diff --git a/public/map.js b/public/map.js
index 5016d72..1b98715 100644
--- a/public/map.js
+++ b/public/map.js
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@
     for (const n of nodes) {
       const role = (n.role || 'companion').toLowerCase();
       if (!roleCounts[role]) roleCounts[role] = { active: 0, stale: 0 };
-      const lastMs = n.last_seen ? new Date(n.last_seen).getTime() : 0;
+      const lastMs = (n.last_heard || n.last_seen) ? new Date(n.last_heard || n.last_seen).getTime() : 0;
       const status = getNodeStatus(role, lastMs);
       roleCounts[role][status]++;
     }
@@ -584,7 +584,7 @@
       // Status filter
       if (filters.statusFilter !== 'all') {
         const role = (n.role || 'companion').toLowerCase();
-        const lastMs = n.last_seen ? new Date(n.last_seen).getTime() : 0;
+        const lastMs = (n.last_heard || n.last_seen) ? new Date(n.last_heard || n.last_seen).getTime() : 0;
         const status = getNodeStatus(role, lastMs);
         if (status !== filters.statusFilter) return false;
       }
@@ -594,7 +594,8 @@
     const allMarkers = [];
 
     for (const node of filtered) {
-      const isStale = getNodeStatus(node.role || 'companion', node.last_seen ? new Date(node.last_seen).getTime() : 0) === 'stale';
+      const lastSeenTime = node.last_heard || node.last_seen;
+      const isStale = getNodeStatus(node.role || 'companion', lastSeenTime ? new Date(lastSeenTime).getTime() : 0) === 'stale';
       const useLabel = node.role === 'repeater' && filters.hashLabels;
       const icon = useLabel ? makeRepeaterLabelIcon(node, isStale) : makeMarkerIcon(node.role || 'companion', isStale);
       const latLng = L.latLng(node.lat, node.lon);
diff --git a/public/nodes.js b/public/nodes.js
index 08d2b86..be018c2 100644
--- a/public/nodes.js
+++ b/public/nodes.js
@@ -629,7 +629,8 @@
     tbody.innerHTML = sorted.map(n => {
       const roleColor = ROLE_COLORS[n.role] || '#6b7280';
       const isClaimed = myKeys.has(n.public_key);
-      const status = getNodeStatus(n.role || 'companion', n.last_seen ? new Date(n.last_seen).getTime() : 0);
+      const lastSeenTime = n.last_heard || n.last_seen;
+      const status = getNodeStatus(n.role || 'companion', lastSeenTime ? new Date(lastSeenTime).getTime() : 0);
       const lastSeenClass = status === 'active' ? 'last-seen-active' : 'last-seen-stale';
       return `<tr data-key="${n.public_key}" data-action="select" data-value="${n.public_key}" tabindex="0" role="row" class="${selectedKey === n.public_key ? 'selected' : ''}${isClaimed ? ' claimed-row' : ''}">
         <td>${favStar(n.public_key, 'node-fav')}${isClaimed ? '<span class="claimed-badge" title="My Mesh">★</span> ' : ''}<strong>${n.name || '(unnamed)'}</strong></td>
diff --git a/test-aging.js b/test-aging.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eb8801b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test-aging.js
@@ -0,0 +1,189 @@
+/* Unit tests for node aging system */
+'use strict';
+const vm = require('vm');
+const fs = require('fs');
+const assert = require('assert');
+
+// Load roles.js in a sandboxed context
+const ctx = { window: {}, console, Date, Infinity, document: { readyState: 'complete', createElement: () => ({ id: '' }), head: { appendChild: () => {} }, getElementById: () => null, addEventListener: () => {} }, fetch: () => Promise.resolve({ json: () => Promise.resolve({}) }) };
+vm.createContext(ctx);
+vm.runInContext(fs.readFileSync('public/roles.js', 'utf8'), ctx);
+
+// The IIFE assigns to window.*, but the functions reference HEALTH_THRESHOLDS as a bare global
+// In the VM context, window.X doesn't create a global X, so we need to copy them
+for (const k of Object.keys(ctx.window)) {
+  ctx[k] = ctx.window[k];
+}
+
+const { getNodeStatus, getHealthThresholds, HEALTH_THRESHOLDS } = ctx.window;
+
+let passed = 0, failed = 0;
+function test(name, fn) {
