diff --git a/apps/server/src/orchestration/decider.settled.test.ts b/apps/server/src/orchestration/decider.settled.test.ts
index 73f1cbf9127..e057764683e 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/orchestration/decider.settled.test.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/orchestration/decider.settled.test.ts
@@ -518,4 +518,55 @@ it.layer(NodeServices.layer)("settled thread decider", (it) => {
       expect(routineEvents.map((event) => event.type)).toEqual(["thread.activity-appended"]);
     }),
   );
+
+  it.effect("drops an onlyIfSettled session stop when the thread was re-engaged", () =>
+    Effect.gen(function* () {
+      const stopCommand = (commandId: string) =>
+        ({
+          type: "thread.session.stop",
+          commandId: CommandId.make(commandId),
+          threadId: ThreadId.make("thread-1"),
+          createdAt: NOW,
+          onlyIfSettled: true,
+        }) as const;
+
+      // Still settled with an idle session: the cleanup stop goes through.
+      const stopped = yield* decideOrchestrationCommand({
+        command: stopCommand("cmd-stop-settled-idle"),
+        readModel: makeReadModel("settled", null, makeSession("ready")),
+      });
+      const stoppedEvents = Array.isArray(stopped) ? stopped : [stopped];
+      expect(stoppedEvents.map((event) => event.type)).toEqual(["thread.session-stop-requested"]);
+
+      // Re-engaged before the stop was decided (a turn start unsettles the
+      // thread): the stale cleanup stop must not kill the new session.
+      const unsettledError = yield* decideOrchestrationCommand({
+        command: stopCommand("cmd-stop-unsettled"),
+        readModel: makeReadModel(null, null, makeSession("starting")),
+      }).pipe(Effect.flip);
+      expect(unsettledError._tag).toBe("OrchestrationCommandInvariantError");
+
+      // Still settled but the session is already coming alive: same drop.
+      const aliveError = yield* decideOrchestrationCommand({
+        command: stopCommand("cmd-stop-session-alive"),
+        readModel: makeReadModel("settled", null, makeSession("starting")),
+      }).pipe(Effect.flip);
+      expect(aliveError._tag).toBe("OrchestrationCommandInvariantError");
+
+      // Without the flag the stop stays unconditional (archive, stop button).
+      const unconditional = yield* decideOrchestrationCommand({
+        command: {
+          type: "thread.session.stop",
+          commandId: CommandId.make("cmd-stop-unconditional"),
+          threadId: ThreadId.make("thread-1"),
+          createdAt: NOW,
+        },
+        readModel: makeReadModel(null, null, makeSession("starting")),
+      });
+      const unconditionalEvents = Array.isArray(unconditional) ? unconditional : [unconditional];
+      expect(unconditionalEvents.map((event) => event.type)).toEqual([
+        "thread.session-stop-requested",
+      ]);
+    }),
+  );
 });
diff --git a/apps/server/src/orchestration/decider.ts b/apps/server/src/orchestration/decider.ts
index 3de2592c884..6e87b5bd5f1 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/orchestration/decider.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/orchestration/decider.ts
@@ -1116,11 +1116,32 @@ export const decideOrchestrationCommand = Effect.fn("decideOrchestrationCommand"
     }
 
     case "thread.session.stop": {
-      yield* requireThread({
+      const thread = yield* requireThread({
         readModel,
         command,
         threadId: command.threadId,
       });
+      // Settle-cleanup stops are conditional: between the settle landing and
+      // this command, another client may have re-engaged the thread (a turn
+      // start unsettles it and brings the session alive). Commands are
+      // decided serially against this read model, so checking here — not in
+      // the dispatcher's pre-settle snapshot — closes that race.
+      if (command.onlyIfSettled === true) {
+        const sessionComingAlive =
+          thread.session?.status === "starting" || thread.session?.status === "running";
+        if (
+          thread.settledOverride !== "settled" ||
+          sessionComingAlive ||
+          threadHasQueuedTurnStart(thread, command.createdAt)
+        ) {
+          return yield* Effect.fail(
+            new OrchestrationCommandInvariantError({
+              commandType: command.type,
+              detail: `thread ${command.threadId} was re-engaged after settle; skipping session stop`,
+            }),
+          );
+        }
+      }
       return {
         ...(yield* withEventBase({
           aggregateKind: "thread",
diff --git a/apps/server/src/server.test.ts b/apps/server/src/server.test.ts
index d982c2e192c..cb64c6a4802 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/server.test.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/server.test.ts
@@ -7020,6 +7020,126 @@ it.layer(NodeServices.layer)("server router seam", (it) => {
       }).pipe(Effect.provide(NodeHttpServer.layerTest)),
   );
 
