diff --git a/apps/cli/commands/site/start.ts b/apps/cli/commands/site/start.ts
index 7844dd95fb..c4e282d5b7 100644
--- a/apps/cli/commands/site/start.ts
+++ b/apps/cli/commands/site/start.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { __, sprintf } from '@wordpress/i18n';
 import { getSiteByFolder, updateSiteLatestCliPid } from 'cli/lib/cli-config/sites';
 import { connectToDaemon, disconnectFromDaemon } from 'cli/lib/daemon-client';
 import { getAiInstructionsPath } from 'cli/lib/dependency-management/paths';
+import { getSiteDetails } from 'cli/lib/site-details';
 import { withSiteOperation } from 'cli/lib/site-operations';
 import { logSiteDetails, openSiteInBrowser, setupCustomDomain } from 'cli/lib/site-utils';
 import { keepSqliteIntegrationUpdated } from 'cli/lib/sqlite-integration';
@@ -126,6 +127,11 @@ async function startSite(
 export async function commandHandler( argv: CommandArgs< typeof builder > ) {
 	try {
 		await runCommand( argv.path, argv.skipBrowser, argv.skipLogDetails );
+		// Read after the operation is released, so Studio can show the site as it now is.
+		defaultLogger.reportResult( {
+			...getSiteDetails( await getSiteByFolder( argv.path ) ),
+			running: true,
+		} );
 	} catch ( error ) {
 		if ( error instanceof LoggerError ) {
 			defaultLogger.reportError( error );
diff --git a/apps/cli/commands/site/stop.ts b/apps/cli/commands/site/stop.ts
index 5b6d31b674..e6570d344b 100644
--- a/apps/cli/commands/site/stop.ts
+++ b/apps/cli/commands/site/stop.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import {
 	disconnectFromDaemon,
 	killDaemonAndChildren,
 } from 'cli/lib/daemon-client';
+import { getSiteDetails } from 'cli/lib/site-details';
 import { withSiteOperation } from 'cli/lib/site-operations';
 import { stopProxyIfNoSitesNeedIt } from 'cli/lib/site-utils';
 import { getTracksOrigin, recordTracksEvent, TRACKS_EVENTS } from 'cli/lib/tracks';
@@ -158,6 +159,11 @@ export async function commandHandler( argv: CommandArgs< typeof builder > ) {
 			await runCommand( Mode.STOP_ALL_SITES, undefined );
 		} else {
 			await runCommand( Mode.STOP_SINGLE_SITE, argv.path );
+			// Read after the operation is released, so Studio can show the site as it now is.
+			defaultLogger.reportResult( {
+				...getSiteDetails( await getSiteByFolder( argv.path ) ),
+				running: false,
+			} );
 		}
 	} catch ( error ) {
 		if ( error instanceof LoggerError ) {
diff --git a/apps/local/src/index.ts b/apps/local/src/index.ts
index 671bef487d..032c940cf2 100644
--- a/apps/local/src/index.ts
+++ b/apps/local/src/index.ts
@@ -830,8 +830,7 @@ export async function startLocalServer( options: LocalServerOptions ): Promise<
 				res.status( 404 ).json( { error: `Site ${ req.params.id } not found` } );
 				return;
 			}
-			await startSite( execute, site.path );
-			res.sendStatus( 204 );
+			res.json( await startSite( execute, site.path ) );
 		} )
 	);
 
