diff --git a/gateway/platforms/base.py b/gateway/platforms/base.py
index 0c238d4d09..3e8c1433e6 100644
--- a/gateway/platforms/base.py
+++ b/gateway/platforms/base.py
@@ -3146,7 +3146,9 @@ class BasePlatformAdapter(ABC):
                 _post_cb = getattr(self, "_post_delivery_callbacks", {}).pop(session_key, None)
             if callable(_post_cb):
                 try:
-                    _post_cb()
+                    _post_result = _post_cb()
+                    if inspect.isawaitable(_post_result):
+                        await _post_result
                 except Exception:
                     pass
             # Stop typing indicator
diff --git a/gateway/run.py b/gateway/run.py
index 24ed660895..321f9b5ad1 100644
--- a/gateway/run.py
+++ b/gateway/run.py
@@ -1903,6 +1903,59 @@ class GatewayRunner:
             depth += 1
         return depth
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _is_goal_continuation_event(event_or_text: Any) -> bool:
+        """Return True for synthetic /goal continuation turns.
+
+        Goal continuations are normal queued user-role events, so pause/clear
+        must distinguish them from real user /queue messages before removing or
+        suppressing them.
+        """
+        text = getattr(event_or_text, "text", event_or_text) or ""
+        return str(text).startswith("[Continuing toward your standing goal]\nGoal:")
+
+    def _clear_goal_pending_continuations(self, session_key: str, adapter: Any) -> int:
+        """Remove queued synthetic /goal continuations for one session.
+
+        User-issued /goal pause/clear can race with a continuation already
+        queued by the judge.  Remove only synthetic goal continuations while
+        preserving normal /queue and user follow-up events.
+        """
+        removed = 0
+        pending_slot = getattr(adapter, "_pending_messages", None) if adapter is not None else None
+        if isinstance(pending_slot, dict):
+            pending_event = pending_slot.get(session_key)
+            if self._is_goal_continuation_event(pending_event):
+                pending_slot.pop(session_key, None)
+                removed += 1
+
+        queued_events = getattr(self, "_queued_events", None)
+        if isinstance(queued_events, dict):
+            overflow = queued_events.get(session_key) or []
+            if overflow:
+                kept = []
+                for queued_event in overflow:
+                    if self._is_goal_continuation_event(queued_event):
+                        removed += 1
+                    else:
+                        kept.append(queued_event)
+                if kept:
+                    queued_events[session_key] = kept
+                else:
+                    queued_events.pop(session_key, None)
+        return removed
+
+    def _goal_still_active_for_session(self, session_id: str) -> bool:
+        """Best-effort fresh DB check before running a queued continuation."""
+        if not session_id:
+            return False
+        try:
+            from hermes_cli.goals import GoalManager
+            return GoalManager(session_id=session_id).is_active()
+        except Exception as exc:
+            logger.debug("goal continuation: active-state recheck failed: %s", exc)
+            return False
+
     def _update_runtime_status(self, gateway_state: Optional[str] = None, exit_reason: Optional[str] = None) -> None:
         try:
             from gateway.status import write_runtime_status
@@ -5836,7 +5889,7 @@ class GatewayRunner:
                     except Exception:
                         session_entry = None
                     if session_entry is not None:
-                        self._post_turn_goal_continuation(
+                        await self._post_turn_goal_continuation(
                             session_entry=session_entry,
                             source=source,
                             final_response=_final_text,
@@ -8404,6 +8457,13 @@ class GatewayRunner:
             state = mgr.pause(reason="user-paused")
             if state is None:
                 return "No goal set."
