diff --git a/docs/rfc/implemented/architecture/2026-07-05-subagent-provider-lifecycle-events.md b/docs/rfc/implemented/architecture/2026-07-05-subagent-provider-lifecycle-events.md
index 30674f8c8b..a04040d540 100644
--- a/docs/rfc/implemented/architecture/2026-07-05-subagent-provider-lifecycle-events.md
+++ b/docs/rfc/implemented/architecture/2026-07-05-subagent-provider-lifecycle-events.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ Status: implemented
 
 ## Problem
 
-[The prompt-variables RFC](2026-07-05-prompt-variables-and-tool-guidance-ownership.md) makes `dsh-tool-subagent` DERIVE its model-facing wording from its provider: `SubagentProvider.inheritsParentContext` (spawn/ACP `false`, fork `true`) drives both the tool description and the `prompt` parameter description (`providerWording`), so the fork tool stops lying about context inheritance. That fix created a cross-fiber data dependency: a tool's description is fixed at TOOL REGISTRATION (deliberately — the description is where tool-choice guidance lives), but the provider arrives on its own plugin fiber, on no particular schedule.
+[The prompt-variables RFC](2026-07-05-prompt-variables-and-tool-guidance-ownership.md) makes `dsh-tool-subagent` DERIVE its model-facing wording from its provider: `SubagentProvider.inheritsParentContext` (spawn/ACP `false`, fork `true`) drives both the tool description and the `prompt` parameter description, so the fork tool stops lying about context inheritance. That fix created a cross-fiber data dependency: a tool's description is fixed at TOOL REGISTRATION (deliberately — the description is where tool-choice guidance lives), but the provider arrives on its own plugin fiber, on no particular schedule.
 
 Resolving the provider at the tool plugin's `apply` time creates an implicit load-order requirement ("list the backend before the tool in cordis.yml"). That requirement fails because the Cordis Loader starts sibling entries concurrently and `Entry.init()` does not await activation: a delayed backend can leave the tool fiber failed even when listed first. The Loader offers no sibling-order guarantee — "async state is not synchronous state" ([defensive patterns](../../../defensive-patterns.md)).
 
diff --git a/docs/rfc/implemented/testing/2026-06-22-fork-snapshot-scenarios.md b/docs/rfc/implemented/testing/2026-06-22-fork-snapshot-scenarios.md
index b2c39047b9..34bebd1194 100644
--- a/docs/rfc/implemented/testing/2026-06-22-fork-snapshot-scenarios.md
+++ b/docs/rfc/implemented/testing/2026-06-22-fork-snapshot-scenarios.md
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ Record two scenarios against the real API, both replayed keyless in the default
 
 ### Why a completed turn-1 is required
 
-The fork backend seeds the child with the parent's **balanced completed-turn prefix** ([`completedTurnPrefix`](../../../../packages/subagent/subagent-fork)). A parent that forks on its very first turn has no completed turn to inherit, so the seed is empty (≡ a fresh spawn, `seedLength` 0) — which would NOT exercise the slice. Both scenarios therefore use a two-prompt input: the first prompt completes a turn (establishing a codeword the child is later asked to recall), the second delegates the fork. The recalled codeword in the child's transcript is incidental to the model's behavior; the load-bearing artifact is the child fixture's recorded `seedLength`, which the replay slice consumes.
+The fork backend seeds the child with the parent's **balanced completed-turn prefix**. A parent that forks on its very first turn has no completed turn to inherit, so the seed is empty (≡ a fresh spawn, `seedLength` 0) — which would NOT exercise the slice. Both scenarios therefore use a two-prompt input: the first prompt completes a turn (establishing a codeword the child is later asked to recall), the second delegates the fork. The recalled codeword in the child's transcript is incidental to the model's behavior; the load-bearing artifact is the child fixture's recorded `seedLength`, which the replay slice consumes.
 
 ## Consequences
 
diff --git a/docs/rfc/proposed/feature/2026-07-07-claude-code-and-codex-subagent-backends.md b/docs/rfc/proposed/feature/2026-07-07-claude-code-and-codex-subagent-backends.md
index 911d28cf1f..c05ae8d67f 100644
--- a/docs/rfc/proposed/feature/2026-07-07-claude-code-and-codex-subagent-backends.md
+++ b/docs/rfc/proposed/feature/2026-07-07-claude-code-and-codex-subagent-backends.md
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ Two sibling provider packages, structural variants of the ACP backend, plus one
 