@@ -844,8 +843,7 @@ export async function startLocalServer( options: LocalServerOptions ): Promise<
 				res.status( 404 ).json( { error: `Site ${ req.params.id } not found` } );
 				return;
 			}
-			await stopSite( execute, site.path );
-			res.sendStatus( 204 );
+			res.json( await stopSite( execute, site.path ) );
 		} )
 	);
 
diff --git a/apps/studio/src/ipc-handlers.ts b/apps/studio/src/ipc-handlers.ts
index 43ec934fa8..b547e52cec 100644
--- a/apps/studio/src/ipc-handlers.ts
+++ b/apps/studio/src/ipc-handlers.ts
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ import {
 	downloadAndExtractBlueprintBundle,
 	removeBlueprintTempDir,
 } from '@studio/common/lib/blueprint-bundle';
-import { SITE_EVENTS } from '@studio/common/lib/cli-events';
+import { SITE_EVENTS, type SiteListItem } from '@studio/common/lib/cli-events';
 import { CliCommandError } from '@studio/common/lib/cli-process';
 import { stripIpcErrorPrefix } from '@studio/common/lib/error-formatting';
 import {
@@ -615,7 +615,11 @@ export async function updateSite(
 	}
 }
 
-export async function startServer( event: IpcMainInvokeEvent, id: string ): Promise< void > {
+// Resolves with the started site, or nothing when an error page is served instead.
+export async function startServer(
+	event: IpcMainInvokeEvent,
+	id: string
+): Promise< SiteListItem | undefined > {
 	// Starting only needs the path, which `cli.json` has; the CLI's full details wait for a failure.
 	const site = await readSite( id );
 	if ( ! site ) {
@@ -629,7 +633,9 @@ export async function startServer( event: IpcMainInvokeEvent, id: string ): Prom
 	const start = () => startSite( executeCliCommand, site.path );
 	try {
 		console.log( `Starting server for '${ site.name }'` );
-		await start();
+		const started = await start();
+		console.log( `Server started for '${ site.name }'` );
+		return started;
 	} catch ( error ) {
 		// Too many running sites or a WordPress update in progress: expected, not a bug — skip Sentry
 		if ( error instanceof SiteStartRefusedError ) {
@@ -701,11 +707,12 @@ export async function startServer( event: IpcMainInvokeEvent, id: string ): Prom
 
 		throw error;
 	}
-
-	console.log( `Server started for '${ site.name }'` );
 }
 
-export async function stopServer( event: IpcMainInvokeEvent, id: string ): Promise< void > {
+export async function stopServer(
+	event: IpcMainInvokeEvent,
+	id: string
+): Promise< SiteListItem | undefined > {
 	const sitePath = await readSitePath( id );
 	if ( ! sitePath ) {
 		return;
@@ -714,7 +721,7 @@ export async function stopServer( event: IpcMainInvokeEvent, id: string ): Promi
 	await stopErrorRecovery( id );
 	console.log( 'Stopping server with ID', id );
 	try {
-		await stopSite( executeCliCommand, sitePath );
+		return await stopSite( executeCliCommand, sitePath );
 	} catch ( error ) {
 		console.error( error );
 	}
diff --git a/apps/studio/src/lib/php-error-recovery.ts b/apps/studio/src/lib/php-error-recovery.ts
index c92dd48dee..51542added 100644
--- a/apps/studio/src/lib/php-error-recovery.ts
+++ b/apps/studio/src/lib/php-error-recovery.ts
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ export async function startErrorRecovery(
 	site: { id: string; port: number; path: string },
 	errorMessage: string,
 	readPm2Logs: ( siteId: string ) => { stdout?: string[]; stderr?: string[] },
-	startSite: () => Promise< void >
+	startSite: () => Promise< unknown >
 ): Promise< void > {
 	const { id, port, path } = site;
 
diff --git a/apps/ui/src/data/core/connectors/ipc/index.ts b/apps/ui/src/data/core/connectors/ipc/index.ts
index 5a17d9b05e..34abb41783 100644
--- a/apps/ui/src/data/core/connectors/ipc/index.ts
+++ b/apps/ui/src/data/core/connectors/ipc/index.ts
@@ -308,11 +308,11 @@ export function createIpcConnector(): Connector {
 		},
 
 		async startSite( id ) {
-			await unwrapIpcError( ipcApi.startServer( id ) );
+			return unwrapIpcError( ipcApi.startServer( id ) );
 		},
 
