diff --git a/scripts/nvx_tools/adversarial.py b/scripts/nvx_tools/adversarial.py
index 9439e8822..45f178a1a 100644
--- a/scripts/nvx_tools/adversarial.py
+++ b/scripts/nvx_tools/adversarial.py
@@ -485,6 +485,8 @@ def __init__(
         self._stdin = self._process.stdin
         self._stdout = self._process.stdout
         self._responses: queue.Queue[bytes | None] = queue.Queue()
+        # Set when close gives up on a reader that a surviving process keeps blocked.
+        self._abandoned = False
         self._reader = threading.Thread(
             target=self._read_responses,
             name=f"nvx-executor-reader-{label}",
@@ -563,13 +565,22 @@ def close(self) -> None:
             cleanup_error = error
         finally:
             self._closed = True
-            for stream in (self._stdin, self._stdout, self._stderr_stream):
+            for stream in (self._stdin, self._stderr_stream):
                 try:
                     stream.close()
                 except OSError as error:
                     if cleanup_error is None:
                         cleanup_error = error
             self._reader.join(timeout=2.0)
+            if self._reader.is_alive():
+                # A process that outlived the wrapper still holds stdout. Closing the buffered
+                # stream would wait for the blocked reader, so the reader closes it when it
+                # ends, and it retains nothing further.
+                self._abandoned = True
+                if cleanup_error is None:
+                    cleanup_error = ScriptError(
+                        "executor output is still held open by a surviving process"
+                    )
         if cleanup_error is not None:
             raise cleanup_error
 
@@ -577,12 +588,19 @@ def abort(self) -> None:
         self._terminate()
 
     def _read_responses(self) -> None:
-        while line := self._stdout.readline(MAX_PROTOCOL_LINE_BYTES + 1):
-            if len(line) > MAX_PROTOCOL_LINE_BYTES:
-                self._responses.put(None)
-                return
-            self._responses.put(line)
-        self._responses.put(None)
+        try:
+            while line := self._stdout.readline(MAX_PROTOCOL_LINE_BYTES + 1):
+                if self._abandoned:
+                    # Keep draining so a surviving process is not blocked on a full pipe,
+                    # but retain nothing once the client has been closed.
+                    continue
+                if len(line) > MAX_PROTOCOL_LINE_BYTES:
+                    self._responses.put(None)
+                    return
+                self._responses.put(line)
+            self._responses.put(None)
+        finally:
+            self._stdout.close()
 
     def _terminate(self) -> None:
         if self._process.poll() is None:
diff --git a/scripts/test_adversarial.py b/scripts/test_adversarial.py
index 996eba46b..9af8734e0 100644
--- a/scripts/test_adversarial.py
+++ b/scripts/test_adversarial.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 import hashlib
 import json
 import os
+import queue
 import signal
 import socket
 import subprocess
@@ -23,6 +24,7 @@
 
 from nvx_tools.adversarial import (
     LOCAL_EXECUTOR_STATE_ROOT,
+    SCHEMA_VERSION,
     CampaignConfig,
     CopilotController,
     ExecutorClient,
@@ -2764,5 +2766,82 @@ def fake_run(
         self.assertIn(case_id, repair_prompt)
 
 
+class ExecutorCloseTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_close_is_bounded_when_a_surviving_child_holds_executor_stdout(self):
+        # The wrapper exits after starting a child that inherits its stdout, so the protocol
+        # reader stays blocked. Closing must not wait for that child to exit.
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(prefix="nvx-executor-close-") as temporary:
+            root = Path(temporary)
+            run_dir = root / "run"
+            run_dir.mkdir()
+            pid_file = root / "child.pid"
+            child = (
+                f'"{sys.executable}" -c "import os, sys, time; '
+                "open(sys.argv[1], 'w').write(str(os.getpid())); time.sleep(20)\""
+                f' "{pid_file}"'
+            )
+            if os.name == "nt":
+                wrapper = root / "wrapper.cmd"
+                wrapper.write_bytes(f'@echo off\r\nstart "" /B {child}\r\n'.encode())
+            else:
+                wrapper = root / "wrapper.sh"
+                wrapper.write_bytes(f"#!/bin/sh\n{child} &\n".encode())
+                wrapper.chmod(0o755)
+            client = ExecutorClient(
+                run_dir=run_dir,
+                command=str(wrapper),
+                label="surviving-child",
+            )
+            try:
+                with self.assertRaises(ExecutorUnavailableError):
+                    client.request(
+                        {"schema_version": SCHEMA_VERSION, "operation": "shutdown"},
+                        timeout=0.5,
+                    )
+                started = time.monotonic()
+                # If the wrapper exited before request() flushed stdin, close() can see the
+                # buffered stdin data fail with BrokenPipeError instead of the stdout ScriptError.
+                with self.assertRaises((ScriptError, BrokenPipeError)):
+                    client.close()
+                self.assertLess(time.monotonic() - started, 8.0)
+            finally:
+                # The surviving child holds the log and must not outlive the test.
+                deadline = time.monotonic() + 5.0
+                while not pid_file.exists() and time.monotonic() < deadline:
+                    time.sleep(0.05)
+                if pid_file.exists():
+                    pid = pid_file.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+                    if os.name == "nt":
+                        subprocess.run(
+                            ["taskkill.exe", "/PID", pid, "/T", "/F"],
+                            check=False,
+                            capture_output=True,
+                        )
+                    else:
+                        os.kill(int(pid), signal.SIGKILL)
+
+    def test_reader_closes_its_stream_when_the_output_ends(self):
+        client = ExecutorClient.__new__(ExecutorClient)
+        client._stdout = MagicMock()
+        client._stdout.readline.side_effect = [b'{"ok": true}\n', b""]
+        client._responses = queue.Queue()
+        client._abandoned = False
+        client._read_responses()
+        client._stdout.close.assert_called_once_with()
+        self.assertEqual(client._responses.get_nowait(), b'{"ok": true}\n')
+        self.assertIsNone(client._responses.get_nowait())
+
+    def test_abandoned_reader_drains_output_without_retaining_it(self):
+        client = ExecutorClient.__new__(ExecutorClient)
+        client._stdout = MagicMock()
+        client._stdout.readline.side_effect = [b"late\n", b"later\n", b""]
+        client._responses = queue.Queue()
+        client._abandoned = True
+        client._read_responses()
+        client._stdout.close.assert_called_once_with()
+        self.assertIsNone(client._responses.get_nowait())
+        self.assertTrue(client._responses.empty())
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()