diff --git a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Site/SiteAuditRetentionService.cs b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Site/SiteAuditRetentionService.cs
index becaec0c..82014323 100644
--- a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Site/SiteAuditRetentionService.cs
+++ b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog/Site/SiteAuditRetentionService.cs
@@ -61,32 +61,42 @@ public sealed class SiteAuditRetentionService : IHostedService, IDisposable
 
     private async Task RunLoopAsync(CancellationToken ct)
     {
-        // InitialDelay before the first purge — short so a daily-recycled node
-        // still purges soon after start rather than waiting a full interval it may
-        // never reach.
         try
         {
-            await Task.Delay(_options.InitialDelay, ct).ConfigureAwait(false);
-        }
-        catch (OperationCanceledException)
-        {
-            return;
-        }
-
-        await SafePurgeAsync(ct).ConfigureAwait(false);
-
-        while (!ct.IsCancellationRequested)
-        {
+            // InitialDelay before the first purge — short so a daily-recycled node
+            // still purges soon after start rather than waiting a full interval it may
+            // never reach.
             try
             {
-                await Task.Delay(_options.ResolvedPurgeInterval, ct).ConfigureAwait(false);
+                await Task.Delay(_options.InitialDelay, ct).ConfigureAwait(false);
             }
             catch (OperationCanceledException)
             {
-                break;
+                return;
             }
 
             await SafePurgeAsync(ct).ConfigureAwait(false);
+
+            while (!ct.IsCancellationRequested)
+            {
+                try
+                {
+                    await Task.Delay(_options.ResolvedPurgeInterval, ct).ConfigureAwait(false);
+                }
+                catch (OperationCanceledException)
+                {
+                    break;
+                }
+
+                await SafePurgeAsync(ct).ConfigureAwait(false);
+            }
+        }
+        catch (OperationCanceledException)
+        {
+            // Shutdown landed mid-purge: SafePurgeAsync rethrows OCE by design so the purge
+            // 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.
         }
     }
 
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 77652d78..cdd4a7df 100644
--- a/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Tests/Site/SiteAuditRetentionServiceTests.cs
+++ b/tests/ZB.MOM.WW.ScadaBridge.AuditLog.Tests/Site/SiteAuditRetentionServiceTests.cs
@@ -63,6 +63,29 @@ public class SiteAuditRetentionServiceTests
         Assert.True(queue.PurgeCalls.Count >= 2);
     }
 
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task StopAsync_MidPurge_CompletesCleanly_WithoutSurfacingCancellation()
+    {
+        // PurgeExpiredAsync blocks until cancelled, so shutdown lands mid-purge: SafePurgeAsync
+        // rethrows the OCE by design (abort the purge promptly), but the loop task must still
+        // complete CLEANLY — StopAsync hands _loop straight to the host, and a canceled task
+        // there is shutdown-log noise (arch-review 04 round 2, R7).
+        var queue = new RecordingSiteAuditQueue { BlockUntilCancelled = true };
+        var options = Options.Create(new SiteAuditRetentionOptions
+        {
+            RetentionDays = 7,
+            PurgeInterval = TimeSpan.FromHours(24),
+            InitialDelay = TimeSpan.Zero,
+        });
+        using var svc = new SiteAuditRetentionService(queue, options, NullLogger<SiteAuditRetentionService>.Instance);
+
+        await svc.StartAsync(CancellationToken.None);
+        await WaitUntilAsync(() => queue.PurgeCalls.Count >= 1, TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5));
+
+        // Must NOT throw TaskCanceledException back into the host's shutdown path.
+        await svc.StopAsync(CancellationToken.None);
+    }
+
     private static async Task WaitUntilAsync(Func<bool> condition, TimeSpan timeout)
     {
         var sw = Stopwatch.StartNew();
@@ -86,7 +109,11 @@ public class SiteAuditRetentionServiceTests
         public IReadOnlyCollection<DateTime> PurgeCalls => _purgeCalls;
         public bool ThrowOnFirstCall { get; init; }
 
-        public Task<int> PurgeExpiredAsync(DateTime olderThanUtc, CancellationToken ct = default)
+        /// <summary>When set, PurgeExpiredAsync records the call then blocks until the token
+        /// cancels — simulating a shutdown that lands while a purge is in flight.</summary>
+        public bool BlockUntilCancelled { get; init; }
+
+        public async Task<int> PurgeExpiredAsync(DateTime olderThanUtc, CancellationToken ct = default)
         {
             var n = Interlocked.Increment(ref _calls);
             _purgeCalls.Enqueue(olderThanUtc);
@@ -95,7 +122,12 @@ public class SiteAuditRetentionServiceTests
                 throw new InvalidOperationException("Simulated transient purge failure.");
             }
 
-            return Task.FromResult(0);
+            if (BlockUntilCancelled)
+            {
+                await Task.Delay(Timeout.Infinite, ct).ConfigureAwait(false);
+            }
+
+            return 0;
         }
 
         public Task<IReadOnlyList<AuditEvent>> ReadPendingAsync(int limit, CancellationToken ct = default)