diff --git a/agent-queue/agent-queue.sh b/agent-queue/agent-queue.sh
index 2642325..d3bdc1b 100755
--- a/agent-queue/agent-queue.sh
+++ b/agent-queue/agent-queue.sh
@@ -224,6 +224,32 @@ _dur_to_secs() {
   fi
 }
 
+# _budget_wall_secs <file> -> the HARD wall-clock ceiling in seconds parsed from
+# the `budget:` manifest map, e.g. `budget: { usd: 5, tokens: 2M, wall: 4h }`.
+# `wall` is the always-enforceable hard ceiling (§5/§14); `usd`/`tokens` stay
+# best-effort and are NOT enforced here. Unset/invalid -> 0 (no budget kill).
+_budget_wall_secs() {
+  local raw w
+  raw=$(fm_get "$1" budget "")
+  w=$(printf '%s' "$raw" | grep -oE 'wall[[:space:]]*:[[:space:]]*[0-9]+[smhd]?' \
+        | grep -oE '[0-9]+[smhd]?' | head -1)
+  _dur_to_secs "${w:-0}"
+}
+
+# _effective_kill <timeout_secs> <budget_wall_secs> -> "<secs> <class>".
+# The binding hard wall-clock ceiling for a single run. `budget.wall` extends
+# `timeout`: when only one is set it binds; when both are set the smaller
+# (earlier) ceiling fires, and <class> reflects which limit it was so the run is
+# recorded as `timeout` vs `budget_exceeded`. 0/0 -> "0 timeout" (no kill armed).
+_effective_kill() {
+  local tmo=${1:-0} bw=${2:-0}
+  if [[ "$bw" -gt 0 && ( "$tmo" -le 0 || "$bw" -lt "$tmo" ) ]]; then
+    echo "$bw budget_exceeded"
+  else
+    echo "$tmo timeout"
+  fi
+}
+
 # _meta_active <metafile> -> 0 if the job is occupying a concurrency slot.
 # Active = no `ended=` AND (pid is live, OR pid not yet written but the meta was
 # created moments ago — the reserved-slot window between meta-write and launch).
@@ -719,23 +745,29 @@ run_worker() {
   local rc=0 lockkey tmo timed_out=false
   lockkey=$(lock_key_for "$doing_file")
   tmo=$(_dur_to_secs "$(fm_get "$doing_file" timeout "0")")
+  # budget.wall is a HARD wall-clock ceiling that extends `timeout` (§5/§14):
+  # whichever ceiling fires first binds, and `kill_class` records which one so
+  # the run is labeled `timeout` vs `budget_exceeded`.
+  local bwall eff kill_class _ek
+  bwall=$(_budget_wall_secs "$doing_file")
+  _ek=$(_effective_kill "$tmo" "$bwall"); eff="${_ek%% *}"; kill_class="${_ek##* }"
   local tmo_flag="$STATE/$job.timedout"; rm -f "$tmo_flag"
   local lf="$LOCKS/$(_keyhash "$lockkey").lock"
 
-  if [[ "$tmo" -gt 0 && -n "$TIMEOUT_BIN" ]]; then
-    # Hard timeout via timeout/gtimeout (kills the whole process tree).
-    AQ_STDIN="$AGENT_STDIN" "$TIMEOUT_BIN" -k 5 "${tmo}s" bash -c '
+  if [[ "$eff" -gt 0 && -n "$TIMEOUT_BIN" ]]; then
+    # Hard ceiling via timeout/gtimeout (kills the whole process tree).
+    AQ_STDIN="$AGENT_STDIN" "$TIMEOUT_BIN" -k 5 "${eff}s" bash -c '
       cd "$1" || exit 97; shift
       if [ -n "${AQ_STDIN:-}" ]; then exec "$@" < "$AQ_STDIN"; else exec "$@"; fi
     ' _ "$cwd" "${AGENT_CMD[@]}" >> "$logf" 2>&1
     rc=$?
     [[ $rc -eq 124 ]] && timed_out=true
-  elif [[ "$tmo" -gt 0 ]]; then
-    # Portable watchdog fallback (no timeout binary). Flags the timeout and
+  elif [[ "$eff" -gt 0 ]]; then
+    # Portable watchdog fallback (no timeout binary). Flags the kill and
     # signals the worker; install coreutils (gtimeout) for hard tree kills.
     _run_agent >> "$logf" 2>&1 &
     local apid=$!
