diff --git a/crates/cellule-runtime/docs/runtime.md b/crates/cellule-runtime/docs/runtime.md
index ca928a3..4c626cb 100644
--- a/crates/cellule-runtime/docs/runtime.md
+++ b/crates/cellule-runtime/docs/runtime.md
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ activation, never correctness.
 <a id="ownership-renewal"></a>
 ## Renew and self-fence ownership
 
-- **Scanner.** One node-level scanner renews owned Cells every three seconds. A mutation publication also advances owner progress.
+- **Scanner.** Each owner normally becomes due every three seconds. One node-level scanner finds due owners every 100 ms, orders them by their original deadline, and starts at most 32 renewals concurrently. A completed renewal immediately frees a slot for the next due owner; each scan discards stale candidates. This removes the former 320-starts/s tick ceiling without reducing the one-control-update-per-active-Cell cost. A mutation publication also advances owner progress.
 - **Renewal budget.** The runtime gives a control-record renewal up to thirty seconds under object-store pressure.
 - **Session guard.** A separate node-session guard closes admission at its signed expiry, even while renewal I/O is pending.
 - **Scope.** Renewal changes owner liveness fields only. It preserves root, code, schema, and durable `next_due_ms`.
diff --git a/crates/cellule-runtime/src/cell/actor/lifecycle/scheduling.rs b/crates/cellule-runtime/src/cell/actor/lifecycle/scheduling.rs
index 3cbb164..f268f55 100644
--- a/crates/cellule-runtime/src/cell/actor/lifecycle/scheduling.rs
+++ b/crates/cellule-runtime/src/cell/actor/lifecycle/scheduling.rs
@@ -148,65 +148,111 @@ pub(in crate::cell::actor) fn start_transfer_inspection(
     });
 }
 
-pub(in crate::cell::actor) fn start_due_renewals(
-    pool: &SqlWorkerPool,
-    cells: &mut HashMap<CellId, ActiveCell>,
-    tasks: &mut JoinSet<TaskResult>,
-    node_lease: &RuntimeNodeLease,
-) {
-    let active_renewals = cells.values().filter(|active| active.renewing()).count();
-    let mut available = MAX_RENEWALS_IN_FLIGHT.saturating_sub(active_renewals);
-    if available == 0 {
-        return;
-    }
-    let now = std::time::Instant::now();
-    for (cell, active) in cells.iter_mut() {
-        if available == 0 {
-            break;
-        }
-        if active
-            .publisher
-            .as_ref()
-            .is_none_or(|publisher| !publisher.renewal_due(now))
-        {
-            continue;
+/// Due owners are scanned once per tick, then drained in deadline order as
+/// renewal I/O completes. Rebuilding the pending set bounds stale entries
+/// when Cells depart or change generation while all I/O slots are occupied.
+pub(in crate::cell::actor) struct RenewalScheduler {
+    due: Vec<(std::time::Instant, [u8; 32], u64)>,
+    in_flight: usize,
+}
+
+impl RenewalScheduler {
+    pub(in crate::cell::actor) fn new() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            due: Vec::new(),
+            in_flight: 0,
         }
-        match active.coordination.step(CoordinationInput::BeginRenewal {
-            queue_empty: active.queue.is_empty(),
-            publication_idle: active.coordination.publication_count() == 0,
-            lease_live: node_lease.check().is_ok(),
-        }) {
-            CoordinationDecision::Started => {}
-            CoordinationDecision::Fence => {
-                fence_active(active);
+    }
+
+    pub(in crate::cell::actor) fn scan_due(&mut self, cells: &HashMap<CellId, ActiveCell>) {
+        self.due.clear();
+        let now = std::time::Instant::now();
+        for (cell, active) in cells {
+            let Some(publisher) = active.publisher.as_ref() else {
                 continue;
+            };
+            if publisher.renewal_due(now) {
+                self.due
+                    .push((publisher.renewal_at(), *cell.as_bytes(), active.generation));
             }
-            _ => continue,
         }
-        let Some(mut publisher) = active.publisher.take() else {
-            active
-                .coordination
-                .step(CoordinationInput::FinishRenewal { fenced: true });
-            continue;
-        };
-        let generation = active.generation;
-        let effect_id = active.begin_task(CoordinationEffect::Renewal);
-        available -= 1;
-        let cell = *cell;
-        let pool = pool.clone();
-        tasks.spawn(async move {
-            let result = publisher.renew().await;
-            if result.is_err() {
-                let _ = pool.fence(cell).await;
+        // Pop the oldest deadline first. Identity breaks ties independently of
+        // HashMap iteration order, so newly due Cells cannot overtake old debt.
