diff --git a/electron/main.js b/electron/main.js
index 0ee24eb8..71ba42b2 100644
--- a/electron/main.js
+++ b/electron/main.js
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ const fs = require('fs');
 const getPort = require('get-port');
 const http = require('http');
 const affiliateTracking = require('./affiliateTracking');
+const workflowsLifecycle = require('./workflowsLifecycle');
 
 // Defender warmup helper. Touches bundled exes so Windows scans them now instead of on first launch.
 function _squirrelPrewarmTouch() {
@@ -625,6 +626,10 @@ function markBackendReady() {
   if (backendReady) return;
   backendReady = true;
   _backendReadyResolve();
+  try {
+    workflowsLifecycle.setBackend({ port: backendPort, token: authToken });
+    workflowsLifecycle.startPolling();
+  } catch (_) {}
 }
 
 function getAuthTokenFilePath() {
@@ -1319,6 +1324,10 @@ app.on('before-quit', async (event) => {
   try {
     await postShutdownAllApps(2000);
   } catch (_) {}
+  // Give in-flight workflow runs up to 30s to land so we don't destroy paid LLM work.
+  try {
+    await workflowsLifecycle.drainOnQuit(30);
+  } catch (_) {}
   app.quit();
 });
 
@@ -1425,8 +1434,13 @@ ipcMain.handle('set-allow-prerelease', async (_e, value) => {
   return { success: true, changed: true };
 });
 
