diff --git a/heart/dashboard.py b/heart/dashboard.py
index de3f2e9..ebe220b 100644
--- a/heart/dashboard.py
+++ b/heart/dashboard.py
@@ -2397,7 +2397,13 @@ def _render_html(board: Board) -> str:
         refreshed_at=board.refreshed_at,
         refresh_url=(f"https://github.com/{gh_owner}/{repo_name}/actions/workflows/heart-health.yml"
                      if gh_owner else None))
-    return f"""<!doctype html>
+    observed_states = {section.state for section in board.sections}
+    observed_status = ("red" if FAIL in observed_states else
+                       "yellow" if WARN in observed_states else
+                       "stale" if board.stale else
+                       "unknown" if UNOBS in observed_states or not observed_states else
+                       "green" if OK in observed_states else "unknown")
+    return t_.section_layout(f"""<!doctype html>
 <html lang="en"><head><meta charset="utf-8">
 <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
 <title>PyAutoHeart Dashboard — {word}</title>
@@ -2428,7 +2434,8 @@ def _render_html(board: Board) -> str:
 {_boards_nav_html()}
 <script>{t_.JS}</script><script>{_COPY_JS}</script>
 </body></html>
-"""
+""", {"observed-checks": {"status": observed_status,
+       "label": "Observed: " + observed_status, "count": len(board.sections)}})
 
 
 def to_dict(board: Board) -> dict[str, Any]:
diff --git a/tests/test_dashboard_disclosures.py b/tests/test_dashboard_disclosures.py
index 1143311..e58a364 100644
--- a/tests/test_dashboard_disclosures.py
+++ b/tests/test_dashboard_disclosures.py
@@ -173,3 +173,26 @@ def test_repair_rows_copy_exact_prompts_without_toggling_prompt_disclosures():
             assert next(details.find('pre')).text() == plan['prompt']
             assert button.text() == '' and list(button.find('svg'))
         assert any(p.attrs.get('aria-live') == 'polite' for p in section.find('p'))
+
+
+def test_observed_summary_uses_check_states_not_release_verdict():
+    cases = [
+        ([dashboard.OK], False, 'green'),
+        ([dashboard.OK, dashboard.WARN], False, 'yellow'),
+        ([dashboard.WARN, dashboard.FAIL, dashboard.UNOBS], True, 'red'),
+        ([dashboard.OK], True, 'stale'),
+        ([dashboard.OK, dashboard.UNOBS], False, 'unknown'),
+        ([], False, 'unknown'),
+    ]
+    for states, stale, expected in cases:
+        board = dashboard.build_board(make_snapshot(), make_verdict(), now=FRESH_NOW)
+        board.stale = stale
+        board.sections = [dashboard.Section(str(i), 'Check', state, 'Summary')
+                          for i, state in enumerate(states)]
+        root = Page(dashboard._render_html(board)).root
+        section = next(root.find('details', 'board-section'))
+        summary = next(section.find('summary'))
+        assert 'Observed checks' in summary.text()
+        assert 'Observed: ' + expected in summary.text()
+        assert next(summary.find(cls='section-status-' + expected))
+        assert 'open' not in section.attrs