+  it.effect("stops the provider session after settle without closing terminals", () =>
+    Effect.gen(function* () {
+      const threadId = ThreadId.make("thread-settle");
+      const effects: string[] = [];
+      const dispatchedCommands: Array<OrchestrationCommand> = [];
+      const now = "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z";
+
+      yield* buildAppUnderTest({
+        layers: {
+          terminalManager: {
+            close: (input) =>
+              Effect.sync(() => {
+                effects.push(`terminal.close:${input.threadId}`);
+              }),
+          },
+          orchestrationEngine: {
+            dispatch: (command) =>
+              Effect.sync(() => {
+                dispatchedCommands.push(command);
+                effects.push(`dispatch:${command.type}`);
+                return { sequence: dispatchedCommands.length };
+              }),
+          },
+          projectionSnapshotQuery: {
+            getThreadShellById: () =>
+              Effect.succeed(
+                Option.some(
+                  makeDefaultOrchestrationThreadShell({
+                    id: threadId,
+                    updatedAt: now,
+                    session: {
+                      threadId,
+                      status: "ready",
+                      providerName: "claudeAgent",
+                      runtimeMode: "full-access",
+                      activeTurnId: null,
+                      lastError: null,
+                      updatedAt: now,
+                    },
+                  }),
+                ),
+              ),
+          },
+        },
+      });
+
+      const wsUrl = yield* getWsServerUrl("/ws");
+      const dispatchResult = yield* Effect.scoped(
+        withWsRpcClient(wsUrl, (client) =>
+          client[ORCHESTRATION_WS_METHODS.dispatchCommand]({
+            type: "thread.settle",
+            commandId: CommandId.make("cmd-thread-settle"),
+            threadId,
+          }),
+        ),
+      );
+
+      assert.equal(dispatchResult.sequence, 1);
+      assert.deepEqual(effects, ["dispatch:thread.settle", "dispatch:thread.session.stop"]);
+      const sessionStopCommand = dispatchedCommands[1];
+      assert.equal(sessionStopCommand?.type, "thread.session.stop");
+      if (sessionStopCommand?.type === "thread.session.stop") {
+        assert.equal(sessionStopCommand.threadId, threadId);
+        assert.equal(sessionStopCommand.commandId, "session-stop-for-settle:cmd-thread-settle");
+        assert.equal(sessionStopCommand.onlyIfSettled, true);
+      }
+    }).pipe(Effect.provide(NodeHttpServer.layerTest)),
+  );
+
+  it.effect("settles without dispatching session stop when the thread has no session", () =>
+    Effect.gen(function* () {
+      const threadId = ThreadId.make("thread-settle-no-session");
+      const effects: string[] = [];
+      const dispatchedCommands: Array<OrchestrationCommand> = [];
+
+      yield* buildAppUnderTest({
+        layers: {
+          terminalManager: {
+            close: (input) =>
+              Effect.sync(() => {
+                effects.push(`terminal.close:${input.threadId}`);
+              }),
+          },
+          orchestrationEngine: {
+            dispatch: (command) =>
+              Effect.sync(() => {
+                dispatchedCommands.push(command);
+                effects.push(`dispatch:${command.type}`);
+                return { sequence: dispatchedCommands.length };
+              }),
+          },
+          projectionSnapshotQuery: {
+            getThreadShellById: () =>
+              Effect.succeed(
+                Option.some(makeDefaultOrchestrationThreadShell({ id: threadId, session: null })),
+              ),
+          },
+        },
+      });
+
+      const wsUrl = yield* getWsServerUrl("/ws");
+      const dispatchResult = yield* Effect.scoped(
+        withWsRpcClient(wsUrl, (client) =>
+          client[ORCHESTRATION_WS_METHODS.dispatchCommand]({
+            type: "thread.settle",
+            commandId: CommandId.make("cmd-thread-settle-no-session"),
+            threadId,
+          }),
+        ),
+      );
+
+      assert.equal(dispatchResult.sequence, 1);
+      assert.deepEqual(effects, ["dispatch:thread.settle"]);
+      assert.deepEqual(
+        dispatchedCommands.map((command) => command.type),
+        ["thread.settle"],
+      );
+    }).pipe(Effect.provide(NodeHttpServer.layerTest)),
+  );
+
   it.effect("archives and still closes terminals when session stop fails", () =>
     Effect.gen(function* () {
       const threadId = ThreadId.make("thread-archive-stop-failure");
diff --git a/apps/server/src/ws.ts b/apps/server/src/ws.ts
index 6d518fe16cf..789f39b6397 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/ws.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/ws.ts
@@ -1036,53 +1036,83 @@ const makeWsRpcLayer = (
             ORCHESTRATION_WS_METHODS.dispatchCommand,
             Effect.gen(function* () {
               const normalizedCommand = yield* normalizeDispatchCommand(command);
-              const shouldStopSessionAfterArchive =
-                normalizedCommand.type === "thread.archive"
-                  ? yield* projectionSnapshotQuery
-                      .getThreadShellById(normalizedCommand.threadId)
-                      .pipe(
-                        Effect.map(
-                          Option.match({
-                            onNone: () => false,
-                            onSome: (thread) =>
-                              thread.session !== null && thread.session.status !== "stopped",
-                          }),
-                        ),
-                        Effect.orElseSucceed(() => false),
-                      )
-                  : false;
+              // Archive and settle both mean "done with this thread", so a
+              // live provider session must not keep running background work
+              // (PR monitors, dev servers, subagent fleets) after either
+              // lands. The decider rejects settling a starting/running
+              // session, so for settle this only ever stops an idle one; a
+              // stopped session-set does not count as activity, so the stop
+              // cannot un-settle the thread it follows.
+              const parkingCommand =
+                normalizedCommand.type === "thread.archive" ||
+                normalizedCommand.type === "thread.settle"
+                  ? normalizedCommand
+                  : undefined;
+              // Best-effort on purpose: the user's archive/settle must not
+              // fail because this cleanup read blipped, so a failed read
+              // logs and skips the stop instead of propagating.
+              const shouldStopSessionAfterCommand = parkingCommand
+                ? yield* projectionSnapshotQuery.getThreadShellById(parkingCommand.threadId).pipe(
+                    Effect.map(
+                      Option.match({
+                        onNone: () => false,
+                        onSome: (thread) =>
+                          thread.session !== null && thread.session.status !== "stopped",
+                      }),
+                    ),
+                    Effect.catchCause((cause) =>
+                      Effect.logWarning(
+                        "failed to read thread session state before session-stop check",
+                        { threadId: parkingCommand.threadId, cause },
+                      ).pipe(Effect.as(false)),
+                    ),
+                  )
+                : false;
               const result = yield* dispatchNormalizedCommand(normalizedCommand);
-              if (normalizedCommand.type === "thread.archive") {
-                if (shouldStopSessionAfterArchive) {
+              if (parkingCommand) {
+                const parkingKind = parkingCommand.type === "thread.archive" ? "archive" : "settle";
+                if (shouldStopSessionAfterCommand) {
                   yield* Effect.gen(function* () {
                     const stopCommand = yield* normalizeDispatchCommand({
                       type: "thread.session.stop",
                       commandId: CommandId.make(
-                        `session-stop-for-archive:${normalizedCommand.commandId}`,
+                        `session-stop-for-${parkingKind}:${parkingCommand.commandId}`,
                       ),
-                      threadId: normalizedCommand.threadId,
+                      threadId: parkingCommand.threadId,
                       createdAt: yield* nowIso,
+                      // A settled thread can be re-engaged before this stop is
+                      // decided; the decider then drops the stop instead of
+                      // killing the new session. Archive stops stay
+                      // unconditional: turn starts on archived threads are
+                      // rejected, so there is no new session to protect.
+                      ...(parkingKind === "settle" ? { onlyIfSettled: true } : {}),
                     });
 
