diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ac701fc..011f9d9 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,26 @@
 
 All notable changes to this project are documented in this file.
 
+## [Unreleased]
+
+### Changed
+- User event callbacks now run on a dedicated event thread fed by a
+  bounded SPSC queue (default capacity 1024), so a slow listener can no
+  longer block the FFI thread or concurrent `add_event_listener` /
+  `remove_event_listener` calls
+  ([#6](https://github.com/logos-messaging/nim-ffi/issues/6)).
+- Replaced the dedicated watchdog thread with a heartbeat check that
+  runs on the event thread. The FFI thread advances an atomic heartbeat
+  each loop iteration; if it stalls for more than 1s past the start-up
+  grace window, the event thread emits the `not_responding` event.
+
+### Added
+- Queue-overflow handling: when the bounded event queue is full, the
+  library sets a sticky "stuck" flag, logs an error, fires
+  `not_responding` from the event thread, and rejects subsequent
+  `sendRequestToFFIThread` calls with `event queue stuck - library
+  cannot accept new requests`.
+
 ## [0.2.0] - 2026-05-20
 
 Major release introducing CBOR-based wire format, multi-language binding
diff --git a/ffi/ffi_context.nim b/ffi/ffi_context.nim
index f9284d7..17a4412 100644
--- a/ffi/ffi_context.nim
+++ b/ffi/ffi_context.nim
@@ -4,11 +4,7 @@ import system/ansi_c
 import std/[atomics, locks, options, tables]
 import chronicles, chronos, chronos/threadsync, taskpools/channels_spsc_single, results
 import
-  ./ffi_types,
-  ./ffi_events,
-  ./ffi_thread_request,
-  ./internal/ffi_macro,
-  ./logging,
+  ./ffi_types, ./ffi_events, ./ffi_thread_request, ./internal/ffi_macro, ./logging,
   ./cbor_serial
 
 export ffi_events
@@ -98,7 +94,8 @@ proc sendRequestToFFIThread*(
   # Event-queue overflow refuses further requests; the event thread fires onNotResponding to avoid deadlocking on reg.lock here.
   if ctx.eventQueueStuck.load():
     deleteRequest(ffiRequest)
-    return err("event queue stuck - library cannot accept new requests")
+    return
+      err("event queue stuck - library cannot accept new requests")
 
   # Reentrancy guard: only this thread can fire `reqReceivedSignal`, so a handler dispatching back would self-deadlock.
   if onFFIThread:
@@ -262,7 +259,8 @@ proc ffiThreadBody[T](ctx: ptr FFIContext[T]) {.thread.} =
       try:
         await allFutures(pending)
       except CatchableError as exc:
-        error "draining pending FFI requests on shutdown raised", error = exc.msg
+        error "draining pending FFI requests on shutdown raised",
+          error = exc.msg
 
   waitFor ffiRun(ctx)
 
@@ -486,7 +484,8 @@ proc signalStop*[T](ctx: ptr FFIContext[T]): Result[void, string] =
   # Non-fatal: event thread will see running==false on the next tick.
   let evtSignaled = ctx.eventQueueSignal.fireSync()
   if evtSignaled.isErr():
-    error "failed to signal eventQueueSignal in signalStop", error = evtSignaled.error
+    error "failed to signal eventQueueSignal in signalStop",
+      error = evtSignaled.error
   elif evtSignaled.get() == false:
     error "failed to signal eventQueueSignal on time in signalStop"
   ok()
diff --git a/ffi/ffi_events.nim b/ffi/ffi_events.nim
index 96cc0cd..cfcd0ff 100644
--- a/ffi/ffi_events.nim
+++ b/ffi/ffi_events.nim
@@ -2,13 +2,21 @@
 ## FFI library-initiated events. Listeners receive only the event name
 ## they subscribed to. Queue payloads travel via `c_malloc` so transfer
 ## across Nim heaps is safe under both `--mm:orc` and `--mm:refc`.
+##
+## Dispatch templates enqueue and return on the FFI thread; a dedicated
+## event thread (owned by `FFIContext`) drains the queue and invokes
+## listeners, so a slow handler can never block the FFI event loop. On
+## queue overflow the templates log, set a sticky stuck flag, and wake
+## the event thread — which fires the global "not responding"
+## notification from its own loop (firing it from the FFI thread would
+## risk deadlocking against a listener back-pressuring under `reg.lock`).
 
