diff --git a/packages/runtime/src/scr_async.c b/packages/runtime/src/scr_async.c
index 131fa1f4..dae4d630 100644
--- a/packages/runtime/src/scr_async.c
+++ b/packages/runtime/src/scr_async.c
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@
  * their empty implementation makes the absence explicit at link time
  * without weakening async/timer support. */
 bool scr_children_pending(void) { return false; }
+bool scr_children_ready(void) { return false; }
 bool scr_children_reffed_pending(void) { return false; }
 bool scr_children_failed_pending(void) { return false; }
 void scr_children_poll(void) {}
@@ -2614,6 +2615,11 @@ bool scr_loop_run(ScrPromise *top_level) {
     /* Pending immediates are always-ready work: no sleep — run due timers
      * (Node's timers phase precedes check), then the check phase below. */
     if (scr_pending_immediates > 0) due = now;
+    /* Child polling can drain a pipe into the IPC queue after its dispatch
+     * station has run. Completed sends and disconnects can also become ready
+     * during that turn. No fd will wake us for this userspace work: return to
+     * dispatch without sleeping, still allowing due timers and immediates. */
+    if (scr_children_ready()) due = now;
     bool evw = scr_events_watching_fn != NULL && scr_events_watching_fn();
     if (io) {
       if (kids && due > now + SCR_CHILD_POLL_MS) due = now + SCR_CHILD_POLL_MS;
diff --git a/packages/runtime/src/scr_child.c b/packages/runtime/src/scr_child.c
index 540e1fc9..0cd0ed8b 100644
--- a/packages/runtime/src/scr_child.c
+++ b/packages/runtime/src/scr_child.c
@@ -5660,6 +5660,20 @@ static bool scr_ipc_pending(void) {
   return false;
 }
 
+bool scr_children_ready(void) {
+  for (ScrIpc *ipc = scr_ipcs; ipc != NULL; ipc = ipc->next) {
+    if (ipc->disconnect_pending || (ipc->n_pending > 0 && ipc->n_message > 0)) {
+      return true;
+    }
+    bool writer_pending = scr_child_writer_pending(ipc->writer);
+    if (ipc->n_send > 0 && (ipc->send_error != NULL || !writer_pending)) {
+      return true;
+    }
+    if (ipc->local_closing && !writer_pending) return true;
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
 double scr_process_fork_target(double target_count) {
   if (scr_process_fork_id != -2) return scr_process_fork_id;
   double target = -1;
diff --git a/packages/runtime/src/scr_runtime.h b/packages/runtime/src/scr_runtime.h
index e4294b00..66deb40d 100644
--- a/packages/runtime/src/scr_runtime.h
+++ b/packages/runtime/src/scr_runtime.h
@@ -2806,6 +2806,9 @@ const char *scr_signal_name(int sig);
  * pending child: non-kqueue platforms, spawn failures awaiting their
  * first-pass settle, or a child whose exit filter could not be armed. */
 bool scr_children_pending(void);
+/* Work already queued in userspace: dispatch can progress without another
+ * pipe/exit notification. Connected channels and blocked writes are not ready. */
+bool scr_children_ready(void);
 bool scr_children_failed_pending(void);
 void scr_children_poll(void);
 bool scr_children_wait(double max_wait_ms);
diff --git a/scripts/sandbox-test.mjs b/scripts/sandbox-test.mjs
index 8964b488..adeb4df9 100644
--- a/scripts/sandbox-test.mjs
+++ b/scripts/sandbox-test.mjs
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ const hostLaneContractPattern = [
   "udp-loopback-pair",
   "1564-fs-watch.ts",
   "1470-child-lifecycle.ts",
+  "2963-child-fork-dispatch/main.ts",
   "read-all: chunked writes with delays, then EOF",
 ].join("|");
 const hostInvariantContractFiles = [
diff --git a/tests/corpus/2963-child-fork-dispatch/main.ts b/tests/corpus/2963-child-fork-dispatch/main.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e9a9316a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/2963-child-fork-dispatch/main.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+import { fork } from "node:child_process";
+
+const child = fork(new URL("./worker.ts", import.meta.url), [], {
+  stdio: ["ignore", "ignore", "inherit", "ipc"],
+});
+
+// Start the deadline after the child is ready so process startup is not part
+// of the bound. Queued IPC must not wait for the idle poll timeout (1 second
+// per handoff), or for this timer to wake the loop. No periodic wakeups.
+let replies = 0;
+let sent = 0;
+let disconnected = false;
+child.once("message", () => {
+  const deadline = setTimeout(() => {
+    console.log("IPC stalled");
+  }, 500);
+  child.on("message", (message: { value: number }) => {
+    replies++;
+    if (message.value < 3) {
+      child.send({ value: message.value + 1 }, (error) => {
+        if (error) throw error;
+        sent++;
+      });
+    }
+  });
+  child.once("disconnect", () => {
+    disconnected = true;
+    clearTimeout(deadline);
+  });
+  child.send({ value: 1 }, (error) => {
+    if (error) throw error;
+    sent++;
+  });
+});
+child.once("exit", (code) => {
+  console.log("replies", replies, "sent", sent, "disconnected", disconnected, "exit", code);
+});
diff --git a/tests/corpus/2963-child-fork-dispatch/worker.ts b/tests/corpus/2963-child-fork-dispatch/worker.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a65966ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/corpus/2963-child-fork-dispatch/worker.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+process.on("message", (message: { value: number }) => {
+  process.send?.({ value: message.value }, (error) => {
+    if (error) throw error;
+    if (message.value === 3) process.disconnect();
+  });
+});
+process.send?.({ value: 0 });