-    ( sleep "$tmo"; : > "$tmo_flag"
+    ( sleep "$eff"; : > "$tmo_flag"
       pkill -TERM -P "$apid" 2>/dev/null; kill -TERM "$apid" 2>/dev/null
       sleep 5; pkill -KILL -P "$apid" 2>/dev/null; kill -KILL "$apid" 2>/dev/null ) &
     local wpid=$!
@@ -772,8 +804,8 @@ run_worker() {
   [[ -n "$scope" ]] && scope_check "$cwd" "$WIP_BASE" "$scope" "$logf" "$metaf"
 
   if $timed_out; then
-    echo "TIMED OUT after ${tmo}s (rc=$rc): $(date)" >> "$logf"
-    _finish_failure "$job" "$doing_file" "$metaf" "$logf" "timeout" "$rc" "$started"
+    echo "KILLED after ${eff}s (rc=$rc, limit=$kill_class): $(date)" >> "$logf"
+    _finish_failure "$job" "$doing_file" "$metaf" "$logf" "$kill_class" "$rc" "$started"
   elif [[ $rc -eq 0 ]]; then
     # Fleet (§18): re-confirm the lease before accepting the agent's output. If the
     # coordinator reclaimed us mid-run (offline-degrade then reconnect to a stale
@@ -936,7 +968,7 @@ _class_retryable() {
 # retry policy to a failed run. Retries (requeue to inbox with backoff via
 # next_eligible) while the class is in `retry.on` and attempts <= max; on
 # exhaustion -> failed/ result=retries_exhausted; with no policy -> failed/ with
-# the natural result (failed|timeout|verify_failed). The WIP branch is preserved
+# the natural result (failed|timeout|budget_exceeded|verify_failed). The WIP branch is preserved
 # either way so a retry resumes from the checkpoint.
 _finish_failure() {
   local job=$1 file=$2 metaf=$3 logf=$4 class=$5 rc=$6 started=$7
@@ -962,6 +994,7 @@ _finish_failure() {
   else
     case "$class" in
       timeout) result="timeout";;
+      budget_exceeded) result="budget_exceeded";;
       verify_failed) result="verify_failed";;
       *) result="failed";;
     esac
@@ -1157,7 +1190,7 @@ _json_escape() {
 _tracker_status_for() {
   case "$1" in
     shipped) printf '%s' "$AQ_TRACKER_STATUS_DONE";;
-    failed|timeout|verify_failed|retries_exhausted|capability_mismatch|no_engine|rejected)
+    failed|timeout|budget_exceeded|verify_failed|retries_exhausted|capability_mismatch|no_engine|rejected)
       printf '%s' "$AQ_TRACKER_STATUS_FAILED";;
     *) printf '%s' "$AQ_TRACKER_STATUS_INPROGRESS";;
   esac
@@ -1875,6 +1908,7 @@ ${C_BOLD}TASK FRONTMATTER${C_RESET} (top of each .md)
   yolo: true
   lock: my-repo        # optional; defaults to cwd. Jobs sharing a key run serially
   timeout: 45m         # optional; 90s|45m|2h|1d. On expiry -> failed (result=timeout)
+  budget: { wall: 2h } # optional; wall = HARD wall-clock ceiling (extends timeout). On expiry -> failed (result=budget_exceeded). usd/tokens best-effort only
   verify: pnpm -s test # optional; auto-QA gate. pass -> testing, fail -> failed
   # --- Phase 1 manifest (active) ---
   priority: high              # critical|high|medium|low (default medium). Picked highest-first, then oldest
@@ -1887,7 +1921,7 @@ ${C_BOLD}TASK FRONTMATTER${C_RESET} (top of each .md)
   deps: [other-key]           # block until each idempotency-key is shipped/ (or testing/ if deps-mode: soft)
   deps-mode: soft             # soft = a dep also counts as satisfied while in testing/
   # --- reserved (parsed + shown in status, but no-op until a later phase) ---
-  prefers:  budget:  review-policy:  artifacts:  tracker-item:
+  prefers:  review-policy:  artifacts:  tracker-item:
   ---
 
 ${C_BOLD}PROFILES${C_RESET}  profiles/<name>.md presets persona + capabilities + default-verify + engine-class +
diff --git a/agent-queue/docs/GIGAFACTORY_ROADMAP.md b/agent-queue/docs/GIGAFACTORY_ROADMAP.md
index 37c470c..50c9635 100644
--- a/agent-queue/docs/GIGAFACTORY_ROADMAP.md
+++ b/agent-queue/docs/GIGAFACTORY_ROADMAP.md
@@ -349,14 +349,14 @@ Each phase: **Goal → checklist → Exit criteria**. Don't start a phase until
 >
 > **Slice progress — P1-S2 (profiles + deps/DAG, single host):** the `profiles/` catalog + resolution (`fm_eff` inheritance with job>profile>default precedence, persona injection), the warn-only `allowed-scope` guardrail (`scope_check`/`path_in_scope`), and single-host `deps` (block-with-reason in selection, `status` surfacing, submit-time cycle detection) are **done** — see §5/§6.
