diff --git a/src/gateway/server-methods/shared-types.ts b/src/gateway/server-methods/shared-types.ts
index 573e0746d6ac..588d4a7b2858 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server-methods/shared-types.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server-methods/shared-types.ts
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ type GatewaySystemAgentSession = {
     historyLength: () => number;
     historySince: (index: number) => SystemAgentHistoryTurn[];
     hasPendingQrCode: () => boolean;
+    hasRecoverableQrReply: () => boolean;
     getPendingOperatorProposal: () => { operation: SystemAgentOperation; hash: string } | null;
     resolveOperatorApproval: (
       decision: "allow-once" | "allow-always" | "deny" | null,
diff --git a/src/gateway/server-methods/system-agent-session-ownership.test.ts b/src/gateway/server-methods/system-agent-session-ownership.test.ts
index d8c0b5c837a5..f4c52f1f524f 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server-methods/system-agent-session-ownership.test.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server-methods/system-agent-session-ownership.test.ts
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ type FakeEngine = {
   cancelWizard: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
   pollStep: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
   hasPendingQrCode: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
+  hasRecoverableQrReply: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
   handle: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
   seedHistory: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
   historyLength: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@ function makeEngine(): FakeEngine {
       throw new SystemAgentWizardAnswerError("The hosted wizard step is no longer active.");
     }),
     hasPendingQrCode: vi.fn(() => false),
+    hasRecoverableQrReply: vi.fn(() => false),
     handle: vi.fn(async () => ({ text: "did the thing", action: "none" })),
     seedHistory: vi.fn(),
     historyLength: vi.fn(() => 0),
diff --git a/src/gateway/server-methods/system-agent.test.ts b/src/gateway/server-methods/system-agent.test.ts
index 5d926d1a2742..3557c01a1dde 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server-methods/system-agent.test.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server-methods/system-agent.test.ts
@@ -889,6 +889,29 @@ describe("openclaw.chat", () => {
       client: defaultClient,
     } as never);
 
+    const lostDeliverySession = expectDefined(sessions.get("s1"), "lost delivery session");
+    lostDeliverySession.lastUsedAt = 0;
+    const otherRetainedEngines = await Promise.all(
+      Array.from({ length: 7 }, async () => await makeDeliveredQrEngine()),
+    );
+    for (const [index, retainedEngine] of otherRetainedEngines.entries()) {
+      sessions.set(
+        `delivered-${index}`,
+        seededSession({
+          engine: retainedEngine,
+          lastUsedAt: index + 1,
+          ownerKey: `device:owner-${index}`,
+        }),
+      );
+    }
+    stubEngineOverview();
+
+    const admission = await callChat(context, { sessionId: "new-session" });
+    expect(admission).toMatchObject({ ok: true });
+    expect(sessions.has("s1")).toBe(true);
+    expect(sessions.has("new-session")).toBe(true);
+    expect(sessions.size).toBe(9);
+
     const persistedTerminal = transcriptStoreMocks.appendTranscriptTurn.mock.calls.filter(
       ([turn]) => turn.role === "assistant" && turn.text.includes("is configured"),
     );
@@ -1238,31 +1261,25 @@ describe("openclaw.chat", () => {
     );
   });
 
-  it("admits a new session when eight retained QR terminals were already delivered", async () => {
-    const engines = await Promise.all(
-      Array.from({ length: 8 }, async () => await makeDeliveredQrEngine()),
-    );
-    expect(engines.map((engine) => engine.hasPendingQrCode())).toEqual(
-      Array.from({ length: 8 }, () => false),
-    );
-    const sessions = new Map<string, SystemAgentChatSession>(
-      engines.map((engine, index) => [
-        `delivered-${index}`,
-        seededSession({
-          engine,
-          lastUsedAt: index,
-          ownerKey: `device:owner-${index}`,
-        }),
-      ]),
-    );
+  it("bounds retained QR recovery sessions without evicting their live leases", async () => {
+    const sessions = new Map<string, SystemAgentChatSession>();
+    for (let index = 0; index < 16; index += 1) {
+      const recoverySession = seededSession({
+        lastUsedAt: index,
+        ownerKey: `device:recovery-owner-${index}`,
+      });
+      vi.spyOn(recoverySession.engine, "hasRecoverableQrReply").mockReturnValue(true);
+      sessions.set(`recovery-${index}`, recoverySession);
+    }
     stubEngineOverview();
 
