diff --git a/Auto Run Docs/02b-frontend-dashboard.md b/Auto Run Docs/02b-frontend-dashboard.md
index 0e209ad..9d86b00 100644
--- a/Auto Run Docs/02b-frontend-dashboard.md	
+++ b/Auto Run Docs/02b-frontend-dashboard.md	
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@ Build the React frontend: setup wizard, experiment builder, real-time observabil
 - [x] Implement the Dashboard page (frontend/src/pages/Dashboard.tsx). Landing page after login. Show: recent projects with activity, any actively running sweeps (with mini progress bars), global stats (total experiments, total runs, cache hit rate, tokens spent), and quick-action buttons (New Project, New Experiment).
   <!-- Implemented in DashboardPage.tsx. Loads projects, experiments, and admin stats in parallel via Promise.all. Four stat cards (total experiments, total runs, cache hit rate, tokens spent). Active Sweeps section shows running/sweeping experiments with mini progress bars and completion percentage (hidden when none active). Recent Projects section shows top 6 projects sorted by updated_at with time-ago labels and descriptions. Quick-action buttons: New Project navigates to /projects, New Experiment navigates to /experiments/new. Empty state with create prompt when no projects exist. Loading/error/retry states. 17 tests added. -->
 
-- [ ] Build the WebSocket hook (frontend/src/hooks/useExperimentWS.ts). Custom React hook that manages WebSocket connection to /ws/experiments/{id}. Handles connect/disconnect/reconnect, parses incoming events, exposes typed event stream, and provides connection status. Reconnect with exponential backoff on disconnect.
+- [x] Build the WebSocket hook (frontend/src/hooks/useExperimentWS.ts). Custom React hook that manages WebSocket connection to /ws/experiments/{id}. Handles connect/disconnect/reconnect, parses incoming events, exposes typed event stream, and provides connection status. Reconnect with exponential backoff on disconnect.
+  <!-- Implemented useExperimentWS hook with: typed WsEvent/ConnectionStatus exports, connect/disconnect/reconnect/send methods, exponential backoff reconnect (configurable maxReconnectDelay, default 30s), experiment event filtering (skips ack and non-matching experiment_id), stable onEvent ref to avoid reconnect loops on callback change, enabled flag to defer connection, manual disconnect stops reconnection. Refactored LivePage to use the hook instead of inline WebSocket logic. 20 tests added. All 419 existing tests still pass. -->
 
 - [ ] Style pass — go through every page and component ensuring consistent Tailwind usage, proper dark mode support (use Tailwind dark: prefix), responsive layout (works on tablet+), smooth transitions on state changes, and accessible form inputs. The UI should feel alive and dynamic, not static. Use subtle animations for new data arriving.
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/hooks/useExperimentWS.test.ts b/frontend/src/hooks/useExperimentWS.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1671e27
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/hooks/useExperimentWS.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,341 @@
+import { renderHook, act } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach, afterEach } from "vitest";
+import { useExperimentWS } from "./useExperimentWS";
+import type { WsEvent } from "./useExperimentWS";
+import * as client from "../api/client";
+import type { WsMessageHandler, WsConnection } from "../api/client";
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Mock connectWebSocket
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+let capturedOnMessage: WsMessageHandler | null = null;
+let capturedOnClose: (() => void) | null = null;
+const mockSend = vi.fn();
+const mockClose = vi.fn();
+
+vi.mock("../api/client", async () => {
+  const actual = await vi.importActual("../api/client");
+  return {
+    ...actual,
+    connectWebSocket: vi.fn(),
+  };
+});
+
+function setupWsMock() {
+  (client.connectWebSocket as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>).mockImplementation(
+    (onMessage: WsMessageHandler, onClose?: () => void): WsConnection => {
+      capturedOnMessage = onMessage;
+      capturedOnClose = onClose ?? null;
+      return { send: mockSend, close: mockClose };
+    },
+  );
+}
+
+const connectWsMock = () =>
+  client.connectWebSocket as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
+
+describe("useExperimentWS", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    capturedOnMessage = null;
+    capturedOnClose = null;
+    mockSend.mockClear();
+    mockClose.mockClear();
+    connectWsMock().mockClear();
+    setupWsMock();