 >
-> **Slice progress — P1-S4 (tracker adapter, single host):** the task ↔ job round-trip is **done** (§10) — `aq from-tracker` materializes a job from a tracker Item (idempotent on `tracker-<id>`, label→manifest mapping), `aq to-tracker` echoes status + a metrics-only comment one-way (idempotent via `tracker_echoed`, never fatal), and opt-in `AQ_TRACKER_AUTO` auto-echoes on transitions. All HTTP is curl-only through one wrapper (test seam `AQ_TRACKER_API_CMD`). **This closes the Phase-1 §14 tracker-adapter item.** Remaining P1 extras: `budget.wall` (P1-S3 left it) and Node-`dash` surfacing of the new fields.
+> **Slice progress — P1-S4 (tracker adapter, single host):** the task ↔ job round-trip is **done** (§10) — `aq from-tracker` materializes a job from a tracker Item (idempotent on `tracker-<id>`, label→manifest mapping), `aq to-tracker` echoes status + a metrics-only comment one-way (idempotent via `tracker_echoed`, never fatal), and opt-in `AQ_TRACKER_AUTO` auto-echoes on transitions. All HTTP is curl-only through one wrapper (test seam `AQ_TRACKER_API_CMD`). **This closes the Phase-1 §14 tracker-adapter item.** Remaining P1 extras: Node-`dash` surfacing of the new fields. *(`budget.wall` now enforced — see §11 retry/budget line below.)*
 
 - [x] Extend `agent-queue.sh` frontmatter parsing for all new manifest fields (§5), defaulted + backward-compatible. *(P1-S1)*
 - [x] Add `profiles/` directory + profile resolution (persona injection, default verify/caps/scope) (§6). *(P1-S2)*
 - [x] Local capability detection + a job/factory capability match check before launch (§8 subset). *(P1-S1: `detect_capabilities` + `caps_match`; mismatch ⇒ `failed/` `result=capability_mismatch`, agent never launched.)*
 - [x] `priority` ordering in the inbox pick (replace pure FIFO with priority-then-age). *(P1-S1: `inbox_sorted`; per-lock serialization preserved.)*
 - [x] `deps` (DAG) blocking on a single host; `idempotency-key` dedupe on `add`. *(P1-S1 idempotency dedupe + P1-S2 `deps` blocking/cycle detection.)*
-- [ ] `retry` with backoff into `failed`/requeue; `budget.wall` enforced (extends `timeout`). *(P1-S3: `retry` with backoff + `retries_exhausted` DONE; `budget.wall` still pending.)*
+- [x] `retry` with backoff into `failed`/requeue; `budget.wall` enforced (extends `timeout`). *(P1-S3: `retry` with backoff + `retries_exhausted` DONE. `budget.wall` DONE: parsed from `budget: { wall: <dur> }`, armed as a HARD wall-clock ceiling alongside `timeout` (whichever fires first binds), expiry → `failed` result=`budget_exceeded`, non-retryable by default.)*
 - [x] `allowed-scope` guardrail (warn-only this phase) + post-run diff report. *(P1-S2: `scope_check` WARN-only + `scope_warning=`.)*
 - [x] **Tracker adapter** `aq from-tracker <ITEM>` + `aq to-tracker` event poster (§10 P1). *(P1-S4: curl-only `tracker_api`; from-tracker materializes a job (idempotent), to-tracker echoes status+metrics one-way; opt-in `AQ_TRACKER_AUTO`. A standalone background poller is deferred to P2.)*
 - [ ] Dashboard shows profile + priority + capability tags + tracker-item link. *(P1-S1: `status` shows priority/profile/caps/tracker-item; P1-S4: status/insights also show last echoed tracker status; Node `dash` surfacing pending.)*
diff --git a/agent-queue/selftest.sh b/agent-queue/selftest.sh
index a453c84..4870625 100755
--- a/agent-queue/selftest.sh
+++ b/agent-queue/selftest.sh
@@ -380,7 +380,40 @@ DEVIN_BIN="$crashstub" "$AQ" run --once >/dev/null 2>&1
   || fail "retry(crash) should not retry when crash not in on (result=$(metaval "$AGENT_QUEUE_ROOT/.state/nocrashjob.meta" result) attempts=$(metaval "$AGENT_QUEUE_ROOT/.state/nocrashjob.meta" attempts))"
 unset AGENT_QUEUE_POLL
 
-# 17. insights parse: a stub log with a usage line → parse_usage records tokens/
+# 16b. budget.wall — unit + live enforcement.
