diff --git a/my-tools/start_unattended.sh b/my-tools/start_unattended.sh
index 8e4960d98..8a08d08df 100755
--- a/my-tools/start_unattended.sh
+++ b/my-tools/start_unattended.sh
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ SCHEDULER_PUSH_RETRIES="${WBV2_PUSH_RETRIES:-6}"
 WATCHDOG_INTERVAL="${WBV2_WATCHDOG_INTERVAL:-10}"
 WATCHDOG_RESTART_DELAY="${WBV2_WATCHDOG_RESTART_DELAY:-5}"
 AUTO_AUTHORIZE="${WBV2_AUTO_AUTHORIZE:-1}"
+WAIT_ON_EMPTY="${WBV2_WAIT_ON_EMPTY:-1}"
 
 # Keep repository evidence on disk while placing compiler/transient caches in
 # RAM. Eight compile jobs is the repository's stability limit.
@@ -46,9 +47,13 @@ start_scheduler() {
 start_watchdog() {
   local pid_file="$CONTROL_DIR/my-tools-watchdog.pid"
   local auto_authorize_args=()
+  local wait_on_empty_args=()
   if test "$AUTO_AUTHORIZE" != "0"; then
     auto_authorize_args+=(--auto-authorize)
   fi
+  if test "$WAIT_ON_EMPTY" != "0"; then
+    wait_on_empty_args+=(--wait-on-empty)
+  fi
   if test -f "$pid_file"; then
     local watchdog_pid
     watchdog_pid="$(tr -d '[:space:]' < "$pid_file")"
@@ -64,6 +69,7 @@ start_watchdog() {
     --max-iterations "$SCHEDULER_MAX_ITERATIONS" \
     --push-retries "$SCHEDULER_PUSH_RETRIES" \
     "${auto_authorize_args[@]}" \
+    "${wait_on_empty_args[@]}" \
     --commit --push \
     > "$CONTROL_DIR/my-tools-watchdog.stdout.log" 2>&1 < /dev/null &
   printf 'watchdog launch pid: %s\n' "$!"
diff --git a/my-tools/watch_blender_web_scheduler.py b/my-tools/watch_blender_web_scheduler.py
index 1cc403384..98c0f7fc2 100755
--- a/my-tools/watch_blender_web_scheduler.py
+++ b/my-tools/watch_blender_web_scheduler.py
@@ -112,6 +112,8 @@ def main() -> int:
     parser.add_argument("--push-retries", type=int, default=6)
     parser.add_argument("--auto-authorize", dest="auto_authorize", action="store_true", default=os.getenv("WBV2_AUTO_AUTHORIZE", "1") != "0", help="authorize a source-backed successor when the queue reaches a terminal task")
     parser.add_argument("--no-auto-authorize", dest="auto_authorize", action="store_false")
+    parser.add_argument("--wait-on-empty", dest="wait_on_empty", action="store_true", default=os.getenv("WBV2_WAIT_ON_EMPTY", "0") != "0", help="keep the watchdog alive when no source-backed batch is currently configured")
+    parser.add_argument("--no-wait-on-empty", dest="wait_on_empty", action="store_false")
     args = parser.parse_args()
     if args.interval <= 0 or args.restart_delay < 0 or args.max_restarts < 0 or args.max_iterations < 0:
         parser.error("interval/delay/limits must be non-negative; interval must be positive")
@@ -174,6 +176,22 @@ def main() -> int:
                         "authorizationLog": str(AUTHORIZATION_LOG.relative_to(ROOT)),
                     },
                 )
+                if reason == "no_configured_unresolved_source_batch" and args.wait_on_empty:
+                    write_json(
+                        WATCHDOG_STATUS,
+                        {
+                            "schemaVersion": 1,
+                            "status": "waiting_for_source_batch",
+                            "reason": reason,
+                            "task": pointer.get("task"),
+                            "updatedAt": now(),
+                            "restartCount": restarts,
+                            "authorizationLog": str(AUTHORIZATION_LOG.relative_to(ROOT)),
+                        },
+                    )
+                    child = None
+                    time.sleep(max(args.interval, 60.0))
+                    continue
                 return 0 if reason == "no_configured_unresolved_source_batch" else 2
             if terminal_pointer(pointer) or (applies and state in {"complete", "blocked", "stopped"}):
                 write_json(