-    const result = await callChat(makeContext(sessions), { sessionId: "new-session" });
+    const result = await callChat(makeContext(sessions), { sessionId: "overflow" });
 
-    expect(result).toMatchObject({ ok: true });
-    expect(sessions.size).toBe(8);
-    expect(sessions.has("delivered-0")).toBe(false);
-    expect(sessions.has("new-session")).toBe(true);
+    expect(result).toMatchObject({ ok: false, error: { code: "UNAVAILABLE" } });
+    expect(sessions.size).toBe(16);
+    expect([...sessions.keys()]).toEqual(
+      Array.from({ length: 16 }, (_value, index) => `recovery-${index}`),
+    );
   });
 
   it("protects terminal QR delivery through audit, then expires abandoned retention", async () => {
diff --git a/src/gateway/server-methods/system-agent.ts b/src/gateway/server-methods/system-agent.ts
index d186d73a8d89..40c227d70b6a 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server-methods/system-agent.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server-methods/system-agent.ts
@@ -88,7 +88,9 @@ import { assertValidParams } from "./validation.js";
 export type SystemAgentChatSession =
   GatewayRequestContext["systemAgentSessions"] extends Map<string, infer Session> ? Session : never;
 
-const MAX_SYSTEM_AGENT_SESSIONS = 8;
+const MAX_SYSTEM_AGENT_ACTIVE_SESSIONS = 8;
+// Recovery entries free active capacity without making retained engines unbounded.
+const MAX_SYSTEM_AGENT_SESSION_ENTRIES = 16;
 const SYSTEM_AGENT_SEED_HISTORY_LIMIT = 30;
 const DEFAULT_SYSTEM_AGENT_HISTORY_LIMIT = 100;
 const PROVIDER_AUTH_SESSION_TIMEOUT_MS = 25 * 60 * 1000;
@@ -160,11 +162,15 @@ async function evictOldestSession(
   sessions: Map<string, SystemAgentChatSession>,
   context: GatewayRequestContext,
 ): Promise<boolean> {
-  if (sessions.size < MAX_SYSTEM_AGENT_SESSIONS) {
-    return true;
-  }
+  let activeSessionCount = 0;
   const protectedQrSessions = new Map<string, { key: string; lastUsedAt: number }>();
+  const recoveryKeys = new Set<string>();
   for (const [key, session] of sessions) {
+    if (session.engine.hasRecoverableQrReply()) {
+      recoveryKeys.add(key);
+      continue;
+    }
+    activeSessionCount += 1;
     if (!session.engine.hasPendingQrCode()) {
       continue;
     }
@@ -173,11 +179,19 @@ async function evictOldestSession(
       protectedQrSessions.set(session.ownerKey, { key, lastUsedAt: session.lastUsedAt });
     }
   }
+  if (
+    activeSessionCount < MAX_SYSTEM_AGENT_ACTIVE_SESSIONS &&
+    sessions.size < MAX_SYSTEM_AGENT_SESSION_ENTRIES
+  ) {
+    return true;
+  }
   const protectedKeys = new Set([...protectedQrSessions.values()].map(({ key }) => key));
   let oldestKey: string | undefined;
   let oldestAt = Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY;
   for (const [key, session] of sessions) {
-    if (protectedKeys.has(key)) {
+    // Recovery leases are a separate bounded pool: admission may use the freed
+    // active slot, but cannot destroy a terminal reply whose delivery was lost.
+    if (protectedKeys.has(key) || recoveryKeys.has(key)) {
       continue;
     }
     if (session.lastUsedAt < oldestAt) {
@@ -702,7 +716,7 @@ export const systemAgentHandlers: GatewayRequestHandlers = {
                   undefined,
                   errorShape(
                     ErrorCodes.UNAVAILABLE,
-                    "OpenClaw chat capacity is reserved for active QR operations; try again after one completes.",
+                    "OpenClaw chat capacity is reserved for active or recoverable QR operations; try again after one completes.",
                     { retryable: true },
                   ),
                 );
diff --git a/src/system-agent/chat-engine.passive-poll.test.ts b/src/system-agent/chat-engine.passive-poll.test.ts
index 6d6814b56d65..5ced07288fcb 100644
--- a/src/system-agent/chat-engine.passive-poll.test.ts
+++ b/src/system-agent/chat-engine.passive-poll.test.ts
@@ -63,6 +63,53 @@ describe("SystemAgentChatEngine passive QR polling", () => {
     }
   });
 