 - `@deepseek-ai/dsh-subagent-claude-code` — drives a Claude Code child through `@anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk`'s `query()` (the SDK runs in the parent process and spawns its bundled `claude` CLI as the subprocess). Provider name `claude-code`: the child is the Claude Code *product*, not an Anthropic model adapter — "claude" stays reserved for a future `dsh-llm` adapter.
 - `@deepseek-ai/dsh-subagent-codex` — spawns `codex app-server` and drives one thread/turn over its JSON-RPC-over-stdio protocol with a hand-rolled newline-JSON client (~200–300 lines) in the package.
-- `@deepseek-ai/dsh-subagent-process` — a pure library (the `subagent-inprocess` precedent) extracting what `dsh-subagent-acp` already carries and both new backends need: the credential env scrub (`SENSITIVE_ENV_PATTERN`/`buildChildEnv`), the EOF → SIGTERM → SIGKILL dispose ladder, and new isolated-config-dir helpers (`mkdtemp` create, best-effort remove). The ACP backend migrates onto it; `bash-local`'s sibling copy is left alone to bound the change.
+- `@deepseek-ai/dsh-subagent-process` — a pure library (the `subagent-inprocess` precedent) extracting what `dsh-subagent-acp` already carries and both new backends need: the credential env scrub (`buildChildEnv`), the EOF → SIGTERM → SIGKILL dispose ladder, and new isolated-config-dir helpers (`mkdtemp` create, best-effort remove). The ACP backend migrates onto it; `bash-local`'s sibling copy is left alone to bound the change.
 
 Both providers copy the ACP backend's seam posture verbatim: fresh child per `start`, exactly one prompt round-trip, capabilities all `false`, `inheritsParentContext: false`, `request.parent`/`request.agentOptions` ignored, `id = SessionId(randomUUID())`, `result` never rejects — child-level failure flattens to a stop reason and the original error goes to `ctx.logger` via an `onError` spec callback. Model exposure is zero new code: `dsh-tool-subagent` is loaded once per provider with a distinct `toolName` (`subagent_claude_code`, `subagent_codex`). No new session events are needed — the only model-visible artifact is the tool result, so reconstructability holds exactly as it did for ACP. To be explicit about the boundary: the session log reconstructs the model-visible transcript, not workspace mutation history — a child granted write access mutates files as an ambient side effect outside the log, exactly as the bash tools and the ACP backend already do; replay reproduces requests, not the disk.
 
diff --git a/packages/subagent/subagent-acp/tests/subagent-acp.spec.ts b/packages/subagent/subagent-acp/tests/subagent-acp.spec.ts
index 2f242e3fab..e4231c1598 100644
--- a/packages/subagent/subagent-acp/tests/subagent-acp.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/subagent/subagent-acp/tests/subagent-acp.spec.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import { tmpdir } from 'node:os'
 import { join } from 'node:path'
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url'
 import SubagentService from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-subagent'
-import { buildChildEnv, SENSITIVE_ENV_PATTERN } from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-subagent-subprocess'
+import { buildChildEnv } from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-subagent-subprocess'
 import type { Agent } from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-agent'
 import * as acp from '../src/index.ts'
 import { acpStopReason, acpContentText, DEFAULT_DISPOSE_EOF_GRACE_MS, DEFAULT_DISPOSE_GRACE_MS, startAcpRun, toAcpPrompt, type AcpRunSpec } from '../src/run.ts'
@@ -108,7 +108,6 @@ describe('buildChildEnv', () => {
       // The explicitly-supplied key survives (an opt-in for the child's creds).
       expect(env.DEEPSEEK_API_KEY).toBe('explicit')
       // A normal ambient var is forwarded.
-      expect(SENSITIVE_ENV_PATTERN.test('PATH')).toBe(false)
       expect(env.PATH).toBe(process.env.PATH)
     } finally {
       delete process.env.DSH_ACP_TEST_SECRET_TOKEN
diff --git a/packages/subagent/subagent-fork/README.md b/packages/subagent/subagent-fork/README.md
index 344b42732d..244811ab88 100644
--- a/packages/subagent/subagent-fork/README.md
+++ b/packages/subagent/subagent-fork/README.md
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ The fork provider creates an in-process child seeded with the parent's completed
 
 The parent's current tool-calling turn is still open when a subagent starts: its log contains the assistant tool call but not the matching tool result or `turn/end`. Copying that raw log would give the child an invalid, unbalanced session.
 
-Fork therefore uses `completedTurnPrefix(parent.session.events)`: the contiguous prefix ending at the last `turn/end`. The child sees all completed parent turns and none of the in-flight turn. If the parent has not completed a turn yet, the seed is empty and the child behaves like a fresh spawn.
+Fork therefore computes the contiguous prefix ending at the last `turn/end`. The child sees all completed parent turns and none of the in-flight turn. If the parent has not completed a turn yet, the seed is empty and the child behaves like a fresh spawn.
 
