diff --git a/.github/workflows/bundle-gate.yml b/.github/workflows/bundle-gate.yml
index e741961..51d00db 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/bundle-gate.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/bundle-gate.yml
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ on:
   pull_request:
     paths:
       - "src/source/**"
+      - "scripts/host-*-canary.mjs"
       - "package.json"
       - ".github/workflows/bundle-gate.yml"
   workflow_dispatch:
@@ -65,4 +66,4 @@ jobs:
         run: npm ci
 
       - name: Run generated-bundle regression suite
-        run: npm test
+        run: npm test
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scripts/comprehensive-test.mjs b/scripts/comprehensive-test.mjs
index 4e95125..629b8f3 100644
--- a/scripts/comprehensive-test.mjs
+++ b/scripts/comprehensive-test.mjs
@@ -138,6 +138,8 @@ async function createHarness(options = {}) {
     messageHistory,
     async command(command, argumentsText = "", output = { parts: [] }) {
       await hooks["command.execute.before"]({ command, sessionID, arguments: argumentsText }, output)
+      // /loop-now persists a request and dispatches through the scheduler's 250ms idle-safe timer.
+      if (command === "loop-now") await delay(400)
       return output
     },
     async commandEvent(command, argumentsText = "", messageID = `msg_${Date.now()}_${Math.random()}`) {
@@ -477,6 +479,9 @@ async function testStaleBusyUsesCompletedAssistantTail() {
       { info: { id: "usr_tail", sessionID: h.sessionID, role: "user", time: { created: completedAt - 2 } }, parts: [] },
       { info: { id: "asst_tail", sessionID: h.sessionID, role: "assistant", time: { created: completedAt - 1, completed: completedAt } }, parts: [] },
     )
+    // Let the short busy-status cache expire so the scheduler re-reads live host state
+    // and can reconcile the completed assistant tail instead of trusting cached busy.
+    await delay(1_700)
     await h.command("loop-now", "stale-complete")
     const state = await h.readState()
     assert.ok(state.jobs[0].lastFinishedAt > 0, "a completed assistant tail must override a stale busy status")
diff --git a/scripts/host-loop-canary.mjs b/scripts/host-loop-canary.mjs
index 05a1e51..8c28416 100644
--- a/scripts/host-loop-canary.mjs
+++ b/scripts/host-loop-canary.mjs
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ import { fileURLToPath, pathToFileURL } from "node:url"
 const repoRoot = path.resolve(path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)), "..")
 const isWindows = process.platform === "win32"
 const LOOP_OBJECTIVE = "real host loop canary"
+const RUN_NOW_NATURAL_OBJECTIVE = "real host loop-now natural canary"
+const RUN_NOW_TARGET_OBJECTIVE = "real host loop-now target canary"
 
 function resolveOpenCodeBinary() {
   if (!isWindows) return path.join(repoRoot, "node_modules", ".bin", "opencode")
@@ -120,8 +122,12 @@ function contentText(content) {
   return content.map((part) => typeof part?.text === "string" ? part.text : typeof part?.content === "string" ? part.content : "").join("\n")
 }
 
-function allMessageText(body) {
-  return (body.messages ?? []).map((message) => contentText(message?.content)).join("\n")
+function lastUserMessageText(body) {
+  const messages = Array.isArray(body?.messages) ? body.messages : []
+  for (let index = messages.length - 1; index >= 0; index -= 1) {
+    if (messages[index]?.role === "user") return contentText(messages[index]?.content)
+  }
+  return contentText(messages.at(-1)?.content)
 }
 
 function streamHeaders(res) {
@@ -159,7 +165,7 @@ function streamText(res, content, sequence) {
 }
 