 {.pragma: callback, cdecl, raises: [], gcsafe.}
 
 import system/ansi_c
 import std/[atomics, locks, sequtils, options, tables]
 import chronicles
-import ./ffi_types, ./cbor_serial
+import ./ffi_types, ./cbor_serial, ./alloc
 
 
 type EventEnvelope*[T] = object
@@ -226,62 +234,86 @@ proc notifyListenersErr*(listeners: seq[FFIEventListener], msg: string) =
     )
 
 var ffiCurrentEventRegistry* {.threadvar.}: ptr FFIEventRegistry
+  ## Kept for tests that drive the registry directly. Dispatch no longer
+  ## reads it — invocation has moved to the event thread.
+
 var ffiCurrentEventQueue* {.threadvar.}: ptr EventQueue
+  ## Installed by the FFI thread so dispatch templates enqueue without
+  ## threading a `ctx` parameter through every call site.
+
 var ffiCurrentEventQueueStuck* {.threadvar.}: ptr Atomic[bool]
+  ## Sticky overflow flag on the owning `FFIContext`. Set by dispatch
+  ## templates when enqueue fails; read by the FFI request entry point
+  ## to reject further calls.
+
 var ffiCurrentNotifyEventEnqueued* {.threadvar.}: proc() {.gcsafe, raises: [].}
   ## Hook (not a queue field) so this module doesn't depend on chronos's
-  ## ThreadSignalPtr. Nil-safe.
+  ## ThreadSignalPtr. Nil-safe — tests that drive the queue directly leave
+  ## it unset and the event thread picks up enqueued events on the next tick.
 
-template withFFIEventDispatch(eventName: string, listeners, body: untyped) =
-  ## Resolves the thread-local registry, snapshots listeners under
-  ## `reg.lock`, then runs `body` inside `foreignThreadGc` + try/except.
-  let regPtr = ffiCurrentEventRegistry
-  if regPtr.isNil():
-    chronicles.error eventName & " - event registry not set on this thread"
-    return
-
-  withLock regPtr[].lock:
-    let listeners = regPtr[].byEvent.getOrDefault(eventName)
-    if listeners.len == 0:
-      chronicles.debug eventName & " - no listener registered"
-    else:
-      foreignThreadGc:
-        try:
-          body
-        except Exception, CatchableError:
-          notifyListenersErr(
-            listeners,
-            "Exception dispatching " & eventName & ": " & getCurrentExceptionMsg(),
-          )
+template enqueueOrMarkStuck(
+    eventName: string,
+    namePtr: cstring,
+    dataPtr: ptr UncheckedArray[byte],
+    dataLen: int,
+) =
+  ## Common tail for both dispatch templates. Takes ownership of `namePtr`
+  ## and `dataPtr` (both `c_malloc`'d). On queue-full, frees the buffers,
+  ## sets the sticky stuck flag, and wakes the event thread — which fires
+  ## onNotResponding from its loop (firing it here would risk deadlocking
+  ## against a listener back-pressuring under `reg.lock`).
+  let q = ffiCurrentEventQueue
+  if q.isNil():
+    chronicles.error "event queue not set on this thread", event = eventName
+    if not namePtr.isNil:
+      c_free(cast[pointer](namePtr))
+    if not dataPtr.isNil:
+      c_free(dataPtr)
+  elif not q[].tryEnqueueEvent(namePtr, dataPtr, dataLen):
+    chronicles.error "event queue full; library marked stuck",
+      event = eventName, capacity = EventQueueCapacity
+    if not namePtr.isNil:
+      c_free(cast[pointer](namePtr))
+    if not dataPtr.isNil:
+      c_free(dataPtr)
+    if not ffiCurrentEventQueueStuck.isNil():
+      ffiCurrentEventQueueStuck[].store(true)
+    if not ffiCurrentNotifyEventEnqueued.isNil():
+      ffiCurrentNotifyEventEnqueued()
+  else:
+    if not ffiCurrentNotifyEventEnqueued.isNil():
+      ffiCurrentNotifyEventEnqueued()
 
