryPressureSystemImpaired(t *testing.T) {
+	owner := "111122223333"
+	v := runningVM("i-press", owner)
+	svc := &InstanceServiceImpl{
+		config:      &config.Config{AZ: "az-a"},
+		vmMgr:       mgrWith(map[string]*vm.VM{v.ID: v}),
+		resourceMgr: &fakeResourceCapacityProvider{memPressure: true},
+	}
+
+	out, err := svc.DescribeInstanceStatus(&ec2.DescribeInstanceStatusInput{}, owner)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Len(t, out.InstanceStatuses, 1)
+
+	s := out.InstanceStatuses[0]
+	// Instance itself is healthy; only the host system status is impaired.
+	assert.Equal(t, "ok", *s.InstanceStatus.Status)
+	assert.Equal(t, "impaired", *s.SystemStatus.Status)
+	assert.Equal(t, "failed", *s.SystemStatus.Details[0].Status)
+}
+
+func TestDescribeInstanceStatus_NoPressureSystemOK(t *testing.T) {
+	owner := "111122223333"
+	v := runningVM("i-fine", owner)
+	svc := &InstanceServiceImpl{
+		config:      &config.Config{AZ: "az-a"},
+		vmMgr:       mgrWith(map[string]*vm.VM{v.ID: v}),
+		resourceMgr: &fakeResourceCapacityProvider{memPressure: false},
+	}
+
+	out, err := svc.DescribeInstanceStatus(&ec2.DescribeInstanceStatusInput{}, owner)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Len(t, out.InstanceStatuses, 1)
+	assert.Equal(t, "ok", *out.InstanceStatuses[0].SystemStatus.Status)
+}
+
 // TestInstanceArchitecture pins the safe-extraction contract: malformed
 // InstanceTypeInfo returns "" rather than panicking, and the firmware probe
 // surfaces "" as a clear error on the launch path.
diff --git a/spinifex/types/node.go b/spinifex/types/node.go
index a108d0c5d..79dd8a69a 100644
--- a/spinifex/types/node.go
+++ b/spinifex/types/node.go
@@ -87,6 +87,11 @@ type VMInfo struct {
 	// system-managed resources out of customer-facing listings.
 	ManagedBy string     `json:"managed_by,omitempty"`
 	GPU       *VMGPUInfo `json:"gpu,omitempty"`
+	// Health is a display label for instance health: "ok", "impaired",
+	// "recovering", or "-" for non-running VMs. CrashCount is the lifetime
+	// crash tally within the current restart window.
+	Health     string `json:"health,omitempty"`
+	CrashCount int    `json:"crash_count,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // NodeVMsResponse is returned by the spinifex.node.vms NATS topic (fan-out).
diff --git a/spinifex/vm/crash_recovery_test.go b/spinifex/vm/crash_recovery_test.go
index 76432f716..58dd3c0c7 100644
--- a/spinifex/vm/crash_recovery_test.go
+++ b/spinifex/vm/crash_recovery_test.go
@@ -508,3 +508,37 @@ func TestRestartCrashedInstance_RunFailureRollback(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, StateError, m.Status(instance),
 		"instance must end in StateError after Run-failure rollback")
 }
+
+func TestRecordQMPFailure_StampsImpairedAtThreshold(t *testing.T) {
+	m := NewManager()
+	instance := &VM{ID: "i-qmp", Status: StateRunning}
+	m.Insert(instance)
+
+	for i := 1; i < QMPMaxConsecutiveFailures; i++ {
+		count := m.recordQMPFailure(instance)
+		assert.Equal(t, i, count)
+		assert.True(t, instance.Health.ImpairedSince.IsZero(),
+			"must not stamp ImpairedSince before threshold")
+	}
+
+	count := m.recordQMPFailure(instance)
+	assert.Equal(t, QMPMaxConsecutiveFailures, count)
+	assert.False(t, instance.Health.ImpairedSince.IsZero(),
+		"must stamp ImpairedSince at threshold")
+}
+
+func TestRecordQMPSuccess_ClearsFailureState(t *testing.T) {
+	m := NewManager()
+	instance := &VM{ID: "i-qmp", Status: StateRunning}
+	m.Insert(instance)
+
+	for range QMPMaxConsecutiveFailures {
+		m.recordQMPFailure(instance)
+	}
+	require.False(t, instance.Health.ImpairedSince.IsZero())
+
+	m.recordQMPSuccess(instance)
+	assert.Zero(t, instance.Health.QMPConsecutiveFailures)
+	assert.True(t, instance.Health.ImpairedSince.IsZero(), "success must clear ImpairedSince")
+	assert.False(t, instance.Health.LastQMPSuccess.IsZero(), "success must stamp LastQMPSuccess")
+}
diff --git a/spinifex/vm/lifecycle.go b/spinifex/vm/lifecycle.go
index 7eacea572..7dd4e97b0 100644
--- a/spinifex/vm/lifecycle.go
+++ b/spinifex/vm/lifecycle.go
@@ -585,11 +585,23 @@ func newQMPClientWithHandshake(v *VM) (*qmp.QMPClient, error) {
 	return client, nil
 }
 