 function startProvider() {
-  const stats = { chatRequests: 0, loopRequests: 0, paths: [] }
+  const stats = { chatRequests: 0, loopRequests: 0, runNowSequence: [], paths: [] }
   const server = createServer(async (req, res) => {
     const url = new URL(req.url ?? "/", "http://127.0.0.1")
     stats.paths.push(`${req.method} ${url.pathname}`)
@@ -178,12 +184,22 @@ function startProvider() {
     for await (const chunk of req) raw += String(chunk)
     const body = raw ? JSON.parse(raw) : {}
     stats.chatRequests += 1
-    const text = allMessageText(body)
+    const text = lastUserMessageText(body)
     if (text.includes("AUTONOMOUS OPENCODE LOOP ITERATION") && text.includes(LOOP_OBJECTIVE)) {
       stats.loopRequests += 1
       streamText(res, `LOOP_TURN_${stats.loopRequests}`, stats.chatRequests)
       return
     }
+    if (text.includes("AUTONOMOUS OPENCODE LOOP ITERATION") && text.includes(RUN_NOW_TARGET_OBJECTIVE)) {
+      stats.runNowSequence.push("target")
+      streamText(res, "RUN_NOW_TARGET", stats.chatRequests)
+      return
+    }
+    if (text.includes("AUTONOMOUS OPENCODE LOOP ITERATION") && text.includes(RUN_NOW_NATURAL_OBJECTIVE)) {
+      stats.runNowSequence.push("natural")
+      streamText(res, "RUN_NOW_NATURAL", stats.chatRequests)
+      return
+    }
     streamText(res, "OK", stats.chatRequests)
   })
 
@@ -210,7 +226,8 @@ async function waitFor(predicate, description, diagnostics, timeoutMs = 45_000)
     if (await predicate()) return
     await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 50))
   }
-  throw new Error(`timed out waiting for ${description}\n${diagnostics()}`)
+  const detail = typeof diagnostics === "function" ? await diagnostics() : diagnostics
+  throw new Error(`timed out waiting for ${description}\n${detail}`)
 }
 
 function isFetchTimeout(error) {
@@ -249,6 +266,7 @@ async function main() {
   const pluginEntry = pathToFileURL(path.join(repoRoot, "src", "index.js")).href
   await writeFile(path.join(pluginDir, "opencode-loop.js"), `export { default as OpenCodeLoopPlugin } from ${JSON.stringify(pluginEntry)}\n`)
   await writeFile(path.join(commandDir, "loop.md"), `---\ndescription: Start a host canary loop\nagent: opencode-loop-local\n---\n\nOpenCode Loop local command handled. Reply exactly: OK.\n`)
+  await writeFile(path.join(commandDir, "loop-now.md"), `---\ndescription: Run a host canary loop now\nagent: opencode-loop-local\n---\n\nOpenCode Loop run-now command handled locally. Reply exactly: OK.\n`)
   await writeFile(path.join(agentDir, "opencode-loop-local.md"), `---\ndescription: Local Loop command acknowledgement\nmode: primary\npermission:\n  "*": deny\n---\n\nReply exactly: OK\n`)
   await writeFile(path.join(workspace, "opencode.json"), `${JSON.stringify({
     $schema: "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
@@ -307,11 +325,14 @@ async function main() {
     const sessionID = String(session?.id ?? "")
     assert.ok(sessionID, `OpenCode did not create a session: ${JSON.stringify(createdPayload)}`)
 
-    const command = api(`/session/${encodeURIComponent(sessionID)}/command`, {
+    const commandPath = `/session/${encodeURIComponent(sessionID)}/command`
+    const sendCommand = async (name, argumentsText, timeoutMs = 90_000) => await api(commandPath, {
       method: "POST",
-      body: JSON.stringify({ agent: "build", model: "canary/canary", command: "loop", arguments: `0s --max-runs 3 ${LOOP_OBJECTIVE}` }),
-      signal: AbortSignal.timeout(90_000),
-    }).catch((error) => {
+      body: JSON.stringify({ agent: "build", model: "canary/canary", command: name, arguments: argumentsText }),
+      signal: AbortSignal.timeout(timeoutMs),
+    })
+
+    const command = sendCommand("loop", `0s --max-runs 3 ${LOOP_OBJECTIVE}`).catch((error) => {
       commandError = error
       return null
     })
@@ -319,14 +340,17 @@ async function main() {
     const stateFile = path.join(workspace, ".opencode", "opencode-loop", `${sessionID}.json`)
     const diagnostics = async () => {
       let state = "missing"
+      let loopLog = "missing"
       try { state = await readFile(stateFile, "utf8") } catch {}
-      return `provider=${JSON.stringify(provider.stats)}\ncommandError=${String(commandError ?? "none")}\nstate=${state}\nserver log:\n${serverLog}`
+      try { loopLog = await readFile(path.join(workspace, ".opencode", "opencode-loop", "loop.log"), "utf8") } catch {}
+      return `provider=${JSON.stringify(provider.stats)}\ncommandError=${String(commandError ?? "none")}\nstate=${state}\nloop log:\n${loopLog}\nserver log:\n${serverLog}`
     }
 