 template dispatchFFIEvent*(eventName: string, body: untyped) =
   ## Dispatches an FFI event to every listener subscribed to `eventName`.
   ## `body` must yield a `string` or `seq[byte]`.
   ##
-  ## Valid only on the FFI thread (where `ffiCurrentEventRegistry` is set).
-  ## Holds `reg.lock` for the entire snapshot + invocation so a concurrent
-  ## `removeEventListener` from a foreign thread blocks until dispatch
-  ## returns. Handlers must not call addEventListener / removeEventListener
-  ## on the same registry (would self-deadlock).
-  withFFIEventDispatch(eventName, listeners):
-    let event = body
-    let dataPtr: pointer =
-      if event.len > 0: unsafeAddr event[0]
-      else: nil
-    notifyListenersOk(listeners, dataPtr, event.len)
+  ## Runs on the FFI thread: encodes the body into a fresh `c_malloc`
+  ## buffer and enqueues it. Listener invocation happens later on the
+  ## dedicated event thread, so user code can never block the FFI loop.
+  block:
+    let evtName: string = eventName
+    let bodyVal = body
+    var dataPtr: ptr UncheckedArray[byte] = nil
+    let dataLen = bodyVal.len
+    if dataLen > 0:
+      dataPtr = cast[ptr UncheckedArray[byte]](c_malloc(csize_t(dataLen)))
+      copyMem(dataPtr, unsafeAddr bodyVal[0], dataLen)
+    let namePtr = alloc(evtName)
+    enqueueOrMarkStuck(evtName, namePtr, dataPtr, dataLen)
 
 template dispatchFFIEventCbor*(eventName: string, eventPayload: typed) =
   ## Typed CBOR variant of `dispatchFFIEvent`. Wraps `eventPayload` in an
   ## `EventEnvelope`, CBOR-encodes it into a `c_malloc` buffer once, and
-  ## fans the same buffer out to every registered listener.
+  ## queues it for the event thread to fan out to listeners.
   ##
   ## NB: parameter is `eventPayload`, not `payload` — Nim's template
   ## substitution would otherwise also rewrite the `payload:` field inside
   ## `EventEnvelope`.
-  withFFIEventDispatch(eventName, listeners):
-    var (data, dataLen) = cborEncodeShared(
-      EventEnvelope[typeof(eventPayload)](eventType: eventName, payload: eventPayload)
+  block:
+    let evtName: string = eventName
+    var (dataPtr, dataLen) = cborEncodeShared(
+      EventEnvelope[typeof(eventPayload)](eventType: evtName, payload: eventPayload)
     )
-    defer:
-      cborFreeShared(data)
-    notifyListenersOk(listeners, data, dataLen)
+    let namePtr = alloc(evtName)
+    enqueueOrMarkStuck(evtName, namePtr, dataPtr, dataLen)
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_event_dispatch.nim b/tests/unit/test_event_dispatch.nim
index dfc2cac..deb6724 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_event_dispatch.nim
+++ b/tests/unit/test_event_dispatch.nim
@@ -104,6 +104,20 @@ proc setterThreadBody(args: SetterArgs) {.thread.} =
 
 suite "dispatchFFIEventCbor":
   test "delivers EventEnvelope-shaped CBOR payload to event callback":
+    # CallbackData defers declared first so they run LAST (LIFO),
+    # AFTER pool.destroyFFIContext joins the event thread. Otherwise
+    # TSan flags `captureCb` accessing an already-destroyed mutex
+    # whose memory got reused by the next test's stack frame.
+    var evt: CallbackData
+    initCallbackData(evt)
+    defer:
+      deinitCallbackData(evt)
+
+    var rsp: CallbackData
+    initCallbackData(rsp)
+    defer:
+      deinitCallbackData(rsp)
+
     var pool: FFIContextPool[TestEvtLib]
     let ctx = pool.createFFIContext().valueOr:
       check false
@@ -111,24 +125,11 @@ suite "dispatchFFIEventCbor":
     defer:
       discard pool.destroyFFIContext(ctx)
 
-    var evt: CallbackData
-    initCallbackData(evt)
-    defer:
-      deinitCallbackData(evt)
-
     # Subscribe to the specific event the request below dispatches.
     discard addEventListener(
       ctx[].eventRegistry, "message_sent", captureCb, addr evt
     )
 
-    # Trigger the dispatch from the FFI thread; the response callback is
-    # ignored (we only care that the request completed so we know the event
-    # has fired).
-    var rsp: CallbackData
-    initCallbackData(rsp)
-    defer:
-      deinitCallbackData(rsp)
-
     check sendRequestToFFIThread(
       ctx, EmitCborEventRequest.ffiNewReq(captureCb, addr rsp)
     )
@@ -145,6 +146,16 @@ suite "dispatchFFIEventCbor":
 
 suite "dispatchFFIEvent with seq[byte]":
   test "accepts a raw seq[byte] body":
+    var evt: CallbackData
+    initCallbackData(evt)
+    defer:
+      deinitCallbackData(evt)
+
+    var rsp: CallbackData
+    initCallbackData(rsp)
+    defer:
+      deinitCallbackData(rsp)
+
     var pool: FFIContextPool[TestEvtLib]
     let ctx = pool.createFFIContext().valueOr:
       check false
@@ -152,20 +163,10 @@ suite "dispatchFFIEvent with seq[byte]":
     defer:
       discard pool.destroyFFIContext(ctx)
 
