diff --git a/src/bin/record_vcr.rs b/src/bin/record_vcr.rs
index ca09f13..e1a336c 100644
--- a/src/bin/record_vcr.rs
+++ b/src/bin/record_vcr.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ use tokio::sync::{Semaphore, mpsc};
 use tokio::task::LocalSet;
 
 use coven::commands;
+use coven::session::runner::find_session_file;
 use coven::vcr::{DEFAULT_TEST_MODEL, Io, MultiStep, TestCase, TriggerController, VcrContext};
 
 /// Writes to stderr with a `[prefix] ` prepended to each line.
@@ -356,10 +357,55 @@ async fn record_case(case_dir: &Path, name: &str) -> Result<()> {
     }
 
     vcr.write_recording(&vcr_path)?;
+
+    // Post-recording: verify session files were saved.
+    verify_session_files(&vcr_path, name)?;
+
     std::fs::remove_dir_all(&tmp_dir).ok();
     Ok(())
 }
 
+/// Extract session IDs from a VCR recording by scanning for result events
+/// that contain a `session_id` field.
+fn extract_session_ids(vcr_path: &Path) -> Result<Vec<String>> {
+    let content = std::fs::read_to_string(vcr_path)?;
+    let mut ids = Vec::new();
+    for line in content.lines() {
+        let entry: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_str(line)?;
+        if let Some(result) = entry.get("result")
+            && let Some(ok) = result.get("Ok")
+            && let Some(claude) = ok.get("Claude").and_then(|c| c.get("Claude"))
+            && claude.get("type").and_then(|t| t.as_str()) == Some("result")
+            && let Some(id) = claude.get("session_id").and_then(|s| s.as_str())
+            && !ids.contains(&id.to_string())
+        {
+            ids.push(id.to_string());
+        }
+    }
+    Ok(ids)
+}
+
+/// After recording, verify that session files were saved for all sessions
+/// in the recording. Logs results but does not fail the recording.
+fn verify_session_files(vcr_path: &Path, name: &str) -> Result<()> {
+    let session_ids = extract_session_ids(vcr_path)?;
+    for id in &session_ids {
+        match find_session_file(id) {
+            Ok(Some(path)) => {
+                let meta = std::fs::metadata(&path)?;
+                eprintln!("  Session file for {name} ({id}): {} bytes", meta.len());
+            }
+            Ok(None) => {
+                eprintln!("  WARNING: session file NOT found for {name} ({id})");
+            }
+            Err(e) => {
+                eprintln!("  WARNING: session file check failed for {name}: {e}");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 /// Record a multi-step test case. Steps are executed sequentially unless they
 /// share a `concurrent_group`, in which case they run concurrently.
 /// Each step writes its own VCR file: `<test>__<step>.vcr`.
diff --git a/src/commands/ralph.rs b/src/commands/ralph.rs
index 165e1de..5ce917e 100644
--- a/src/commands/ralph.rs
+++ b/src/commands/ralph.rs
@@ -203,9 +203,10 @@ pub async fn ralph<W: Write>(
                 &features,
             )
             .await?;
-            // Kill the CLI process immediately to prevent async task
-            // notifications from triggering an invisible continuation.
-            runner.kill().await?;
+            // The event loop has received the Result event (turn complete).
+            // Shut down gracefully: close stdin and wait for the process to
+            // exit (saving session state). Falls back to SIGKILL on timeout.
+            runner.shutdown().await?;
 
             match handle_session_outcome(
                 outcome,
diff --git a/src/commands/run.rs b/src/commands/run.rs
index 3482381..1ed562d 100644
--- a/src/commands/run.rs
+++ b/src/commands/run.rs
@@ -112,8 +112,7 @@ pub async fn run<W: Write>(
         }
     }
 
-    runner.close_input();
-    let _ = runner.wait().await;
+    runner.shutdown().await?;
     Ok(renderer.into_messages())
 }
 
@@ -139,8 +138,7 @@ async fn handle_outcome<W: Write>(
             {
                 FollowUpAction::Sent => Ok(true),
                 FollowUpAction::Interactive => {
-                    runner.close_input();
-                    let _ = runner.wait().await;
+                    runner.shutdown().await?;
                     let Some(session_id) = state.session_id.take() else {
                         return Ok(false);
                     };
@@ -165,7 +163,7 @@ async fn handle_outcome<W: Write>(
             resume_after_pause(session_id, base_session_cfg, runner, state, ctx).await
         }
         SessionOutcome::Reload { .. } => {
-            runner.kill().await?;
+            runner.shutdown().await?;
             let Some(session_id) = state.session_id.take() else {
                 return Ok(false);
             };
diff --git a/src/commands/worker.rs b/src/commands/worker.rs
index 221b7f4..811d4f6 100644
--- a/src/commands/worker.rs
+++ b/src/commands/worker.rs
@@ -840,9 +840,10 @@ async fn run_phase_session<W: Write>(
         )
         .await?;
 
