diff --git a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Central/AuditLogPartitionMaintenanceService.cs b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Central/AuditLogPartitionMaintenanceService.cs
index 3a113436..8243d2ad 100644
--- a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Central/AuditLogPartitionMaintenanceService.cs
+++ b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Central/AuditLogPartitionMaintenanceService.cs
@@ -86,8 +86,16 @@ public sealed class AuditLogPartitionMaintenanceService : IHostedService, IDispo
         // Linked CTS lets StopAsync's cancellation AND the host's shutdown
         // token both terminate the loop; either side firing aborts the
         // pending Task.Delay.
-        _cts = CancellationTokenSource.CreateLinkedTokenSource(ct);
-        _loop = Task.Run(() => RunLoopAsync(_cts.Token));
+        var cts = CancellationTokenSource.CreateLinkedTokenSource(ct);
+        _cts = cts;
+
+        // Read Token here, on the caller's thread, rather than inside the lambda:
+        // the lambda runs whenever the thread pool gets to it, so a Dispose landing
+        // first would make the deferred _cts.Token read throw ObjectDisposedException
+        // and fault the loop task — which StopAsync hands to the host to await. The
+        // token struct stays usable once captured.
+        var token = cts.Token;
+        _loop = Task.Run(() => RunLoopAsync(token), CancellationToken.None);
         return Task.CompletedTask;
     }
 
@@ -148,15 +156,43 @@ public sealed class AuditLogPartitionMaintenanceService : IHostedService, IDispo
     /// <returns>The background loop task, or a completed task if the loop was never started.</returns>
     public Task StopAsync(CancellationToken ct)
     {
-        _cts?.Cancel();
+        try
+        {
+            _cts?.Cancel();
+        }
+        catch (ObjectDisposedException)
+        {
+            // Stop-after-Dispose is a legal ordering — WebApplicationFactory's
+            // teardown disposes the container before driving StopAsync. Dispose
+            // already cancelled the loop, so there is nothing left to signal, and
+            // letting this escape would abort the host's whole shutdown sequence.
+        }
+
         return _loop ?? Task.CompletedTask;
     }
 
     /// <summary>
-    /// Disposes the internal <see cref="CancellationTokenSource"/> used to stop the maintenance loop.
+    /// Cancels and disposes the internal <see cref="CancellationTokenSource"/> used to
+    /// stop the maintenance loop.
     /// </summary>
+    /// <remarks>
+    /// Cancels before disposing so the loop is always signalled, even when the host
+    /// disposes the container without having driven <see cref="StopAsync"/> first.
+    /// It also keeps the loop's pending <c>Task.Delay(interval, token)</c> safe: an
+    /// already-cancelled token makes Delay complete as cancelled rather than register
+    /// a callback against a dead source and throw.
+    /// </remarks>
     public void Dispose()
     {
+        try
+        {
+            _cts?.Cancel();
+        }
+        catch (ObjectDisposedException)
+        {
+            // Already disposed — Dispose is idempotent.
+        }
+
         _cts?.Dispose();
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Site/SiteAuditBacklogReporter.cs b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Site/SiteAuditBacklogReporter.cs
index 9a09a81f..ce1d1ec7 100644
--- a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Site/SiteAuditBacklogReporter.cs
+++ b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Site/SiteAuditBacklogReporter.cs
@@ -102,30 +102,46 @@ public sealed class SiteAuditBacklogReporter : IHostedService, IDisposable
         // Linked CTS lets StopAsync's cancellation AND the host's shutdown
         // token both terminate the loop; either side firing aborts the
         // pending Task.Delay.
-        _cts = CancellationTokenSource.CreateLinkedTokenSource(ct);
-        _loop = Task.Run(() => RunLoopAsync(_cts.Token));
+        var cts = CancellationTokenSource.CreateLinkedTokenSource(ct);
+        _cts = cts;
+
+        // Read Token on the caller's thread, not inside the lambda: the lambda runs
+        // whenever the thread pool gets to it, so a Dispose landing first would make
+        // the deferred _cts.Token read throw and fault the loop task the host awaits.
+        var token = cts.Token;
+        _loop = Task.Run(() => RunLoopAsync(token), CancellationToken.None);
         return Task.CompletedTask;
     }
 
