diff --git a/.changeset/fn-8705-slot-priority.md b/.changeset/fn-8705-slot-priority.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..68a02c4979
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/fn-8705-slot-priority.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+"@runfusion/fusion": minor
+---
+
+summary: Prioritize review and execution work before planning when a project slot opens.
+category: feature
+dev: Project admission ranks review, execute, then planning; age and task ID break ties within a lane.
diff --git a/docs/architecture.md b/docs/architecture.md
index afdd057624..c73e34ae6e 100644
--- a/docs/architecture.md
+++ b/docs/architecture.md
@@ -1141,7 +1141,7 @@ The run-audit system records every mutation performed by the engine across four
 
 Events are tied to specific run IDs for end-to-end traceability.
 
-For scheduler concurrency diagnostics, the queued reason names the active limiter(s) and usage (for example `gate=maxConcurrent ...`). The reason includes the `bindingGates` (`maxConcurrent`/`maxWorktrees`/`semaphore`), per-gate `{ used, limit, slack }`, `holders`, and computed `available`. `maxConcurrent` is a per-project cap on enriched live top-level planning, execution, and review/merge agents; the host semaphore is the separate process-global pool. Free project capacity is admitted oldest-first across lanes, rather than by lane priority. `maxWorktrees` is also enforced inside `TaskStore.moveTaskInternal` when committing an allocated move into `in-progress`, making it a hard active execution worktree cap even when workflow WIP/`maxConcurrent` would allow more tasks. These queued-reason logs are transition-only: a newly emitted line indicates the limiter signature changed or the condition cleared and later reappeared, not that a poll loop simply observed the same blocked state again.
+For scheduler concurrency diagnostics, the queued reason names the active limiter(s) and usage (for example `gate=maxConcurrent ...`). The reason includes the `bindingGates` (`maxConcurrent`/`maxWorktrees`/`semaphore`), per-gate `{ used, limit, slack }`, `holders`, and computed `available`. `maxConcurrent` is a per-project cap on enriched live top-level planning, execution, and review/merge agents; the host semaphore is the separate process-global pool. Each newly free project slot admits review/merge first, ready execution second, and planning last; oldest valid `createdAt` and task ID break ties only within that lifecycle lane. `maxWorktrees` is also enforced inside `TaskStore.moveTaskInternal` when committing an allocated move into `in-progress`, making it a hard active execution worktree cap even when workflow WIP/`maxConcurrent` would allow more tasks. These queued-reason logs are transition-only: a newly emitted line indicates the limiter signature changed or the condition cleared and later reappeared, not that a poll loop simply observed the same blocked state again.
 
 **Run audit endpoints:**
 - `GET /api/agents/:id/runs/:runId/audit` — Returns audit trail for a specific agent run
diff --git a/docs/dashboard-guide.md b/docs/dashboard-guide.md
index 8d9c55cdea..b88a6ac30f 100644
--- a/docs/dashboard-guide.md
+++ b/docs/dashboard-guide.md
@@ -1332,7 +1332,7 @@ Features:
 <!-- FNXC:CommandCenter 2026-06-27-10:03: Tokens detail charts must show every model bucket returned by analytics for accurate spend attribution; Overview remains a compact top-model summary because its copy explicitly frames those cards as top consumers/share. -->
 <!-- FNXC:CommandCenterActivity 2026-06-30-00:00: Activity active-agent counts include both durable-agent usage events and ephemeral task-worker execution runs from agentRuns, because task execution can be visible without a matching usage_events row. -->
 <!-- FNXC:CommandCenterActivity 2026-07-01-00:00: Graph-owned workflow step sessions publish active-to-terminal agentRuns lifecycle rows with task lineage and step metadata, so daily activity and Activity throughput charts include new workflow execution without dashboard-side recounting. -->
-- **Overview controls dashboard** includes AI engine stop/start backed by `globalPause` and current-project **Max concurrent tasks** plus **Max worktrees** controls. Both capacity sliders remain visible while settings load or fail, but are disabled until settings are editable; a failed load shows its error and an intentionally disabled worktree limit explains how to enable it in Settings. Max concurrency caps top-level working agents across planning, execution, and review/merge; free capacity is admitted oldest-first within the project. The footer reports **Waiting**, **Running (N/max)**, and **Blocked**; column headers report executing/total (live agents in the lane over card count). Nested helper agents remain parent-internal and may temporarily exceed the displayed top-level count.
+- **Overview controls dashboard** includes AI engine stop/start backed by `globalPause` and current-project **Max concurrent tasks** plus **Max worktrees** controls. Both capacity sliders remain visible while settings load or fail, but are disabled until settings are editable; a failed load shows its error and an intentionally disabled worktree limit explains how to enable it in Settings. Max concurrency caps top-level working agents across planning, execution, and review/merge; a free project slot serves review/merge first, ready execution second, then planning, with age and task ID deciding order only within each lane. The footer reports **Waiting**, **Running (N/max)**, and **Blocked**; column headers report executing/total (live agents in the lane over card count). Nested helper agents remain parent-internal and may temporarily exceed the displayed top-level count.
 <!-- FNXC:TeamArea 2026-07-18-12:30: FN-8351 moves organization export and import to the Team tab so team-level portability controls are not presented as Overview dashboard controls. -->
 - **Team tab — Org export / import** lets an operator download a portable organization JSON bundle or paste one for a dry-run preview before confirming the apply step. Exports are secret-scrubbed by default: credentials and tokens are never included, while safe secret references can remain for setup in the destination project.
 - **Configuration versions** lives in **Settings → Project → Configuration Versions**. It lists recorded project-setting revisions newest first; select **Roll back** on any revision and confirm once to restore it. The restore is recorded as a new forward revision, so it can itself be undone without manually reconstructing settings.
diff --git a/packages/engine/src/__tests__/concurrency.test.ts b/packages/engine/src/__tests__/concurrency.test.ts
index e6effa4325..3d2a4ac187 100644
--- a/packages/engine/src/__tests__/concurrency.test.ts
+++ b/packages/engine/src/__tests__/concurrency.test.ts
@@ -1136,31 +1136,32 @@ describe("ProjectAdmissionCoordinator", () => {
     for (const [lane, taskId, createdAt] of [
       ["planning", "FN-PLANNING", "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z"],
       ["execute", "FN-EXECUTE", "2026-01-02T00:00:00.000Z"],
-      ["merge", "FN-MERGE", "2026-01-03T00:00:00.000Z"],
+      ["review", "FN-MERGE", "2026-01-03T00:00:00.000Z"],
     ] as const) {
       coordinator.registerProvider(lane, {
         projectId: "project-a",
         refresh: async () => [{
           taskId,
           projectId: "project-a",
+          lane,
           createdAt,
           start: async () => { started.push(taskId); },
         }],
       });
     }
 
