diff --git a/infra/deploy-runner/nodedc-deploy b/infra/deploy-runner/nodedc-deploy
index f085a74..2db792c 100755
--- a/infra/deploy-runner/nodedc-deploy
+++ b/infra/deploy-runner/nodedc-deploy
@@ -13350,14 +13350,10 @@ def validate_device_plane_control_core_selected_predecessor_runtime():
     names = device_plane_inventory_service_names(inventory)
     if names != ("device-control-core",):
         die("Device Control Core selected predecessor runtime is missing")
-    selected = inventory["services"][0]
-    if (
-        selected["status"] != "running"
-        or selected["running"] is not True
-        or selected["health"] not in ("healthy", "unhealthy")
-    ):
-        die("Device Control Core selected predecessor state is invalid")
-    return selected
+    # This is the selected repair target, not a preserved dependency. Its
+    # observed Docker state is evidence for rollback only; health and state
+    # acceptance belongs to the new generation after recreate.
+    return inventory["services"][0]
 
 
 def accept_device_plane_control_core_rollback_runtime(runtime_before):
@@ -13376,12 +13372,11 @@ def accept_device_plane_control_core_rollback_runtime(runtime_before):
         for item in runtime_before["services"]
     }
     selected_before = before["device-control-core"]
-    if (
-        selected_before["status"] != "running"
-        or selected_before["running"] is not True
-        or selected_before["health"] not in ("healthy", "unhealthy")
-    ):
-        die("Device Control Core rollback predecessor state is invalid")
+    predecessor_was_healthy = (
+        selected_before["status"] == "running"
+        and selected_before["running"] is True
+        and selected_before["health"] == "healthy"
+    )
 
     for service in expected_services[1:]:
         healthcheck_compose_service_with_grace("device-plane", service)
@@ -13392,24 +13387,38 @@ def accept_device_plane_control_core_rollback_runtime(runtime_before):
     )
     if container_id == selected_before["containerId"]:
         die("Device Control Core rollback generation was not recreated")
-    accepted_health = {"healthy"}
-    if selected_before["health"] == "unhealthy":
-        accepted_health.add("unhealthy")
     last_status = "unknown"
     for attempt in range(1, 61):
         container = inspect_device_plane_container(container_id)
         state = container.get("State") or {}
         health = (state.get("Health") or {}).get("Status")
         last_status = health or state.get("Status") or "unknown"
-        if (
+        restored_healthy = (
             state.get("Status") == "running"
             and state.get("Running") is True
-            and health in accepted_health
+            and health == "healthy"
+        )
+        restored_repair_boundary = (
+            state.get("Status") in (
+                "created",
+                "running",
+                "paused",
+                "restarting",
+                "exited",
+            )
+            and isinstance(state.get("Running"), bool)
+            and health in (None, "starting", "healthy", "unhealthy")
+        )
+        if restored_healthy or (
+            not predecessor_was_healthy
+            and restored_repair_boundary
         ):
             return {
                 "containerId": container_id,
                 "health": health,
+                "status": state.get("Status"),
                 "predecessorHealth": selected_before["health"],
+                "predecessorStatus": selected_before["status"],
             }
         if attempt < 60:
             time.sleep(5)
diff --git a/infra/deploy-runner/test_device_plane_registry.py b/infra/deploy-runner/test_device_plane_registry.py
index 74cccbf..cbecfdd 100644
--- a/infra/deploy-runner/test_device_plane_registry.py
+++ b/infra/deploy-runner/test_device_plane_registry.py
@@ -119,6 +119,31 @@ class DevicePlaneRegistryTest(unittest.TestCase):
             )
         self.assertEqual(selected["health"], "unhealthy")
 
+    def test_control_core_selected_predecessor_may_be_restarting(self):
+        inventory = {
+            "schemaVersion": "nodedc.device-plane.runtime-inventory.v1",
+            "composeProject": "nodedc-device-plane",
+            "services": [{
+                "service": "device-control-core",
+                "containerId": "a" * 64,
+                "imageId": "sha256:" + "b" * 64,
+                "status": "restarting",
+                "running": True,
+                "health": "starting",
+                "restartCount": 5,
+            }],
+        }
+        with mock.patch.object(
+            RUNNER,
+            "device_plane_runtime_inventory",
+            return_value=inventory,
+        ):
+            selected = (
+                RUNNER.validate_device_plane_control_core_selected_predecessor_runtime()
+            )
+        self.assertEqual(selected["status"], "restarting")
+        self.assertEqual(selected["health"], "starting")
+
     def test_control_core_rollback_accepts_restored_unhealthy_boundary(self):
         service_names = (
             "device-control-core",
@@ -175,6 +200,7 @@ class DevicePlaneRegistryTest(unittest.TestCase):
             )
 
         self.assertEqual(accepted["health"], "unhealthy")
+        self.assertEqual(accepted["status"], "running")
         self.assertEqual(accepted["predecessorHealth"], "unhealthy")
         self.assertEqual(
             preserved_health.call_args_list,