diff --git a/gateway/run.py b/gateway/run.py
index a3c36ea193108..cef8dc845fa6a 100644
--- a/gateway/run.py
+++ b/gateway/run.py
@@ -5978,10 +5978,9 @@ class GatewayRunner(GatewayAuthorizationMixin, GatewayKanbanWatchersMixin, Gatew
         active_count = len(getattr(self, "_running_agents", {}))
         if active_count < max_sessions:
             return None
-        return (
-            f"Hermes is at the active session limit ({active_count}/{max_sessions}). "
-            "Try again when another session finishes."
-        )
+        from hermes_cli.active_sessions import active_session_limit_message
+
+        return active_session_limit_message(active_count, max_sessions)
 
     def _claim_active_session_slot(
         self,
diff --git a/hermes_cli/status.py b/hermes_cli/status.py
index 7537b85a1d924..4a1b0e123793d 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/status.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/status.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ Shows the status of all Hermes Agent components.
 
 import os
 import sys
+import time
 import subprocess  # noqa: F401 — re-exported for tests that monkeypatch status.subprocess to guard against regressions
 from pathlib import Path
 
@@ -581,6 +582,40 @@ def show_status(args):
         else:
             print(f"  Active:       {_session_count if _session_count is not None else 0}")
 
+    # Slot usage, only when max_concurrent_sessions is set. The cap is shared
+    # across CLI, desktop/TUI and the messaging gateway, so the surface that
+    # gets rejected is rarely the one holding the slots — without this the only
+    # way to find out is reading runtime/active_sessions.json by hand.
+    try:
+        from hermes_cli.active_sessions import (
+            active_session_registry_snapshot,
+            format_age,
+            resolve_max_concurrent_sessions,
+        )
+
+        _cap = resolve_max_concurrent_sessions(config)
+    except Exception:
+        _cap = None
+    if _cap:
+        try:
+            _held = active_session_registry_snapshot()
+        except Exception:
+            _held = []
+        _full = len(_held) >= _cap
+        print(
+            "  Slots:        "
+            + color(
+                f"{len(_held)}/{_cap} in use", Colors.YELLOW if _full else Colors.GREEN
+            )
+        )
+        _now = time.time()
+        for _entry in sorted(_held, key=lambda e: e.get("started_at") or 0):
+            _age = format_age(_now - float(_entry.get("started_at") or _now))
+            print(
+                f"                {_entry.get('surface') or 'unknown':<17} "
+                f"{_entry.get('session_id') or '?':<24} {_age}"
+            )
+
     # =========================================================================
     # Deep checks
     # =========================================================================
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_cli_active_session_limit.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_cli_active_session_limit.py
index 6e47954c8a0ec..b62cef4593259 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_cli_active_session_limit.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_cli_active_session_limit.py
@@ -25,10 +25,10 @@ def test_cli_claim_active_session_respects_global_limit(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
 
     try:
         assert cli._claim_active_session("cli") is False
-        assert printed == [
-            "[bold red]Hermes is at the active session limit (1/1). "
-            "Try again when another session finishes.[/]"
-        ]
+        assert len(printed) == 1
+        assert "active session limit (1/1)" in printed[0]
+        # Names the holding surface ("tui"), not the blocked one.
+        assert "Held by: tui" in printed[0]
 
         held.release()