diff --git a/src/subconscious/agents/bail-no-competing.sh b/src/subconscious/agents/bail-no-competing.sh
index 3f39057..43c3096 100755
--- a/src/subconscious/agents/bail-no-competing.sh
+++ b/src/subconscious/agents/bail-no-competing.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,13 @@ shopt -s nullglob
 my_pid_file="$1"
 
 for f in pid-*; do
-    [[ $f != $my_pid_file ]] && exit 1
+    [[ $f == $my_pid_file ]] && continue
+    pid="${f#pid-}"
+    if kill -0 "$pid" 2>/dev/null; then
+        exit 1  # competing agent is alive
+    else
+        rm -f "$f"  # stale pid file, clean up
+    fi
 done
 
 exit 0