-    expect(await coordinator.admitOldest({
+    expect(await coordinator.admitNext({
       projectId: "project-a",
       maxConcurrent: activeTaskLimit,
       claimed: () => 8,
-    })).toBe("FN-PLANNING");
+    })).toBe("FN-MERGE");
     expect(await coordinator.reserveIfAvailable({
       projectId: "project-a",
       taskId: "FN-DIRECT-SCHEDULER",
       maxConcurrent: activeTaskLimit,
       claimed: () => 8,
     })).toBe(false);
-    expect(started).toEqual(["FN-PLANNING"]);
+    expect(started).toEqual(["FN-MERGE"]);
 
     // Once the selected task is durably live, its matching reservation is the
     // same slot—not a second occupant—so the next real slot remains usable.
@@ -1169,11 +1170,11 @@ describe("ProjectAdmissionCoordinator", () => {
       taskId: "FN-DIRECT-SCHEDULER",
       maxConcurrent: 10,
       claimed: () => 9,
-      claimedTaskIds: () => ["FN-PLANNING"],
+      claimedTaskIds: () => ["FN-MERGE"],
     })).toBe(true);
 
     coordinator.releaseReservation("FN-DIRECT-SCHEDULER");
-    coordinator.releaseReservation("FN-PLANNING");
+    coordinator.releaseReservation("FN-MERGE");
   });
 
   it("does not lose a holder that transfers from reservation to durable state during a claim read", async () => {
@@ -1249,25 +1250,25 @@ describe("ProjectAdmissionCoordinator", () => {
     const coordinator = new ProjectAdmissionCoordinator();
     const started: string[] = [];
     const candidates = [
-      { taskId: "FN-20", projectId: "a", createdAt: "2026-01-02T00:00:00.000Z", start: async () => { started.push("new"); } },
-      { taskId: "FN-10", projectId: "a", createdAt: "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z", start: async () => { started.push("old"); } },
-      { taskId: "FN-1", projectId: "b", createdAt: "2026-01-03T00:00:00.000Z", start: async () => { started.push("other-project"); } },
+      { taskId: "FN-20", projectId: "a", lane: "execute" as const, createdAt: "2026-01-02T00:00:00.000Z", start: async () => { started.push("new"); } },
+      { taskId: "FN-10", projectId: "a", lane: "execute" as const, createdAt: "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z", start: async () => { started.push("old"); } },
+      { taskId: "FN-1", projectId: "b", lane: "execute" as const, createdAt: "2026-01-03T00:00:00.000Z", start: async () => { started.push("other-project"); } },
     ];
     const sem = new AgentSemaphore(2);
     await Promise.all([
-      coordinator.admitOldest({ projectId: "a", maxConcurrent: 1, claimed: () => 0, refresh: async () => candidates, semaphore: sem }),
-      coordinator.admitOldest({ projectId: "a", maxConcurrent: 1, claimed: () => started.length, refresh: async () => candidates, semaphore: sem }),
+      coordinator.admitNext({ projectId: "a", maxConcurrent: 1, claimed: () => 0, refresh: async () => candidates, semaphore: sem }),
+      coordinator.admitNext({ projectId: "a", maxConcurrent: 1, claimed: () => started.length, refresh: async () => candidates, semaphore: sem }),
     ]);
     expect(started).toEqual(["old"]);
     sem.release();
-    await coordinator.admitOldest({ projectId: "b", maxConcurrent: 1, claimed: () => 0, refresh: async () => candidates, semaphore: sem });
+    await coordinator.admitNext({ projectId: "b", maxConcurrent: 1, claimed: () => 0, refresh: async () => candidates, semaphore: sem });
     expect(started).toEqual(["old", "other-project"]);
   });
 