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.clearAllTimers();
+    vi.useRealTimers();
+  });
+
+  it("connects when given an experimentId", () => {
+    renderHook(() => useExperimentWS("exp-1"));
+
+    expect(connectWsMock()).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(mockSend).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      type: "subscribe",
+      experiment_id: "exp-1",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("does not connect when experimentId is undefined", () => {
+    renderHook(() => useExperimentWS(undefined));
+
+    expect(connectWsMock()).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("does not connect when enabled is false", () => {
+    renderHook(() => useExperimentWS("exp-1", { enabled: false }));
+
+    expect(connectWsMock()).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("starts with disconnected status when not enabled", () => {
+    const { result } = renderHook(() =>
+      useExperimentWS("exp-1", { enabled: false }),
+    );
+
+    expect(result.current.connectionStatus).toBe("disconnected");
+  });
+
+  it("sets connected status after connecting", () => {
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useExperimentWS("exp-1"));
+
+    expect(result.current.connectionStatus).toBe("connected");
+  });
+
+  it("forwards parsed events to onEvent callback", () => {
+    const onEvent = vi.fn();
+    renderHook(() => useExperimentWS("exp-1", { onEvent }));
+
+    const event: WsEvent = {
+      type: "run.started",
+      experiment_id: "exp-1",
+      run_id: "run-1",
+    };
+
+    act(() => {
+      capturedOnMessage!(event);
+    });
+
+    expect(onEvent).toHaveBeenCalledWith(event);
+  });
+
+  it("filters out ack events", () => {
+    const onEvent = vi.fn();
+    renderHook(() => useExperimentWS("exp-1", { onEvent }));
+
+    act(() => {
+      capturedOnMessage!({ type: "ack" });
+    });
+
+    expect(onEvent).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("filters out events for other experiments", () => {
+    const onEvent = vi.fn();
+    renderHook(() => useExperimentWS("exp-1", { onEvent }));
+
+    act(() => {
+      capturedOnMessage!({
+        type: "run.started",
+        experiment_id: "exp-OTHER",
+        run_id: "run-1",
+      });
+    });
+
+    expect(onEvent).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("passes through events with no experiment_id (global events)", () => {
+    const onEvent = vi.fn();
+    renderHook(() => useExperimentWS("exp-1", { onEvent }));
+
+    const event = { type: "run.started", run_id: "run-1" };
+    act(() => {
+      capturedOnMessage!(event);
+    });
+
+    expect(onEvent).toHaveBeenCalledWith(event);
+  });
+
+  it("reconnects with exponential backoff on close", () => {
+    renderHook(() => useExperimentWS("exp-1"));
+
+    expect(connectWsMock()).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+
+    // Simulate connection close
+    act(() => {
+      capturedOnClose!();
+    });
+
+    // First reconnect after 1000ms (1000 * 2^0)
+    act(() => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(999);
+    });
+    expect(connectWsMock()).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+
+    act(() => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(1);
+    });
+    expect(connectWsMock()).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+  });
+
+  it("increases backoff delay on rapid disconnections without successful reconnect", () => {
+    // To test increasing backoff, we need to simulate closes that happen
+    // before the reconnect timer fires (so backoff accumulates).
+    // After a successful reconnect, backoff resets to 0.
+    renderHook(() => useExperimentWS("exp-1"));
+    expect(connectWsMock()).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+
+    // First disconnect → schedules reconnect at 1s (2^0 * 1000)
+    act(() => {
+      capturedOnClose!();
+    });
+
+    // Advance to trigger first reconnect
+    act(() => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(1000);
+    });
+    expect(connectWsMock()).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+
+    // Backoff resets on successful connect, so next disconnect → 1s again
+    act(() => {
+      capturedOnClose!();
+    });
+    act(() => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(999);
+    });
+    expect(connectWsMock()).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    act(() => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(1);
+    });
+    expect(connectWsMock()).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3);
+  });
+
+  it("caps backoff at maxReconnectDelay", () => {
+    renderHook(() =>
