diff --git a/tests/tools/test_process_registry_list_exit.py b/tests/tools/test_process_registry_list_exit.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..55f933d30e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/tools/test_process_registry_list_exit.py
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+"""List refresh observes the child, not its descendants' capture-pipe lifetime."""
+
+import ctypes
+import json
+import os
+from pathlib import Path
+import shlex
+import signal
+import subprocess
+import sys
+import time
+
+import pytest
+
+
+@pytest.mark.linux_only
+def test_list_reconciles_real_exit_without_consuming_owned_result(tmp_path):
+    # A disposable subreaper owns even the orphaned writer; no global pytest
+    # process state is changed, and every fixture child is reaped on failure.
+    result = subprocess.run(
+        [sys.executable, str(Path(__file__).resolve()), "probe", str(tmp_path)],
+        cwd=Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2],
+        env={**os.environ, "PYTHONPATH": str(Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2])},
+        stdin=subprocess.DEVNULL, capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=30,
+    )
+    assert result.returncode == 0, result.stdout + result.stderr
+
+
+def _probe(root):
+    import tools.process_registry as module
+
+    assert ctypes.CDLL(None).prctl(36, 1, 0, 0, 0) == 0  # PR_SET_CHILD_SUBREAPER
+    module._SYSTEMD_SCOPE_AVAILABLE = False  # Own the test process tree, not a host service.
+    registry = module.ProcessRegistry()
+    sessions = []
+    command = f"exec {shlex.quote(sys.executable)} {shlex.quote(__file__)}"
+    try:
+        for name in ("owner", "sibling"):
+            session = registry.spawn_local(
+                f"{command} child {shlex.quote(str(root / name))}",
+                cwd=str(root), task_id=name + "-task", owner_task_id=name + "-owner",
+                session_key=name + "-session",
+            )
+            sessions.append(session)
+            session.notify_on_complete = True
+        owner, sibling = sessions
+        deadline = time.monotonic() + 5
+        while not all(s.output_buffer for s in sessions):
+            assert time.monotonic() < deadline, "writers did not become ready"
+            time.sleep(0.01)
+        assert all(s.process.poll() is None for s in sessions)
+        (root / "owner-exit").touch()
+        assert owner.process.wait(timeout=5) == 0
+        assert owner._reader_thread.is_alive()  # Writer is still producing output.
+        started = time.monotonic()
+        listed = registry.list_sessions(session_key="owner-session")
+        elapsed = time.monotonic() - started
+        print(json.dumps({"direct_child": owner.process.returncode, "listed": listed,
+                          "elapsed": elapsed, "reader_alive": owner._reader_thread.is_alive()}), flush=True)
+        assert elapsed < 2, "list waited for the descendant's pipe lifetime"
+        assert [entry["session_id"] for entry in listed] == [owner.id]
+        assert listed[0]["status"] == "exited"
+        assert listed[0]["exit_code"] == 0
+        event = registry.completion_queue.get(timeout=2)
+        assert (event["session_id"], event["session_key"], event["task_id"], event["owner_task_id"]) == (
+            owner.id, "owner-session", "owner-task", "owner-owner")
+        assert event["exit_code"] == 0 and "owner-output" in event["output"]
+        assert registry.unread_completions_owned_by("owner-owner") == [owner]
+        assert registry.unread_completions_owned_by("sibling-owner") == []
+        for _ in range(3):
+            assert registry.list_sessions(session_key="owner-session")[0]["status"] == "exited"
+            foreign = registry.list_sessions(session_key="sibling-session")
+            assert [(row["session_id"], row["status"]) for row in foreign] == [(sibling.id, "running")]
+        assert sibling.process.poll() is None
+        (root / "owner-stop").touch()
+        owner._reader_thread.join(timeout=5)
+        assert not owner._reader_thread.is_alive()
+        assert registry.completion_queue.empty(), "reader and list emitted duplicate completions"
+        assert not registry.is_completion_consumed(owner.id)
+        assert "owner-output" in registry.read_log(owner.id)["output"]
+        assert registry.is_completion_consumed(owner.id)
+        print("PASS: list-only exit; one exact-owner event; running sibling isolated; unread output retained", flush=True)
+    finally:
+        for name in ("owner", "sibling"):
+            (root / (name + "-stop")).touch()
+            (root / (name + "-exit")).touch()
+        for session in sessions:
+            try:
+                os.killpg(session.pid, signal.SIGKILL)
+            except ProcessLookupError:
+                pass
+            session.process.wait(timeout=5)
+            session._reader_thread.join(timeout=5)
+        # This subprocess contains only our two child trees.
+        while True:
+            try:
+                os.waitpid(-1, 0)
+            except ChildProcessError:
+                break
+
+
+def _child(gate):
+    subprocess.Popen(
+        [sys.executable, __file__, "writer", str(gate)], stdin=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+    )
+    deadline = time.monotonic() + 15
+    while not Path(str(gate) + "-exit").exists() and time.monotonic() < deadline:
+        time.sleep(0.01)
+
+
+def _writer(gate):
+    deadline = time.monotonic() + 15
+    while not Path(str(gate) + "-stop").exists() and time.monotonic() < deadline:
+        print(gate.name + "-output", flush=True)
+        time.sleep(0.02)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    {"probe": _probe, "child": _child, "writer": _writer}[sys.argv[1]](Path(sys.argv[2]))
diff --git a/tools/process_registry.py b/tools/process_registry.py
index ebacbfaa58..c6baf8b12e 100644
--- a/tools/process_registry.py
+++ b/tools/process_registry.py
@@ -1950,6 +1950,9 @@ class ProcessRegistry(ProcessCheckpointMixin):
             ]
         result = []
         for s in all_sessions:
+            # List-only refreshes must observe child exit even while descendants
+            # keep the capture pipe open; retain the existing completion owner.
+            self._reconcile_local_exit(s)
             entry = {
                 "session_id": s.id,
                 "command": s.command[:200],