diff --git a/src/core/services/immersion-tracker-service.test.ts b/src/core/services/immersion-tracker-service.test.ts
index 74d459d8..90e1b909 100644
--- a/src/core/services/immersion-tracker-service.test.ts
+++ b/src/core/services/immersion-tracker-service.test.ts
@@ -1486,6 +1486,58 @@ test('deleteSession yields the main event loop while delete maintenance is pendi
   }
 });
 
+test('delete maintenance flushes the entire write queue before locking writes', async () => {
+  const dbPath = makeDbPath();
+  let tracker: ImmersionTrackerService | null = null;
+  const deleteGate: { release?: () => void } = {};
+  let queuedWritesAtDeleteStart = -1;
+  let writeLockedAtDeleteStart = false;
+
+  try {
+    const Ctor = await loadTrackerCtor();
+    tracker = new Ctor(
+      { dbPath },
+      {
+        runDeleteMaintenanceTask: async () => {
+          const privateApi = tracker as unknown as {
+            queue: unknown[];
+            writeLock: { locked: boolean };
+          };
+          queuedWritesAtDeleteStart = privateApi.queue.length;
+          writeLockedAtDeleteStart = privateApi.writeLock.locked;
+          await new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+            deleteGate.release = resolve;
+          });
+        },
+      },
+    );
+
+    const privateApi = tracker as unknown as {
+      batchSize: number;
+      flushNow: () => void;
+      queue: unknown[];
+    };
+    privateApi.batchSize = 1;
+    privateApi.queue.push({}, {}, {});
+    privateApi.flushNow = () => {
+      privateApi.queue.shift();
+    };
+
+    const deletePromise = tracker.deleteSession(101);
+    await waitForCondition(() => deleteGate.release !== undefined);
+
+    assert.equal(queuedWritesAtDeleteStart, 0);
+    assert.equal(writeLockedAtDeleteStart, true);
+
+    deleteGate.release?.();
+    await deletePromise;
+  } finally {
+    deleteGate.release?.();
+    tracker?.destroy();
+    cleanupDbPath(dbPath);
+  }
+});
+
 test('delete maintenance tasks stay serialized under concurrent requests', async () => {
   const dbPath = makeDbPath();
   let tracker: ImmersionTrackerService | null = null;
diff --git a/src/core/services/immersion-tracker-service.ts b/src/core/services/immersion-tracker-service.ts
index 3632ba49..865006f5 100644
--- a/src/core/services/immersion-tracker-service.ts
+++ b/src/core/services/immersion-tracker-service.ts
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ export class ImmersionTrackerService {
       runTask: (task) => runDeleteMaintenanceTask(this.dbPath, task),
       onBusy: () => {
         this.flushTelemetry(true);
-        this.flushNow();
+        while (this.queue.length > 0) this.flushNow();
         this.writeLock.locked = true;
       },
       onIdle: () => {
diff --git a/src/core/services/immersion-tracker/delete-maintenance-scheduler.test.ts b/src/core/services/immersion-tracker/delete-maintenance-scheduler.test.ts
index d089290f..45f597cd 100644
--- a/src/core/services/immersion-tracker/delete-maintenance-scheduler.test.ts
+++ b/src/core/services/immersion-tracker/delete-maintenance-scheduler.test.ts
@@ -55,6 +55,74 @@ test('scheduler rejects enqueue after destruction without entering busy state',
   assert.equal(runCalls, 0);
 });
 