-    var evt: CallbackData
-    initCallbackData(evt)
-    defer:
-      deinitCallbackData(evt)
-
     discard addEventListener(
       ctx[].eventRegistry, "raw_bytes", captureCb, addr evt
     )
 
-    var rsp: CallbackData
-    initCallbackData(rsp)
-    defer:
-      deinitCallbackData(rsp)
-
     check sendRequestToFFIThread(
       ctx, EmitRawBytesEventRequest.ffiNewReq(captureCb, addr rsp)
     )
@@ -188,6 +189,16 @@ when not defined(gcRefc):
     ## Run under tsan to actually validate the fix:
     ##   NIM_FFI_SAN=tsan NIM_FFI_MM=orc nimble test_sanitized
     test "concurrent add/remove writers vs dispatch reads stay race-free":
+      var evt: CallbackData
+      initCallbackData(evt)
+      defer:
+        deinitCallbackData(evt)
+
+      var rsp: CallbackData
+      initCallbackData(rsp)
+      defer:
+        deinitCallbackData(rsp)
+
       var pool: FFIContextPool[TestEvtLib]
       let ctx = pool.createFFIContext().valueOr:
         check false
@@ -195,11 +206,6 @@ when not defined(gcRefc):
       defer:
         discard pool.destroyFFIContext(ctx)
 
-      var evt: CallbackData
-      initCallbackData(evt)
-      defer:
-        deinitCallbackData(evt)
-
       # Seed an initial callback so the FFI thread's first dispatch has a
       # target. The setter threads will then repeatedly re-install the same
       # (callback, userData) pair — what matters is the cross-thread write
@@ -217,11 +223,6 @@ when not defined(gcRefc):
       for i in 0 ..< NumSetterThreads:
         createThread(setters[i], setterThreadBody, (ctx, addr stop, addr evt))
 
-      var rsp: CallbackData
-      initCallbackData(rsp)
-      defer:
-        deinitCallbackData(rsp)
-
       for _ in 0 ..< NumDispatchIters:
         # Reset rsp so each iteration's `waitCallback` blocks until the
         # FFI thread fires the response — keeps the loop synchronous.
@@ -243,12 +244,13 @@ when not defined(gcRefc):
       # actually landed so a silently-broken dispatch loop is caught.
       check evt.called
 
-
-## A foreign-thread mutation must not be able to invalidate the
-## listener's `userData` while an in-flight dispatch is mid-invocation.
-## The dispatch templates hold `reg.lock` for the entire snapshot +
-## invocation, so foreign `removeEventListener` blocks until dispatch
-## returns.
+## A foreign-thread mutation must not be able to invalidate a listener's
+## `userData` while an in-flight dispatch is mid-invocation. Dispatch
+## now lives on the dedicated event thread, which still holds
+## `reg.lock` across the listener fan-out — so foreign
+## `removeEventListener` blocks until dispatch returns. This test
+## drives a real `FFIContext` (FFI thread enqueues, event thread
+## dispatches) and asserts the same contract end-to-end.
 
 type SlowState = object
   entered: Atomic[bool]
@@ -257,44 +259,49 @@ type SlowState = object
 proc slowEventCb(
     retCode: cint, msg: ptr cchar, len: csize_t, userData: pointer
 ) {.cdecl, gcsafe, raises: [].} =
-  ## Signal entry, sleep briefly (the window during which the main
-  ## thread must call removeEventListener and block), signal exit.
+  ## Signal entry, sleep long enough that the test thread can race in
+  ## with removeEventListener and observe the block, then signal exit.
   let st = cast[ptr SlowState](userData)
   st[].entered.store(true)
-  os.sleep(15)
+  os.sleep(60)
   st[].exited.store(true)
 
-type DispatcherArgs = tuple
-  reg: ptr FFIEventRegistry
-  done: ptr Atomic[bool]
-
-proc dispatcherBody(args: DispatcherArgs) {.thread.} =
-  ffiCurrentEventRegistry = args.reg
-  dispatchFFIEvent("evt"):
-    "payload"
-  args.done[].store(true)
-
 suite "registry lock held during invocation":
   test "removeEventListener blocks until in-flight dispatch finishes":
-    var reg: FFIEventRegistry
-    initEventRegistry(reg)
+    var rsp: CallbackData
+    initCallbackData(rsp)
     defer:
-      deinitEventRegistry(reg)
+      deinitCallbackData(rsp)
+
+    var pool: FFIContextPool[TestEvtLib]
+    let ctx = pool.createFFIContext().valueOr:
+      check false
+      return
+    defer:
+      discard pool.destroyFFIContext(ctx)
 
     var st: SlowState
     st.entered.store(false)
     st.exited.store(false)
 
