diff --git a/src/agents/agent-tools-agent-config.exec.test.ts b/src/agents/agent-tools-agent-config.exec.test.ts
index c1a9315ffe66..00d6da5b065d 100644
--- a/src/agents/agent-tools-agent-config.exec.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/agent-tools-agent-config.exec.test.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
  */
 import fs from "node:fs";
 import path from "node:path";
-import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import "./test-helpers/fast-coding-tools.js";
 import "./test-helpers/fast-openclaw-tools.js";
 import { createTempDirTracker } from "../../test/helpers/temp-dir.js";
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../config/config.js";
 import { setActivePluginRegistry } from "../plugins/runtime.js";
 import { createSessionConversationTestRegistry } from "../test-utils/session-conversation-registry.js";
 import { createOpenClawCodingTools } from "./agent-tools.js";
+import { getFinishedSession } from "./bash-process-registry.js";
+import { resetProcessRegistryForTests } from "./bash-process-registry.test-support.js";
 import { resolveExecToolConfig } from "./lazy-exec-tool.js";
 
 function createExecHostDefaultsConfig(
@@ -71,6 +73,7 @@ describe("Agent-specific exec tool defaults", () => {
   });
 
   afterEach(() => {
+    resetProcessRegistryForTests();
     tempDirs.cleanup();
   });
 
@@ -381,4 +384,44 @@ describe("Agent-specific exec tool defaults", () => {
     const details = result?.details as { status?: string } | undefined;
     expect(details?.status).toBe("completed");
   });
+
+  it("admits per-agent cleanup retention with the background exec", async () => {
+    const cleanupMs = 3 * 60 * 60 * 1000;
+    const tools = createOpenClawCodingTools({
+      config: {
+        tools: {
+          exec: {
+            host: "gateway",
+            mode: "full",
+            cleanupMs: 60 * 1000,
+          },
+        },
+        agents: {
+          list: [{ id: "main", tools: { exec: { cleanupMs } } }],
+        },
+      },
+      exec: { backgroundMs: 0 },
+      sessionKey: "agent:main:main",
+      ...createTempAgentDirs("test-main-cleanup-retention"),
+    });
+
+    const result = await requireExecTool(tools).execute("call-main-cleanup-retention", {
+      command: "echo done",
+      background: true,
+    });
+    const sessionId = (result.details as { sessionId?: string }).sessionId;
+    expect(sessionId).toEqual(expect.any(String));
+    if (!sessionId) {
+      throw new Error("expected a background process session");
+    }
+
+    await vi.waitFor(() => {
+      expect(getFinishedSession(sessionId)).toBeDefined();
+    });
+    const finished = getFinishedSession(sessionId);
+    if (!finished) {
+      throw new Error("expected a finished process session");
+    }
+    expect(finished.expiresAt - finished.endedAt).toBe(cleanupMs);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/agents/agent-tools.ts b/src/agents/agent-tools.ts
index e9832ebeb125..059ee4199063 100644
--- a/src/agents/agent-tools.ts
+++ b/src/agents/agent-tools.ts
@@ -561,7 +561,7 @@ function createOpenClawCodingToolsInternal(options?: OpenClawCodingToolsOptions)
 
   const imageSanitization = resolveImageSanitizationLimits(options?.config);
   options?.recordToolPrepStage?.("workspace-policy");
-  const { cleanupMs: cleanupMsOverride, ...execDefaults } = options?.exec ?? {};
+  const execDefaults = options?.exec ?? {};
   const effectiveExecPolicy = applyExecPolicyLayer(execConfig, options?.exec);
   const processToolAvailabilityRef: NonNullable<ExecToolDefaults["processToolAvailabilityRef"]> =
     {};
@@ -607,6 +607,7 @@ function createOpenClawCodingToolsInternal(options?: OpenClawCodingToolsOptions)
       safeBinTrustedDirs: options?.exec?.safeBinTrustedDirs ?? execConfig.safeBinTrustedDirs,
       safeBinProfiles: options?.exec?.safeBinProfiles ?? execConfig.safeBinProfiles,
       agentId,
+      cleanupMs: options?.exec?.cleanupMs ?? execConfig.cleanupMs,
       processToolAvailabilityRef,
       scopeKey,
       sessionKey: options?.sessionKey,
@@ -640,7 +641,6 @@ function createOpenClawCodingToolsInternal(options?: OpenClawCodingToolsOptions)
         options?.exec?.notifyOnExitEmptySuccess ?? execConfig.notifyOnExitEmptySuccess,
     },
     processDefaults: {
-      cleanupMs: cleanupMsOverride ?? execConfig.cleanupMs,
       scopeKey,
     },
     recordToolPrepStage: options?.recordToolPrepStage,
diff --git a/src/agents/bash-process-registry.test-helpers.ts b/src/agents/bash-process-registry.test-helpers.ts
index 462239f46e6e..beac7b14f714 100644
--- a/src/agents/bash-process-registry.test-helpers.ts
+++ b/src/agents/bash-process-registry.test-helpers.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
  * Provides complete session objects so tests can focus on the field under
  * inspection without repeating registry defaults.
  */
-import type { ProcessSession } from "./bash-process-registry.js";
+import { type ProcessSession, resolveProcessCleanupMs } from "./bash-process-registry.js";
 
