diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/agent_server.rs b/hive-c0re/src/agent_server.rs
index df1f599..e030f81 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/agent_server.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/agent_server.rs
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ async fn serve(stream: UnixStream, agent: String, broker: Arc<Broker>) -> Result
             return Ok(());
         }
         let resp = match serde_json::from_str::<AgentRequest>(line.trim()) {
-            Ok(req) => dispatch(&req, &agent, &broker),
+            Ok(req) => dispatch(&req, &agent, &broker).await,
             Err(e) => AgentResponse::Err {
                 message: format!("parse error: {e}"),
             },
@@ -77,7 +77,11 @@ async fn serve(stream: UnixStream, agent: String, broker: Arc<Broker>) -> Result
     }
 }
 
-fn dispatch(req: &AgentRequest, agent: &str, broker: &Broker) -> AgentResponse {
+/// How long the long-poll `Recv` holds a connection open waiting for new
+/// mail. Set well below typical TCP/proxy idle limits.
+const RECV_LONG_POLL: std::time::Duration = std::time::Duration::from_secs(30);
+
+async fn dispatch(req: &AgentRequest, agent: &str, broker: &Broker) -> AgentResponse {
     match req {
         AgentRequest::Send { to, body } => {
             match broker.send(&Message {
@@ -91,7 +95,7 @@ fn dispatch(req: &AgentRequest, agent: &str, broker: &Broker) -> AgentResponse {
                 },
             }
         }
-        AgentRequest::Recv => match broker.recv(agent) {
+        AgentRequest::Recv => match broker.recv_blocking(agent, RECV_LONG_POLL).await {
             Ok(Some(msg)) => AgentResponse::Message {
                 from: msg.from,
                 body: msg.body,
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/broker.rs b/hive-c0re/src/broker.rs
index eb8a2ec..4ffc402 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/broker.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/broker.rs
@@ -100,6 +100,42 @@ impl Broker {
         Ok(u64::try_from(n.max(0)).unwrap_or(0))
     }
 
+    /// Long-poll variant of `recv`: returns immediately if there's a
+    /// pending message; otherwise waits up to `timeout` for the broker to
+    /// emit a `Sent { to: recipient }` event, then retries the pop. Lets
+    /// agents react to new mail without polling their socket on a fixed
+    /// interval.
+    pub async fn recv_blocking(
+        &self,
+        recipient: &str,
+        timeout: std::time::Duration,
+    ) -> Result<Option<Message>> {
+        if let Some(m) = self.recv(recipient)? {
+            return Ok(Some(m));
+        }
+        let mut rx = self.subscribe();
+        let deadline = tokio::time::Instant::now() + timeout;
+        loop {
+            let Some(remaining) = deadline.checked_duration_since(tokio::time::Instant::now())
+            else {
+                return Ok(None);
+            };
+            match tokio::time::timeout(remaining, rx.recv()).await {
+                Err(_) => return Ok(None),
+                // Channel lagged or closed — fall back to a single direct
+                // pop (in case we missed our notification while behind).
+                Ok(Err(_)) => return self.recv(recipient),
+                Ok(Ok(MessageEvent::Sent { to, .. })) if to == recipient => {
+                    if let Some(m) = self.recv(recipient)? {
+                        return Ok(Some(m));
+                    }
+                    // Lost a race (concurrent recv elsewhere). Keep waiting.
+                }
+                Ok(Ok(_)) => {}
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     pub fn recv(&self, recipient: &str) -> Result<Option<Message>> {
         let conn = self.conn.lock().unwrap();
         let row: Option<(i64, String, String, String)> = conn
diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/manager_server.rs b/hive-c0re/src/manager_server.rs
index 38c6005..ce21bfd 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/manager_server.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/manager_server.rs
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ async fn serve(stream: UnixStream, coord: Arc<Coordinator>) -> Result<()> {
     }
 }
 
+const MANAGER_RECV_LONG_POLL: std::time::Duration = std::time::Duration::from_secs(30);
+
 async fn dispatch(req: &ManagerRequest, coord: &Coordinator) -> ManagerResponse {
     match req {
         ManagerRequest::Send { to, body } => match coord.broker.send(&Message {
@@ -97,7 +99,11 @@ async fn dispatch(req: &ManagerRequest, coord: &Coordinator) -> ManagerResponse
                 message: format!("{e:#}"),
             },
         },
-        ManagerRequest::Recv => match coord.broker.recv(MANAGER_AGENT) {
+        ManagerRequest::Recv => match coord
+            .broker
+            .recv_blocking(MANAGER_AGENT, MANAGER_RECV_LONG_POLL)
+            .await
+        {
             Ok(Some(msg)) => ManagerResponse::Message {
                 from: msg.from,
                 body: msg.body,