diff --git a/src/commands/health.ts b/src/commands/health.ts
index e33103cb3..3ec351a9f 100644
--- a/src/commands/health.ts
+++ b/src/commands/health.ts
@@ -183,12 +183,8 @@ export async function healthCommand(
     method: "health",
     timeoutMs: opts.timeoutMs,
   });
-  const fatal =
-    !summary.web.linked ||
-    (summary.web.connect && !summary.web.connect.ok) ||
-    (summary.telegram.configured &&
-      summary.telegram.probe &&
-      !summary.telegram.probe.ok);
+  // Gateway reachability defines success; provider issues are reported but not fatal here.
+  const fatal = false;
 
   if (opts.json) {
     runtime.log(JSON.stringify(summary, null, 2));
diff --git a/src/commands/status.ts b/src/commands/status.ts
index 72d2f07ea..948fd1ab6 100644
--- a/src/commands/status.ts
+++ b/src/commands/status.ts
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ export async function statusCommand(
     runtime.log(`  ${line}`);
   }
   if (health) {
-    runtime.log(info("WA connect: reported by gateway (no direct probe)"));
+    runtime.log(info("Gateway health: reachable"));
 
     const tgLine = health.telegram.configured
       ? health.telegram.probe?.ok
diff --git a/src/web/auto-reply.ts b/src/web/auto-reply.ts
index 2cb6a8f72..98c9b3a91 100644
--- a/src/web/auto-reply.ts
+++ b/src/web/auto-reply.ts
@@ -327,10 +327,10 @@ export async function runWebHeartbeatOnce(opts: {
         { to, reason: "heartbeat-token", rawLength: replyPayload.text?.length },
         "heartbeat skipped",
       );
-      console.log(success("heartbeat: ok (HEARTBEAT_OK)"));
-      emitHeartbeatEvent({ status: "ok-token", to });
-      return;
-    }
+          console.log(success("heartbeat: ok (HEARTBEAT_OK)"));
+          emitHeartbeatEvent({ status: "ok-token", to });
+          return;
+        }
 
     if (hasMedia) {
       heartbeatLogger.warn(
@@ -369,8 +369,9 @@ export async function runWebHeartbeatOnce(opts: {
     );
     console.log(success(`heartbeat: alert sent to ${to}`));
   } catch (err) {
-    heartbeatLogger.warn({ to, error: String(err) }, "heartbeat failed");
-    console.log(danger(`heartbeat: failed - ${String(err)}`));
+    const reason = String(err);
+    heartbeatLogger.warn({ to, error: reason }, "heartbeat failed");
+    console.log(danger(`heartbeat: failed - ${reason}`));
     emitHeartbeatEvent({ status: "failed", to, reason: String(err) });
     throw err;
   }
@@ -1380,15 +1381,9 @@ export async function monitorWebProvider(
           reconnectAttempts,
           maxAttempts: reconnectPolicy.maxAttempts,
         },
-        "web reconnect: max attempts reached",
+        "web reconnect: max attempts reached; continuing in degraded mode",
       );
-      runtime.error(
-        danger(
-          `WhatsApp Web connection closed (status ${status}). Reached max retries (${reconnectPolicy.maxAttempts}); exiting so you can relink.`,
-        ),
-      );
-      await closeListener();
-      break;
+      reconnectAttempts = 0;
     }
 
     const delay = computeBackoff(reconnectPolicy, reconnectAttempts);