diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 3d14799..477b12d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -8,6 +8,12 @@
   and submodules without requiring directory changes. Commands,
   configuration, drivers, dashboard behavior, runtime resource naming,
   and `Tools: swarm` commit trailers are unchanged.
+- **Fix: dashboard `p` restarts an exited post-process.** The
+  dashboard blocked `p` whenever a post-process container existed,
+  so an exited one stranded the restart path even after `s`. It now
+  blocks only a running container and notes that an exited one will
+  be replaced. `p` also passes the dashboard's `SWARM_CONFIG` to
+  `launch.sh post-process`, so non-default configs are honoured.
 
 ## 0.22.0 — 2026-06-08
 
diff --git a/USAGE.md b/USAGE.md
index b3400f5..db4246d 100644
--- a/USAGE.md
+++ b/USAGE.md
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ do not count toward numbered-agent completion.
 | `P` | Post-process logs (the `P` row), if it exists. |
 | `h` | Harvest results. |
 | `s` | Stop numbered agents and post-process. |
-| `p` | Start post-process after confirmation. |
+| `p` | Start post-process after confirmation; replaces an exited run. |
 
 The Model column appends the agent's reasoning effort as a
 parenthesised letter: `(h)` high, `(m)` medium, `(l)` low,
@@ -472,7 +472,7 @@ Add to `swarm.json`:
 }
 ```
 
-Trigger via `[P]` in the dashboard, `./launch.sh post-process`,
+Trigger via `[p]` in the dashboard, `./launch.sh post-process`,
 or automatically via `./launch.sh wait` after numbered agents have
 already been started. `./launch.sh wait` does not launch numbered
 agents.
diff --git a/dashboard.sh b/dashboard.sh
index 69f106a..989a407 100755
--- a/dashboard.sh
+++ b/dashboard.sh
@@ -350,6 +350,12 @@ post_process_container_exists() {
     [ "$_pp_state" != "not found" ] && [ "$_pp_state" != "none" ]
 }
 
+post_process_container_running() {
+    local _pp_state
+    _pp_state=$(container_state "${IMAGE_NAME}-post")
+    [ "$_pp_state" = "running" ]
+}
+
 interactive_container_names() {
     docker ps -a --format '{{.Names}}' 2>/dev/null \
         | grep -E "^${IMAGE_NAME}-interactive-" \
@@ -770,7 +776,7 @@ draw() {
     printf "  ${DIM}[h]${RESET} harvest"
     # shellcheck disable=SC2059
     printf "  ${DIM}[s]${RESET} stop all"
-    if post_process_configured && ! post_process_container_exists; then
+    if post_process_configured && ! post_process_container_running; then
         # shellcheck disable=SC2059
         printf "  ${DIM}[p]${RESET} post-process"
     fi
@@ -838,7 +844,7 @@ while true; do
                     continue
                 fi
                 _pp_name="${IMAGE_NAME}-post"
-                if post_process_container_exists; then
+                if post_process_container_running; then
                     echo "(post-processing is already running -- press P for logs)"
                     echo "Stop it first with s before starting a new run."
                     echo ""
@@ -846,6 +852,9 @@ while true; do
                     enter_alt_screen
                     continue
                 fi
+                if post_process_container_exists; then
+                    echo "(previous post-process container will be replaced)"
+                fi
                 _pp_prompt="Start post-processing now? [y/N] "
                 read -r -p "$_pp_prompt" _pp_confirm || _pp_confirm=""
                 case "$_pp_confirm" in
@@ -863,7 +872,8 @@ while true; do
                     docker stop "${IMAGE_NAME}-${i}" 2>/dev/null || true
                 done
                 echo "--- Starting post-processing ---"
-                "$SWARM_DIR/launch.sh" post-process || \
+                SWARM_CONFIG="$CONFIG_FILE" \
+                    "$SWARM_DIR/launch.sh" post-process || \
                     echo "(post-processing failed)"
                 echo ""