     await waitFor(() => provider.stats.loopRequests >= 3, "three real autonomous Loop turns", () => `provider=${JSON.stringify(provider.stats)}\nserver log:\n${serverLog}`)
     await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 1_500))
     assert.equal(provider.stats.loopRequests, 3, `Loop must stop at --max-runs 3; got extra real-host turn(s)\n${await diagnostics()}`)
     assert.equal(server.exitCode, null, `OpenCode server exited during canary\n${await diagnostics()}`)
+    await command
 
     let persisted = null
     try { persisted = JSON.parse(await readFile(stateFile, "utf8")) } catch {}
@@ -335,15 +359,33 @@ async function main() {
       if (loop) assert.ok((loop.runCount || 0) >= 3, `persisted Loop run count was lower than provider turn count: ${JSON.stringify(loop)}`)
     }
 
+    await sendCommand("loop", `10m --no-now --name natural --multi --max-runs 1 ${RUN_NOW_NATURAL_OBJECTIVE}`)
+    await sendCommand("loop", `10m --no-now --name target --multi --max-runs 1 ${RUN_NOW_TARGET_OBJECTIVE}`)
+    await waitFor(async () => {
+      try {
+        const state = JSON.parse(await readFile(stateFile, "utf8"))
+        const names = new Set((state.jobs || []).map((job) => job.name))
+        return names.has("natural") && names.has("target")
+      } catch {
+        return false
+      }
+    }, "two delayed real-host Loop jobs", () => `provider=${JSON.stringify(provider.stats)}\nserver log:\n${serverLog}`)
+
+    provider.stats.runNowSequence.length = 0
+    await sendCommand("loop-now", "target")
+    await waitFor(() => provider.stats.runNowSequence.length >= 1, "targeted real-host loop-now turn", diagnostics)
+    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 1_500))
+    assert.deepEqual(provider.stats.runNowSequence, ["target"], `loop-now target must not run the earlier delayed natural job\n${await diagnostics()}`)
+
     console.log(JSON.stringify({
       ok: true,
       platform: process.platform,
       sessionID,
       loopRequests: provider.stats.loopRequests,
+      runNowSequence: provider.stats.runNowSequence,
       chatRequests: provider.stats.chatRequests,
       commandError: commandError ? String(commandError) : null,
     }, null, 2))
-    void command
   } finally {
     await stopProcess(server)
     await provider.close().catch(() => undefined)
@@ -354,4 +396,4 @@ async function main() {
 main().catch((error) => {
   console.error(error?.stack || error)
   process.exitCode = 1
-})
\ No newline at end of file
+})
diff --git a/scripts/loop-command-handlers-test.mjs b/scripts/loop-command-handlers-test.mjs
index f00cc8d..fd81901 100644
--- a/scripts/loop-command-handlers-test.mjs
+++ b/scripts/loop-command-handlers-test.mjs
@@ -200,7 +200,8 @@ assert.throws(() => createLoopCommandHandlers({ clearActiveRun() {} }), /cancelD
   assert.equal(jobs[1].paused, false)
   assert.equal(jobs[1].runNowRequestedAt, 10_000)
   assert.deepEqual(h.toasts, [[client, "Marked 1 loop job(s) due now.", "success"]])
-  assert.deepEqual(h.forcedRuns, [["/work", client, sessionID]])
+  assert.deepEqual(h.due, [["/work", client, sessionID]], "run-now must defer dispatch through the idle-safe scheduler")
+  assert.equal(h.forcedRuns.length, 0, "run-now must not start a model turn re-entrantly inside command.execute.before")
 }
 
