fix(FN-2054): harden agent loop stuck-detection and self-healing

- Add defensive cleanup for in-memory task tracking when tasks move state or agents pause
- Improve stuck-detection and self-healing flow to reduce leaked state and missed recovery paths
- Add logging around previously swallowed errors and tighten executor cleanup behavior
- Expand restart and self-healing reliability tests to cover regression scenarios

packages/dashboard/src/mission-interview.test.ts

@@ -700,6 +700,15 @@ describe("mission-interview module", () => {
       expect(agentConfig).toHaveProperty("onThinking");
       expect(agentConfig).toHaveProperty("onText");
 
+      // Verify stream callbacks use the active session id
+      const broadcastSpy = vi.spyOn(missionInterviewStreamManager, "broadcast").mockReturnValue(1);
+      agentConfig.onText("Hello");
+      expect(broadcastSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(sessionId, { type: "text", data: "Hello" });
+
+      agentConfig.onThinking("thinking...");
+      expect(broadcastSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(sessionId, { type: "thinking", data: "thinking..." });
+      broadcastSpy.mockRestore();
+
       // Verify no unexpected model override fields
       expect(agentConfig).not.toHaveProperty("modelProvider");
       expect(agentConfig).not.toHaveProperty("modelId");

packages/dashboard/src/mission-interview.ts

@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ export type MissionInterviewResponse =
 /** SSE event types for mission interview streaming */
 export type MissionInterviewStreamEvent =
   | { type: "thinking"; data: string }
+  | { type: "text"; data: string }
   | { type: "question"; data: PlanningQuestion }
   | { type: "summary"; data: MissionPlanSummary }
   | { type: "error"; data: string }
@@ -777,6 +778,10 @@ async function createMissionInterviewAgent(
     },
     onText: (delta: string) => {
       session.thinkingOutput += delta;
+      missionInterviewStreamManager.broadcast(session.id, {
+        type: "text",
+        data: delta,
+      });
     },
   });
 }

packages/engine/src/agent-heartbeat.ts

@@ -297,7 +297,27 @@ export class HeartbeatMonitor {
    */
   async withAgentStartLock<T>(agentId: string, fn: () => Promise<T>): Promise<T> {
     const existing = this.agentStartLocks.get(agentId) ?? Promise.resolve();
-    const operation = existing.then(fn, fn);
+    const operation = existing.then(
+      async () => {
+        try {
+          return await fn();
+        } finally {
+          // Clean up accumulated run state for this agent at end of each serialized run.
+          // This guarantees cleanup even when the run path throws without calling completeRun
+          // (e.g., execution error before completeRun is reached, or completeRun itself throws).
+          // Because withAgentStartLock serializes runs per agent, the finally runs after each
+          // run completes but before the next concurrent call's callback starts.
+          this.clearRunState(agentId);
+        }
+      },
+      async (err) => {
+        try {
+          throw err;
+        } finally {
+          this.clearRunState(agentId);
+        }
+      },
+    );
     this.agentStartLocks.set(agentId, operation);
     return operation as Promise<T>;
   }
@@ -310,6 +330,39 @@ export class HeartbeatMonitor {
    * @returns The created run
    */
   async startRun(agentId: string, options?: WakeupOptions): Promise<AgentHeartbeatRun> {
+    // Safety net: fail any existing active runs for this agent before creating a new one.
+    // This prevents accumulation of zombie runs when startRun is called multiple times
+    // (e.g., concurrent timer + on-demand triggers, or retries after crashes).
+    try {
+      const existingRun = await this.store.getActiveHeartbeatRun(agentId);
+      if (existingRun) {
+        heartbeatLog.warn(
+          `Agent ${agentId} has active run ${existingRun.id} — marking failed before starting new run`,
+        );
+        try {
+          const existingDetail = await this.store.getRunDetail(agentId, existingRun.id);
+          if (existingDetail) {
+            await this.store.saveRun({
+              ...existingDetail,
+              endedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
+              status: "terminated",
+              stderrExcerpt: "Superseded by new heartbeat run (previous run was stale)",
+            });
+          }
+          await this.store.endHeartbeatRun(existingRun.id, "terminated");
+          this.clearRunState(agentId);
+        } catch (failErr) {
+          const failErrMessage = failErr instanceof Error ? failErr.message : String(failErr);
+          heartbeatLog.warn(
+            `Failed to terminate stale active run ${existingRun.id} for ${agentId}: ${failErrMessage} — continuing anyway`,
+          );
+        }
+      }
+    } catch (activeRunCheckErr) {
+      const msg = activeRunCheckErr instanceof Error ? activeRunCheckErr.message : String(activeRunCheckErr);
+      heartbeatLog.warn(`Failed to check for existing active run for ${agentId}: ${msg} — continuing with new run`);
+    }
+
     const run = await this.store.startHeartbeatRun(agentId);
 
