diff --git a/backend/packages/harness/deerflow/persistence/engine.py b/backend/packages/harness/deerflow/persistence/engine.py
index 1503e82e6..565ced5b9 100644
--- a/backend/packages/harness/deerflow/persistence/engine.py
+++ b/backend/packages/harness/deerflow/persistence/engine.py
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ import logging
 
 from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncEngine, AsyncSession, async_sessionmaker, create_async_engine
 
+from deerflow.utils.file_io import await_drained
+
 # Recycle pooled Postgres connections before stale idle sockets can hang
 # pool_pre_ping. The command timeout bounds stalled ORM queries independently.
 POSTGRES_POOL_RECYCLE_SECONDS = 300
@@ -266,10 +268,21 @@ def get_engine() -> AsyncEngine | None:
 
 
 async def close_engine() -> None:
-    """Dispose the engine, release all connections."""
+    """Dispose the engine before releasing the process-global ownership."""
     global _engine, _session_factory
-    if _engine is not None:
-        await _engine.dispose()
+
+    engine = _engine
+    if engine is None:
+        _session_factory = None
+        return
+
+    async def dispose_and_clear() -> None:
+        global _engine, _session_factory
+
+        await engine.dispose()
         logger.info("Persistence engine closed")
-    _engine = None
-    _session_factory = None
+        if _engine is engine:
+            _engine = None
+            _session_factory = None
+
+    await await_drained(dispose_and_clear())
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_persistence_engine_close_cancellation.py b/backend/tests/test_persistence_engine_close_cancellation.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f7994241e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/test_persistence_engine_close_cancellation.py
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+import asyncio
+
+import pytest
+
+from deerflow.persistence import engine as engine_mod
+
+
+class _BlockingEngine:
+    def __init__(self) -> None:
+        self.dispose_started = asyncio.Event()
+        self.allow_dispose = asyncio.Event()
+        self.dispose_finished = asyncio.Event()
+
+    async def dispose(self) -> None:
+        self.dispose_started.set()
+        await self.allow_dispose.wait()
+        self.dispose_finished.set()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_close_engine_drains_dispose_across_repeated_cancellation() -> None:
+    fake_engine = _BlockingEngine()
+    fake_factory = object()
+    previous_engine = engine_mod._engine
+    previous_factory = engine_mod._session_factory
+    task: asyncio.Task[None] | None = None
+
+    try:
+        engine_mod._engine = fake_engine
+        engine_mod._session_factory = fake_factory
+        task = asyncio.create_task(engine_mod.close_engine())
+        await asyncio.wait_for(fake_engine.dispose_started.wait(), timeout=1)
+
+        task.cancel()
+        for _ in range(5):
+            await asyncio.sleep(0)
+        assert not task.done(), "engine teardown returned before dispose finished"
+        assert engine_mod._engine is fake_engine
+        assert engine_mod._session_factory is fake_factory
+
+        task.cancel()
+        for _ in range(5):
+            await asyncio.sleep(0)
+        assert not task.done(), "repeated cancellation interrupted engine dispose"
+
+        fake_engine.allow_dispose.set()
+        with pytest.raises(asyncio.CancelledError):
+            await task
+
+        assert fake_engine.dispose_finished.is_set()
+        assert engine_mod._engine is None
+        assert engine_mod._session_factory is None
+    finally:
+        fake_engine.allow_dispose.set()
+        if task is not None and not task.done():
+            task.cancel()
+            await asyncio.gather(task, return_exceptions=True)
+        engine_mod._engine = previous_engine
+        engine_mod._session_factory = previous_factory
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_close_engine_preserves_replacement_globals() -> None:
+    closing_engine = _BlockingEngine()
+    closing_factory = object()
+    replacement_engine = _BlockingEngine()
+    replacement_factory = object()
+    previous_engine = engine_mod._engine
+    previous_factory = engine_mod._session_factory
+    task: asyncio.Task[None] | None = None
+
+    try:
+        engine_mod._engine = closing_engine
+        engine_mod._session_factory = closing_factory
+        task = asyncio.create_task(engine_mod.close_engine())
+        await asyncio.wait_for(closing_engine.dispose_started.wait(), timeout=1)
+
+        engine_mod._engine = replacement_engine
+        engine_mod._session_factory = replacement_factory
+        closing_engine.allow_dispose.set()
+        await task
+
+        assert closing_engine.dispose_finished.is_set()
+        assert engine_mod._engine is replacement_engine
+        assert engine_mod._session_factory is replacement_factory
+    finally:
+        closing_engine.allow_dispose.set()
+        if task is not None and not task.done():
+            task.cancel()
+            await asyncio.gather(task, return_exceptions=True)
+        engine_mod._engine = previous_engine
+        engine_mod._session_factory = previous_factory