diff --git a/packages/plugin/src/features/magic-context/dreamer/task-executor.test.ts b/packages/plugin/src/features/magic-context/dreamer/task-executor.test.ts
index 64b9592e9..33037fd79 100644
--- a/packages/plugin/src/features/magic-context/dreamer/task-executor.test.ts
+++ b/packages/plugin/src/features/magic-context/dreamer/task-executor.test.ts
@@ -1241,8 +1241,15 @@ describe("createDreamTaskExecutor — map-memories disposition", () => {
             });
 
             expect(promptCalls).toBe(1);
-            expect(getTaskScheduleState(db, project, task.task)).toMatchObject({
-                lastRunAt: startedAt + MAP_BATCH_FLOOR_MS - 60_000,
+            const scheduleState = getTaskScheduleState(db, project, task.task);
+            // last_run_at records the START of the last successful run — the
+            // "changed since" cutoff the scheduler's gates compare against — not
+            // the completion moment. The banked deadline is therefore later than
+            // the recorded value, and the recorded value is no earlier than the
+            // run start (`now`, the clock the scheduler was invoked with).
+            expect(scheduleState?.lastRunAt).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(startedAt);
+            expect(scheduleState?.lastRunAt).toBeLessThan(startedAt + MAP_BATCH_FLOOR_MS - 60_000);
+            expect(scheduleState).toMatchObject({
                 lastStatus: "completed",
                 retryCount: 0,
             });
diff --git a/packages/plugin/src/features/magic-context/dreamer/task-scheduler.test.ts b/packages/plugin/src/features/magic-context/dreamer/task-scheduler.test.ts
index 2c302ddf5..a8be24bfd 100644
--- a/packages/plugin/src/features/magic-context/dreamer/task-scheduler.test.ts
+++ b/packages/plugin/src/features/magic-context/dreamer/task-scheduler.test.ts
@@ -324,6 +324,31 @@ describe("task-scheduler — runDueTasksForProject", () => {
         expect(state?.nextDueAt).toBeGreaterThan(now);
     });
 
+    it("advances last_run_at from the run START on completion (not completion time)", async () => {
+        db = freshDb();
+        seedActiveMemory(db);
+        const now = Date.now();
+        const tasks = [cfg("verify", "0 3 * * *")];
+        planDueTasks(db, PROJECT, tasks, now);
+        forceDue(db, "verify", now);
+
+        // Slow executor: a long run makes the start↔finish gap visible, so the
+        // assertion can discriminate run-start from run-completion advancement.
+        const executor = async (): Promise<TaskExecOutcome> => {
+            await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 200));
+            return { status: "completed" };
+        };
+        const before = Date.now();
+        await runDueTasksForProject({ db, projectIdentity: PROJECT, tasks, executor, now });
+        const after = Date.now();
+        const state = getTaskScheduleState(db, PROJECT, "verify");
+        expect(state?.lastStatus).toBe("completed");
+        // last_run_at reflects the run START (~before), not the completion (~after):
+        // a message landing mid-run is newer than the cutoff and re-triggers next slot.
+        expect(state?.lastRunAt).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(before);
+        expect(state?.lastRunAt).toBeLessThan(after - 150);
+    });
+
     it("skips a due task whose gate fails (no active memories) and advances it", async () => {
         db = freshDb();
         // No memories → verify gate fails.
diff --git a/packages/plugin/src/features/magic-context/dreamer/task-scheduler.ts b/packages/plugin/src/features/magic-context/dreamer/task-scheduler.ts
index a7bad2b05..903a44b4b 100644
--- a/packages/plugin/src/features/magic-context/dreamer/task-scheduler.ts
+++ b/packages/plugin/src/features/magic-context/dreamer/task-scheduler.ts
@@ -206,17 +206,18 @@ function advanceAfterRun(
     status: "completed" | "failed" | "skipped",
     error: string | null,
     schedulePatch?: TaskExecOutcome["schedulePatch"],
+    startedAt?: number,
 ): void {
     writeTaskScheduleState(db, {
         projectPath: projectIdentity,
         task: due.config.task,
-        // last_run_at means "last SUCCESSFUL run" — the cutoff for "changed since"
-        // gates (maintain-docs). A failed or skipped run did NOT process the
-        // work, so the cutoff must NOT advance past it (mirrors v1, where
-        // last_dream_at only advanced when a task succeeded).
+        // last_run_at = the start of the last SUCCESSFUL run — the cutoff for
+        // "changed since" gates. A message/compartment that landed DURING the run
+        // (after the start) is newer than the cutoff, so it re-triggers the gate next
+        // slot instead of being silently skipped. Failed/skipped runs never advance it.
         lastRunAt:
             status === "completed"
-                ? finishedAt
+                ? (startedAt ?? finishedAt)
                 : readLastRunAt(db, projectIdentity, due.config.task),
         nextDueAt: nextDueAtMs(due.config.schedule, finishedAt, due.scheduledAt),
         schedule: due.config.schedule,
@@ -369,6 +370,7 @@ async function runDomainGroup(
             }
 
             let outcome: TaskExecOutcome;
+            const startedAt = Date.now();
             try {
                 outcome = await executor(due.config, {
                     db,
@@ -391,6 +393,7 @@ async function runDomainGroup(
                     "completed",
                     null,
                     outcome.schedulePatch,
+                    startedAt,
                 );
                 cb?.onRan?.(due.config.task, outcome.detail, outcome.backlog);
             } else if (outcome.transient) {