diff --git a/bot_bottle/backend/docker/compose.py b/bot_bottle/backend/docker/compose.py
index 7d613a2..bf83e5c 100644
--- a/bot_bottle/backend/docker/compose.py
+++ b/bot_bottle/backend/docker/compose.py
@@ -371,7 +371,9 @@ def slug_from_compose_project(project: str) -> str:
     return project[len(COMPOSE_PROJECT_PREFIX):]
 
 
-def list_compose_projects(*, include_stopped: bool = True) -> list[str]:
+def list_compose_projects(
+    *, include_stopped: bool = True, warn_on_error: bool = True,
+) -> list[str]:
     """All compose project names starting with `bot-bottle-`.
     `include_stopped=True` (default) runs `docker compose ls --all`
     so exited projects appear too; pass False to get only projects
@@ -379,7 +381,10 @@ def list_compose_projects(*, include_stopped: bool = True) -> list[str]:
 
     Returns [] on docker daemon errors or malformed output rather
     than raising — callers should treat the empty list as "no
-    projects discoverable", not "no projects exist"."""
+    projects discoverable", not "no projects exist". `warn_on_error`
+    stays true for explicit operator commands like cleanup, but active
+    discovery paths set it false so dashboard refreshes don't spam
+    stderr while Docker Desktop is stopped."""
     argv = ["docker", "compose", "ls", "--format", "json"]
     if include_stopped:
         argv.insert(3, "--all")
@@ -392,12 +397,14 @@ def list_compose_projects(*, include_stopped: bool = True) -> list[str]:
         # error from the caller's POV: no projects discoverable.
         return []
     if result.returncode != 0:
-        warn(f"docker compose ls failed: {result.stderr.strip()}")
+        if warn_on_error:
+            warn(f"docker compose ls failed: {result.stderr.strip()}")
         return []
     try:
         projects = json.loads(result.stdout or "[]")
     except json.JSONDecodeError as e:
-        warn(f"docker compose ls returned malformed JSON: {e}")
+        if warn_on_error:
+            warn(f"docker compose ls returned malformed JSON: {e}")
         return []
     names: list[str] = []
     for p in projects:
@@ -409,14 +416,19 @@ def list_compose_projects(*, include_stopped: bool = True) -> list[str]:
     return sorted(set(names))
 
 
-def list_active_slugs(*, include_stopped: bool = False) -> list[str]:
+def list_active_slugs(
+    *, include_stopped: bool = False, warn_on_error: bool = True,
+) -> list[str]:
     """Slugs (project name minus prefix) of currently-running
     bottles. Used by the dashboard's operator-edit verbs to choose
     a bottle to apply a config edit to."""
     return sorted(
         slug for slug in (
             slug_from_compose_project(p)
-            for p in list_compose_projects(include_stopped=include_stopped)
+            for p in list_compose_projects(
+                include_stopped=include_stopped,
+                warn_on_error=warn_on_error,
+            )
         ) if slug
     )
 
diff --git a/bot_bottle/backend/docker/enumerate.py b/bot_bottle/backend/docker/enumerate.py
index d0179a9..b57fc83 100644
--- a/bot_bottle/backend/docker/enumerate.py
+++ b/bot_bottle/backend/docker/enumerate.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ def enumerate_active() -> list[ActiveAgent]:
     responsible for gating on `has_backend('docker')` if it
     matters; if docker is missing the `docker ps` call below
     returns an empty list silently."""
-    slugs = list_active_slugs(include_stopped=False)
+    slugs = list_active_slugs(include_stopped=False, warn_on_error=False)
     if not slugs:
         return []
     services_by_project = _query_services_by_project()
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_compose.py b/tests/unit/test_compose.py
index 901c34c..b12dd83 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_compose.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_compose.py
@@ -9,8 +9,10 @@ supervise on/off).
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import subprocess
 import unittest
 from pathlib import Path
+from unittest import mock
 
 from bot_bottle.backend import BottleSpec
 from bot_bottle.backend.docker.bottle_plan import DockerBottlePlan
@@ -18,6 +20,8 @@ from bot_bottle.backend.docker.compose import (
     COMPOSE_PROJECT_PREFIX,
     bottle_plan_to_compose,
     compose_project_name,
+    list_active_slugs,
+    list_compose_projects,
     slug_from_compose_project,
 )
 from bot_bottle.egress import (
@@ -455,5 +459,33 @@ class TestProjectNaming(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual("", slug_from_compose_project("other-project"))
 
 
+class TestComposeProjectListing(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_compose_ls_error_warns_by_default(self):
+        with (
+            mock.patch(
+                "bot_bottle.backend.docker.compose.subprocess.run",
+                return_value=subprocess.CompletedProcess(
+                    args=["docker"], returncode=1, stdout="", stderr="no daemon",
+                ),
+            ),
+            mock.patch("bot_bottle.backend.docker.compose.warn") as warn,
+        ):
+            self.assertEqual([], list_compose_projects())
+        warn.assert_called_once_with("docker compose ls failed: no daemon")
+
+    def test_compose_ls_error_can_be_quiet_for_dashboard_polling(self):
+        with (
+            mock.patch(
+                "bot_bottle.backend.docker.compose.subprocess.run",
+                return_value=subprocess.CompletedProcess(
+                    args=["docker"], returncode=1, stdout="", stderr="no daemon",
+                ),
+            ),
+            mock.patch("bot_bottle.backend.docker.compose.warn") as warn,
+        ):
+            self.assertEqual([], list_active_slugs(warn_on_error=False))
+        warn.assert_not_called()
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()