diff --git a/src/features/background-agent/constants.ts b/src/features/background-agent/constants.ts
index 9df6c2ff2..9c20c0f61 100644
--- a/src/features/background-agent/constants.ts
+++ b/src/features/background-agent/constants.ts
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ import type { BackgroundTask, LaunchInput } from "./types"
 export const TASK_TTL_MS = 30 * 60 * 1000
 export const TERMINAL_TASK_TTL_MS = 30 * 60 * 1000
 export const MIN_STABILITY_TIME_MS = 10 * 1000
-export const DEFAULT_STALE_TIMEOUT_MS = 1_200_000
-export const DEFAULT_MESSAGE_STALENESS_TIMEOUT_MS = 1_800_000
+export const DEFAULT_STALE_TIMEOUT_MS = 2_700_000
+export const DEFAULT_MESSAGE_STALENESS_TIMEOUT_MS = 3_600_000
 export const DEFAULT_MAX_TOOL_CALLS = 4000
 export const DEFAULT_CIRCUIT_BREAKER_CONSECUTIVE_THRESHOLD = 20
 export const DEFAULT_CIRCUIT_BREAKER_ENABLED = true
diff --git a/src/features/background-agent/default-message-staleness-timeout.test.ts b/src/features/background-agent/default-message-staleness-timeout.test.ts
index b13bf191a..d8b4e6671 100644
--- a/src/features/background-agent/default-message-staleness-timeout.test.ts
+++ b/src/features/background-agent/default-message-staleness-timeout.test.ts
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@ function createRunningTask(startedAt: Date): BackgroundTask {
 }
 
 describe("DEFAULT_MESSAGE_STALENESS_TIMEOUT_MS", () => {
-  test("uses a 30 minute default", () => {
+  test("uses a 60 minute default", () => {
     // #given
-    const expectedTimeout = 30 * 60 * 1000
+    const expectedTimeout = 60 * 60 * 1000
 
     // #when
     const timeout = DEFAULT_MESSAGE_STALENESS_TIMEOUT_MS
diff --git a/src/features/background-agent/default-stale-timeout.test.ts b/src/features/background-agent/default-stale-timeout.test.ts
index 704a530c9..3f63ca28a 100644
--- a/src/features/background-agent/default-stale-timeout.test.ts
+++ b/src/features/background-agent/default-stale-timeout.test.ts
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ const { describe, expect, test } = require("bun:test")
 import { DEFAULT_STALE_TIMEOUT_MS } from "./constants"
 
 describe("DEFAULT_STALE_TIMEOUT_MS", () => {
-  test("uses a 20 minute default", () => {
+  test("uses a 45 minute default", () => {
     // #given
-    const expectedTimeout = 20 * 60 * 1000
+    const expectedTimeout = 45 * 60 * 1000
 
     // #when
     const timeout = DEFAULT_STALE_TIMEOUT_MS
diff --git a/src/features/background-agent/task-poller.ts b/src/features/background-agent/task-poller.ts
index d23a241ae..84ba4c56e 100644
--- a/src/features/background-agent/task-poller.ts
+++ b/src/features/background-agent/task-poller.ts
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ export async function checkAndInterruptStaleTasks(args: {
 
       const staleMinutes = Math.round(runtime / 60000)
       task.status = "cancelled"
-      task.error = `Stale timeout (no activity for ${staleMinutes}min since start)`
+      task.error = `Stale timeout (no activity for ${staleMinutes}min since start). This is a FINAL cancellation - do NOT create a replacement task. If the timeout is too short, increase 'background_task.staleTimeoutMs' in .opencode/oh-my-opencode.json.`
       task.completedAt = new Date()
 
       if (task.concurrencyKey) {
@@ -159,10 +159,10 @@ export async function checkAndInterruptStaleTasks(args: {
     if (timeSinceLastUpdate <= staleTimeoutMs) continue
     if (task.status !== "running") continue
 
-    const staleMinutes = Math.round(timeSinceLastUpdate / 60000)
-    task.status = "cancelled"
-    task.error = `Stale timeout (no activity for ${staleMinutes}min)`
-    task.completedAt = new Date()
+     const staleMinutes = Math.round(timeSinceLastUpdate / 60000)
+     task.status = "cancelled"
+     task.error = `Stale timeout (no activity for ${staleMinutes}min). This is a FINAL cancellation - do NOT create a replacement task. If the timeout is too short, increase 'background_task.staleTimeoutMs' in .opencode/oh-my-opencode.json.`
+     task.completedAt = new Date()
 
     if (task.concurrencyKey) {
       concurrencyManager.release(task.concurrencyKey)