 /** Build a process-session fixture with safe defaults for registry tests. */
 export function createProcessSessionFixture(params: {
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ export function createProcessSessionFixture(params: {
   cwd?: string;
   maxOutputChars?: number;
   pendingMaxOutputChars?: number;
+  cleanupMs?: number;
   backgrounded?: boolean;
   pid?: number;
   cursorKeyMode?: ProcessSession["cursorKeyMode"];
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ export function createProcessSessionFixture(params: {
   const session: ProcessSession = {
     id: params.id,
     command: params.command ?? "test",
+    cleanupMs: resolveProcessCleanupMs(params.cleanupMs),
     startedAt: params.startedAt ?? Date.now(),
     cwd: params.cwd ?? "/tmp",
     maxOutputChars: params.maxOutputChars ?? 10_000,
diff --git a/src/agents/bash-process-registry.test.ts b/src/agents/bash-process-registry.test.ts
index 6e0472899d77..b5b7f3712982 100644
--- a/src/agents/bash-process-registry.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/bash-process-registry.test.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import {
   markExited,
   markTerminalPollObserved,
   recordNotifyOnExitRemoval,
-  setJobTtlMs,
   tail,
 } from "./bash-process-registry.js";
 import { createProcessSessionFixture } from "./bash-process-registry.test-helpers.js";
@@ -43,6 +42,7 @@ describe("bash process registry", () => {
     maxOutputChars: number;
     pendingMaxOutputChars: number;
     backgrounded: boolean;
+    cleanupMs?: number;
   }): ProcessSession {
     return createProcessSessionFixture({
       id: params.id ?? "sess",
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ describe("bash process registry", () => {
       maxOutputChars: params.maxOutputChars,
       pendingMaxOutputChars: params.pendingMaxOutputChars,
       backgrounded: params.backgrounded,
+      cleanupMs: params.cleanupMs,
     });
   }
 
@@ -212,8 +213,8 @@ describe("bash process registry", () => {
     markBackgrounded(session);
     markExited(session, 0, null, "completed");
     const finishedSessions = listFinishedSessions();
-    const endedAt = finishedSessions[0]?.endedAt;
-    expect(endedAt).toEqual(expect.any(Number));
+    const endedAt = finishedSessions[0]?.endedAt ?? 0;
+    expect(endedAt).toBeGreaterThan(0);
     expect(finishedSessions).toStrictEqual([
       {
         id: "sess",
@@ -221,6 +222,7 @@ describe("bash process registry", () => {
         scopeKey: undefined,
         startedAt: session.startedAt,
         endedAt,
+        expiresAt: endedAt + session.cleanupMs,
         cwd: "/tmp",
         status: "completed",
         exitCode: 0,
@@ -411,29 +413,37 @@ describe("bash process registry", () => {
     expect(getActiveBackgroundExecSessionCount()).toBe(0);
   });
 
-  it("clamps a zero retention TTL to one minute", () => {
+  it("clamps and isolates finished-session retention at admission", () => {
     vi.useFakeTimers();
     try {
       vi.setSystemTime(new Date("2026-07-09T00:00:00Z"));
-      setJobTtlMs(0);
 