-ipcMain.handle('install-update', () => {
+ipcMain.handle('install-update', async () => {
   if (!autoUpdater) return;
+  // Veto while a workflow is in flight; lifecycle poller fires the deferred install once active drains.
+  try {
+    const vetoed = await workflowsLifecycle.maybeVetoInstall();
+    if (vetoed) return { vetoed: true };
+  } catch (_) {}
   // Built-in autoUpdater on Windows takes no args; electron-updater on Mac takes (isSilent, isForceRunAfter).
   if (isSquirrelUpdater) {
     autoUpdater.quitAndInstall();
diff --git a/electron/workflowsLifecycle.js b/electron/workflowsLifecycle.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..33c1b088
--- /dev/null
+++ b/electron/workflowsLifecycle.js
@@ -0,0 +1,206 @@
+// Lifecycle helpers that keep scheduled workflows surviving real-world
+// app states (machine sleep, window closed, auto-update). All exports are
+// safe to call before the backend is up; failed fetches return null and
+// callers degrade to "no active runs known."
+
+const { app, powerSaveBlocker, Notification, shell } = require('electron');
+const http = require('http');
+
+let backendPortRef = null;
+let authTokenRef = null;
+let blockerId = null;
+let updaterVetoPending = false;
+let pollTimer = null;
+let lastActiveCount = 0;
+let onActiveChange = () => {};
+
+function setBackend({ port, token }) {
+  backendPortRef = port;
+  authTokenRef = token;
+}
+
+function setActiveChangeListener(cb) {
+  onActiveChange = cb || (() => {});
+}
+
+// Cheap GET to the localhost backend. Resolves null on any error.
+function fetchJson(pathStr) {
+  return new Promise((resolve) => {
+    if (!backendPortRef) return resolve(null);
+    const req = http.request({
+      hostname: '127.0.0.1',
+      port: backendPortRef,
+      path: pathStr,
+      method: 'GET',
+      headers: authTokenRef ? { Authorization: `Bearer ${authTokenRef}` } : {},
+      timeout: 1500,
+    }, (res) => {
+      let data = '';
+      res.on('data', (c) => { data += c; });
+      res.on('end', () => {
+        try { resolve(JSON.parse(data)); } catch { resolve(null); }
+      });
+    });
+    req.on('error', () => resolve(null));
+    req.on('timeout', () => { req.destroy(); resolve(null); });
+    req.end();
+  });
+}
+
+async function getActive() {
+  const res = await fetchJson('/workflows/active');
+  if (!res || !Array.isArray(res.active)) return [];
+  return res.active;
+}
+
+// powerSaveBlocker holds the system awake while at least one workflow is
+// active. Released as soon as the active list goes empty so we don't pin
+// the user's laptop on idle.
+function ensureBlocker(active) {
+  if (active && blockerId == null) {
+    try { blockerId = powerSaveBlocker.start('prevent-app-suspension'); } catch (_) {}
+  } else if (!active && blockerId != null) {
+    try { powerSaveBlocker.stop(blockerId); } catch (_) {}
+    blockerId = null;
+  }
+}
+
+function startPolling() {
+  if (pollTimer) return;
+  // 5s cadence is the sweet spot: fast enough to release the
+  // powerSaveBlocker promptly after a fire, slow enough that the localhost
+  // request is invisible in CPU traces.
+  pollTimer = setInterval(async () => {
+    const active = await getActive();
+    const count = active.length;
+    ensureBlocker(count > 0);
+    if (count !== lastActiveCount) {
+      lastActiveCount = count;
+      try { onActiveChange(active); } catch (_) {}
+    }
+    // If the updater queued an install while a run was in flight, fire it
+    // the moment the active list drains.
+    if (updaterVetoPending && count === 0) {
+      updaterVetoPending = false;
+      try {
+        const { autoUpdater } = require('electron-updater');
+        autoUpdater.quitAndInstall(false, true);
+      } catch (_) {}
+    }
+  }, 5000);
+}
+
+function stopPolling() {
+  if (pollTimer) {
+    clearInterval(pollTimer);
+    pollTimer = null;
+  }
+}
+
+// Updater veto: if a workflow is running and the user clicks "Install
+// update," queue it instead of quitAndInstall'ing on top of an active
+// run. Returns true if vetoed (caller should display a "queued" banner),
+// false otherwise.
+async function maybeVetoInstall() {
+  const active = await getActive();
+  if (active.length === 0) return false;
+  updaterVetoPending = true;
+  return true;
+}
+
+// Drain on quit: give in-flight runs up to QUIT_DRAIN_S to finish before
+// killing the backend. The user-facing tradeoff is a slow quit when busy
+// vs. losing the run; we lean toward "wait" because the run already
+// committed real cost.
+function drainOnQuit(maxSeconds = 30) {
+  return new Promise((resolve) => {
+    const deadline = Date.now() + maxSeconds * 1000;
+    const tick = async () => {
+      const active = await getActive();
+      if (active.length === 0 || Date.now() > deadline) return resolve();
+      setTimeout(tick, 500);
+    };
+    tick();
+  });
+}
+
+// Native OS notification. Falls back silently when Notification isn't
+// supported (some Linux setups, headless test envs). When `actions` is
+// provided AND we're on macOS, attaches button actions so the user can
+// ack/re-run/open without the app taking focus. Routes the chosen
+// outcome back to the renderer via an IPC channel that the renderer's
+// WebSocketManager already listens for.
+function showNativeNotification({ title, body, deepLink, runId, workflowId, actions }) {
+  if (!Notification || !Notification.isSupported()) return null;
+  try {
+    const opts = { title: title || 'OpenSwarm', body: body || '', silent: false };
+    const platformActions = Array.isArray(actions) && process.platform === 'darwin'
+      ? actions.map((a) => ({ type: 'button', text: a.text }))
+      : undefined;
+    if (platformActions && platformActions.length) opts.actions = platformActions;
+    const n = new Notification(opts);
+    const route = (outcome) => {
+      try {
+        const { BrowserWindow } = require('electron');
+        const wins = BrowserWindow.getAllWindows();
+        const wc = wins[0]?.webContents;
+        if (wc) wc.send('workflow:notification-action', { outcome, runId, workflowId, deepLink });
+      } catch (_) {}
+    };
+    n.on('action', (_event, idx) => {
+      const a = (actions || [])[idx];
+      if (a) route(a.outcome);
+    });
+    n.on('click', () => {
+      if (deepLink) {
+        try { shell.openExternal(deepLink); } catch (_) {}
+      }
+      route('open');
+    });
+    n.show();
+    return n;
+  } catch (_) {
+    return null;
+  }
+}
+
+// Launch-at-login wrappers. macOS + Windows both honor this; Linux is a
+// no-op in Electron's API.
+function getLoginItem() {
+  try {
+    const { openAtLogin } = app.getLoginItemSettings();
+    return Boolean(openAtLogin);
+  } catch (_) { return false; }
+}
+
+function setLoginItem(value) {
+  try {
+    // openAsHidden is macOS-only; on Windows the equivalent is passing
+    // a --hidden arg and having main.js suppress the initial window
+    // when the arg is present. Linux uses a .desktop file in
+    // ~/.config/autostart/ which Electron writes for us via this same
+    // call (no extra plumbing needed).
+    const opts = {
+      openAtLogin: Boolean(value),
+      openAsHidden: true,
+    };
+    if (process.platform === 'win32') {
+      opts.args = ['--hidden'];
+    }
+    app.setLoginItemSettings(opts);
+    return Boolean(value);
+  } catch (_) { return false; }
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+  setBackend,
+  setActiveChangeListener,
+  startPolling,
+  stopPolling,
+  getActive,
+  maybeVetoInstall,
+  drainOnQuit,
+  showNativeNotification,
+  getLoginItem,
+  setLoginItem,
+};