                 read -rp "Press Enter to return to dashboard..." _
diff --git a/tests/test_dashboard.sh b/tests/test_dashboard.sh
index b618e30..e2b2286 100755
--- a/tests/test_dashboard.sh
+++ b/tests/test_dashboard.sh
@@ -692,9 +692,31 @@ assert_eq "leading blank inspect fallback becomes not found" "not found" \
     "$(normalize_docker_state $'\nnot found')"
 assert_eq "leading blank inspect state keeps real state" "running" \
     "$(normalize_docker_state $'\nrunning')"
-assert_eq "dashboard uses normalized container state" "4" \
+assert_eq "dashboard uses normalized container state" "5" \
     "$(grep -cF 'container_state "' "$DASHBOARD_FILE")"
 
+# Post-process container predicates, loaded from dashboard.sh with
+# container_state stubbed.  Only a running container blocks p.
+eval "$(sed -n '/^post_process_container_exists()/,/^}/p;
+    /^post_process_container_running()/,/^}/p' "$DASHBOARD_FILE")"
+# Invoked by the eval'd predicates above.
+# shellcheck disable=SC2329
+container_state() { printf '%s' "$_stub_state"; }
+IMAGE_NAME="test-swarm"
+for _stub_state in running exited created paused "not found" none; do
+    _want_exists=true
+    case "$_stub_state" in
+        "not found"|none) _want_exists=false ;;
+    esac
+    _want_running=false
+    [ "$_stub_state" = "running" ] && _want_running=true
+    assert_eq "post-process exists when ${_stub_state}" "$_want_exists" \
+        "$(post_process_container_exists && echo true || echo false)"
+    assert_eq "post-process running when ${_stub_state}" "$_want_running" \
+        "$(post_process_container_running && echo true || echo false)"
+done
+unset -f container_state
+
 pp_lower_case=$(awk '
     /^[[:space:]]*p\)/ { p = 1 }
     p { print }
@@ -733,12 +755,22 @@ assert_eq "lowercase p asks for confirmation" "true" \
 assert_eq "lowercase p can launch post-process" "1" \
     "$(printf '%s\n' "$pp_lower_case" \
         | grep -cF '"$SWARM_DIR/launch.sh" post-process' || true)"
+assert_eq "lowercase p preserves dashboard config" "1" \
+    "$(printf '%s\n' "$pp_lower_case" \
+        | grep -cF 'SWARM_CONFIG="$CONFIG_FILE"' || true)"
 assert_eq "lowercase p has cancellation path" "1" \
     "$(printf '%s\n' "$pp_lower_case" \
         | grep -cF 'post-processing not started' || true)"
 assert_eq "lowercase p refuses to replace running post-process" "1" \
     "$(printf '%s\n' "$pp_lower_case" \
         | grep -cF 'post-processing is already running' || true)"
+assert_eq "lowercase p blocks only running post-process" "1" \
+    "$(printf '%s\n' "$pp_lower_case" \
+        | grep -cF 'if post_process_container_running; then' || true)"
+assert_eq "lowercase p allows exited post-process replacement" "1" \
+    "$(printf '%s\n' "$pp_lower_case" \
+        | grep -cF 'previous post-process container will be replaced' \
+        || true)"
 assert_eq "lowercase p has no replacement prompt" "0" \
     "$(printf '%s\n' "$pp_lower_case" \
         | grep -cF 'Replace existing' || true)"
@@ -751,10 +783,14 @@ assert_eq "footer merges P into the logs hint" "1" \
 assert_eq "footer offers lowercase p to start post-process" "1" \
     "$(printf '%s\n' "$help_bar" \
         | grep -cF '[p]' || true)"
-assert_eq "footer guards start hint on missing container" "1" \
+assert_eq "footer guards start hint on running container" "1" \
     "$(printf '%s\n' "$help_bar" \
-        | grep -cF 'post_process_configured && ! post_process_container_exists' \
+        | grep -cF \
+            'post_process_configured && ! post_process_container_running' \
         || true)"
+assert_eq "footer keeps logs hint for exited container" "1" \
+    "$(printf '%s\n' "$help_bar" \
+        | grep -cF 'if post_process_container_exists; then' || true)"
 assert_eq "s stops post-process container" "1" \
     "$(printf '%s\n' "$s_case" \
         | grep -cF 'docker stop "${IMAGE_NAME}-post"' || true)"