diff --git a/src/server/execute.test.ts b/src/server/execute.test.ts
index d92e5c9..bca0a60 100644
--- a/src/server/execute.test.ts
+++ b/src/server/execute.test.ts
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ vi.mock("@paperclipai/adapter-utils/server-utils", async (importOriginal) => {
   });
 });
 
-const { isK8s404, buildPartialRunError, classifyOrphan, describePodTerminatedError, streamPodLogsOnce, execute } = await import("./execute.js");
+const { isK8s404, buildPartialRunError, classifyOrphan, describePodTerminatedError, streamPodLogsOnce, shouldAbortForCancellation, execute } = await import("./execute.js");
 
 function makeJob(opts: {
   runId?: string;
@@ -1220,3 +1220,262 @@ describe("execute: concurrency guard — multiple orphans", () => {
     expect(result.errorMessage).toContain("different task");
   });
 });
+
+// ─── shouldAbortForCancellation ──────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+describe("shouldAbortForCancellation", () => {
+  it("returns false for undefined", () => {
+    expect(shouldAbortForCancellation(undefined)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("returns false for empty string", () => {
+    expect(shouldAbortForCancellation("")).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("returns false when status is 'running'", () => {
+    expect(shouldAbortForCancellation("running")).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("returns true when status is 'cancelled'", () => {
+    expect(shouldAbortForCancellation("cancelled")).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("returns true when status is 'failed'", () => {
+    expect(shouldAbortForCancellation("failed")).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("returns true when status is 'completed'", () => {
+    expect(shouldAbortForCancellation("completed")).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("returns true for any non-running non-empty string", () => {
+    expect(shouldAbortForCancellation("unknown")).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
+
+// ─── execute: cancel-polling path ────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+describe("execute: cancel-polling via keepalive tick", () => {
+  const mockFetch = vi.fn();
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.resetAllMocks();
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    // Replace global fetch for this suite
+    vi.stubGlobal("fetch", mockFetch);
+    process.env.PAPERCLIP_API_URL = "http://paperclip-test.local";
+
+    mockReadSkillEntries.mockResolvedValue([]);
+    mockGetSelfPodInfo.mockResolvedValue(makeSelfPodResult());
+    mockBatchListJobs.mockResolvedValue({ items: [] });
+    mockPrepareBundle.mockResolvedValue(makeBundle());
+    mockBatchCreateJob.mockResolvedValue({ metadata: { uid: "job-uid-1" } });
+    mockBatchPatchJob.mockResolvedValue({});
+    mockBatchDeleteJob.mockResolvedValue({});
+    mockCoreDeleteSecret.mockResolvedValue({});
+
+    mockCoreListPods
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        items: [{
+          metadata: { name: "pod-abc" },
+          status: { phase: "Running", containerStatuses: [], initContainerStatuses: [] },
+        }],
+      })
+      .mockResolvedValue({
+        items: [{
+          metadata: { name: "pod-abc" },
+          status: { containerStatuses: [{ name: "claude", state: { terminated: { exitCode: 0 } } }] },
+        }],
+      });
+
+    // Job never reaches terminal on its own (cancel kicks in first)
+    mockBatchReadJob.mockResolvedValue({ status: { conditions: [] } });
+
+    // Log stream never ends (hung — simulates long-running Claude)
+    mockLogFn.mockImplementation(() => new Promise(() => { /* never resolves */ }));
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.useRealTimers();
+    vi.unstubAllGlobals();
+    delete process.env.PAPERCLIP_API_URL;
+  });
+
+  it("returns errorCode=cancelled when poll detects non-running status within one keepalive tick", async () => {
+    // Use a flag so readJob throws 404 only AFTER deleteJob is called (simulating
+    // K8s state where the job disappears after deletion).
+    let jobDeleted = false;
+    mockBatchDeleteJob.mockImplementation(async () => { jobDeleted = true; return {}; });
+    mockBatchReadJob.mockImplementation(async () => {
+      if (jobDeleted) {
+        throw Object.assign(new Error("Not Found"), { response: { statusCode: 404 } });
+      }
+      return { status: { conditions: [] } };
+    });
+
+    // Cancel poll returns "cancelled" status.
+    mockFetch.mockResolvedValue({
+      ok: true,
+      json: async () => ({ status: "cancelled" }),
+    });
+
+    const executePromise = execute(
+      makeCtx({ authToken: "tok-abc" } as Partial<AdapterExecutionContext>),
+    );
+
+    // Timer sequence:
+    //   t=15100: keepalive fires → pre-check non-terminal → fetch → cancelled →
+    //            deleteJob (jobDeleted=true) → stop signal set
+    //   t=15300: stop poller fires (200ms) → destroys writable → starts 3s bail timer
+    //   t=17100: completion watcher polls → 404 (jobDeleted=true) → jobGone → settles
+    //   t=18300: bail timer fires → streamPodLogsOnce returns → streamPodLogs exits →
+    //            trackedLogStream settles → Promise.allSettled resolves
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(15_100); // keepalive fires → cancel detected
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(2_100);  // completion watcher polls → 404 → settles
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(3_100);  // bail timer fires → log stream settles
+
+    const result = await executePromise;
+
+    expect(result.errorCode).toBe("cancelled");
+    expect(result.errorMessage).toBe("Run cancelled");
+    expect(result.timedOut).toBe(false);
+    expect(mockBatchDeleteJob).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("treats HTTP 500 on cancel poll as transient and does not cancel", async () => {
+    // Cancel poll returns 500 → transient, should not cancel.
