diff --git a/blueprint_engine.py b/blueprint_engine.py
index f4d36b4..3d5a4ef 100644
--- a/blueprint_engine.py
+++ b/blueprint_engine.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import json
 import logging
-from datetime import datetime
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -79,21 +79,21 @@ def evaluate_blueprints(conn):
         log.warning(f"[blueprint] buildData keys: {list(build_data.keys())}")
         log.warning(f"[blueprint] buildingOrder length: {len(build_queue)}")
 
-        # Don't queue anything if there's already a valid pending/executing command in DB
+        # Don't queue anything if there's already a valid pending/executing command in DB.
+        # However, if a pending command has been sitting untouched for >5 minutes it's
+        # a ghost (inserted by an old broken blueprint run) — delete it and re-evaluate.
+        five_min_ago = (datetime.utcnow() - timedelta(minutes=5)).isoformat()
         db_pending = conn.execute(
             "SELECT id, type, status, updated_at FROM commands WHERE town_id = ? AND type IN ('build', 'research') AND status IN ('pending', 'executing')",
             (town_id,)
         ).fetchall()
 
         if db_pending:
-            # Check if any of these are malformed (NULL updated_at = created by old broken blueprint engine)
-            # Auto-delete those so we can re-insert them correctly
-            broken_ids = [r['id'] for r in db_pending if r['updated_at'] is None]
-            if broken_ids:
-                log.warning(f"[blueprint] Deleting {len(broken_ids)} malformed stuck commands {broken_ids} for town {town_id}")
-                conn.execute(f"DELETE FROM commands WHERE id IN ({','.join('?' for _ in broken_ids)})", broken_ids)
+            ghost_ids = [r['id'] for r in db_pending if r['status'] == 'pending' and (r['updated_at'] is None or r['updated_at'] < five_min_ago)]
+            if ghost_ids:
+                log.warning(f"[blueprint] Deleting {len(ghost_ids)} ghost pending commands {ghost_ids} for town {town_id}")
+                conn.execute(f"DELETE FROM commands WHERE id IN ({','.join('?' for _ in ghost_ids)})", ghost_ids)
                 conn.commit()
-                # Re-check if there are still real pending commands
                 db_pending = conn.execute(
                     "SELECT id, type, status, updated_at FROM commands WHERE town_id = ? AND type IN ('build', 'research') AND status IN ('pending', 'executing')",
                     (town_id,)