 The seed transfers conversation history only. The child still receives a fresh flat registration scope; it does not inherit the parent's tool restrictions or authority.
 
diff --git a/packages/subagent/subagent-fork/src/index.ts b/packages/subagent/subagent-fork/src/index.ts
index fa212bc938..a96ce4f06e 100644
--- a/packages/subagent/subagent-fork/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/subagent/subagent-fork/src/index.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ export const Config: z<Config> = z.object({
  * @param parent - the agent whose session log to slice.
  * @returns the seed events, contiguous from seq 0; empty when no turn has completed.
  */
-export function completedTurnPrefix(parent: Agent): SessionEvent[] {
+function completedTurnPrefix(parent: Agent): SessionEvent[] {
   const events = parent.session.events
   const lastEnd = events.findLast(e => e.type === 'turn/end')
   if (lastEnd === undefined) return []
diff --git a/packages/subagent/subagent-fork/tests/subagent-fork.spec.ts b/packages/subagent/subagent-fork/tests/subagent-fork.spec.ts
index 668f5ad9bc..e228830554 100644
--- a/packages/subagent/subagent-fork/tests/subagent-fork.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/subagent/subagent-fork/tests/subagent-fork.spec.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import { MockAdapter, textResponse, toolCallResponse } from '../../../core/agent
 import type { StreamChunk } from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-llm'
 import * as fork from '../src/index.ts'
 import { STRUCTURED_OUTPUT_TOOL } from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-subagent-inprocess'
-import { completedTurnPrefix } from '../src/index.ts'
 
 type Script = ConstructorParameters<typeof MockAdapter>[0]
 
@@ -45,28 +44,6 @@ function text(blocks: { type: string; text?: string }[]): string {
   return blocks.filter(b => b.type === 'text').map(b => b.text).join('')
 }
 
-describe('completedTurnPrefix', () => {
-  it('returns an empty prefix for a parent that has never completed a turn', async () => {
-    const { parent } = await setup([])
-    expect(completedTurnPrefix(parent)).toEqual([])
-  })
-
-  it('returns the balanced prefix up to and including the last turn/end', async () => {
-    const { parent } = await setup([textResponse('first'), textResponse('second')])
-    parent.send([{ type: 'text', text: 'q1' }])
-    await parent.whenIdle()
-    parent.send([{ type: 'text', text: 'q2' }])
-    await parent.whenIdle()
-
-    const prefix = completedTurnPrefix(parent)
-    // Ends exactly at the last turn/end; seq is contiguous from 0.
-    expect(prefix.at(-1)?.type).toBe('turn/end')
-    expect(prefix.map(e => e.seq)).toEqual(prefix.map((_, i) => i))
-    // Both completed turns are present.
-    expect(prefix.filter(e => e.type === 'turn/end')).toHaveLength(2)
-  })
-})
-
 describe('dsh-subagent-fork', () => {
   it('emits subagent/start only after the seeded child is published', async () => {
     const { ctx, parent } = await setup([textResponse('child answer')])
@@ -89,7 +66,6 @@ describe('dsh-subagent-fork', () => {
     // The parent has never completed a turn → empty prefix → the provider omits
     // the seed → the child runs fresh. Exercises the `seed.length > 0` false arm.
     const { ctx, parent } = await setup([textResponse('fresh child')])
-    expect(completedTurnPrefix(parent)).toEqual([])
     const run = await start(ctx, 'fork', { prompt: [{ type: 'text', text: 'child q' }], parent })
     const result = await run.result
     expect(result.stopReason).toBe('completed')
@@ -97,6 +73,24 @@ describe('dsh-subagent-fork', () => {
     const child = ctx.agents.get(run.id)!
     // Only the child's own turn — no seeded parent turns.
     expect(child.session.events.filter(e => e.type === 'turn/end')).toHaveLength(1)
+    expect(child.session.header.seedLength).toBeUndefined()
+    await run.dispose()
+  })
+
+  it('seeds every completed parent turn through the last turn/end', async () => {
+    const { ctx, parent } = await setup([textResponse('first'), textResponse('second'), textResponse('child')])
+    parent.send([{ type: 'text', text: 'q1' }])
+    await parent.whenIdle()
+    parent.send([{ type: 'text', text: 'q2' }])
+    await parent.whenIdle()
+    const parentPrefixLen = parent.session.events.length
+
+    const run = await start(ctx, 'fork', { prompt: [{ type: 'text', text: 'child q' }], parent })
+    await run.result
+    const child = ctx.agents.get(run.id)!
+    expect(child.session.header.seedLength).toBe(parentPrefixLen)
+    expect(child.session.events.slice(0, parentPrefixLen).at(-1)?.type).toBe('turn/end')
+    expect(child.session.events.slice(0, parentPrefixLen).filter(e => e.type === 'turn/end')).toHaveLength(2)
     await run.dispose()
   })
 
