diff --git a/backend/.sqlx/query-19478c2a3c05b2ed17b110f8ff58d48ce3ede5fdd7f8d64840f8c62cf89f99e7.json b/backend/.sqlx/query-19478c2a3c05b2ed17b110f8ff58d48ce3ede5fdd7f8d64840f8c62cf89f99e7.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d3a6b60613
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/.sqlx/query-19478c2a3c05b2ed17b110f8ff58d48ce3ede5fdd7f8d64840f8c62cf89f99e7.json
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+{
+  "db_name": "PostgreSQL",
+  "query": "\n                SELECT\n                    script_lang as \"language: _\",\n                    COUNT(*) as \"count!\",\n                    SUM(duration_ms)::BIGINT as \"total_duration!\"\n                FROM\n                    v2_job_completed\n                JOIN\n                    v2_job\n                ON\n                    v2_job.id = v2_job_completed.id\n                WHERE\n                    created_at >= CURRENT_DATE - INTERVAL '1 day'\n                    AND created_at < CURRENT_DATE\n                GROUP BY\n                    script_lang\n            ",
+  "describe": {
+    "columns": [
+      {
+        "ordinal": 0,
+        "name": "language: _",
+        "type_info": {
+          "Custom": {
+            "name": "script_lang",
+            "kind": {
+              "Enum": [
+                "python3",
+                "deno",
+                "go",
+                "bash",
+                "postgresql",
+                "nativets",
+                "bun",
+                "mysql",
+                "bigquery",
+                "snowflake",
+                "graphql",
+                "powershell",
+                "mssql",
+                "php",
+                "bunnative",
+                "rust",
+                "ansible",
+                "csharp",
+                "oracledb",
+                "nu",
+                "java",
+                "duckdb",
+                "ruby",
+                "rlang"
+              ]
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      },
+      {
+        "ordinal": 1,
+        "name": "count!",
+        "type_info": "Int8"
+      },
+      {
+        "ordinal": 2,
+        "name": "total_duration!",
+        "type_info": "Int8"
+      }
+    ],
+    "parameters": {
+      "Left": []
+    },
+    "nullable": [
+      true,
+      null,
+      null
+    ]
+  },
+  "hash": "19478c2a3c05b2ed17b110f8ff58d48ce3ede5fdd7f8d64840f8c62cf89f99e7"
+}
diff --git a/backend/.sqlx/query-464895f217536bf713ec381b6c3b7c0417161bf69e596e2e34fc8d9384824776.json b/backend/.sqlx/query-464895f217536bf713ec381b6c3b7c0417161bf69e596e2e34fc8d9384824776.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7b61cc3cd1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/.sqlx/query-464895f217536bf713ec381b6c3b7c0417161bf69e596e2e34fc8d9384824776.json
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+{
+  "db_name": "PostgreSQL",
+  "query": "\n                SELECT\n                    script_lang as \"language: _\",\n                    COUNT(*) as \"count!\",\n                    SUM(duration_ms)::BIGINT as \"total_duration!\"\n                FROM\n                    v2_job_completed\n                JOIN\n                    v2_job\n                ON\n                    v2_job.id = v2_job_completed.id\n                WHERE\n                    created_at > NOW() - INTERVAL '48 hours'\n                GROUP BY\n                    script_lang\n            ",
+  "describe": {
+    "columns": [
+      {
+        "ordinal": 0,
+        "name": "language: _",
+        "type_info": {
+          "Custom": {
+            "name": "script_lang",
+            "kind": {
+              "Enum": [
+                "python3",
+                "deno",
+                "go",
+                "bash",
+                "postgresql",
+                "nativets",
+                "bun",
+                "mysql",
+                "bigquery",
+                "snowflake",
+                "graphql",
+                "powershell",
+                "mssql",
+                "php",
