diff --git a/src/server/responses/core.ts b/src/server/responses/core.ts
index efe171ec163..e156f0a346b 100644
--- a/src/server/responses/core.ts
+++ b/src/server/responses/core.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import { createInferenceSendBudget } from "../inference/context";
 import { finalizeOwnedTranslatorBudget, finalizeAccountLease } from "./core-lifetime";
 import type { TranslatorBudget } from "../../lib/translator-budget";
 import { executeComboResponses } from "./core-combo";
+import { registerTurn, unregisterTurn } from "../lifecycle";
 import { runWithCompactionRecovery } from "./compaction-recovery";
 /**
  * Route one `/v1/responses` request through the adapter pipeline: recovery loop, passthrough
@@ -67,15 +68,17 @@ export async function handleComboResponses(
   logCtx: RequestLogContext,
   options: HandleResponsesOptions & { translatorBudget: TranslatorBudget },
 ): Promise<Response> {
-  return executeComboResponses(
-    req,
-    rawBody,
-    comboId,
-    config,
-    logCtx,
-    options,
-    requestDispatchers,
-  );
+  // Each child relay binds the turn's lease and unbinds it when its stream ends; the lease is
+  // released once nothing is bound. Hold it for the whole ladder so a refused child's relay
+  // cannot settle the turn the next target still runs in ("turn already settled"). An accepted
+  // child's stream is bound before this returns and keeps the lease until it ends.
+  const ladder = new AbortController();
+  registerTurn(ladder, options.turnAdmissionLease);
+  try {
+    return await executeComboResponses(req, rawBody, comboId, config, logCtx, options, requestDispatchers);
+  } finally {
+    if (options.turnAdmissionLease) unregisterTurn(ladder);
+  }
 }
 const requestDispatchers: ResponsesDispatchers = { handleResponses, handleComboResponses };
 export { adapterNeedsForcedContinuation } from "./core-replay";
diff --git a/tests/server/server-combo-zero-output-failover.test.ts b/tests/server/server-combo-zero-output-failover.test.ts
index 72afd27a812..47b7b43986a 100644
--- a/tests/server/server-combo-zero-output-failover.test.ts
+++ b/tests/server/server-combo-zero-output-failover.test.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import { clearComboRecallForTests } from "../../src/server/responses/combo-sessi
 import { clearKeyCooldowns } from "../../src/providers/key-failover";
 import { clearCodexUpstreamHealth } from "../../src/codex/routing";
 import { clearRequestLogsForTests, type RequestLogContext } from "../../src/server/request-log";
+import { getActiveTurnCount, tryAdmitTurn } from "../../src/server/lifecycle";
 import {
   clearResponseStateForTests,
   flushResponseState,
@@ -220,6 +221,33 @@ describe("combo zero-output bare Responses error failover", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  test("a refused child relay does not settle the parent turn's admission lease", async () => {
+    // Each passthrough child binds the parent's lease to its own relay controller. Cancelling the
+    // refused first stream unbinds that controller; it must not settle the turn the next target
+    // still runs in, or the second child is aborted on arrival ("turn already settled").
+    const sse = (...events: unknown[]) => new Response(events.map(event => `data: ${JSON.stringify(event)}\n\n`).join(""),
+      { headers: { "content-type": "text/event-stream" } });
+    const a = serve(() => sse({ type: "response.created", response: { id: "ra", status: "in_progress" } }, { type: "response.failed",
+      response: { id: "ra", status: "failed", error: { type: "server_error", code: "upstream_server_error", message: "busy" } } }));
+    const b = serve(() => sse({ type: "response.completed", response: responsesSuccess("lease backup", "m2") }));
+    const config = comboConfig({
+      a: provider("openai-responses", baseUrl(a), "key-a"),
+      b: provider("openai-responses", baseUrl(b), "key-b"),
+    });
+    const turnAdmissionLease = tryAdmitTurn();
+    if (!turnAdmissionLease) throw new Error("test turn admission unavailable");
+    try {
+      const response = await handleResponses(new Request("http://localhost/v1/responses", {
+        method: "POST",
+        headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
+        body: JSON.stringify({ model: "combo/free", input: "hello", stream: true }),
+      }), config, { model: "", provider: "" }, { turnAdmissionLease });
+      expect(response.status).toBe(200);
+      expect(await response.text()).toContain("lease backup");
+      expect(getActiveTurnCount()).toBe(0);
+    } finally { turnAdmissionLease.release(); }
+  });
+
   test("undeclared first adapter tool call hops without changing the request catalog", async () => {
     const requests: Record<string, unknown>[] = [];
     const upstream = (content: string) => serve(async request => {