     // Enrich with execution context
@@ -327,8 +380,8 @@ export class HeartbeatMonitor {
     // Transition agent to running state
     try {
       await this.store.updateAgentState(agentId, "running");
-    } catch {
+    } catch (startRunErr) {
-      // May fail if already in running state - that's ok
+      heartbeatLog.warn(`updateAgentState(running) failed for ${agentId}: ${startRunErr instanceof Error ? startRunErr.message : String(startRunErr)} — continuing`);
     }
 
     this.onRunStarted?.(agentId, enrichedRun);
@@ -384,7 +437,10 @@ export class HeartbeatMonitor {
 
     await this.store.saveRun(completedRun);
 
-    // Clear accumulated run state for this agent
+    // Clear accumulated run state for this agent.
+    // Safe to call even when runCreatedTasks was already cleared by withAgentStartLock's
+    // finally block (idempotent Map.delete), and necessary for direct completeRun calls
+    // that bypass the lock (e.g., test scenarios, edge-case error paths).
     this.clearRunState(agentId);
 
     // Update cumulative usage on agent
@@ -397,8 +453,8 @@ export class HeartbeatMonitor {
             totalOutputTokens: (agent.totalOutputTokens ?? 0) + completionResult.usageJson.outputTokens,
           });
         }
-      } catch {
+      } catch (usageUpdateErr) {
-        // Non-critical, skip
+        heartbeatLog.warn(`Agent ${agentId} usage update failed: ${usageUpdateErr instanceof Error ? usageUpdateErr.message : String(usageUpdateErr)} — continuing`);
       }
     }
 
@@ -413,8 +469,8 @@ export class HeartbeatMonitor {
           // Skip the normal state transition below since we already set the correct state
           completionResult = { ...completionResult, skipStateTransition: true };
         }
-      } catch {
+      } catch (budgetCheckErr) {
-        // If budget check fails, proceed with normal state transition
+        heartbeatLog.warn(`Agent ${agentId} budget check failed: ${budgetCheckErr instanceof Error ? budgetCheckErr.message : String(budgetCheckErr)} — proceeding with normal state transition`);
       }
     }
 
@@ -430,8 +486,8 @@ export class HeartbeatMonitor {
           // Completed successfully - back to active
           await this.store.updateAgentState(agentId, "active");
         }
-      } catch {
+      } catch (stateTransErr) {
-        // State transition may fail if already in target state
+        heartbeatLog.warn(`Agent ${agentId} state transition failed: ${stateTransErr instanceof Error ? stateTransErr.message : String(stateTransErr)} — continuing`);
       }
     }
 
@@ -470,8 +526,8 @@ export class HeartbeatMonitor {
 
       try {
         await this.store.updateAgentState(agentId, "active");
-      } catch {
+      } catch (stopStateErr) {
-        // Best effort — if already active or transition is currently invalid, ignore.
+        heartbeatLog.warn(`Agent ${agentId} updateAgentState(active) failed during stop: ${stopStateErr instanceof Error ? stopStateErr.message : String(stopStateErr)}`);
       }
 
       this.clearRunState(agentId);
@@ -500,8 +556,8 @@ export class HeartbeatMonitor {
 
     try {
       await this.store.updateAgentState(agentId, "active");
-    } catch {
+    } catch (stopPersistErr) {
-      // Best effort — if the state cannot be transitioned right now, don't fail stop semantics.
+      heartbeatLog.warn(`Agent ${agentId} updateAgentState(active) failed during persisted-run stop: ${stopPersistErr instanceof Error ? stopPersistErr.message : String(stopPersistErr)}`);
     }
 
     this.clearRunState(agentId);
@@ -649,8 +705,8 @@ export class HeartbeatMonitor {
       let preloadedAgent: Agent | null = null;
       try {
         preloadedAgent = await this.store.getAgent(agentId);
-      } catch {
+      } catch (preloadErr) {
-        // If preloading fails, resolve again in the execution path below.
+        heartbeatLog.warn(`Agent ${agentId} agent preloading failed: ${preloadErr instanceof Error ? preloadErr.message : String(preloadErr)} — will resolve in execution path`);
       }
 
       const resolvedTaskId = explicitTaskId ?? preloadedAgent?.taskId;
@@ -736,8 +792,8 @@ export class HeartbeatMonitor {
             });
             return (await this.store.getRunDetail(agentId, run.id))!;
           }
-        } catch {
+        } catch (budgetErr) {
-          // If getBudgetStatus fails (e.g., method not available), proceed without budget check
+          heartbeatLog.warn(`Agent ${agentId} budget status check failed: ${budgetErr instanceof Error ? budgetErr.message : String(budgetErr)} — proceeding without budget check`);
         }
 