+                "bunnative",
+                "rust",
+                "ansible",
+                "csharp",
+                "oracledb",
+                "nu",
+                "java",
+                "duckdb",
+                "ruby",
+                "rlang"
+              ]
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      },
+      {
+        "ordinal": 1,
+        "name": "count!",
+        "type_info": "Int8"
+      },
+      {
+        "ordinal": 2,
+        "name": "total_duration!",
+        "type_info": "Int8"
+      }
+    ],
+    "parameters": {
+      "Left": []
+    },
+    "nullable": [
+      true,
+      null,
+      null
+    ]
+  },
+  "hash": "464895f217536bf713ec381b6c3b7c0417161bf69e596e2e34fc8d9384824776"
+}
diff --git a/backend/.sqlx/query-cb3862634f18160207ee2621ddfca43f00456a27fda32583846497116f92f96c.json b/backend/.sqlx/query-cb3862634f18160207ee2621ddfca43f00456a27fda32583846497116f92f96c.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8ccf623719
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/.sqlx/query-cb3862634f18160207ee2621ddfca43f00456a27fda32583846497116f92f96c.json
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+{
+  "db_name": "PostgreSQL",
+  "query": "WITH active_users as (SELECT distinct username as email FROM audit WHERE timestamp > NOW() - INTERVAL '1 month' AND (operation = 'users.login' OR operation = 'oauth.login' OR operation = 'users.token.refresh')),\n        active_authors as (SELECT distinct email FROM usr WHERE usr.operator IS false AND email IN (SELECT email FROM active_users)),\n        active_authors_agg as (SELECT array_agg(email) as authors FROM active_authors),\n        active_ops_agg as (SELECT array_agg(email) as operators from active_users WHERE email NOT IN (SELECT email FROM active_authors))\n        SELECT active_authors_agg.authors, active_ops_agg.operators, array_length(active_authors_agg.authors, 1) as author_count, array_length(active_ops_agg.operators, 1) as operator_count FROM active_authors_agg, active_ops_agg",
+  "describe": {
+    "columns": [
+      {
+        "ordinal": 0,
+        "name": "authors",
+        "type_info": "VarcharArray"
+      },
+      {
+        "ordinal": 1,
+        "name": "operators",
+        "type_info": "VarcharArray"
+      },
+      {
+        "ordinal": 2,
+        "name": "author_count",
+        "type_info": "Int4"
+      },
+      {
+        "ordinal": 3,
+        "name": "operator_count",
+        "type_info": "Int4"
+      }
+    ],
+    "parameters": {
+      "Left": []
+    },
+    "nullable": [
+      null,
+      null,
+      null,
+      null
+    ]
+  },
+  "hash": "cb3862634f18160207ee2621ddfca43f00456a27fda32583846497116f92f96c"
+}
diff --git a/backend/.sqlx/query-d1dcc7fc8a1e1bc4dad263ec5163a94fca9dd95cc3b26b33611eab9d2a261141.json b/backend/.sqlx/query-d1dcc7fc8a1e1bc4dad263ec5163a94fca9dd95cc3b26b33611eab9d2a261141.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4a0592701c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/.sqlx/query-d1dcc7fc8a1e1bc4dad263ec5163a94fca9dd95cc3b26b33611eab9d2a261141.json
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+{
+  "db_name": "PostgreSQL",
+  "query": "SELECT args as \"args: sqlx::types::Json<Box<RawValue>>\"\n                        FROM v2_job\n                        WHERE id = $1",
+  "describe": {
+    "columns": [
+      {
+        "ordinal": 0,
+        "name": "args: sqlx::types::Json<Box<RawValue>>",
+        "type_info": "Jsonb"
+      }
+    ],
+    "parameters": {
+      "Left": [
+        "Uuid"
+      ]
+    },
+    "nullable": [
+      true
+    ]
+  },
+  "hash": "d1dcc7fc8a1e1bc4dad263ec5163a94fca9dd95cc3b26b33611eab9d2a261141"
+}
diff --git a/backend/src/monitor.rs b/backend/src/monitor.rs
index 5e87f3d161..b2765fc00b 100644
--- a/backend/src/monitor.rs
+++ b/backend/src/monitor.rs
@@ -3305,6 +3305,49 @@ Please check your worker logs for more details and feel free to report it to the
         }
     }
 
+    // Detect flows with NULL pings that have been running longer than the retention period.