 		async stopSite( id ) {
-			await ipcApi.stopServer( id );
+			return ipcApi.stopServer( id );
 		},
 
 		async updateSite( site, wpVersion ) {
diff --git a/apps/ui/src/data/core/connectors/local/index.ts b/apps/ui/src/data/core/connectors/local/index.ts
index 91748c079b..a4efe7b8a9 100644
--- a/apps/ui/src/data/core/connectors/local/index.ts
+++ b/apps/ui/src/data/core/connectors/local/index.ts
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ import type {
 } from '../../types';
 import type { AgentRunEvent } from '@studio/agent/protocol/agent-events';
 import type { AiSettings } from '@studio/agent/protocol/providers';
-import type { SiteEvent, SnapshotEvent } from '@studio/common/lib/cli-events';
+import type { SiteEvent, SiteListItem, SnapshotEvent } from '@studio/common/lib/cli-events';
 import type { SyncEvent } from '@studio/common/lib/sync/activity';
 import type { RawDirectoryEntry } from '@studio/common/types/sync-tree';
 
@@ -334,10 +334,12 @@ export function createLocalConnector( { apiBaseUrl }: LocalConnectorOptions ): C
 			return lastSites;
 		},
 		async startSite( id ) {
-			await api( `/sites/${ encodeURIComponent( id ) }/start`, { method: 'POST' } );
+			return api< SiteListItem >( `/sites/${ encodeURIComponent( id ) }/start`, {
+				method: 'POST',
+			} );
 		},
 		async stopSite( id ) {
-			await api( `/sites/${ encodeURIComponent( id ) }/stop`, { method: 'POST' } );
+			return api< SiteListItem >( `/sites/${ encodeURIComponent( id ) }/stop`, { method: 'POST' } );
 		},
 		async getSiteThumbnail( siteId ) {
 			const { thumbnail } = await api< { thumbnail: string | null } >(
diff --git a/apps/ui/src/data/core/types.ts b/apps/ui/src/data/core/types.ts
index 31d6589164..74169b7282 100644
--- a/apps/ui/src/data/core/types.ts
+++ b/apps/ui/src/data/core/types.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import type {
 } from '@studio/agent/protocol/sessions/types';
 import type { StudioVisualAnnotationSummary } from '@studio/agent/protocol/visual-annotations';
 import type { SiteAgentFile, SiteAgentFileKind } from '@studio/common/lib/agent-skills';
-import type { SiteEvent, SnapshotEvent } from '@studio/common/lib/cli-events';
+import type { SiteEvent, SiteListItem, SnapshotEvent } from '@studio/common/lib/cli-events';
 import type { SupportedLocale } from '@studio/common/lib/locale';
 import type {
 	TracksAuthSource,
@@ -183,8 +183,10 @@ export interface Connector {
 	// registers it as a new site). The connector picks a numbered name and a new
 	// site id internally so callers stay simple.
 	copySite( sourceSiteId: string ): Promise< SiteDetails >;
-	startSite( id: string ): Promise< void >;
-	stopSite( id: string ): Promise< void >;
+	// Resolve with the site as it is once the command finishes, or nothing when
+	// the caller has to read the list for it.
+	startSite( id: string ): Promise< SiteListItem | void >;
+	stopSite( id: string ): Promise< SiteListItem | void >;
 	// Persists edits from the site-settings screen via the CLI-backed main
 	// process handler. `wpVersion` is only forwarded when the user explicitly
 	// picked a pinned version — undefined means "keep auto-updating".
diff --git a/apps/ui/src/data/queries/use-sites.test.tsx b/apps/ui/src/data/queries/use-sites.test.tsx
index d2309846a9..ad2659c617 100644
--- a/apps/ui/src/data/queries/use-sites.test.tsx
+++ b/apps/ui/src/data/queries/use-sites.test.tsx