diff --git a/packages/subagent/subagent-inprocess/README.md b/packages/subagent/subagent-inprocess/README.md
index dc10405db7..ca54dab7c0 100644
--- a/packages/subagent/subagent-inprocess/README.md
+++ b/packages/subagent/subagent-inprocess/README.md
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ After fulfillment, the caller owns the run. Provider-plugin unload does not revo
 
 `InProcessRunOptions` is `{ seed?: SessionEvent[] }`. Spawn omits it. Fork supplies a balanced completed-turn prefix and records its length so the result reader never mistakes a seeded parent message for child output.
 
-`depthOf(agent)` reads `AgentOptions.subagentDepth`, treating absence as top-level depth zero and rejecting malformed stored values. `SubagentDepthError` reports an attempted child depth above `maxDepth`; an unrepresentable depth above the safe-integer domain is a `RangeError`.
+Depth enforcement is internal to `startInProcessRun`: it reads `AgentOptions.subagentDepth`, treats absence as top-level depth zero, rejects malformed stored values, and reports an attempted child depth above `maxDepth`. An unrepresentable depth above the safe-integer domain is a `RangeError`.
 
 ## Structured output
 
diff --git a/packages/subagent/subagent-inprocess/src/index.ts b/packages/subagent/subagent-inprocess/src/index.ts
index c5c85ec232..6e62ee5127 100644
--- a/packages/subagent/subagent-inprocess/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/subagent/subagent-inprocess/src/index.ts
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ declare module '@deepseek-ai/dsh-agent' {
  * @param agent - the agent whose options carry the depth.
  * @returns its non-negative safe-integer depth.
  */
-export function depthOf(agent: Agent): number {
+function depthOf(agent: Agent): number {
   const depth = agent.options.subagentDepth
   if (depth === undefined) return 0
   if (!Number.isSafeInteger(depth) || depth < 0 || Object.is(depth, -0)) {
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ export function depthOf(agent: Agent): number {
 }
 
 /** Thrown when starting a child would exceed the requested depth cap. */
-export class SubagentDepthError extends Error {
+class SubagentDepthError extends Error {
   constructor(public readonly attemptedDepth: number, public readonly maxDepth: number) {
     super(`subagent depth ${attemptedDepth} exceeds maxDepth ${maxDepth}`)
     this.name = 'SubagentDepthError'
diff --git a/packages/subagent/subagent-inprocess/tests/subagent-inprocess.spec.ts b/packages/subagent/subagent-inprocess/tests/subagent-inprocess.spec.ts
index f503ecd1db..13029ef3e7 100644
--- a/packages/subagent/subagent-inprocess/tests/subagent-inprocess.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/subagent/subagent-inprocess/tests/subagent-inprocess.spec.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import { mountAgentLoopTestDependencies } from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-agent-loop-test
 import * as Invariants from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-invariants'
 import SubagentService from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-subagent'
 import { MockAdapter, textResponse } from '../../../core/agent-loop/tests/mock-adapter.ts'
-import { depthOf, SubagentDepthError, startInProcessRun } from '../src/index.ts'
+import { startInProcessRun } from '../src/index.ts'
 
 type Script = ConstructorParameters<typeof MockAdapter>[0]
 
@@ -30,19 +30,6 @@ function text(blocks: readonly { type: string; text?: string }[]): string {
   return blocks.filter(block => block.type === 'text').map(block => block.text).join('')
 }
 