         // Resolve agent
@@ -782,8 +838,8 @@ export class HeartbeatMonitor {
                 await checkoutTask.call(taskStore, taskId, agentId, runContext);
                 // Audit trail: record checkout mutation (FN-1404)
                 await audit.database({ type: "task:checkout", target: taskId });
-              } catch {
+              } catch (checkoutErr) {
-                heartbeatLog.log(`Task ${taskId} already checked out — skipping`);
+                heartbeatLog.warn(`Task ${taskId} checkout failed: ${checkoutErr instanceof Error ? checkoutErr.message : String(checkoutErr)} — skipping`);
                 taskId = undefined;
                 inboxSelection = null;
               }
@@ -843,8 +899,8 @@ export class HeartbeatMonitor {
           const resolvedTaskId = taskId!;
           try {
             taskDetail = await taskStore.getTask(resolvedTaskId);
-          } catch {
+          } catch (taskDetailErr) {
-            heartbeatLog.warn(`Task ${resolvedTaskId} not found — graceful exit`);
+            heartbeatLog.warn(`Task ${resolvedTaskId} fetch failed: ${taskDetailErr instanceof Error ? taskDetailErr.message : String(taskDetailErr)} — graceful exit`);
             await this.completeRun(agentId, run.id, {
               status: "completed",
               resultJson: { reason: "task_not_found", taskId: resolvedTaskId },
@@ -1069,8 +1125,8 @@ export class HeartbeatMonitor {
             if (triggerDetail === "wake-on-message" && this.messageStore) {
               try {
                 pendingMessages = this.messageStore.getInbox(agentId, "agent", { read: false, limit: 10 });
-              } catch {
+              } catch (inboxErr) {
-                heartbeatLog.warn(`Failed to fetch inbox messages for ${agentId} during wake-on-message`);
+                heartbeatLog.warn(`Failed to fetch inbox messages for ${agentId} during wake-on-message: ${inboxErr instanceof Error ? inboxErr.message : String(inboxErr)}`);
               }
             }
 
@@ -1124,8 +1180,8 @@ export class HeartbeatMonitor {
             if (triggerDetail === "wake-on-message" && this.messageStore) {
               try {
                 pendingMessages = this.messageStore.getInbox(agentId, "agent", { read: false, limit: 10 });
-              } catch {
+              } catch (inboxErr) {
-                heartbeatLog.warn(`Failed to fetch inbox messages for ${agentId} during wake-on-message`);
+                heartbeatLog.warn(`Failed to fetch inbox messages for ${agentId} during wake-on-message: ${inboxErr instanceof Error ? inboxErr.message : String(inboxErr)}`);
               }
             }
 
@@ -1198,9 +1254,8 @@ export class HeartbeatMonitor {
           if (pendingMessages.length > 0 && this.messageStore) {
             try {
               this.messageStore.markAllAsRead(agentId, "agent");
-            } catch {
+            } catch (markReadErr) {
-              // Non-critical — mark as read failed, messages remain unread
+              heartbeatLog.warn(`Failed to mark messages as read for ${agentId}: ${markReadErr instanceof Error ? markReadErr.message : String(markReadErr)}`);
-              heartbeatLog.warn(`Failed to mark messages as read for ${agentId}`);
             }
           }
 
@@ -1237,7 +1292,11 @@ export class HeartbeatMonitor {
           });
         } finally {
           await flushAgentLogger();
-          this.untrackAgent(agentId);
+          // Defensively untrack the agent — wrap in try/catch to guarantee cleanup
+          // can't be blocked by an exception in untrackAgent itself.
+          try { this.untrackAgent(agentId); } catch (untrackErr) {
+            heartbeatLog.warn(`untrackAgent failed for ${agentId}: ${untrackErr instanceof Error ? untrackErr.message : String(untrackErr)}`);
+          }
           try { session.dispose(); } catch { /* ignore */ }
         }
 
@@ -1247,14 +1306,39 @@ export class HeartbeatMonitor {
         heartbeatLog.error(`Heartbeat execution error for ${agentId}: ${errorMessage}`);
         await flushAgentLogger();
 