     private async Task RunLoopAsync(CancellationToken ct)
     {
-        // First tick runs immediately so the very first health report after
-        // process start carries a real backlog snapshot — without this the
-        // dashboard would show null for the first 30 s after a deploy.
-        await SafeProbeAsync(ct).ConfigureAwait(false);
-
-        while (!ct.IsCancellationRequested)
+        try
         {
-            try
-            {
-                await Task.Delay(_refreshInterval, ct).ConfigureAwait(false);
-            }
-            catch (OperationCanceledException)
-            {
-                break;
-            }
-
+            // First tick runs immediately so the very first health report after
+            // process start carries a real backlog snapshot — without this the
+            // dashboard would show null for the first 30 s after a deploy.
             await SafeProbeAsync(ct).ConfigureAwait(false);
+
+            while (!ct.IsCancellationRequested)
+            {
+                try
+                {
+                    await Task.Delay(_refreshInterval, ct).ConfigureAwait(false);
+                }
+                catch (OperationCanceledException)
+                {
+                    break;
+                }
+
+                await SafeProbeAsync(ct).ConfigureAwait(false);
+            }
+        }
+        catch (OperationCanceledException)
+        {
+            // Shutdown landed mid-probe: SafeProbeAsync rethrows OCE by design so the probe
+            // aborts promptly, but the loop task must complete CLEANLY — StopAsync hands
+            // _loop straight to the host, and a canceled task there is shutdown-log noise
+            // (arch-review 04 round 2, R7). Cancellation here IS the clean exit.
         }
     }
 
@@ -155,13 +171,35 @@ public sealed class SiteAuditBacklogReporter : IHostedService, IDisposable
     /// <returns>A task that represents the asynchronous operation.</returns>
     public Task StopAsync(CancellationToken ct)
     {
-        _cts?.Cancel();
+        try
+        {
+            _cts?.Cancel();
+        }
+        catch (ObjectDisposedException)
+        {
+            // Stop-after-Dispose is a legal ordering; Dispose already cancelled the
+            // loop. Letting this escape would abort the host's shutdown sequence.
+        }
+
         return _loop ?? Task.CompletedTask;
     }
 
     /// <summary>Releases the internal <see cref="CancellationTokenSource"/> used to stop the polling loop.</summary>
     public void Dispose()
     {
+        // Cancel before disposing so the loop is always signalled even when the host
+        // disposes the container without having driven StopAsync first, and so the
+        // loop's pending Task.Delay(interval, token) sees an already-cancelled token
+        // rather than registering against a dead source.
+        try
+        {
+            _cts?.Cancel();
+        }
+        catch (ObjectDisposedException)
+        {
+            // Already disposed — Dispose is idempotent.
+        }
+
         _cts?.Dispose();
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Site/SiteAuditRetentionService.cs b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Site/SiteAuditRetentionService.cs
index 82014323..e60f002d 100644
--- a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Site/SiteAuditRetentionService.cs
+++ b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Site/SiteAuditRetentionService.cs
@@ -54,8 +54,14 @@ public sealed class SiteAuditRetentionService : IHostedService, IDisposable
     public Task StartAsync(CancellationToken ct)
     {
         // Linked CTS so both StopAsync and the host shutdown token abort the loop.
-        _cts = CancellationTokenSource.CreateLinkedTokenSource(ct);
-        _loop = Task.Run(() => RunLoopAsync(_cts.Token));
+        var cts = CancellationTokenSource.CreateLinkedTokenSource(ct);
+        _cts = cts;
+
+        // Read Token on the caller's thread, not inside the lambda: the lambda runs
+        // whenever the thread pool gets to it, so a Dispose landing first would make
+        // the deferred _cts.Token read throw and fault the loop task the host awaits.
+        var token = cts.Token;
+        _loop = Task.Run(() => RunLoopAsync(token), CancellationToken.None);
         return Task.CompletedTask;
     }
 
