diff --git a/docs/user-guides/workspace-management.md b/docs/user-guides/workspace-management.md
index 840c5e793df..877263902fc 100644
--- a/docs/user-guides/workspace-management.md
+++ b/docs/user-guides/workspace-management.md
@@ -107,8 +107,10 @@ Admins may apply bulk operations (update, delete, start, stop) in the
 checkboxes on the left, then use the top-right **Actions** dropdown to apply the
 operation.
 
-The start and stop operations can only be applied to a set of workspaces which
-are all in the same state. For update and delete, the user will be prompted for
+The start and stop operations can be applied even when the selected workspaces
+are not all in the same state. Bulk start will only apply to selected workspaces
+that are currently stopped, and bulk stop will only apply to selected workspaces
+that are currently running. For update and delete, the user will be prompted for
 confirmation before any action is taken.
 
 ![Bulk workspace actions](../images/user-guides/workspace-bulk-actions.png)
diff --git a/site/src/pages/WorkspacesPage/WorkspacesPage.stories.tsx b/site/src/pages/WorkspacesPage/WorkspacesPage.stories.tsx
index a7d247c3d77..210d8bf6d16 100644
--- a/site/src/pages/WorkspacesPage/WorkspacesPage.stories.tsx
+++ b/site/src/pages/WorkspacesPage/WorkspacesPage.stories.tsx
@@ -462,6 +462,12 @@ const stoppedWorkspaces: Workspace[] = [
 	{ ...MockStoppedWorkspace, id: "3" },
 ];
 
+const mixedStateWorkspaces: Workspace[] = [
+	{ ...MockStoppedWorkspace, id: "1" },
+	{ ...MockWorkspace, id: "2" },
+	{ ...MockStoppedWorkspace, id: "3" },
+];
+
 export const StartsOnlySelectedWorkspaces: Story = {
 	beforeEach: () => {
 		spyOn(API, "getWorkspaces").mockResolvedValue({
@@ -491,6 +497,103 @@ export const StartsOnlySelectedWorkspaces: Story = {
 	},
 };
 