-        // Attempt to complete the run as failed if it's still active
+        // Attempt to complete the run as failed if it's still active.
+        // If completeRun also fails, fall back to a direct DB update to ensure
+        // the run is not permanently stuck in "active" state.
         try {
           await this.completeRun(agentId, run.id, {
             status: "failed",
             stderrExcerpt: errorMessage,
           });
-        } catch {
+        } catch (completeRunErr) {
-          // If completeRun also fails, the run remains active — nothing more we can do
+          const completeRunErrMsg = completeRunErr instanceof Error ? completeRunErr.message : String(completeRunErr);
+          heartbeatLog.error(`completeRun failed for ${agentId}/${run.id}: ${completeRunErrMsg} — attempting safety-net completion`);
+
+          // Safety net: directly update the run record to prevent zombie run state.
+          // This runs only when completeRun itself threw, guaranteeing the run
+          // doesn't remain permanently stuck in "active" state.
+          try {
+            const runDetail = await this.store.getRunDetail(agentId, run.id);
+            if (runDetail && runDetail.status !== "completed" && runDetail.status !== "failed" && runDetail.status !== "terminated") {
+              await this.store.saveRun({
+                ...runDetail,
+                endedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
+                status: "failed",
+                stderrExcerpt: `Heartbeat execution failed: ${errorMessage}. Run completion also failed: ${completeRunErrMsg}`,
+              });
+              await this.store.endHeartbeatRun(run.id, "terminated");
+              // Also clean up run state accumulator
+              this.clearRunState(agentId);
+              heartbeatLog.log(`Safety-net run completion for ${agentId}/${run.id} — run terminated`);
+            }
+          } catch (safetyNetErr) {
+            const safetyNetErrMsg = safetyNetErr instanceof Error ? safetyNetErr.message : String(safetyNetErr);
+            heartbeatLog.error(`Safety-net run completion also failed for ${agentId}/${run.id}: ${safetyNetErrMsg} — run may be stuck permanently`);
+          }
         }
 
         return (await this.store.getRunDetail(agentId, run.id))!;
@@ -1306,8 +1390,8 @@ export class HeartbeatMonitor {
         // Log agent link on the created task with run context for correlation
         try {
           await taskStore.logEntry(createdTaskId, `Created by agent ${agentId} during heartbeat run`, undefined, runContext);
-        } catch {
+        } catch (taskCreateLogErr) {
-          // Non-critical — task was created, just the log failed
+          heartbeatLog.warn(`Task ${createdTaskId} agent-link log failed: ${taskCreateLogErr instanceof Error ? taskCreateLogErr.message : String(taskCreateLogErr)}`);
         }
 
         // Audit trail: record task creation (FN-1404)
@@ -1395,8 +1479,8 @@ export class HeartbeatMonitor {
           result.maxConcurrentRuns = Math.max(1, Math.round(rc.maxConcurrentRuns));
         }
       }
-    } catch {
+    } catch (agentLookupErr) {
-      // If agent lookup fails, use monitor defaults
+      heartbeatLog.warn(`getAgentConfig(${agentId}) agent lookup failed: ${agentLookupErr instanceof Error ? agentLookupErr.message : String(agentLookupErr)} — using monitor defaults`);
     }
 
     return result;
@@ -1660,8 +1744,8 @@ export class HeartbeatTriggerScheduler {
             heartbeatLog.log(`Agent ${agent.id} budget exhausted — assignment trigger skipped`);
             return;
           }
-        } catch {
+        } catch (budgetErr) {
-          // If getBudgetStatus fails, proceed without budget check
+          heartbeatLog.warn(`Assignment trigger budget check failed for ${agent.id}: ${budgetErr instanceof Error ? budgetErr.message : String(budgetErr)} — proceeding without budget check`);
         }
 
         let triggeringCommentIds: string[] | undefined;
@@ -1745,8 +1829,8 @@ export class HeartbeatTriggerScheduler {
           heartbeatLog.log(`Agent ${agentId} over budget threshold (${budgetStatus.usagePercent}%) — timer tick skipped`);
           return;
         }
-      } catch {
+      } catch (budgetErr) {
-        // If getBudgetStatus fails, proceed without budget check
+        heartbeatLog.warn(`Timer tick budget check failed for ${agentId}: ${budgetErr instanceof Error ? budgetErr.message : String(budgetErr)} — proceeding without budget check`);
       }
 
       await this.callback(agentId, "timer", {

packages/engine/src/executor.ts

@@ -513,6 +513,13 @@ export class TaskExecutor {
           );
           this.activeStepExecutors.delete(task.id);
         }
+        // Clean up all in-memory state for this task so nothing leaks across runs.
+        // This prevents zombie state from persisting when a task moves away from
+        // in-progress while execute() is still unwinding, or when the scheduler
+        // moves a task out before the executor's task:moved fires.
+        this.loopRecoveryState.delete(task.id);
+        this.spawnedAgents.delete(task.id);
+        this.stuckAborted.delete(task.id);
       }
     });
 