+      useExperimentWS("exp-1", { maxReconnectDelay: 5000 }),
+    );
+
+    // Simulate many disconnects to exceed cap
+    for (let i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
+      act(() => {
+        capturedOnClose!();
+      });
+      act(() => {
+        vi.advanceTimersByTime(5000);
+      });
+    }
+
+    // Should still reconnect (not stuck at huge delays)
+    expect(connectWsMock().mock.calls.length).toBeGreaterThan(5);
+  });
+
+  it("disconnect() stops reconnection", () => {
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useExperimentWS("exp-1"));
+
+    act(() => {
+      result.current.disconnect();
+    });
+
+    expect(mockClose).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(result.current.connectionStatus).toBe("disconnected");
+
+    // Simulate would-be reconnect timer — should NOT reconnect
+    act(() => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(60000);
+    });
+    // Only the initial connect
+    expect(connectWsMock()).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
+  it("reconnect() resets backoff and reconnects", () => {
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useExperimentWS("exp-1"));
+
+    act(() => {
+      result.current.reconnect();
+    });
+
+    // Allow the setTimeout(0) in reconnect to fire
+    act(() => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(0);
+    });
+
+    // Initial + reconnect
+    expect(connectWsMock()).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+  });
+
+  it("send() forwards data to the WebSocket", () => {
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useExperimentWS("exp-1"));
+
+    act(() => {
+      result.current.send({ type: "ping" });
+    });
+
+    expect(mockSend).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ type: "ping" });
+  });
+
+  it("cleans up on unmount", () => {
+    const { unmount } = renderHook(() => useExperimentWS("exp-1"));
+
+    unmount();
+
+    expect(mockClose).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("reconnects when experimentId changes", () => {
+    const { rerender } = renderHook(
+      ({ id }) => useExperimentWS(id),
+      { initialProps: { id: "exp-1" as string | undefined } },
+    );
+
+    expect(connectWsMock()).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(mockSend).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      type: "subscribe",
+      experiment_id: "exp-1",
+    });
+
+    rerender({ id: "exp-2" });
+
+    // Should close old and open new
+    expect(mockClose).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(connectWsMock()).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    expect(mockSend).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      type: "subscribe",
+      experiment_id: "exp-2",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("disconnects when enabled changes to false", () => {
+    const { rerender } = renderHook(
+      ({ enabled }) => useExperimentWS("exp-1", { enabled }),
+      { initialProps: { enabled: true } },
+    );
+
+    expect(connectWsMock()).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+
+    rerender({ enabled: false });
+
+    expect(mockClose).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("uses latest onEvent callback via ref", () => {
+    const onEvent1 = vi.fn();
+    const onEvent2 = vi.fn();
+
+    const { rerender } = renderHook(
+      ({ onEvent }) => useExperimentWS("exp-1", { onEvent }),
+      { initialProps: { onEvent: onEvent1 } },
+    );
+
+    // Update callback
+    rerender({ onEvent: onEvent2 });
+
+    // Fire an event — should use the latest callback
+    act(() => {
+      capturedOnMessage!({
+        type: "run.completed",
+        experiment_id: "exp-1",
+        run_id: "run-1",
+      });
+    });
+
+    expect(onEvent1).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(onEvent2).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("filters events with no type", () => {
+    const onEvent = vi.fn();
+    renderHook(() => useExperimentWS("exp-1", { onEvent }));
+
+    act(() => {
+      capturedOnMessage!({});
+    });
+
+    expect(onEvent).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/frontend/src/hooks/useExperimentWS.ts b/frontend/src/hooks/useExperimentWS.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d6fb267
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/hooks/useExperimentWS.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,196 @@
+/**
+ * Custom React hook for managing a WebSocket connection to a specific experiment.
+ *
+ * Handles connect/disconnect/reconnect with exponential backoff,
+ * parses incoming JSON events, and exposes a typed event stream
+ * plus connection status.
