diff --git a/crates/taskito-core/src/scheduler/mod.rs b/crates/taskito-core/src/scheduler/mod.rs
index 69009ff..328b71d 100644
--- a/crates/taskito-core/src/scheduler/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/taskito-core/src/scheduler/mod.rs
@@ -686,6 +686,73 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(pending.len(), 1);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_try_dispatch_reschedules_on_closed_channel() {
+        // Regression: when the worker channel is closed (worker pool
+        // shutting down) the job has already been claimed in storage —
+        // dropping it without rolling back leaves it in `Running` until
+        // the stale-reaper times it out, which surfaces as a *timeout*
+        // in metrics. The poller must clear the claim and reset the job
+        // to `Pending` so the next dispatch attempt picks it up cleanly.
+        let scheduler = test_scheduler();
+        let job = scheduler
+            .storage
+            .enqueue(make_job("ch_closed_task"))
+            .unwrap();
+
+        let (tx, rx) = make_channel(16);
+        drop(rx);
+
+        let mut counters = TickCounters::default();
+        scheduler.tick(&tx, &mut counters);
+
+        let after = scheduler.storage.get_job(&job.id).unwrap().unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            after.status,
+            JobStatus::Pending,
+            "job must be returned to Pending when dispatch fails"
+        );
+        assert!(after.scheduled_at > now_millis());
+
+        let claims = scheduler
+            .storage
+            .list_claims_by_worker("scheduler")
+            .unwrap();
+        assert!(
+            !claims.contains(&job.id),
+            "execution claim must be cleared on dispatch failure"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_try_dispatch_reschedules_on_full_channel() {
+        // Same regression when the channel is *full* rather than closed —
+        // the worker pool is behind but still alive. The job must come back
+        // to Pending so the next tick has a chance to dispatch it once the
+        // pool drains.
+        let scheduler = test_scheduler();
+        let job = scheduler.storage.enqueue(make_job("ch_full_task")).unwrap();
+
+        // Capacity-1 channel pre-filled with a sentinel job. The poller's
+        // `try_send` will see `TrySendError::Full`.
+        let (tx, _rx) = make_channel(1);
+        let sentinel = scheduler.storage.enqueue(make_job("sentinel")).unwrap();
+        tx.try_send(sentinel).expect("pre-fill should succeed");
+
+        let mut counters = TickCounters::default();
+        scheduler.tick(&tx, &mut counters);
+
+        let after = scheduler.storage.get_job(&job.id).unwrap().unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(after.status, JobStatus::Pending);
+        assert!(after.scheduled_at > now_millis());
+
+        let claims = scheduler
+            .storage
+            .list_claims_by_worker("scheduler")
+            .unwrap();
+        assert!(!claims.contains(&job.id));
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_reap_stale_jobs() {
         let mut scheduler = test_scheduler();
diff --git a/crates/taskito-core/src/scheduler/poller.rs b/crates/taskito-core/src/scheduler/poller.rs
index 90bcbf0..666a6c1 100644
--- a/crates/taskito-core/src/scheduler/poller.rs
+++ b/crates/taskito-core/src/scheduler/poller.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 use std::time::Duration;
 
 use log::warn;
+use tokio::sync::mpsc::error::TrySendError;
 
 use crate::error::Result;
 use crate::job::{now_millis, Job};
@@ -17,6 +18,11 @@ const RATE_LIMIT_RETRY_DELAY_MS: i64 = 1000;
 /// Delay before re-scheduling a concurrency-limited job (ms).
 const CONCURRENCY_RETRY_DELAY_MS: i64 = 500;
 
+/// Delay before re-scheduling a job whose dispatch was rejected because the
+/// worker channel was full or closed. Short enough that the worker pool
+/// catches up on the next tick rather than waiting for the stale-job reaper.
+const CHANNEL_BACKPRESSURE_RETRY_DELAY_MS: i64 = 100;
+
 /// Worker identifier recorded on execution claims taken by the scheduler.
 const SCHEDULER_CLAIM_OWNER: &str = "scheduler";
 
@@ -65,11 +71,26 @@ impl Scheduler {
             return Ok(false);
         }
 
-        if job_tx.try_send(job).is_err() {
-            warn!("worker channel full or closed");
+        // Hand the job to the worker pool. If the channel is unavailable we
+        // must reverse the claim — otherwise the job sits in `Running` until
+        // the stale-reaper times it out, which surfaces as a *timeout* in
+        // metrics and middleware (wrong outcome for a job that never ran).
+        let job_id = job.id.clone();
+        match job_tx.try_send(job) {
+            Ok(()) => Ok(true),
+            Err(TrySendError::Full(_)) => {
+                warn!("worker channel full; rescheduling job {job_id} (worker pool is behind)",);
+                self.rollback_claim_and_retry(&job_id, now + CHANNEL_BACKPRESSURE_RETRY_DELAY_MS)?;
+                Ok(false)
+            }
+            Err(TrySendError::Closed(_)) => {
+                warn!(
+                    "worker channel closed; rescheduling job {job_id} (worker pool shutting down)",
+                );
+                self.rollback_claim_and_retry(&job_id, now + CHANNEL_BACKPRESSURE_RETRY_DELAY_MS)?;
+                Ok(false)
+            }
         }
-
-        Ok(true)
     }
 
     /// Snapshot the queue list with paused queues filtered out. The paused