diff --git a/archivebox/opencode/views.py b/archivebox/opencode/views.py
index c689abee..286a54e9 100644
--- a/archivebox/opencode/views.py
+++ b/archivebox/opencode/views.py
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ _PROCESS: subprocess.Popen | None = None
 _PROCESS_LOCK = threading.Lock()
 _SESSION_LOCK = threading.Lock()
 _LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+_PROCESS_HEALTH_GRACE = 5
 _PROXY_PREFIX = "/admin/agent/opencode"
 _PROXY_PREFIX_REGEX = _PROXY_PREFIX.replace("/", r"\/")
 _PROXY_PREFIX_NO_SLASH_REGEX = _PROXY_PREFIX.lstrip("/").replace("/", r"\/")
@@ -401,6 +402,11 @@ def _ensure_opencode(settings: dict) -> tuple[bool, str]:
         if _health(settings):
             return True, ""
         if _PROCESS is not None and _PROCESS.poll() is None:
+            deadline = time.monotonic() + min(_PROCESS_HEALTH_GRACE, settings["timeout"])
+            while time.monotonic() < deadline and _PROCESS.poll() is None:
+                if _health(settings):
+                    return True, ""
+                time.sleep(0.25)
             _stop_owned_process(_PROCESS)
 
         try:
diff --git a/archivebox/tests/test_opencode_agent.py b/archivebox/tests/test_opencode_agent.py
index 4bd89e2f..c369f100 100644
--- a/archivebox/tests/test_opencode_agent.py
+++ b/archivebox/tests/test_opencode_agent.py
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 import asyncio
 import os
+import signal
 import socket
 import subprocess
+import time
 from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor
 from pathlib import Path
 from types import SimpleNamespace
@@ -301,6 +303,30 @@ def test_opencode_restarts_an_unhealthy_owned_process(live_opencode):
     assert views._health(settings)
 
 
+def test_opencode_preserves_a_transiently_unhealthy_owned_process(live_opencode):
+    from archivebox.opencode import views
+
+    process = views._PROCESS
+    assert process is not None
+    views._signal_owned_process(process, signal.SIGSTOP)
+
+    def resume_process():
+        time.sleep(2.5)
+        views._signal_owned_process(process, signal.SIGCONT)
+
+    try:
+        with ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=1) as executor:
+            resumed = executor.submit(resume_process)
+            ok, error = views._ensure_opencode(live_opencode.settings)
+            resumed.result()
+    finally:
+        views._signal_owned_process(process, signal.SIGCONT)
+
+    assert ok, error
+    assert views._PROCESS is process
+    assert process.poll() is None
+
+
 def test_opencode_proxy_sse_response_is_unbuffered(admin_client, live_opencode):
     response = admin_client.get(
         "/admin/agent/opencode/global/event",