+        self.order_due();
+    }
+
+    fn order_due(&mut self) {
+        self.due.sort_unstable_by(|left, right| right.cmp(left));
+    }
+
+    fn next_due(&mut self) -> Option<(CellId, u64)> {
+        self.due
+            .pop()
+            .map(|(_, bytes, generation)| (CellId::from_bytes(bytes), generation))
+    }
+
+    pub(in crate::cell::actor) fn finished(&mut self) {
+        self.in_flight = self.in_flight.saturating_sub(1);
+    }
+
+    pub(in crate::cell::actor) fn dispatch(
+        &mut self,
+        pool: &SqlWorkerPool,
+        cells: &mut HashMap<CellId, ActiveCell>,
+        tasks: &mut JoinSet<TaskResult>,
+        node_lease: &RuntimeNodeLease,
+    ) {
+        let now = std::time::Instant::now();
+        while self.in_flight < MAX_RENEWALS_IN_FLIGHT {
+            let Some((cell, generation)) = self.next_due() else {
+                break;
+            };
+            let Some(active) = cells.get_mut(&cell) else {
+                continue;
+            };
+            if active.generation != generation
+                || active
+                    .publisher
+                    .as_ref()
+                    .is_none_or(|publisher| !publisher.renewal_due(now))
+            {
+                continue;
             }
-            TaskResult::Renewed {
-                cell,
-                generation,
-                effect_id,
-                publisher: Box::new(publisher),
-                result,
+            match active.coordination.step(CoordinationInput::BeginRenewal {
+                queue_empty: active.queue.is_empty(),
+                publication_idle: active.coordination.publication_count() == 0,
+                lease_live: node_lease.check().is_ok(),
+            }) {
+                CoordinationDecision::Started => {}
+                CoordinationDecision::Fence => {
+                    fence_active(active);
+                    continue;
+                }
+                _ => continue,
             }
-        });
+            let Some(mut publisher) = active.publisher.take() else {
+                active
+                    .coordination
+                    .step(CoordinationInput::FinishRenewal { fenced: true });
+                continue;
+            };
+            let effect_id = active.begin_task(CoordinationEffect::Renewal);
+            self.in_flight += 1;
+            let pool = pool.clone();
+            tasks.spawn(async move {
+                let result = publisher.renew().await;
+                if result.is_err() {
+                    let _ = pool.fence(cell).await;
+                }
+                TaskResult::Renewed {
+                    cell,
+                    generation,
+                    effect_id,
+                    publisher: Box::new(publisher),
+                    result,
+                }
+            });
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -329,3 +375,33 @@ pub(in crate::cell::actor) fn start_orphan_deactivate(
     });
     transitioning.insert(cell);
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod renewal_tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn due_owners_are_ordered_and_stale_entries_are_discarded_on_scan() {
+        let mut scheduler = RenewalScheduler::new();
+        let now = std::time::Instant::now();
+        for index in (0_u64..1_000).rev() {
+            let mut bytes = [0; 32];
+            bytes[..8].copy_from_slice(&index.to_be_bytes());
+            scheduler
+                .due
+                .push((now + std::time::Duration::from_millis(index), bytes, index));
+        }
+        scheduler.order_due();
+        for index in 0_u64..1_000 {
+            let mut bytes = [0; 32];
+            bytes[..8].copy_from_slice(&index.to_be_bytes());
+            assert_eq!(
+                scheduler.next_due(),
+                Some((CellId::from_bytes(bytes), index))
+            );
+        }
