diff --git a/packages/runtime/src/scr_async.c b/packages/runtime/src/scr_async.c
index de48d6b61..2ab35e85d 100644
--- a/packages/runtime/src/scr_async.c
+++ b/packages/runtime/src/scr_async.c
@@ -4153,13 +4153,19 @@ bool scr_loop_has_ready(void) { return scr_ready_len > 0 || scr_nt_head != NULL;
  * drains the poller at most once between check phases. I/O that becomes
  * ready while this iteration's callbacks run (a loopback connect started
  * by one of them) waits for the next iteration, so immediates queued in
- * the meantime fire first — Node's poll → check order. */
+ * the meantime fire first — Node's poll → check order. A full batch polls
+ * again without waiting, at most SCR_LOOP_IO_BATCHES times per phase (the
+ * count libuv's uv__io_poll uses); later events wait for the next
+ * iteration, so timers and immediates still run while sockets stay busy. */
+enum { SCR_LOOP_IO_BATCHES = 48 };
 static SCR_TL bool scr_loop_io_open = true;
+static SCR_TL int scr_loop_io_batches = 0;
 bool scr_loop_io_take(void) {
   bool open = scr_loop_io_open;
   scr_loop_io_open = false;
   return open;
 }
+bool scr_loop_io_more(void) { return ++scr_loop_io_batches < SCR_LOOP_IO_BATCHES; }
 void scr_loop_io_reopen(void) { scr_loop_io_open = true; }
 
 /* The process.nextTick queue to exhaustion, ticks queued meanwhile
@@ -4668,7 +4674,10 @@ static bool scr_loop_run_pass(ScrPromise *top_level, bool first_checkpoint) {
      * had nothing to run). A check phase deferred for pending microtasks
      * keeps it closed, so the next iteration reaches the check phase
      * before polling again. */
-    if (check_ran || scr_pending_immediates == 0) scr_loop_io_open = true;
+    if (check_ran || scr_pending_immediates == 0) {
+      scr_loop_io_open = true;
+      scr_loop_io_batches = 0;
+    }
   }
   return rejection_failed;
 }
diff --git a/packages/runtime/src/scr_net.c b/packages/runtime/src/scr_net.c
index 9684aebe9..f12840d91 100644
--- a/packages/runtime/src/scr_net.c
+++ b/packages/runtime/src/scr_net.c
@@ -4909,6 +4909,7 @@ static int scr_net_pollfd(void) {
 }
 
 bool scr_loop_io_take(void);
+bool scr_loop_io_more(void);
 void scr_loop_io_reopen(void);
 
 static void scr_net_dispatch(void) {
@@ -4917,8 +4918,9 @@ static void scr_net_dispatch(void) {
     return;
   }
   /* One poller drain per loop iteration (scr_loop_io_take); a full batch
-   * keeps draining, like libuv's poll phase. Deferred emits (the sweep)
-   * still run on every call. */
+   * keeps draining within the phase's batch budget (scr_loop_io_more), like
+   * libuv's poll phase. Deferred emits (the sweep) still run on every
+   * call. */
   bool may_drain = scr_loop_io_take();
   for (;;) {
     scr_net_sweep();
@@ -4928,7 +4930,7 @@ static void scr_net_dispatch(void) {
     int n = 0;
     if (may_drain) {
       n = scrp_drain(scr_net_poller, evs, 64);
-      may_drain = n == 64;
+      may_drain = n == 64 && scr_loop_io_more();
     }
     for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
       void *udata = evs[i].udata;