-// qmpHeartbeat sends query-status every 30s. Exits and closes the QMP
-// connection when the instance reaches a terminal or transitional state.
+const (
+	// qmpHeartbeatInterval is the QMP query-status poll period.
+	qmpHeartbeatInterval = 30 * time.Second
+	// QMPMaxConsecutiveFailures is how many back-to-back query-status failures
+	// mark an instance impaired and trigger a process-liveness check (90s of
+	// unresponsiveness). Exported so DescribeInstanceStatus uses the same gate.
+	QMPMaxConsecutiveFailures = 3
+)
+
+// qmpHeartbeat polls query-status every qmpHeartbeatInterval and acts on
+// failures: it tracks consecutive failures, and once they reach
+// QMPMaxConsecutiveFailures it checks process liveness. A dead process triggers
+// crash recovery; an alive-but-wedged QEMU stays impaired for an operator. The
+// goroutine exits and closes the QMP connection on any terminal/transitional state.
 func (m *Manager) qmpHeartbeat(instance *VM) {
 	for {
-		time.Sleep(30 * time.Second)
+		time.Sleep(qmpHeartbeatInterval)
 
 		status := m.Status(instance)
 
@@ -607,13 +619,51 @@ func (m *Manager) qmpHeartbeat(instance *VM) {
 		slog.Debug("QMP heartbeat", "instance", instance.ID)
 		qmpStatus, err := sendQMPCommand(instance.QMPClient, qmp.QMPCommand{Execute: "query-status"}, instance.ID)
 		if err != nil {
-			slog.Warn("QMP heartbeat failed", "instance", instance.ID, "err", err)
+			failures := m.recordQMPFailure(instance)
+			slog.Warn("QMP heartbeat failed", "instance", instance.ID, "consecutiveFailures", failures, "err", err)
+			if failures < QMPMaxConsecutiveFailures {
+				continue
+			}
+			if !isInstanceProcessRunning(instance) {
+				slog.Error("QEMU process dead and QMP unresponsive, triggering crash recovery",
+					"instance", instance.ID, "consecutiveFailures", failures)
+				m.HandleCrash(instance, fmt.Errorf("qmp unresponsive (%d failures), process dead", failures))
+				return
+			}
+			slog.Error("QEMU process alive but QMP unresponsive", "instance", instance.ID, "consecutiveFailures", failures)
 			continue
 		}
+
+		m.recordQMPSuccess(instance)
 		slog.Debug("QMP status", "instance", instance.ID, "status", string(qmpStatus.Return))
 	}
 }
 
+// recordQMPFailure increments the consecutive QMP failure counter, stamping
+// ImpairedSince when the count first reaches QMPMaxConsecutiveFailures. Returns
+// the new count.
+func (m *Manager) recordQMPFailure(instance *VM) int {
+	var count int
+	m.UpdateState(instance.ID, func(v *VM) {
+		v.Health.QMPConsecutiveFailures++
+		count = v.Health.QMPConsecutiveFailures
+		if count == QMPMaxConsecutiveFailures {
+			v.Health.ImpairedSince = time.Now()
+		}
+	})
+	return count
+}
+
+// recordQMPSuccess clears the failure counter and impaired marker after a
+// healthy poll and records the success time.
+func (m *Manager) recordQMPSuccess(instance *VM) {
+	m.UpdateState(instance.ID, func(v *VM) {
+		v.Health.QMPConsecutiveFailures = 0
+		v.Health.ImpairedSince = time.Time{}
+		v.Health.LastQMPSuccess = time.Now()
+	})
+}
+
 // sendQMPCommand encodes cmd and decodes the response, skipping event messages.
 func sendQMPCommand(q *qmp.QMPClient, cmd qmp.QMPCommand, instanceID string) (*qmp.QMPResponse, error) {
 	if q == nil || q.Encoder == nil || q.Decoder == nil {
diff --git a/spinifex/vm/vm.go b/spinifex/vm/vm.go
index b4ecd7aed..e99604392 100644
--- a/spinifex/vm/vm.go
+++ b/spinifex/vm/vm.go
@@ -24,6 +24,13 @@ type InstanceHealthState struct {
 	LastCrashReason string    `json:"last_crash_reason,omitempty"`
 	RestartCount    int       `json:"restart_count"`
 	FirstCrashTime  time.Time `json:"first_crash_time"`
+
+	// QMP health monitoring. QMPConsecutiveFailures counts back-to-back
+	// query-status failures; at QMPMaxConsecutiveFailures the instance is
+	// impaired and ImpairedSince is stamped. A successful poll clears all three.
+	QMPConsecutiveFailures int       `json:"qmp_consecutive_failures"`
+	LastQMPSuccess         time.Time `json:"last_qmp_success,omitzero"`
+	ImpairedSince          time.Time `json:"impaired_since,omitzero"`
 }
 
 // ExtraENI describes an additional VPC network interface attached to a VM