+#   unit: _budget_wall_secs parses `budget: { wall: <dur> }`; _effective_kill
+#         picks the binding ceiling + class (budget.wall extends timeout).
+#   live: a long-running stub under budget.wall:2s is hard-killed -> failed/
+#         result=budget_exceeded (NOT timeout), and is non-retryable by default.
+bfuncs="$tmp/aq-funcs-budget.sh"; sed '/^main "\$@"/d' "$AQ" > "$bfuncs"
+bwfile="$tmp/budget-task.md"
+printf '%s\n' '---' 'engine: devin' 'budget: { usd: 5, tokens: 2M, wall: 4h }' '---' '' '# b' > "$bwfile"
+if bash -c 'set -uo pipefail; source "'"$bfuncs"'"
+     [ "$(_budget_wall_secs "'"$bwfile"'")" = "14400" ] || exit 1
+     [ "$(_effective_kill 0 0)" = "0 timeout" ] || exit 2
+     [ "$(_effective_kill 600 0)" = "600 timeout" ] || exit 3
+     [ "$(_effective_kill 0 300)" = "300 budget_exceeded" ] || exit 4
+     [ "$(_effective_kill 600 300)" = "300 budget_exceeded" ] || exit 5
+     [ "$(_effective_kill 300 600)" = "300 timeout" ] || exit 6'; then
+  pass "budget.wall: _budget_wall_secs parses wall=4h; _effective_kill binds earliest ceiling + class"
+else
+  fail "budget.wall unit logic wrong (parse/effective-kill)"
+fi
+sleepstub="$tmp/sleep-engine"
+printf '#!/usr/bin/env bash\nsleep 30\nexit 0\n' > "$sleepstub"; chmod +x "$sleepstub"
+export AGENT_QUEUE_ROOT="$tmp/queue-budget"
+"$AQ" init >/dev/null
+printf '%s\n' '---' 'engine: devin' "cwd: $work" 'yolo: true' \
+  'budget: { wall: 2s }' 'retry: { max: 2, backoff: 1s, on: [crash] }' '---' '' '# budget-wall task' \
+  > "$AGENT_QUEUE_ROOT/inbox/budgetjob.md"
+DEVIN_BIN="$sleepstub" "$AQ" run --once >/dev/null 2>&1
+if [ "$(metaval "$AGENT_QUEUE_ROOT/.state/budgetjob.meta" result)" = "budget_exceeded" ] \
+   && ls "$AGENT_QUEUE_ROOT"/failed/budgetjob.md >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  pass "budget.wall: long run hard-killed at wall ceiling -> failed/ (result=budget_exceeded, non-retryable)"
+else
+  fail "budget.wall live enforcement wrong (result=$(metaval "$AGENT_QUEUE_ROOT/.state/budgetjob.meta" result))"
+fi
+unset AGENT_QUEUE_ROOT
 # cost into meta; `insights <job>` prints them; a no-usage log doesn't crash.
 export AGENT_QUEUE_ROOT="$tmp/queue-usage"
 usagestub="$tmp/usage-engine"