diff --git a/src/gateway/server-channels.test.ts b/src/gateway/server-channels.test.ts
index 593e43ce5bd..ab679ccd9ee 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server-channels.test.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server-channels.test.ts
@@ -309,19 +309,33 @@ describe("server-channels auto restart", () => {
 
   it("force-retires a hung channel task so recovery can start a fresh lifecycle", async () => {
     const statusSetters: Array<(next: ChannelAccountSnapshot) => void> = [];
-    const startAccount = vi.fn(async ({ setStatus }: ChannelGatewayContext<TestAccount>) => {
-      statusSetters.push(setStatus);
-      await new Promise<void>(() => {});
-    });
+    const channelRuntime = createRuntimeChannel();
+    const contextKey = {
+      channelId: "discord",
+      accountId: DEFAULT_ACCOUNT_ID,
+      capability: "test-lifecycle",
+    };
+    const startAccount = vi.fn(
+      async ({ setStatus, channelRuntime }: ChannelGatewayContext<TestAccount>) => {
+        const lifecycle = statusSetters.length + 1;
+        statusSetters.push(setStatus);
+        channelRuntime?.runtimeContexts.register({
+          ...contextKey,
+          context: { lifecycle },
+        });
+        await new Promise<void>(() => {});
+      },
+    );
     installTestRegistry(
       createTestPlugin({
         startAccount,
       }),
     );
-    const manager = createManager();
+    const manager = createManager({ channelRuntime });
 
     await manager.startChannels();
     await Promise.resolve();
+    expect(channelRuntime.runtimeContexts.get(contextKey)).toEqual({ lifecycle: 1 });
 
     const stopTask = manager.stopChannel("discord", DEFAULT_ACCOUNT_ID, {
       forceRetireOnTimeout: true,
@@ -335,9 +349,11 @@ describe("server-channels auto restart", () => {
     expect(account?.connected).toBe(false);
     expect(account?.activeRuns).toBe(0);
     expect(account?.lastError).toContain("stale lifecycle force-retired");
+    expect(channelRuntime.runtimeContexts.get(contextKey)).toBeUndefined();
 
     await manager.startChannel("discord", DEFAULT_ACCOUNT_ID);
     await Promise.resolve();
+    expect(channelRuntime.runtimeContexts.get(contextKey)).toEqual({ lifecycle: 2 });
 
     expect(startAccount).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
     statusSetters[1]?.({
diff --git a/src/gateway/server-channels.ts b/src/gateway/server-channels.ts
index 9115aaa0c69..54ad02b6735 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server-channels.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server-channels.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ type ChannelRuntimeStore = {
   aborts: Map<string, AbortController>;
   starting: Map<string, Promise<void>>;
   tasks: Map<string, Promise<unknown>>;
+  taskCleanups: Map<string, () => Promise<void>>;
   runtimes: Map<string, ChannelAccountSnapshot>;
 };
 
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ function createRuntimeStore(): ChannelRuntimeStore {
     aborts: new Map(),
     starting: new Map(),
     tasks: new Map(),
+    taskCleanups: new Map(),
     runtimes: new Map(),
   };
 }
@@ -423,6 +425,10 @@ export function createChannelManager(opts: ChannelManagerOptions): ChannelManage
             log.error?.(`[${id}] ${label}: ${formatErrorMessage(error)}`);
           }
         };
+        const cleanupRetiredLifecycle = async () => {
+          await cleanupTaskScopedApprovalRuntime("channel lifecycle retirement cleanup failed");
+        };
+        store.taskCleanups.set(id, cleanupRetiredLifecycle);
 
         try {
           const account = plugin.config.resolveAccount(cfg, id);
@@ -542,6 +548,9 @@ export function createChannelManager(opts: ChannelManagerOptions): ChannelManage
             })
             .finally(async () => {
               await cleanupTaskScopedApprovalRuntime("channel cleanup failed");
+              if (store.taskCleanups.get(id) === cleanupRetiredLifecycle) {
+                store.taskCleanups.delete(id);
+              }
               if (isCurrentLifecycle()) {
                 setRuntime(channelId, id, {
                   accountId: id,
@@ -627,6 +636,9 @@ export function createChannelManager(opts: ChannelManagerOptions): ChannelManage
           if (!handedOffTask && store.aborts.get(id) === abort) {
             store.aborts.delete(id);
           }
+          if (!handedOffTask && store.taskCleanups.get(id) === cleanupRetiredLifecycle) {
+            store.taskCleanups.delete(id);
+          }
         }
       }),
     );
@@ -700,6 +712,11 @@ export function createChannelManager(opts: ChannelManagerOptions): ChannelManage
             if (store.tasks.get(id) === task) {
               store.tasks.delete(id);
             }
+            const cleanupRetiredTask = store.taskCleanups.get(id);
+            if (cleanupRetiredTask) {
+              store.taskCleanups.delete(id);
+              await cleanupRetiredTask();
+            }
             setRuntime(channelId, id, {
               accountId: id,
               running: false,
@@ -722,6 +739,7 @@ export function createChannelManager(opts: ChannelManagerOptions): ChannelManage
         }
         store.aborts.delete(id);
         store.tasks.delete(id);
+        store.taskCleanups.delete(id);
         setRuntime(channelId, id, {
           accountId: id,
           running: false,