diff --git a/agent/agent_test.go b/agent/agent_test.go
index 66edcb4..f815865 100644
--- a/agent/agent_test.go
+++ b/agent/agent_test.go
@@ -44,6 +44,28 @@ func TestServerExecHelloWorld(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestServerExecBackgroundChildDoesNotPinSession(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	ctx, conn := dialTestServer(t)
+
+	var stdout bytes.Buffer
+	start := time.Now()
+	exit, err := client.Run(ctx, conn, []string{"sh", "-c", "sleep 6 & echo started"}, nil, nil, &stdout, io.Discard)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("client run: %v", err)
+	}
+	if exit != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("exit = %d, want 0", exit)
+	}
+	if got := strings.TrimSpace(stdout.String()); got != "started" {
+		t.Errorf("stdout = %q, want \"started\"", got)
+	}
+	// Without WaitDelay the session is pinned until the background sleep exits.
+	if elapsed := time.Since(start); elapsed > 4*time.Second {
+		t.Errorf("session took %v, want < 4s (pinned by background child)", elapsed)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestServerPropagatesNonZeroExit(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	ctx, conn := dialTestServer(t)
diff --git a/agent/exec.go b/agent/exec.go
index d643b93..b4b3165 100644
--- a/agent/exec.go
+++ b/agent/exec.go
@@ -9,8 +9,14 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 )
 
+// execWaitDelay bounds how long Wait blocks on the child's stdout/stderr
+// pipes after exit: a daemonized grandchild inherits them and would pin
+// the session (and its conn) until it dies.
+const execWaitDelay = 2 * time.Second
+
 // processController hooks platform-specific child-lifecycle steps into
 // runExec: AfterStart runs once cmd.Process exists (Windows assigns the
 // child to its Job Object); Close releases any held kernel resource.
@@ -46,6 +52,7 @@ func runExec(parentCtx context.Context, argv []string, env map[string]string, st
 	defer cancel()
 
 	cmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, argv[0], argv[1:]...) //nolint:gosec // argv from trusted vsock peer
+	cmd.WaitDelay = execWaitDelay
 	procCtl, err := setupProcess(cmd)
 	if err != nil {
 		return enc.SendErrorf("exec: setup process %s: %v", argv[0], err)
@@ -115,6 +122,9 @@ func runExec(parentCtx context.Context, argv []string, env map[string]string, st
 	case waitErr == nil:
 	case errors.As(waitErr, &exitErr):
 		exitCode = exitErr.ExitCode()
+	case errors.Is(waitErr, exec.ErrWaitDelay):
+		// Pipes were abandoned to a background child; the command itself exited.
+		exitCode = cmd.ProcessState.ExitCode()
 	default:
 		return enc.SendErrorf("exec: wait %s: %v", argv[0], waitErr)
 	}