+export const StartIgnoresAlreadyRunningWorkspaces: Story = {
+	beforeEach: () => {
+		spyOn(API, "getWorkspaces").mockResolvedValue({
+			workspaces: mixedStateWorkspaces,
+			count: mixedStateWorkspaces.length,
+		});
+		spyOn(API, "startWorkspace").mockResolvedValue(MockWorkspaceBuild);
+	},
+	play: async ({ canvasElement }) => {
+		const canvas = within(canvasElement);
+		const body = within(document.body);
+		const user = userEvent.setup();
+
+		await selectWorkspaces(canvas, user, ["1", "2", "3"]);
+		await openBulkActions(canvas, user);
+
+		const startItem = await body.findByRole("menuitem", { name: /start/i });
+		expect(startItem).not.toHaveAttribute("data-disabled");
+		await user.click(startItem);
+
+		await waitFor(() => expect(API.startWorkspace).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2));
+		expect(API.startWorkspace).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+			"1",
+			MockStoppedWorkspace.latest_build.template_version_id,
+		);
+		expect(API.startWorkspace).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+			"3",
+			MockStoppedWorkspace.latest_build.template_version_id,
+		);
+	},
+};
+
+export const StopIgnoresAlreadyStoppedWorkspaces: Story = {
+	beforeEach: () => {
+		spyOn(API, "getWorkspaces").mockResolvedValue({
+			workspaces: mixedStateWorkspaces,
+			count: mixedStateWorkspaces.length,
+		});
+		spyOn(API, "stopWorkspace").mockResolvedValue(MockWorkspaceBuild);
+	},
+	play: async ({ canvasElement }) => {
+		const canvas = within(canvasElement);
+		const body = within(document.body);
+		const user = userEvent.setup();
+
+		await selectWorkspaces(canvas, user, ["1", "2", "3"]);
+		await openBulkActions(canvas, user);
+
+		const stopItem = await body.findByRole("menuitem", { name: /stop/i });
+		expect(stopItem).not.toHaveAttribute("data-disabled");
+		await user.click(stopItem);
+
+		await waitFor(() => expect(API.stopWorkspace).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1));
+		expect(API.stopWorkspace).toHaveBeenCalledWith("2");
+	},
+};
+
+export const StartDisabledWhenNoWorkspacesAreStartable: Story = {
+	beforeEach: () => {
+		spyOn(API, "getWorkspaces").mockResolvedValue({
+			workspaces: runningWorkspaces,
+			count: runningWorkspaces.length,
+		});
+	},
+	play: async ({ canvasElement }) => {
+		const canvas = within(canvasElement);
+		const body = within(document.body);
+		const user = userEvent.setup();
+
+		await selectWorkspaces(canvas, user, ["1", "2", "3"]);
+		await openBulkActions(canvas, user);
+
+		const startItem = await body.findByRole("menuitem", { name: /start/i });
+		expect(startItem).toHaveAttribute("data-disabled");
+	},
+};
+
+export const StopDisabledWhenNoWorkspacesAreStoppable: Story = {
+	beforeEach: () => {
+		spyOn(API, "getWorkspaces").mockResolvedValue({
+			workspaces: stoppedWorkspaces,
+			count: stoppedWorkspaces.length,
+		});
+	},
+	play: async ({ canvasElement }) => {
+		const canvas = within(canvasElement);
+		const body = within(document.body);
+		const user = userEvent.setup();
+
+		await selectWorkspaces(canvas, user, ["1", "2", "3"]);
+		await openBulkActions(canvas, user);
+
+		const stopItem = await body.findByRole("menuitem", { name: /stop/i });
+		expect(stopItem).toHaveAttribute("data-disabled");
+	},
+};
+
 const appHealthStatuses: [WorkspaceAppHealth, boolean][] = [
 	["healthy", true],
 	["disabled", true],
diff --git a/site/src/pages/WorkspacesPage/WorkspacesPageView.tsx b/site/src/pages/WorkspacesPage/WorkspacesPageView.tsx
index f208ed62356..6f0fb34ca67 100644
--- a/site/src/pages/WorkspacesPage/WorkspacesPageView.tsx
+++ b/site/src/pages/WorkspacesPage/WorkspacesPageView.tsx
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ export const WorkspacesPageView: FC<WorkspacesPageViewProps> = ({
 							<DropdownMenuContent align="end">
 								<DropdownMenuItem
 									disabled={
-										!checkedWorkspaces?.every(
+										!checkedWorkspaces?.some(
 											(w) =>
 												w.latest_build.status === "stopped" &&
 												!mustUpdateWorkspace(w, canChangeVersions),
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ export const WorkspacesPageView: FC<WorkspacesPageViewProps> = ({
 								</DropdownMenuItem>
 								<DropdownMenuItem
 									disabled={
-										!checkedWorkspaces?.every(
+										!checkedWorkspaces?.some(
 											(w) => w.latest_build.status === "running",
 										)
 									}
diff --git a/site/src/pages/WorkspacesPage/batchActions.ts b/site/src/pages/WorkspacesPage/batchActions.ts
index c4401a17cbe..b372415a24f 100644
--- a/site/src/pages/WorkspacesPage/batchActions.ts
+++ b/site/src/pages/WorkspacesPage/batchActions.ts
@@ -33,9 +33,11 @@ export function useBatchActions(
 	const startAllMutation = useMutation({
 		mutationFn: (workspaces: readonly Workspace[]) => {
 			return Promise.all(
-				workspaces.map((w) =>
-					API.startWorkspace(w.id, w.latest_build.template_version_id),
-				),
+				workspaces
+					.filter((w) => w.latest_build.status === "stopped")
+					.map((w) =>
+						API.startWorkspace(w.id, w.latest_build.template_version_id),
+					),
 			);
 		},
 		onSuccess,
@@ -48,7 +50,11 @@ export function useBatchActions(
 
 	const stopAllMutation = useMutation({
 		mutationFn: (workspaces: readonly Workspace[]) => {
-			return Promise.all(workspaces.map((w) => API.stopWorkspace(w.id)));
+			return Promise.all(
+				workspaces
+					.filter((w) => w.latest_build.status === "running")
+					.map((w) => API.stopWorkspace(w.id)),
+			);
 		},
 		onSuccess,
 		onError: (error) => {