   /*
   FNXC:ConcurrencyAdmission 2026-07-26-09:45:
   Regression for the planning-starvation half of the FN-8600 incident: a card sat "Queued to plan"
-  while capacity was free, because admitOldest only ever evaluated candidates[0]. When the oldest
+  while capacity was free, because admitNext only ever evaluated candidates[0]. When the oldest
   candidate's lane declines the handoff, younger work in another lane must still be admitted.
 
   Invariant under test (not just the reported repro): a declining candidate is SKIPPED, not
@@ -1280,7 +1281,7 @@ describe("ProjectAdmissionCoordinator", () => {
     const semaphore = new AgentSemaphore(4);
     const started: string[] = [];
 
-    const admitted = await coordinator.admitOldest({
+    const admitted = await coordinator.admitNext({
       projectId: "project-a",
       maxConcurrent: 4,
       claimed: () => 0,
@@ -1288,22 +1289,22 @@ describe("ProjectAdmissionCoordinator", () => {
       refresh: async () => [
         // Oldest, but its lane cannot start it (e.g. a merge id no longer queued).
         {
-          taskId: "FN-OLDEST", projectId: "project-a", createdAt: "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
+          taskId: "FN-OLDEST", projectId: "project-a", lane: "review", createdAt: "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
           start: async () => { started.push("FN-OLDEST"); return false; },
         },
         // Also declines — proves the walk continues past more than one.
         {
-          taskId: "FN-MIDDLE", projectId: "project-a", createdAt: "2026-01-02T00:00:00.000Z",
+          taskId: "FN-MIDDLE", projectId: "project-a", lane: "review", createdAt: "2026-01-02T00:00:00.000Z",
           start: async () => { started.push("FN-MIDDLE"); return false; },
         },
         // The planning candidate that was starving behind them.
         {
-          taskId: "FN-PLANNING", projectId: "project-a", createdAt: "2026-01-03T00:00:00.000Z",
+          taskId: "FN-PLANNING", projectId: "project-a", lane: "planning", createdAt: "2026-01-03T00:00:00.000Z",
           start: async () => { started.push("FN-PLANNING"); },
         },
         // Younger still: must NOT be admitted, so skipping never becomes overtaking.
         {
-          taskId: "FN-YOUNGEST", projectId: "project-a", createdAt: "2026-01-04T00:00:00.000Z",
+          taskId: "FN-YOUNGEST", projectId: "project-a", lane: "planning", createdAt: "2026-01-04T00:00:00.000Z",
           start: async () => { started.push("FN-YOUNGEST"); },
         },
       ],
@@ -1332,11 +1333,11 @@ describe("ProjectAdmissionCoordinator", () => {
     // A pre-tryAcquire shim: release only, no tryAcquire.
     const shim = { release: () => { releases.push(1); } };
 
-    const admitted = await coordinator.admitOldest({
+    const admitted = await coordinator.admitNext({
       projectId: "project-shim",
       maxConcurrent: 4,
       claimed: () => 0,
-      semaphore: shim as unknown as Parameters<ProjectAdmissionCoordinator["admitOldest"]>[0]["semaphore"],
+      semaphore: shim as unknown as Parameters<ProjectAdmissionCoordinator["admitNext"]>[0]["semaphore"],
       refresh: async () => [
         { taskId: "FN-A", projectId: "project-shim", createdAt: "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z", start: async () => false },
         { taskId: "FN-B", projectId: "project-shim", createdAt: "2026-01-02T00:00:00.000Z", start: async () => false },
@@ -1362,7 +1363,7 @@ describe("ProjectAdmissionCoordinator", () => {
     const coordinator = new ProjectAdmissionCoordinator();
     const semaphore = new AgentSemaphore(4);
 
-    const admitted = await coordinator.admitOldest({
+    const admitted = await coordinator.admitNext({
       projectId: "project-prehold",
       maxConcurrent: 4,
       claimed: () => 0,
@@ -1399,7 +1400,7 @@ describe("ProjectAdmissionCoordinator", () => {
     const coordinator = new ProjectAdmissionCoordinator();
     const semaphore = new AgentSemaphore(2);
 
