diff --git a/hive-ag3nt/src/bash_runner.rs b/hive-ag3nt/src/bash_runner.rs
index 4633e9ba..8a907070 100644
--- a/hive-ag3nt/src/bash_runner.rs
+++ b/hive-ag3nt/src/bash_runner.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,9 @@
 //! (the process died with the previous harness). Best-effort wake is still
 //! sent so the agent is not silently blocked waiting forever.
 //!
-//! See `docs/bash-runner.md` for the full design rationale.
+//! The runner kills the child process on timeout — `tokio::process::Child::drop()`
+//! does not kill children, so we explicitly call `child.kill().await` before
+//! collecting the copy tasks.
 
 use std::collections::HashSet;
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
@@ -279,30 +281,17 @@ async fn run_task(mut task: TaskFile, socket: &Path) {
     let err_path = task_err(&id);
     let timeout = Duration::from_secs(task.timeout_secs);
 
-    let exec_result = tokio::time::timeout(
-        timeout,
-        exec_cmd(&task.cmd, &out_path, &err_path),
-    )
-    .await;
-
-    let timed_out;
-    let exit_code;
-    match exec_result {
-        Ok(Ok(code)) => {
-            timed_out = false;
-            exit_code = Some(code);
-        }
-        Ok(Err(e)) => {
-            tracing::warn!(id = %id, error = ?e, "bash_runner: exec error");
-            timed_out = false;
-            exit_code = None;
-        }
-        Err(_elapsed) => {
+    let (timed_out, exit_code) = match exec_cmd(&task.cmd, &out_path, &err_path, timeout).await {
+        Ok((code, false)) => (false, Some(code)),
+        Ok((_, true)) => {
             tracing::warn!(id = %id, "bash_runner: task timed out");
-            timed_out = true;
-            exit_code = None;
+            (true, None)
         }
-    }
+        Err(e) => {
+            tracing::warn!(id = %id, error = ?e, "bash_runner: exec error");
+            (false, None)
+        }
+    };
 
     let stdout_tail = tail_file(&out_path, SUMMARY_BYTES);
     let stderr_tail = tail_file(&err_path, SUMMARY_BYTES);
@@ -327,7 +316,9 @@ async fn run_task(mut task: TaskFile, socket: &Path) {
     send_wake(socket, &id, &summary, Some((output_snippet, err_snippet))).await;
 }
 
-async fn exec_cmd(cmd: &str, out_path: &Path, err_path: &Path) -> Result<i32> {
+/// Run `sh -c cmd`, streaming output to files. Returns `(exit_code, timed_out)`.
+/// On timeout the child process is explicitly killed before returning.
+async fn exec_cmd(cmd: &str, out_path: &Path, err_path: &Path, timeout: Duration) -> Result<(i32, bool)> {
     use tokio::process::Command;
     let mut child = Command::new("sh")
         .arg("-c")
@@ -352,11 +343,22 @@ async fn exec_cmd(cmd: &str, out_path: &Path, err_path: &Path) -> Result<i32> {
         err_path,
     ));
 
-    let status = child.wait().await?;
-    let _ = copy_stdout.await;
-    let _ = copy_stderr.await;
-
-    Ok(status.code().unwrap_or(-1))
+    match tokio::time::timeout(timeout, child.wait()).await {
+        Ok(Ok(status)) => {
+            let _ = copy_stdout.await;
+            let _ = copy_stderr.await;
+            Ok((status.code().unwrap_or(-1), false))
+        }
+        Ok(Err(e)) => Err(e.into()),
+        Err(_elapsed) => {
+            // Kill the child so it doesn't linger after timeout.
+            let _ = child.kill().await;
+            let _ = child.wait().await; // reap zombie
+            let _ = copy_stdout.await;
+            let _ = copy_stderr.await;
+            Ok((-1, true))
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 async fn copy_stream_to_file<R>(mut reader: R, path: PathBuf)
diff --git a/hive-ag3nt/src/mcp.rs b/hive-ag3nt/src/mcp.rs
index 85fbca5e..ee156366 100644
--- a/hive-ag3nt/src/mcp.rs
+++ b/hive-ag3nt/src/mcp.rs
@@ -442,7 +442,7 @@ fn format_bash_status(id: &str) -> String {
     if let Some(code) = task.exit_code {
         let _ = write!(out, ", exit={code}");
     }
-    if let Some(t) = task.started_at {
+    if let Some(t) = task.started_at && task.completed_at.is_none() {
         let age = crate::serve_common::now_unix() - t;
         let _ = write!(out, ", running for {age}s");
     }