diff --git a/cmd/server/main.go b/cmd/server/main.go
index a083a6d..bfd7900 100644
--- a/cmd/server/main.go
+++ b/cmd/server/main.go
@@ -175,8 +175,11 @@ func run() error {
 				}
 			case <-offlineTick.C:
 				cutoff := time.Now().Add(-90 * time.Second)
-				if n, err := st.MarkHostsOfflineStale(ctx, cutoff); err == nil && n > 0 {
-					slog.Info("marked hosts offline (stale heartbeat)", "n", n)
+				if ids, err := st.MarkHostsOfflineStaleReturnIDs(ctx, cutoff); err == nil && len(ids) > 0 {
+					slog.Info("marked hosts offline (stale heartbeat)", "n", len(ids))
+					// TODO(G1): notify engine once deps.AlertEngine is wired.
+					// for _, id := range ids { alertEngine.NotifyHostOffline(id) }
+					_ = ids
 				}
 			case <-pendingDrainTick.C:
 				srv.DrainAllDue(ctx)
diff --git a/internal/server/http/server.go b/internal/server/http/server.go
index 3a20733..fe51489 100644
--- a/internal/server/http/server.go
+++ b/internal/server/http/server.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/go-chi/chi/v5"
 	"github.com/go-chi/chi/v5/middleware"
 
+	"gitea.dcglab.co.uk/steve/restic-manager/internal/alert"
 	"gitea.dcglab.co.uk/steve/restic-manager/internal/crypto"
 	"gitea.dcglab.co.uk/steve/restic-manager/internal/server/config"
 	"gitea.dcglab.co.uk/steve/restic-manager/internal/server/ui"
@@ -29,6 +30,10 @@ type Deps struct {
 	Hub    *ws.Hub
 	JobHub *ws.JobHub
 	UI     *ui.Renderer
+	// AlertEngine (optional, wired in G1) receives job-finished and
+	// host-online events from the WS handler. Nil until G1 constructs
+	// the engine at boot.
+	AlertEngine *alert.Engine
 	// Version is the binary's build version, surfaced in the chrome.
 	// Empty falls back to "dev".
 	Version string
@@ -225,6 +230,7 @@ func (s *Server) routes(r chi.Router) {
 			Hub:            s.deps.Hub,
 			Store:          s.deps.Store,
 			JobHub:         s.deps.JobHub,
+			AlertEngine:    s.deps.AlertEngine,
 			OnHello:        s.onAgentHello,
 			OnScheduleAck:  s.applyScheduleAck,
 			OnScheduleFire: s.dispatchScheduledJob,
diff --git a/internal/server/ws/handler.go b/internal/server/ws/handler.go
index b488095..4ef61ee 100644
--- a/internal/server/ws/handler.go
+++ b/internal/server/ws/handler.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/coder/websocket"
 
+	"gitea.dcglab.co.uk/steve/restic-manager/internal/alert"
 	"gitea.dcglab.co.uk/steve/restic-manager/internal/api"
 	"gitea.dcglab.co.uk/steve/restic-manager/internal/auth"
 	"gitea.dcglab.co.uk/steve/restic-manager/internal/store"
@@ -22,6 +23,9 @@ type HandlerDeps struct {
 	Hub    *Hub
 	Store  *store.Store
 	JobHub *JobHub
+	// AlertEngine receives job-finished and host-online events so the
+	// alert engine can evaluate its rules. Optional; nil = no-op.
+	AlertEngine *alert.Engine
 	// OnHello is called once per successful hello, after the host row
 	// has been touched and the conn registered. Used by the HTTP
 	// layer to push host_credentials down as a config.update before
@@ -140,6 +144,9 @@ func runAgentLoop(ctx context.Context, c *Conn, hostID string, deps HandlerDeps)
 		helloPayload.ProtocolVersion, now); err != nil {
 		slog.Error("ws mark host hello failed", "host_id", hostID, "err", err)
 	}
+	if deps.AlertEngine != nil {
+		deps.AlertEngine.NotifyHostOnline(hostID)
+	}
 
 	deps.Hub.Register(hostID, c)
 	defer deps.Hub.Unregister(hostID, c)
@@ -210,6 +217,17 @@ func dispatchAgentMessage(ctx context.Context, c *Conn, hostID string, env api.E
 		if deps.JobHub != nil {
 			deps.JobHub.Broadcast(p.JobID, env)
 		}
+		if deps.AlertEngine != nil {
+			if job, err := deps.Store.GetJob(ctx, p.JobID); err == nil && job != nil {
+				deps.AlertEngine.NotifyJobFinished(alert.JobFinishedEvent{
+					HostID: hostID,
+					JobID:  p.JobID,
+					Kind:   job.Kind,
+					Status: string(p.Status),
+					When:   p.FinishedAt,
+				})
+			}
+		}
 
 	case api.MsgLogStream:
 		var p api.LogStreamLine
diff --git a/internal/store/hosts.go b/internal/store/hosts.go
index 96f85aa..ffb1295 100644
--- a/internal/store/hosts.go
+++ b/internal/store/hosts.go
@@ -110,6 +110,55 @@ func (s *Store) MarkHostsOfflineStale(ctx context.Context, cutoff time.Time) (in
 	return n, nil
 }
 
+// MarkHostsOfflineStaleReturnIDs flips any host that hasn't been seen
+// since before `cutoff` from 'online' to 'offline' and returns the IDs
+// of every host that was flipped. Uses a single transaction.
+func (s *Store) MarkHostsOfflineStaleReturnIDs(ctx context.Context, cutoff time.Time) ([]string, error) {
+	tx, err := s.db.BeginTx(ctx, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("store: begin tx: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer func() { _ = tx.Rollback() }()
+
+	cutoffStr := cutoff.UTC().Format(time.RFC3339Nano)
+	rows, err := tx.QueryContext(ctx,
+		`SELECT id FROM hosts
+		 WHERE status = 'online'
+		   AND (last_seen_at IS NULL OR last_seen_at < ?)`,
+		cutoffStr)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("store: select stale hosts: %w", err)
+	}
+	var ids []string
+	for rows.Next() {
+		var id string
+		if err := rows.Scan(&id); err != nil {
+			_ = rows.Close()
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("store: scan stale host id: %w", err)
+		}
+		ids = append(ids, id)
+	}
+	if err := rows.Err(); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("store: iterate stale hosts: %w", err)
+	}
+	_ = rows.Close()
+
+	if len(ids) > 0 {
+		if _, err := tx.ExecContext(ctx,
+			`UPDATE hosts SET status = 'offline'
+			 WHERE status = 'online'
+			   AND (last_seen_at IS NULL OR last_seen_at < ?)`,
+			cutoffStr); err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("store: mark offline: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if err := tx.Commit(); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("store: commit: %w", err)
+	}
+	return ids, nil
+}
+
 // ListHosts returns every host. Phase 1 callers fit a small fleet in
 // memory; pagination lands when it matters.
 func (s *Store) ListHosts(ctx context.Context) ([]Host, error) {