@@ -200,28 +200,22 @@ describe( 'useSyncSitesWithEvents', () => {
 		[ 'start', true ],
 		[ 'stop', false ],
 	] as const )(
-		'shows a %s from its events without refetching the list',
+		'shows the site a %s reports, before its release event, without refetching the list',
 		async ( action, running ) => {
 			// What the CLI reports, and the sort order only Studio keeps.
 			const details = { ...makeSite(), url: 'http://localhost:9010' };
 			const site = { ...details, running: ! running, sortOrder: 1000 };
 			const connector = createFakeConnector( { sites: [ site ] } );
 			connector[ action === 'start' ? 'startSite' : 'stopSite' ].mockImplementation( async () => {
-				const siteId = site.id;
-				const held = { ...details, operation: { pid: 1, kind: action } };
+				// The event while the operation still holds the site. Its release
+				// event can land after the command finishes.
 				connector.emit( 'onSiteEvent', {
 					event: SITE_EVENTS.UPDATED,
-					siteId,
-					site: held,
+					siteId: site.id,
+					site: { ...details, operation: { pid: 1, kind: action } },
 					running,
 				} );
-				// An operation's release doesn't know whether the site runs.
-				connector.emit( 'onSiteEvent', {
-					event: SITE_EVENTS.OPERATIONS_CHANGED,
-					siteId,
-					site: details,
-					running: ! running,
-				} );
+				return { ...details, running };
 			} );
 			const { result } = renderHook(
 				() => {
diff --git a/apps/ui/src/data/queries/use-sites.ts b/apps/ui/src/data/queries/use-sites.ts
index 3a08eede7b..e576566b09 100644
--- a/apps/ui/src/data/queries/use-sites.ts
+++ b/apps/ui/src/data/queries/use-sites.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { SESSIONS_QUERY_KEY } from '@/data/queries/use-sessions';
 import { WP_VERSION_QUERY_KEY } from '@/data/queries/use-wordpress-versions';
 import { useOpenSite } from '@/data/use-open-site';
 import type { Connector, CreateSiteParams, SiteDetails } from '@/data/core';
-import type { SiteEvent } from '@studio/common/lib/cli-events';
+import type { SiteEvent, SiteListItem } from '@studio/common/lib/cli-events';
 import type { SiteOperationKind } from '@studio/common/lib/site-operation';
 import type { SiteMetadata } from '@studio/common/sites/metadata';
 import type { QueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query';
@@ -157,10 +157,7 @@ export function useStartSite() {
 			if ( isSiteMutating( queryClient, STOP_SITE_MUTATION_KEY, id ) ) {
 				return false;
 			}
-			await connector.startSite( id );
-			if ( ! listShowsSite( queryClient, id, true ) ) {
-				await queryClient.invalidateQueries( { queryKey: SITES_QUERY_KEY } );
-			}
+			await showSite( queryClient, await connector.startSite( id ) );
 			return true;
 		},
 		onError: ( error, id ) => {
@@ -181,10 +178,7 @@ export function useStopSite() {
 	return useMutation( {
 		mutationKey: STOP_SITE_MUTATION_KEY,
 		mutationFn: async ( id: string ) => {
-			await connector.stopSite( id );
-			if ( ! listShowsSite( queryClient, id, false ) ) {
-				await queryClient.invalidateQueries( { queryKey: SITES_QUERY_KEY } );
-			}
+			await showSite( queryClient, await connector.stopSite( id ) );
 		},
 		onError: ( _error, id ) => {
 			const { title, description } = getBusyNotice( queryClient, id, __( 'Failed to stop site' ) );
@@ -395,12 +389,19 @@ function applySiteEvent( queryClient: QueryClient, event: SiteEvent ): boolean {
 	return true;
 }
 
