diff --git a/src/utils/pipeline-manager.test.ts b/src/utils/pipeline-manager.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2be8efa5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/pipeline-manager.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+import { MemoryPipelineManager, type CapturedMessage, type PipelineConfig } from "./pipeline-manager.js";
+
+const config: PipelineConfig = {
+  everyNConversations: 1,
+  enableWarmup: false,
+  l1: {
+    idleTimeoutSeconds: 60,
+  },
+  l2: {
+    delayAfterL1Seconds: 1,
+    minIntervalSeconds: 5,
+    maxIntervalSeconds: 10,
+    sessionActiveWindowHours: 24,
+  },
+};
+
+function message(content: string): CapturedMessage {
+  return {
+    role: "user",
+    content,
+    timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
+  };
+}
+
+async function flushMicrotasks(): Promise<void> {
+  await Promise.resolve();
+  await Promise.resolve();
+}
+
+describe("MemoryPipelineManager", () => {
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.useRealTimers();
+  });
+
+  it("stops idle L2 maxInterval polling after the cold-start retry also skips", async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    vi.setSystemTime(new Date("2026-06-11T00:00:00.000Z"));
+
+    const manager = new MemoryPipelineManager(config);
+    const l1Runner = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+    const l2Runner = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ skipped: true });
+
+    manager.setL1Runner(l1Runner);
+    manager.setL2Runner(l2Runner);
+
+    await manager.notifyConversation("session-a", [message("first")]);
+    await flushMicrotasks();
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1_000);
+    await flushMicrotasks();
+
+    expect(l1Runner).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(l2Runner).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(10_000);
+    await flushMicrotasks();
+
+    expect(l2Runner).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(60_000);
+    await flushMicrotasks();
+
+    expect(l2Runner).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+
+    l2Runner.mockResolvedValueOnce({ skipped: true });
+    await manager.notifyConversation("session-a", [message("second")]);
+    await flushMicrotasks();
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1_000);
+    await flushMicrotasks();
+
+    expect(l1Runner).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    expect(l2Runner).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3);
+
+    await manager.destroy();
+  });
+
+  it("keeps maxInterval polling after L2 has established a cursor", async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    vi.setSystemTime(new Date("2026-06-11T00:00:00.000Z"));
+
+    const manager = new MemoryPipelineManager(config);
+    const l1Runner = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+    const l2Runner = vi.fn()
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ latestCursor: "2026-06-11T00:00:01.000Z" })
+      .mockResolvedValue({ skipped: true });
+
+    manager.setL1Runner(l1Runner);
+    manager.setL2Runner(l2Runner);
+
+    await manager.notifyConversation("session-b", [message("first")]);
+    await flushMicrotasks();
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1_000);
+    await flushMicrotasks();
+
+    expect(l2Runner).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(10_000);
+    await flushMicrotasks();
+
+    expect(l2Runner).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+
+    await manager.destroy();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/utils/pipeline-manager.ts b/src/utils/pipeline-manager.ts
index bccf2936..1de071e6 100644
--- a/src/utils/pipeline-manager.ts
+++ b/src/utils/pipeline-manager.ts
@@ -858,7 +858,7 @@ export class MemoryPipelineManager {
     this.logger?.debug?.(`${TAG} [${sessionKey}] Enqueuing L2 (trigger=${trigger}, queue=${this.l2Queue.name})`);
 
     this.l2Queue.add(async () => {
-      await this.runL2(sessionKey);
+      await this.runL2(sessionKey, trigger);
     }).catch((err) => {
       this.logger?.error(
         `${TAG} [${sessionKey}] L2 task failed: ${err instanceof Error ? err.stack ?? err.message : String(err)}`,
@@ -868,7 +868,7 @@ export class MemoryPipelineManager {
     });
   }
 
-  private async runL2(sessionKey: string): Promise<void> {
+  private async runL2(sessionKey: string, trigger: string): Promise<void> {
     const state = this.sessionStates.get(sessionKey);
     if (!state) return;
 
@@ -903,15 +903,26 @@ export class MemoryPipelineManager {
     // and it was skipped (no new records), do NOT update l2LastRunTime.
     // This prevents l2MinIntervalSeconds from blocking the next L2 trigger
     // when the first L1 extraction produces actual memories shortly after.
+    //
+    // If the follow-up maxInterval retry still has no cursor, stop polling this
+    // idle session. The next L1 completion will re-arm L2 via advanceL2Timer().
     const isFirstL2 = !this.l2LastRunTime.has(sessionKey);
     const wasSkipped = result?.skipped === true;
+    const shouldStopIdleColdStartPolling =
+      trigger === "timer:max-interval" && !state.last_extraction_updated_time;
 
     if (isFirstL2 && wasSkipped) {
       this.logger?.info?.(
         `${TAG} [${sessionKey}] L2 cold-start skip: not updating l2LastRunTime ` +
         `(minInterval won't block next trigger)`,
       );
-      this.armL2MaxInterval(sessionKey);
+      if (shouldStopIdleColdStartPolling) {
+        this.logger?.debug?.(
+          `${TAG} [${sessionKey}] L2 cold-start skip: stopping idle maxInterval polling until next L1 event`,
+        );
+      } else {
+        this.armL2MaxInterval(sessionKey);
+      }
       await this.persistStates();
       return;
     }