diff --git a/packages/backend/src/services/__tests__/probe-service.test.ts b/packages/backend/src/services/__tests__/probe-service.test.ts
index 672a1b38..e88a8fc7 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/services/__tests__/probe-service.test.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/services/__tests__/probe-service.test.ts
@@ -153,4 +153,97 @@ describe('ProbeService', () => {
     expect(result.success).toBe(false);
     expect(dispatcher.dispatch).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
+
+  test('runProbe cancels streaming response to release concurrency slot', async () => {
+    const cancelSpy = vi.fn(async () => {});
+    const { usageStorage, dispatcher } = makeMocks();
+    (dispatcher.dispatch as any).mockResolvedValueOnce({
+      id: 'r',
+      model: 'test-model',
+      created: Date.now(),
+      content: null,
+      stream: { cancel: cancelSpy },
+      usage: undefined,
+      plexus: {
+        provider: 'p1',
+        model: 'm1',
+        apiType: 'chat',
+        canonicalModel: 'm1',
+        attemptCount: 1,
+      },
+    });
+
+    const svc = new ProbeService(dispatcher, usageStorage);
+    const result = await svc.runProbe({
+      provider: 'p1',
+      model: 'm1',
+      apiType: 'chat',
+      source: 'background',
+    });
+
+    expect(result.success).toBe(true);
+    expect(cancelSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
+  test('runProbe skips cancellation when stream has no cancel method', async () => {
+    const { usageStorage, dispatcher } = makeMocks();
+    (dispatcher.dispatch as any).mockResolvedValueOnce({
+      id: 'r',
+      model: 'test-model',
+      created: Date.now(),
+      content: null,
+      stream: {},
+      usage: undefined,
+      plexus: {
+        provider: 'p1',
+        model: 'm1',
+        apiType: 'chat',
+        canonicalModel: 'm1',
+        attemptCount: 1,
+      },
+    });
+
+    const svc = new ProbeService(dispatcher, usageStorage);
+    const result = await svc.runProbe({
+      provider: 'p1',
+      model: 'm1',
+      apiType: 'chat',
+      source: 'background',
+    });
+
+    expect(result.success).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  test('runProbe swallows stream cancellation errors', async () => {
+    const cancelSpy = vi.fn(async () => {
+      throw new Error('stream already closed');
+    });
+    const { usageStorage, dispatcher } = makeMocks();
+    (dispatcher.dispatch as any).mockResolvedValueOnce({
+      id: 'r',
+      model: 'test-model',
+      created: Date.now(),
+      content: null,
+      stream: { cancel: cancelSpy },
+      usage: undefined,
+      plexus: {
+        provider: 'p1',
+        model: 'm1',
+        apiType: 'chat',
+        canonicalModel: 'm1',
+        attemptCount: 1,
+      },
+    });
+
+    const svc = new ProbeService(dispatcher, usageStorage);
+    const result = await svc.runProbe({
+      provider: 'p1',
+      model: 'm1',
+      apiType: 'chat',
+      source: 'background',
+    });
+
+    expect(result.success).toBe(true);
+    expect(cancelSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/services/probe-service.ts b/packages/backend/src/services/probe-service.ts
index 68abdd52..e534c4eb 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/services/probe-service.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/services/probe-service.ts
@@ -232,6 +232,20 @@ export class ProbeService {
         response = await this.dispatcher.dispatch(unifiedRequest);
       }
 
+      // For streaming responses, cancel the stream to release the concurrency
+      // slot. The probe only needs routing metadata (plexus.*), not the stream
+      // content. Without this, the dispatcher's stream wrapper never fires its
+      // release callback, leaking the concurrency slot permanently.
+      if (response?.stream && typeof response.stream.cancel === 'function') {
+        try {
+          await response.stream.cancel();
+        } catch (e) {
+          // Slot is already released by the dispatcher's wrapper before the
+          // underlying stream is cancelled; cancellation failure is non-fatal.
+          logger.warn('Probe stream cancellation failed (slot already released):', e);
+        }
+      }
+
       const durationMs = Date.now() - startTime;
 
       usageRecord.provider = response.plexus?.provider;