-/** Whether the cached list already shows the site in this state, with no operation holding it. */
-function listShowsSite( queryClient: QueryClient, id: string, running: boolean ): boolean {
-	const site = queryClient
-		.getQueryData< SiteDetails[] >( SITES_QUERY_KEY )
-		?.find( ( item ) => item.id === id );
-	return site?.running === running && ! site.operation;
+/** Shows the site a start or stop reported, or reads the list when there's none to show. */
+async function showSite( queryClient: QueryClient, site: SiteListItem | void ): Promise< void > {
+	const applied =
+		site &&
+		applySiteEvent( queryClient, {
+			event: SITE_EVENTS.UPDATED,
+			siteId: site.id,
+			running: site.running,
+			site,
+		} );
+	if ( ! applied ) {
+		await queryClient.invalidateQueries( { queryKey: SITES_QUERY_KEY } );
+	}
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/packages/common/sites/lifecycle.ts b/packages/common/sites/lifecycle.ts
index ab6ba42f84..3992c6f73e 100644
--- a/packages/common/sites/lifecycle.ts
+++ b/packages/common/sites/lifecycle.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
 import { __ } from '@wordpress/i18n';
+import { siteListItemSchema, type SiteListItem } from '@studio/common/lib/cli-events';
+import {
+	CliCommandError,
+	runCliCommand,
+	type ExecuteCliCommand,
+} from '@studio/common/lib/cli-process';
 import { getProxyPortConflictMessage } from '@studio/common/lib/domains';
 import { checkMaintenanceFile } from '@studio/common/lib/maintenance-file';
-import type { ExecuteCliCommand } from '@studio/common/lib/cli-process';
 
 // Start / stop / delete a local site via the Studio CLI's one-shot `site`
 // commands, for the desktop main process and the `studio ui` server alike.
@@ -22,11 +27,31 @@ function runSiteCommand(
 	} );
 }
 
+// Start and stop report the site as it is once they finish, so the caller can
+// show it without waiting for the matching site event.
+async function runSiteStateCommand(
+	execute: ExecuteCliCommand,
+	args: string[],
+	baseMessage: string
+): Promise< SiteListItem > {
+	try {
+		return await runCliCommand( execute, args, siteListItemSchema );
+	} catch ( error ) {
+		if ( error instanceof CliCommandError ) {
+			error.baseMessage = baseMessage;
+		}
+		throw error;
+	}
+}
+
 /** The site can't start for an expected reason that its message explains to the user. */
 export class SiteStartRefusedError extends Error {}
 
 /** Start a local site's server via the Studio CLI. Resolves when it's already running. */
-export async function startSite( execute: ExecuteCliCommand, sitePath: string ): Promise< void > {
+export async function startSite(
+	execute: ExecuteCliCommand,
+	sitePath: string
+): Promise< SiteListItem > {
 	const maintenance = checkMaintenanceFile( sitePath );
 	if ( maintenance.exists && ! maintenance.isStale ) {
 		throw new SiteStartRefusedError(
@@ -36,7 +61,7 @@ export async function startSite( execute: ExecuteCliCommand, sitePath: string ):
 		);
 	}
 	try {
-		await runSiteCommand(
+		return await runSiteStateCommand(
 			execute,
 			[ 'site', 'start', '--path', sitePath, '--skip-browser', '--skip-log-details' ],
 			'Failed to start site'
@@ -59,8 +84,12 @@ export async function startSite( execute: ExecuteCliCommand, sitePath: string ):
 }
 
 /** Stop a local site's server via the Studio CLI. */
-export function stopSite( execute: ExecuteCliCommand, sitePath: string ): Promise< void > {
-	return runSiteCommand( execute, [ 'site', 'stop', '--path', sitePath ], 'Failed to stop site' );
+export function stopSite( execute: ExecuteCliCommand, sitePath: string ): Promise< SiteListItem > {
+	return runSiteStateCommand(
+		execute,
+		[ 'site', 'stop', '--path', sitePath ],
+		'Failed to stop site'
+	);
 }
 
 /** Remove a site from Studio via the Studio CLI, trashing its files unless `deleteFiles` is false. */