diff --git a/src/QuickInstall/Sandbox/BoardService.php b/src/QuickInstall/Sandbox/BoardService.php
index 1577db96..d43413d0 100644
--- a/src/QuickInstall/Sandbox/BoardService.php
+++ b/src/QuickInstall/Sandbox/BoardService.php
@@ -150,7 +150,13 @@ public function seed(string $name, string $preset, int $seed, string $action): v
 			throw new InvalidArgumentException('SQLite boards do not support fixture seeding. Use --reset to remove partial seed data, or use mariadb, mysql, or postgres for seeded boards.');
 		}
 
-		$this->createBoardRunner()->seed($name, $preset, $seed, $action);
+		$runner = $this->createBoardRunner();
+		if ($runner->status($name) !== 'running')
+		{
+			throw new RuntimeException('Board must be running before seeding. Start it first.');
+		}
+
+		$runner->seed($name, $preset, $seed, $action);
 	}
 
 	protected function createBoardRunner(): BoardRunner
diff --git a/tests/Unit/BoardServiceTest.php b/tests/Unit/BoardServiceTest.php
index 0eea109e..3e36209e 100644
--- a/tests/Unit/BoardServiceTest.php
+++ b/tests/Unit/BoardServiceTest.php
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ public function testStartStopDestroyAndSeedDelegateToRunner(): void
 		$project = $this->projectWithSource('3.3.14');
 		$project->appendBoard(['name' => 'demo', 'db' => 'mariadb']);
 		$runner = new ServiceTestBoardRunner($project);
+		$runner->statuses['demo'] = 'running';
 		$service = new TestBoardService($project, $runner);
 
 		self::assertSame('demo', $service->start('demo')['name']);
@@ -105,6 +106,19 @@ public function testStartStopDestroyAndSeedDelegateToRunner(): void
 		self::assertSame(['demo'], $runner->destroyed);
 	}
 
+	public function testSeedRequiresRunningBoard(): void
+	{
+		$project = $this->projectWithSource('3.3.14');
+		$project->appendBoard(['name' => 'demo', 'db' => 'mariadb']);
+		$runner = new ServiceTestBoardRunner($project);
+		$runner->statuses['demo'] = 'stopped';
+
+		$this->expectException(\RuntimeException::class);
+		$this->expectExceptionMessage('Board must be running before seeding. Start it first.');
+
+		(new TestBoardService($project, $runner))->seed('demo', 'tiny', 1, 'seed');
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * @dataProvider sqliteSeedActionProvider
 	 */
@@ -113,6 +127,7 @@ public function testSqliteSeedActionRules(string $action, bool $allowed): void
 		$project = $this->projectWithSource('3.3.14');
 		$project->appendBoard(['name' => 'demo', 'db' => 'sqlite']);
 		$runner = new ServiceTestBoardRunner($project);
+		$runner->statuses['demo'] = 'running';
 
 		if (!$allowed)
 		{