+            try:
+                adapter = self.adapters.get(event.source.platform) if event.source else None
+                _quick_key = self._session_key_for_source(event.source) if event.source else None
+                if adapter and _quick_key:
+                    self._clear_goal_pending_continuations(_quick_key, adapter)
+            except Exception as exc:
+                logger.debug("goal pause: pending continuation cleanup failed: %s", exc)
             return f"⏸ Goal paused: {state.goal}"
 
         if lower == "resume":
@@ -8418,6 +8478,13 @@ class GatewayRunner:
         if lower in ("clear", "stop", "done"):
             had = mgr.has_goal()
             mgr.clear()
+            try:
+                adapter = self.adapters.get(event.source.platform) if event.source else None
+                _quick_key = self._session_key_for_source(event.source) if event.source else None
+                if adapter and _quick_key:
+                    self._clear_goal_pending_continuations(_quick_key, adapter)
+            except Exception as exc:
+                logger.debug("goal clear: pending continuation cleanup failed: %s", exc)
             return t("gateway.goal_cleared") if had else t("gateway.no_active_goal")
 
         # Otherwise — treat the remaining text as the new goal.
@@ -8449,7 +8516,69 @@ class GatewayRunner:
             "Controls: /goal status · /goal pause · /goal resume · /goal clear"
         )
 
-    def _post_turn_goal_continuation(
+    async def _send_goal_status_notice(self, source: Any, message: str) -> None:
+        """Send a /goal judge status line back to the originating chat/thread."""
+        adapter = self.adapters.get(source.platform)
+        if not adapter:
+            logger.debug("goal continuation: no adapter for %s", getattr(source, "platform", None))
+            return
+
+        try:
+            metadata = self._thread_metadata_for_source(source)
+        except Exception:
+            metadata = {"thread_id": source.thread_id} if getattr(source, "thread_id", None) else None
+
+        result = await adapter.send(source.chat_id, message, metadata=metadata)
+        if result is not None and not getattr(result, "success", True):
+            logger.warning(
+                "goal continuation: status send failed: %s",
+                getattr(result, "error", "unknown error"),
+            )
+
+    async def _defer_goal_status_notice_after_delivery(self, source: Any, message: str) -> None:
+        """Send a /goal status line after the main response is delivered.
+
+        The gateway message handler returns the agent response to the platform
+        adapter, which sends it after this method's caller has returned.  For a
+        natural Discord/Telegram reading order, goal status belongs after that
+        send.  Platform adapters provide a one-shot post-delivery callback for
+        exactly this boundary; when unavailable, fall back to direct awaited
+        delivery rather than silently dropping the notice.
+        """
+        adapter = self.adapters.get(source.platform)
+        if not adapter:
+            logger.debug("goal continuation: no adapter for %s", getattr(source, "platform", None))
+            return
+
+        async def _deliver() -> None:
+            try:
+                await self._send_goal_status_notice(source, message)
+            except Exception as exc:
+                logger.warning("goal continuation: status send failed: %s", exc, exc_info=True)
+
+        try:
+            session_key = self._session_key_for_source(source)
+        except Exception:
+            session_key = None
+
+        if session_key and hasattr(adapter, "register_post_delivery_callback"):
+            try:
+                generation = None
+                active = getattr(adapter, "_active_sessions", {}).get(session_key)
+                if active is not None:
+                    generation = getattr(active, "_hermes_run_generation", None)
+                adapter.register_post_delivery_callback(
+                    session_key,
+                    _deliver,
+                    generation=generation,
+                )
+                return
+            except Exception as exc:
+                logger.debug("goal continuation: post-delivery callback registration failed: %s", exc)
+
+        await _deliver()
+
+    async def _post_turn_goal_continuation(
         self,
         *,
         session_entry: Any,
@@ -8485,38 +8614,14 @@ class GatewayRunner:
         decision = mgr.evaluate_after_turn(final_response or "", user_initiated=True)
         msg = decision.get("message") or ""
 
-        # Send the status line back to the user so they see the judge's
-        # verdict. Fire-and-forget via the adapter's ``send()`` method —
-        # adapters expose ``send(chat_id, content, reply_to, metadata)``,
-        # not a ``send_message(source, msg)`` wrapper, so an earlier
-        # ``hasattr(adapter, "send_message")`` gate here was dead code and
-        # users never saw ``✓ Goal achieved`` / ``⏸ budget exhausted``
-        # verdicts.
