diff --git a/.changeset/fix-dead-process-execute-hang.md b/.changeset/fix-dead-process-execute-hang.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fa96e9c88c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/fix-dead-process-execute-hang.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"trigger.dev": patch
+---
+
+Fix runner getting stuck indefinitely when `execute()` is called on a dead child process.
diff --git a/packages/cli-v3/src/executions/taskRunProcess.test.ts b/packages/cli-v3/src/executions/taskRunProcess.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..82ab19639b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli-v3/src/executions/taskRunProcess.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@
+import { TaskRunProcess, type TaskRunProcessOptions } from "./taskRunProcess.js";
+import { describe, it, expect, vi } from "vitest";
+import { UnexpectedExitError } from "@trigger.dev/core/v3/errors";
+import type {
+  TaskRunExecution,
+  TaskRunExecutionPayload,
+  WorkerManifest,
+  ServerBackgroundWorker,
+  MachinePresetResources,
+} from "@trigger.dev/core/v3";
+
+function createTaskRunProcessOptions(
+  overrides: Partial<TaskRunProcessOptions> = {}
+): TaskRunProcessOptions {
+  return {
+    workerManifest: {
+      runtime: "node",
+      workerEntryPoint: "/dev/null",
+      configEntryPoint: "/dev/null",
+      otelImportHook: {},
+    } as unknown as WorkerManifest,
+    serverWorker: {} as unknown as ServerBackgroundWorker,
+    env: {},
+    machineResources: { cpu: 1, memory: 1 } as MachinePresetResources,
+    ...overrides,
+  };
+}
+
+function createExecution(runId: string, attemptNumber: number): TaskRunExecution {
+  return {
+    run: {
+      id: runId,
+      payload: "{}",
+      payloadType: "application/json",
+      tags: [],
+      isTest: false,
+      createdAt: new Date(),
+      startedAt: new Date(),
+      maxAttempts: 3,
+      version: "1",
+      durationMs: 0,
+      costInCents: 0,
+      baseCostInCents: 0,
+    },
+    attempt: {
+      number: attemptNumber,
+      startedAt: new Date(),
+      id: "deprecated",
+      backgroundWorkerId: "deprecated",
+      backgroundWorkerTaskId: "deprecated",
+      status: "deprecated" as any,
+    },
+    task: { id: "test-task", filePath: "test.ts" },
+    queue: { id: "queue-1", name: "test-queue" },
+    environment: { id: "env-1", slug: "test", type: "DEVELOPMENT" },
+    organization: { id: "org-1", slug: "test-org", name: "Test Org" },
+    project: { id: "proj-1", ref: "proj_test", slug: "test", name: "Test" },
+    machine: { name: "small-1x", cpu: 0.5, memory: 0.5, centsPerMs: 0 },
+  } as unknown as TaskRunExecution;
+}
+
+describe("TaskRunProcess", () => {
+  describe("execute() on a dead child process", () => {
+    it("should reject when child process has already exited and IPC send is skipped", async () => {
+      const proc = new TaskRunProcess(createTaskRunProcessOptions());
+
+      // Simulate a child process that has exited: _child exists but is not connected
+      const fakeChild = {
+        connected: false,
+        killed: false,
+        pid: 12345,
+        kill: vi.fn(),
+        on: vi.fn(),
+        stdout: { on: vi.fn() },
+        stderr: { on: vi.fn() },
+      };
+
+      // Set internal state to mimic a process whose child has crashed
+      (proc as any)._child = fakeChild;
+      (proc as any)._childPid = 12345;
+      (proc as any)._isBeingKilled = false;
+
+      const execution = createExecution("run-1", 2);
+
+      // This should NOT hang forever - it should reject promptly.
+      //
+      // BUG: Currently execute() creates a promise, skips the IPC send because
+      // _child.connected is false, then awaits the promise which will never
+      // resolve because the child is dead and #handleExit already ran.
+      //
+      // The Promise.race with a timeout detects the hang.
+      const result = await Promise.race([
+        proc
+          .execute(
+            {
+              payload: { execution, traceContext: {}, metrics: [] },
+              messageId: "run_run-1",
+              env: {},
+            },
+            true
+          )
+          .then(
+            (v) => ({ type: "resolved" as const, value: v }),
+            (e) => ({ type: "rejected" as const, error: e })
+          ),
+        new Promise<{ type: "hung" }>((resolve) =>
+          setTimeout(() => resolve({ type: "hung" as const }), 2000)
+        ),
+      ]);
+
+      // The test fails (proving the bug) if execute() hangs
+      expect(result.type).not.toBe("hung");
+      expect(result.type).toBe("rejected");
+
+      if (result.type === "rejected") {
+        expect(result.error).toBeInstanceOf(UnexpectedExitError);
+        expect(result.error.stderr).toContain("not connected");
+      }
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/cli-v3/src/executions/taskRunProcess.ts b/packages/cli-v3/src/executions/taskRunProcess.ts
index 098b0f261c..1e274ba02f 100644
--- a/packages/cli-v3/src/executions/taskRunProcess.ts
+++ b/packages/cli-v3/src/executions/taskRunProcess.ts
@@ -297,6 +297,19 @@ export class TaskRunProcess {
         env: params.env,
         isWarmStart: isWarmStart ?? this.options.isWarmStart,
       });
+    } else {
+      // Child process is dead or disconnected — the IPC send was skipped so the attempt
+      // promise would hang forever. Reject it immediately to let the caller handle it.
+      this._attemptStatuses.set(key, "REJECTED");
+
+      // @ts-expect-error - rejecter is assigned in the promise constructor above
+      rejecter(
+        new UnexpectedExitError(
+          -1,
+          null,
+          "Child process is not connected, cannot execute task run"
+        )
+      );
     }
 
     const result = await promise;