diff --git a/cmd/clawgo/cmd_gateway.go b/cmd/clawgo/cmd_gateway.go
index b011aa4..9208979 100644
--- a/cmd/clawgo/cmd_gateway.go
+++ b/cmd/clawgo/cmd_gateway.go
@@ -949,6 +949,7 @@ func buildAutonomyEngine(cfg *config.Config, msgBus *bus.MessageBus) *autonomy.E
 		NotifySameReasonCooldownSec: a.NotifySameReasonCooldownSec,
 		QuietHours:                  a.QuietHours,
 		UserIdleResumeSec:           a.UserIdleResumeSec,
+		MaxRoundsWithoutUser:        a.MaxRoundsWithoutUser,
 		WaitingResumeDebounceSec:    a.WaitingResumeDebounceSec,
 		AllowedTaskKeywords:         a.AllowedTaskKeywords,
 		ImportantKeywords:           cfg.Agents.Defaults.Texts.AutonomyImportantKeywords,
diff --git a/pkg/autonomy/engine.go b/pkg/autonomy/engine.go
index b434f4f..8426ed5 100644
--- a/pkg/autonomy/engine.go
+++ b/pkg/autonomy/engine.go
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ type Options struct {
 	QuietHours                  string
 	UserIdleResumeSec           int
 	WaitingResumeDebounceSec    int
+	MaxRoundsWithoutUser      int
 	AllowedTaskKeywords        []string
 	ImportantKeywords           []string
 	CompletionTemplate          string
@@ -69,6 +70,7 @@ type Engine struct {
 	state      map[string]*taskState
 	lastNotify map[string]time.Time
 	lockOwners map[string]string
+	roundsWithoutUser int
 }
 
 func NewEngine(opts Options, msgBus *bus.MessageBus) *Engine {
@@ -99,6 +101,9 @@ func NewEngine(opts Options, msgBus *bus.MessageBus) *Engine {
 	if opts.WaitingResumeDebounceSec <= 0 {
 		opts.WaitingResumeDebounceSec = 5
 	}
+	if opts.MaxRoundsWithoutUser < 0 {
+		opts.MaxRoundsWithoutUser = 0
+	}
 	return &Engine{
 		opts:       opts,
 		bus:        msgBus,
@@ -153,6 +158,7 @@ func (e *Engine) tick() {
 				e.writeTriggerAudit("waiting", st, "manual_pause")
 			}
 		}
+		e.roundsWithoutUser = 0
 		e.persistStateLocked()
 		e.mu.Unlock()
 		return
@@ -306,6 +312,14 @@ func (e *Engine) tick() {
 			}
 		}
 
+		if e.opts.MaxRoundsWithoutUser > 0 && e.roundsWithoutUser >= e.opts.MaxRoundsWithoutUser {
+			st.Status = "waiting"
+			st.BlockReason = "idle_round_budget"
+			st.WaitingSince = now
+			e.writeReflectLog("waiting", st, fmt.Sprintf("paused by idle round budget (%d)", e.opts.MaxRoundsWithoutUser))
+			e.writeTriggerAudit("waiting", st, "idle_round_budget")
+			continue
+		}
 		if !e.tryAcquireLocksLocked(st) {
 			st.Status = "waiting"
 			st.BlockReason = "resource_lock"
@@ -325,6 +339,7 @@ func (e *Engine) tick() {
 		st.LastAutonomyAt = now
 		e.writeReflectLog("dispatch", st, "task dispatched to agent loop")
 		e.writeTriggerAudit("dispatch", st, "")
+		e.roundsWithoutUser++
 		dispatched++
 	}
 	e.persistStateLocked()
diff --git a/pkg/config/config.go b/pkg/config/config.go
index cabb9c8..71ddd04 100644
--- a/pkg/config/config.go
+++ b/pkg/config/config.go
@@ -54,9 +54,10 @@ type AutonomyConfig struct {
 	NotifyCooldownSec           int    `json:"notify_cooldown_sec" env:"CLAWGO_AGENTS_DEFAULTS_AUTONOMY_NOTIFY_COOLDOWN_SEC"`
 	NotifySameReasonCooldownSec int    `json:"notify_same_reason_cooldown_sec" env:"CLAWGO_AGENTS_DEFAULTS_AUTONOMY_NOTIFY_SAME_REASON_COOLDOWN_SEC"`
 	QuietHours                  string `json:"quiet_hours" env:"CLAWGO_AGENTS_DEFAULTS_AUTONOMY_QUIET_HOURS"`
-	UserIdleResumeSec           int    `json:"user_idle_resume_sec" env:"CLAWGO_AGENTS_DEFAULTS_AUTONOMY_USER_IDLE_RESUME_SEC"`
-	WaitingResumeDebounceSec    int      `json:"waiting_resume_debounce_sec" env:"CLAWGO_AGENTS_DEFAULTS_AUTONOMY_WAITING_RESUME_DEBOUNCE_SEC"`
-	AllowedTaskKeywords       []string `json:"allowed_task_keywords" env:"CLAWGO_AGENTS_DEFAULTS_AUTONOMY_ALLOWED_TASK_KEYWORDS"`
+	UserIdleResumeSec           int      `json:"user_idle_resume_sec" env:"CLAWGO_AGENTS_DEFAULTS_AUTONOMY_USER_IDLE_RESUME_SEC"`
+	MaxRoundsWithoutUser       int      `json:"max_rounds_without_user" env:"CLAWGO_AGENTS_DEFAULTS_AUTONOMY_MAX_ROUNDS_WITHOUT_USER"`
+	WaitingResumeDebounceSec   int      `json:"waiting_resume_debounce_sec" env:"CLAWGO_AGENTS_DEFAULTS_AUTONOMY_WAITING_RESUME_DEBOUNCE_SEC"`
+	AllowedTaskKeywords        []string `json:"allowed_task_keywords" env:"CLAWGO_AGENTS_DEFAULTS_AUTONOMY_ALLOWED_TASK_KEYWORDS"`
 	NotifyChannel               string `json:"notify_channel" env:"CLAWGO_AGENTS_DEFAULTS_AUTONOMY_NOTIFY_CHANNEL"`
 	NotifyChatID                string `json:"notify_chat_id" env:"CLAWGO_AGENTS_DEFAULTS_AUTONOMY_NOTIFY_CHAT_ID"`
 }
@@ -324,7 +325,9 @@ func DefaultConfig() *Config {
 					NotifySameReasonCooldownSec: 900,
 					QuietHours:                  "23:00-08:00",
 					UserIdleResumeSec:           20,
+					MaxRoundsWithoutUser:        12,
 					WaitingResumeDebounceSec:    5,
+					AllowedTaskKeywords:         []string{},
 					NotifyChannel:               "",
 					NotifyChatID:                "",
 				},