diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5f952d8..37ae4c1 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -215,8 +215,9 @@ pytest tests/ -v
 
 ## Roadmap
 
-- v1.3: `stop --all` (pgrep-based) to recover a daemon whose pidfile was lost;
-  desktop notification dispatch; stash staleness
+- v1.3 (shipped): `stop --all` (pgrep-based) to recover a daemon whose pidfile
+  was lost
+- next: desktop notification dispatch; stash staleness
 - v2: TUI panel (textual/rich) with hotkey drill-down
 - v3: cross-machine sync (sqlite); team-shared cache
 
diff --git a/bin/pyauto-pulse b/bin/pyauto-pulse
index 38a9cf5..2bc6314 100755
--- a/bin/pyauto-pulse
+++ b/bin/pyauto-pulse
@@ -76,29 +76,72 @@ cmd_live() {
 }
 
 help_stop() { cat <<EOF
-pyauto-pulse stop
+pyauto-pulse stop [--all]
 
 Kill a running pyauto-pulse daemon via its pidfile.
+
+  --all   Also sweep for any daemon process whose pidfile was lost
+          (matches 'pulse/daemon.sh' via pgrep) and kill it, then clear
+          the pidfile. Use this when 'stop' reports "not running" but a
+          daemon is in fact still alive — e.g. after the pidfile was
+          deleted out from under a running daemon.
 EOF
 }
+
+# Kill every pulse daemon process regardless of pidfile state. Used by
+# 'stop --all'. Sends TERM, waits briefly, escalates to KILL for stragglers.
+# Returns the number of processes it killed.
+_pulse_kill_all_daemons() {
+  local pids killed=0 pid
+  # -f matches the full command line; the script path is the stable signature.
+  pids="$(pgrep -f "$PULSE_HOME/pulse/daemon.sh" 2>/dev/null || true)"
+  [[ -z "$pids" ]] && { echo 0; return 0; }
+  for pid in $pids; do
+    kill "$pid" 2>/dev/null && killed=$((killed + 1))
+  done
+  # Give them a moment to honour TERM (their EXIT trap clears the pidfile),
+  # then KILL anything still standing.
+  sleep 1
+  for pid in $pids; do
+    if kill -0 "$pid" 2>/dev/null; then
+      kill -9 "$pid" 2>/dev/null
+    fi
+  done
+  echo "$killed"
+}
+
 cmd_stop() {
-  if [[ ! -f "$PULSE_PID_FILE" ]]; then
+  local all=0
+  [[ "${1:-}" == "--all" ]] && all=1
+
+  local stopped_via_pidfile=0
+  if [[ -f "$PULSE_PID_FILE" ]]; then
+    local pid
+    pid="$(cat "$PULSE_PID_FILE")"
+    if [[ -z "$pid" ]]; then
+      echo "$(c_warn 'empty pidfile')"
+      rm -f "$PULSE_PID_FILE"
+    elif ! kill -0 "$pid" 2>/dev/null; then
+      echo "$(c_warn "pid $pid not running; cleaning up stale pidfile")"
+      rm -f "$PULSE_PID_FILE"
+    else
+      kill "$pid" && { echo "$(c_ok "stopped pid $pid")"; stopped_via_pidfile=1; }
+    fi
+  elif [[ "$all" -eq 0 ]]; then
     echo "$(c_meta 'no pidfile — daemon not running')"
-    return 0
-  fi
-  local pid
-  pid="$(cat "$PULSE_PID_FILE")"
-  if [[ -z "$pid" ]]; then
-    echo "$(c_warn 'empty pidfile')"
-    rm -f "$PULSE_PID_FILE"
-    return 0
+    echo "$(c_meta '(use `pyauto-pulse stop --all` to sweep for an orphan daemon)')"
   fi
-  if ! kill -0 "$pid" 2>/dev/null; then
-    echo "$(c_warn "pid $pid not running; cleaning up stale pidfile")"
+
+  if [[ "$all" -eq 1 ]]; then
+    local killed
+    killed="$(_pulse_kill_all_daemons)"
     rm -f "$PULSE_PID_FILE"
-    return 0
+    if [[ "$killed" -gt 0 ]]; then
+      echo "$(c_ok "swept $killed daemon process(es)")"
+    elif [[ "$stopped_via_pidfile" -eq 0 ]]; then
+      echo "$(c_meta 'no daemon processes found')"
+    fi
   fi
-  kill "$pid" && echo "$(c_ok "stopped pid $pid")"
 }
 
 help_tick() { cat <<EOF