+        # Defer the status line until after the adapter has delivered the
+        # agent's visible final response. The judge runs after the response is
+        # produced but before BasePlatformAdapter sends it, so sending here
+        # would show "✓ Goal achieved" before the answer itself. Registering
+        # an awaited post-delivery callback preserves delivery reliability
+        # without reversing the user-visible ordering.
         if msg and source is not None:
-            try:
-                adapter = self.adapters.get(source.platform)
-                if adapter is not None and hasattr(adapter, "send"):
-                    import asyncio as _asyncio
-                    thread_meta = (
-                        {"thread_id": source.thread_id} if source.thread_id else None
-                    )
-                    coro = adapter.send(
-                        chat_id=source.chat_id,
-                        content=msg,
-                        metadata=thread_meta,
-                    )
-                    if _asyncio.iscoroutine(coro):
-                        try:
-                            loop = _asyncio.get_running_loop()
-                            loop.create_task(coro)
-                        except RuntimeError:
-                            # No running loop in this thread — best effort.
-                            try:
-                                _asyncio.run(coro)
-                            except Exception:
-                                pass
-            except Exception as exc:
-                logger.debug("goal continuation: status send failed: %s", exc)
+            await self._defer_goal_status_notice_after_delivery(source, msg)
 
         if not decision.get("should_continue"):
             return
@@ -14768,14 +14873,18 @@ class GatewayRunner:
                         )
                         if callable(_bg_cb):
                             try:
-                                _bg_cb()
+                                _bg_result = _bg_cb()
+                                if inspect.isawaitable(_bg_result):
+                                    await _bg_result
                             except Exception:
                                 pass
                     elif adapter and hasattr(adapter, "_post_delivery_callbacks"):
                         _bg_cb = adapter._post_delivery_callbacks.pop(session_key, None)
                         if callable(_bg_cb):
                             try:
-                                _bg_cb()
+                                _bg_result = _bg_cb()
+                                if inspect.isawaitable(_bg_result):
+                                    await _bg_result
                             except Exception:
                                 pass
                 # else: interrupted — discard the interrupted response ("Operation
@@ -14789,6 +14898,12 @@ class GatewayRunner:
                 next_channel_prompt = None
                 if pending_event is not None:
                     next_source = getattr(pending_event, "source", None) or source
+                    if self._is_goal_continuation_event(pending_event) and not self._goal_still_active_for_session(session_id):
+                        logger.info(
+                            "Discarding stale goal continuation for session %s — goal is no longer active",
+                            session_key or "?",
+                        )
+                        return result
                     next_message = await self._prepare_inbound_message_text(
                         event=pending_event,
                         source=next_source,
diff --git a/tests/gateway/test_goal_status_notice.py b/tests/gateway/test_goal_status_notice.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a45958cf95
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/gateway/test_goal_status_notice.py
@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from types import SimpleNamespace
+
+import pytest
+
+from gateway.config import Platform
+from gateway.platforms.base import MessageEvent, MessageType
+from gateway.run import GatewayRunner
+from gateway.session import SessionSource
+from hermes_cli.goals import CONTINUATION_PROMPT_TEMPLATE
+
+
+class FakeAdapter:
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.calls = []
+        self.callbacks = {}
+        self._active_sessions = {}
+
+    async def send(self, chat_id, content, reply_to=None, metadata=None):
+        self.calls.append(
+            {
+                "chat_id": chat_id,
+                "content": content,
+                "reply_to": reply_to,
+                "metadata": metadata,
+            }
+        )
+        return SimpleNamespace(success=True)
+
+    def register_post_delivery_callback(self, session_key, callback, *, generation=None):
+        self.callbacks[session_key] = (generation, callback)
+
+
+def _goal_continuation_event(source, goal="finish the task"):
+    return MessageEvent(
+        text=CONTINUATION_PROMPT_TEMPLATE.format(goal=goal),
+        message_type=MessageType.TEXT,
+        source=source,
+    )
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_goal_status_notice_uses_adapter_send_with_thread_metadata():
+    """Regression: /goal judge status must use BasePlatformAdapter.send().
