diff --git a/core/services/menu-bar-app-design.md b/core/services/menu-bar-app-design.md
index 0409df1..91f729a 100644
--- a/core/services/menu-bar-app-design.md
+++ b/core/services/menu-bar-app-design.md
@@ -51,13 +51,14 @@ The first version can shell out to:
 
 ```bash
 python3 scripts/aiw/services.py status --profile fidelity
+python3 scripts/aiw/services.py status --profile fidelity --json
 python3 scripts/aiw/services.py doctor --profile fidelity --json
 python3 scripts/aiw/services.py start --profile fidelity
 python3 scripts/aiw/services.py stop --profile fidelity
 python3 scripts/aiw/services.py restart aiw-context-mcp --profile fidelity
 ```
 
-Longer term, prefer a small local daemon HTTP/Unix-socket API so the UI does not parse terminal text except `doctor --json`.
+Use `status --json` for frequent UI refreshes and `doctor --json` for explicit diagnostics. Longer term, prefer a small local daemon HTTP/Unix-socket API so the UI does not parse terminal text.
 
 ## Production-Ready Rules
 
@@ -70,7 +71,7 @@ Longer term, prefer a small local daemon HTTP/Unix-socket API so the UI does not
 
 ## Implementation Phases
 
-1. CLI-backed SwiftUI menu bar app using `doctor --json` for status.
+1. CLI-backed SwiftUI menu bar app using `status --json` for live status and `doctor --json` for diagnostics.
 2. Add profile selector and service action buttons.
 3. Add LaunchAgent support for start at login.
 4. Replace shell parsing with a daemon API if daily use proves stable.
diff --git a/scripts/aiw/README.md b/scripts/aiw/README.md
index 4c0e679..b4cd790 100644
--- a/scripts/aiw/README.md
+++ b/scripts/aiw/README.md
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ It reads `profiles/<profile>/services.json`, starts/stops enabled services, reco
 
 ```bash
 python3 scripts/aiw/services.py status --profile fidelity
+python3 scripts/aiw/services.py status --profile fidelity --json
 python3 scripts/aiw/services.py doctor --profile fidelity
 python3 scripts/aiw/services.py doctor --profile fidelity --json
 python3 scripts/aiw/services.py start --profile fidelity
diff --git a/scripts/aiw/services.py b/scripts/aiw/services.py
index 5dad729..33c38eb 100644
--- a/scripts/aiw/services.py
+++ b/scripts/aiw/services.py
@@ -363,6 +363,16 @@ def status_service(profile: str, ref: ServiceRef) -> None:
     print(f"{ref.name}: {status['status']} pid={status['pid'] or '-'} ({status['health']['detail']})")
 
 
+def status_report(profile: str, refs: list[ServiceRef]) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """Return lightweight machine-readable live service state."""
+    return {
+        "profile": profile,
+        "workspace": str(ROOT),
+        "runtime": str(RUNTIME_DIR),
+        "services": [service_status(profile, ref) for ref in refs],
+    }
+
+
 def tail_log(profile: str, service: str, lines: int) -> None:
     path = log_path(profile, service)
     if not path.is_file():
@@ -480,8 +490,11 @@ def main() -> None:
         for ref in refs:
             start_service(args.profile, ref, manifest, started)
     elif args.action == "status":
-        for ref in refs:
-            status_service(args.profile, ref)
+        if args.json:
+            print(json.dumps(status_report(args.profile, refs), ensure_ascii=False, indent=2, sort_keys=True))
+        else:
+            for ref in refs:
+                status_service(args.profile, ref)
     elif args.action == "logs":
         if not args.services:
             raise SystemExit("logs requires at least one service name")
diff --git a/scripts/aiw/test_services.py b/scripts/aiw/test_services.py
index 26a2c00..db07dfa 100644
--- a/scripts/aiw/test_services.py
+++ b/scripts/aiw/test_services.py
@@ -133,6 +133,22 @@ class ServiceManagerTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(report["services"][0]["name"], "alpha")
         self.assertIn("health", report["services"][0])
 
+    def test_status_report_is_lightweight_machine_readable(self) -> None:
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
+            root = Path(tmp)
+            refs = services.service_items(sample_manifest(), include_disabled=True)
+            with patch.object(services, "ROOT", root), \
+                patch.object(services, "RUNTIME_DIR", root / ".aiw" / "runtime"), \
+                patch.object(services, "PID_DIR", root / ".aiw" / "runtime" / "pids"), \
+                patch.object(services, "LOG_DIR", root / ".aiw" / "runtime" / "logs"), \
+                patch.object(services, "STATE_DIR", root / ".aiw" / "runtime" / "state"):
+                report = services.status_report("test", refs)
+
+        self.assertEqual(report["profile"], "test")
+        self.assertEqual(len(report["services"]), 3)
+        self.assertIn("status", report["services"][0])
+        self.assertNotIn("checks", report["services"][0])
+
     def test_read_pid_ignores_invalid_pid_file(self) -> None:
         with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
             pid_dir = Path(tmp) / "pids"