diff --git a/src/main/browser/offscreen-browser-backend-reclaim.test.ts b/src/main/browser/offscreen-browser-backend-reclaim.test.ts
index 0df53d65230..c4b36f5b761 100644
--- a/src/main/browser/offscreen-browser-backend-reclaim.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/browser/offscreen-browser-backend-reclaim.test.ts
@@ -489,6 +489,24 @@ describe('OffscreenBrowserBackend reclamation', () => {
     expect(createTimeout).toBeUndefined()
   })
 
+  it('stops sweeping once nothing is resident, and resumes on wake', async () => {
+    // Why: an idle headless host should not keep waking every interval to find
+    // nothing to reclaim. Waking has to bring the sweep back or the woken page
+    // would never be reclaimed again.
+    const h = createHarness()
+    await h.backend.createTab({ url: 'https://a', browserPageId: 'a' })
+    const reclaimer = (h.backend as unknown as { reclaimer: { isScheduled: boolean } }).reclaimer
+    expect(reclaimer.isScheduled).toBe(true)
+
+    h.clock.value += 120_000
+    await h.backend.reclaimIdlePages()
+    expect(h.backend.listParkedPages()).toHaveLength(1)
+    expect(reclaimer.isScheduled).toBe(false)
+
+    await h.backend.wakeTab('a')
+    expect(reclaimer.isScheduled).toBe(true)
+  })
+
   it('coalesces concurrent wakes into one renderer', async () => {
     const h = createHarness()
     await h.backend.createTab({ url: 'https://example.test/a' })
diff --git a/src/main/browser/offscreen-browser-backend.ts b/src/main/browser/offscreen-browser-backend.ts
index 198adde0980..3387c874987 100644
--- a/src/main/browser/offscreen-browser-backend.ts
+++ b/src/main/browser/offscreen-browser-backend.ts
@@ -185,6 +185,9 @@ export class OffscreenBrowserBackend implements BrowserBackend {
         return false
       }
       page.lastActivityAt = this.now()
+      // Why: the sweep stops once nothing is resident, so a wake has to bring
+      // it back or this page would never be reclaimed again.
+      this.reclaimer.ensureScheduled()
       return true
     })()
     this.waking.set(browserPageId, wake)
diff --git a/src/main/browser/offscreen-browser-page-reclaimer.ts b/src/main/browser/offscreen-browser-page-reclaimer.ts
index 2cdd89bf06f..93ef228783e 100644
--- a/src/main/browser/offscreen-browser-page-reclaimer.ts
+++ b/src/main/browser/offscreen-browser-page-reclaimer.ts
@@ -60,9 +60,20 @@ export class OffscreenBrowserPageReclaimer {
       await this.deps.park(browserPageId)
       parked.push(browserPageId)
     }
+    // Why: with nothing resident there is nothing left to reclaim, so the sweep
+    // has no work until a page is created or woken — both of which reschedule
+    // it. Otherwise an idle host keeps waking up forever to find nothing.
+    if (this.deps.pages.resident().length === 0) {
+      this.stop()
+    }
     return parked
   }
 
+  /** Whether a sweep is currently scheduled. Exposed so the owner can assert it. */
+  get isScheduled(): boolean {
+    return this.sweepTimer !== null
+  }
+
   ensureScheduled(): void {
     if (this.sweepTimer) {
       return