diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/src/exec/bash-executor.ts b/packages/coding-agent/src/exec/bash-executor.ts
index 32523d8d4..dd2cd1de0 100644
--- a/packages/coding-agent/src/exec/bash-executor.ts
+++ b/packages/coding-agent/src/exec/bash-executor.ts
@@ -64,8 +64,17 @@ export interface DirenvPreflightOptions {
 	/** Caller-supplied env overlay; these values win over direnv-provided ones. */
 	callerEnv?: Record<string, string>;
 	signal?: AbortSignal;
-	/** Cap on the direnv load; the caller's own timeout further clamps it. */
+	/** Full direnv-load budget (`bash.direnvLoadTimeoutMs`). A positive
+	 *  `callerTimeoutMs` clamps the effective load below this; `0`/undefined
+	 *  leaves the full budget. */
 	timeoutMs?: number;
+	/** The caller's command deadline (ms). A positive value clamps the direnv
+	 *  load so a cold `.envrc` can't outlast a short-timeout command; `0` or
+	 *  undefined means "no caller clamp" — the load keeps its full `timeoutMs`
+	 *  budget (a disabled command deadline is NOT a 0 ms load). Centralizing the
+	 *  clamp here keeps every backend (executeBash, ACP terminal, PTY) on one
+	 *  contract instead of each re-deriving it. */
+	callerTimeoutMs?: number;
 	/** `bash.direnv` setting — `"off"` skips the load entirely. */
 	direnvSetting: "auto" | "off";
 	/** Shell wrapper prefix (profiler/strace) to place *after* the unset prefix,
@@ -92,10 +101,16 @@ export async function applyDirenvPreflight(
 	opts: DirenvPreflightOptions,
 ): Promise<{ command: string; env: Record<string, string> | undefined }> {
 	const withPrefix = (line: string): string => (opts.commandPrefix ? `${opts.commandPrefix} ${line}` : line);
+	// A positive caller deadline clamps the direnv load below its full budget so
+	// a cold `.envrc` can't outlast a short-timeout command; `0`/undefined means
+	// "no caller clamp" (a disabled command deadline is not a 0 ms load). Every
+	// backend routes through here, so the clamp lives in one place.
+	const loadTimeoutMs =
+		opts.callerTimeoutMs !== undefined && opts.callerTimeoutMs > 0
+			? Math.min(opts.timeoutMs ?? opts.callerTimeoutMs, opts.callerTimeoutMs)
+			: opts.timeoutMs;
 	const direnvDiff =
-		opts.direnvSetting === "off"
-			? null
-			: await loadDirenvEnv(cwd, { timeoutMs: opts.timeoutMs, signal: opts.signal });
+		opts.direnvSetting === "off" ? null : await loadDirenvEnv(cwd, { timeoutMs: loadTimeoutMs, signal: opts.signal });
 	if (!direnvDiff) {
 		return { command: withPrefix(command), env: opts.callerEnv };
 	}
@@ -281,16 +296,8 @@ export async function executeBash(command: string, options?: BashExecutorOptions
 	const preflight = await applyDirenvPreflight(command, commandCwd ?? process.cwd(), {
 		callerEnv: options?.env,
 		signal: options?.signal,
-		timeoutMs: (() => {
-			const direnvBudget = settings.get("bash.direnvLoadTimeoutMs");
-			// A disabled command deadline (`timeout: 0`) means "no caller clamp",
-			// not a 0 ms direnv load — the load still gets its full budget. Only a
-			// positive caller timeout clamps the direnv window below that budget.
-			const callerDeadline = options?.timeout;
-			return callerDeadline !== undefined && callerDeadline > 0
-				? Math.min(direnvBudget, callerDeadline)
-				: direnvBudget;
-		})(),
+		timeoutMs: settings.get("bash.direnvLoadTimeoutMs"),
+		callerTimeoutMs: options?.timeout,
 		direnvSetting: settings.get("bash.direnv"),
 		commandPrefix: prefix,
 	});
diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/src/tools/bash.ts b/packages/coding-agent/src/tools/bash.ts
index 67d9e210c..eb52dcfa9 100644
--- a/packages/coding-agent/src/tools/bash.ts
+++ b/packages/coding-agent/src/tools/bash.ts
@@ -889,6 +889,9 @@ export class BashTool implements AgentTool<typeof bashSchemaBase | typeof bashSc
 		// would double-apply the unset prefix and re-merge the env. No
 		// `commandPrefix` here: ACP applies the shell prefix via
 		// `wrapShellLineForClientTerminal`, and the PTY path never wrapped one.