+
+    The old implementation checked for a non-existent send_message() method,
+    so the goal could be marked done in state_meta without the visible
+    "✓ Goal achieved" status line being delivered to Discord/Telegram.
+    """
+    runner = GatewayRunner.__new__(GatewayRunner)
+    adapter = FakeAdapter()
+    runner.adapters = {Platform.DISCORD: adapter}
+
+    source = SessionSource(
+        platform=Platform.DISCORD,
+        chat_id="parent-channel",
+        thread_id="thread-123",
+    )
+
+    await runner._send_goal_status_notice(source, "✓ Goal achieved: done")
+
+    assert adapter.calls == [
+        {
+            "chat_id": "parent-channel",
+            "content": "✓ Goal achieved: done",
+            "reply_to": None,
+            "metadata": {"thread_id": "thread-123"},
+        }
+    ]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_goal_status_notice_defers_until_post_delivery_callback():
+    """Regression: goal status must appear after the agent's visible reply.
+
+    _post_turn_goal_continuation runs before BasePlatformAdapter sends the
+    returned final response. It should therefore register a post-delivery
+    callback, not send the judge status immediately.
+    """
+    runner = GatewayRunner.__new__(GatewayRunner)
+    adapter = FakeAdapter()
+    runner.adapters = {Platform.DISCORD: adapter}
+    runner.config = SimpleNamespace(group_sessions_per_user=True, thread_sessions_per_user=False)
+
+    source = SessionSource(
+        platform=Platform.DISCORD,
+        chat_id="parent-channel",
+        thread_id="thread-123",
+        user_id="user-1",
+    )
+
+    await runner._defer_goal_status_notice_after_delivery(source, "✓ Goal achieved: done")
+
+    assert adapter.calls == []
+    assert len(adapter.callbacks) == 1
+
+    _, callback = next(iter(adapter.callbacks.values()))
+    result = callback()
+    if hasattr(result, "__await__"):
+        await result
+
+    assert adapter.calls == [
+        {
+            "chat_id": "parent-channel",
+            "content": "✓ Goal achieved: done",
+            "reply_to": None,
+            "metadata": {"thread_id": "thread-123"},
+        }
+    ]
+
+
+def test_clear_goal_pending_continuations_removes_slot_and_overflow_only():
+    """Regression: /goal pause/clear must cancel queued self-continuations.
+
+    A user-issued /goal pause can arrive after the judge queued the next
+    continuation but before that queued turn runs.  The queued synthetic goal
+    continuation should be removed without dropping normal user /queue items.
+    """
+    runner = GatewayRunner.__new__(GatewayRunner)
+    adapter = FakeAdapter()
+    adapter._pending_messages = {}
+    runner._queued_events = {}
+
+    source = SessionSource(
+        platform=Platform.DISCORD,
+        chat_id="parent-channel",
+        thread_id="thread-123",
+    )
+    session_key = "discord:parent-channel:thread-123"
+    normal_event = MessageEvent(
+        text="normal queued user message",
+        message_type=MessageType.TEXT,
+        source=source,
+    )
+
+    adapter._pending_messages[session_key] = _goal_continuation_event(source)
+    runner._queued_events[session_key] = [
+        normal_event,
+        _goal_continuation_event(source, goal="second continuation"),
+    ]
+
+    removed = runner._clear_goal_pending_continuations(session_key, adapter)
+
+    assert removed == 2
+    assert adapter._pending_messages.get(session_key) is None
+    assert runner._queued_events[session_key] == [normal_event]