diff --git a/crates/charon-metrics/src/lib.rs b/crates/charon-metrics/src/lib.rs
index ccc0b66..1405c1d 100644
--- a/crates/charon-metrics/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/charon-metrics/src/lib.rs
@@ -123,6 +123,15 @@ pub mod names {
     pub const SCANNER_BLOCKS_TOTAL: &str = "charon_scanner_blocks_total";
     pub const SCANNER_POSITIONS: &str = "charon_scanner_positions";
 
+    // Listener — counts every `new_heads` arrival the moment the
+    // websocket subscription delivers it, before the pipeline runs.
+    // Distinct from `SCANNER_BLOCKS_TOTAL` (which advances per
+    // pipeline tick): if the pipeline stalls or the per-block work
+    // unit panics, the listener counter still climbs and the
+    // dashboard can distinguish "no blocks arriving" from "blocks
+    // arriving but pipeline wedged" (#328).
+    pub const LISTENER_BLOCKS_RECEIVED_TOTAL: &str = "charon_listener_blocks_received_total";
+
     // Pipeline
     pub const PIPELINE_BLOCK_DURATION_SECONDS: &str = "charon_pipeline_block_duration_seconds";
 
@@ -358,7 +367,11 @@ pub fn install(bind: SocketAddr) -> Result<Option<ExporterFuture>> {
 fn describe_all() {
     describe_counter!(
         names::SCANNER_BLOCKS_TOTAL,
-        "Total blocks drained from chain listeners."
+        "Total blocks processed by the scanner pipeline (one increment per per-block tick)."
+    );
+    describe_counter!(
+        names::LISTENER_BLOCKS_RECEIVED_TOTAL,
+        "Total `new_heads` events delivered by the chain websocket. Climbs whether or not the pipeline ticks."
     );
     describe_gauge!(
         names::SCANNER_POSITIONS,
@@ -443,6 +456,14 @@ pub fn record_block_scanned(chain: &str) {
     counter!(names::SCANNER_BLOCKS_TOTAL, "chain" => chain.to_owned()).increment(1);
 }
 
+/// Increment the per-chain listener block-ingress counter (#328).
+/// Bumped from the websocket `new_heads` handler before the pipeline
+/// runs, so a flat listener counter unambiguously means "no blocks
+/// arriving" rather than "pipeline stalled".
+pub fn record_block_received(chain: &str) {
+    counter!(names::LISTENER_BLOCKS_RECEIVED_TOTAL, "chain" => chain.to_owned()).increment(1);
+}
+
 /// Set the gauge for one health bucket on one chain.
 pub fn set_position_bucket(chain: &str, bucket: &str, count: u64) {
     gauge!(names::SCANNER_POSITIONS, "chain" => chain.to_owned(), "bucket" => bucket.to_owned())
diff --git a/crates/charon-scanner/src/listener.rs b/crates/charon-scanner/src/listener.rs
index 5e2fe82..dc1a073 100644
--- a/crates/charon-scanner/src/listener.rs
+++ b/crates/charon-scanner/src/listener.rs
@@ -178,8 +178,11 @@ impl BlockListener {
     /// stalled consumer cannot stall the WebSocket drain loop; full channel
     /// drops the event with a warning (back-pressure visible to ops).
     fn publish(&mut self, number: u64, timestamp: u64, block_hash: B256, backfill: bool) {
-        metrics::counter!("charon_blocks_received_total", "chain" => self.name.clone())
-            .increment(1);
+        // Route through the typed helper so this counter shares the
+        // same name constant the dashboard and alert rules read; a
+        // raw string here used to drift away from `names::*` and
+        // never showed up on any panel (#328).
+        charon_metrics::record_block_received(&self.name);
         debug!(
             chain = %self.name,
             block = number,
diff --git a/deploy/grafana/charon.json b/deploy/grafana/charon.json
index 3afaa03..23a8d7c 100644
--- a/deploy/grafana/charon.json
+++ b/deploy/grafana/charon.json
@@ -447,15 +447,15 @@
         "allValue": ".*",
         "current": { "selected": true, "text": "All", "value": "$__all" },
         "datasource": { "type": "prometheus", "uid": "${datasource}" },
-        "definition": "label_values(charon_scanner_blocks_total, chain)",
-        "description": "Chain label. Defaults to All (.*) so panels render data even before label_values is populated (fresh import or cold start).",
+        "definition": "label_values(charon_listener_blocks_received_total, chain)",
+        "description": "Chain label. Sourced from the listener counter (#328) — climbs the moment the websocket subscription delivers `new_heads`, so panels populate immediately on connect rather than waiting for the first pipeline tick.",
         "hide": 0,
         "includeAll": true,
         "label": "Chain",
         "multi": true,
         "name": "chain",
         "options": [],
-        "query": { "query": "label_values(charon_scanner_blocks_total, chain)", "refId": "StandardVariableQuery" },
+        "query": { "query": "label_values(charon_listener_blocks_received_total, chain)", "refId": "StandardVariableQuery" },
         "refresh": 2,
         "regex": "",
         "skipUrlSync": false,