diff --git a/server/src/modules/computers/adapters/boat.test.ts b/server/src/modules/computers/adapters/boat.test.ts
index 5485df9565..8c072c152e 100644
--- a/server/src/modules/computers/adapters/boat.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/modules/computers/adapters/boat.test.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,11 @@ import { afterEach, describe, it, expect, vi } from "vitest";
 import { boatBackend, createBoatTransportAdmission, desktopReadinessProgram, processProgram } from "./boat.js";
 import { buildGitAuthInvocation } from "../../../services/git-credentials.js";
 import type { ComputerRecord } from "../domain/ledger.js";
+const sshFactory = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn());
+vi.mock("@paperclipai/adapter-utils/ssh", async importOriginal => ({
+  ...await importOriginal<typeof import("@paperclipai/adapter-utils/ssh")>(),
+  createSshCommandManagedRuntimeRunner: sshFactory,
+}));
 const record: ComputerRecord = {
   id: "computer",
   companyId: "company",
@@ -607,6 +612,34 @@ describe("Boat SSH admission", () => {
     await Promise.all(jobs);
     expect(runner.execute).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(12);
   });
+  it("classifies checkout and file operations below reserved lifecycle capacity", async () => {
+    const id = randomUUID();
+    const scoped = { ...record, id, providerId: `bx_${id}` };
+    const completions: Array<() => void> = [];
+    const execute = vi.fn(async (_input: { stdin?: string }) => new Promise<typeof result>(resolve => {
+      completions.push(() => resolve({ ...result, stdout: "{}" }));
+    }));
+    sshFactory.mockReturnValue({ execute });
+    const backend = boatBackend(async () => "fixture-key", vi.fn(async () => json({
+      hostKey: "ssh-ed25519 AAAA", sshEndpoint: "fixture.invalid:2222",
+    })));
+    const jobs = Array.from({ length: 8 }, (_, index) => backend.remote(scoped, {
+      action: index % 2 ? "workspace" : "list", root: "/home/user/paperclip/company/project",
+    }));
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(execute).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(6));
+    jobs.push(backend.retire(scoped, { id: "owner", generation: 1, kind: "runner", phase: "retiring", port: 43127,
+      deadline: null, absoluteDeadline: null, process: null }));
+    jobs.push(backend.remote(scoped, { action: "owned-port", port: 5173, ownerId: "owner" }));
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(execute).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(8));
+    const actions = execute.mock.calls.map(([input]) => JSON.parse(input.stdin!).action);
+    expect(actions.filter(action => action === "workspace" || action === "list")).toHaveLength(6);
+    expect(actions).toContain("retire"); expect(actions).toContain("owned-port");
+    completions.splice(0).forEach(finish => finish());
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(execute).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(10));
+    completions.splice(0).forEach(finish => finish());
+    await Promise.all(jobs);
+    sshFactory.mockReset();
+  });
   it("expires queued work without starting it and preserves the original remaining timeout", async () => {
     vi.useFakeTimers();
     try {
diff --git a/server/src/modules/computers/adapters/boat.ts b/server/src/modules/computers/adapters/boat.ts
index 9944f1d222..16bd5c27c2 100644
--- a/server/src/modules/computers/adapters/boat.ts
+++ b/server/src/modules/computers/adapters/boat.ts
@@ -342,9 +342,10 @@ export function boatBackend(
     record: ComputerRecord,
     code: string,
     payload: unknown,
+    control = true,
   ) {
     const result = await (
-      await runner(record, { control: true })
+      await runner(record, { control })
     ).execute({
       command: "python3",
       args: ["-c", code],
@@ -550,7 +551,9 @@ print('{}')
       return { url: url.toString(), secretHeaders: { Cookie: cookie } };
     },
     async remote(record, input) {
-      return execute(record, remoteProgram, input);
+      // Git setup and file I/O may wait on locks or transfer substantial data.
+      // Keep lifecycle capacity reserved; only the short owned-port probe uses it.
+      return execute(record, remoteProgram, input, input.action === "owned-port");
     },
   };
 }