-describe('depthOf', () => {
-  it('reads zero for a top-level agent and an explicit child depth', async () => {
-    const { parent } = await setup([])
-    expect(depthOf(parent)).toBe(0)
-    expect(depthOf({ options: { subagentDepth: 3 } } as unknown as Agent)).toBe(3)
-  })
-
-  it.each([Number.NaN, 1.5, -1, -0, Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER + 1])('rejects malformed depth %s', (value) => {
-    expect(() => depthOf({ options: { subagentDepth: value } } as unknown as Agent))
-      .toThrow('non-negative safe integer')
-  })
-})
-
 describe('startInProcessRun', () => {
   it('returns only after publication, drives a fresh child, and disposes it', async () => {
     const { ctx, parent } = await setup([textResponse('driver answer')])
@@ -51,7 +38,7 @@ describe('startInProcessRun', () => {
     const result = await run.result
     expect(result.stopReason).toBe('completed')
     expect(text(result.output)).toBe('driver answer')
-    expect(depthOf(ctx.agents.get(run.id)!)).toBe(1)
+    expect(ctx.agents.get(run.id)!.options.subagentDepth).toBe(1)
     await run.dispose()
     await run.dispose()
     expect(ctx.agents.get(run.id)).toBeUndefined()
@@ -76,7 +63,12 @@ describe('startInProcessRun', () => {
     await expect(startInProcessRun({ ...request(parent), maxDepth: -1 }, {}))
       .rejects.toThrow('non-negative safe integer')
     await expect(startInProcessRun({ ...request(parent), maxDepth: 0 }, {}))
-      .rejects.toBeInstanceOf(SubagentDepthError)
+      .rejects.toMatchObject({ name: 'SubagentDepthError' })
+    for (const value of [Number.NaN, 1.5, -1, -0, Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER + 1]) {
+      const malformed = { options: { subagentDepth: value } } as unknown as Agent
+      await expect(startInProcessRun(request(malformed), {}))
+        .rejects.toThrow('agent subagentDepth must be a non-negative safe integer')
+    }
     const maxParent = { options: { subagentDepth: Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER } } as unknown as Agent
     await expect(startInProcessRun(request(maxParent), {})).rejects.toBeInstanceOf(RangeError)
   })
diff --git a/packages/subagent/subagent-spawn/tests/subagent-spawn.spec.ts b/packages/subagent/subagent-spawn/tests/subagent-spawn.spec.ts
index 414c071d14..7de5f6f4d6 100644
--- a/packages/subagent/subagent-spawn/tests/subagent-spawn.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/subagent/subagent-spawn/tests/subagent-spawn.spec.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import * as Invariants from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-invariants'
 import SubagentService, { type SubagentStartRequest } from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-subagent'
 import { MockAdapter, maxTokensResponse, textResponse, toolCallResponse } from '../../../core/agent-loop/tests/mock-adapter.ts'
 import * as spawn from '../src/index.ts'
-import { depthOf, STRUCTURED_OUTPUT_TOOL, SubagentDepthError } from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-subagent-inprocess'
+import { STRUCTURED_OUTPUT_TOOL } from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-subagent-inprocess'
 
 type Script = ConstructorParameters<typeof MockAdapter>[0]
 
@@ -110,11 +110,11 @@ describe('dsh-subagent-spawn', () => {
 
   it('stamps child depth = parent depth + 1 (via the merged AgentOptions field)', async () => {
     const { ctx, parent } = await setup([textResponse('x')])
-    expect(depthOf(parent)).toBe(0)
+    expect(parent.options.subagentDepth).toBeUndefined()
     const run = await start(ctx, 'spawn', { prompt: [{ type: 'text', text: 'p' }], parent })
     await run.result
     const child = ctx.agents.get(run.id)!
-    expect(depthOf(child)).toBe(1)
+    expect(child.options.subagentDepth).toBe(1)
     await run.dispose()
   })
 
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ describe('dsh-subagent-spawn', () => {
     const { ctx, parent } = await setup([])
     // parent is depth 0, child would be depth 1 — cap at 0 forbids any child.
     await expect(start(ctx, 'spawn', { prompt: [{ type: 'text', text: 'p' }], parent, maxDepth: 0 }))
-      .rejects.toThrow(SubagentDepthError)
+      .rejects.toThrow('subagent depth 1 exceeds maxDepth 0')
   })
 
   it('maps a child that hit its token ceiling to stopReason "max-tokens"', async () => {
diff --git a/packages/subagent/subagent-subprocess/README.md b/packages/subagent/subagent-subprocess/README.md
index a3c0905422..f15defcf2a 100644
--- a/packages/subagent/subagent-subprocess/README.md
+++ b/packages/subagent/subagent-subprocess/README.md
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ Every tunable is a **parameter**: the dispose ladder takes its grace periods per
 
 ## What it exports
 
-### `SENSITIVE_ENV_PATTERN` / `buildChildEnv(extra)`
+### `buildChildEnv(extra)`
 
 The credential env scrub (same pattern as the [bash executor](../../bash/bash-local/README.md)): the child env is the ambient env minus credential-shaped vars (`/KEY|SECRET|TOKEN/i`), with `extra` layered on top AFTER the scrub. `PATH`, `HOME`, `TMPDIR`, locale, and proxy vars survive, so the child CLI runs normally; the parent's own secrets never leak implicitly, while an explicitly supplied credential (the child's OWN key in a backend's `env` config) still reaches the child.
 