-      const session = createRegistrySession({
-        id: "zero-ttl",
+      const shortRetention = createRegistrySession({
+        id: "short-retention",
         maxOutputChars: 100,
         pendingMaxOutputChars: 30_000,
         backgrounded: true,
+        cleanupMs: 0,
       });
-      addSession(session);
-      markExited(session, 0, null, "completed");
+      const longRetention = createRegistrySession({
+        id: "long-retention",
+        maxOutputChars: 100,
+        pendingMaxOutputChars: 30_000,
+        backgrounded: true,
+        cleanupMs: 3 * 60 * 60 * 1000,
+      });
+      addSession(shortRetention);
+      addSession(longRetention);
+      markExited(shortRetention, 0, null, "completed");
+      markExited(longRetention, 0, null, "completed");
 
-      vi.advanceTimersByTime(30_000);
-      expect(listFinishedSessions()).toHaveLength(1);
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(60 * 1000);
+      expect(getFinishedSession(shortRetention.id)).toBeUndefined();
+      expect(getFinishedSession(longRetention.id)).toBeDefined();
 
-      vi.advanceTimersByTime(60_000);
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(3 * 60 * 60 * 1000 - 60 * 1000);
       expect(listFinishedSessions()).toHaveLength(0);
     } finally {
-      resetProcessRegistryForTests();
-      setJobTtlMs(30 * 60 * 1000);
       resetProcessRegistryForTests();
       vi.useRealTimers();
     }
diff --git a/src/agents/bash-process-registry.ts b/src/agents/bash-process-registry.ts
index 62068848c9bf..37d12e9d3ca1 100644
--- a/src/agents/bash-process-registry.ts
+++ b/src/agents/bash-process-registry.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,12 @@ function clampTtl(value: number | undefined) {
   return Math.min(Math.max(value, MIN_JOB_TTL_MS), MAX_JOB_TTL_MS);
 }
 
-let jobTtlMs = clampTtl(readEnvInt("OPENCLAW_BASH_JOB_TTL_MS", "PI_BASH_JOB_TTL_MS"));
+const defaultJobTtlMs = clampTtl(readEnvInt("OPENCLAW_BASH_JOB_TTL_MS", "PI_BASH_JOB_TTL_MS"));
+
+/** Resolves the immutable retention duration owned by one admitted exec process. */
+export function resolveProcessCleanupMs(value?: number): number {
+  return value === undefined ? defaultJobTtlMs : clampTtl(value);
+}
 
 /** Lifecycle status recorded for background process sessions. */
 type ProcessStatus = "running" | "completed" | "failed" | "killed";
@@ -55,6 +60,8 @@ export interface ProcessSession {
   command: string;
   scopeKey?: string;
   sessionKey?: string;
+  /** Finished-result retention resolved when this exact exec process starts. */
+  cleanupMs: number;
   /** Agent owner frozen when the exec process starts. */
   agentId?: string;
   /** `session.mainKey` from the runtime config, snapshotted at exec start.
@@ -117,6 +124,7 @@ interface FinishedSession {
   scopeKey?: string;
   startedAt: number;
   endedAt: number;
+  expiresAt: number;
   cwd?: string;
   status: ProcessStatus;
   exitCode?: number | null;
@@ -150,11 +158,10 @@ export function isProcessSessionIdTaken(id: string): boolean {
   );
 }
 
-/** Adds a running session and starts retention sweeping if needed. */
+/** Adds a running session with its admission-time retention already resolved. */
 export function addSession(session: ProcessSession) {
   processSessionStartOrders.set(session, nextProcessSessionStartOrder++);
   runningSessions.set(session.id, session);
-  startSweeper();
 }
 
 /** Sorts registered process records newest-first, including same-millisecond starts. */
@@ -197,6 +204,7 @@ function deleteFinishedSession(id: string): boolean {
 export function deleteSession(id: string) {
   runningSessions.delete(id);
   deleteFinishedSession(id);
+  scheduleSweeper();
 }
 
 /** Removes completed process records belonging to retired session identities. */
@@ -216,6 +224,7 @@ export function clearFinishedSessionsForScopes(scopeKeys: Iterable<string>): voi
       deleteFinishedSession(id);
     }
   }
+  scheduleSweeper();
 }
 