@@ -131,13 +137,35 @@ public sealed class SiteAuditRetentionService : IHostedService, IDisposable
     /// <returns>A task that represents the asynchronous operation.</returns>
     public Task StopAsync(CancellationToken ct)
     {
-        _cts?.Cancel();
+        try
+        {
+            _cts?.Cancel();
+        }
+        catch (ObjectDisposedException)
+        {
+            // Stop-after-Dispose is a legal ordering; Dispose already cancelled the
+            // loop. Letting this escape would abort the host's shutdown sequence.
+        }
+
         return _loop ?? Task.CompletedTask;
     }
 
     /// <summary>Releases the internal <see cref="CancellationTokenSource"/>.</summary>
     public void Dispose()
     {
+        // Cancel before disposing so the loop is always signalled even when the host
+        // disposes the container without having driven StopAsync first, and so the
+        // loop's pending Task.Delay(interval, token) sees an already-cancelled token
+        // rather than registering against a dead source.
+        try
+        {
+            _cts?.Cancel();
+        }
+        catch (ObjectDisposedException)
+        {
+            // Already disposed — Dispose is idempotent.
+        }
+
         _cts?.Dispose();
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.HealthMonitoring/SiteEventLogFailureCountReporter.cs b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.HealthMonitoring/SiteEventLogFailureCountReporter.cs
index dacc7fcc..19de05f3 100644
--- a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.HealthMonitoring/SiteEventLogFailureCountReporter.cs
+++ b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.HealthMonitoring/SiteEventLogFailureCountReporter.cs
@@ -85,8 +85,14 @@ public sealed class SiteEventLogFailureCountReporter : IHostedService, IDisposab
         // Linked CTS lets StopAsync's cancellation AND the host's shutdown
         // token both terminate the loop; either side firing aborts the
         // pending Task.Delay.
-        _cts = CancellationTokenSource.CreateLinkedTokenSource(ct);
-        _loop = Task.Run(() => RunLoopAsync(_cts.Token));
+        var cts = CancellationTokenSource.CreateLinkedTokenSource(ct);
+        _cts = cts;
+
+        // Read Token on the caller's thread, not inside the lambda: the lambda runs
+        // whenever the thread pool gets to it, so a Dispose landing first would make
+        // the deferred _cts.Token read throw and fault the loop task the host awaits.
+        var token = cts.Token;
+        _loop = Task.Run(() => RunLoopAsync(token), CancellationToken.None);
         return Task.CompletedTask;
     }
 
@@ -134,13 +140,35 @@ public sealed class SiteEventLogFailureCountReporter : IHostedService, IDisposab
     /// <returns>A task that represents the asynchronous operation.</returns>
     public Task StopAsync(CancellationToken ct)
     {
-        _cts?.Cancel();
+        try
+        {
+            _cts?.Cancel();
+        }
+        catch (ObjectDisposedException)
+        {
+            // Stop-after-Dispose is a legal ordering; Dispose already cancelled the
+            // loop. Letting this escape would abort the host's shutdown sequence.
+        }
+
         return _loop ?? Task.CompletedTask;
     }
 