@@ -14,10 +14,6 @@ The credential env scrub (same pattern as the [bash executor](../../bash/bash-lo
 
 Spawn-failure capture: a promise that resolves (never rejects) with the child's first `error` event. A spawn failure such as `ENOENT` is an event, not a thrown exception — without a listener Node crashes the parent process — so call this in the same tick as `spawn()` and race it in the run's result path; a bad command then settles as an ordinary child-level failure. For a child that spawns cleanly the promise never settles.
 
-### `waitForExit(child)` / `exitsWithin(child, ms)`
-
-Exit waits over a `ChildProcess`: resolve once the child exits by any code or signal (immediately if it is already gone), or race that against a timer (`true` = exited in time). The race cleans up after itself on both outcomes — the pending timer is `unref()`ed and cleared on exit, the exit listener removed on timeout — so repeated calls (the dispose ladder's tiers, a poll loop) never accumulate listeners on the child.
-
 ### `disposeChildProcess(child, graces)`
 
 The three-tier dispose ladder. Resolves only once the child has ACTUALLY exited — quiescence reached, not merely requested (see [defensive patterns](../../../docs/defensive-patterns.md)):
@@ -28,6 +24,8 @@ The three-tier dispose ladder. Resolves only once the child has ACTUALLY exited
 
 The two graces (`DisposeLadderGraces`) come from the consuming plugin's `disposeEofGraceMs`/`disposeGraceMs` Config fields; the EOF window is deliberately a separate — usually wider — grace than the signal tier, since a cooperative child's EOF teardown may itself await a signal-trapping grandchild plus a final flush.
 
+The exit waits are internal to this ladder. They clean up their timer and listener on either outcome, so escalation never accumulates listeners on the child.
+
 ### `createIsolatedConfigDir(prefix, pinnedPath?)`
 
 A per-run isolated config directory for an external CLI child (the target of `CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR` / `CODEX_HOME`-style redirection), so child behavior is a function of deployment config alone — never of whatever `~/.claude` / `~/.codex`-style state exists on the host. Returns an `IsolatedConfigDir` handle: `path` goes into the child env, `remove()` runs on dispose.
diff --git a/packages/subagent/subagent-subprocess/src/index.ts b/packages/subagent/subagent-subprocess/src/index.ts
index 21bcca788e..3831d2bb6a 100644
--- a/packages/subagent/subagent-subprocess/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/subagent/subagent-subprocess/src/index.ts
@@ -20,13 +20,12 @@ import { join } from 'node:path'
  * the scrub, so an intended `DEEPSEEK_API_KEY` survives while an incidental
  * `AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY` does not.
  */
-export const SENSITIVE_ENV_PATTERN = /KEY|SECRET|TOKEN/i
+const SENSITIVE_ENV_PATTERN = /KEY|SECRET|TOKEN/i
 
 /**
  * The ambient env minus credential-shaped vars, plus the caller's explicit
  * env. `PATH`, `HOME`, `TMPDIR`, locale, and proxy vars survive the scrub, so
- * a child CLI runs normally; only {@link SENSITIVE_ENV_PATTERN}-shaped names
- * are dropped.
+ * a child CLI runs normally; only credential-shaped names are dropped.
  * @param extra - explicit vars layered on top AFTER the scrub, so a
  * credential-shaped name supplied deliberately still reaches the child.
  * @returns the environment to spawn the child with.
@@ -57,7 +56,7 @@ export function spawnFailure(child: ChildProcess): Promise<Error> {
  * already gone.
  * @param child - the child process to await.
  */
-export function waitForExit(child: ChildProcess): Promise<void> {
+function waitForExit(child: ChildProcess): Promise<void> {
   if (child.exitCode !== null || child.signalCode !== null) return Promise.resolve()
   return new Promise<void>(resolve => child.once('exit', () => { resolve() }))
 }
@@ -72,7 +71,7 @@ export function waitForExit(child: ChildProcess): Promise<void> {
  * @returns `true` if the child exits within `ms` (immediately if it is
  * already gone), `false` on timeout.
  */
-export function exitsWithin(child: ChildProcess, ms: number): Promise<boolean> {
+function exitsWithin(child: ChildProcess, ms: number): Promise<boolean> {
   if (child.exitCode !== null || child.signalCode !== null) return Promise.resolve(true)
   return new Promise<boolean>((resolve) => {
     const onExit = (): void => {
diff --git a/packages/subagent/subagent-subprocess/tests/subagent-subprocess.spec.ts b/packages/subagent/subagent-subprocess/tests/subagent-subprocess.spec.ts
index bdc0260c73..4b2552a4c6 100644
--- a/packages/subagent/subagent-subprocess/tests/subagent-subprocess.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/subagent/subagent-subprocess/tests/subagent-subprocess.spec.ts
@@ -9,10 +9,7 @@ import {
   buildChildEnv,
   createIsolatedConfigDir,
   disposeChildProcess,
-  exitsWithin,
-  SENSITIVE_ENV_PATTERN,
   spawnFailure,
-  waitForExit,
 } from '../src/index.ts'
 
