diff --git a/.agents/skills/lib_py/delegation/wrapper.py b/.agents/skills/lib_py/delegation/wrapper.py
index a6aa42f..386f776 100644
--- a/.agents/skills/lib_py/delegation/wrapper.py
+++ b/.agents/skills/lib_py/delegation/wrapper.py
@@ -297,9 +297,11 @@ def open_jobs(registry_dir: str, session: str, job_id: str, now: Optional[int] =
         rec = _load_record(registry_dir, other)
         if rec is None or _bare(str(rec.get("agent_session") or "")) != sess:
             continue
-        if rec.get("dry_run"):  # a submit --dry-run is never dispatched (review 1e25cf2f F1)
-            continue
         status = rec.get("status")
+        # a submit --dry-run is never dispatched (review 1e25cf2f F1); once a
+        # pick-pending claims it, it is running work like any other (211037ab F1)
+        if rec.get("dry_run") and status == "pending":
+            continue
         if status == "running":
             idle = _int_field(rec, "idle_timeout_sec", DEFAULT_IDLE_TIMEOUT_SEC)
             if recent_disk_heartbeat(registry_dir, other, idle):
diff --git a/tests/test_issue50_dispatch.py b/tests/test_issue50_dispatch.py
index d1a5403..12e9d03 100644
--- a/tests/test_issue50_dispatch.py
+++ b/tests/test_issue50_dispatch.py
@@ -174,8 +174,12 @@ def test_u1e_a_dry_run_record_is_not_an_open_job(tmp_path):
     me = _register(reg)
     assert decide.open_jobs(str(reg), "herdr:s", me) == ([], [])
     assert decide.wait_open_jobs(_ns(reg, me)) == "clear"
-    # control: the same record without the mark is an `injected` job that holds the session
-    _edit(reg, dry, dry_run=None)
+    # claimed by a pick-pending and started, it is running work (review 211037ab F1)
+    _edit(reg, dry, status="running")
+    _event(reg, dry, time.time(), event="started")
+    assert decide.wait_open_jobs(_ns(reg, me)) == f"busy {dry}"
+    # control: the pending record without the mark is an `injected` job that holds the session
+    _edit(reg, dry, status="pending", dry_run=None)
     assert decide.wait_open_jobs(_ns(reg, me)) == f"busy {dry}"