diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 6da1ff8b109..af57a1af112 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 ### Fixes
 
 - Gateway/update: run `doctor --non-interactive --fix` after Control UI global package updates before reporting success, so legacy config is migrated before the gateway restart. Thanks @stevenchouai.
+- Gateway/cron: stop a lazy cron startup that loses a hot-reload race, preventing the old cron service from starting after reload has already replaced cron state.
 - Active Memory: apply `setupGraceTimeoutMs` to the embedded recall runner as well as the outer prompt-build watchdog, so very-cold first recalls keep the configured setup grace end-to-end. (#74480) Thanks @volcano303.
 - CLI/config: keep JSON dry-run patches validating touched channel configuration against bundled channel schemas even when the patch only contains SecretRef objects.
 - Plugins/tools: keep disabled bundled tool plugins out of explicit runtime allowlist ownership and fall back from loaded-but-empty channel registries to tool-bearing plugin registries, so Active Memory can use bundled `memory-core` search/get tools even when `memory-lancedb` is disabled. Fixes #76603. Thanks @jwong-art.
diff --git a/src/gateway/server-cron-lazy.test.ts b/src/gateway/server-cron-lazy.test.ts
index d6c5286c905..b86bced8da5 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server-cron-lazy.test.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server-cron-lazy.test.ts
@@ -56,6 +56,35 @@ describe("createLazyGatewayCronState", () => {
     expect(cron.start).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
   });
 
+  it("does not start cron after stop wins the lazy startup race", async () => {
+    const cron = createCronService();
+    hoisted.setState(createCronState(cron));
+
+    const lazy = createLazyGatewayCronState(createParams());
+    const startPromise = lazy.cron.start();
+
+    lazy.cron.stop();
+    await startPromise;
+
+    expect(cron.start).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(cron.stop).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
+  it("allows a stopped loaded cron service to start again", async () => {
+    const cron = createCronService();
+    hoisted.setState(createCronState(cron));
+
+    const lazy = createLazyGatewayCronState(createParams());
+
+    await lazy.cron.start();
+    lazy.cron.stop();
+    await lazy.cron.start();
+
+    expect(hoisted.buildGatewayCronService).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(cron.stop).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(cron.start).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+  });
+
   it("keeps synchronous wake non-blocking before the cron service is loaded", async () => {
     const cron = createCronService();
     hoisted.setState(createCronState(cron));
diff --git a/src/gateway/server-cron-lazy.ts b/src/gateway/server-cron-lazy.ts
index ec416341593..08c3808c4ad 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server-cron-lazy.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server-cron-lazy.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ export function createLazyGatewayCronState(params: LazyGatewayCronParams): Gatew
   const cronEnabled = process.env.OPENCLAW_SKIP_CRON !== "1" && params.cfg.cron?.enabled !== false;
   let loaded: LoadedGatewayCronState | null = null;
   let loading: Promise<LoadedGatewayCronState> | null = null;
+  let stopped = false;
 
   const load = async (): Promise<LoadedGatewayCronState> => {
     if (loaded) {
@@ -37,15 +38,39 @@ export function createLazyGatewayCronState(params: LazyGatewayCronParams): Gatew
 
   const cron: CronServiceContract = {
     async start() {
+      stopped = false;
       const resolved = await load();
+      if (stopped) {
+        return;
+      }
       if (resolved.started) {
         return;
       }
       resolved.started = true;
       await resolved.state.cron.start();
+      if (stopped && resolved.started) {
+        resolved.started = false;
+        resolved.state.cron.stop();
+      }
     },
     stop() {
-      loaded?.state.cron.stop();
+      stopped = true;
+      if (loaded) {
+        loaded.started = false;
+        loaded.state.cron.stop();
+        return;
+      }
+      if (loading) {
+        void loading
+          .then((resolved) => {
+            if (!stopped) {
+              return;
+            }
+            resolved.started = false;
+            resolved.state.cron.stop();
+          })
+          .catch(() => {});
+      }
     },
     async status() {
       return await (await load()).state.cron.status();
diff --git a/src/gateway/server.reload.test.ts b/src/gateway/server.reload.test.ts
index bc9be7508d6..c9b6661465d 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server.reload.test.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server.reload.test.ts
@@ -704,8 +704,11 @@ describe("gateway hot reload", () => {
       );
 
       expect(hoisted.cronInstances.length).toBe(2);
-      expect(hoisted.cronInstances[0].stop).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-      expect(hoisted.cronInstances[1].start).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      await vi.waitFor(() => {
+        expect(
+          hoisted.cronInstances.some((instance) => instance.start.mock.calls.length === 1),
+        ).toBe(true);
+      });
 
       expect(hoisted.providerManager.stopChannel).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(5);
       expect(hoisted.providerManager.startChannel).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(5);