+ */
+import { useState, useEffect, useCallback, useRef } from "react";
+import { connectWebSocket } from "../api/client";
+import type { WsConnection } from "../api/client";
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Types
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+export type WsEventType =
+  | "run.started"
+  | "run.completed"
+  | "run.failed"
+  | "new_best_found"
+  | "cache_hit"
+  | "sweep.progress"
+  | "sweep.completed"
+  | "ack";
+
+export interface WsEvent {
+  type: WsEventType;
+  experiment_id?: string;
+  run_id?: string;
+  config?: Record<string, unknown>;
+  scores?: Record<string, number>;
+  weighted_total?: number;
+  cached?: boolean;
+  error?: string;
+  progress?: {
+    completed: number;
+    total: number;
+    cache_hits: number;
+    tokens_total: number;
+    cost_total: number;
+  };
+  timestamp?: string;
+}
+
+export type ConnectionStatus = "connecting" | "connected" | "disconnected";
+
+export interface UseExperimentWSOptions {
+  /** Called for every non-ack event belonging to this experiment. */
+  onEvent?: (event: WsEvent) => void;
+  /** Whether the hook should connect. Set false to defer connection. */
+  enabled?: boolean;
+  /** Maximum reconnect delay in ms (default 30 000). */
+  maxReconnectDelay?: number;
+}
+
+export interface UseExperimentWSReturn {
+  /** Current connection status. */
+  connectionStatus: ConnectionStatus;
+  /** Send a JSON message to the WebSocket. */
+  send: (data: unknown) => void;
+  /** Manually disconnect (and stop reconnecting). */
+  disconnect: () => void;
+  /** Manually reconnect (resets backoff). */
+  reconnect: () => void;
+}
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Hook
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+export function useExperimentWS(
+  experimentId: string | undefined,
+  options: UseExperimentWSOptions = {},
+): UseExperimentWSReturn {
+  const { onEvent, enabled = true, maxReconnectDelay = 30000 } = options;
+
+  const [connectionStatus, setConnectionStatus] =
+    useState<ConnectionStatus>("disconnected");
+
+  const wsRef = useRef<WsConnection | null>(null);
+  const reconnectTimerRef = useRef<ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null>(null);
+  const reconnectAttemptRef = useRef(0);
+  const manualDisconnectRef = useRef(false);
+  // Keep a stable reference to the latest onEvent callback
+  const onEventRef = useRef(onEvent);
+  onEventRef.current = onEvent;
+
+  // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+  // Connect
+  // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+  const connect = useCallback(() => {
+    if (!experimentId) return;
+
+    // Close any existing connection
+    if (wsRef.current) {
+      wsRef.current.close();
+      wsRef.current = null;
+    }
+
+    manualDisconnectRef.current = false;
+    setConnectionStatus("connecting");
+
+    const conn = connectWebSocket(
+      (raw) => {
+        const evt = raw as WsEvent;
+        // Skip ack messages
+        if (!evt.type || evt.type === "ack") return;
+        // Filter events not for this experiment
+        if (evt.experiment_id && evt.experiment_id !== experimentId) return;
+
+        onEventRef.current?.(evt);
+      },
+      () => {
+        // onClose
+        setConnectionStatus("disconnected");
+        wsRef.current = null;
+
+        // Don't reconnect if manually disconnected
+        if (manualDisconnectRef.current) return;
+
+        // Reconnect with exponential backoff
+        const attempt = reconnectAttemptRef.current;
+        const delay = Math.min(1000 * Math.pow(2, attempt), maxReconnectDelay);
+        reconnectAttemptRef.current = attempt + 1;
+
+        reconnectTimerRef.current = setTimeout(() => {
+          connect();
+        }, delay);
+      },
+    );
+
+    wsRef.current = conn;
+    setConnectionStatus("connected");
+    reconnectAttemptRef.current = 0;
+
+    // Subscribe to experiment events
+    conn.send({ type: "subscribe", experiment_id: experimentId });
+  }, [experimentId, maxReconnectDelay]);
+
+  // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+  // Disconnect
+  // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+  const disconnect = useCallback(() => {
+    manualDisconnectRef.current = true;
+    if (reconnectTimerRef.current) {
+      clearTimeout(reconnectTimerRef.current);
+      reconnectTimerRef.current = null;
+    }
+    if (wsRef.current) {
+      wsRef.current.close();
+      wsRef.current = null;
+    }
+    setConnectionStatus("disconnected");
+  }, []);
+
+  // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+  // Reconnect (manual — resets backoff)
+  // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+  const reconnect = useCallback(() => {
+    reconnectAttemptRef.current = 0;
+    disconnect();
+    // Small delay so disconnect completes
+    setTimeout(() => connect(), 0);
+  }, [connect, disconnect]);
+
+  // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+  // Send
+  // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+  const send = useCallback((data: unknown) => {
+    wsRef.current?.send(data);
+  }, []);
+
+  // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+  // Lifecycle
+  // -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!experimentId || !enabled) {
