diff --git a/crates/worker-runtime/src/runtime.rs b/crates/worker-runtime/src/runtime.rs
index 50e0acbb..ea3f28b4 100644
--- a/crates/worker-runtime/src/runtime.rs
+++ b/crates/worker-runtime/src/runtime.rs
@@ -1800,16 +1800,6 @@ impl Runtime {
         state.ensure_running()?;
         state.ensure_worker_ref(worker_ref)?;
 
-        {
-            let worker = state.worker(worker_ref)?;
-            if !worker.status.is_active() {
-                return Ok(WorkerLifecycleAck {
-                    worker_ref: worker_ref.clone(),
-                    status: worker.status,
-                });
-            }
-        }
-
         let worker = state.worker_mut(worker_ref)?;
         worker.status = status;
         worker.restore_intent = restore_intent_for_status(status);
diff --git a/crates/worker-runtime/src/worker_backend.rs b/crates/worker-runtime/src/worker_backend.rs
index e9141379..ef3da9bb 100644
--- a/crates/worker-runtime/src/worker_backend.rs
+++ b/crates/worker-runtime/src/worker_backend.rs
@@ -3665,6 +3665,60 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(call_count.load(Ordering::SeqCst), 3);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn stopped_runtime_worker_can_restore_and_accept_input() {
+        let client = MockClient::new(simple_text_events());
+        let runtime_base = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let cwd = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let store = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let factory = MockFactory {
+            client,
+            runtime_base: runtime_base.path().to_path_buf(),
+            cwd: cwd.path().to_path_buf(),
+            store_dir: store.path().join("sessions"),
+            worker_metadata_dir: store.path().join("workers"),
+            observed_cwds: Arc::new(Mutex::new(Vec::new())),
+            observed_workspace_clients: Arc::new(Mutex::new(Vec::new())),
+        };
+        let backend = Arc::new(WorkerRuntimeExecutionBackend::new(factory).unwrap());
+        let runtime =
+            EmbeddedRuntime::with_execution_backend(RuntimeOptions::default(), backend.clone())
+                .unwrap();
+        runtime.store_config_bundle(test_bundle()).unwrap();
+        let detail = runtime
+            .create_worker(create_request("restore-after-stop"))
+            .unwrap();
+
+        runtime.stop_worker(&detail.worker_ref, None).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            runtime.worker_detail(&detail.worker_ref).unwrap().status,
+            crate::catalog::WorkerStatus::Stopped
+        );
+        assert!(
+            !backend
+                .workers
+                .lock()
+                .unwrap()
+                .contains_key(&detail.worker_ref)
+        );
+
+        runtime.restore_worker(&detail.worker_ref).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            runtime.worker_detail(&detail.worker_ref).unwrap().status,
+            crate::catalog::WorkerStatus::Idle
+        );
+        assert!(
+            backend
+                .workers
+                .lock()
+                .unwrap()
+                .contains_key(&detail.worker_ref)
+        );
+        runtime
+            .send_input(&detail.worker_ref, WorkerInput::user("continue"))
+            .unwrap();
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn stopping_and_deleting_worker_preserves_bound_working_directory() {
         let client = MockClient::new(simple_text_events());