diff --git a/bridge/main.py b/bridge/main.py
index 6bbf041..b2c7378 100644
--- a/bridge/main.py
+++ b/bridge/main.py
@@ -1084,11 +1084,18 @@ def queue_for(lane: str) -> list:
         current_lane_for = {}
         logger.warning("lane-index-failed", extra={"error": _redact_token(repr(e))})
 
+    # Shared coder-load accounting for the whole tick, computed before the retry
+    # pass so reconcile_failures, the issue-claim loop and the pr-fix drain draw
+    # from one pool -- a retried coder, a fresh issue coder and a pr-fix coder
+    # cannot each independently fill the same single slot. reconcile_failures
+    # mutates it in place as retries recreate.
+    coder_load = load_by_coder_agent() if cfg.coder_slots else {}
     # Retry failed workloads first (so a re-run this tick uses the current config),
     # then claim new work.
     for line in reconcile_failures(
         cfg.agent_name, list_failed_workloads, create_workload, delete_workload,
         cfg.namespace, cfg.gate_profiles, cfg.max_attempts,
+        agent_load=coder_load, agent_slots=cfg.coder_slots,
         escalate=escalate if cfg.escalation_lane else None,
         escalation_lane=cfg.escalation_lane,
         lane_coder_agents=cfg.lane_coder_agents,
@@ -1184,7 +1191,6 @@ def redrive_infra(issue: dict, model: str) -> bool:
     # Cap concurrent in-progress work so the pipeline drains a bounded set
     # instead of claiming the whole backlog at once (0 = uncapped).
     active = count_active_workloads() if cfg.max_in_progress else 0
-    coder_load = load_by_coder_agent() if cfg.coder_slots else {}
     # Fix-first work-stealing (issue #134): named agents are removed from the
     # issue rotation while they still hold fix work or have a full slot, so
     # the fix lane's single slot stays uncontended. A JSON list ["coder"] or
diff --git a/bridge/retry.py b/bridge/retry.py
index 436a8ee..b5336e8 100644
--- a/bridge/retry.py
+++ b/bridge/retry.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 from bridge.workload import (
     build_workload,
     coder_agent_for,
+    free_slots,
     gate_profile_for,
     _branch_name,
     ATTEMPT_ANNOTATION,
@@ -640,6 +641,8 @@ def reconcile_failures(
     park_infra: Optional[Callable[[ClaimedItem, str, int], bool]] = None,
     needs_human_for: Optional[NeedsHumanFor] = None,
     ensure_human_label: Optional[EnsureHumanLabel] = None,
+    agent_load: Optional[dict] = None,
+    agent_slots: Optional[dict] = None,
 ) -> list:
     """Retry Failed bridge Workloads, bounded by max_attempts.
 