+  it("lets cancellation interrupt an active passive QR observation", async () => {
+    const owner = createDeferred();
+    const observationStarted = createDeferred();
+    const releaseObservation = createDeferred();
+    let abortObserved = false;
+    const engine = createQrEngine(async (_channel, prompter, _beforePersistentApply, signal) => {
+      try {
+        await prompter.qrCode?.({
+          title: "Link a device",
+          message: "Scan this QR code and approve the device.",
+          text: QR_TEXT,
+          dismissed: owner.promise,
+        });
+      } finally {
+        abortObserved = signal.aborted;
+      }
+    });
+    const poll = vi.spyOn(ChatWizardHost.prototype, "pollStep").mockImplementation(async () => {
+      observationStarted.resolve();
+      await releaseObservation.promise;
+      return { text: "Observed", configWritten: false };
+    });
+
+    let cancellation: ReturnType<SystemAgentChatEngine["cancelWizard"]> | undefined;
+    try {
+      const prompt = await engine.handle("connect telegram");
+      const stepId = expectDefined(prompt.step, "QR step").id;
+      const observation = engine.pollStep(stepId);
+      await observationStarted.promise;
+      await expect(observation).resolves.toMatchObject({ wizardSettling: true });
+
+      cancellation = engine.cancelWizard({ stepId });
+      await vi.waitFor(() => expect(abortObserved).toBe(true));
+      releaseObservation.resolve();
+      await expect(cancellation).resolves.toMatchObject({
+        text: expect.stringContaining("setup cancelled"),
+      });
+      await expect(engine.pollStep(stepId)).rejects.toThrow("no longer active");
+    } finally {
+      poll.mockRestore();
+      releaseObservation.resolve();
+      owner.resolve();
+      await cancellation?.catch(() => undefined);
+      await engine.dispose();
+    }
+  });
+
   it("replays a dropped follow-up until the wizard advances", async () => {
     const owner = createDeferred();
     const releaseFollowUp = createDeferred();
diff --git a/src/system-agent/chat-engine.ts b/src/system-agent/chat-engine.ts
index 85ccfc87ed0a..11b6fcc1a96e 100644
--- a/src/system-agent/chat-engine.ts
+++ b/src/system-agent/chat-engine.ts
@@ -151,6 +151,14 @@ export class SystemAgentChatEngine {
     );
   }
 