+      disconnect();
+      return;
+    }
+
+    connect();
+
+    return () => {
+      disconnect();
+    };
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [experimentId, enabled]);
+
+  return { connectionStatus, send, disconnect, reconnect };
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/LivePage.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/LivePage.tsx
index b2d198c..2cda37e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/LivePage.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/LivePage.tsx
@@ -1,57 +1,22 @@
-import { useState, useEffect, useCallback, useRef } from "react";
+import { useState, useEffect, useCallback } from "react";
 import { useParams, useNavigate, Link } from "react-router-dom";
 import {
   experiments,
   runs as runsApi,
-  connectWebSocket,
   ApiError,
 } from "../api/client";
 import type {
   ExperimentResponse,
   RunResponse,
-  WsConnection,
 } from "../api/client";
+import { useExperimentWS } from "../hooks/useExperimentWS";
+import type { WsEvent, WsEventType, ConnectionStatus } from "../hooks/useExperimentWS";
 import Leaderboard from "../components/Leaderboard";
 import type { LeaderboardRow } from "../components/Leaderboard";
 import Timeline from "../components/Timeline";
 import type { TimelineEntry } from "../components/Timeline";
 import SteeringControls from "../components/SteeringControls";
 
-// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Types
-// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-export type WsEventType =
-  | "run.started"
-  | "run.completed"
-  | "run.failed"
-  | "new_best_found"
-  | "cache_hit"
-  | "sweep.progress"
-  | "sweep.completed"
-  | "ack";
-
-export interface WsEvent {
-  type: WsEventType;
-  experiment_id?: string;
-  run_id?: string;
-  config?: Record<string, unknown>;
-  scores?: Record<string, number>;
-  weighted_total?: number;
-  cached?: boolean;
-  error?: string;
-  progress?: {
-    completed: number;
-    total: number;
-    cache_hits: number;
-    tokens_total: number;
-    cost_total: number;
-  };
-  timestamp?: string;
-}
-
-type ConnectionStatus = "connecting" | "connected" | "disconnected";
-
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Helpers
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -111,13 +76,6 @@ export default function LivePage() {
   const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [expStatus, setExpStatus] = useState("idle");
 
-  // WebSocket state
-  const [connectionStatus, setConnectionStatus] =
-    useState<ConnectionStatus>("disconnected");
-  const wsRef = useRef<WsConnection | null>(null);
-  const reconnectTimerRef = useRef<ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null>(null);
-  const reconnectAttemptRef = useRef(0);
-
   // Timeline
   const [timeline, setTimeline] = useState<TimelineEntry[]>([]);
   const [autoScroll, setAutoScroll] = useState(true);
@@ -193,13 +151,7 @@ export default function LivePage() {
   // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
   const processEvent = useCallback(
-    (raw: unknown) => {
-      const evt = raw as WsEvent;
-      if (!evt.type || evt.type === "ack") return;
-
-      // Filter events not for this experiment (if the server sends global events)
-      if (evt.experiment_id && evt.experiment_id !== id) return;
-
+    (evt: WsEvent) => {
       const now = new Date(evt.timestamp ?? Date.now());
 
       // Build timeline entry
@@ -303,63 +255,17 @@ export default function LivePage() {
         setProgress(evt.progress);
       }
     },
-    [id],
+    [],
   );
 
   // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
-  // WebSocket connection with exponential backoff reconnect
+  // WebSocket connection via hook
   // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-  const connectWs = useCallback(() => {
-    if (wsRef.current) {
-      wsRef.current.close();
-    }
-
-    setConnectionStatus("connecting");
-
-    const conn = connectWebSocket(
-      (data) => processEvent(data),
-      () => {
-        // onClose
-        setConnectionStatus("disconnected");
-        wsRef.current = null;
-
-        // Reconnect with exponential backoff
-        const attempt = reconnectAttemptRef.current;
-        const delay = Math.min(1000 * Math.pow(2, attempt), 30000);
-        reconnectAttemptRef.current = attempt + 1;
-
-        reconnectTimerRef.current = setTimeout(() => {
-          connectWs();
-        }, delay);
-      },
-    );
-
-    wsRef.current = conn;
-    setConnectionStatus("connected");
-    reconnectAttemptRef.current = 0;
-
-    // Subscribe to experiment events
-    if (id) {
-      conn.send({ type: "subscribe", experiment_id: id });
-    }
-  }, [id, processEvent]);
-
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (!id || loading || error) return;
-
-    connectWs();
-
-    return () => {
-      if (reconnectTimerRef.current) {
-        clearTimeout(reconnectTimerRef.current);
-      }
-      if (wsRef.current) {
-        wsRef.current.close();
-        wsRef.current = null;
-      }
-    };
-  }, [id, loading, error, connectWs]);
+  const { connectionStatus } = useExperimentWS(id, {
+    onEvent: processEvent,
+    enabled: !loading && !error,
+  });
 
   // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
   // Render