 /** Appends process output while enforcing aggregate and pending-output caps. */
@@ -361,12 +370,14 @@ function moveToFinished(session: ProcessSession, status: ProcessStatus) {
   // Keep full completed logs; evict older records rather than silently
   // truncating the process poll/log contract or dropping the newest result.
   deleteFinishedSession(session.id);
+  const endedAt = Date.now();
   const finished: FinishedSession = {
     id: session.id,
     command: session.command,
     scopeKey: session.scopeKey,
     startedAt: session.startedAt,
-    endedAt: Date.now(),
+    endedAt,
+    expiresAt: endedAt + session.cleanupMs,
     cwd: session.cwd,
     status,
     exitCode: session.exitCode,
@@ -397,6 +408,7 @@ function moveToFinished(session: ProcessSession, status: ProcessStatus) {
     }
     deleteFinishedSession(oldestSessionId);
   }
+  scheduleSweeper();
 }
 
 /** Returns the last `max` characters of text without adding ellipses. */
@@ -468,30 +480,26 @@ if (process.env.VITEST || process.env.NODE_ENV === "test") {
     { resetProcessRegistryForTests };
 }
 
-/** Overrides finished-session retention TTL, clamped to supported bounds. */
-export function setJobTtlMs(value?: number) {
-  if (value === undefined || Number.isNaN(value)) {
-    return;
-  }
-  jobTtlMs = clampTtl(value);
-  stopSweeper();
-  startSweeper();
-}
-
 function pruneFinishedSessions() {
-  const cutoff = Date.now() - jobTtlMs;
+  const now = Date.now();
   for (const [id, session] of finishedSessions.entries()) {
-    if (session.endedAt < cutoff) {
+    if (session.expiresAt <= now) {
       deleteFinishedSession(id);
     }
   }
+  scheduleSweeper();
 }
 
-function startSweeper() {
-  if (sweeper) {
+function scheduleSweeper() {
+  stopSweeper();
+  let nextExpiration = Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY;
+  for (const session of finishedSessions.values()) {
+    nextExpiration = Math.min(nextExpiration, session.expiresAt);
+  }
+  if (!Number.isFinite(nextExpiration)) {
     return;
   }
-  sweeper = setInterval(pruneFinishedSessions, Math.max(30_000, jobTtlMs / 6));
+  sweeper = setTimeout(pruneFinishedSessions, Math.max(0, nextExpiration - Date.now()));
   sweeper.unref?.();
 }
 
