diff --git a/internal/gateway/methods/teams_tasks.go b/internal/gateway/methods/teams_tasks.go
index cfaa9078..12411f34 100644
--- a/internal/gateway/methods/teams_tasks.go
+++ b/internal/gateway/methods/teams_tasks.go
@@ -778,6 +778,17 @@ func (m *TeamsMethods) handleTaskDeleteBulk(ctx context.Context, client *gateway
 // gateway consumer picks it up and runs the assigned agent, then auto-completes
 // the task on success or auto-fails on error.
 func (m *TeamsMethods) dispatchTaskToAgent(ctx context.Context, task *store.TeamTaskData, taskID, teamID, agentID uuid.UUID, userID string) {
+	// Block dispatch to the lead agent — causes dual-session loop.
+	if team, err := m.teamStore.GetTeam(ctx, teamID); err == nil && team != nil && agentID == team.LeadAgentID {
+		slog.Warn("teams.tasks.dispatch: blocked dispatch to lead agent",
+			"task_id", taskID, "agent_id", agentID, "team_id", teamID)
+		_ = m.teamStore.UpdateTask(ctx, taskID, map[string]any{
+			"status": store.TeamTaskStatusFailed,
+			"result": "Cannot dispatch task to the team lead — reassign to a team member",
+		})
+		return
+	}
+
 	ag, err := m.agentStore.GetByID(ctx, agentID)
 	if err != nil {
 		slog.Warn("teams.tasks.dispatch: cannot resolve agent", "agent_id", agentID, "error", err)
diff --git a/internal/tools/team_tasks_followup.go b/internal/tools/team_tasks_followup.go
index e2a09378..9f41a920 100644
--- a/internal/tools/team_tasks_followup.go
+++ b/internal/tools/team_tasks_followup.go
@@ -126,6 +126,10 @@ func (t *TeamTasksTool) executeRetry(ctx context.Context, args map[string]any) *
 	if task.OwnerAgentID == nil {
 		return ErrorResult("task has no assignee — assign it first via update")
 	}
+	// Block retry to the lead agent — would cause self-dispatch loop.
+	if *task.OwnerAgentID == team.LeadAgentID {
+		return ErrorResult("cannot retry task assigned to the team lead — reassign to a team member first via update")
+	}
 
 	// Reset status to pending first (AssignTask only transitions from pending).
 	if err := t.manager.teamStore.ResetTaskStatus(ctx, taskID, team.ID); err != nil {
@@ -152,7 +156,7 @@ func (t *TeamTasksTool) executeRetry(ctx context.Context, args map[string]any) *
 	})
 
 	// Dispatch immediately (retry is an explicit action, not during a turn).
-	t.manager.dispatchTaskToAgent(ctx, task, team.ID, *task.OwnerAgentID)
+	t.manager.dispatchTaskToAgent(ctx, task, team, *task.OwnerAgentID)
 
 	assignee := t.manager.agentKeyFromID(ctx, *task.OwnerAgentID)
 	return NewResult(fmt.Sprintf("Task #%d \"%s\" (id: %s) retried and dispatched to %s. The assignee will receive the task with your recent comments.", task.TaskNumber, task.Subject, taskID, assignee))
diff --git a/internal/tools/team_tasks_mutations.go b/internal/tools/team_tasks_mutations.go
index 0955751a..9d8b38a6 100644
--- a/internal/tools/team_tasks_mutations.go
+++ b/internal/tools/team_tasks_mutations.go
@@ -119,6 +119,12 @@ func (t *TeamTasksTool) executeCreate(ctx context.Context, args map[string]any)
 	if !isMember {
 		return ErrorResult(fmt.Sprintf("agent %q is not a member of this team", assigneeKey))
 	}
+	// Prevent lead from self-assigning — causes dual-session execution + loop.
+	// buildCreateHint already hides the lead from the member list hint,
+	// but weaker models may still attempt self-assignment.
+	if assigneeID == team.LeadAgentID {
+		return ErrorResult("team lead cannot assign tasks to itself — delegate to a team member instead. You are the team lead; handle this work directly or assign to one of your members.")
+	}
 
 	requireApproval, _ := args["require_approval"].(bool)
 	status := store.TeamTaskStatusPending
@@ -269,7 +275,7 @@ func (t *TeamTasksTool) executeCreate(ctx context.Context, args map[string]any)
 					ActorType:     "system",
 					ActorID:       "fallback_dispatch",
 				})
-				t.manager.dispatchTaskToAgent(ctx, task, team.ID, assigneeID)
+				t.manager.dispatchTaskToAgent(ctx, task, team, assigneeID)
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/internal/tools/team_tool_dispatch.go b/internal/tools/team_tool_dispatch.go
index 8195634d..c3c1ed8b 100644
--- a/internal/tools/team_tool_dispatch.go
+++ b/internal/tools/team_tool_dispatch.go
@@ -28,10 +28,24 @@ const maxTaskDispatches = 3
 // falling back to ctx only for initial dispatch when the task is created and dispatched
 // in the same call. This ensures correct routing even when called from
 // DispatchUnblockedTasks (where ctx is the member agent's context, not the lead's).
-func (m *TeamToolManager) dispatchTaskToAgent(ctx context.Context, task *store.TeamTaskData, teamID, agentID uuid.UUID) {
+func (m *TeamToolManager) dispatchTaskToAgent(ctx context.Context, task *store.TeamTaskData, team *store.TeamData, agentID uuid.UUID) {
 	if m.msgBus == nil {
 		return
 	}
+	teamID := team.ID
+
+	// Safety net: never dispatch to the lead agent — causes dual-session loop.
+	// Self-assignment is blocked at create time, but catch edge cases
+	// from retry, ticker recovery, or manual DB edits.
+	if agentID == team.LeadAgentID {
+		slog.Warn("team_tasks.dispatch: blocked dispatch to lead agent",
+			"task_id", task.ID, "agent_id", agentID, "team_id", teamID)
+		_ = m.teamStore.UpdateTask(ctx, task.ID, map[string]any{
+			"status": store.TeamTaskStatusFailed,
+			"result": "Cannot dispatch task to the team lead — reassign to a team member",
+		})
+		return
+	}
 