-    let id = addEventListener(reg, "evt", slowEventCb, addr st)
+    # Register the slow callback under the same event the dispatch fires.
+    let id = addEventListener(
+      ctx[].eventRegistry, "message_sent", slowEventCb, addr st
+    )
     check id != 0'u64
 
-    var done: Atomic[bool]
-    done.store(false)
-    var thr: Thread[DispatcherArgs]
-    createThread(thr, dispatcherBody, (addr reg, addr done))
+    # Fire an event from the FFI thread; the request-response callback
+    # only confirms the request completed — the slow listener is invoked
+    # asynchronously by the event thread.
 
-    # Wait until the worker thread is inside slowEventCb.
-    for _ in 0 ..< 200:
+    check sendRequestToFFIThread(
+      ctx, EmitCborEventRequest.ffiNewReq(captureCb, addr rsp)
+    )
+      .isOk()
+    waitCallback(rsp)
+
+    # Wait until the event thread is inside slowEventCb.
+    for _ in 0 ..< 500:
       if st.entered.load():
         break
       os.sleep(1)
@@ -303,7 +310,5 @@ suite "registry lock held during invocation":
 
     # Lock-during-invocation contract: remove blocks until dispatch
     # finishes; by the time it returns, slowEventCb has set exited=true.
-    check removeEventListener(reg, id)
+    check removeEventListener(ctx[].eventRegistry, id)
     check st.exited.load()
-    joinThread(thr)
-    check done.load()
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_event_thread.nim b/tests/unit/test_event_thread.nim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a459a24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_event_thread.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,441 @@
+## Integration tests for the dedicated event thread introduced by
+## issue #6. Each test stands up a real `FFIContext` (via
+## `FFIContextPool`) and exercises the FFI thread → bounded queue →
+## event thread → listener pipeline end to end.
+
+import std/[atomics, locks, os, strutils]
+import unittest2
+import results
+import ffi
+
+type TestEvtLib = object
+
+type LatchPayload* {.ffi.} = object
+  iter*: int
+
+## Captured-state callback identical to the helpers in
+## `test_event_dispatch.nim`, repeated here so this file stays a
+## self-contained test binary.
+type CallbackData = object
+  lock: Lock
+  cond: Cond
+  called: bool
+  retCode: cint
+  msg: array[1024, byte]
+  msgLen: int
+
+proc initCallbackData(d: var CallbackData) =
+  d.lock.initLock()
+  d.cond.initCond()
+
+proc deinitCallbackData(d: var CallbackData) =
+  d.cond.deinitCond()
+  d.lock.deinitLock()
+
+proc captureCb(
+    retCode: cint, msg: ptr cchar, len: csize_t, userData: pointer
+) {.cdecl, gcsafe, raises: [].} =
+  let d = cast[ptr CallbackData](userData)
+  acquire(d[].lock)
+  d[].retCode = retCode
+  let n = min(int(len), d[].msg.len)
+  if n > 0 and not msg.isNil:
+    copyMem(addr d[].msg[0], msg, n)
+  d[].msgLen = n
+  d[].called = true
+  signal(d[].cond)
+  release(d[].lock)
+
+proc waitCallback(d: var CallbackData) =
+  acquire(d.lock)
+  while not d.called:
+    wait(d.cond, d.lock)
+  release(d.lock)
+
+proc waitCallbackTimeout(d: var CallbackData, timeoutMs: int): bool =
+  ## Polling variant for tests where the callback may legitimately
+  ## never fire — returns true if observed `called` within the budget,
+  ## false on timeout. Polls in 10 ms increments under `d.lock` so the
+  ## load is synchronised with the `captureCb` writer.
+  let deadline = Moment.now() + timeoutMs.milliseconds
+  while true:
+    acquire(d.lock)
+    let done = d.called
+    release(d.lock)
+    if done:
+      return true
+    if Moment.now() >= deadline:
+      return false
+    os.sleep(10)
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Request helpers
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+registerReqFFI(EmitLatchEvent, lib: ptr TestEvtLib):
+  proc(iter: int): Future[Result[string, string]] {.async.} =
+    dispatchFFIEventCbor("latch", LatchPayload(iter: iter))
+    return ok("emitted")
+
+## A request whose async body completes immediately — useful for
+## probing FFI-thread round-trip latency under load.
+registerReqFFI(PingEvent, lib: ptr TestEvtLib):
+  proc(): Future[Result[string, string]] {.async.} =
+    return ok("pong")