@@ -535,6 +542,10 @@ export class TaskExecutor {
           this.options.stuckTaskDetector?.untrackTask(task.id);
           const { session } = this.activeSessions.get(task.id)!;
           session.dispose();
+          // Also clean up in-memory state to prevent leaks if the task is later unpaused
+          this.loopRecoveryState.delete(task.id);
+          this.spawnedAgents.delete(task.id);
+          this.stuckAborted.delete(task.id);
           return;
         }
         if (task.paused && this.activeStepExecutors.has(task.id)) {
@@ -543,6 +554,10 @@ export class TaskExecutor {
           this.options.stuckTaskDetector?.untrackTask(task.id);
           const stepExecutor = this.activeStepExecutors.get(task.id)!;
           await stepExecutor.terminateAllSessions();
+          // Also clean up in-memory state to prevent leaks if the task is later unpaused
+          this.loopRecoveryState.delete(task.id);
+          this.spawnedAgents.delete(task.id);
+          this.stuckAborted.delete(task.id);
           return;
         }
 
@@ -556,7 +571,9 @@ export class TaskExecutor {
             try {
               await this.clearResumeFailureState(task);
               await this.store.logEntry(task.id, "Resuming execution after unpause", undefined, this.currentRunContext);
-            } catch { /* non-critical */ }
+            } catch (clearErr) {
+              executorLog.warn(`${task.id} clearResumeFailureState failed during unpause: ${clearErr instanceof Error ? clearErr.message : String(clearErr)}`);
+            }
             this.execute(task).catch((err) =>
               executorLog.error(`Failed to resume unpaused ${task.id}:`, err),
             );
@@ -677,6 +694,10 @@ export class TaskExecutor {
           this.pausedAborted.add(taskId);
           this.options.stuckTaskDetector?.untrackTask(taskId);
           session.dispose();
+          // Clean up all in-memory state so nothing leaks when tasks are later unpaused
+          this.loopRecoveryState.delete(taskId);
+          this.spawnedAgents.delete(taskId);
+          this.stuckAborted.delete(taskId);
         }
         for (const [taskId, stepExecutor] of this.activeStepExecutors) {
           executorLog.log(`Global pause — terminating step sessions for ${taskId}`);
@@ -685,6 +706,10 @@ export class TaskExecutor {
           stepExecutor.terminateAllSessions().catch(err =>
             executorLog.warn(`Failed to terminate step sessions for global pause ${taskId}: ${err}`)
           );
+          // Clean up all in-memory state so nothing leaks when tasks are later unpaused
+          this.loopRecoveryState.delete(taskId);
+          this.spawnedAgents.delete(taskId);
+          this.stuckAborted.delete(taskId);
         }
       }
     });
@@ -1470,9 +1495,14 @@ export class TaskExecutor {
         } finally {
           this.executing.delete(task.id);
           this.loopRecoveryState.delete(task.id);
-          await stepExecutor.cleanup().catch(cleanupErr =>
+          // Wrap cleanup in try/catch so activeStepExecutors.delete() always runs.
-            executorLog.warn(`StepSessionExecutor cleanup failed for ${task.id}: ${cleanupErr}`)
+          // If cleanup() throws, the executor continues to clean up the in-memory map
-          );
+          // and requeue logic without leaking the reference.
+          try {
+            await stepExecutor.cleanup();
+          } catch (cleanupErr) {
+            executorLog.warn(`StepSessionExecutor cleanup failed for ${task.id}: ${cleanupErr instanceof Error ? cleanupErr.message : String(cleanupErr)}`);
+          }
           this.activeStepExecutors.delete(task.id);
 
           // Stuck-requeue: clean up worktree and move to todo
@@ -2137,6 +2167,16 @@ export class TaskExecutor {
       // Clear run context at end of execute() lifecycle
       this.currentRunContext = undefined;
 