 {
@@ -208,6 +209,7 @@ assert.throws(() => createLoopCommandHandlers({ clearActiveRun() {} }), /cancelD
   const h = harness({ [sessionID]: { jobs: [loopJob("a")] } })
   await h.handlers.runNow("/work", {}, sessionID, "missing")
   assert.deepEqual(h.toasts, [[{}, "Marked 0 loop job(s) due now.", "warning"]])
+  assert.equal(h.due.length, 0, "missing run-now target must not schedule unrelated jobs")
   assert.equal(h.forcedRuns.length, 0, "missing run-now target must not run unrelated due jobs")
 }
 
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index e40aeab..29f7163 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -1698,8 +1698,8 @@ function createLoopCommandHandlers(options = {}) {
     const state = await readState2(directory, sessionID);
     const jobs = state.jobs || [];
     const lines = jobs.length ? jobs.map((job, index) => {
-      const dueIn = Math.max(0, job.intervalMs - (now2() - (job.lastRunAt || 0)));
-      const flags = [isGoalJob(job) ? `goal:${goalStatusText(job)}` : undefined, job.paused ? "paused" : "active", job.safe ? "safe" : undefined, job.askNever ? "ask-never" : undefined, job.noOverlap ? "no-overlap" : undefined, job.checkpointOnly ? "checkpoint-only" : undefined, job.gitCheckpoint ? "git-checkpoint" : undefined].filter(Boolean).join(",");
+      const dueIn = Number(job.runNowRequestedAt || 0) > 0 ? 0 : Math.max(0, job.intervalMs - (now2() - (job.lastRunAt || 0)));
+      const flags = [isGoalJob(job) ? `goal:${goalStatusText(job)}` : undefined, job.paused ? "paused" : "active", Number(job.runNowRequestedAt || 0) > 0 ? "run-now" : undefined, job.safe ? "safe" : undefined, job.askNever ? "ask-never" : undefined, job.noOverlap ? "no-overlap" : undefined, job.checkpointOnly ? "checkpoint-only" : undefined, job.gitCheckpoint ? "git-checkpoint" : undefined].filter(Boolean).join(",");
       return `${index + 1}. ${job.id}${job.name ? ` (${job.name})` : ""}: ${jobLabel(job)} | runs=${job.runCount || 0} | failures=${job.failureCount || 0} | due in ${durationToText(dueIn)} | ${flags}`;
     }) : ["No active loop jobs."];
     await toast2(client, jobs.length ? `${jobs.length} loop job(s).` : "No active loop jobs.", jobs.length ? "info" : "warning");
@@ -1738,16 +1738,20 @@ function createLoopCommandHandlers(options = {}) {
   async function runNow(directory, client, sessionID, args) {
     const target = String(args || "").trim() || "all";
     const state = await readState2(directory, sessionID);
+    const requestedAt = Math.max(1, Number(now2()) || Date.now());
     let count = 0;
-    for (const [index, job] of (state.jobs || []).entries())
-      if (matchJob(job, target, index)) {
-        job.lastRunAt = 0;
-        job.paused = false;
-        count++;
-      }
+    for (const [index, job] of (state.jobs || []).entries()) {
+      if (!matchJob(job, target, index))
+        continue;
+      job.lastRunAt = 0;
+      job.paused = false;
+      job.runNowRequestedAt = requestedAt;
+      count += 1;
+    }
     await writeState2(directory, sessionID, state);
     await toast2(client, `Marked ${count} loop job(s) due now.`, count ? "success" : "warning");
-    await maybeRunDueJobs(directory, client, sessionID, { force: true });
+    if (count)
+      await scheduleDueWork(directory, client, sessionID);
   }
   async function doctorLoop(directory, client, sessionID) {
     const state = await readState2(directory, sessionID);
@@ -2005,15 +2009,20 @@ function jobDueAt(job, current = now()) {
     return Infinity;
   if (job.maxRuns > 0 && (job.runCount || 0) >= job.maxRuns)
     return Infinity;
+  if (Number(job.runNowRequestedAt || 0) > 0)
+    return current;
   if (job.watchPaths?.length)
     return Infinity;
-  const created = Date.parse(job.createdAt || new Date().toISOString());
-  if (job.maxRuntimeMs > 0 && current - created >= job.maxRuntimeMs)
+  const created = Date.parse(job.createdAt || "");
+  if (job.maxRuntimeMs > 0 && Number.isFinite(created) && current - created >= job.maxRuntimeMs)
     return current;