+
+## A request whose async body blocks the FFI thread synchronously
+## (no await) so the heartbeat freezes. Used to exercise the new
+## heartbeat-staleness path. Guarded by an Atomic switch so we can
+## enable it deterministically per test rather than turning every
+## test of this request type into a watchdog probe.
+var gBlockingEnabled: Atomic[bool]
+gBlockingEnabled.store(false)
+
+registerReqFFI(BlockingRequest, lib: ptr TestEvtLib):
+  proc(milliseconds: int): Future[Result[string, string]] {.async.} =
+    if gBlockingEnabled.load():
+      os.sleep(milliseconds)
+    return ok("done")
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Thread-id capture
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+var gListenerThreadId: Atomic[int]
+gListenerThreadId.store(-1)
+
+proc captureThreadIdCb(
+    retCode: cint, msg: ptr cchar, len: csize_t, userData: pointer
+) {.cdecl, gcsafe, raises: [].} =
+  ## Records the OS thread id of the listener invocation, so the test
+  ## can assert it differs from the FFI thread's id.
+  gListenerThreadId.store(getThreadId())
+  let d = cast[ptr CallbackData](userData)
+  acquire(d[].lock)
+  d[].called = true
+  signal(d[].cond)
+  release(d[].lock)
+
+## Returns the FFI thread's id by running a no-op request and reading
+## `getThreadId()` from inside the handler. Used to compare against
+## the listener's thread id below.
+var gFfiThreadId: Atomic[int]
+gFfiThreadId.store(-1)
+
+registerReqFFI(CaptureFfiTidRequest, lib: ptr TestEvtLib):
+  proc(): Future[Result[string, string]] {.async.} =
+    gFfiThreadId.store(getThreadId())
+    return ok("captured")
+
+suite "event delivery is asynchronous":
+  test "listener runs on the event thread, not the FFI thread":
+    # CallbackData defers come BEFORE the pool-destroy defer so they run
+    # AFTER it (LIFO): the event thread is joined before any lock the
+    # event thread might still be holding is torn down — otherwise TSan
+    # flags `captureCb` accessing an already-destroyed mutex.
+    var evt: CallbackData
+    initCallbackData(evt)
+    defer:
+      deinitCallbackData(evt)
+
+    var rsp: CallbackData
+    initCallbackData(rsp)
+    defer:
+      deinitCallbackData(rsp)
+
+    var pool: FFIContextPool[TestEvtLib]
+    let ctx = pool.createFFIContext().valueOr:
+      check false
+      return
+    defer:
+      discard pool.destroyFFIContext(ctx)
+
+    discard addEventListener(
+      ctx[].eventRegistry, "latch", captureThreadIdCb, addr evt
+    )
+
+    # Capture the FFI thread id.
+    check sendRequestToFFIThread(
+      ctx, CaptureFfiTidRequest.ffiNewReq(captureCb, addr rsp)
+    )
+      .isOk()
+    waitCallback(rsp)
+
+    # Now emit an event from the FFI thread and wait for the listener.
+    acquire(rsp.lock)
+    rsp.called = false
+    release(rsp.lock)
+    check sendRequestToFFIThread(
+      ctx, EmitLatchEvent.ffiNewReq(captureCb, addr rsp, 0)
+    )
+      .isOk()
+    waitCallback(rsp)
+    waitCallback(evt)
+
+    let ffiTid = gFfiThreadId.load()
+    let listenerTid = gListenerThreadId.load()
+    check ffiTid >= 0
+    check listenerTid >= 0
+    check ffiTid != listenerTid
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Slow listener does not block the FFI thread
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+proc slowSleepCb(
+    retCode: cint, msg: ptr cchar, len: csize_t, userData: pointer
+) {.cdecl, gcsafe, raises: [].} =
+  ## Sleeps long enough that we'd notice if the FFI thread were waiting
+  ## on us before accepting the next request.
+  os.sleep(150)
+
+suite "FFI thread independence":
+  test "slow listener does not block FFI thread request round-trip":
+    var rsp: CallbackData
+    initCallbackData(rsp)
+    defer:
+      deinitCallbackData(rsp)
+
+    var pool: FFIContextPool[TestEvtLib]
+    let ctx = pool.createFFIContext().valueOr:
+      check false
+      return
+    defer:
+      discard pool.destroyFFIContext(ctx)
+
+    discard addEventListener(
+      ctx[].eventRegistry, "latch", slowSleepCb, nil
+    )
+
+    # Fire an event, then immediately fire a ping request. With dispatch
+    # off the FFI thread, the ping must complete in well under 150 ms
