diff --git a/dockerfiles/Dockerfile.hermes-agent b/dockerfiles/Dockerfile.hermes-agent
index 98f93ee2..36072cff 100644
--- a/dockerfiles/Dockerfile.hermes-agent
+++ b/dockerfiles/Dockerfile.hermes-agent
@@ -629,6 +629,48 @@ source = source[:runs_start] + runs_source
 path.write_text(source)
 PY
 
+# A manual evidence-based close must not expose a parked task to the dispatcher
+# between separate `unblock` and `complete` commands. Upstream already permits
+# direct completion from `blocked`; extend the same atomic path to `scheduled`
+# and make that contract visible in CLI help so agents do not create a ready
+# window that can launch redundant work.
+RUN python - <<'PY'
+from pathlib import Path
+
+db_path = Path("/opt/hermes/hermes_cli/kanban_db.py")
+db_source = db_path.read_text()
+state_before = '''                 WHERE id = ?
+                   AND status IN ('running', 'ready', 'blocked')
+'''
+state_after = '''                 WHERE id = ?
+                   AND status IN ('running', 'ready', 'blocked', 'scheduled')
+'''
+if db_source.count(state_before) != 2:
+    raise SystemExit(
+        "Hermes Kanban completion state gate changed: expected 2, "
+        f"found {db_source.count(state_before)}"
+    )
+# Only the manual path lacks an expected run id. A worker-owned completion must
+# continue to match its live run and may not revive an already scheduled run.
+db_path.write_text(db_source.replace(state_before, state_after, 1))
+
+cli_path = Path("/opt/hermes/hermes_cli/kanban.py")
+cli_source = cli_path.read_text()
+help_before = 'p_complete = sub.add_parser("complete", help="Mark one or more tasks done")'
+help_after = (
+    'p_complete = sub.add_parser('
+    '"complete", '
+    'help="Atomically mark running, ready, blocked, or scheduled tasks done"'
+    ')'
+)
+if cli_source.count(help_before) != 1:
+    raise SystemExit(
+        "Hermes Kanban complete help changed: expected 1, "
+        f"found {cli_source.count(help_before)}"
+    )
+cli_path.write_text(cli_source.replace(help_before, help_after, 1))
+PY
+
 COPY dockerfiles/hermes-python-sandbox-tool.py /opt/hermes/tools/python_sandbox_tool.py
 COPY dockerfiles/hermes-public-extract/__init__.py /opt/hermes/plugins/web/public_extract/__init__.py
 COPY dockerfiles/hermes-public-extract/plugin.yaml /opt/hermes/plugins/web/public_extract/plugin.yaml
@@ -1409,6 +1451,10 @@ RUN cd /opt/hermes/web \
         /opt/hermes/gateway/platforms/api_server.py \
     && grep -Fq 'reasoning_effort=body.get("reasoning_effort")' \
         /opt/hermes/gateway/platforms/api_server.py \
+    && grep -Fq "status IN ('running', 'ready', 'blocked', 'scheduled')" \
+        /opt/hermes/hermes_cli/kanban_db.py \
+    && grep -Fq 'Atomically mark running, ready, blocked, or scheduled tasks done' \
+        /opt/hermes/hermes_cli/kanban.py \
     && grep -Fq 'routing_priority=body.get("routing_priority")' \
         /opt/hermes/gateway/platforms/api_server.py \
     && grep -Fq 'agent._hermes_explicit_model_pick' \
diff --git a/services/hermes/agent-configmap.yaml b/services/hermes/agent-configmap.yaml
index 44e4f468..d82f96b4 100644
--- a/services/hermes/agent-configmap.yaml
+++ b/services/hermes/agent-configmap.yaml
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ data:
         - clarify
         - delegation
         - file
+        - kanban
         - memory
         - session_search
         - skills
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@ data:
         - clarify
         - delegation
         - file
+        - kanban
         - memory
         - session_search
         - skills
@@ -246,6 +248,12 @@ data:
     those findings, finish any required repair and verification, and emit the
     task's final structured result itself.
 
+    When authoritative evidence warrants closing a `blocked` or `scheduled`
+    task, call `kanban_complete` or `hermes kanban complete` directly. That
+    operation is atomic for parked tasks. Never unblock and then complete in
+    separate operations: the gateway dispatcher can claim the transient
+    `ready` state and launch redundant work.
+
     For an implementation or verification task, "review-ready" is a completed
     task outcome with evidence, not a reason to call `kanban_block`. Request a
     block only for a genuine external decision or unavailable capability. A
diff --git a/services/hermes/kustomization.yaml b/services/hermes/kustomization.yaml
index c2066ed1..4f29a2c7 100644
--- a/services/hermes/kustomization.yaml
+++ b/services/hermes/kustomization.yaml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ kind: Kustomization
 namespace: hermes
 images:
   - name: registry.bstein.dev/bstein/hermes-agent
-    digest: sha256:8a4a33df755607f69bc8803181cc8d38edf65330343ec8bf94ac5e24ba8d5e58
+    digest: sha256:37ebf720c783ae908a602916ffccf88d43d205a157957f5dc4b487867aee45e7
 resources:
   - namespace.yaml
   - vault-serviceaccount.yaml
diff --git a/testing/tests/test_hermes_chat_quality.py b/testing/tests/test_hermes_chat_quality.py
index 2c62d639..3744ea94 100644
--- a/testing/tests/test_hermes_chat_quality.py
+++ b/testing/tests/test_hermes_chat_quality.py
@@ -76,8 +76,16 @@ def test_chat_config_enables_real_research_compute_and_delegation():
 def test_agent_config_keeps_delegated_reviewers_from_owning_task_lifecycle():
     configmap = _documents(HERMES / "agent-configmap.yaml")[0]
     instructions = configmap["data"]["AGENTS.md"]
+    config = yaml.safe_load(configmap["data"]["config.yaml"])
 
-    assert "Only the foreground durable worker owns its Kanban task lifecycle" in instructions
+    assert (
+        "Only the foreground durable worker owns its Kanban task lifecycle"
+        in instructions
+    )
+    assert "Never unblock and then complete" in instructions
+    assert "gateway dispatcher can claim the transient" in instructions
+    for platform in ("cli", "api_server"):
+        assert "kanban" in config["platform_toolsets"][platform]
     assert "must never complete, block, unblock, reclaim" in instructions
     assert "task's final structured result itself" in instructions
     assert "Atlas organization has private visibility" in instructions
@@ -85,6 +93,19 @@ def test_agent_config_keeps_delegated_reviewers_from_owning_task_lifecycle():
     assert "already supplied through `GIT_ASKPASS`" in instructions
 
 
+def test_agent_image_completes_parked_kanban_tasks_atomically():
+    dockerfile = (ROOT / "dockerfiles" / "Dockerfile.hermes-agent").read_text()
+
+    assert (
+        "AND status IN ('running', 'ready', 'blocked', 'scheduled')"
+        in dockerfile
+    )
+    assert (
+        "Atomically mark running, ready, blocked, or scheduled tasks done"
+        in dockerfile
+    )
+
+
 def test_sandbox_shares_only_the_tenant_workspace_without_credentials():
     sandbox_docs = _documents(HERMES / "chat-sandbox.yaml")
     deployments = [doc for doc in sandbox_docs if doc["kind"] == "Deployment"]