-    await expect(coordinator.admitOldest({
+    await expect(coordinator.admitNext({
       projectId: "project-throw",
       maxConcurrent: 4,
       claimed: () => 0,
@@ -1421,7 +1422,7 @@ describe("ProjectAdmissionCoordinator", () => {
     expect(semaphore.tryAcquire()).toBe(true);
     const started: string[] = [];
 
-    const admitted = await coordinator.admitOldest({
+    const admitted = await coordinator.admitNext({
       projectId: "project-a",
       maxConcurrent: 4,
       claimed: () => 0,
@@ -1441,7 +1442,7 @@ describe("ProjectAdmissionCoordinator", () => {
   it("releases a rejected handoff and retains an accepted reservation until lane transfer", async () => {
     const coordinator = new ProjectAdmissionCoordinator();
     const semaphore = new AgentSemaphore(1);
-    const rejected = await coordinator.admitOldest({
+    const rejected = await coordinator.admitNext({
       projectId: "project-a",
       maxConcurrent: 1,
       claimed: () => 0,
@@ -1456,7 +1457,7 @@ describe("ProjectAdmissionCoordinator", () => {
 
     let releaseStart!: () => void;
     const startBlocked = new Promise<void>((resolve) => { releaseStart = resolve; });
-    const first = coordinator.admitOldest({
+    const first = coordinator.admitNext({
       projectId: "project-a",
       maxConcurrent: 1,
       claimed: () => 0,
@@ -1467,7 +1468,7 @@ describe("ProjectAdmissionCoordinator", () => {
       }],
     });
     await Promise.resolve();
-    const second = coordinator.admitOldest({
+    const second = coordinator.admitNext({
       projectId: "project-a",
       maxConcurrent: 1,
       claimed: () => 0,
@@ -1484,35 +1485,31 @@ describe("ProjectAdmissionCoordinator", () => {
     semaphore.release();
   });
 
-  it("refreshes every registered lane before selecting the cross-lane oldest task", async () => {
+  it("refreshes every lane and admits review before older execution and planning", async () => {
     const coordinator = new ProjectAdmissionCoordinator();
     const started: string[] = [];
-    coordinator.registerProvider("planning", {
-      projectId: "project-a",
-      refresh: async () => [{
-        taskId: "FN-20", projectId: "project-a", createdAt: "2026-01-02T00:00:00.000Z",
-        start: async () => { started.push("planner"); },
-      }],
-    });
-    coordinator.registerProvider("execute", {
-      projectId: "project-a",
-      refresh: async () => [{
-        taskId: "FN-10", projectId: "project-a", createdAt: "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
-        start: async () => { started.push("executor"); },
-      }],
-    });
+    const register = (lane: "review" | "execute" | "planning", taskId: string, createdAt: string, name: string) => {
+      coordinator.registerProvider(name, {
+        projectId: "project-a",
+        refresh: async () => [{ taskId, projectId: "project-a", lane, createdAt, start: async () => { started.push(name); } }],
+      });
+    };
+    register("planning", "FN-1", "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z", "planner");
+    register("execute", "FN-2", "2026-01-02T00:00:00.000Z", "executor");
+    register("review", "FN-3", "2026-01-03T00:00:00.000Z", "merge");
 
-    await coordinator.admitOldest({ projectId: "project-a", maxConcurrent: 1, claimed: () => 0 });
-    expect(started).toEqual(["executor"]);
+    await coordinator.admitNext({ projectId: "project-a", maxConcurrent: 1, claimed: () => 0 });
+    expect(started).toEqual(["merge"]);
   });
 
-  it("uses a stable total order for invalid timestamps and malformed ids", () => {
+  it("uses oldest valid age then task ID only within one lifecycle lane", () => {
     const ordered = [
-      { taskId: "bad", createdAt: "not-a-date" },
-      { taskId: "FN-12", createdAt: "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z" },
-      { taskId: "FN-2", createdAt: "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z" },
-      { taskId: "also-bad" },
+      { taskId: "bad", lane: "execute" as const, createdAt: "not-a-date" },
+      { taskId: "FN-12", lane: "execute" as const, createdAt: "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z" },
+      { taskId: "FN-2", lane: "execute" as const, createdAt: "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z" },
+      { taskId: "also-bad", lane: "execute" as const },
+      { taskId: "FN-older-planning", lane: "planning" as const, createdAt: "2020-01-01T00:00:00.000Z" },
     ].sort(compareAdmissionCandidates);
-    expect(ordered.map((item) => item.taskId)).toEqual(["FN-2", "FN-12", "also-bad", "bad"]);
+    expect(ordered.map((item) => item.taskId)).toEqual(["FN-2", "FN-12", "also-bad", "bad", "FN-older-planning"]);
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/engine/src/__tests__/project-engine.test.ts b/packages/engine/src/__tests__/project-engine.test.ts
index 27884ee9ca..6b5de719c9 100644
--- a/packages/engine/src/__tests__/project-engine.test.ts
+++ b/packages/engine/src/__tests__/project-engine.test.ts
@@ -3864,8 +3864,8 @@ describe("U9 merge safeguards without prior coverage", () => {
       mergeRetries: 0,
       createdAt: new Date(0).toISOString(),
     });
-    const admitted = (await mergeProvider.refresh()) as Array<{ taskId: string }>;
-    expect(admitted.map((c) => c.taskId)).toEqual(["FN-paused"]);
+    const admitted = (await mergeProvider.refresh()) as Array<{ taskId: string; lane: string }>;
+    expect(admitted).toMatchObject([{ taskId: "FN-paused", lane: "review" }]);
 