     /// <summary>Releases the internal <see cref="CancellationTokenSource"/> used to stop the polling loop.</summary>
     public void Dispose()
     {
+        // Cancel before disposing so the loop is always signalled even when the host
+        // disposes the container without having driven StopAsync first, and so the
+        // loop's pending Task.Delay(interval, token) sees an already-cancelled token
+        // rather than registering against a dead source.
+        try
+        {
+            _cts?.Cancel();
+        }
+        catch (ObjectDisposedException)
+        {
+            // Already disposed — Dispose is idempotent.
+        }
+
         _cts?.Dispose();
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Tests/Central/AuditLogPartitionMaintenanceServiceTests.cs b/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Tests/Central/AuditLogPartitionMaintenanceServiceTests.cs
index b9d879d1..69055d58 100644
--- a/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Tests/Central/AuditLogPartitionMaintenanceServiceTests.cs
+++ b/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Tests/Central/AuditLogPartitionMaintenanceServiceTests.cs
@@ -151,4 +151,40 @@ public class AuditLogPartitionMaintenanceServiceTests
         Assert.Equal(LogLevel.Error, errorEntry.Level);
         Assert.Equal(1, maintenance.EnsureCallCount);
     }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task StopAsync_AfterDispose_DoesNotThrow()
+    {
+        // Regression (Gitea #15 follow-up): Dispose tears down the CTS that
+        // StopAsync cancels, and the host does not guarantee that every
+        // IHostedService.StopAsync is driven before the DI container is
+        // disposed — WebApplicationFactory's teardown reaches Dispose first and
+        // then calls StopAsync. Cancel() on a disposed CTS throws
+        // ObjectDisposedException, and letting it escape aborts the host's whole
+        // shutdown sequence (in Host.Tests it stranded the fixture's env-var
+        // restore, contaminating every later test in the run). Stop-after-Dispose
+        // must therefore be a no-op, not a throw.
+        var opts = Options.Create(new AuditLogPartitionMaintenanceOptions
+        {
+            IntervalSeconds = 60,
+            LookaheadMonths = 1,
+        });
+        var maintenance = new RecordingMaintenance();
+        var sp = BuildProvider(maintenance);
+
+        var svc = new AuditLogPartitionMaintenanceService(
+            sp.GetRequiredService<IServiceScopeFactory>(),
+            opts,
+            NullLogger<AuditLogPartitionMaintenanceService>.Instance);
+
+        await svc.StartAsync(CancellationToken.None);
+
+        svc.Dispose();
+
+        // The assertion is the absence of ObjectDisposedException.
+        await svc.StopAsync(CancellationToken.None);
+
+        // Dispose is also idempotent — the host may reach it twice on the same path.
+        svc.Dispose();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Tests/Site/SiteAuditBacklogReporterCadenceTests.cs b/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Tests/Site/SiteAuditBacklogReporterCadenceTests.cs
index 87a97118..4798aad9 100644
--- a/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Tests/Site/SiteAuditBacklogReporterCadenceTests.cs
+++ b/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Tests/Site/SiteAuditBacklogReporterCadenceTests.cs
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
+using System.Diagnostics;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Abstractions;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Options;
 using NSubstitute;
 using ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Site;
 using ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Commons.Interfaces.Services;
+using ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.Commons.Types;
 using ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.HealthMonitoring;
 
 namespace ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Tests.Site;
@@ -23,6 +25,59 @@ public class SiteAuditBacklogReporterCadenceTests
             explicitInterval,
             options);
 
