diff --git a/src/mind/mod.rs b/src/mind/mod.rs
index ca6d740..9fcc101 100644
--- a/src/mind/mod.rs
+++ b/src/mind/mod.rs
@@ -346,32 +346,44 @@ impl Mind {
                         let mut s = shared_for_unc.lock().unwrap();
                         s.unc_idle = true;
                     }
+
+                    // Get wake notify for event-driven loop
+                    let wake = unc.lock().await.wake.clone();
+                    let mut health_interval = tokio::time::interval(std::time::Duration::from_secs(600));
+                    health_interval.set_missed_tick_behavior(tokio::time::MissedTickBehavior::Skip);
+
                     loop {
-                        // Phase 0: health check outside lock (slow I/O)
-                        let needs_health = unc.lock().await.needs_health_refresh();
+                        // Do work: reap finished agents, spawn new ones
+                        let (to_spawn, needs_health) = {
+                            let mut guard = unc.lock().await;
+                            guard.reap_finished();
+                            (guard.select_to_spawn(), guard.needs_health_refresh())
+                        };
+
+                        // Spawn agents outside lock
+                        for (idx, name, auto) in to_spawn {
+                            match crate::mind::unconscious::prepare_spawn(&name, auto, wake.clone()).await {
+                                Ok(result) => unc.lock().await.complete_spawn(idx, result),
+                                Err(auto) => unc.lock().await.abort_spawn(idx, auto),
+                            }
+                        }
+
+                        // Health check outside lock (slow I/O)
                         if needs_health {
                             if let Ok(store_arc) = access_local() {
                                 let health = crate::subconscious::daemon::compute_graph_health(&store_arc);
                                 unc.lock().await.set_health(health);
                             }
                         }
-                        // Phase 1: quick work under lock
-                        let to_spawn = {
-                            let mut guard = unc.lock().await;
-                            guard.reap_finished();
-                            guard.select_to_spawn()
-                        };
-                        // Phase 2: slow work outside lock
-                        for (idx, name, auto) in to_spawn {
-                            match crate::mind::unconscious::prepare_spawn(&name, auto).await {
-                                Ok(result) => unc.lock().await.complete_spawn(idx, result),
-                                Err(auto) => unc.lock().await.abort_spawn(idx, auto),
+
+                        // Wait for: conscious active, agent finished, or health timer
+                        tokio::select! {
+                            _ = unc_rx.changed() => {
+                                if *unc_rx.borrow() { break; }
                             }
+                            _ = wake.notified() => {}
+                            _ = health_interval.tick() => {}
                         }
-                        // Check if conscious became active
-                        if *unc_rx.borrow() { break; }
-                        // Brief yield to not starve other tasks
-                        tokio::task::yield_now().await;
                     }
                 }
             });
@@ -637,7 +649,8 @@ impl Mind {
             };
 
             let mut cmds = Vec::new();
-            let mut dmn_expired = false;
+            #[allow(unused_assignments)]
+            let mut _dmn_expired = false;
 
             tokio::select! {
                 biased;
@@ -676,7 +689,7 @@ impl Mind {
                     }
                 }
 
-                _ = tokio::time::sleep(timeout), if !has_input => dmn_expired = true,
+                _ = tokio::time::sleep(timeout), if !has_input => _dmn_expired = true,
             }
 
             if !self.config.no_agents {
diff --git a/src/mind/unconscious.rs b/src/mind/unconscious.rs
index 87c44db..8989264 100644
--- a/src/mind/unconscious.rs
+++ b/src/mind/unconscious.rs
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ pub struct Unconscious {
     max_concurrent: usize,
     pub graph_health: Option<crate::subconscious::daemon::GraphHealth>,
     last_health_check: Option<Instant>,
+    /// Notified when agent state changes (finished, toggled)
+    pub wake: std::sync::Arc<tokio::sync::Notify>,
 }
 
 impl Unconscious {
@@ -117,6 +119,7 @@ impl Unconscious {
             agents, max_concurrent,
             graph_health: None,
             last_health_check: None,
+            wake: std::sync::Arc::new(tokio::sync::Notify::new()),
         }
     }
 
@@ -130,11 +133,13 @@ impl Unconscious {
         if new_state && !self.agents[idx].is_running() && self.agents[idx].auto.is_some() {
             let agent_name = self.agents[idx].name.clone();
             let auto = self.agents[idx].auto.take().unwrap();
-            match prepare_spawn(&agent_name, auto).await {
+            let wake = self.wake.clone();
+            match prepare_spawn(&agent_name, auto, wake).await {
                 Ok(result) => self.complete_spawn(idx, result),
                 Err(auto) => self.abort_spawn(idx, auto),
             }
         }
+        self.wake.notify_one(); // wake loop to consider new state
         Some(new_state)
     }
 
@@ -245,7 +250,7 @@ pub struct SpawnResult {
 /// Called outside the Unconscious lock.
 /// On success, auto is consumed (moved into spawned task).
 /// On failure, auto is returned so it can be restored.
-pub async fn prepare_spawn(name: &str, mut auto: AutoAgent) -> Result<SpawnResult, AutoAgent> {
+pub async fn prepare_spawn(name: &str, mut auto: AutoAgent, wake: std::sync::Arc<tokio::sync::Notify>) -> Result<SpawnResult, AutoAgent> {
     dbglog!("[unconscious] spawning {}", name);
 
     let def = match defs::get_def(name) {
@@ -312,6 +317,7 @@ pub async fn prepare_spawn(name: &str, mut auto: AutoAgent) -> Result<SpawnResul
         let stats = crate::agent::oneshot::save_agent_log(&auto.name, &agent_clone).await;
         auto.update_stats(stats);
         auto.steps = orig_steps;
+        wake.notify_one(); // wake the loop to reap and maybe spawn more
         (auto, result)
     });
 
@@ -323,8 +329,9 @@ impl Unconscious {
     pub async fn trigger(&mut self) {
         self.reap_finished();
         let to_spawn = self.select_to_spawn();
+        let wake = self.wake.clone();
         for (idx, name, auto) in to_spawn {
-            match prepare_spawn(&name, auto).await {
+            match prepare_spawn(&name, auto, wake.clone()).await {
                 Ok(result) => self.complete_spawn(idx, result),
                 Err(auto) => self.abort_spawn(idx, auto),
             }