diff --git a/apps/server/agent/manager.ts b/apps/server/agent/manager.ts
index 6ca303f..6c62c0d 100644
--- a/apps/server/agent/manager.ts
+++ b/apps/server/agent/manager.ts
@@ -107,13 +107,14 @@ export class MultiProviderAgentManager implements AgentManager {
 
   /**
    * Centralized cleanup of all in-memory state for an agent.
-   * Cancels polling timer, removes from activeAgents and commitRetryCount.
+   * Cancels polling timer, removes from activeAgents.
+   * NOTE: Does NOT clear commitRetryCount — that's managed by tryAutoCleanup()
+   * and explicitly by stop()/delete() to avoid resetting retries mid-cycle.
    */
   private cleanupAgentState(agentId: string): void {
     const active = this.activeAgents.get(agentId);
     if (active?.cancelPoll) active.cancelPoll();
     this.activeAgents.delete(agentId);
-    this.commitRetryCount.delete(agentId);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -635,6 +636,7 @@ export class MultiProviderAgentManager implements AgentManager {
       await active.tailer.stop();
     }
     this.cleanupAgentState(agentId);
+    this.commitRetryCount.delete(agentId);
 
     // Sync credentials before marking stopped
     await this.syncCredentialsPostCompletion(agentId);
@@ -811,6 +813,7 @@ export class MultiProviderAgentManager implements AgentManager {
       await active.tailer.stop();
     }
     this.cleanupAgentState(agentId);
+    this.commitRetryCount.delete(agentId);
 
     // 2. Best-effort cleanup
     try { await this.cleanupManager.removeAgentWorktrees(agent.name, agent.initiativeId); }