diff --git a/src/hooks/ralph-loop/continuation-prompt-injector.ts b/src/hooks/ralph-loop/continuation-prompt-injector.ts
index dec80c5c6..8c75dc99b 100644
--- a/src/hooks/ralph-loop/continuation-prompt-injector.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/ralph-loop/continuation-prompt-injector.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import {
 	resolveInheritedPromptTools,
 } from "../../shared"
 import { normalizeAgentForPromptKey } from "../../shared/agent-display-names"
+import { promptAsyncAfterSessionIdle } from "../shared/prompt-async-gate"
 
 type MessageInfo = {
 	agent?: string
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ export async function injectContinuationPrompt(
 		directory: string
 		apiTimeoutMs: number
 		inheritFromSessionID?: string
+		idleSettleMs?: number
 	},
 ): Promise<ContinuationPromptResult> {
 	let agent: string | undefined
@@ -119,17 +121,33 @@ export async function injectContinuationPrompt(
 
 	let response: unknown
 	try {
-		response = await ctx.client.session.promptAsync({
-			path: { id: options.sessionID },
-			body: {
-				...(cleanAgent !== undefined ? { agent: cleanAgent } : {}),
-				...(launchModel ? { model: launchModel } : {}),
-				...(launchVariant ? { variant: launchVariant } : {}),
-				...(inheritedTools ? { tools: inheritedTools } : {}),
-				parts: [createInternalAgentContinuationTextPart(options.prompt)],
+		const promptResult = await promptAsyncAfterSessionIdle({
+			client: ctx.client,
+			sessionID: options.sessionID,
+			source: "ralph-loop",
+			settleMs: options.idleSettleMs,
+			input: {
+				path: { id: options.sessionID },
+				body: {
+					...(cleanAgent !== undefined ? { agent: cleanAgent } : {}),
+					...(launchModel ? { model: launchModel } : {}),
+					...(launchVariant ? { variant: launchVariant } : {}),
+					...(inheritedTools ? { tools: inheritedTools } : {}),
+					parts: [createInternalAgentContinuationTextPart(options.prompt)],
+				},
+				query: { directory: options.directory },
 			},
-			query: { directory: options.directory },
 		})
+		if (promptResult.status === "failed") {
+			throw promptResult.error
+		}
+		if (promptResult.status !== "dispatched") {
+			return {
+				status: "rejected",
+				error: createPromptAsyncError(`promptAsync skipped: ${promptResult.status}`, promptResult),
+			}
+		}
+		response = promptResult.response
 	} catch (error) {
 		const promptError = error instanceof Error
 			? error
diff --git a/src/hooks/ralph-loop/iteration-continuation.ts b/src/hooks/ralph-loop/iteration-continuation.ts
index fd3d2741d..aeca27a16 100644
--- a/src/hooks/ralph-loop/iteration-continuation.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/ralph-loop/iteration-continuation.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { createIterationSession, selectSessionInTui } from "./session-reset-stra
 type ContinuationOptions = {
   directory: string
   apiTimeoutMs: number
+  idleSettleMs: number
   previousSessionID: string
   loopState: {
     setSessionID: (sessionID: string) => RalphLoopState | null
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ export async function continueIteration(
         prompt: continuationPrompt,
         directory: options.directory,
         apiTimeoutMs: options.apiTimeoutMs,
+        idleSettleMs: options.idleSettleMs,
       })
       if (promptResult.status === "rejected") {
         return { status: "dispatch_rejected", error: promptResult.error }
@@ -73,6 +75,7 @@ export async function continueIteration(
       prompt: continuationPrompt,
       directory: options.directory,
       apiTimeoutMs: options.apiTimeoutMs,
+      idleSettleMs: options.idleSettleMs,
     })
     if (promptResult.status === "rejected") {
       return { status: "dispatch_rejected", error: promptResult.error }
diff --git a/src/hooks/ralph-loop/ralph-loop-event-handler.ts b/src/hooks/ralph-loop/ralph-loop-event-handler.ts
index 0e832a9ef..02c4c3d83 100644
--- a/src/hooks/ralph-loop/ralph-loop-event-handler.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/ralph-loop/ralph-loop-event-handler.ts
@@ -358,6 +358,7 @@ export function createRalphLoopEventHandler(
 					previousSessionID: sessionID,
 					directory: options.directory,
 					apiTimeoutMs: options.apiTimeoutMs,
+					idleSettleMs: options.idleSettleMs,
 					loopState: options.loopState,
 				})
 
@@ -523,6 +524,7 @@ export function createRalphLoopEventHandler(
 					previousSessionID: sessionID,
 					directory: options.directory,
 					apiTimeoutMs: options.apiTimeoutMs,
+					idleSettleMs: options.idleSettleMs,
 					loopState: options.loopState,
 				})