diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 91bed19..633158a 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -63,8 +63,8 @@ make api                      # uvicorn on 127.0.0.1:8000 (docs at /docs)
 make dashboard                # Observable preview on :3000
 make check                    # curl /state/health
 
-# Shortcut: db + migrate + api
-make start
+# Shortcut: db + migrate + api (restarts if already running)
+make backend
 ```
 
 The MCP server is registered in `.mcp.json` at the repo root. After `make install` creates `.venv`, restart Claude Code for `/mcp` to show `state-hub`.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7a79d95..c966b90 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ Health check: `make check`
 ### Shortcut
 
 ```bash
-make start    # db + migrate + api (all in one)
+make backend  # db + migrate + api (restarts if already running)
 ```
 
 ### Dashboard
diff --git a/SCOPE.md b/SCOPE.md
index d810551..6e1ff77 100644
--- a/SCOPE.md
+++ b/SCOPE.md
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ The Custodian is both an **operational system** (State Hub: PostgreSQL + FastAPI
 
 - Start with: `CLAUDE.md` (session protocol) + `README.md` (architecture overview)
 - Key files / directories: `state-hub/` (live API + MCP), `canon/` (governance), `workplans/` (active work), `state-hub/mcp_server/TOOLS.md` (tool reference)
-- Entry points: `cd state-hub && make start` (API); Claude Code with state-hub MCP registered
+- Entry points: `cd state-hub && make backend` (API); Claude Code with state-hub MCP registered
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/state-hub/Makefile b/state-hub/Makefile
index da878eb..d621d7c 100644
--- a/state-hub/Makefile
+++ b/state-hub/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-.PHONY: install install-cli db db-tools migrate seed api dashboard check test start clean register-project validate-adr add-domain rename-domain add-repo list-repos register-path cleanup-stale tunnel tunnel-daemon tunnel-loop tunnel-status tunnel-stop install-hooks install-hooks-all gitea-inventory
+.PHONY: install install-cli db db-tools migrate seed api dashboard check test backend clean register-project validate-adr add-domain rename-domain add-repo list-repos register-path cleanup-stale tunnel tunnel-daemon tunnel-loop tunnel-status tunnel-stop install-hooks install-hooks-all gitea-inventory
 
 COMPOSE = docker compose -f infra/docker-compose.yml --env-file .env
 
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ mcp-http:
 	MCP_TRANSPORT=sse MCP_PORT=8001 uv run python mcp_server/server.py
 
 dashboard:
+	@pkill -f "observable preview" 2>/dev/null && echo "Stopped running dashboard" || true
 	cd dashboard && npm run dev
 
 check:
@@ -105,9 +106,16 @@ tunnel-stop:
 	@pkill -f "autossh.*$(TUNNEL_PORT)" 2>/dev/null && echo "autossh stopped" || true
 	@pkill -f "ssh.*-R $(TUNNEL_PORT)" 2>/dev/null && echo "ssh loop stopped" || true
 
-start: db
-	sleep 3
+## Shortcut: start (or restart) the full backend — db + migrate + api.
+## If the API is already running it is stopped first; postgres wait is skipped if already up.
+backend: db
+	@echo "Waiting for postgres..."; \
+	for i in 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10; do \
+	  nc -z 127.0.0.1 5432 2>/dev/null && break; \
+	  sleep 1; \
+	done
 	$(MAKE) migrate
+	@pkill -f "uvicorn api.main:app" 2>/dev/null && echo "Stopped running API" || true
 	$(MAKE) api
 
 ## Register a project: make register-project DOMAIN=railiance PROJECT_PATH=/home/worsch/railiance
diff --git a/state-hub/README.md b/state-hub/README.md
index 1e225de..f7a0338 100644
--- a/state-hub/README.md
+++ b/state-hub/README.md
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ make api                      # uvicorn :8000 --reload
 ### Shortcut
 
 ```bash
-make start    # db + sleep + migrate + api
+make backend  # db + migrate + api (restarts if already running)
 ```
 
 ### Dashboard
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ custodian register-project    # register cwd as a Custodian project
 | `make api` | `uvicorn api.main:app --reload` |
 | `make dashboard` | Observable dev server |
 | `make check` | `curl /state/health` |
-| `make start` | `db` + wait + `migrate` + `api` |
+| `make backend` | `db` + wait + `migrate` + `api` (restarts if running) |
 | `make register-project DOMAIN=x PROJECT_PATH=y` | Register a project |
 | `make clean` | `docker compose down -v` (destroys DB volume) |
 
diff --git a/state-hub/dashboard/src/docs/live-data.md b/state-hub/dashboard/src/docs/live-data.md
index 53edf69..c1eb54c 100644
--- a/state-hub/dashboard/src/docs/live-data.md
+++ b/state-hub/dashboard/src/docs/live-data.md
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ To restart the API:
 cd ~/the-custodian/state-hub
 make api          # starts uvicorn on 127.0.0.1:8000
 # or, if postgres is not running:
-make start        # db + migrate + api
+make backend      # db + migrate + api (restarts if already running)
 ```
 
 ---