diff --git a/server/src/routes/issues.ts b/server/src/routes/issues.ts
index 8d21fe65..e4035dfc 100644
--- a/server/src/routes/issues.ts
+++ b/server/src/routes/issues.ts
@@ -575,6 +575,10 @@ export function issueRoutes(db: Db, storage: StorageService) {
     }
 
     const assigneeChanged = assigneeWillChange;
+    const statusChangedFromBacklog =
+      existing.status === "backlog" &&
+      issue.status !== "backlog" &&
+      req.body.status !== undefined;
 
     // Merge all wakeups from this update into one enqueue per agent to avoid duplicate runs.
     void (async () => {
@@ -592,6 +596,18 @@ export function issueRoutes(db: Db, storage: StorageService) {
         });
       }
 
+      if (!assigneeChanged && statusChangedFromBacklog && issue.assigneeAgentId) {
+        wakeups.set(issue.assigneeAgentId, {
+          source: "automation",
+          triggerDetail: "system",
+          reason: "issue_status_changed",
+          payload: { issueId: issue.id, mutation: "update" },
+          requestedByActorType: actor.actorType,
+          requestedByActorId: actor.actorId,
+          contextSnapshot: { issueId: issue.id, source: "issue.status_change" },
+        });
+      }
+
       if (commentBody && comment) {
         let mentionedIds: string[] = [];
         try {