     // Engine-level `paused` is the sibling half of the same filter.
     mockStore.store.getTask.mockResolvedValue({
diff --git a/packages/engine/src/__tests__/reliability-interactions/starved-refinement-x-triage-poll.test.ts b/packages/engine/src/__tests__/reliability-interactions/starved-refinement-x-triage-poll.test.ts
index c0a7752d76..53cae0470b 100644
--- a/packages/engine/src/__tests__/reliability-interactions/starved-refinement-x-triage-poll.test.ts
+++ b/packages/engine/src/__tests__/reliability-interactions/starved-refinement-x-triage-poll.test.ts
@@ -83,12 +83,11 @@ describe("reliability interaction: starved refinement x triage poll", () => {
 
       (triage as any).running = true;
       /*
-      FNXC:EngineTests 2026-07-23-21:30:
-      FN-8453 (commit eef5eb751) replaced priority-based triage ordering with the unified
-      oldest-createdAt-first admission coordinator, so the self-healing priority bump no
-      longer reorders admission. The surviving reliability invariant is FIFO fairness:
-      with maxConcurrent=1 and 6 older backlog tasks, the starved refinement must be
-      admitted within 7 bounded polls (one admission per poll).
+      FNXC:ConcurrencyAdmission 2026-08-01-15:42:
+      FN-8705 makes review and execution higher priority than planning, while
+      preserving FIFO fairness among planning candidates. With higher-priority
+      lanes empty, maxConcurrent=1, and 6 older planning tasks, the starved
+      refinement must be admitted within 7 bounded polls (one admission per poll).
       */
       for (let i = 0; i < 7; i++) {
         await (triage as any).poll();
diff --git a/packages/engine/src/__tests__/triage-refinement-routing.test.ts b/packages/engine/src/__tests__/triage-refinement-routing.test.ts
index 1d374cc970..58db98999f 100644
--- a/packages/engine/src/__tests__/triage-refinement-routing.test.ts
+++ b/packages/engine/src/__tests__/triage-refinement-routing.test.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 import type { Task } from "@fusion/core";
 import { TriageProcessor } from "../triage.js";
+import { projectAdmissionCoordinator } from "../concurrency.js";
 
 function withStoreEvents<T extends Record<string, unknown>>(store: T): T & { on: () => void; off: () => void } {
   return {
@@ -89,16 +90,19 @@ describe("refinement routing from triage", () => {
     const specifySpy = vi.spyOn(processor, "specifyTask").mockImplementation(async (task) => {
       const idx = tasks.findIndex((t) => t.id === task.id);
       if (idx >= 0) tasks[idx] = { ...tasks[idx], column: "todo" };
+      // The production planner transfers this bridge when it becomes durable;
+      // this lightweight mock must model that handoff between bounded polls.
+      projectAdmissionCoordinator.releaseReservation(task.id);
     });
 
