diff --git a/benchmarks/run_suite.py b/benchmarks/run_suite.py
index 4f42835..a42618a 100644
--- a/benchmarks/run_suite.py
+++ b/benchmarks/run_suite.py
@@ -107,6 +107,8 @@ def run_one(
         poll_seconds=poll_seconds,
         timeout=timeout,
     )
+    if run.get("status") == "cancelled":
+        raise CloudAPIError("run {} was cancelled".format(run_id))
     if run.get("status") not in TERMINAL:
         raise CloudAPIError(
             "run {} never reached a terminal state (last status: {!r})".format(
diff --git a/deedchain/adapters/browser_use_cloud.py b/deedchain/adapters/browser_use_cloud.py
index a6b412f..66680c6 100644
--- a/deedchain/adapters/browser_use_cloud.py
+++ b/deedchain/adapters/browser_use_cloud.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 API = "https://api.browser-use.com/api/v4/runs"
 ENV_KEY = "BROWSER_USE_API_KEY"
 
-# Terminal states the Cloud API reports.
+# Terminal outcomes eligible for scoring. Cancellation ends polling but is not scored.
 TERMINAL = ("completed", "failed")
 
 
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ def wait_for_run(
     run: Dict[str, Any] = {}
     while time.time() < deadline:
         run = get_run(run_id, k, base_url=base_url)
-        if run.get("status") in TERMINAL:
+        if run.get("status") in TERMINAL or run.get("status") == "cancelled":
             return run
         time.sleep(poll_seconds)
     return run
diff --git a/tests/test_cloud_polling_http.py b/tests/test_cloud_polling_http.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d9a7be3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_cloud_polling_http.py
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+"""Cloud polling uses real urllib and a local synthetic HTTP server."""
+
+import json
+import threading
+from http.server import BaseHTTPRequestHandler, ThreadingHTTPServer
+
+import pytest
+
+from benchmarks import run_suite
+from deedchain.adapters import browser_use_cloud
+from deedchain.tasks import load_all_tasks
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def cloud_server():
+    state = {"status": "cancelled", "requests": []}
+
+    class Handler(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
+        def log_message(self, *args):
+            pass
+
+        def do_GET(self):
+            state["requests"].append(("GET", self.path))
+            self.send_response(200)
+            self.send_header("Content-Type", "application/json")
+            self.end_headers()
+            self.wfile.write(json.dumps({"id": "local-run", "status": state["status"]}).encode())
+
+        def do_POST(self):
+            state["requests"].append(("POST", self.path))
+            self.rfile.read(int(self.headers["Content-Length"]))
+            self.send_response(200)
+            self.send_header("Content-Type", "application/json")
+            self.end_headers()
+            self.wfile.write(b'{"id": "local-run"}')
+
+    server = ThreadingHTTPServer(("127.0.0.1", 0), Handler)
+    thread = threading.Thread(target=server.serve_forever, daemon=True)
+    thread.start()
+    try:
+        yield "http://127.0.0.1:{}/runs".format(server.server_port), state
+    finally:
+        server.shutdown()
+        server.server_close()
+        thread.join()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("status", ["completed", "failed", "cancelled"])
+def test_terminal_run_returns_after_one_http_request(cloud_server, status):
+    url, state = cloud_server
+    state["status"] = status
+    result = browser_use_cloud.wait_for_run(
+        "local-run", key="local-test-only", base_url=url, timeout=0.2, poll_seconds=0.01
+    )
+    assert result["status"] == status
+    assert state["requests"] == [("GET", "/runs/local-run")]
+
+
+def test_cancelled_benchmark_is_excluded_without_waiting(cloud_server):
+    url, state = cloud_server
+    task = next(iter(load_all_tasks().values()))
+    with pytest.raises(browser_use_cloud.CloudAPIError, match="was cancelled"):
+        run_suite.run_one(
+            task, "https://example.com", "local-test-only",
+            api_base=url, timeout=0.2, poll_seconds=0.01,
+        )
+    assert state["requests"] == [("POST", "/runs"), ("GET", "/runs/local-run")]