+        scheduler.due.push((now, [7; 32], 1));
+        scheduler.scan_due(&HashMap::new());
+        assert!(scheduler.due.is_empty());
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/cellule-runtime/src/cell/actor/task.rs b/crates/cellule-runtime/src/cell/actor/task.rs
index 7de1229..2174cb4 100644
--- a/crates/cellule-runtime/src/cell/actor/task.rs
+++ b/crates/cellule-runtime/src/cell/actor/task.rs
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ pub(super) async fn run(
     let mut cells = HashMap::<CellId, ActiveCell>::new();
     let mut transitioning = HashSet::<CellId>::new();
     let mut tasks = JoinSet::<TaskResult>::new();
+    let mut renewals = RenewalScheduler::new();
     let mut next_generation = 0_u64;
     let mut shutdown = None::<ShutdownState>;
     let mut pressure = match PressureClassifier::new(800, 600, 1_000) {
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@ pub(super) async fn run(
                 finish_shutdown(&mut shutdown);
                 return;
             };
+            let renewed = matches!(result, TaskResult::Renewed { .. });
             super::tasks::handle_task(
                 result,
                 &pool,
@@ -67,6 +69,9 @@ pub(super) async fn run(
                 &mut movement,
                 &mut movement_permits,
             );
+            if renewed {
+                renewals.finished();
+            }
             continue;
         }
         if tasks.is_empty() {
@@ -89,7 +94,8 @@ pub(super) async fn run(
                     handle_message(message, &mut receiver, &pool, &mut cells, &mut transitioning, &mut tasks, &mut shutdown, &node_lease, &telemetry, &mut pressure, &mut movement, &mut movement_permits, &mut next_generation);
                 }
                 _ = renewal_tick.tick() => {
-                    start_due_renewals(&pool, &mut cells, &mut tasks, &node_lease);
+                    renewals.scan_due(&cells);
+                    renewals.dispatch(&pool, &mut cells, &mut tasks, &node_lease);
                 }
                 _ = hydration_tick.tick() => {
                     start_background_hydration(
@@ -132,7 +138,11 @@ pub(super) async fn run(
                     }
                     while let Some(result) = tasks.join_next().await {
                         let Ok(result) = result else { return; };
+                        let renewed = matches!(result, TaskResult::Renewed { .. });
                         super::tasks::handle_task(result, &pool, &mut cells, &mut transitioning, &mut tasks, &mut shutdown, &node_lease, &unpublished_node_log_bytes, &publications, &mut movement, &mut movement_permits);
+                        if renewed {
+                            renewals.finished();
+                        }
                     }
                     break;
                 };
@@ -142,10 +152,18 @@ pub(super) async fn run(
                 let Some(Ok(result)) = result else {
                     return;
                 };
+                let renewed = matches!(result, TaskResult::Renewed { .. });
                 super::tasks::handle_task(result, &pool, &mut cells, &mut transitioning, &mut tasks, &mut shutdown, &node_lease, &unpublished_node_log_bytes, &publications, &mut movement, &mut movement_permits);
+                if renewed {
+                    renewals.finished();
+                    if !shutdown.as_ref().is_some_and(|state| state.draining) {
+                        renewals.dispatch(&pool, &mut cells, &mut tasks, &node_lease);
+                    }
+                }
             }
             _ = renewal_tick.tick() => {
-                start_due_renewals(&pool, &mut cells, &mut tasks, &node_lease);
+                renewals.scan_due(&cells);
+                renewals.dispatch(&pool, &mut cells, &mut tasks, &node_lease);
             }
             _ = hydration_tick.tick() => {
                 start_background_hydration(