diff --git a/packages/cli/src/cli.ts b/packages/cli/src/cli.ts
index 7258ca0b4..9c899dc82 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/cli.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/cli.ts
@@ -246,6 +246,7 @@ export async function runCli(cliArgs: string[]): Promise<void> {
   const { recoverWithAutoLogin } = await import("./lib/auto-auth.js");
   const { getEnvLogLevel, setLogLevel } = await import("./lib/logger.js");
   const { scheduleForceExit } = await import("./lib/force-exit.js");
+  const { closeGlobalDispatcher } = await import("./lib/close-dispatcher.js");
   const { isTrialEligible, promptAndStartTrial } = await import(
     "./lib/seer-trial.js"
   );
@@ -640,10 +641,14 @@ export async function runCli(cliArgs: string[]): Promise<void> {
   } finally {
     // Abort any pending version check to allow clean exit
     abortPendingVersionCheck();
-    // Runs after auto-auth, scope recovery, and command retry have reached a
-    // terminal result, so the macOS/Bun force-exit timer cannot interrupt
-    // them. Covers every command, not just init (see #1237).
+    // Arm the backstop first so it fires regardless of what the dispatcher
+    // teardown does. The unref'd timer only triggers if the loop is still
+    // referenced after a drained command, so it's a no-op on clean exits
+    // (a libuv refcount quirk on macOS keeps it worthwhile — see #1237).
     scheduleForceExit();
+    // Release undici's pooled keep-alive sockets so the event loop can drain
+    // on its own — the root-cause fix. Never rejects (see close-dispatcher.ts).
+    await closeGlobalDispatcher();
   }
 
   // Show update notification after command completes
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/close-dispatcher.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/close-dispatcher.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9c04ddd88
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/close-dispatcher.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+/**
+ * Node's global `fetch` (undici) keeps a pool of keep-alive sockets open after
+ * a command finishes its work. Those sockets keep the event loop referenced,
+ * so the process lingers instead of exiting on its own (see #1237).
+ *
+ * Destroying the global dispatcher releases the pooled sockets, letting the
+ * loop drain naturally. This is the root-cause complement to the force-exit
+ * timer, which stays armed as a last-resort backstop.
+ *
+ * `destroy()` aborts in-flight requests and returns immediately rather than
+ * waiting for them to settle, so it can't hang the exit path. The call runs in
+ * a `finally` after the command has already produced its result, so it must
+ * never reject — a shutdown error here would otherwise mask the command's
+ * outcome and skip the backstop timer.
+ */
+const GLOBAL_DISPATCHER = Symbol.for("undici.globalDispatcher.1");
+
+type ClosableDispatcher = { destroy?: () => Promise<void> };
+
+export async function closeGlobalDispatcher(): Promise<void> {
+  const dispatcher = (globalThis as Record<PropertyKey, unknown>)[
+    GLOBAL_DISPATCHER
+  ] as ClosableDispatcher | undefined;
+
+  try {
+    await dispatcher?.destroy?.();
+  } catch {
+    // Socket teardown errors are irrelevant once we're on the way out.
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/cli/test/lib/close-dispatcher.test.ts b/packages/cli/test/lib/close-dispatcher.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..36ae4ce81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/test/lib/close-dispatcher.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, test } from "vitest";
+import { closeGlobalDispatcher } from "../../src/lib/close-dispatcher.js";
+
+const GLOBAL_DISPATCHER = Symbol.for("undici.globalDispatcher.1");
+const global = globalThis as Record<PropertyKey, unknown>;
+const original = global[GLOBAL_DISPATCHER];
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  if (original === undefined) {
+    delete global[GLOBAL_DISPATCHER];
+  } else {
+    global[GLOBAL_DISPATCHER] = original;
+  }
+});
+
+describe("closeGlobalDispatcher", () => {
+  test("destroys the global dispatcher when one is registered", async () => {
+    let destroyed = false;
+    global[GLOBAL_DISPATCHER] = {
+      destroy: () => {
+        destroyed = true;
+        return Promise.resolve();
+      },
+    };
+
+    await closeGlobalDispatcher();
+
+    expect(destroyed).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  test("resolves without throwing when no dispatcher is registered", async () => {
+    delete global[GLOBAL_DISPATCHER];
+
+    await expect(closeGlobalDispatcher()).resolves.toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  test("resolves when the dispatcher has no destroy method", async () => {
+    global[GLOBAL_DISPATCHER] = {};
+
+    await expect(closeGlobalDispatcher()).resolves.toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  test("swallows a rejection from destroy so the exit path is never disrupted", async () => {
+    global[GLOBAL_DISPATCHER] = {
+      destroy: () => Promise.reject(new Error("socket teardown failed")),
+    };
+
+    await expect(closeGlobalDispatcher()).resolves.toBeUndefined();
+  });
+});