diff --git a/src/cron/service.does-not-wake-on-next-heartbeat-main-job.test.ts b/src/cron/service.does-not-wake-on-next-heartbeat-main-job.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..39bac27db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cron/service.does-not-wake-on-next-heartbeat-main-job.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+import fs from "node:fs/promises";
+import os from "node:os";
+import path from "node:path";
+
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+import { CronService } from "./service.js";
+
+const noopLogger = {
+  debug: vi.fn(),
+  info: vi.fn(),
+  warn: vi.fn(),
+  error: vi.fn(),
+};
+
+async function makeStorePath() {
+  const dir = await fs.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "moltbot-cron-"));
+  return {
+    storePath: path.join(dir, "cron", "jobs.json"),
+    cleanup: async () => {
+      await fs.rm(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    },
+  };
+}
+
+describe("CronService", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    vi.setSystemTime(new Date("2025-12-13T00:00:00.000Z"));
+    noopLogger.debug.mockClear();
+    noopLogger.info.mockClear();
+    noopLogger.warn.mockClear();
+    noopLogger.error.mockClear();
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.useRealTimers();
+  });
+
+  it("does not requestHeartbeatNow for main jobs when wakeMode is next-heartbeat", async () => {
+    const store = await makeStorePath();
+    const enqueueSystemEvent = vi.fn();
+    const requestHeartbeatNow = vi.fn();
+
+    const cron = new CronService({
+      storePath: store.storePath,
+      cronEnabled: true,
+      log: noopLogger,
+      enqueueSystemEvent,
+      requestHeartbeatNow,
+      runIsolatedAgentJob: vi.fn(async () => ({ status: "ok" as const })),
+    });
+
+    await cron.start();
+    const atMs = Date.parse("2025-12-13T00:00:02.000Z");
+    await cron.add({
+      name: "next-heartbeat main job",
+      enabled: true,
+      schedule: { kind: "at", atMs },
+      sessionTarget: "main",
+      wakeMode: "next-heartbeat",
+      payload: { kind: "systemEvent", text: "hello" },
+    });
+
+    vi.setSystemTime(new Date("2025-12-13T00:00:02.000Z"));
+    await vi.runOnlyPendingTimersAsync();
+
+    expect(enqueueSystemEvent).toHaveBeenCalledWith("hello", { agentId: undefined });
+    expect(requestHeartbeatNow).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    cron.stop();
+    await store.cleanup();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/cron/service.prevents-duplicate-timers.test.ts b/src/cron/service.prevents-duplicate-timers.test.ts
index 9f22450a2..966f2f22b 100644
--- a/src/cron/service.prevents-duplicate-timers.test.ts
+++ b/src/cron/service.prevents-duplicate-timers.test.ts
@@ -80,7 +80,8 @@ describe("CronService", () => {
     await cronB.status();
 
     expect(enqueueSystemEvent).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-    expect(requestHeartbeatNow).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    // wakeMode=next-heartbeat should not force a heartbeat.
+    expect(requestHeartbeatNow).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
 
     cronA.stop();
     cronB.stop();
diff --git a/src/cron/service/timer.ts b/src/cron/service/timer.ts
index 370f5d116..78ec1045f 100644
--- a/src/cron/service/timer.ts
+++ b/src/cron/service/timer.ts
@@ -183,8 +183,11 @@ export async function executeJob(
           await finish("error", heartbeatResult.reason, text);
         }
       } else {
-        // wakeMode is "next-heartbeat" or runHeartbeatOnce not available
-        state.deps.requestHeartbeatNow({ reason: `cron:${job.id}` });
+        // If wakeMode is "now" but runHeartbeatOnce isn't available, request a heartbeat.
+        // If wakeMode is "next-heartbeat", do NOT force a heartbeat: that's the whole point.
+        if (job.wakeMode === "now") {
+          state.deps.requestHeartbeatNow({ reason: `cron:${job.id}` });
+        }
         await finish("ok", undefined, text);
       }
       return;