@@ -679,6 +682,10 @@ def reconcile_failures(
     """
     lane_coder_agents = lane_coder_agents or {}
     base_coder_agents = base_coder_agents or {}
+    slots = agent_slots or {}
+    # Mutated in place as retries recreate, so the caller's shared coder_load
+    # carries this pass's draws into the issue-claim and pr-fix drain passes.
+    load = agent_load if agent_load is not None else {}
     repo_coder_agents = repo_coder_agents or {}
     results = []
     _park_exhausted = _park_exhausted_factory(
@@ -1065,9 +1072,23 @@ def reconcile_failures(
         # deletion never completes, LLMKube#949) or a create that races must
         # not abort the rest of the reconcile pass and the claim pass — one
         # bad Workload previously crashed the whole bridge run every tick.
+        language = gate_profiles.get(item.repo, {}).get("language")
+        coder_agent = coder_agent_for(
+            item.lane, language, lane_coder_agents, base_coder_agents,
+            repo=item.repo, repo_coder_agents=repo_coder_agents,
+            issue_number=item.issue_number,
+        )
+        # Cap the retry by coder capacity. A retried Workload recreated onto a
+        # coder already at its CODER_AGENT_SLOTS capacity would put a second
+        # coder on a single-slot local model — the fresh-dispatch paths (claim
+        # loop, pr-fix drain) are capped, but this recreation path was not.
+        # Defer to a later tick: leave the Failed tombstone (do NOT delete) so
+        # list_failed() re-offers it once a slot frees.
+        if slots and free_slots(coder_agent, load, slots) <= 0:
+            results.append(f"{name}:retry-deferred:coder-busy:{coder_agent}")
+            continue
         try:
             delete_workload(name)
-            language = gate_profiles.get(item.repo, {}).get("language")
             # Infra errors are not real rejections — the request never reached
             # the agent — so a retry against the same backend must not spend
             # the verdict budget. Real verdicts increment as before. Infra
@@ -1086,17 +1107,14 @@ def reconcile_failures(
                 agent_name,
                 next_attempt,
                 infra_attempt=next_infra_attempt,
-                coder_agent=coder_agent_for(
-                    item.lane, language, lane_coder_agents, base_coder_agents,
-                    repo=item.repo, repo_coder_agents=repo_coder_agents,
-                    issue_number=item.issue_number,
-                ),
+                coder_agent=coder_agent,
                 feedback=feedback,
                 verify_enabled=verify_enabled,
                 self_go=self_go,
                 revise_from_branch=revise_from,
             )
             create_workload(manifest)
+            load[coder_agent] = load.get(coder_agent, 0) + 1
         except Exception as e:
             results.append(f"{name}:retry-error:{e}")
             continue
diff --git a/tests/test_retry.py b/tests/test_retry.py
index 5538779..29b9409 100644
--- a/tests/test_retry.py
+++ b/tests/test_retry.py
@@ -69,6 +69,50 @@ def test_reconcile_retries_below_max_deletes_and_recreates_at_next_attempt():
     assert m["spec"]["gateProfile"] == {"language": "generic"}
 
 
+def test_reconcile_retry_deferred_when_coder_at_capacity():
+    # A retry recreated onto a coder already at CODER_AGENT_SLOTS capacity would
+    # put a second coder on a single-slot local model. Defer: leave the Failed
+    # tombstone (do not delete) so it re-offers once a slot frees.
+    r = _Recorder([_failed_wl("wl-misospace-dispatch-7", attempt=1, lane="local")])
+    out = reconcile_failures(
+        "foreman-coder", r.list_failed, r.create, r.delete,
+        namespace="llm", gate_profiles={}, max_attempts=3,
+        lane_coder_agents={"local": "coder"},
+        agent_load={"coder": 1}, agent_slots={"coder": 1},
+    )
+    assert out == ["wl-misospace-dispatch-7:retry-deferred:coder-busy:coder"]
+    assert r.deleted == []   # tombstone left for the next tick
+    assert r.created == []
+
+
+def test_reconcile_retry_proceeds_and_draws_shared_load_when_slot_free():
+    # With a free slot the retry recreates normally and draws the coder slot
+    # down in place, so the same-tick issue-claim / pr-fix passes see it.
+    load = {}
+    r = _Recorder([_failed_wl("wl-misospace-dispatch-7", attempt=1, lane="local")])
+    out = reconcile_failures(
+        "foreman-coder", r.list_failed, r.create, r.delete,
+        namespace="llm", gate_profiles={}, max_attempts=3,
+        lane_coder_agents={"local": "coder"},
+        agent_load=load, agent_slots={"coder": 1},
+    )
+    assert out == ["wl-misospace-dispatch-7:retry:2/3"]
+    assert len(r.created) == 1
+    assert load == {"coder": 1}   # drawn down in place for downstream passes
+
+
+def test_reconcile_retry_uncapped_when_no_slots_configured():
+    # No agent_slots -> legacy behavior, retry always recreates.
+    r = _Recorder([_failed_wl("wl-misospace-dispatch-7", attempt=1, lane="local")])
+    out = reconcile_failures(
+        "foreman-coder", r.list_failed, r.create, r.delete,
+        namespace="llm", gate_profiles={}, max_attempts=3,
+        agent_load={"coder": 5}, agent_slots={},
+    )
+    assert out == ["wl-misospace-dispatch-7:retry:2/3"]
+    assert len(r.created) == 1
+
+
 def test_reconcile_gives_up_at_max_without_touching_the_workload():
     r = _Recorder([_failed_wl("wl-misospace-dispatch-7", attempt=3)])
     out = reconcile_failures("foreman-coder", r.list_failed, r.create, r.delete,