diff --git a/gateway/status.py b/gateway/status.py
index e45a66346e..082566fe44 100644
--- a/gateway/status.py
+++ b/gateway/status.py
@@ -450,15 +450,6 @@ def _pid_record_belongs_to_current_profile(record: Optional[dict[str, Any]]) ->
     return not record_home or _same_hermes_home(record_home, _get_process_hermes_home())
 
 
-def _pid_record_matches_home(record: Optional[dict[str, Any]], expected_home: Path) -> bool:
-    """True when the record's ``hermes_home`` matches ``expected_home`` (legacy records: True).
-    Scoped queries validate against the probed home, not the serve process's."""
-    if not isinstance(record, dict):
-        return False
-    record_home = record.get("hermes_home")
-    return not record_home or _same_hermes_home(record_home, expected_home)
-
-
 def _build_runtime_status_record() -> dict[str, Any]:
     return {
         **_build_pid_record(), "gateway_state": "starting", "exit_reason": None,
@@ -1473,7 +1464,7 @@ def get_running_pid(
                 continue
             home_ok = (
                 _pid_record_belongs_to_current_profile(record) if expected_home is None
-                else _pid_record_matches_home(record, expected_home)
+                else not recorded_gateway_home_conflicts(record, expected_home=expected_home)
             )
             if home_ok and _record_matches_live_gateway_pid(
                 record, pid, expected_home=expected_home
diff --git a/tests/gateway/test_status.py b/tests/gateway/test_status.py
index 3afa821978..50dab7ab56 100644
--- a/tests/gateway/test_status.py
+++ b/tests/gateway/test_status.py
@@ -206,23 +206,6 @@ class TestScopedGatewayPidQuery:
         assert pid_path.exists()
         assert (profile_dir / "gateway.lock").exists()
 
-    def test_scoped_query_never_unlinks_live_foreign_identity(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
-        # Live PID whose record claims a THIRD home: not adoptable, but its identity files must
-        # survive the poll (double-run/takeover protection).
-        monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(tmp_path / "default-home"))
-        profile_dir, pid_path, record = self._write_scoped_profile(tmp_path)
-        # Both identity files migrate together in the real world; repoint both homes.
-        record["hermes_home"] = str((tmp_path / "elsewhere").resolve())
-        pid_path.write_text(json.dumps(record))
-        (profile_dir / "gateway.lock").write_text(json.dumps(record))
-        monkeypatch.setattr(status, "is_gateway_runtime_lock_active", lambda lock: True)
-        monkeypatch.setattr(status, "_pid_exists", lambda pid: True)
-        monkeypatch.setattr(status, "_get_process_start_time", lambda pid: 123)
-        monkeypatch.setattr(status, "_read_process_cmdline", lambda pid: None)
-        assert status.get_running_pid(pid_path) is None
-        assert pid_path.exists()
-        assert (profile_dir / "gateway.lock").exists()
-
     def test_scoped_query_still_cleans_dead_pid_record(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
         # A dead PID's stale record is still cleanup-unlinked, scoped or not.
         monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(tmp_path / "default-home"))