     (processor as any).running = true;
     /*
-    FNXC:EngineTests 2026-07-23-21:30:
-    FN-8453 (commit eef5eb751) replaced priority-then-refinement triage ordering with the
-    unified oldest-createdAt-first admission coordinator. Refinements no longer jump the
-    same-priority backlog; the no-starvation invariant is now FIFO fairness — the newest
-    refinement behind an 8-task backlog at maxConcurrent=2 must be admitted within
-    ceil(9/2)=5 bounded polls.
+    FNXC:ConcurrencyAdmission 2026-08-01-15:42:
+    FN-8705 keeps FIFO fairness within the planning lane even though cross-lane
+    admission now prioritizes review and execution. Refinements do not jump the
+    planning backlog; the newest refinement behind an 8-task backlog at
+    maxConcurrent=2 must be admitted within ceil(9/2)=5 bounded polls once
+    higher-priority lanes have no accepting candidate.
     */
     for (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
       await (processor as any).poll();
diff --git a/packages/engine/src/__tests__/workflow-continuation-capacity.test.ts b/packages/engine/src/__tests__/workflow-continuation-capacity.test.ts
index 4c81523f0a..2f61db96c3 100644
--- a/packages/engine/src/__tests__/workflow-continuation-capacity.test.ts
+++ b/packages/engine/src/__tests__/workflow-continuation-capacity.test.ts
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ describe("workflow continuation active-slot admission", () => {
     const dispatch = vi.fn(async () => {});
     let releaseBlocker!: () => void;
     const blockerStarted = new Promise<void>((resolveStarted) => {
-      void projectAdmissionCoordinator.admitOldest({
+      void projectAdmissionCoordinator.admitNext({
         projectId: PROJECT_ID,
         maxConcurrent: 9,
         claimed: () => 8,
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ describe("workflow continuation active-slot admission", () => {
         refresh: async () => [{
           taskId: "FN-BLOCKER",
           projectId: PROJECT_ID,
+          lane: "execute",
           createdAt: "2026-07-31T23:59:59.000Z",
           start: async () => {
             resolveStarted();
diff --git a/packages/engine/src/concurrency.ts b/packages/engine/src/concurrency.ts
index 5615a03d9f..01977e2806 100644
--- a/packages/engine/src/concurrency.ts
+++ b/packages/engine/src/concurrency.ts
@@ -36,10 +36,21 @@ export function resolveActiveTaskCapacityLimit(params: {
     : Math.min(params.maxConcurrent, maxWorktrees);
 }
 
+/** Lifecycle lanes ordered by the project admission coordinator. */
+export type AdmissionLane = "review" | "execute" | "planning";
+
+const admissionLanePriority: Record<AdmissionLane, number> = {
+  review: 0,
+  execute: 1,
+  planning: 2,
+};
+
 /** A task waiting to enter one of the top-level agent lanes. */
 export interface AdmissionCandidate {
   taskId: string;
   projectId: string;
+  /** Explicit lifecycle ownership; priority never depends on provider or column names. */
+  lane: AdmissionLane;
   createdAt?: string;
   /** Records ownership of the host reservation before the lane starts. */
   reserve?: () => void;
@@ -57,13 +68,21 @@ export interface AdmissionProvider {
   refresh: () => Promise<AdmissionCandidate[]>;
 }
 
+/*
+FNXC:ConcurrencyAdmission 2026-08-01-15:42:
+FN-8705 requires every newly available project slot to finish review/merge work
+before ready execution and planning. The lane is explicit on each candidate so
+custom workflow column names and provider IDs cannot change lifecycle priority;
+age and task ID only preserve fairness within the same lane.
+*/
 /**
- * Deterministic oldest-first ordering used for all task-lane admission.
- * Invalid/missing timestamps deliberately sort after valid timestamps; numeric
- * task ids break normal ties before lexical ids so a malformed fixture cannot
- * make Array.sort's NaN handling decide capacity admission.
+ * Deterministic lifecycle-lane ordering for project admission. Invalid/missing
+ * timestamps sort after valid timestamps only within one lane; numeric task ids
+ * then lexical ids make malformed data deterministic.
  */
-export function compareAdmissionCandidates(a: Pick<AdmissionCandidate, "taskId" | "createdAt">, b: Pick<AdmissionCandidate, "taskId" | "createdAt">): number {
+export function compareAdmissionCandidates(a: Pick<AdmissionCandidate, "taskId" | "createdAt" | "lane">, b: Pick<AdmissionCandidate, "taskId" | "createdAt" | "lane">): number {
+  const laneOrder = admissionLanePriority[a.lane] - admissionLanePriority[b.lane];
+  if (laneOrder !== 0) return laneOrder;
   const aTime = a.createdAt ? Date.parse(a.createdAt) : Number.NaN;
   const bTime = b.createdAt ? Date.parse(b.createdAt) : Number.NaN;
   const aValid = Number.isFinite(aTime);
@@ -160,7 +179,11 @@ export class ProjectAdmissionCoordinator {
     return claimed + pendingReservations;
   }
 
-  /** Atomically reserve one live-task slot for a lane that performs its own dispatch sweep. */
+  /**
+   * Reserve only for compatibility callers that cannot supply a lifecycle candidate.
+   * Top-level production lanes must use admitNext so refreshed higher-priority work
+   * is considered before this project capacity is claimed.
+   */
   async reserveIfAvailable(params: {
     projectId: string;
     taskId: string;
@@ -202,7 +225,7 @@ export class ProjectAdmissionCoordinator {
     };
   }
 
-  async admitOldest(params: {
+  async admitNext(params: {
     projectId: string;
     maxConcurrent: number;
     claimed: () => Promise<number> | number;
diff --git a/packages/engine/src/project-engine.ts b/packages/engine/src/project-engine.ts
index 9bf80043fc..e7667bf76a 100644
--- a/packages/engine/src/project-engine.ts
+++ b/packages/engine/src/project-engine.ts
@@ -687,6 +687,7 @@ export class ProjectEngine {
           return [{
             taskId: task.id,
             projectId,
+            lane: "review",
             createdAt: task.createdAt,
             start: async () => {
               // Do not run merge work in the coordinator; hand the exact queued
@@ -3906,7 +3907,7 @@ export class ProjectEngine {
           a merge IS an agent, so it still consumes one of the project's slots; it
           just no longer consumes a machine-wide slot too.
 
-          `admitOldest` already takes `semaphore` as optional and enforces
+          `admitNext` already takes `semaphore` as optional and enforces
           `maxConcurrent` independently of it (see its `claimed() + reservations >=
           maxConcurrent` check), so dropping the argument keeps per-project
           admission and oldest-first fairness exactly as they were.
@@ -3933,7 +3934,7 @@ export class ProjectEngine {
             FNXC:ConcurrencyAdmission 2026-08-01-01:50 (ROOT CAUSE — triage admission died during every merge):
             This lane previously ran `value = await start()` INSIDE its admission `start()` callback —
             i.e. the ENTIRE merge (git rebase, verification, landing: minutes, or forever when the
-            merge wedges) executed inside `admitOldest`'s single-flight drain. The coordinator is a
+            merge wedges) executed inside `admitNext`'s single-flight drain. The coordinator is a
             project-wide singleton and every caller awaits the previous drain, so triage's poll parked
             at `await existing` for the whole merge window, its `polling` re-entrance guard stayed
             closed, and every 15s tick + task:created wake dropped silently. Observed twice on the
@@ -3942,12 +3943,12 @@ export class ProjectEngine {
             the merge finished. With merge pinned at 1, every merge was a planning outage.
 
             The lane start now only CLAIMS the admission and returns; the merge body runs after
-            `admitOldest` settles, outside the drain. Capacity stays honest: the merge row's own
+            `admitNext` settles, outside the drain. Capacity stays honest: the merge row's own
             merging/landing status is what `claimed()` counts, and at-most-once merging is enforced
             by the merge lease, not by this drain. The transient admit→status-write gap is the same
             one every other lane (triage `void specifyTask`, scheduler `void schedule`) already has.
             */
-            await projectAdmissionCoordinator.admitOldest({
+            await projectAdmissionCoordinator.admitNext({
               projectId: cwd,
               maxConcurrent: resolveActiveTaskCapacityLimit({
                 maxConcurrent: admissionSettings.maxConcurrent ?? 2,
@@ -3959,6 +3960,7 @@ export class ProjectEngine {
               refresh: async () => [{
                 taskId,
                 projectId: cwd,
+                lane: "review",
                 createdAt: mergeCandidate?.createdAt,
                 start: async () => {
                   selected = true;
diff --git a/packages/engine/src/runtimes/in-process-runtime.ts b/packages/engine/src/runtimes/in-process-runtime.ts
index fb2a8f76b5..fbe9621341 100644
--- a/packages/engine/src/runtimes/in-process-runtime.ts
+++ b/packages/engine/src/runtimes/in-process-runtime.ts
@@ -478,7 +478,7 @@ export async function admitPlanningContinuation(input: {
   // turn; a pre-drain project snapshot can admit into its newly occupied slot.
   let admissionSnapshot: Promise<{ count: number; ids: string[] }> | undefined;
   const getAdmissionSnapshot = () => admissionSnapshot ??= loadClaimSnapshot();
-  await projectAdmissionCoordinator.admitOldest({
+  await projectAdmissionCoordinator.admitNext({
     projectId: input.projectId,
     maxConcurrent: resolveActiveTaskCapacityLimit({
       maxConcurrent: settings.maxConcurrent ?? 2,
@@ -490,6 +490,7 @@ export async function admitPlanningContinuation(input: {
     refresh: async () => [{
       taskId: input.task.id,
       projectId: input.projectId,
+      lane: "execute",
       createdAt: input.item.createdAt ?? input.task.createdAt,
       start: async () => {
         // The preflight above is only a fast path. This serialized check is the
diff --git a/packages/engine/src/scheduler.ts b/packages/engine/src/scheduler.ts
index 93e850913e..4b1b13e568 100644
--- a/packages/engine/src/scheduler.ts
+++ b/packages/engine/src/scheduler.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ import { readFile } from "node:fs/promises";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 import {
   dropPreHeldExecutorSlot,
-  hasPreHeldExecutorSlot,
   projectAdmissionCoordinator,
   persistedTopLevelAgentTaskIdsFromStore,
   recoverIdleSemaphoreLeakCandidate,
@@ -974,6 +973,7 @@ export class Scheduler {
         .map((task) => ({
           taskId: task.id,
           projectId,
+          lane: "execute",
           createdAt: task.createdAt,
           reserve: () => registerPreHeldExecutorSlot(task.id, this.options.semaphore !== undefined),
           start: async () => {
@@ -2825,12 +2825,24 @@ export class Scheduler {
             const ids = await persistedTopLevelAgentTaskIdsFromStore(this.store, liveTasks);
             return { count: ids.length, ids };
           })();
-          const projectSlotReserved = await projectAdmissionCoordinator.reserveIfAvailable({
+          let projectSlotReserved = false;
+          await projectAdmissionCoordinator.admitNext({
             projectId: this.store.getRootDir(),
-            taskId: task.id,
             maxConcurrent: activeTaskLimit,
             claimed: async () => (await getFinalClaimSnapshot()).count,
             claimedTaskIds: async () => (await getFinalClaimSnapshot()).ids,
+            semaphore: this.options.semaphore,
+            refresh: async () => [{
+              taskId: task.id,
+              projectId: this.store.getRootDir(),
+              lane: "execute",
+              createdAt: task.createdAt,
+              reserve: () => registerPreHeldExecutorSlot(task.id, this.options.semaphore !== undefined),
+              start: async () => {
+                projectSlotReserved = true;
+                return true;
+              },
+            }],
           });
           if (!projectSlotReserved) {
             if (reservedScope) {
@@ -2850,27 +2862,9 @@ export class Scheduler {
             return null;
           }
 
