diff --git a/hermes_cli/update_cmd_fleet.py b/hermes_cli/update_cmd_fleet.py
index e495274c2f..5c3d95e8a9 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/update_cmd_fleet.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/update_cmd_fleet.py
@@ -1069,6 +1069,9 @@ class _GatewayRestartOutcome:
     #: the summary tells the user to restart them by hand, so the fleet probe must not expect
     #: a row for them.
     stopped_unmapped_pids: set = field(default_factory=set)
+    #: ``scope/name`` of every settled systemd unit; the fleet probe stops waiting for a state stamp
+    #: once none of them is active or activating any more (the successor died, nothing will publish).
+    restarted_scoped_units: set = field(default_factory=set)
 
     def fleet_probe_signals(self) -> tuple:
         """``(pre_restart_pids, killed_pids)`` with the unmapped stops removed — the signals that
@@ -1347,6 +1350,7 @@ def _restart_gateway_fleet_after_update(_pre_update_plan, gateway_mode: bool):
             e, _pre_update_plan, out, gateway_mode=gateway_mode, restarted_scoped_units=restarted_scoped_units
         )
 
+    out.restarted_scoped_units = set(restarted_scoped_units)
     return out
 
 
@@ -1389,10 +1393,29 @@ def _collect_fleet_snapshot(restart, rows_expected: bool) -> list:
         snapshot = collect_fleet_versions(pre_restart_pids=restart.pre_restart_gateway_pids)
         if snapshot and not any(row.get("state") == "down" for row in snapshot):
             return snapshot
-        if _time.monotonic() >= _fleet_deadline:
+        if _time.monotonic() >= _fleet_deadline or _restarted_units_gone(
+                getattr(restart, "restarted_scoped_units", ())):
             return snapshot
 
 
+def _restarted_units_gone(scoped_units) -> bool:
+    """True when every restarted systemd unit is neither active nor activating: the successor died,
+    nothing will publish a state stamp, so the settle poll should fail closed now instead of at the
+    deadline. Unknown (no units, systemctl missing/slow) keeps waiting."""
+    if not scoped_units:
+        return False
+    scope_cmds = dict(_SYSTEMD_SCOPES)
+    for scoped in scoped_units:
+        scope, _, name = scoped.partition("/")
+        try:
+            state = _systemctl(scope_cmds[scope] + ["is-active", name], timeout=5).stdout.strip()
+        except (KeyError, FileNotFoundError, subprocess.TimeoutExpired):
+            return False
+        if state in ("active", "activating", "reloading"):
+            return False
+    return True
+
+
 def _verify_fleet_after_update(restart, *, _pre_update_plan, _windows_gateway_resume, node_failures, update_complete):
     """Post-restart verification: legacy-unit warning, dashboard cleanup, stale serve
     probe, fleet version matrix, plan-vs-execution reconciliation, receipt finalize.
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_update_fleet_snapshot_settle.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_update_fleet_snapshot_settle.py
index 54b9ff5adc..835b57eb9e 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_update_fleet_snapshot_settle.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_update_fleet_snapshot_settle.py
@@ -50,7 +50,21 @@ def test_snapshot_waits_for_late_current_gateway_state(monkeypatch) -> None:
     assert result == [expected]
     assert clock.now > 30.0
     assert clock.now <= update_cmd_fleet._FLEET_PROBE_SETTLE_TIMEOUT_SECONDS
-    assert len(clock.sleeps) > 15
+
+
+def test_snapshot_stops_waiting_once_the_restarted_unit_is_dead(monkeypatch) -> None:
+    """A successor that exits (unit failed/inactive) fails closed at once, not at the 120s deadline."""
+    clock = _FakeClock()
+    monkeypatch.setattr(update_cmd_fleet._time, "monotonic", clock.monotonic)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(update_cmd_fleet._time, "sleep", clock.sleep)
+    monkeypatch.setattr("hermes_cli.update_receipt.collect_fleet_versions", lambda **_kwargs: [])
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        update_cmd_fleet, "_systemctl",
+        lambda cmd, *, timeout: SimpleNamespace(stdout="failed\n", stderr="", returncode=3))
+
+    restart = SimpleNamespace(pre_restart_gateway_pids=[101], restarted_scoped_units={"user/hermes-gateway.service"})
+    assert update_cmd_fleet._collect_fleet_snapshot(restart, rows_expected=True) == []
+    assert clock.now < 30.0
 
 
 def test_verifier_clears_marker_after_late_current_gateway_state(monkeypatch) -> None: