diff --git a/.runtime/portal/scripts/agent-run-worker.mjs b/.runtime/portal/scripts/agent-run-worker.mjs
index 20fd3ad..1c16130 100755
--- a/.runtime/portal/scripts/agent-run-worker.mjs
+++ b/.runtime/portal/scripts/agent-run-worker.mjs
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ function createAgentRunGateway({
         error_message: message,
         completed_at: retryable ? null : nowMs()
       });
-      if (retryable) {
+      if (retryable && autoDispatch) {
         setTimeout(() => dispatchRun(runId), retryDelaysMs[nextAttempt - 1]);
       }
     }
@@ -6888,13 +6888,27 @@ process.on("SIGTERM", () => {
 });
 async function runOnce() {
   const result = await gateway.dispatchQueuedRuns({ limit: args.limit });
+  await waitForIdle();
   console.log(JSON.stringify({
     ok: true,
     mode: args.status ? "status" : "dispatch",
     dispatched: args.status ? 0 : result.dispatched,
-    queue: result.queue
+    queue: await gateway.getQueueStatus()
   }));
 }
+async function waitForIdle() {
+  const startedAt = Date.now();
+  const maxWaitMs = Number(process.env.MEMIND_AGENT_RUN_WORKER_DRAIN_WAIT_MS ?? 20 * 60 * 1e3);
+  while (!stopping) {
+    const status = await gateway.getQueueStatus();
+    if (status.inFlight === 0 && status.pendingDispatches === 0) return;
+    if (Date.now() - startedAt > maxWaitMs) {
+      throw new Error(`agent run worker did not drain within ${maxWaitMs}ms`);
+    }
+    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 500));
+  }
+}
+var exitCode = 0;
 try {
   if (args.status) {
     console.log(JSON.stringify({ ok: true, queue: await gateway.getQueueStatus() }, null, 2));
@@ -6907,7 +6921,11 @@ try {
       await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, Math.max(200, args.pollMs)));
     }
   }
+} catch (err) {
+  exitCode = 1;
+  console.error(err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err));
 } finally {
   await pool.end().catch(() => {
   });
+  if (args.status || args.once) process.exit(exitCode);
 }
diff --git a/.runtime/portal/server.mjs b/.runtime/portal/server.mjs
index 24c8632..6084dec 100644
--- a/.runtime/portal/server.mjs
+++ b/.runtime/portal/server.mjs
@@ -6783,7 +6783,7 @@ function createAgentRunGateway({
         error_message: message,
         completed_at: retryable ? null : nowMs()
       });
-      if (retryable) {
+      if (retryable && autoDispatch) {
         setTimeout(() => dispatchRun(runId), retryDelaysMs[nextAttempt - 1]);
       }
     }
diff --git a/agent-run-gateway.mjs b/agent-run-gateway.mjs
index 8299dda..8e3efde 100644
--- a/agent-run-gateway.mjs
+++ b/agent-run-gateway.mjs
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ export function createAgentRunGateway({
         error_message: message,
         completed_at: retryable ? null : nowMs(),
       });
-      if (retryable) {
+      if (retryable && autoDispatch) {
         setTimeout(() => dispatchRun(runId), retryDelaysMs[nextAttempt - 1]);
       }
     }
diff --git a/scripts/agent-run-worker.mjs b/scripts/agent-run-worker.mjs
index 8391f1e..c0ca476 100644
--- a/scripts/agent-run-worker.mjs
+++ b/scripts/agent-run-worker.mjs
@@ -96,14 +96,29 @@ process.on('SIGTERM', () => { stopping = true; });
 
 async function runOnce() {
   const result = await gateway.dispatchQueuedRuns({ limit: args.limit });
+  await waitForIdle();
   console.log(JSON.stringify({
     ok: true,
     mode: args.status ? 'status' : 'dispatch',
     dispatched: args.status ? 0 : result.dispatched,
-    queue: result.queue,
+    queue: await gateway.getQueueStatus(),
   }));
 }
 
+async function waitForIdle() {
+  const startedAt = Date.now();
+  const maxWaitMs = Number(process.env.MEMIND_AGENT_RUN_WORKER_DRAIN_WAIT_MS ?? 20 * 60 * 1000);
+  while (!stopping) {
+    const status = await gateway.getQueueStatus();
+    if (status.inFlight === 0 && status.pendingDispatches === 0) return;
+    if (Date.now() - startedAt > maxWaitMs) {
+      throw new Error(`agent run worker did not drain within ${maxWaitMs}ms`);
+    }
+    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 500));
+  }
+}
+
+let exitCode = 0;
 try {
   if (args.status) {
     console.log(JSON.stringify({ ok: true, queue: await gateway.getQueueStatus() }, null, 2));
@@ -116,6 +131,10 @@ try {
       await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, Math.max(200, args.pollMs)));
     }
   }
+} catch (err) {
+  exitCode = 1;
+  console.error(err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err));
 } finally {
   await pool.end().catch(() => {});
+  if (args.status || args.once) process.exit(exitCode);
 }