 	// Circuit breaker: auto-fail tasks that have been dispatched too many times.
 	dispatchCount := 0
@@ -100,10 +114,8 @@ func (m *TeamToolManager) dispatchTaskToAgent(ctx context.Context, task *store.T
 	}
 	// Resolve lead agent key for completion announce routing.
 	fromAgent := ToolAgentKeyFromCtx(ctx)
-	if team, err := m.teamStore.GetTeamForAgent(ctx, store.AgentIDFromContext(ctx)); err == nil && team != nil {
-		if leadAg, err := m.cachedGetAgentByID(ctx, team.LeadAgentID); err == nil {
-			fromAgent = leadAg.AgentKey
-		}
+	if leadAg, err := m.cachedGetAgentByID(ctx, team.LeadAgentID); err == nil {
+		fromAgent = leadAg.AgentKey
 	}
 
 	// Resolve user ID: prefer context (available during leader's turn),
@@ -290,6 +302,10 @@ func (m *TeamToolManager) restoreTraceContext(ctx context.Context, task *store.T
 // Called after task completion/cancellation to start newly-unblocked work
 // instead of waiting for the ticker (up to 5 min delay).
 func (m *TeamToolManager) DispatchUnblockedTasks(ctx context.Context, teamID uuid.UUID) {
+	team, err := m.teamStore.GetTeam(ctx, teamID)
+	if err != nil || team == nil {
+		return
+	}
 	tasks, err := m.teamStore.ListRecoverableTasks(ctx, teamID)
 	if err != nil {
 		return
@@ -304,6 +320,17 @@ func (m *TeamToolManager) DispatchUnblockedTasks(ctx context.Context, teamID uui
 			continue
 		}
 		ownerID := *task.OwnerAgentID
+		// Auto-fail tasks assigned to the lead agent — would cause self-dispatch loop.
+		// Don't just skip: pending lead-owned tasks would stay stuck until stale timeout.
+		if ownerID == team.LeadAgentID {
+			slog.Warn("DispatchUnblockedTasks: auto-failing lead-owned task",
+				"task_id", task.ID, "team_id", teamID)
+			_ = m.teamStore.UpdateTask(ctx, task.ID, map[string]any{
+				"status": store.TeamTaskStatusFailed,
+				"result": "Cannot dispatch task to the team lead — reassign to a team member",
+			})
+			continue
+		}
 		if dispatched[ownerID] {
 			continue // skip — this owner already has a higher-priority task dispatched
 		}
@@ -341,6 +368,6 @@ func (m *TeamToolManager) DispatchUnblockedTasks(ctx context.Context, teamID uui
 		// Restore leader's trace context (stored in task metadata during creation)
 		// so the member agent's trace links back to the leader, not the completing member.
 		dispatchCtx := m.restoreTraceContext(ctx, task)
-		m.dispatchTaskToAgent(dispatchCtx, task, teamID, ownerID)
+		m.dispatchTaskToAgent(dispatchCtx, task, team, ownerID)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/internal/tools/team_tool_validation.go b/internal/tools/team_tool_validation.go
index 390f8bd4..b9b35127 100644
--- a/internal/tools/team_tool_validation.go
+++ b/internal/tools/team_tool_validation.go
@@ -76,6 +76,13 @@ func (m *TeamToolManager) ProcessPendingTasks(ctx context.Context, teamID uuid.U
 		m.failCycledTasks(ctx, teamID, cycled, taskMap)
 	}
 
+	// Fetch team once for lead-agent guard in dispatchTaskToAgent.
+	team, err := m.teamStore.GetTeam(ctx, teamID)
+	if err != nil || team == nil {
+		slog.Warn("post_turn: cannot fetch team", "team_id", teamID, "error", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("cannot fetch team %s: %w", teamID, err)
+	}
+
 	// Dispatch pending assigned tasks (not blocked, not failed).
 	for _, task := range tasks {
 		if _, isCycled := cycled[task.ID]; isCycled {
@@ -87,6 +94,10 @@ func (m *TeamToolManager) ProcessPendingTasks(ctx context.Context, teamID uuid.U
 		if task.Status != store.TeamTaskStatusPending || task.OwnerAgentID == nil {
 			continue
 		}
+		// Skip tasks assigned to the lead agent — would cause self-dispatch loop.
+		if *task.OwnerAgentID == team.LeadAgentID {
+			continue
+		}
 		if err := m.teamStore.AssignTask(ctx, task.ID, *task.OwnerAgentID, teamID); err != nil {
 			slog.Warn("post_turn: assign failed", "task_id", task.ID, "error", err)
 			continue
@@ -107,7 +118,7 @@ func (m *TeamToolManager) ProcessPendingTasks(ctx context.Context, teamID uuid.U
 		// Restore leader's trace context from task metadata (ctx here is the
 		// consumer goroutine context which has no trace after the turn ends).
 		dispatchCtx := m.restoreTraceContext(ctx, task)
-		m.dispatchTaskToAgent(dispatchCtx, task, teamID, *task.OwnerAgentID)
+		m.dispatchTaskToAgent(dispatchCtx, task, team, *task.OwnerAgentID)
 	}
 
 	slog.Info("post_turn: processed pending tasks",