+    # even though the prior event is still in flight on the event thread.
+    check sendRequestToFFIThread(
+      ctx, EmitLatchEvent.ffiNewReq(captureCb, addr rsp, 0)
+    )
+      .isOk()
+    waitCallback(rsp)
+
+    acquire(rsp.lock)
+    rsp.called = false
+    release(rsp.lock)
+
+    # Use chronos's Moment for timing so we don't pull std/times into
+    # scope — std/times exports a `milliseconds` proc that shadows the
+    # chronos one used inside the FFI thread body, breaking compilation
+    # of generic instantiations at this call site.
+    let started = Moment.now()
+    check sendRequestToFFIThread(ctx, PingEvent.ffiNewReq(captureCb, addr rsp))
+      .isOk()
+    waitCallback(rsp)
+    let elapsed = Moment.now() - started
+
+    check elapsed < 100.milliseconds   # ample margin under the 150 ms slow-listener sleep
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Heartbeat staleness fires onNotResponding
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+when not defined(gcRefc):
+  ## Skipped under `--mm:refc`: this test relies on `os.sleep`ing the
+  ## FFI thread for several seconds inside a synchronous handler.
+  ## refc plus the existing destroy-on-time policies make that
+  ## combination flaky in CI; the orc path is the contract we care
+  ## about here.
+  suite "FFI heartbeat staleness":
+    test "wedged FFI thread triggers onNotResponding via heartbeat":
+      # Lock-bearing CallbackData defers are declared FIRST so they run
+      # LAST (LIFO); pool-destroy runs FIRST and joins the event thread
+      # before any mutex it might still be holding is destroyed.
+      var notif: CallbackData
+      initCallbackData(notif)
+      defer:
+        deinitCallbackData(notif)
+
+      var rsp: CallbackData
+      initCallbackData(rsp)
+      defer:
+        deinitCallbackData(rsp)
+
+      var pool: FFIContextPool[TestEvtLib]
+      let ctx = pool.createFFIContext().valueOr:
+        check false
+        return
+      defer:
+        # Disable the wedge before tearing down so destroy isn't blocked
+        # by the still-sleeping handler.
+        gBlockingEnabled.store(false)
+        discard pool.destroyFFIContext(ctx)
+
+      # Subscribe to the exact event name `onNotResponding` looks up so
+      # the captured signal can't be ambiguously satisfied by an unrelated
+      # event the test happens to dispatch.
+      discard addEventListener(
+        ctx[].eventRegistry, NotRespondingEventName, captureCb, addr notif
+      )
+
+      # Wait out the start-delay grace window first so the heartbeat
+      # check is actually armed.
+      os.sleep(FFIHeartbeatStartDelay.milliseconds.int + 200)
+
+      # Wedge the FFI thread for longer than EventThreadTickInterval +
+      # FFIHeartbeatStaleThreshold so the event thread observes a
+      # frozen heartbeat across at least one tick boundary.
+      gBlockingEnabled.store(true)
+      let wedgeMs =
+        (EventThreadTickInterval + FFIHeartbeatStaleThreshold).milliseconds.int +
+          1500
+      check sendRequestToFFIThread(
+        ctx, BlockingRequest.ffiNewReq(captureCb, addr rsp, wedgeMs)
+      )
+        .isOk()
+      waitCallback(rsp)
+      gBlockingEnabled.store(false)
+
+      # The not_responding event should have been delivered while the
+      # FFI thread was wedged. captureCb writes `called` under
+      # `notif.lock`, so wait through the cond rather than reading it
+      # raw — avoids both the data race and the just-missed-it window.
+      check waitCallbackTimeout(notif, 1500)
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Queue overflow sets the stuck flag and rejects further requests
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+type BackpressureState = object
+  enteredLock: Lock
+  enteredCond: Cond
+  entered: Atomic[bool]
+  releaseLock: Lock
+  releaseCond: Cond
+  release: Atomic[bool]
+
+proc initBackpressure(b: var BackpressureState) =
+  b.enteredLock.initLock()
+  b.enteredCond.initCond()
+  b.releaseLock.initLock()
+  b.releaseCond.initCond()
+
+proc deinitBackpressure(b: var BackpressureState) =
+  b.enteredCond.deinitCond()
+  b.enteredLock.deinitLock()
+  b.releaseCond.deinitCond()
+  b.releaseLock.deinitLock()
+
+proc backpressureCb(
