diff --git a/deploy/site/stats.html b/deploy/site/stats.html
index 9c31466..439c2c8 100644
--- a/deploy/site/stats.html
+++ b/deploy/site/stats.html
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ footer a:hover{color:var(--hot);border-bottom-color:var(--water)}
 <script>
 const $ = (id) => document.getElementById(id);
 let _prevSeq = null;
+let _tailFlowing = false;
 let _prevSeqAt = 0, _rateEma = null;
 // cross-page continuity: polls persist {seq, t, ema}; the next page load
 // compares its first read against a fresh stored point instead of waiting
@@ -142,6 +143,7 @@ async function fetchStatus(){
   const upN = up ? BigInt(up.replace(/,/g,"")) : 0n;
   const flowing = upN > 0n && _prevSeq !== null && upN > _prevSeq;
   const stalled = upN > 0n && _prevSeq !== null && upN === _prevSeq;
+  _tailFlowing = flowing;
   noteRate(upN);
   saveCont(upN);
   _prevSeq = upN;
@@ -272,7 +274,11 @@ function drawProfile(){
   ctx.font = "24px ui-monospace,Menlo,monospace"; ctx.textAlign = "center";
   const isNow = _scrub === null || Math.round(sh) % 24 === now.getUTCHours();
   let line = String(hi).padStart(2,"0") + ":00z · typically " + q.med + "/s (" + q.p25 + "–" + q.p75 + ")";
-  if (isNow && _rateEma !== null) line += " · live " + Math.round(_rateEma) + "/s";
+  // during a pause the EMA decays toward zero — that is not a live rate,
+  // and the header already knows the tail state; say the same thing here
+  if (isNow) line += _tailFlowing && _rateEma !== null
+    ? " · live " + Math.round(_rateEma) + "/s"
+    : " · tail paused · archive serving";
   ctx.fillStyle = css("--hot"); ctx.fillText(line, (L+W-R)/2, 30);
   ctx.textAlign = "start";
 }