+test('scheduler rejects every request in a batch when the maintenance task fails', async () => {
+  const failure = new Error('maintenance failed');
+  const scheduler = new DeleteMaintenanceScheduler({
+    batchWindowMs: 0,
+    runTask: async () => {
+      throw failure;
+    },
+    onBusy: () => {},
+    onIdle: () => {},
+  });
+
+  const first = scheduler.enqueue(() => ({ kind: 'session', sessionId: 1 }));
+  const second = scheduler.enqueue(() => ({ kind: 'session', sessionId: 2 }));
+
+  const results = await Promise.allSettled([first, second]);
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    results.map((result) => (result.status === 'rejected' ? result.reason : null)),
+    [failure, failure],
+  );
+});
+
+test('scheduler rejects only the request whose task resolution fails', async () => {
+  const failure = new Error('resolution failed');
+  const tasks: DeleteMaintenanceTask[] = [];
+  const scheduler = new DeleteMaintenanceScheduler({
+    batchWindowMs: 0,
+    runTask: async (task) => {
+      tasks.push(task);
+    },
+    onBusy: () => {},
+    onIdle: () => {},
+  });
+
+  const failed = scheduler.enqueue(() => {
+    throw failure;
+  });
+  const succeeded = scheduler.enqueue(() => ({ kind: 'session', sessionId: 2 }));
+
+  const results = await Promise.allSettled([failed, succeeded]);
+  assert.equal(results[0]?.status, 'rejected');
+  assert.equal(results[0]?.status === 'rejected' ? results[0].reason : null, failure);
+  assert.equal(results[1]?.status, 'fulfilled');
+  assert.deepEqual(tasks, [{ kind: 'session', sessionId: 2 }]);
+});
+
+test('scheduler does not schedule another drain when the queue is empty', async () => {
+  const originalSetTimeout = globalThis.setTimeout;
+  let timerCalls = 0;
+  globalThis.setTimeout = ((handler: TimerHandler, timeout?: number, ...args: unknown[]) => {
+    timerCalls += 1;
+    return originalSetTimeout(handler, timeout, ...args);
+  }) as typeof setTimeout;
+
+  try {
+    const scheduler = new DeleteMaintenanceScheduler({
+      batchWindowMs: 0,
+      runTask: async () => {},
+      onBusy: () => {},
+      onIdle: () => {},
+    });
+
+    await scheduler.enqueue(() => ({ kind: 'session', sessionId: 1 }));
+    assert.equal(timerCalls, 1);
+  } finally {
+    globalThis.setTimeout = originalSetTimeout;
+  }
+});
+
 test('scheduler serializes batches and rejects requests queued at destruction', async () => {
   const releases: Array<() => void> = [];
   let activeTasks = 0;
@@ -72,7 +140,16 @@ test('scheduler serializes batches and rejects requests queued at destruction',
   });
 
   const first = scheduler.enqueue(() => ({ kind: 'session', sessionId: 1 }));
-  while (releases.length === 0) await new Promise<void>((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 0));
+  const maxPollAttempts = 100;
+  let pollAttempts = 0;
+  while (releases.length === 0 && pollAttempts < maxPollAttempts) {
+    pollAttempts += 1;
+    await new Promise<void>((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 0));
+  }
+  assert.ok(
+    releases.length > 0,
+    `runTask did not produce a release after ${maxPollAttempts} polling attempts`,
+  );
   const queued = scheduler.enqueue(() => ({ kind: 'session', sessionId: 2 }));
   scheduler.destroy();
 
diff --git a/src/core/services/immersion-tracker/delete-maintenance-scheduler.ts b/src/core/services/immersion-tracker/delete-maintenance-scheduler.ts
index 66550161..45fd8483 100644
--- a/src/core/services/immersion-tracker/delete-maintenance-scheduler.ts
+++ b/src/core/services/immersion-tracker/delete-maintenance-scheduler.ts
@@ -58,7 +58,9 @@ export class DeleteMaintenanceScheduler {
   }
 
   private scheduleDrain(): void {
-    if (this.destroyed || this.running || this.drainTimer) return;
+    if (this.destroyed || this.running || this.drainTimer || this.pendingRequests.length === 0) {
+      return;
+    }
     this.drainTimer = setTimeout(() => {
       this.drainTimer = null;
       void this.drain();
diff --git a/src/core/services/immersion-tracker/delete-maintenance-worker-runtime.test.ts b/src/core/services/immersion-tracker/delete-maintenance-worker-runtime.test.ts
index 4d9c687e..33f80432 100644
--- a/src/core/services/immersion-tracker/delete-maintenance-worker-runtime.test.ts
+++ b/src/core/services/immersion-tracker/delete-maintenance-worker-runtime.test.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,26 @@ import { startSessionRecord } from './session';
 import { Database } from './sqlite';
 import { applyPragmas, ensureSchema, getOrCreateVideoRecord } from './storage';
 
+type FakeWorkerListener = (value: never) => void;
+
+function createFakeWorker() {
+  const listeners = new Map<string, FakeWorkerListener>();
+  const terminationState = { calls: 0 };
+  const worker = {
+    once(event: string, listener: FakeWorkerListener) {
+      listeners.set(event, listener);
+      return this;
+    },
+    terminate: async () => {
+      terminationState.calls += 1;
+      return 0;
+    },
+  };
+  return { worker, listeners, terminationState };
+}
+
+type FakeWorker = ReturnType<typeof createFakeWorker>['worker'];
+
 test('a delete batch rebuilds lifetime summaries once', () => {
   const tempDir = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'subminer-delete-batch-test-'));
   const dbPath = path.join(tempDir, 'immersion.sqlite');
@@ -144,19 +164,7 @@ test('worker runtime warns before falling back when no emitted worker is availab
 });
 
 test('worker runtime terminates a worker after successful settlement', async () => {
-  type Listener = (value: never) => void;
-  const listeners = new Map<string, Listener>();
-  let terminateCalls = 0;
-  const worker = {
-    once(event: string, listener: Listener) {
-      listeners.set(event, listener);
-      return this;
-    },
-    terminate: async () => {
-      terminateCalls += 1;
-      return 0;
-    },
-  };
+  const { worker, listeners, terminationState } = createFakeWorker();
   const runtime = new DeleteMaintenanceWorkerRuntime({
     resolveWorkerPath: () => '/tmp/delete-worker.js',
     createWorker: async () => worker,
@@ -167,23 +175,11 @@ test('worker runtime terminates a worker after successful settlement', async ()
   listeners.get('message')?.({ ok: true } as never);
   await result;
 
-  assert.equal(terminateCalls, 1);
+  assert.equal(terminationState.calls, 1);
 });
 
 test('worker runtime terminates a worker after failed settlement', async () => {
-  type Listener = (value: never) => void;
-  const listeners = new Map<string, Listener>();
-  let terminateCalls = 0;
-  const worker = {
-    once(event: string, listener: Listener) {
-      listeners.set(event, listener);
-      return this;
-    },
-    terminate: async () => {
-      terminateCalls += 1;
-      return 0;
-    },
-  };
+  const { worker, listeners, terminationState } = createFakeWorker();
   const runtime = new DeleteMaintenanceWorkerRuntime({
     resolveWorkerPath: () => '/tmp/delete-worker.js',
     createWorker: async () => worker,
@@ -194,5 +190,50 @@ test('worker runtime terminates a worker after failed settlement', async () => {
   listeners.get('error')?.(new Error('worker failed') as never);
 
   await assert.rejects(result, /worker failed/);
-  assert.equal(terminateCalls, 1);
+  assert.equal(terminationState.calls, 1);
+});
+
+test('worker runtime terminates a worker created after shutdown begins', async () => {
+  const { worker, listeners, terminationState } = createFakeWorker();
+  const createGate: { resolve?: (worker: FakeWorker) => void } = {};
+  const fallbackTasks: unknown[] = [];
+  const runtime = new DeleteMaintenanceWorkerRuntime({
+    resolveWorkerPath: () => '/tmp/delete-worker.js',
+    createWorker: () =>
+      new Promise((resolve) => {
+        createGate.resolve = resolve;
+      }),
+    executeFallback: (_dbPath, task) => fallbackTasks.push(task),
+  });
+
+  const result = runtime.run('/tmp/test.sqlite', { kind: 'session', sessionId: 1 });
+  await new Promise<void>((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 0));
+  runtime.destroy();
+  createGate.resolve?.(worker);
+
+  await assert.rejects(result, /shut down/);
+  assert.equal(terminationState.calls, 1);
+  assert.equal(listeners.size, 0);
+  assert.deepEqual(fallbackTasks, []);
+});
+
+test('worker runtime does not fall back when worker creation fails during shutdown', async () => {
+  const createGate: { reject?: (error: Error) => void } = {};
+  const fallbackTasks: unknown[] = [];
+  const runtime = new DeleteMaintenanceWorkerRuntime({
+    resolveWorkerPath: () => '/tmp/delete-worker.js',
+    createWorker: () =>
+      new Promise((_resolve, reject) => {
+        createGate.reject = reject;
+      }),
+    executeFallback: (_dbPath, task) => fallbackTasks.push(task),
+  });
+
+  const result = runtime.run('/tmp/test.sqlite', { kind: 'session', sessionId: 1 });
+  await new Promise<void>((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 0));
+  runtime.destroy();
+  createGate.reject?.(new Error('creation failed'));
+
+  await assert.rejects(result, /shut down/);
+  assert.deepEqual(fallbackTasks, []);
 });
diff --git a/src/core/services/immersion-tracker/delete-maintenance-worker-runtime.ts b/src/core/services/immersion-tracker/delete-maintenance-worker-runtime.ts
index 0a801326..0a92c417 100644
--- a/src/core/services/immersion-tracker/delete-maintenance-worker-runtime.ts
+++ b/src/core/services/immersion-tracker/delete-maintenance-worker-runtime.ts
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@ export class DeleteMaintenanceWorkerRuntime {
         });
       worker = await createWorker(workerPath, { dbPath, task });
     } catch (error) {
+      if (this.destroyed) {
+        throw new Error('Delete maintenance worker is shut down');
+      }
       (this.options.warn ?? logger.warn)(
         'Delete maintenance worker unavailable; running maintenance on the current thread',
         error,
@@ -68,6 +71,11 @@ export class DeleteMaintenanceWorkerRuntime {
       return;
     }
 
+    if (this.destroyed) {
+      await worker.terminate().catch(() => undefined);
+      throw new Error('Delete maintenance worker is shut down');
+    }
+
     await new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
       let settled = false;
       this.activeWorkers.add(worker);
diff --git a/src/core/services/immersion-tracker/query-delete-maintenance.ts b/src/core/services/immersion-tracker/query-delete-maintenance.ts
index 7e7ea655..d1df1b60 100644
--- a/src/core/services/immersion-tracker/query-delete-maintenance.ts
+++ b/src/core/services/immersion-tracker/query-delete-maintenance.ts
@@ -5,13 +5,13 @@ import {
   applyLexicalRemovals,
   cleanupUnusedCoverArtBlobHash,
   deleteSessionsByIds,
+  forEachIdChunk,
   makePlaceholders,
   planLexicalRemovalsForSessions,
+  SQLITE_ID_CHUNK_SIZE,
   type LexicalRemovalPlan,
 } from './query-shared';
 
-const SQLITE_ID_CHUNK_SIZE = 1_000;
-
 export type DeleteMaintenanceOperation =
   | { kind: 'session'; sessionId: number }
   | { kind: 'sessions'; sessionIds: number[] }
@@ -42,12 +42,6 @@ function addOperationTargets(
   }
 }
 
-function forEachIdChunk(ids: number[], callback: (chunk: number[]) => void): void {
-  for (let start = 0; start < ids.length; start += SQLITE_ID_CHUNK_SIZE) {
-    callback(ids.slice(start, start + SQLITE_ID_CHUNK_SIZE));
-  }
-}
-
 function selectIds(
   db: DatabaseSync,
   buildSql: (placeholders: string) => string,
diff --git a/src/core/services/immersion-tracker/query-shared.ts b/src/core/services/immersion-tracker/query-shared.ts
index 4217feb1..0472a500 100644
--- a/src/core/services/immersion-tracker/query-shared.ts
+++ b/src/core/services/immersion-tracker/query-shared.ts
@@ -80,6 +80,14 @@ export function makePlaceholders(values: number[]): string {
   return values.map(() => '?').join(',');
 }
 
+export const SQLITE_ID_CHUNK_SIZE = 1_000;
+
+export function forEachIdChunk(ids: number[], callback: (chunk: number[]) => void): void {
+  for (let start = 0; start < ids.length; start += SQLITE_ID_CHUNK_SIZE) {
+    callback(ids.slice(start, start + SQLITE_ID_CHUNK_SIZE));
+  }
+}
+
 export function resolvedCoverBlobExpr(mediaAlias: string, blobStoreAlias: string): string {
   return `COALESCE(${blobStoreAlias}.cover_blob, CASE WHEN ${mediaAlias}.cover_blob_hash IS NULL THEN ${mediaAlias}.cover_blob ELSE NULL END)`;
 }
@@ -490,9 +498,7 @@ export function deleteSessionsByIds(db: DatabaseSync, sessionIds: number[]): voi
     return;
   }
 
-  const chunkSize = 1_000;
-  for (let start = 0; start < sessionIds.length; start += chunkSize) {
-    const chunk = sessionIds.slice(start, start + chunkSize);
+  forEachIdChunk(sessionIds, (chunk) => {
     const placeholders = makePlaceholders(chunk);
     db.prepare(`DELETE FROM imm_subtitle_lines WHERE session_id IN (${placeholders})`).run(
       ...chunk,
@@ -504,7 +510,7 @@ export function deleteSessionsByIds(db: DatabaseSync, sessionIds: number[]): voi
       ...chunk,
     );
     db.prepare(`DELETE FROM imm_sessions WHERE session_id IN (${placeholders})`).run(...chunk);
-  }
+  });
 }
 
 export function toDbMs(ms: number | bigint): bigint {