diff --git a/justfile b/justfile
index 4acfda02..af867d6f 100644
--- a/justfile
+++ b/justfile
@@ -99,6 +99,10 @@ bench-bsp-layout:
 bench-retained-graphics:
     cargo test --release --locked --bin herdr render_scale_profile_retained_graphics -- --ignored --nocapture --test-threads=1
 
+# Profile first-batch latency and aggregate drain cost for external API bursts.
+bench-api-fairness:
+    cargo test --release --locked --bin herdr external_api_burst_profile -- --ignored --nocapture --test-threads=1
+
 # ~3-5 minute CPU comparison; downloads stable unless HERDR_PERF_BASELINE_BIN is set
 bench-release-smoke:
     cargo build --release --locked
diff --git a/src/server/headless.rs b/src/server/headless.rs
index fe8a67e8..da3baf30 100644
--- a/src/server/headless.rs
+++ b/src/server/headless.rs
@@ -82,6 +82,11 @@ mod render;
 mod retained_surface;
 mod surface_interest;
 
+// Producers can refill even a bounded channel while it is being drained.
+// Yield to scheduled work and rendering between batches; select! below
+// immediately wakes for any messages left in either external queue.
+const EXTERNAL_EVENT_DRAIN_LIMIT: usize = 64;
+
 pub use bootstrap::run_server;
 use lifecycle::wait_for_live_handoff_response_write;
 #[cfg(unix)]
@@ -1011,7 +1016,10 @@ impl HeadlessServer {
     /// Drains server events from the dedicated channel.
     fn drain_server_events(&mut self) -> bool {
         let mut changed = false;
-        while !self.should_quit.load(Ordering::Acquire) {
+        for _ in 0..EXTERNAL_EVENT_DRAIN_LIMIT {
+            if self.should_quit.load(Ordering::Acquire) {
+                break;
+            }
             let Ok(ev) = self.server_event_rx.try_recv() else {
                 break;
             };
@@ -2788,7 +2796,10 @@ impl HeadlessServer {
     /// During shutdown, remaining requests get a `server_unavailable` error.
     fn drain_api_requests_with_shutdown_check(&mut self) -> bool {
         let mut changed = false;
-        while !self.should_quit.load(Ordering::Acquire) {
+        for _ in 0..EXTERNAL_EVENT_DRAIN_LIMIT {
+            if self.should_quit.load(Ordering::Acquire) {
+                break;
+            }
             let Ok(msg) = self.app.api_rx.try_recv() else {
                 break;
             };
diff --git a/src/server/headless/tests/event_fairness.rs b/src/server/headless/tests/event_fairness.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..49e60936
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/server/headless/tests/event_fairness.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,183 @@
+use super::*;
+
+fn queue_requests(server: &mut HeadlessServer, count: usize) -> std::sync::mpsc::Receiver<String> {
+    let (sender, receiver) = mpsc::unbounded_channel();
+    server.app.api_rx = receiver;
+    let (respond_to, responses) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
+    for index in 0..count {
+        sender
+            .send(api::ApiRequestMessage {
+                request: api::schema::Request {
+                    id: index.to_string(),
+                    method: api::schema::Method::WorkspaceList(api::schema::EmptyParams::default()),
+                },
+                respond_to: respond_to.clone(),
+                response_write_complete: None,
+            })
+            .unwrap();
+    }
+    responses
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn external_api_batches_preserve_fifo_and_leave_work_for_the_next_turn() {
+    let mut server = test_headless_server();
+    let count = EXTERNAL_EVENT_DRAIN_LIMIT * 2 + 1;
+    let responses = queue_requests(&mut server, count);
+    let mut processed = 0;
+    while !server.app.api_rx.is_empty() {
+        server.drain_api_requests_with_shutdown_check();
+        let batch: Vec<_> = responses.try_iter().collect();
+        assert_eq!(
+            batch.len(),
+            EXTERNAL_EVENT_DRAIN_LIMIT.min(count - processed)
+        );
+        for response in batch {
+            let response: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_str(&response).unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(response["id"], processed.to_string());
+            assert!(response.get("result").is_some());
+            processed += 1;
+        }
+        assert_eq!(server.app.api_rx.len(), count - processed);
+    }
+    assert_eq!(processed, count);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn external_server_events_yield_with_backlog_and_preserve_fifo() {
+    let mut server = test_headless_server();
+    let count = EXTERNAL_EVENT_DRAIN_LIMIT * 2 + 1;
+    let (sender, receiver) = mpsc::channel(count);
+    server.server_event_rx = receiver;
+    server.server_event_tx = sender.clone();
+    for client_id in 0..count as u64 {
+        sender
+            .try_send(ServerEvent::ClientDisconnected { client_id })
+            .unwrap();
+    }
+    server.drain_server_events();
+    assert_eq!(
+        server.server_event_rx.len(),
+        count - EXTERNAL_EVENT_DRAIN_LIMIT
+    );
+    let ServerEvent::ClientDisconnected { client_id } = server.server_event_rx.try_recv().unwrap()
+    else {
+        panic!("expected the next disconnect");
+    };
+    assert_eq!(client_id, EXTERNAL_EVENT_DRAIN_LIMIT as u64);
+    server.drain_server_events();
+    assert!(server.server_event_rx.is_empty());
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn external_api_batch_stops_immediately_when_shutdown_is_requested() {
