diff --git a/tools/fleet/box-standing.sh b/tools/fleet/box-standing.sh
index f82945240..b62aa1787 100755
--- a/tools/fleet/box-standing.sh
+++ b/tools/fleet/box-standing.sh
@@ -57,9 +57,18 @@ while :; do
     fi
     start_node
   elif [ -n "$cur" ] && [ "$rb" != "$cur" ] && [ -s $F/standing.node ]; then echo "RESULT standing_node_update $(stamp) from=$rb to=$cur"; start_node; fi
-  if [ "$MINE" = 1 ] && ! pgrep -f '^/opt/igneum/pkg/bin/igneum-miner mine' >/dev/null && [ -z "${MINER_LOOP_PID:-}" -o ! -e "/proc/${MINER_LOOP_PID:-0}" ]; then
-    w="$($B/igneum-miner watch 1 grpc://127.0.0.1:26610 2>/dev/null | grep -o 'synced=[a-z]*' | tail -1)"
-    if [ "$w" = synced=true ]; then miner_loop & MINER_LOOP_PID=$!; echo "RESULT standing_miner_started $(stamp) loop=$MINER_LOOP_PID"; fi
+  if [ "$MINE" = 1 ]; then
+    wl="$($B/igneum-miner watch 1 grpc://127.0.0.1:26610 2>/dev/null | grep -o 'blocks=[0-9]*.*synced=[a-z]*' | tail -1)"; wb=$(grep -oE 'blocks=[0-9]+' <<< "$wl" | cut -d= -f2); ws=$(grep -oE 'synced=[a-z]+' <<< "$wl" | cut -d= -f2)
+    if [ "$ws" = true ] && [ "${wb:-0}" -gt 1000 ]; then
+      if ! pgrep -f '^/opt/igneum/pkg/bin/igneum-miner mine' >/dev/null && [ -z "${MINER_LOOP_PID:-}" -o ! -e "/proc/${MINER_LOOP_PID:-0}" ]; then miner_loop & MINER_LOOP_PID=$!; echo "RESULT standing_miner_started $(stamp) loop=$MINER_LOOP_PID"; fi
+    else
+      # a box never mines from a genesis-only or unsynced view (the block-rate runs' late-pod reorgs; 22:38Z: a miner on an IBD node)
+      if pgrep -f '^/opt/igneum/pkg/bin/igneum-miner mine' >/dev/null || [ -n "${MINER_LOOP_PID:-}" -a -e "/proc/${MINER_LOOP_PID:-0}" ]; then
+        [ -n "${MINER_LOOP_PID:-}" ] && kill -9 "$MINER_LOOP_PID" 2>/dev/null; MINER_LOOP_PID=""
+        pkill -9 -f '^/opt/igneum/pkg/bin/igneum-miner mine' 2>/dev/null; pkill -9 -f '^/opt/igneum/pkg/bin/igneum-worker-cuda --serve --device 0 --pack packs' 2>/dev/null
+        echo "RESULT standing_miner_stopped $(stamp) node unsynced ($wl): the miner waits for the tip"
+      fi
+    fi
   fi
   if [ "$PROVER" = 1 ] && [ -x /opt/igneum-floor/bin/igneum-prove-host ] && ! pgrep -f '^python3 -u /root/fleet/in/box-prover.py' >/dev/null; then
     cd $F && LABEL="$LABEL" WALLET="$WALLET" EXPORT_FROM="${EXPORT_FROM:-0}" CHAIN_NAME=$NET MINER=none RUN_HOURS=240 setsid nohup python3 -u $F/in/box-prover.py </dev/null >> $OUT/prover-launch.log 2>&1 &