+      // Terminate all spawned child agents on ALL exit paths.
+      // This must run here (in the outer finally) rather than only in agentWork's
+      // finally block, because failures during worktree creation or before
+      // agentWork is entered leave children orphaned with no other cleanup path.
+      try {
+        await this.terminateAllChildren(task.id);
+      } catch (err) {
+        executorLog.warn(`terminateAllChildren failed for ${task.id}: ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err)}`);
+      }
+
       // Reset loop recovery state at end of execute() lifecycle.
       // State is in-memory and per-run — should not persist across attempts.
       this.loopRecoveryState.delete(task.id);
@@ -4131,12 +4171,16 @@ and show an appropriate message to the user.\`
       // Normal completion — mark as active (available)
       try {
         await this.options.agentStore?.updateAgentState(agentId, "active");
-      } catch { /* non-critical */ }
+      } catch (markActiveErr) {
+        executorLog.warn(`Child agent ${agentId} updateAgentState(active) failed: ${markActiveErr instanceof Error ? markActiveErr.message : String(markActiveErr)}`);
+      }
     } catch (err: unknown) {
       // Error during execution — mark as error
       try {
         await this.options.agentStore?.updateAgentState(agentId, "error");
-      } catch { /* non-critical */ }
+      } catch (markErrorErr) {
+        executorLog.warn(`Child agent ${agentId} updateAgentState(error) failed: ${markErrorErr instanceof Error ? markErrorErr.message : String(markErrorErr)}`);
+      }
       const errorMessage = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
       executorLog.warn(`Child agent ${agentId} failed: ${errorMessage}`);
     } finally {

packages/engine/src/restart.integration.test.ts

@@ -738,6 +738,8 @@ describe("Scheduler after restart", () => {
     const todoTask = makeTask("FN-070", "todo");
     store.listTasks.mockResolvedValue([todoTask]);
     store.getSettings.mockResolvedValue({ ...DEFAULT_SETTINGS });
+    // Mock getTask for compare-and-swap verification in schedule()
+    store.getTask.mockResolvedValue(todoTask);
 
     // Needs parseFileScopeFromPrompt for overlap checks
     store.parseFileScopeFromPrompt.mockResolvedValue([]);
@@ -1320,6 +1322,8 @@ describe("Engine pause/unpause cycle", () => {
     store.listTasks.mockResolvedValue([todoTask]);
     store.getSettings.mockResolvedValue({ ...DEFAULT_SETTINGS, enginePaused: false });
     store.parseFileScopeFromPrompt.mockResolvedValue([]);
+    // Mock getTask for compare-and-swap verification in schedule()
+    store.getTask.mockResolvedValue(todoTask);
 
     const onSchedule = vi.fn();
     const scheduler = new Scheduler(store, {

packages/engine/src/scheduler.ts

@@ -670,6 +670,21 @@ export class Scheduler {
           reservedWorktreeNames,
         );
 
+        // Compare-and-swap: re-read the task to verify it's still in "todo" before dispatching.
+        // This prevents dispatching a task twice if another schedule() call or user action
+        // moved it away from "todo" between our initial snapshot and this dispatch attempt.
+        // The re-entrance guard prevents overlapping schedule() passes, but external events
+        // (user moves, API calls) can still trigger concurrent state changes.
+        const freshTask = await this.store.getTask(task.id);
+        if (!freshTask || freshTask.column !== "todo") {
+          schedulerLog.log(`Task ${task.id} no longer in "todo" (column=${freshTask?.column ?? "N/A"}) — skipping dispatch`);
+          continue;
+        }
+        if (freshTask.paused) {
+          schedulerLog.log(`Task ${task.id} is paused — skipping dispatch`);
+          continue;
+        }
+
         // Clear status, reserve worktree path, and then move to in-progress
         schedulerLog.log(`Starting ${task.id}: ${task.title || task.id} (deps satisfied)`);
         await this.store.updateTask(task.id, {

packages/engine/src/self-healing.test.ts

@@ -2094,12 +2094,14 @@ describe("maintenance cycle concurrency", () => {
     expect((manager as any).maintenanceRunning).toBe(false);
   });
 
-  it("runs batch 1 operations in parallel", async () => {
+  it("runs batch 1 operations in sequence (with isolation — one failure doesn't block others)", async () => {
     let runningCount = 0;
     let maxConcurrent = 0;
+    let executionOrder: string[] = [];
 
     const makeSlow = (label: string) =>
       (vi.spyOn(manager as any, label).mockImplementation(async () => {
+        executionOrder.push(label);
         runningCount++;
         maxConcurrent = Math.max(maxConcurrent, runningCount);
         await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(10);
@@ -2115,16 +2117,25 @@ describe("maintenance cycle concurrency", () => {
 
     await (manager as any).runMaintenance();
 
