diff --git a/src/gateway/server-methods/system-agent.test.ts b/src/gateway/server-methods/system-agent.test.ts
index 0bae50d0dfa9..32b2a2fca9c6 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server-methods/system-agent.test.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server-methods/system-agent.test.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,10 @@ import { resetCommandQueueStateForTest } from "../../process/command-queue.test-
 import { getActiveGatewayRootWorkCount } from "../../process/gateway-work-admission.js";
 import { CommandLane } from "../../process/lanes.js";
 import { defaultRuntime } from "../../runtime.js";
-import { SystemAgentChatEngine } from "../../system-agent/chat-engine.js";
+import {
+  SystemAgentChatEngine,
+  SystemAgentWizardAnswerError,
+} from "../../system-agent/chat-engine.js";
 import { SYSTEM_AGENT_HOSTED_WIZARD_TIMEOUT_MS } from "../../system-agent/chat-wizard-host.js";
 import {
   createSystemAgentVerifiedInferenceTestFixture,
@@ -1129,6 +1132,9 @@ describe("openclaw.chat", () => {
 
     await expect(qrEngine.pollStep(stepId)).resolves.toMatchObject({ wizardSettling: true });
     await auditStarted.promise;
+    await expect(qrEngine.pollStep("stale-step")).rejects.toBeInstanceOf(
+      SystemAgentWizardAnswerError,
+    );
     const admission = callChat(makeContext(sessions), { sessionId: "new-session" });
     await waitOneTask();
 
diff --git a/src/system-agent/chat-engine.ts b/src/system-agent/chat-engine.ts
index d8a42ff4e43c..2e2b2835e8b9 100644
--- a/src/system-agent/chat-engine.ts
+++ b/src/system-agent/chat-engine.ts
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ export class SystemAgentChatEngine {
   private disposal: Promise<void> | null = null;
   private persistentApplySettlement: Promise<void> | null = null;
   private retainedPollReplies = new Map<string, RetainedPollReply>();
-  private passivePollsInFlight = 0;
+  private passivePollsInFlight = new Map<string, number>();
 
   constructor(
     private readonly options: SystemAgentChatEngineOptions,
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ export class SystemAgentChatEngine {
     this.pruneExpiredPollReplies();
     return (
       this.wizard.hasPendingQrCode() ||
-      this.passivePollsInFlight > 0 ||
+      this.passivePollsInFlight.size > 0 ||
       this.retainedPollReplies.size > 0
     );
   }
@@ -223,7 +223,10 @@ export class SystemAgentChatEngine {
       }
       return { ...retained.reply };
     }
-    this.passivePollsInFlight += 1;
+    if (!this.passivePollsInFlight.has(stepId)) {
+      this.wizard.assertPollableStep(stepId);
+    }
+    this.passivePollsInFlight.set(stepId, (this.passivePollsInFlight.get(stepId) ?? 0) + 1);
     const observation = this.turnQueue
       .then(async () => {
         this.assertActive();
@@ -250,7 +253,12 @@ export class SystemAgentChatEngine {
         return reply;
       })
       .finally(() => {
-        this.passivePollsInFlight -= 1;
+        const remaining = (this.passivePollsInFlight.get(stepId) ?? 1) - 1;
+        if (remaining === 0) {
+          this.passivePollsInFlight.delete(stepId);
+        } else {
+          this.passivePollsInFlight.set(stepId, remaining);
+        }
       });
     this.turnQueue = observation.catch(() => undefined);
     let cancelTimer: (() => void) | undefined;
diff --git a/src/system-agent/chat-wizard-host.ts b/src/system-agent/chat-wizard-host.ts
index b347c99c7ff8..4e46c6f77966 100644
--- a/src/system-agent/chat-wizard-host.ts
+++ b/src/system-agent/chat-wizard-host.ts
@@ -239,8 +239,7 @@ export class ChatWizardHost {
 
   /** Observe a QR-owned step without answering the dependency-owned prompt. */
   async pollStep(stepId: string): Promise<ChatWizardResult> {
-    this.expireActiveQrIfNeeded();
-    this.pruneExpiredPassiveQrRetention();
+    this.assertPollableStep(stepId);
     const bridge = this.bridge;
     if (!bridge) {
       throw new SystemAgentWizardAnswerError("The hosted wizard step is no longer active.");
@@ -248,9 +247,6 @@ export class ChatWizardHost {
     if (bridge.step?.id === stepId) {
       return { text: renderWizardStep(bridge.step), configWritten: false };
     }
-    if (bridge.passiveQrStepId !== stepId) {
-      throw new SystemAgentWizardAnswerError("The hosted wizard poll targets a stale step.");
-    }
     const result = this.renderPendingQrOwner(bridge) ?? (await this.pump());
     return bridge.passiveQrRetentionExpiresAtMs === undefined
       ? result
@@ -260,6 +256,21 @@ export class ChatWizardHost {
         };
   }
 
+  assertPollableStep(stepId: string): void {
+    this.expireActiveQrIfNeeded();
+    this.pruneExpiredPassiveQrRetention();
+    const bridge = this.bridge;
+    if (!bridge) {
+      throw new SystemAgentWizardAnswerError("The hosted wizard step is no longer active.");
+    }
+    if (bridge.step?.id === stepId) {
+      return;
+    }
+    if (bridge.passiveQrStepId !== stepId) {
+      throw new SystemAgentWizardAnswerError("The hosted wizard poll targets a stale step.");
+    }
+  }
+
   async resolveReply(text: string): Promise<ChatWizardResult | null> {
     const bridge = this.bridge;
     if (!bridge) {