                     yield* dispatchNormalizedCommand(stopCommand);
                   }).pipe(
                     Effect.catchCause((cause) =>
-                      Effect.logWarning("failed to stop provider session during archive", {
-                        threadId: normalizedCommand.threadId,
+                      Effect.logWarning(`failed to stop provider session during ${parkingKind}`, {
+                        threadId: parkingCommand.threadId,
                         cause,
                       }),
                     ),
                   );
                 }
 
-                yield* terminalManager.close({ threadId: normalizedCommand.threadId }).pipe(
-                  Effect.catch((error) =>
-                    Effect.logWarning("failed to close thread terminals after archive", {
-                      threadId: normalizedCommand.threadId,
-                      error: error.message,
-                    }),
-                  ),
-                );
+                // Terminals are user-opened panes, not thread background
+                // work: archive removes the thread from view so they close
+                // with it, but a settled thread stays reachable and may be
+                // un-settled, so its terminals stay up.
+                if (parkingCommand.type === "thread.archive") {
+                  yield* terminalManager.close({ threadId: parkingCommand.threadId }).pipe(
+                    Effect.catch((error) =>
+                      Effect.logWarning("failed to close thread terminals after archive", {
+                        threadId: parkingCommand.threadId,
+                        error: error.message,
+                      }),
+                    ),
+                  );
+                }
               }
               return result;
             }).pipe(
diff --git a/packages/contracts/src/orchestration.ts b/packages/contracts/src/orchestration.ts
index 87270d98c1f..96d20c0a392 100644
--- a/packages/contracts/src/orchestration.ts
+++ b/packages/contracts/src/orchestration.ts
@@ -870,6 +870,12 @@ const ThreadSessionStopCommand = Schema.Struct({
   commandId: CommandId,
   threadId: ThreadId,
   createdAt: IsoDateTime,
+  // Settle-cleanup stops are conditional: the decider drops the stop if the
+  // thread was re-engaged (unsettled, session starting/running, or a queued
+  // turn start) between the settle and this command. Guarding in the decider
+  // closes the race a post-settle snapshot read cannot: commands are decided
+  // serially against the authoritative read model.
+  onlyIfSettled: Schema.optional(Schema.Boolean),
 });
 
 const DispatchableClientOrchestrationCommand = Schema.Union([