diff --git a/changelog.d/20261013-maintenance-diagnostic-export.md b/changelog.d/20261013-maintenance-diagnostic-export.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..635b5d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/20261013-maintenance-diagnostic-export.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+area: manager
+type: fixed
+audience: admins
+title: Diagnostics record blocked startup requests and maintenance owner information
+---
+A start refused before the launcher runs is now logged with its reason. Exported diagnostics include the last recorded maintenance owner, while clearly distinguishing old metadata from a currently held operating-system lock.
diff --git a/crates/coa-core/src/diag.rs b/crates/coa-core/src/diag.rs
index a5ad4e8..c53614d 100644
--- a/crates/coa-core/src/diag.rs
+++ b/crates/coa-core/src/diag.rs
@@ -347,6 +347,15 @@ pub fn export_package(root: &Path, meta_dir: &Path, manager_log: &Path, meta: &I
         "wow_client_set": meta.client_path.is_some(),
     });
     add("summary.json", serde_json::to_string_pretty(&summary)?.as_bytes())?;
+    let owner = fs::read_to_string(meta_dir.join("update-lock-owner.json")).ok()
+        .and_then(|text| serde_json::from_str::<serde_json::Value>(&redact_json(&text)).ok());
+    let maintenance = serde_json::json!({
+        "lockFilePresent": meta_dir.join("update.lock").is_file(),
+        "lastRecordedOwner": owner,
+        "note": "The lock file and owner record may remain after completion. Their presence does not establish whether the OS lock is currently held."
+    });
+    add("maintenance.json", serde_json::to_string_pretty(&maintenance)?.as_bytes())?;
+
 
     // Logs. The newest update logs of the repack's own updater are added under their own names.
     let mut logs: Vec<(String, PathBuf)> = vec![
@@ -599,6 +608,8 @@ real error
         fs::write(root.join("Core/configs/worldserver.conf"), "LoginDatabaseInfo = \"127.0.0.1;3307;acore;SECRETPW;auth\"\nRate.XP.Kill = 1\n").unwrap();
         let meta_dir = d.path().join("srv.manager");
         fs::create_dir_all(&meta_dir).unwrap();
+        fs::write(meta_dir.join("update.lock"), b"").unwrap();
+        fs::write(meta_dir.join("update-lock-owner.json"), r#"{"operation":"checking updates","pid":1234,"started":"2026-10-13T01:00:00Z","token":"owner-secret"}"#).unwrap();
         fs::create_dir_all(meta_dir.join("diagnostics")).unwrap();
         fs::write(meta_dir.join("diagnostics/schema-validation-CoA-test.json"), r#"{"problems":[{"table":"creature_display_preset","column":"display_id","detail":"default mismatch"}],"password":"schema-secret"}"#).unwrap();
         fs::write(meta_dir.join("diagnostics/database-recovery-test.json"), r#"{"objects":[{"database":"acore_characters","kind":"TRIGGER","name":"user_character_trigger"}],"password":"recovery-secret"}"#).unwrap();
@@ -620,6 +631,10 @@ real error
         assert!(!all.contains("schema-secret"));
         assert!(all.contains("user_character_trigger") && all.contains("acore_characters"));
         assert!(!all.contains("recovery-secret"));
+        assert!(all.contains("checking updates") && all.contains("1234"));
+        assert!(all.contains("lockFilePresent") && all.contains("does not establish"));
+        assert!(!all.contains("owner-secret"));
+        assert_eq!(fs::read(meta_dir.join("update.lock")).unwrap(), b"");
         assert!(!all.contains("hunter2") && !all.contains("SECRETPW") && !all.contains("upstream-secret"));
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/coa-core/src/driver.rs b/crates/coa-core/src/driver.rs
index 954f4ef..e741f69 100644
--- a/crates/coa-core/src/driver.rs
+++ b/crates/coa-core/src/driver.rs
@@ -90,7 +90,12 @@ fn launcher(root: &Path) -> Result<(PathBuf, PathBuf)> {
 
 /// Run a launcher verb to completion (blocking; call from a worker thread).
 pub fn run(root: &Path, verb: Verb) -> Result<DriverOutcome> {
-    run_inner(root, verb, false)
+    tracing::info!(?verb, root = %root.display(), "driver: launcher requested");
+    let result = run_inner(root, verb, false);
+    if let Err(error) = &result {
+        tracing::warn!(?verb, root = %root.display(), %error, "driver: launcher request failed before completion");
+    }
+    result
 }
 
 pub(crate) fn validate_update(root: &Path) -> Result<DriverOutcome> {
@@ -287,6 +292,31 @@ pub(crate) fn startup_failure(root: &Path, started: &DriverOutcome) -> String {
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
 
+    #[test]
+    fn a_blocked_start_is_logged_before_any_launcher_is_spawned() {
+        use std::io::Write;
+        use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex};
+        struct Capture(Arc<Mutex<Vec<u8>>>);
+        impl Write for Capture {
+            fn write(&mut self, bytes: &[u8]) -> std::io::Result<usize> { self.0.lock().unwrap().extend_from_slice(bytes); Ok(bytes.len()) }
+            fn flush(&mut self) -> std::io::Result<()> { Ok(()) }
+        }
+        let temp = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let root = temp.path().join("server");
+        std::fs::create_dir(&root).unwrap();
+        let metadata = crate::registry::metadata_dir_for(&root).unwrap();
+        let _maintenance = crate::update::operation_lock(&metadata).unwrap();
+        let buffer = Arc::new(Mutex::new(Vec::new()));
+        let writer = Arc::clone(&buffer);
+        let subscriber = tracing_subscriber::fmt().without_time().with_ansi(false).with_writer(move || Capture(Arc::clone(&writer))).finish();
+        let error = tracing::subscriber::with_default(subscriber, || run(&root, Verb::StartAll)).unwrap_err();
+        assert!(error.to_string().contains("in progress"));
+        let text = String::from_utf8(buffer.lock().unwrap().clone()).unwrap();
+        assert!(text.contains("launcher requested") && text.contains("StartAll"));
+        assert!(text.contains("launcher request failed before completion") && text.contains("in progress"));
+        assert!(!text.contains("starting launcher verb"));
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn background_start_disables_cli_in_template_and_rendered_config() {
         let folder = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();