+    // After a while the job completes normally.
+    mockFetch.mockResolvedValue({ ok: false, status: 500 });
+
+    // Override: job completes after keepalive tick fires
+    mockBatchReadJob
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ status: { conditions: [] } }) // first keepalive check: non-terminal
+      .mockResolvedValue({ status: { conditions: [{ type: "Complete", status: "True" }] } });
+    mockLogFn.mockImplementation(
+      async (_ns: string, _pod: string, _ctr: string, writable: import("node:stream").Writable) => {
+        writable.write(CLAUDE_HAPPY_OUTPUT);
+      },
+    );
+
+    const executePromise = execute(
+      makeCtx({ authToken: "tok-abc" } as Partial<AdapterExecutionContext>),
+    );
+
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(15_100); // keepalive fires: 500 → transient, no cancel
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(3_100);  // log reconnect sleep → stopSignal already true
+
+    const result = await executePromise;
+
+    expect(result.errorCode).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(result.exitCode).toBe(0);
+    expect(result.sessionId).toBe("sess_test123");
+  });
+
+  it("skips cancel poll when authToken is absent", async () => {
+    // No authToken → cancel poll must not be attempted → job completes normally
+    mockBatchReadJob.mockResolvedValue({
+      status: { conditions: [{ type: "Complete", status: "True" }] },
+    });
+    mockLogFn.mockImplementation(
+      async (_ns: string, _pod: string, _ctr: string, writable: import("node:stream").Writable) => {
+        writable.write(CLAUDE_HAPPY_OUTPUT);
+      },
+    );
+
+    const executePromise = execute(makeCtx()); // no authToken
+
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(3_100);
+    const result = await executePromise;
+
+    expect(mockFetch).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(result.exitCode).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it("skips cancel poll when PAPERCLIP_API_URL is not set", async () => {
+    delete process.env.PAPERCLIP_API_URL;
+
+    mockBatchReadJob.mockResolvedValue({
+      status: { conditions: [{ type: "Complete", status: "True" }] },
+    });
+    mockLogFn.mockImplementation(
+      async (_ns: string, _pod: string, _ctr: string, writable: import("node:stream").Writable) => {
+        writable.write(CLAUDE_HAPPY_OUTPUT);
+      },
+    );
+
+    const executePromise = execute(
+      makeCtx({ authToken: "tok-abc" } as Partial<AdapterExecutionContext>),
+    );
+
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(3_100);
+    const result = await executePromise;
+
+    expect(mockFetch).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(result.exitCode).toBe(0);
+  });
+});
+
+// ─── execute: SIGTERM handler ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+describe("execute: SIGTERM handler best-effort cleanup", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.resetAllMocks();
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    mockReadSkillEntries.mockResolvedValue([]);
+    mockGetSelfPodInfo.mockResolvedValue(makeSelfPodResult());
+    mockBatchListJobs.mockResolvedValue({ items: [] });
+    mockPrepareBundle.mockResolvedValue(makeBundle());
+    mockBatchCreateJob.mockResolvedValue({ metadata: { uid: "job-uid-1" } });
+    mockBatchPatchJob.mockResolvedValue({});
+    mockBatchDeleteJob.mockResolvedValue({});
+    mockCoreDeleteSecret.mockResolvedValue({});
+    mockCoreListPods
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        items: [{
+          metadata: { name: "pod-abc" },
+          status: { phase: "Running", containerStatuses: [], initContainerStatuses: [] },
+        }],
+      })
+      .mockResolvedValue({
+        items: [{
+          metadata: { name: "pod-abc" },
+          status: { containerStatuses: [{ name: "claude", state: { terminated: { exitCode: 0 } } }] },
+        }],
+      });
+    mockBatchReadJob.mockResolvedValue({ status: { conditions: [] } });
+    mockLogFn.mockImplementation(() => new Promise(() => { /* never resolves */ }));
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.useRealTimers();
+  });
+
+  it("deletes the active Job when SIGTERM fires during execution", async () => {
+    // Mock process.kill to prevent the test process from actually being killed.
+    const killSpy = vi.spyOn(process, "kill").mockImplementation(() => true);
+
+    // Start execute() and suppress unhandled rejection (we won't await it).
+    const executePromise = execute(makeCtx());
+    executePromise.catch(() => {});
+
+    // Flush microtasks through the async setup chain: getSelfPodInfo, listJobs,
+    // readSkillEntries, prepareBundle, createJob, onLog, activeJobs.add(), and
+    // ensureSigtermHandler() all complete before the try block enters streaming.
+    // 30 rounds is more than enough for the ~7 sequential await points.
+    for (let i = 0; i < 30; i++) await Promise.resolve();
+
+    // Emit SIGTERM — the process.once handler fires synchronously and kicks off
+    // async cleanup (deleteNamespacedJob). The mock resolves immediately.
+    process.emit("SIGTERM");
+
+    // Flush microtasks for deleteJob to resolve and the .then(process.kill) to run.
+    for (let i = 0; i < 10; i++) await Promise.resolve();
+
+    expect(mockBatchDeleteJob).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(killSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(process.pid, "SIGTERM");
+
+    killSpy.mockRestore();
+    // afterEach calls vi.useRealTimers() which clears all pending fake timers,
+    // so we do not need to settle executePromise.
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/server/execute.ts b/src/server/execute.ts
index 868d256..ea2e6f1 100644
--- a/src/server/execute.ts
+++ b/src/server/execute.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,48 @@ const LOG_STREAM_BAIL_TIMEOUT_MS = 3_000;
 // minutes, causing stale "running" status in the UI (FAR-23).
 const LOG_EXIT_COMPLETION_GRACE_MS = 30_000;
 