   if (job.intervalMs === 0)
     return current;
-  if (!job.lastRunAt)
+  if (!job.lastRunAt) {
+    if (job.immediate === false)
+      return (Number.isFinite(created) ? created : current) + (job.intervalMs || 0);
     return current;
+  }
   return job.lastRunAt + (job.intervalMs || 0);
 }
 function nextDueDelay(state, current = now()) {
@@ -2806,7 +2815,7 @@ function createLoopExecutor(options = {}) {
   });
   function dueJobs(state, force = false) {
     const current = now2();
-    return (state.jobs || []).filter((job) => {
+    const due = (state.jobs || []).filter((job) => {
       if (isGoalJob(job) && ["completed", "blocked", "cleared"].includes(job.goalStatus))
         return false;
       if (!job.enabled || job.paused)
@@ -2815,12 +2824,15 @@ function createLoopExecutor(options = {}) {
         return false;
       if (job.maxRuntimeMs > 0 && current - Date.parse(job.createdAt || new Date().toISOString()) >= job.maxRuntimeMs)
         return true;
+      if (Number(job.runNowRequestedAt || 0) > 0)
+        return true;
       if (force)
         return true;
       if (job.watchPaths?.length)
         return job.watchTriggered === true;
       return job.intervalMs === 0 || !job.lastRunAt || current - job.lastRunAt >= job.intervalMs;
     });
+    return due.sort((a, b) => Number(Number(b.runNowRequestedAt || 0) > 0) - Number(Number(a.runNowRequestedAt || 0) > 0));
   }
   function clearActiveRun(sessionID) {
     const active = activeRuns.get(sessionID);
@@ -3053,13 +3065,14 @@ ${prompt}`;
           candidate.watchTriggered = true;
         }
       }
-      const due = dueJobs(state, runOptions.force);
+      const due = dueJobs(state, Boolean(runOptions.force));
       if (!due.length) {
         await writeState2(directory, sessionID, state);
         await reschedule();
         return;
       }
       job = due[0];
+      const runNowRequested = Number(job.runNowRequestedAt || 0) > 0;
       if (job.maxRuntimeMs > 0 && now2() - Date.parse(job.createdAt || new Date().toISOString()) >= job.maxRuntimeMs) {
         state.jobs = (state.jobs || []).filter((candidate) => candidate.id !== job.id);
         await writeState2(directory, sessionID, state);
@@ -3087,6 +3100,8 @@ ${prompt}`;
       }
       if (job.preflightCommand) {
         if (job.safe && dangerousShell2(job.preflightCommand)) {
+          if (runNowRequested)
+            delete job.runNowRequestedAt;
           job.paused = true;
           await writeState2(directory, sessionID, state);
           await notifyJob2(directory, job, "preflight_blocked");
@@ -3102,6 +3117,8 @@ ${prompt}`;
           code: preflight.code
         });
         if (preflight.code !== 0) {
+          if (runNowRequested)
+            delete job.runNowRequestedAt;
           job.paused = true;
           job.failureCount = (job.failureCount || 0) + 1;
           job.lastPreflightFailure = (job.preflightCommand + `
@@ -3139,6 +3156,8 @@ exit=` + preflight.code + `
         await reschedule(busyRetryMs);
         return;
       }
+      if (runNowRequested)
+        delete job.runNowRequestedAt;
       job.watchTriggered = false;
       job.lastRunAt = now2();
       job.runCount = (job.runCount || 0) + 1;
diff --git a/src/source/opencode/loop-commands.js b/src/source/opencode/loop-commands.js
index d54c941..15d107e 100644
--- a/src/source/opencode/loop-commands.js
+++ b/src/source/opencode/loop-commands.js
@@ -136,7 +136,9 @@ export function createLoopCommandHandlers(options = {}) {
     }
     await writeState(directory, sessionID, state)
     await toast(client, `Marked ${count} loop job(s) due now.`, count ? "success" : "warning")
-    if (count) await maybeRunDueJobs(directory, client, sessionID)
+    // /loop-now is handled in command.execute.before. Do not start a model turn re-entrantly
+    // inside that hook; schedule the persisted request and let the idle-safe timer dispatch it.
+    if (count) await scheduleDueWork(directory, client, sessionID)
   }
 
   async function doctorLoop(directory, client, sessionID) {