+  try { fn(); passed++; console.log(`  ✅ ${name}`); }
+  catch (e) { failed++; console.log(`  ❌ ${name}: ${e.message}`); }
+}
+
+console.log('\n=== HEALTH_THRESHOLDS ===');
+test('infraSilentMs = 72h (259200000)', () => assert.strictEqual(HEALTH_THRESHOLDS.infraSilentMs, 259200000));
+test('nodeSilentMs = 24h (86400000)', () => assert.strictEqual(HEALTH_THRESHOLDS.nodeSilentMs, 86400000));
+
+console.log('\n=== getHealthThresholds ===');
+test('repeater uses infra thresholds', () => {
+  const t = getHealthThresholds('repeater');
+  assert.strictEqual(t.silentMs, 259200000);
+});
+test('room uses infra thresholds', () => {
+  const t = getHealthThresholds('room');
+  assert.strictEqual(t.silentMs, 259200000);
+});
+test('companion uses node thresholds', () => {
+  const t = getHealthThresholds('companion');
+  assert.strictEqual(t.silentMs, 86400000);
+});
+
+console.log('\n=== getNodeStatus ===');
+const now = Date.now();
+const h = 3600000;
+
+test('repeater seen 1h ago → active', () => assert.strictEqual(getNodeStatus('repeater', now - 1*h), 'active'));
+test('repeater seen 71h ago → active', () => assert.strictEqual(getNodeStatus('repeater', now - 71*h), 'active'));
+test('repeater seen 73h ago → stale', () => assert.strictEqual(getNodeStatus('repeater', now - 73*h), 'stale'));
+test('room seen 73h ago → stale (same as repeater)', () => assert.strictEqual(getNodeStatus('room', now - 73*h), 'stale'));
+test('companion seen 1h ago → active', () => assert.strictEqual(getNodeStatus('companion', now - 1*h), 'active'));
+test('companion seen 23h ago → active', () => assert.strictEqual(getNodeStatus('companion', now - 23*h), 'active'));
+test('companion seen 25h ago → stale', () => assert.strictEqual(getNodeStatus('companion', now - 25*h), 'stale'));
+test('sensor seen 25h ago → stale', () => assert.strictEqual(getNodeStatus('sensor', now - 25*h), 'stale'));
+test('unknown role → uses node (24h) threshold', () => assert.strictEqual(getNodeStatus('unknown', now - 25*h), 'stale'));
+test('unknown role seen 23h ago → active', () => assert.strictEqual(getNodeStatus('unknown', now - 23*h), 'active'));
+test('null lastSeenMs → stale', () => assert.strictEqual(getNodeStatus('repeater', null), 'stale'));
+test('undefined lastSeenMs → stale', () => assert.strictEqual(getNodeStatus('repeater', undefined), 'stale'));
+test('0 lastSeenMs → stale', () => assert.strictEqual(getNodeStatus('repeater', 0), 'stale'));
+
+// === getStatusInfo tests (inline since nodes.js has too many DOM deps) ===
+console.log('\n=== getStatusInfo (logic validation) ===');
+
+// Simulate getStatusInfo logic
+function mockGetStatusInfo(n) {
+  const ROLE_COLORS = ctx.window.ROLE_COLORS;
+  const role = (n.role || '').toLowerCase();
+  const roleColor = ROLE_COLORS[n.role] || '#6b7280';
+  const lastHeardTime = n._lastHeard || n.last_heard || n.last_seen;
+  const lastHeardMs = lastHeardTime ? new Date(lastHeardTime).getTime() : 0;
+  const status = getNodeStatus(role, lastHeardMs);
+  const statusLabel = status === 'active' ? '🟢 Active' : '⚪ Stale';
+  const isInfra = role === 'repeater' || role === 'room';
+
+  let explanation = '';
+  if (status === 'active') {
+    explanation = 'Last heard recently';
+  } else {
+    const reason = isInfra
+      ? 'repeaters typically advertise every 12-24h'
+      : 'companions only advertise when user initiates, this may be normal';
+    explanation = 'Not heard — ' + reason;
+  }
+  return { status, statusLabel, roleColor, explanation, role };
+}
+
+test('active repeater → 🟢 Active, red color', () => {
+  const info = mockGetStatusInfo({ role: 'repeater', last_seen: new Date(now - 1*h).toISOString() });
+  assert.strictEqual(info.status, 'active');
+  assert.strictEqual(info.statusLabel, '🟢 Active');
+  assert.strictEqual(info.roleColor, '#dc2626');
+});
+
+test('stale companion → ⚪ Stale, explanation mentions "this may be normal"', () => {
