diff --git a/src/server/api/sync.ts b/src/server/api/sync.ts
index 2689503..2d99a44 100644
--- a/src/server/api/sync.ts
+++ b/src/server/api/sync.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { APPS_DIR, allApps, registerApp, removeApp, restartApp } from '$apps'
+import { APPS_DIR, allApps, registerApp, removeApp, restartApp, startApp } from '$apps'
 import { computeHash, generateManifest } from '../sync'
 import { loadGitignore } from '@gitignore'
 import { cpSync, existsSync, mkdirSync, readdirSync, readFileSync, realpathSync, renameSync, rmSync, symlinkSync, unlinkSync, watch, writeFileSync } from 'fs'
@@ -329,6 +329,9 @@ router.post('/apps/:app/activate', async c => {
       } catch (e) {
         return c.json({ error: `Failed to restart app: ${e instanceof Error ? e.message : String(e)}` }, 500)
       }
+    } else if (app.state === 'stopped' || app.state === 'invalid') {
+      // App not running (possibly due to error) - try to start it
+      startApp(appName)
     }
 
     return c.json({ ok: true })