diff --git a/src/cron/service.read-ops-nonblocking.test.ts b/src/cron/service.read-ops-nonblocking.test.ts
index acfb657066c..f6d55ec30de 100644
--- a/src/cron/service.read-ops-nonblocking.test.ts
+++ b/src/cron/service.read-ops-nonblocking.test.ts
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ describe("CronService read ops while job is running", () => {
     }
   });
 
-  it("keeps list and status responsive during startup catch-up runs", async () => {
+  it("keeps list and status responsive after startup defers catch-up runs", async () => {
     const store = await makeStorePath();
     const enqueueSystemEvent = vi.fn();
     const requestHeartbeatNow = vi.fn();
@@ -249,12 +249,12 @@ describe("CronService read ops while job is running", () => {
       enqueueSystemEvent,
       requestHeartbeatNow,
       runIsolatedAgentJob: isolatedRun.runIsolatedAgentJob,
+      startupDeferredMissedAgentJobDelayMs: 120_000,
     });
 
     try {
-      const startPromise = cron.start();
-      await isolatedRun.runStarted;
-      expect(isolatedRun.runIsolatedAgentJob).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      await cron.start();
+      expect(isolatedRun.runIsolatedAgentJob).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
 
       await expect(
         withTimeout(cron.list({ includeDisabled: true }), 300, "cron.list during startup"),
@@ -263,12 +263,10 @@ describe("CronService read ops while job is running", () => {
         expect.objectContaining({ enabled: true, storePath: store.storePath }),
       );
 
-      isolatedRun.completeRun({ status: "ok", summary: "done" });
-      await startPromise;
-
       const jobs = await cron.list({ includeDisabled: true });
-      expect(jobs[0]?.state.lastStatus).toBe("ok");
+      expect(jobs[0]?.state.lastStatus).toBeUndefined();
       expect(jobs[0]?.state.runningAtMs).toBeUndefined();
+      expect(jobs[0]?.state.nextRunAtMs).toBe(nowMs + 120_000);
     } finally {
       cron.stop();
       await store.cleanup();
diff --git a/src/cron/service/ops.test.ts b/src/cron/service/ops.test.ts
index 508419d1631..5d7b21eaeb9 100644
--- a/src/cron/service/ops.test.ts
+++ b/src/cron/service/ops.test.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { loadCronStore } from "../store.js";
 import type { CronJob } from "../types.js";
 import { run, start, stop, update } from "./ops.js";
 import { createCronServiceState } from "./state.js";
+import { runMissedJobs } from "./timer.js";
 
 const { logger, makeStorePath } = setupCronServiceSuite({
   prefix: "cron-service-ops-seam",
@@ -326,25 +327,26 @@ describe("cron service ops seam coverage", () => {
     const now = Date.parse("2026-03-23T12:00:00.000Z");
     const restoreStateDir = withStateDirForStorePath(storePath);
 
-    await writeCronStoreSnapshot({
-      storePath,
-      jobs: [createMissedIsolatedJob(now)],
-    });
+    try {
+      await writeCronStoreSnapshot({
+        storePath,
+        jobs: [createMissedIsolatedJob(now)],
+      });
 
-    const state = createTimedOutIsolatedCronState({
-      storePath,
-      now,
-    });
+      const state = createTimedOutIsolatedCronState({
+        storePath,
+        now,
+      });
 
-    await start(state);
+      await runMissedJobs(state);
 
-    expect(findTaskByRunId(`cron:startup-timeout:${now}`)).toMatchObject({
-      runtime: "cron",
-      status: "timed_out",
-      sourceId: "startup-timeout",
-    });
-
-    restoreStateDir();
-    stop(state);
+      expect(findTaskByRunId(`cron:startup-timeout:${now}`)).toMatchObject({
+        runtime: "cron",
+        status: "timed_out",
+        sourceId: "startup-timeout",
+      });
+    } finally {
+      restoreStateDir();
+    }
   });
 });