-        // Kill the CLI process immediately to prevent async task
-        // notifications from triggering an invisible continuation.
-        runner.kill().await?;
+        // The event loop has received the Result event (turn complete).
+        // Kill the process to prevent async task notifications from
+        // triggering an invisible continuation.
+        runner.shutdown().await?;
 
         match outcome {
             SessionOutcome::Completed { result_text } => {
diff --git a/src/session/event_loop.rs b/src/session/event_loop.rs
index 4a9cb5d..04636e4 100644
--- a/src/session/event_loop.rs
+++ b/src/session/event_loop.rs
@@ -500,9 +500,10 @@ async fn execute_fork<W: Write>(
         bail!("fork detected but fork_config is None");
     };
 
-    // Kill the parent CLI process to prevent async task notifications
-    // from triggering an invisible continuation while fork children run.
-    runner.kill().await?;
+    // The event loop has received the Result event (turn complete, with
+    // fork tags). Kill the parent before fork children run to prevent
+    // async task notifications from triggering an invisible continuation.
+    runner.shutdown().await?;
 
     let msg = fork::run_fork(&session_id, tasks, fork_cfg, renderer, vcr).await?;
 
diff --git a/src/session/runner.rs b/src/session/runner.rs
index a0d1912..330c9f4 100644
--- a/src/session/runner.rs
+++ b/src/session/runner.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-use std::path::PathBuf;
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use std::process::Stdio;
+use std::time::Duration;
 
 use anyhow::{Context, Result};
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
@@ -183,7 +184,7 @@ impl SessionRunner {
         }
     }
 
-    /// Kill the claude process. No-op on stubs.
+    /// Kill the claude process immediately (SIGKILL). No-op on stubs.
     pub async fn kill(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
         if let Some(child) = &mut self.child {
             child.kill().await?;
@@ -191,6 +192,27 @@ impl SessionRunner {
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    /// Shut down the claude process after the current turn has completed.
+    ///
+    /// Callers must ensure the event loop has already received a `Result`
+    /// event (confirming the turn is complete) before calling this. Closes
+    /// stdin and waits for the process to exit so it can persist session
+    /// state. Falls back to SIGKILL if the process doesn't exit within
+    /// the timeout (e.g., an async task notification triggered a new turn).
+    pub async fn shutdown(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
+        self.close_input();
+        if let Some(child) = &mut self.child {
+            match tokio::time::timeout(Duration::from_secs(5), child.wait()).await {
+                Ok(_) => {} // Process exited — session state saved.
+                Err(_) => {
+                    // Timeout — kill to prevent invisible continuation.
+                    child.kill().await.ok();
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     fn spawn_reader(
         stdout: ChildStdout,
         stderr: ChildStderr,
@@ -245,6 +267,33 @@ pub(crate) fn has_flag(args: &[String], flag: &str) -> bool {
         .any(|a| a == flag || a.starts_with(&format!("{flag}=")))
 }
 
+/// Find the claude session file for the given session ID.
+///
+/// Searches `~/.claude/projects/*/sessions/` for a file whose stem matches
+/// the session ID. Returns the file path if found.
+pub fn find_session_file(session_id: &str) -> Result<Option<PathBuf>> {
+    let home = std::env::var("HOME").context("HOME not set")?;
+    let base = Path::new(&home).join(".claude/projects");
+    if !base.exists() {
+        return Ok(None);
+    }
+    for project_entry in std::fs::read_dir(&base)? {
+        let project_dir = project_entry?.path();
+        let sessions_dir = project_dir.join("sessions");
+        if !sessions_dir.exists() {
+            continue;
+        }
+        for entry in std::fs::read_dir(&sessions_dir)? {
+            let path = entry?.path();
+            let stem = path.file_stem().and_then(|s| s.to_str()).unwrap_or("");
+            if stem == session_id {
+                return Ok(Some(path));
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    Ok(None)
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
diff --git a/tests/cases/ralph/ralph_session_save/ralph_session_save.toml b/tests/cases/ralph/ralph_session_save/ralph_session_save.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..04dc483
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cases/ralph/ralph_session_save/ralph_session_save.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+[ralph]
+prompt = "What is 2+2? Answer briefly then stop."
+break_tag = "break"
+
+# No files needed — this is a simple Q&A to verify session shutdown behavior.
+# After the model answers and outputs <break>, the session should be saved
+# before the process is killed.