+// Module-level tracking of active Jobs for SIGTERM best-effort cleanup.
+interface ActiveJobRef {
+  namespace: string;
+  jobName: string;
+  promptSecretName?: string;
+  promptSecretNamespace?: string;
+  kubeconfigPath?: string;
+}
+const activeJobs = new Set<ActiveJobRef>();
+let sigtermHandlerRegistered = false;
+
+function ensureSigtermHandler(): void {
+  if (sigtermHandlerRegistered) return;
+  sigtermHandlerRegistered = true;
+  process.once("SIGTERM", () => {
+    const jobs = [...activeJobs];
+    void Promise.allSettled(
+      jobs.map(async (ref) => {
+        try {
+          const batchApi = getBatchApi(ref.kubeconfigPath);
+          await batchApi.deleteNamespacedJob({
+            name: ref.jobName,
+            namespace: ref.namespace,
+            body: { propagationPolicy: "Background" },
+          });
+        } catch { /* best-effort */ }
+        if (ref.promptSecretName && ref.promptSecretNamespace) {
+          try {
+            const coreApi = getCoreApi(ref.kubeconfigPath);
+            await coreApi.deleteNamespacedSecret({
+              name: ref.promptSecretName,
+              namespace: ref.promptSecretNamespace,
+            });
+          } catch { /* best-effort */ }
+        }
+      }),
+    ).then(() => {
+      process.kill(process.pid, "SIGTERM");
+    });
+  });
+}
+
 /**
  * Detect a Kubernetes 404 (Not Found) error from @kubernetes/client-node.
  * Works for both v0.x (response.statusCode) and v1.0+ (response.status, message).
@@ -53,6 +95,16 @@ export function isK8s404(err: unknown): boolean {
   return /HTTP-Code:\s*404\b/.test(err.message);
 }
 