-    // If they ran in parallel, maxConcurrent should be > 1
+    // Operations run sequentially (one at a time), not in parallel.
-    expect(maxConcurrent).toBeGreaterThan(1);
+    // This is intentional — each step is isolated so one failure doesn't
+    // block or race with the others.
+    expect(maxConcurrent).toBe(1);
+    // All operations should have run
+    expect(executionOrder).toContain("pruneWorktrees");
+    expect(executionOrder).toContain("cleanupOrphans");
+    expect(executionOrder).toContain("cleanupOrphanedBranches");
+    expect(executionOrder).toContain("enforceWorktreeCap");
   });
 
-  it("runs batch 2 operations in parallel", async () => {
+  it("runs batch 2 operations in sequence (with isolation — one failure doesn't block others)", async () => {
     let runningCount = 0;
     let maxConcurrent = 0;
+    let executionOrder: string[] = [];
 
     const makeSlow = (label: string) =>
       (vi.spyOn(manager as any, label).mockImplementation(async () => {
+        executionOrder.push(label);
         runningCount++;
         maxConcurrent = Math.max(maxConcurrent, runningCount);
         await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(10);
@@ -2145,7 +2156,10 @@ describe("maintenance cycle concurrency", () => {
 
     await (manager as any).runMaintenance();
 
-    expect(maxConcurrent).toBeGreaterThan(1);
+    // Operations run sequentially (one at a time), not in parallel.
+    expect(maxConcurrent).toBe(1);
+    // All operations should have run (including last one)
+    expect(executionOrder[executionOrder.length - 1]).toBe("recoverOrphanedSpecifyingTasks");
   });
 
   it("one failing batch 2 operation does not abort the batch", async () => {

packages/engine/src/self-healing.ts

@@ -148,15 +148,28 @@ export class SelfHealingManager {
    * stale in-progress/specifying tasks that no longer have a live worker.
    */
   async runStartupRecovery(): Promise<void> {
-    await this.recoverNoProgressNoTaskDoneFailures();
+    // Each recovery step is isolated — one failure doesn't prevent subsequent steps.
-    await this.recoverCompletedTasks();
+    const steps: Array<{ name: string; fn: () => Promise<unknown> }> = [
-    await this.recoverStaleIncompleteReviewTasks();
+      { name: "no-progress-no-task-done", fn: () => this.recoverNoProgressNoTaskDoneFailures().then(() => undefined) },
-    await this.recoverReviewTasksWithFailedPreMergeSteps();
+      { name: "completed-tasks", fn: () => this.recoverCompletedTasks().then(() => undefined) },
-    await this.recoverInterruptedMergingTasks();
+      { name: "stale-incomplete-review", fn: () => this.recoverStaleIncompleteReviewTasks().then(() => undefined) },
-    await this.recoverMisclassifiedFailures();
+      { name: "failed-pre-merge-steps", fn: () => this.recoverReviewTasksWithFailedPreMergeSteps().then(() => undefined) },
-    await this.recoverOrphanedExecutions();
+      { name: "interrupted-merging", fn: () => this.recoverInterruptedMergingTasks().then(() => undefined) },
-    await this.recoverApprovedTriageTasks();
+      { name: "misclassified-failures", fn: () => this.recoverMisclassifiedFailures().then(() => undefined) },
-    await this.recoverOrphanedSpecifyingTasks();
+      { name: "orphaned-executions", fn: () => this.recoverOrphanedExecutions().then(() => undefined) },
+      { name: "approved-triage", fn: () => this.recoverApprovedTriageTasks().then(() => undefined) },
+      { name: "orphaned-specifying", fn: () => this.recoverOrphanedSpecifyingTasks().then(() => undefined) },
+    ];
+
+    for (const step of steps) {
+      try {
+        await step.fn();
+        log.log(`Startup recovery step "${step.name}" completed`);
+      } catch (stepErr) {
+        const stepErrMessage = stepErr instanceof Error ? stepErr.message : String(stepErr);
+        log.error(`Startup recovery step "${step.name}" failed: ${stepErrMessage} — continuing with remaining steps`);
+      }
+    }
   }
 