+  /** A delivered terminal poll remains replayable until its bounded recovery lease expires. */
+  hasRecoverableQrReply(): boolean {
+    this.pruneExpiredPollReplies();
+    return [...this.retainedPollReplies.values()].some(
+      ({ reply, terminalHistoryRecorded }) => isTerminalPollReply(reply) && terminalHistoryRecorded,
+    );
+  }
+
   getPersistentApplySettlement(): Promise<void> | null {
     return this.persistentApplySettlement;
   }
@@ -326,10 +334,19 @@ export class SystemAgentChatEngine {
 
   async cancelWizard(cancel: SystemAgentWizardCancel): Promise<SystemAgentChatReply> {
     this.assertActive();
+    // Only an in-flight passive observation may be interrupted out of queue: it can
+    // be waiting for the same runner that cancellation must release. Other turns
+    // retain their accepted ordering on the single execution queue.
+    const interruption = this.passivePollObservations.has(cancel.stepId)
+      ? this.wizard.requestCancellation(cancel)
+      : null;
     const turn = this.turnQueue.then(async () => {
       this.assertActive();
-      const result = await this.router.answerWizard(this.wizard.cancel(cancel));
+      const result = await this.router.answerWizard(
+        interruption ? interruption.finish() : this.wizard.cancel(cancel),
+      );
       this.assertActive();
+      this.retainedPollReplies.delete(cancel.stepId);
       return this.completeTurn({ text: result.text, action: "none" }, result.userHistoryText);
     });
     this.turnQueue = turn.catch(() => undefined);
diff --git a/src/system-agent/chat-wizard-host.ts b/src/system-agent/chat-wizard-host.ts
index 829a1893dd62..d9780b0922d7 100644
--- a/src/system-agent/chat-wizard-host.ts
+++ b/src/system-agent/chat-wizard-host.ts
@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@ export type ChatWizardAnswerResult = ChatWizardResult & {
   userHistoryText: string;
 };
 
+export type ChatWizardCancellation = {
+  finish: () => Promise<ChatWizardAnswerResult>;
+};
+
 export type ChatWizardHostDependencies = {
   runChannelSetupWizard?: (
     channel: string,
@@ -111,6 +115,13 @@ function loadHostedRuntime(): Promise<HostedRuntime> {
   return (hostedRuntimePromise ??= import("./hosted-setup.runtime.js"));
 }
 
+function renderWizardCancellation(label: string): ChatWizardResult {
+  return {
+    text: `${label[0]?.toUpperCase() ?? "S"}${label.slice(1)} setup cancelled. Nothing was changed beyond completed steps.`,
+    configWritten: false,
+  };
+}
+
 export class SystemAgentWizardAnswerError extends Error {}
 
 export class ChatWizardHost {
@@ -217,7 +228,7 @@ export class ChatWizardHost {
     };
   }
 
-  async cancel(cancel: SystemAgentWizardCancel): Promise<ChatWizardAnswerResult> {
+  requestCancellation(cancel: SystemAgentWizardCancel): ChatWizardCancellation {
     const bridge = this.bridge;
     const step = bridge?.step;
     if (!bridge) {
@@ -233,8 +244,20 @@ export class ChatWizardHost {
     if (!bridge.session.cancel()) {
       throw new SystemAgentWizardAnswerError("The hosted wizard cannot be cancelled right now.");
     }
-    await bridge.session.whenSettled();
-    return { ...(await this.pump()), userHistoryText: "Cancel" };
+    return {
+      finish: async () => {
+        await bridge.session.whenSettled();
+        const result = await this.pump();
+        return {
+          ...(result.text ? result : renderWizardCancellation(bridge.label)),
+          userHistoryText: "Cancel",
+        };
+      },
+    };
+  }
+
+  async cancel(cancel: SystemAgentWizardCancel): Promise<ChatWizardAnswerResult> {
+    return await this.requestCancellation(cancel).finish();
   }
 
   /** Observe a QR-owned step without answering the dependency-owned prompt. */
@@ -689,10 +712,7 @@ export class ChatWizardHost {
         }
       }
       if (result.status === "cancelled") {
-        return {
-          text: `${label[0]?.toUpperCase() ?? "S"}${label.slice(1)} setup cancelled. Nothing was changed beyond completed steps.`,
-          configWritten: false,
-        };
+        return renderWizardCancellation(label);
       }
       return {
         text: `${label[0]?.toUpperCase() ?? "S"}${label.slice(1)} setup stopped: ${result.error ?? "unknown error"}`,