 // `rm` is real-passthrough except for one deterministic failure. Permission-based recursive-rm
@@ -44,6 +41,8 @@ interface FakeChildScript {
   diesOn?: LethalTrigger
   /** Delay (ms) between the lethal trigger and the exit event. */
   delayMs?: number
+  /** Complete the scripted exit inside the triggering call. */
+  synchronousExit?: boolean
   /** `false` models a child spawned without a stdin pipe. */
   stdin?: boolean
 }
@@ -77,11 +76,13 @@ class FakeChild extends EventEmitter {
     // SIGKILL is uncatchable — it always fells the child; any other trigger
     // only when the scenario scripts it as the lethal one.
     if (trigger !== 'SIGKILL' && this.script.diesOn !== trigger) return
-    setTimeout(() => {
+    const exit = (): void => {
       if (trigger === 'eof') this.exitCode = 0
       else this.signalCode = trigger
       this.emit('exit', this.exitCode, this.signalCode)
-    }, this.script.delayMs ?? 0)
+    }
+    if (this.script.synchronousExit === true) exit()
+    else setTimeout(exit, this.script.delayMs ?? 0)
   }
 }
 
@@ -90,7 +91,7 @@ function asChild(fake: FakeChild): ChildProcess {
   return fake as unknown as ChildProcess
 }
 
-describe('buildChildEnv / SENSITIVE_ENV_PATTERN', () => {
+describe('buildChildEnv', () => {
   it('drops credential-shaped ambient vars (KEY/SECRET/TOKEN, case-insensitive)', () => {
     process.env.DSH_PROC_TEST_API_KEY = 'leak'
     process.env.dsh_proc_test_secret = 'leak'
@@ -108,7 +109,6 @@ describe('buildChildEnv / SENSITIVE_ENV_PATTERN', () => {
   })
 
   it('forwards normal ambient vars', () => {
-    expect(SENSITIVE_ENV_PATTERN.test('PATH')).toBe(false)
     expect(buildChildEnv({}).PATH).toBe(process.env.PATH)
   })
 
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ describe('spawnFailure', () => {
     const fake = new FakeChild({ diesOn: 'SIGTERM' })
     const failure = spawnFailure(asChild(fake))
     fake.kill('SIGTERM')
-    await waitForExit(asChild(fake))
+    await new Promise<void>(resolve => fake.once('exit', () => { resolve() }))
     // A clean lifecycle emits `exit`, never `error` — the capture stays
     // pending forever, so a race against it is decided by the other arms.
     const settled = await Promise.race([
@@ -157,51 +157,6 @@ describe('spawnFailure', () => {
   })
 })
 
-describe('waitForExit / exitsWithin', () => {
-  it('resolves immediately for a child that already exited by code', async () => {
-    const fake = new FakeChild()
-    fake.exitCode = 0
-    await expect(waitForExit(asChild(fake))).resolves.toBeUndefined()
-  })
-
-  it('resolves immediately for a child that already died by signal', async () => {
-    const fake = new FakeChild()
-    fake.signalCode = 'SIGTERM'
-    await expect(waitForExit(asChild(fake))).resolves.toBeUndefined()
-  })
-
-  it('resolves on the exit event of a live child', async () => {
-    const fake = new FakeChild({ diesOn: 'SIGTERM', delayMs: 5 })
-    const exited = waitForExit(asChild(fake))
-    fake.kill('SIGTERM')
-    await expect(exited).resolves.toBeUndefined()
-    expect(fake.signalCode).toBe('SIGTERM')
-  })
-
-  it('exitsWithin resolves true immediately for an already-exited child (no listener attached)', async () => {
-    const fake = new FakeChild()
-    fake.exitCode = 0
-    await expect(exitsWithin(asChild(fake), 1000)).resolves.toBe(true)
-    expect(fake.listenerCount('exit')).toBe(0)
-  })
-
-  it('exitsWithin resolves true when the child exits inside the window', async () => {
-    const fake = new FakeChild({ diesOn: 'SIGTERM', delayMs: 5 })
-    fake.kill('SIGTERM')
-    await expect(exitsWithin(asChild(fake), 1000)).resolves.toBe(true)
-    // The once-listener fired and the grace timer was cleared — nothing lingers.
-    expect(fake.listenerCount('exit')).toBe(0)
-  })
-
-  it('exitsWithin resolves false on timeout for a child that never exits', async () => {
-    const fake = new FakeChild() // nothing short of SIGKILL fells it; no signal sent
-    await expect(exitsWithin(asChild(fake), 20)).resolves.toBe(false)
-    // The timeout arm removed its exit listener: repeated waits (a poll loop,
-    // the ladder's tiers) never accumulate listeners on the same child.
-    expect(fake.listenerCount('exit')).toBe(0)
-  })
-})
-
 describe('disposeChildProcess', () => {
   it('returns immediately for an already-exited child (no EOF, no signals)', async () => {
     const fake = new FakeChild()
@@ -227,12 +182,28 @@ describe('disposeChildProcess', () => {
     expect(fake.exitCode).toBe(0)
   })
 