+          // admitNext acquired and registered the host slot atomically with the
+          // project reservation, so this handoff cannot bypass review candidates.
           const sem = this.options.semaphore;
-          const hostSlotReserved = hasPreHeldExecutorSlot(task.id);
-          registerPreHeldExecutorSlot(task.id, hostSlotReserved);
-          if (sem && !hostSlotReserved && !sem.tryAcquire()) {
-            dropPreHeldExecutorSlot(task.id);
-            if (reservedScope) {
-              activeScopes.delete(task.id);
-              activeScopeColumns.delete(task.id);
-            }
-            const reason = formatConcurrencyLimitReason({
-              ...concurrencyDiagnostic,
-              available: 0,
-              bindingGates: [...new Set([...concurrencyDiagnostic.bindingGates, "semaphore" as const])],
-            });
-            await this.store.updateTask(task.id, { status: "queued" });
-            await this.logDispatchQueuedReason(task.id, reason, formatConcurrencyLimitMemoKey(concurrencyDiagnostic));
-            return null;
-          }
-          if (sem && !hostSlotReserved) {
-            registerPreHeldExecutorSlot(task.id);
-          }
 
           let acquiredSymbols: string[] | undefined;
           try {
diff --git a/packages/engine/src/triage.ts b/packages/engine/src/triage.ts
index db370af4b4..2595dffa23 100644
--- a/packages/engine/src/triage.ts
+++ b/packages/engine/src/triage.ts
@@ -595,7 +595,7 @@ export class TriageProcessor {
           now,
         );
         return tasks.filter((task) => !this.coordinatorAdmittedTaskIds.has(task.id)).map((task) => ({
-          taskId: task.id, projectId: this.rootDir, createdAt: task.createdAt,
+          taskId: task.id, projectId: this.rootDir, lane: "planning", createdAt: task.createdAt,
           reserve: () => registerPreHeldExecutorSlot(task.id, this.options.semaphore !== undefined),
           start: async () => {
             this.coordinatorAdmittedTaskIds.add(task.id);
@@ -1231,7 +1231,7 @@ export class TriageProcessor {
       duplicate-claim guard), so a promise that never settles — exactly the case this eviction
       exists for — left the id in the set permanently. Planning discovery does not consult that
       set, so the card stayed in `triageTasks` and `maxToStart` stayed positive, which means the
-      throttle branch (the only thing that logs or emits) never fired; but `admitOldest`'s
+      throttle branch (the only thing that logs or emits) never fired; but `admitNext`'s
       `refresh()` filters on the set, so the coordinator saw no candidate. Silent stall until
       engine restart, and the badge (a pure client-side "unplanned + idle in Todo" inference) kept
       claiming the card was queued.
@@ -2237,7 +2237,7 @@ export class TriageProcessor {
           const ids = await persistedTopLevelAgentTaskIdsFromStore(this.store, fresh);
           return { count: ids.length + pending, ids: [...new Set([...ids, ...this.processing])] };
         })();
-        await projectAdmissionCoordinator.admitOldest({
+        await projectAdmissionCoordinator.admitNext({
           // rootDir is the stable per-project identity held by this processor.
           projectId: this.rootDir,
           maxConcurrent: activeTaskLimit,
@@ -2249,6 +2249,7 @@ export class TriageProcessor {
             .map((task) => ({
               taskId: task.id,
               projectId: this.rootDir,
+              lane: "planning",
               createdAt: task.createdAt,
               // FNXC:ConcurrencyAdmission 2026-08-05-10:00: the planner must
               // own the coordinator's real host reservation before it starts;