+    let mut server = test_headless_server();
+    let responses = queue_requests(&mut server, EXTERNAL_EVENT_DRAIN_LIMIT + 1);
+    server.should_quit.store(true, Ordering::Release);
+    assert!(!server.drain_api_requests_with_shutdown_check());
+    assert_eq!(server.app.api_rx.len(), EXTERNAL_EVENT_DRAIN_LIMIT + 1);
+    assert_eq!(responses.try_iter().count(), 0);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn scheduled_work_runs_between_external_api_batches() {
+    let mut server = test_headless_server();
+    let responses = queue_requests(&mut server, EXTERNAL_EVENT_DRAIN_LIMIT + 1);
+    let now = Instant::now();
+    server.app.config_diagnostic_deadline = Some(now);
+    server.app.state.config_diagnostic = Some("expired diagnostic".into());
+
+    server.drain_api_requests_with_shutdown_check();
+    assert_eq!(responses.try_iter().count(), EXTERNAL_EVENT_DRAIN_LIMIT);
+    assert_eq!(server.app.api_rx.len(), 1);
+    assert!(server.handle_scheduled_tasks_headless(now, false));
+    assert!(server.app.state.config_diagnostic.is_none());
+    assert!(server.app.config_diagnostic_deadline.is_none());
+    assert_eq!(server.app.api_rx.len(), 1);
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn server_loop_drains_api_backlog_and_runs_scheduled_work() {
+    let mut server = test_headless_server();
+    let (sender, receiver) = mpsc::unbounded_channel();
+    server.app.api_rx = receiver;
+    let (respond_to, responses) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
+    let count = EXTERNAL_EVENT_DRAIN_LIMIT * 2 + 1;
+    for index in 0..=count {
+        // A queued stop terminates the real loop without a concurrent producer
+        // or a timing assertion. Earlier requests must all receive responses.
+        let method = if index == count {
+            api::schema::Method::ServerStop(api::schema::EmptyParams::default())
+        } else {
+            api::schema::Method::WorkspaceList(api::schema::EmptyParams::default())
+        };
+        sender
+            .send(api::ApiRequestMessage {
+                request: api::schema::Request {
+                    id: index.to_string(),
+                    method,
+                },
+                respond_to: respond_to.clone(),
+                response_write_complete: None,
+            })
+            .unwrap();
+    }
+    server.app.config_diagnostic_deadline = Some(Instant::now());
+    server.app.state.config_diagnostic = Some("expired diagnostic".into());
+
+    tokio::time::timeout(Duration::from_secs(5), server.run())
+        .await
+        .expect("queued API requests must wake the server loop")
+        .expect("server loop shuts down cleanly");
+
+    let responses: Vec<_> = responses.try_iter().collect();
+    assert_eq!(responses.len(), count + 1);
+    for (index, response) in responses.iter().enumerate() {
+        let response: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_str(response).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(response["id"], index.to_string());
+        assert!(response.get("result").is_some());
+    }
+    assert!(server.app.api_rx.is_empty());
+    assert!(server.app.state.config_diagnostic.is_none());
+    assert!(server.app.config_diagnostic_deadline.is_none());
+    assert_eq!(server.app.terminal_runtimes.len(), 0);
+}
+
+#[test]
+#[ignore = "manual external API burst scheduling profile"]
+fn external_api_burst_profile() {
+    for pane_count in [1, 15] {
+        let mut server = test_headless_server();
+        let mut workspace = crate::workspace::Workspace::test_new("api-profile");
+        for _ in 1..pane_count {
+            workspace.test_split(ratatui::layout::Direction::Horizontal);
+        }
+        server.app.state.workspaces = vec![workspace];
+        server.app.state.ensure_test_terminals();
+        for count in [64, 512, 4096] {
+            let mut first_samples = Vec::new();
+            let mut total_samples = Vec::new();
+            let mut first_count = 0;
+            for sample in 0..10 {
+                let responses = queue_requests(&mut server, count);
+                let start = Instant::now();
+                server.drain_api_requests_with_shutdown_check();
+                let first = start.elapsed();
+                first_count = count - server.app.api_rx.len();
+                while !server.app.api_rx.is_empty() {
+                    server.drain_api_requests_with_shutdown_check();
+                }
+                let total = start.elapsed();
+                assert_eq!(responses.try_iter().count(), count);
+                if sample >= 3 {
+                    first_samples.push(first);
+                    total_samples.push(total);
+                }
+            }
+            first_samples.sort_unstable();
+            total_samples.sort_unstable();
+            println!("api-burst panes={pane_count} requests={count} first_count={first_count} first_us={:.3} total_us={:.3}",
+                first_samples[3].as_secs_f64() * 1e6, total_samples[3].as_secs_f64() * 1e6);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/server/headless/tests/mod.rs b/src/server/headless/tests/mod.rs
index bbb7bfe6..2dd082d6 100644
--- a/src/server/headless/tests/mod.rs
+++ b/src/server/headless/tests/mod.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 use super::*;
 
+mod event_fairness;
 mod native_graphics;
 #[path = "pane_move.rs"]
 mod pane_move_tests;