@@ -499,6 +507,6 @@ function stopSweeper() {
   if (!sweeper) {
     return;
   }
-  clearInterval(sweeper);
+  clearTimeout(sweeper);
   sweeper = null;
 }
diff --git a/src/agents/bash-tools.exec-host-gateway.ts b/src/agents/bash-tools.exec-host-gateway.ts
index 81473f2b8d13..31886b2f1f8a 100644
--- a/src/agents/bash-tools.exec-host-gateway.ts
+++ b/src/agents/bash-tools.exec-host-gateway.ts
@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ type ProcessGatewayAllowlistParams = {
   approvalRunningNoticeMs: number;
   maxOutput: number;
   pendingMaxOutput: number;
+  cleanupMs?: number;
   processContinuationAvailable?: boolean;
   trustedSafeBinDirs?: ReadonlySet<string>;
 };
@@ -1393,6 +1394,7 @@ export async function processGatewayAllowlist(
               warnings: params.warnings,
               maxOutput: params.maxOutput,
               pendingMaxOutput: params.pendingMaxOutput,
+              cleanupMs: params.cleanupMs,
               notifyOnExit: false,
               notifyOnExitEmptySuccess: false,
               scopeKey: params.scopeKey,
diff --git a/src/agents/bash-tools.exec-run.ts b/src/agents/bash-tools.exec-run.ts
index 4002af530f7a..1f54f8c36f5c 100644
--- a/src/agents/bash-tools.exec-run.ts
+++ b/src/agents/bash-tools.exec-run.ts
@@ -523,6 +523,7 @@ export function createExecTool(
             approvalRunningNoticeMs,
             maxOutput,
             pendingMaxOutput,
+            cleanupMs: defaults?.cleanupMs,
             processContinuationAvailable: allowBackground,
             trustedSafeBinDirs,
           });
@@ -574,6 +575,7 @@ export function createExecTool(
           warnings,
           maxOutput,
           pendingMaxOutput,
+          cleanupMs: defaults?.cleanupMs,
           notifyOnExit,
           notifyOnExitEmptySuccess,
           scopeKey: defaults?.scopeKey,
diff --git a/src/agents/bash-tools.exec-runtime.ts b/src/agents/bash-tools.exec-runtime.ts
index 5beb761fd8ac..f17cf3ba2205 100644
--- a/src/agents/bash-tools.exec-runtime.ts
+++ b/src/agents/bash-tools.exec-runtime.ts
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ import {
   isProcessSessionIdTaken,
   markExited,
   recordNotifyOnExitRemoval,
+  resolveProcessCleanupMs,
   tail,
 } from "./bash-process-registry.js";
 import {
@@ -634,6 +635,7 @@ export async function runExecProcess(opts: {
   warnings: string[];
   maxOutput: number;
   pendingMaxOutput: number;
+  cleanupMs?: number;
   notifyOnExit: boolean;
   notifyOnExitEmptySuccess?: boolean;
   scopeKey?: string;
@@ -673,6 +675,7 @@ export async function runExecProcess(opts: {
     command: opts.command,
     scopeKey: opts.scopeKey,
     sessionKey: opts.sessionKey,
+    cleanupMs: resolveProcessCleanupMs(opts.cleanupMs),
     agentId: opts.agentId,
     mainKey: opts.mainKey,
     sessionScope: opts.sessionScope,
diff --git a/src/agents/bash-tools.exec-types.ts b/src/agents/bash-tools.exec-types.ts
index 8a0d132f3fc6..14c5db205fe5 100644
--- a/src/agents/bash-tools.exec-types.ts
+++ b/src/agents/bash-tools.exec-types.ts
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ export type ExecToolDefaults = {
   autoReviewer?: ExecAutoReviewer;
   agentId?: string;
   backgroundMs?: number;
+  cleanupMs?: number;
   timeoutSec?: number;
   approvalWarningText?: string;
   approvalFollowupText?: string;
diff --git a/src/agents/bash-tools.process.ts b/src/agents/bash-tools.process.ts
index 4f3fd853bab3..ad4dbe063b40 100644
--- a/src/agents/bash-tools.process.ts
+++ b/src/agents/bash-tools.process.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ import {
   listFinishedSessions,
   listRunningSessions,
   markTerminalPollObserved,
-  setJobTtlMs,
 } from "./bash-process-registry.js";
 import { describeProcessTool } from "./bash-tools.descriptions.js";
 import { appendExecTimeoutRetryGuidance, renderExecExitLabel } from "./bash-tools.exec-output.js";
@@ -47,7 +46,6 @@ import type { AgentToolWithMeta } from "./tools/common.js";
 
 /** Defaults injected by tests, agent scopes, and scoped process registries. */
 export type ProcessToolDefaults = {
-  cleanupMs?: number;
   hasCronTool?: boolean;
   inputWaitIdleMs?: number;
   scopeKey?: string;
@@ -249,13 +247,10 @@ async function sleepPollInterval(ms: number, signal?: AbortSignal): Promise<void
   });
 }
 
-/** Build the process-control tool with optional cleanup, scope, and input-idle defaults. */
+/** Build the process-control tool with optional scope and input-idle defaults. */
 export function createProcessTool(
   defaults?: ProcessToolDefaults,
 ): AgentToolWithMeta<typeof processSchema, unknown> {
-  if (defaults?.cleanupMs !== undefined) {
-    setJobTtlMs(defaults.cleanupMs);
-  }
   const scopeKey = defaults?.scopeKey;
   const supervisor = getProcessSupervisor();
   const inputWaitIdleMs = clampWithDefault(
diff --git a/src/agents/bash-tools.test.ts b/src/agents/bash-tools.test.ts
index a3deb0c25dec..bdb6e584ab40 100644
--- a/src/agents/bash-tools.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/bash-tools.test.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import {
   markBackgrounded,
   markExited,
   type ProcessSession,
+  resolveProcessCleanupMs,
 } from "./bash-process-registry.js";
 import { resetProcessRegistryForTests } from "./bash-process-registry.test-support.js";
 import { createExecTool, createProcessTool } from "./bash-tools.js";
@@ -636,6 +637,7 @@ const seedFinishedLogSession = (lines: string[]) => {
   const session: ProcessSession = {
     id: `seeded-log-${nextCallId()}`,
     command: "seeded log",
+    cleanupMs: resolveProcessCleanupMs(),
     startedAt: Date.now(),
     maxOutputChars: 100_000,
     pendingMaxOutputChars: 100_000,