+/**
+ * Returns true when the heartbeat-run status indicates the run is no longer
+ * active and the K8s Job should be cancelled.
+ * Exported for unit tests.
+ */
+export function shouldAbortForCancellation(runStatus: string | undefined): boolean {
+  if (!runStatus) return false;
+  return runStatus !== "running";
+}
+
 /**
  * Build the error message when Claude's stdout contains no result event.
  * Skips system/init event lines so the UI doesn't display the raw init JSON.
@@ -546,6 +598,10 @@ export async function execute(ctx: AdapterExecutionContext): Promise<AdapterExec
   const graceSec = asNumber(config.graceSec, 60);
   const retainJobs = asBoolean(config.retainJobs, false);
   const kubeconfigPath = asString(config.kubeconfig, "") || undefined;
+  const paperclipApiUrl = process.env.PAPERCLIP_API_URL ?? "";
+  if (!paperclipApiUrl) {
+    await onLog("stderr", "[paperclip] Warning: PAPERCLIP_API_URL not set — cancel polling disabled\n");
+  }
 
   // Guard: claude_k8s must not run concurrently for the same agent (shared PVC/session).
   // After a server restart, orphaned K8s Jobs from previous (now-failed) runs may
@@ -905,6 +961,15 @@ export async function execute(ctx: AdapterExecutionContext): Promise<AdapterExec
   // delete a job that is still alive and the UI is waiting on.
   let skipCleanup = false;
 
+  const activeJobRef: ActiveJobRef = {
+    namespace,
+    jobName,
+    ...(promptSecret ? { promptSecretName: promptSecret.name, promptSecretNamespace: promptSecret.namespace } : {}),
+    kubeconfigPath,
+  };
+  activeJobs.add(activeJobRef);
+  ensureSigtermHandler();
+
   try {
     // Wait for pod to be ready for log streaming
     const scheduleTimeoutMs = 120_000; // 2 minutes for scheduling
@@ -953,11 +1018,21 @@ export async function execute(ctx: AdapterExecutionContext): Promise<AdapterExec
     let lastLogAt = Date.now();
     let keepaliveJobTerminal = false;
     let consecutiveTerminalReadings = 0;
+    // Shared signal: when job completion resolves, tell the log streamer to
+    // stop reconnecting.  Declared before keepaliveTimer so the cancel path
+    // inside the timer can set it without temporal dead zone issues.
+    const logStopSignal = { stopped: false };
+    // Shared dedup filter: created here so the one-shot fallback can
+    // reuse it and avoid pushing already-sent lines to the UI (finding #6, FAR-15).
+    const logDedup = new LogLineDedupFilter();
+    // Set when the run is externally cancelled (cancel-poll path).
+    let cancelled = false;
+
     keepaliveTimer = setInterval(() => {
       // Fire-and-forget the async work; setInterval callbacks must be
       // synchronous or the timer will drift.
       void (async () => {
-        if (keepaliveJobTerminal) return;
+        if (keepaliveJobTerminal || cancelled) return;
 