+    retCode: cint, msg: ptr cchar, len: csize_t, userData: pointer
+) {.cdecl, gcsafe, raises: [].} =
+  ## First invocation signals entered and then blocks until released —
+  ## holds the event thread inside `withLock reg.lock`, which back-pressures
+  ## subsequent dispatches and gives us a deterministic way to fill the
+  ## queue.
+  let b = cast[ptr BackpressureState](userData)
+  if not b[].entered.exchange(true):
+    acquire(b[].enteredLock)
+    signal(b[].enteredCond)
+    release(b[].enteredLock)
+
+    acquire(b[].releaseLock)
+    while not b[].release.load():
+      wait(b[].releaseCond, b[].releaseLock)
+    release(b[].releaseLock)
+
+## A request that does N back-to-back dispatches from the FFI thread.
+## Used to push enough events at once that the queue saturates while
+## the event thread is stuck inside the backpressure listener above.
+registerReqFFI(BurstEmit, lib: ptr TestEvtLib):
+  proc(count: int): Future[Result[string, string]] {.async.} =
+    for i in 0 ..< count:
+      dispatchFFIEventCbor("latch", LatchPayload(iter: i))
+    return ok("bursted")
+
+suite "queue overflow":
+  test "overflow sets stuck flag, fires onNotResponding, rejects new requests":
+    # Lock-bearing state defers come FIRST so they run LAST (LIFO);
+    # pool destroy joins the event thread before any mutex still
+    # referenced from a listener is torn down.
+    var bp: BackpressureState
+    initBackpressure(bp)
+    defer:
+      deinitBackpressure(bp)
+
+    var notif: CallbackData
+    initCallbackData(notif)
+    defer:
+      deinitCallbackData(notif)
+
+    var rsp: CallbackData
+    initCallbackData(rsp)
+    defer:
+      deinitCallbackData(rsp)
+
+    var rejected: CallbackData
+    initCallbackData(rejected)
+    defer:
+      deinitCallbackData(rejected)
+
+    var pool: FFIContextPool[TestEvtLib]
+    let ctx = pool.createFFIContext().valueOr:
+      check false
+      return
+    defer:
+      discard pool.destroyFFIContext(ctx)
+
+    discard addEventListener(
+      ctx[].eventRegistry, "latch", backpressureCb, addr bp
+    )
+    # Subscribe to the exact not_responding event name so the wait below
+    # can't be falsely satisfied by a "latch" payload from the burst.
+    discard addEventListener(
+      ctx[].eventRegistry, NotRespondingEventName, captureCb, addr notif
+    )
+
+    # Kick off one event so the event thread enters backpressureCb and
+    # holds reg.lock. Once that's confirmed, any subsequent enqueues
+    # pile up in the queue without being drained.
+    check sendRequestToFFIThread(
+      ctx, EmitLatchEvent.ffiNewReq(captureCb, addr rsp, -1)
+    )
+      .isOk()
+    waitCallback(rsp)
+
+    acquire(bp.enteredLock)
+    while not bp.entered.load():
+      wait(bp.enteredCond, bp.enteredLock)
+    release(bp.enteredLock)
+
+    # Now flood the queue. EventQueueCapacity+8 dispatches in one
+    # FFI-thread request, atomically from the queue's perspective: the
+    # event thread can't drain anything because it's stuck inside the
+    # first callback. The last several enqueues must hit the
+    # queue-full path and flip the stuck flag.
+    acquire(rsp.lock)
+    rsp.called = false
+    release(rsp.lock)
+    check sendRequestToFFIThread(
+      ctx, BurstEmit.ffiNewReq(captureCb, addr rsp, EventQueueCapacity + 8)
+    )
+      .isOk()
+    waitCallback(rsp)
+
+    # The stuck flag is set as soon as the first overflow happens;
+    # subsequent sendRequestToFFIThread calls must short-circuit.
+    check ctx.eventQueueStuck.load()
+
+    let res =
+      sendRequestToFFIThread(ctx, PingEvent.ffiNewReq(captureCb, addr rejected))
+    check res.isErr()
+    check res.error.contains("stuck")
+
+    # Release backpressure so the event thread can drain, advance past
+    # the backpressure listener, observe the stuck flag, and fire the
+    # not_responding notification.
+    acquire(bp.releaseLock)
+    bp.release.store(true)
+    signal(bp.releaseCond)
+    release(bp.releaseLock)
+
+    # The whole point of this test is that overflow surfaces the
+    # not_responding signal — assert it actually fires within a
+    # bounded window rather than letting the test silently pass.
+    check waitCallbackTimeout(notif, 2000)