diff --git a/src/main/automation/automation-run-completion.ts b/src/main/automation/automation-run-completion.ts
index 252e6f0b..012f5579 100644
--- a/src/main/automation/automation-run-completion.ts
+++ b/src/main/automation/automation-run-completion.ts
@@ -349,10 +349,26 @@ export function processRunCompletion(
     if (needsDeliverableCheck(taskType)) {
       const hasDeliverable = checkRunProducedDeliverable(db, run.id, run.companyId, task.id, taskType);
       if (!hasDeliverable) {
-        // Don't auto-advance -- flag for manager review
-        db.advanceTaskStatus(task.id, "in_progress",
-          `${taskType} task run completed but no deliverable artifact was detected. Flagging for manager review.`);
-        handleTaskStatusChange(task.id, run.companyId, "in_progress", "in_progress");
+        // Don't auto-advance to in_review: the run succeeded but did not
+        // produce the required deliverable, so it's not ready for
+        // manager sign-off.
+        //
+        // Park the task as `blocked` rather than leaving it at
+        // `in_progress`. finishRun has already cleared the run's
+        // checkout_run_id and active_run_id, so a task still tagged
+        // `in_progress` has no lock, no run, and no path back to
+        // `todo` — heartbeat picks it up, checkoutTask rejects it
+        // (status ∉ todo/backlog), and the assignee is stuck in a
+        // permanent `checkout_race_lost` loop. Blocking instead puts
+        // the task in the manager's blocker queue with the diagnostic
+        // comment attached; the manager patches it back to `todo` (or
+        // `cancelled`) after deciding how to proceed.
+        db.advanceTaskStatus(
+          task.id,
+          "blocked",
+          `${taskType} task run completed but no deliverable artifact was detected. Flagging for manager review.`,
+        );
+        handleTaskStatusChange(task.id, run.companyId, "in_progress", "blocked");
         // Wake manager for review
         try {
           const agent = db.getAgent(run.agentId);
@@ -366,6 +382,7 @@ export function processRunCompletion(
           );
         }
         publishDomainChanged();
+        effectiveStatus = "blocked";
         // Skip the normal in_review advance
       } else {
         effectiveStatus = advanceSuccessfulRun(
diff --git a/src/main/database/tasks-status.ts b/src/main/database/tasks-status.ts
index f0697cec..8f0d9884 100644
--- a/src/main/database/tasks-status.ts
+++ b/src/main/database/tasks-status.ts
@@ -159,13 +159,30 @@ export function buildTaskStatusMethods(
 
     checkoutTask(taskId: string, runId: string): boolean {
       const ts = nowIso();
+      // Primary path is `status IN ('todo','backlog')`. The extra
+      // `in_progress AND active_run_id IS NULL` branch recovers from a
+      // specific orphan: finishRun has cleared active_run_id and
+      // checkout_run_id for the previous run but the status transition
+      // to done/in_review never fired (e.g. the run succeeded without a
+      // deliverable and automation parked it at in_progress, or a
+      // crashed run left the row behind). Without the reclaim, heartbeat
+      // picks the task (activeRunId=null passes the candidate filter)
+      // and then loops on `checkout_race_lost` forever because status
+      // never flips back to todo on its own.
+      //
+      // The `active_run_id IS NULL` guard preserves the original CAS
+      // contract for the busy case: a task whose active_run_id still
+      // points at a live run is refused here, exactly as before.
       const result = getDb()
         .prepare(
           `UPDATE tasks
            SET checkout_run_id = ?, execution_locked_at = ?, status = 'in_progress', updated_at = ?
          WHERE id = ?
            AND checkout_run_id IS NULL
-           AND status IN ('todo', 'backlog')`,
+           AND (
+             status IN ('todo', 'backlog')
+             OR (status = 'in_progress' AND active_run_id IS NULL)
+           )`,
         )
         .run(runId, ts, ts, taskId);
       return result.changes > 0;