+  it('recognizes a child that exits synchronously on stdin EOF', async () => {
+    const fake = new FakeChild({ diesOn: 'eof', synchronousExit: true })
+    await disposeChildProcess(asChild(fake), { disposeEofGraceMs: 1000, disposeGraceMs: 1000 })
+    expect(fake.exitCode).toBe(0)
+    expect(fake.listenerCount('exit')).toBe(0)
+  })
+
   it('tier 2: a child that ignores EOF but honors SIGTERM dies on the middle rung', async () => {
     const fake = new FakeChild({ diesOn: 'SIGTERM', delayMs: 5 })
     await disposeChildProcess(asChild(fake), { disposeEofGraceMs: 20, disposeGraceMs: 1000 })
     expect(fake.stdinEnded).toBe(true)
     expect(fake.kills).toEqual(['SIGTERM'])
     expect(fake.signalCode).toBe('SIGTERM')
+    expect(fake.listenerCount('exit')).toBe(0)
+  })
+
+  it('recognizes a child that exits synchronously on SIGTERM', async () => {
+    const fake = new FakeChild({ diesOn: 'SIGTERM', synchronousExit: true })
+    await disposeChildProcess(asChild(fake), { disposeEofGraceMs: 20, disposeGraceMs: 1000 })
+    expect(fake.kills).toEqual(['SIGTERM'])
+    expect(fake.signalCode).toBe('SIGTERM')
+    expect(fake.listenerCount('exit')).toBe(0)
   })
 
   it('tier 3: a SIGTERM-trapping child is SIGKILLed, and dispose resolves only after the exit', async () => {
@@ -244,6 +215,13 @@ describe('disposeChildProcess', () => {
     expect(fake.signalCode).toBe('SIGKILL')
   })
 
+  it('recognizes a child already gone when the final exit wait begins', async () => {
+    const fake = new FakeChild({ synchronousExit: true })
+    await disposeChildProcess(asChild(fake), { disposeEofGraceMs: 20, disposeGraceMs: 20 })
+    expect(fake.kills).toEqual(['SIGTERM', 'SIGKILL'])
+    expect(fake.signalCode).toBe('SIGKILL')
+  })
+
   it('walks the ladder for a child spawned without a stdin pipe', async () => {
     const fake = new FakeChild({ stdin: false, diesOn: 'SIGTERM', delayMs: 5 })
     await disposeChildProcess(asChild(fake), { disposeEofGraceMs: 20, disposeGraceMs: 1000 })
diff --git a/packages/subagent/tool-subagent/src/index.ts b/packages/subagent/tool-subagent/src/index.ts
index fdfaacef08..f46f3dda2c 100644
--- a/packages/subagent/tool-subagent/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/subagent/tool-subagent/src/index.ts
@@ -161,13 +161,13 @@ export async function settleRun(run: SubagentRun): Promise<TaskOutcome> {
  * A fresh child needs a standalone prompt; a forked child already sees the
  * conversation's completed turns — telling the model to restate everything
  * (or, worse, that the child "does not see this conversation") would be false
- * for a fork. Exported for tests.
+ * for a fork.
  * @param inheritsConversation - whether the child's conversation is seeded
  *   with the parent's completed turns; this says nothing about tool, service,
  *   scope, or authority inheritance.
  * @returns the tool `description` and the `prompt` parameter description.
  */
-export function providerWording(inheritsConversation: boolean): { description: string; promptDescription: string } {
+function providerWording(inheritsConversation: boolean): { description: string; promptDescription: string } {
   if (inheritsConversation) {
     return {
       description: