diff --git a/docs-site/plugins.md b/docs-site/plugins.md
index f80e8bb5..41af7875 100644
--- a/docs-site/plugins.md
+++ b/docs-site/plugins.md
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ A plugin folder needs a `plugin.json`:
 { "name": "My Plugin", "version": "1.0.0", "main": "main.js" }
 ```
 
-`main` points to a CommonJS module (`.js`) or an ES module (`.mjs`) that exports `activate(ctx)`. It may return a cleanup function, or the module can export `deactivate()`. Everything a plugin registers through `ctx` (listeners, timers, actions, panels, running programs) is cleaned up automatically when SubMiner quits.
+`main` points to a CommonJS module (`.js`) or an ES module (`.mjs`) that exports `activate(ctx)`. It may return a cleanup function, or the module can export `deactivate()`. On quit, SubMiner waits up to 3 seconds for it, including any promise it returns. Everything a plugin registers through `ctx` (listeners, timers, actions, panels, running programs) is cleaned up automatically when SubMiner quits.
 
 ```js
 function activate(ctx) {
diff --git a/src/core/services/plugins/plugin-host.test.ts b/src/core/services/plugins/plugin-host.test.ts
index a0ab1a6b..6413f145 100644
--- a/src/core/services/plugins/plugin-host.test.ts
+++ b/src/core/services/plugins/plugin-host.test.ts
@@ -42,7 +42,10 @@ function createFakeWindow() {
   return fake;
 }
 
-function createHarness(config: Record<string, PluginConfigEntry>) {
+function createHarness(
+  config: Record<string, PluginConfigEntry>,
+  overrides: Partial<PluginHostDeps<{ marker: string }>> = {},
+) {
   const root = mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'subminer-plugins-'));
   const errors: string[] = [];
   const notifications: string[] = [];
@@ -82,6 +85,7 @@ function createHarness(config: Record<string, PluginConfigEntry>) {
       return { window: window.asWindow(), created: true };
     },
     unstable: { marker: 'internals' },
+    ...overrides,
   };
   return {
     root: deps.pluginsDir,
@@ -227,6 +231,30 @@ test('mpv listener errors are contained and unload detaches listeners and calls
   }
 });
 
+test('unload gives up on a deactivate that never settles and still disposes the plugin', async () => {
+  const h = createHarness({ stuck: enabled() }, { deactivateTimeoutMs: 20 });
+  const client = createFakeMpvClient();
+  try {
+    writePlugin(h.root, 'stuck', {
+      'plugin.json': JSON.stringify({ main: 'main.cjs' }),
+      'main.cjs': `exports.activate = (ctx) => {
+        ctx.mpv.on('pause-change', () => ctx.notify('still listening'));
+        return () => new Promise(() => {});
+      };`,
+    });
+    h.host.attachMpvClient(client);
+    await h.host.loadAll();
+
+    await h.host.unloadAll();
+    client.emit('pause-change', { paused: true });
+
+    assert.deepEqual(h.notifications, []);
+    assert.deepEqual(h.errors, ['deactivate failed: timed out after 20 ms']);
+  } finally {
+    h.cleanup();
+  }
+});
+
 test('events follow a replacement mpv client', async () => {
   const h = createHarness({ watcher: enabled() });
   const first = createFakeMpvClient();
diff --git a/src/core/services/plugins/plugin-host.ts b/src/core/services/plugins/plugin-host.ts
index b325bda4..4b7b1714 100644
--- a/src/core/services/plugins/plugin-host.ts
+++ b/src/core/services/plugins/plugin-host.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ import {
 const MIN_TIMER_INTERVAL_MS = 100;
 const DEFAULT_WINDOW_WIDTH = 960;
 const DEFAULT_WINDOW_HEIGHT = 720;
+// Quit waits for unloadAll, so a deactivate that never settles must not hold the app open.
+const DEFAULT_DEACTIVATE_TIMEOUT_MS = 3_000;
 
 interface MpvClientEvents {
   on: (event: PluginMpvEventName, listener: (payload: unknown) => void) => void;
@@ -52,6 +54,8 @@ export interface PluginHostDeps<TUnstable> {
   /** Test seam; defaults to Node's `require`, which also loads synchronous ES modules. */
   loadModule?: (entryPath: string) => PluginModule;
   exec?: typeof execPluginCommand;
+  /** How long unload waits for each plugin's deactivate before disposing it anyway. */
+  deactivateTimeoutMs?: number;
 }
 
 interface LoadedPlugin {
@@ -349,14 +353,26 @@ export function createPluginHost<TUnstable>(deps: PluginHostDeps<TUnstable>) {
 
     async unloadAll(): Promise<void> {
       loadPromise = null;
+      const timeoutMs = deps.deactivateTimeoutMs ?? DEFAULT_DEACTIVATE_TIMEOUT_MS;
       await Promise.all(
         [...plugins.values()].map(async (plugin) => {
+          let timer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined;
           try {
-            await plugin.deactivate?.();
+            await Promise.race([
+              Promise.resolve().then(() => plugin.deactivate?.()),
+              new Promise<never>((_, reject) => {
+                timer = setTimeout(
+                  () => reject(new Error(`timed out after ${timeoutMs} ms`)),
+                  timeoutMs,
+                );
+              }),
+            ]);
           } catch (error) {
             deps
               .createLogger(`plugin:${plugin.id}`)
               .error(`deactivate failed: ${errorMessage(error)}`);
+          } finally {
+            clearTimeout(timer);
           }
           disposePlugin(plugin);
         }),
diff --git a/src/main.ts b/src/main.ts
index 0f4606d3..86b87359 100644
--- a/src/main.ts
+++ b/src/main.ts
@@ -4403,6 +4403,7 @@ const {
       void appState.discordPresenceService?.stop();
       appState.discordPresenceService = null;
     },
+    unloadPlugins: () => pluginHost.unloadAll(),
   },
   shouldRestoreWindowsOnActivateMainDeps: {
     isOverlayRuntimeInitialized: () => appState.overlayRuntimeInitialized,
@@ -7067,4 +7068,3 @@ registerSubtitleGenerationIpc({
   openModal: () => openSubtitleGenerationModal(createOverlayHostedModalOpenDeps()),
 });
 app.on('before-quit', () => subtitleGenerationRuntime.cancel());
-app.on('before-quit', () => void pluginHost.unloadAll());
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/app-lifecycle-actions.test.ts b/src/main/runtime/app-lifecycle-actions.test.ts
index 325fd60e..d7e6c1bb 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/app-lifecycle-actions.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/app-lifecycle-actions.test.ts
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ function makeCleanupDeps(calls: string[], overrides: Partial<CleanupDeps> = {}):
     cleanupRemoteMediaWindows: record('cleanupRemoteMediaWindows'),
     cleanupJellyfinSubtitleCache: record('cleanupJellyfinSubtitleCache'),
     stopDiscordPresenceService: record('stopDiscordPresenceService'),
+    unloadPlugins: record('unloadPlugins'),
     ...overrides,
   };
 }
@@ -99,6 +100,31 @@ test('on will quit cleanup handler flushes before teardown and awaits stats befo
   assert.ok(calls.indexOf('destroyImmersionTracker') < calls.indexOf('destroyAnkiIntegration'));
 });
 
+test('on will quit cleanup handler starts plugin unload first and waits for it to settle', async () => {
+  const calls: string[] = [];
+  let finishUnload!: () => void;
+  const cleanup = createOnWillQuitCleanupHandler(
+    makeCleanupDeps(calls, {
+      unloadPlugins: () => {
+        calls.push('unloadPlugins');
+        return new Promise<void>((resolve) => (finishUnload = resolve));
+      },
+    }),
+  );
+
+  let settled = false;
+  const pending = cleanup().then(() => {
+    settled = true;
+  });
+  await new Promise((resolve) => setImmediate(resolve));
+  assert.equal(calls[0], 'unloadPlugins');
+  assert.equal(settled, false);
+
+  finishUnload();
+  await pending;
+  assert.equal(settled, true);
+});
+
 test('on will quit cleanup handler cleans subtitle caches when stopping remote session fails', async () => {
   const calls: string[] = [];
   const cleanup = createOnWillQuitCleanupHandler(
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/app-lifecycle-actions.ts b/src/main/runtime/app-lifecycle-actions.ts
index e754b280..a744bc24 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/app-lifecycle-actions.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/app-lifecycle-actions.ts
@@ -59,8 +59,14 @@ export function createOnWillQuitCleanupHandler(deps: {
   cleanupRemoteMediaWindows: () => void;
   cleanupJellyfinSubtitleCache: () => void;
   stopDiscordPresenceService: () => void;
+  unloadPlugins: () => void | Promise<void>;
 }) {
   return async (): Promise<void> => {
+    const cleanupErrors: unknown[] = [];
+    // Plugins deactivate first, while the app is still intact; the host bounds how long that takes.
+    const unloadPlugins = (async () => deps.unloadPlugins())().catch((error: unknown) => {
+      cleanupErrors.push(error);
+    });
     deps.destroyTray();
     deps.stopConfigHotReload();
     deps.restorePreviousSecondarySubVisibility();
@@ -68,7 +74,6 @@ export function createOnWillQuitCleanupHandler(deps: {
     deps.unregisterAllGlobalShortcuts();
     deps.stopSubtitleWebsocket();
     deps.stopTexthookerService();
-    const cleanupErrors: unknown[] = [];
     const stopSyncAutoScheduler = Promise.resolve(deps.stopSyncAutoScheduler()).catch(
       (error: unknown) => {
         cleanupErrors.push(error);
@@ -118,6 +123,7 @@ export function createOnWillQuitCleanupHandler(deps: {
     deps.cleanupRemoteMediaWindows();
     deps.stopDiscordPresenceService();
     await stopSyncAutoScheduler;
+    await unloadPlugins;
     if (cleanupErrors.length > 0) {
       throw cleanupErrors[0];
     }
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/app-lifecycle-main-cleanup.test.ts b/src/main/runtime/app-lifecycle-main-cleanup.test.ts
index 9bc04239..a5633871 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/app-lifecycle-main-cleanup.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/app-lifecycle-main-cleanup.test.ts
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ function buildCleanupDeps(overrides: Partial<BuilderDeps> = {}) {
     cleanupRemoteMediaWindows: noop,
     cleanupJellyfinSubtitleCache: noop,
     stopDiscordPresenceService: noop,
+    unloadPlugins: noop,
     ...overrides,
   })();
 }
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/app-lifecycle-main-cleanup.ts b/src/main/runtime/app-lifecycle-main-cleanup.ts
index 888c0a1f..7f5d877d 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/app-lifecycle-main-cleanup.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/app-lifecycle-main-cleanup.ts
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ export function createBuildOnWillQuitCleanupDepsHandler(deps: {
   cleanupRemoteMediaWindows: () => void;
   cleanupJellyfinSubtitleCache: () => void;
   stopDiscordPresenceService: () => void;
+  unloadPlugins: () => void | Promise<void>;
 }) {
   return () => ({
     destroyTray: () => deps.destroyTray(),
@@ -154,5 +155,6 @@ export function createBuildOnWillQuitCleanupDepsHandler(deps: {
     cleanupRemoteMediaWindows: () => deps.cleanupRemoteMediaWindows(),
     cleanupJellyfinSubtitleCache: () => deps.cleanupJellyfinSubtitleCache(),
     stopDiscordPresenceService: () => deps.stopDiscordPresenceService(),
+    unloadPlugins: () => deps.unloadPlugins(),
   });
 }