diff --git a/pkg/agent/loop.go b/pkg/agent/loop.go
index 01e7ce4c4..a3a23fb3d 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/loop.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/loop.go
@@ -296,16 +296,21 @@ func (al *AgentLoop) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
 				// 	}
 				// }()
 
-				defer drainCancel()
+				drainCanceled := false
+				cancelDrain := func() {
+					if drainCanceled {
+						return
+					}
+					drainCancel()
+					drainCanceled = true
+				}
+				defer cancelDrain()
 
 				response, err := al.processMessage(ctx, msg)
 				if err != nil {
 					response = fmt.Sprintf("Error processing message: %v", err)
 				}
-
-				if response != "" {
-					al.publishResponseIfNeeded(ctx, msg.Channel, msg.ChatID, response)
-				}
+				finalResponse := response
 
 				target, targetErr := al.buildContinuationTarget(msg)
 				if targetErr != nil {
@@ -317,6 +322,10 @@ func (al *AgentLoop) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
 					return
 				}
 				if target == nil {
+					cancelDrain()
+					if finalResponse != "" {
+						al.publishResponseIfNeeded(ctx, msg.Channel, msg.ChatID, finalResponse)
+					}
 					return
 				}
 
@@ -343,7 +352,39 @@ func (al *AgentLoop) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
 						return
 					}
 
-					al.publishResponseIfNeeded(ctx, target.Channel, target.ChatID, continued)
+					finalResponse = continued
+				}
+
+				cancelDrain()
+
+				for al.pendingSteeringCountForScope(target.SessionKey) > 0 {
+					logger.InfoCF("agent", "Draining steering queued during turn shutdown",
+						map[string]any{
+							"channel":     target.Channel,
+							"chat_id":     target.ChatID,
+							"session_key": target.SessionKey,
+							"queue_depth": al.pendingSteeringCountForScope(target.SessionKey),
+						})
+
+					continued, continueErr := al.Continue(ctx, target.SessionKey, target.Channel, target.ChatID)
+					if continueErr != nil {
+						logger.WarnCF("agent", "Failed to continue queued steering after shutdown drain",
+							map[string]any{
+								"channel": target.Channel,
+								"chat_id": target.ChatID,
+								"error":   continueErr.Error(),
+							})
+						return
+					}
+					if continued == "" {
+						break
+					}
+
+					finalResponse = continued
+				}
+
+				if finalResponse != "" {
+					al.publishResponseIfNeeded(ctx, target.Channel, target.ChatID, finalResponse)
 				}
 			}()
 		}