+  const info = mockGetStatusInfo({ role: 'companion', last_seen: new Date(now - 25*h).toISOString() });
+  assert.strictEqual(info.status, 'stale');
+  assert.strictEqual(info.statusLabel, '⚪ Stale');
+  assert(info.explanation.includes('this may be normal'), 'should mention "this may be normal"');
+});
+
+test('missing last_seen → stale', () => {
+  const info = mockGetStatusInfo({ role: 'repeater' });
+  assert.strictEqual(info.status, 'stale');
+});
+
+test('missing role → defaults to empty string, uses node threshold', () => {
+  const info = mockGetStatusInfo({ last_seen: new Date(now - 25*h).toISOString() });
+  assert.strictEqual(info.status, 'stale');
+  assert.strictEqual(info.roleColor, '#6b7280');
+});
+
+test('prefers last_heard over last_seen', () => {
+  // last_seen is stale, but last_heard is recent
+  const info = mockGetStatusInfo({
+    role: 'companion',
+    last_seen: new Date(now - 48*h).toISOString(),
+    last_heard: new Date(now - 1*h).toISOString()
+  });
+  assert.strictEqual(info.status, 'active');
+});
+
+// === getStatusTooltip tests ===
+console.log('\n=== getStatusTooltip ===');
+
+// Load from nodes.js by extracting the function
+// Since nodes.js is complex, I'll re-implement the tooltip function for testing
+function getStatusTooltip(role, status) {
+  const isInfra = role === 'repeater' || role === 'room';
+  const threshold = isInfra ? '72h' : '24h';
+  if (status === 'active') {
+    return 'Active — heard within the last ' + threshold + '.' + (isInfra ? ' Repeaters typically advertise every 12-24h.' : '');
+  }
+  if (role === 'companion') {
+    return 'Stale — not heard for over ' + threshold + '. Companions only advertise when the user initiates — this may be normal.';
+  }
+  if (role === 'sensor') {
+    return 'Stale — not heard for over ' + threshold + '. This sensor may be offline.';
+  }
+  return 'Stale — not heard for over ' + threshold + '. This ' + role + ' may be offline or out of range.';
+}
+
+test('active repeater mentions "72h" and "advertise every 12-24h"', () => {
+  const tip = getStatusTooltip('repeater', 'active');
+  assert(tip.includes('72h'), 'should mention 72h');
+  assert(tip.includes('advertise every 12-24h'), 'should mention advertise frequency');
+});
+
+test('active companion mentions "24h"', () => {
+  const tip = getStatusTooltip('companion', 'active');
+  assert(tip.includes('24h'), 'should mention 24h');
+});
+
+test('stale companion mentions "24h" and "user initiates"', () => {
+  const tip = getStatusTooltip('companion', 'stale');
+  assert(tip.includes('24h'), 'should mention 24h');
+  assert(tip.includes('user initiates'), 'should mention user initiates');
+});
+
+test('stale repeater mentions "offline or out of range"', () => {
+  const tip = getStatusTooltip('repeater', 'stale');
+  assert(tip.includes('offline or out of range'), 'should mention offline or out of range');
+});
+
+test('stale sensor mentions "sensor may be offline"', () => {
+  const tip = getStatusTooltip('sensor', 'stale');
+  assert(tip.includes('sensor may be offline'));
+});
+
+test('stale room uses 72h threshold', () => {
+  const tip = getStatusTooltip('room', 'stale');
+  assert(tip.includes('72h'));
+});
+
+// === Bug check: renderRows uses last_seen instead of last_heard || last_seen ===
+console.log('\n=== BUG CHECK ===');
+const nodesJs = fs.readFileSync('public/nodes.js', 'utf8');
+const renderRowsMatch = nodesJs.match(/const status = getNodeStatus\(n\.role[^;]+/);
+if (renderRowsMatch) {
+  const line = renderRowsMatch[0];
+  console.log(`  renderRows status line: ${line}`);
+  if (!line.includes('last_heard')) {
+    console.log('  🐛 BUG: renderRows() uses only n.last_seen, ignoring n.last_heard!');
+    console.log('     Should be: n.last_heard || n.last_seen');
+  }
+}
+
+console.log(`\n=== Results: ${passed} passed, ${failed} failed ===\n`);
+process.exit(failed > 0 ? 1 : 0);