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task StopAsync_WhileProbeInFlight_LoopCompletesCleanly()
+    {
+        // SafeProbeAsync rethrows OperationCanceledException by design so a shutdown
+        // aborts the probe promptly — but RunLoopAsync must absorb it, because StopAsync
+        // hands _loop straight to the host and a canceled task there throws out of
+        // Host.StopAsync. Mirrors the guard SiteAuditRetentionService already carries
+        // (arch-review 04 round 2, R7).
+        var probeStarted = new TaskCompletionSource(TaskCreationOptions.RunContinuationsAsynchronously);
+        var queue = Substitute.For<ISiteAuditQueue>();
+        queue.GetBacklogStatsAsync(Arg.Any<CancellationToken>())
+            .Returns(ci => BlockUntilCancelledAsync(probeStarted, ci.Arg<CancellationToken>()));
+
+        var reporter = new SiteAuditBacklogReporter(
+            queue,
+            Substitute.For<ISiteHealthCollector>(),
+            NullLogger<SiteAuditBacklogReporter>.Instance,
+            TimeSpan.FromHours(1),
+            null);
+
+        await reporter.StartAsync(CancellationToken.None);
+        await probeStarted.Task; // the immediate first probe is now in flight
+
+        // The assertion is that awaiting the loop task does not throw.
+        await reporter.StopAsync(CancellationToken.None);
+        reporter.Dispose();
+    }
+
+    private static async Task<SiteAuditBacklogSnapshot> BlockUntilCancelledAsync(
+        TaskCompletionSource started, CancellationToken ct)
+    {
+        started.TrySetResult();
+        await Task.Delay(Timeout.Infinite, ct);
+        throw new UnreachableException("the delay above always throws on cancellation");
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task StopAsync_AfterDispose_DoesNotThrow()
+    {
+        // Regression (Gitea #15 follow-up): Dispose tears down the CTS StopAsync
+        // cancels, and the host does not guarantee StopAsync is driven before the DI
+        // container is disposed. Cancel() on a disposed CTS throws, and letting that
+        // escape an IHostedService aborts the host's whole shutdown sequence.
+        var reporter = Create(Options.Create(new SqliteAuditWriterOptions()), TimeSpan.FromHours(1));
+
+        await reporter.StartAsync(CancellationToken.None);
+        reporter.Dispose();
+
+        // The assertion is the absence of ObjectDisposedException.
+        await reporter.StopAsync(CancellationToken.None);
+        reporter.Dispose();
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public void Cadence_ComesFromOptions_WhenConfigured()
     {
diff --git a/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Tests/Site/SiteAuditRetentionServiceTests.cs b/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Tests/Site/SiteAuditRetentionServiceTests.cs
index cdd4a7df..3a3bd811 100644
--- a/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Tests/Site/SiteAuditRetentionServiceTests.cs
+++ b/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Tests/Site/SiteAuditRetentionServiceTests.cs
@@ -19,6 +19,30 @@ namespace ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Tests.Site;
 /// </summary>
 public class SiteAuditRetentionServiceTests
 {
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task StopAsync_AfterDispose_DoesNotThrow()
+    {
+        // Regression (Gitea #15 follow-up): Dispose tears down the CTS StopAsync
+        // cancels, and the host does not guarantee StopAsync is driven before the DI
+        // container is disposed. Cancel() on a disposed CTS throws, and letting that
+        // escape an IHostedService aborts the host's whole shutdown sequence.
+        var queue = new RecordingSiteAuditQueue();
+        var options = Options.Create(new SiteAuditRetentionOptions
+        {
+            RetentionDays = 7,
+            PurgeIntervalOverride = TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(50),
+            InitialDelay = TimeSpan.Zero,
+        });
+        var svc = new SiteAuditRetentionService(queue, options, NullLogger<SiteAuditRetentionService>.Instance);
+
+        await svc.StartAsync(CancellationToken.None);
+        svc.Dispose();
+
+        // The assertion is the absence of ObjectDisposedException.
+        await svc.StopAsync(CancellationToken.None);
+        svc.Dispose();
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public async Task Tick_Purges_With_RetentionCutoff()
     {
diff --git a/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.HealthMonitoring.Tests/SiteEventLogFailureCountReporterTests.cs b/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.HealthMonitoring.Tests/SiteEventLogFailureCountReporterTests.cs
index 632bb60f..c2ac2a9c 100644
--- a/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.HealthMonitoring.Tests/SiteEventLogFailureCountReporterTests.cs
+++ b/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.HealthMonitoring.Tests/SiteEventLogFailureCountReporterTests.cs
@@ -10,6 +10,27 @@ namespace ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.HealthMonitoring.Tests;
 /// </summary>
 public class SiteEventLogFailureCountReporterTests
 {
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task StopAsync_AfterDispose_DoesNotThrow()
+    {
+        // Regression (Gitea #15 follow-up): Dispose tears down the CTS StopAsync
+        // cancels, and the host does not guarantee StopAsync is driven before the DI
+        // container is disposed. Cancel() on a disposed CTS throws, and letting that
+        // escape an IHostedService aborts the host's whole shutdown sequence.
+        var reporter = new SiteEventLogFailureCountReporter(
+            failedWriteCountProvider: () => 0L,
+            collector: new SiteHealthCollector(),
+            logger: NullLogger<SiteEventLogFailureCountReporter>.Instance,
+            refreshInterval: TimeSpan.FromHours(1));
+
+        await reporter.StartAsync(CancellationToken.None);
+        reporter.Dispose();
+
+        // The assertion is the absence of ObjectDisposedException.
+        await reporter.StopAsync(CancellationToken.None);
+        reporter.Dispose();
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public async Task StartAsync_ImmediatelyProbes_FailedWriteCount()
     {