diff --git a/packages/k8s/src/k8s/index.ts b/packages/k8s/src/k8s/index.ts
index beaee808..2226cc9a 100644
--- a/packages/k8s/src/k8s/index.ts
+++ b/packages/k8s/src/k8s/index.ts
@@ -277,6 +277,7 @@ export async function execPodStep(
   return new Promise<number>((resolve, reject) => {
     core.debug('[execPodStep] About to call exec.exec')
     let ws: HeartbeatWebSocket | null = null
+    let statusReceived = false
 
     exec
       .exec(
@@ -289,6 +290,7 @@ export async function execPodStep(
         stdin ?? null,
         false /* tty */,
         async resp => {
+          statusReceived = true
           core.debug(
             `[execPodStep] execPodStep response: ${JSON.stringify(resp)}`
           )
@@ -338,6 +340,14 @@ export async function execPodStep(
         ws = websocket
         if (ws) {
           heartbeat.start(ws, reject)
+          ws.once('close', () => {
+            if (!statusReceived) {
+              heartbeat.stop()
+              reject(
+                new Error('WebSocket closed without status response')
+              )
+            }
+          })
         } else {
           core.warning('[Heartbeat] WebSocket is null, heartbeat not started')
         }
diff --git a/packages/k8s/tests/exec-pod-step-close-test.ts b/packages/k8s/tests/exec-pod-step-close-test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c0f6bba6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/k8s/tests/exec-pod-step-close-test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+import { EventEmitter } from 'events'
+
+const mockExec = jest.fn()
+
+jest.mock('@kubernetes/client-node', () => {
+  return {
+    KubeConfig: jest.fn().mockImplementation(() => ({
+      loadFromDefault: jest.fn(),
+      makeApiClient: jest.fn().mockImplementation(() => ({})),
+      getContexts: jest.fn().mockReturnValue([{ namespace: 'test-namespace' }])
+    })),
+    Exec: jest.fn().mockImplementation(() => ({ exec: mockExec })),
+    // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-extraneous-class
+    CoreV1Api: class CoreV1Api {},
+    // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-extraneous-class
+    BatchV1Api: class BatchV1Api {},
+    // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-extraneous-class
+    AuthorizationV1Api: class AuthorizationV1Api {},
+    Log: jest.fn()
+  }
+})
+
+jest.mock('@actions/core', () => ({
+  debug: jest.fn(),
+  warning: jest.fn(),
+  error: jest.fn(),
+  info: jest.fn()
+}))
+
+import { execPodStep } from '../src/k8s'
+
+class MockWebSocket extends EventEmitter {
+  readyState = 1
+  ping = jest.fn()
+  close = jest.fn(() => {
+    this.readyState = 3
+    this.emit('close')
+  })
+}
+
+describe('execPodStep close-without-status', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    jest.clearAllMocks()
+    process.env['ACTIONS_RUNNER_KUBERNETES_NAMESPACE'] = 'test-namespace'
+    // Keep heartbeat dormant during the test so the only settle path is the
+    // close-without-status handler under test.
+    process.env['ACTIONS_RUNNER_HEARTBEAT_PERIOD_MS'] = '60000'
+    process.env['ACTIONS_RUNNER_HEARTBEAT_DEADLINE_MS'] = '60000'
+  })
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    delete process.env['ACTIONS_RUNNER_KUBERNETES_NAMESPACE']
+    delete process.env['ACTIONS_RUNNER_HEARTBEAT_PERIOD_MS']
+    delete process.env['ACTIONS_RUNNER_HEARTBEAT_DEADLINE_MS']
+  })
+
+  it('rejects when the WebSocket closes without a status response', async () => {
+    const ws = new MockWebSocket()
+
+    mockExec.mockImplementation(async () => {
+      // Simulate the underlying socket closing before the status callback
+      // ever fires (e.g. apiserver dropped the upgraded connection).
+      setImmediate(() => {
+        ws.readyState = 3
+        ws.emit('close')
+      })
+      return ws
+    })
+
+    await expect(
+      execPodStep(['echo', 'hello'], 'test-pod', 'test-container')
+    ).rejects.toThrow('WebSocket closed without status response')
+  })
+
+  it('resolves and does not reject again when close fires after a Success status', async () => {
+    const ws = new MockWebSocket()
+
+    mockExec.mockImplementation(async (...args: unknown[]) => {
+      // The status callback is the last positional argument that
+      // execPodStep passes to exec.exec.
+      const statusCallback = args[args.length - 1] as (resp: {
+        status: string
+        code?: number
+      }) => void | Promise<void>
+
+      // Drive the status callback first. The implementation will then call
+      // ws.close() itself, which (via MockWebSocket.close) emits 'close'
+      // synchronously, triggering the once('close') guarded by
+      // statusReceived. That guard must prevent a second settle.
+      setImmediate(() => {
+        void statusCallback({ status: 'Success', code: 0 })
+      })
+
+      return ws
+    })
+
+    const unhandled: unknown[] = []
+    const onUnhandled = (reason: unknown): void => {
+      unhandled.push(reason)
+    }
+    process.on('unhandledRejection', onUnhandled)
+
+    try {
+      const result = await execPodStep(
+        ['echo', 'hello'],
+        'test-pod',
+        'test-container'
+      )
+      expect(result).toBe(0)
+
+      // Give any pending microtasks / setImmediate callbacks a chance to run
+      // so a stray reject (if the regression returned) would surface.
+      await new Promise(r => setImmediate(r))
+
+      expect(unhandled).toEqual([])
+    } finally {
+      process.off('unhandledRejection', onUnhandled)
+    }
+  })
+})