         // Verify the Job is still alive before announcing or refreshing.
         // Require two consecutive terminal readings before latching to
@@ -992,6 +1067,37 @@ export async function execute(ctx: AdapterExecutionContext): Promise<AdapterExec
           return;
         }
 
+        // Cancel-polling: check if the Paperclip run was cancelled externally.
+        // Skipped on the reattach path to avoid tearing down an adopted Job.
+        // HTTP non-2xx is treated as transient — never interpret a 5xx as cancel.
+        if (!reattachTarget && paperclipApiUrl && ctx.authToken) {
+          try {
+            const resp = await fetch(`${paperclipApiUrl}/api/heartbeat-runs/${runId}`, {
+              headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${ctx.authToken}` },
+            });
+            if (resp.ok) {
+              const data = await resp.json() as { status?: string };
+              if (shouldAbortForCancellation(data.status)) {
+                void onLog("stdout", `[paperclip] Run cancelled externally — deleting Job ${jobName}\n`).catch(() => {});
+                cancelled = true;
+                logStopSignal.stopped = true;
+                try {
+                  await batchApi.deleteNamespacedJob({
+                    name: jobName,
+                    namespace,
+                    body: { propagationPolicy: "Background" },
+                  });
+                } catch { /* best-effort — completion watcher will see 404 and settle */ }
+                return;
+              }
+            } else if (resp.status >= 500) {
+              void onLog("stderr", `[paperclip] keepalive: cancel poll returned HTTP ${resp.status} — transient, ignoring\n`).catch(() => {});
+            }
+          } catch {
+            // network error — transient, skip this tick
+          }
+        }
+
         const silenceSec = Math.round((Date.now() - lastLogAt) / 1000);
         void onLog("stdout", `[paperclip] keepalive — job ${jobName} running (${silenceSec}s since last output)\n`).catch(() => {});
       })();
@@ -1001,13 +1107,6 @@ export async function execute(ctx: AdapterExecutionContext): Promise<AdapterExec
       return onLog(stream, chunk);
     };
 
-    // Shared signal: when job completion resolves, tell the log
-    // streamer to stop reconnecting.
-    const logStopSignal = { stopped: false };
-    // Shared dedup filter: created here so the one-shot fallback can
-    // reuse it and avoid pushing already-sent lines to the UI (finding #6, FAR-15).
-    const logDedup = new LogLineDedupFilter();
-
     // Track when the log stream first exits so the grace-period can fire
     // if the K8s Job condition lags behind container exit (FAR-23).
     // Set via onFirstStreamExit callback (called after attempt=0 returns)
@@ -1067,6 +1166,18 @@ export async function execute(ctx: AdapterExecutionContext): Promise<AdapterExec
       keepaliveTimer = null;
     }
 
+    // If the run was externally cancelled, return a clean cancelled result
+    // without processing stdout (the finally block still runs for cleanup).
+    if (cancelled) {
+      return {
+        exitCode: null,
+        signal: null,
+        timedOut: false,
+        errorCode: "cancelled",
+        errorMessage: "Run cancelled",
+      };
+    }
+
     if (logResult.status === "fulfilled") {
       stdout = logResult.value;
     }
@@ -1141,6 +1252,7 @@ export async function execute(ctx: AdapterExecutionContext): Promise<AdapterExec
     exitCode = await getPodExitCode(namespace, jobName, kubeconfigPath);
   } finally {
     if (keepaliveTimer) clearInterval(keepaliveTimer);
+    activeJobs.delete(activeJobRef);
     if (skipCleanup) {
       await onLog("stdout", `[paperclip] Retaining job ${jobName} (state mismatch — UI is waiting on it)\n`);
     } else if (!retainJobs) {