+		// `callerTimeoutMs` clamps the direnv load to a positive command timeout
+		// (the backend's own timeout is installed only after this await), matching
+		// the executeBash branch so a cold `.envrc` can't outlast a short call.
 		const backendPreflight =
 			(clientBridge?.capabilities.terminal && clientBridge.createTerminal && !pty) ||
 			canUseInteractiveBashPty(pty, ctx)
@@ -896,6 +899,7 @@ export class BashTool implements AgentTool<typeof bashSchemaBase | typeof bashSc
 						callerEnv: resolvedEnv,
 						signal,
 						timeoutMs: this.session.settings.get("bash.direnvLoadTimeoutMs"),
+						callerTimeoutMs: timeoutMs,
 						direnvSetting: this.session.settings.get("bash.direnv"),
 					})
 				: undefined;
diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/test/bash-executor.test.ts b/packages/coding-agent/test/bash-executor.test.ts
index e52d3e6b8..d9b7c8ffc 100644
--- a/packages/coding-agent/test/bash-executor.test.ts
+++ b/packages/coding-agent/test/bash-executor.test.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import * as fs from "node:fs";
 import * as os from "node:os";
 import * as path from "node:path";
 import { resetSettingsForTest, Settings, type ShellMinimizerSettings } from "@oh-my-pi/pi-coding-agent/config/settings";
-import { buildMinimizerOptions, executeBash } from "@oh-my-pi/pi-coding-agent/exec/bash-executor";
+import { applyDirenvPreflight, buildMinimizerOptions, executeBash } from "@oh-my-pi/pi-coding-agent/exec/bash-executor";
 import * as direnvModule from "@oh-my-pi/pi-coding-agent/exec/direnv";
 import { DEFAULT_MAX_BYTES } from "@oh-my-pi/pi-coding-agent/session/streaming-output";
 import * as shellSnapshot from "@oh-my-pi/pi-coding-agent/utils/shell-snapshot";
@@ -1120,3 +1120,66 @@ describe("executeBash :async: background retention", () => {
 		},
 	);
 });
+
+describe("applyDirenvPreflight direnv-load clamp", () => {
+	let tempDir: string;
+
+	beforeEach(() => {
+		tempDir = makeTempDir();
+	});
+
+	afterEach(() => {
+		vi.restoreAllMocks();
+		if (fs.existsSync(tempDir)) removeSyncWithRetries(tempDir);
+	});
+
+	it("clamps the direnv load to a positive caller timeout below the full budget", async () => {
+		// The clamp lives INSIDE the helper, so every backend that routes through
+		// applyDirenvPreflight (executeBash, ACP terminal, PTY) inherits it. A
+		// positive callerTimeoutMs smaller than the full load budget must win, so a
+		// short-timeout command can't hand a cold `.envrc` the full 30s window.
+		// Reverting the clamp to executeBash-only leaves the ACP/PTY backend
+		// passing the full budget here, reddening this assertion.
+		const spy = vi.spyOn(direnvModule, "loadDirenvEnv").mockResolvedValue(null);
+
+		await applyDirenvPreflight("true", tempDir, {
+			direnvSetting: "auto",
+			timeoutMs: 30_000,
+			callerTimeoutMs: 5,
+		});
+
+		expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+		expect(spy.mock.calls[0][1]?.timeoutMs).toBe(5);
+	});
+
+	it("keeps the full direnv-load budget when the caller deadline is disabled (callerTimeoutMs: 0)", async () => {
+		// A disabled command deadline (`0`) is NOT a 0 ms load — it means "no caller
+		// clamp", so the load keeps its full `timeoutMs` budget. Collapsing it to 0
+		// would make AbortSignal.timeout(0) abort instantly and silently drop the
+		// repo's direnv env.
+		const spy = vi.spyOn(direnvModule, "loadDirenvEnv").mockResolvedValue(null);
+
+		await applyDirenvPreflight("true", tempDir, {
+			direnvSetting: "auto",
+			timeoutMs: 30_000,
+			callerTimeoutMs: 0,
+		});
+
+		expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+		expect(spy.mock.calls[0][1]?.timeoutMs).toBe(30_000);
+	});
+
+	it("keeps the full direnv-load budget when no caller deadline is supplied (callerTimeoutMs: undefined)", async () => {
+		// An omitted caller deadline behaves like a disabled one: no clamp, full
+		// budget. Guards the `!== undefined` half of the clamp condition.
+		const spy = vi.spyOn(direnvModule, "loadDirenvEnv").mockResolvedValue(null);
+
+		await applyDirenvPreflight("true", tempDir, {
+			direnvSetting: "auto",
+			timeoutMs: 30_000,
+		});
+
+		expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+		expect(spy.mock.calls[0][1]?.timeoutMs).toBe(30_000);
+	});
+});