+    // This catches parent flows/flownodes waiting for a suspended child (e.g. approval step)
+    // where no worker is actively processing them. The normal zombie detection above requires
+    // ping IS NOT NULL so these flows would otherwise stay in the queue indefinitely.
+    let job_retention_secs = *JOB_RETENTION_SECS.read().await;
+    if job_retention_secs > 0 {
+        let stale_null_ping_flows = sqlx::query!(
+            r#"
+            SELECT j.id AS "id!", j.workspace_id AS "workspace_id!"
+            FROM v2_job_queue q
+            JOIN v2_job j USING (id)
+            LEFT JOIN v2_job_runtime r USING (id)
+            WHERE q.running = true
+                AND (j.kind = 'flow' OR j.kind = 'flowpreview' OR j.kind = 'flownode')
+                AND r.ping IS NULL
+                AND j.parent_job IS NULL
+                AND j.created_at < NOW() - ($1::bigint::text || ' s')::interval
+                AND q.canceled_by IS NULL
+            "#,
+            job_retention_secs
+        )
+        .fetch_all(db)
+        .await?;
+
+        for flow in &stale_null_ping_flows {
+            let base_url = BASE_URL.read().await;
+            let reason = format!(
+                "Flow {} ({}/run/{}?workspace={}) has been running with no active worker (NULL ping) for longer than the retention period ({}s). \
+                 This typically happens when a sub-flow is suspended (e.g. approval step) and the parent flow's worker was interrupted before recording a ping.",
+                flow.id, base_url, flow.id, flow.workspace_id, job_retention_secs
+            );
+            report_critical_error(reason.clone(), db.clone(), Some(&flow.workspace_id), None).await;
+            cancel_zombie_flow_job(db, flow.id, &flow.workspace_id, reason).await?;
+        }
+
+        if !stale_null_ping_flows.is_empty() {
+            tracing::info!(
+                "Cancelled {} stale flows with NULL pings older than retention period",
+                stale_null_ping_flows.len()
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
     let flows2 = sqlx::query!(
         r#"
         DELETE
diff --git a/backend/windmill-worker/src/worker_flow.rs b/backend/windmill-worker/src/worker_flow.rs
index baadad65c4..f4c2bda757 100644
--- a/backend/windmill-worker/src/worker_flow.rs
+++ b/backend/windmill-worker/src/worker_flow.rs
@@ -2911,6 +2911,18 @@ async fn push_next_flow_job(
                 FlowStatusModule::WaitingForPriorSteps { .. }
             ) && is_disapproved.is_none()
             {
+                let suspend_timeout_secs: u64 =
+                    suspend.timeout.map(|t| t.into()).unwrap_or(30 * 60);
+                // Cap suspend timeout at the retention period to prevent flows from being
+                // parked indefinitely (which blocks retention cleanup of completed children).
+                let job_retention_secs =
+                    *windmill_common::JOB_RETENTION_SECS.read().await;
+                let suspend_timeout_secs = if job_retention_secs > 0 {
+                    suspend_timeout_secs.min(job_retention_secs as u64)
+                } else {
+                    suspend_timeout_secs
+                };
+
                 sqlx::query!(
                     "WITH suspend AS (
                          UPDATE v2_job_queue SET suspend = $2, suspend_until = now() + $3
@@ -2927,9 +2939,7 @@ async fn push_next_flow_job(
                         job: last
                     }),
                     (required_events - resume_messages.len() as u16) as i32,
-                    Duration::from_secs(
-                        suspend.timeout.map(|t| t.into()).unwrap_or_else(|| 30 * 60)
-                    ) as Duration,
+                    Duration::from_secs(suspend_timeout_secs) as Duration,
                     flow_job.id,
                 )
                 .execute(&mut *tx)