diff --git a/nanobot/cron/service.py b/nanobot/cron/service.py
index 20fbe4be6..b505bea2a 100644
--- a/nanobot/cron/service.py
+++ b/nanobot/cron/service.py
@@ -515,11 +515,10 @@ class CronService:
         self._active_executions += 1
         try:
             store = self._load_store(reload_during_execution=reload_store)
-            # If a hot reload found a corrupt store on disk, ``self._store`` may
-            # still hold the previous, known-good in-memory snapshot.  Keep using
-            # it rather than crashing the timer or wiping live jobs.
+            # If a hot reload found a corrupt store on disk, ``self._store``
+            # may still hold the previous, known-good in-memory snapshot.
+            # Keep using it rather than crashing the timer or wiping live jobs.
             if store is None:
-                self._arm_timer()
                 return
 
             now = _now_ms()
@@ -532,9 +531,21 @@ class CronService:
                 await self._execute_job(job)
 
             self._save_store()
+        except Exception:
+            # A load/persist failure must not kill the scheduler: keep the
+            # in-memory store and retry on the next tick.  This mirrors the
+            # read-path defense in ``_load_jobs`` (``.corrupt-<ts>`` backups);
+            # ``_load_store`` may also persist (agent-binding migrations).
+            logger.exception(
+                "Cron: tick failed ({}); "
+                "keeping in-memory state and retrying on next tick",
+                self.store_path,
+            )
         finally:
             self._active_executions -= 1
-        self._arm_timer()
+            # Always re-arm the timer, even on unexpected failures, so a
+            # single bad tick cannot silently stop all future jobs.
+            self._arm_timer()
 
     async def _execute_job(self, job: CronJob) -> None:
         """Execute a single job."""
diff --git a/tests/cron/test_cron_service.py b/tests/cron/test_cron_service.py
index 5e18c6450..185071f3d 100644
--- a/tests/cron/test_cron_service.py
+++ b/tests/cron/test_cron_service.py
@@ -959,6 +959,58 @@ def test_stale_instance_remove_preserves_external_add(tmp_path) -> None:
 # ── timer race regression tests ──
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_save_store_failure_does_not_kill_scheduler(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """A persistence failure in _on_timer must not stop future ticks."""
+    store_path = tmp_path / "cron" / "jobs.json"
+    calls: list[str] = []
+    arm_calls: list[str] = []
+
+    async def on_job(job):
+        calls.append(job.id)
+
+    service = CronService(store_path, on_job=on_job)
+    service._running = True
+    service._load_store()
+
+    # Spy on _arm_timer so we can assert the scheduler is re-armed even when
+    # the tick fails, without actually scheduling a real timer task.
+    def arm_spy() -> None:
+        arm_calls.append("arm")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(service, "_arm_timer", arm_spy)
+
+    job = service.add_job(
+        name="persist-failure",
+        schedule=CronSchedule(kind="every", every_ms=60_000),
+        message="hello",
+        **_bound_chat(),
+    )
+    job.state.next_run_at_ms = max(1, int(time.time() * 1000) - 1_000)
+    service._save_store()
+    arm_calls.clear()
+
+    # Simulate a disk-write failure on the next tick.
+    def failing_save() -> None:
+        raise OSError("disk full")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(service, "_save_store", failing_save)
+    await service._on_timer()
+
+    # The scheduler must still be re-armed after the failed save...
+    assert arm_calls == ["arm"], "scheduler must re-arm after a failed tick"
+    assert service._active_executions == 0
+    # ...the first tick already ran the due job...
+    assert calls == [job.id]
+    # ...and a later, healthy tick must still run the job again.
+    monkeypatch.setattr(service, "_save_store", CronService._save_store.__get__(service))
+    job.state.next_run_at_ms = max(1, int(time.time() * 1000) - 1_000)
+    await service._on_timer()
+
+    assert calls == [job.id, job.id]
+    assert arm_calls == ["arm", "arm"]
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_timer_execution_is_not_rolled_back_by_list_jobs_reload(tmp_path):
     """list_jobs() during _on_timer should not replace the active store and re-run the same due job."""