   stop(): void {
@@ -469,44 +482,55 @@ export class SelfHealingManager {
 
     try {
       // Batch 1 — Git/filesystem cleanup
-      const batch1Results = await Promise.allSettled([
+      const batch1Fns: Array<{ name: string; fn: () => Promise<unknown> }> = [
-        this.pruneWorktrees(),
+        { name: "prune-worktrees", fn: () => this.pruneWorktrees() },
-        this.cleanupOrphans(),
+        { name: "cleanup-orphans", fn: () => this.cleanupOrphans() },
-        this.cleanupOrphanedBranches(),
+        { name: "cleanup-orphaned-branches", fn: () => this.cleanupOrphanedBranches() },
-        Promise.resolve(this.checkpointWal()),
+        { name: "checkpoint-wal", fn: () => Promise.resolve(this.checkpointWal()) },
-        this.enforceWorktreeCap(),
+        { name: "enforce-worktree-cap", fn: () => this.enforceWorktreeCap() },
-      ]);
+      ];
-      for (const result of batch1Results) {
+      for (const fn of batch1Fns) {
-        if (result.status === "rejected") {
+        try {
-          log.error(`Batch 1 cleanup failed: ${result.reason}`);
+          await fn.fn();
+          log.log(`Maintenance batch 1 step "${fn.name}" succeeded`);
+        } catch (stepErr) {
+          log.error(`Maintenance batch 1 step "${fn.name}" failed: ${stepErr instanceof Error ? stepErr.message : String(stepErr)}`);
         }
       }
 
       // Batch 2 — Task recovery (operations are independent of each other)
-      const batch2Results = await Promise.allSettled([
+      const batch2Fns: Array<{ name: string; fn: () => Promise<unknown> }> = [
-        this.recoverCompletedTasks(),
+        { name: "recover-completed-tasks", fn: () => this.recoverCompletedTasks() },
-        this.recoverStaleIncompleteReviewTasks(),
+        { name: "recover-stale-incomplete-review", fn: () => this.recoverStaleIncompleteReviewTasks() },
-        this.recoverReviewTasksWithFailedPreMergeSteps(),
+        { name: "recover-failed-pre-merge-steps", fn: () => this.recoverReviewTasksWithFailedPreMergeSteps() },
-        this.recoverInterruptedMergingTasks(),
+        { name: "recover-interrupted-merging", fn: () => this.recoverInterruptedMergingTasks() },
-        this.recoverMergeableReviewTasks(),
+        { name: "recover-mergeable-review", fn: () => this.recoverMergeableReviewTasks() },
-        this.recoverMergedReviewTasks(),
+        { name: "recover-merged-review", fn: () => this.recoverMergedReviewTasks() },
-        this.recoverMisclassifiedFailures(),
+        { name: "recover-misclassified-failures", fn: () => this.recoverMisclassifiedFailures() },
-        this.recoverNoProgressNoTaskDoneFailures(),
+        { name: "recover-no-progress-no-task-done", fn: () => this.recoverNoProgressNoTaskDoneFailures() },
-        this.recoverOrphanedExecutions(),
+        { name: "recover-orphaned-executions", fn: () => this.recoverOrphanedExecutions() },
-        this.recoverApprovedTriageTasks(),
+        { name: "recover-approved-triage", fn: () => this.recoverApprovedTriageTasks() },
-        this.recoverOrphanedSpecifyingTasks(),
+        { name: "recover-orphaned-specifying", fn: () => this.recoverOrphanedSpecifyingTasks() },
-      ]);
+      ];
-      for (const result of batch2Results) {
+      for (const fn of batch2Fns) {
-        if (result.status === "rejected") {
+        try {
-          log.error(`Batch 2 recovery failed: ${result.reason}`);
+          await fn.fn();
+          log.log(`Maintenance batch 2 step "${fn.name}" succeeded`);
+        } catch (stepErr) {
+          log.error(`Maintenance batch 2 step "${fn.name}" failed: ${stepErr instanceof Error ? stepErr.message : String(stepErr)}`);
         }
       }
 
       // Batch 3 — Archive (runs after recovery so we don't archive recoverable tasks)
-      const batch3Results = await Promise.allSettled([this.archiveStaleDoneTasks()]);
+      const batch3Fns: Array<{ name: string; fn: () => Promise<unknown> }> = [
-      for (const result of batch3Results) {
+        { name: "archive-stale-done", fn: () => this.archiveStaleDoneTasks() },
-        if (result.status === "rejected") {
+      ];
-          log.error(`Batch 3 archive failed: ${result.reason}`);
+      for (const fn of batch3Fns) {
+        try {
+          await fn.fn();
+          log.log(`Maintenance batch 3 step "${fn.name}" succeeded`);
+        } catch (stepErr) {
+          log.error(`Maintenance batch 3 step "${fn.name}" failed: ${stepErr instanceof Error ? stepErr.message : String(stepErr)}`);
         }
       }