diff --git a/internal/engine/loop.go b/internal/engine/loop.go
index 1f3cb06..7be5db3 100644
--- a/internal/engine/loop.go
+++ b/internal/engine/loop.go
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@ package engine
 import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"sync"
+	"time"
 
 	gnomactx "somegit.dev/Owlibou/gnoma/internal/context"
 	"somegit.dev/Owlibou/gnoma/internal/message"
@@ -88,7 +90,26 @@ func (e *Engine) runLoop(ctx context.Context, cb Callback) (*Turn, error) {
 			s, err = e.cfg.Provider.Stream(ctx, req)
 		}
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("provider stream: %w", err)
+			// Retry on transient errors (429, 5xx) with exponential backoff
+			s, err = e.retryOnTransient(ctx, err, func() (stream.Stream, error) {
+				if e.cfg.Router != nil {
+					prompt := ""
+					for i := len(e.history) - 1; i >= 0; i-- {
+						if e.history[i].Role == message.RoleUser {
+							prompt = e.history[i].TextContent()
+							break
+						}
+					}
+					task := router.ClassifyTask(prompt)
+					task.EstimatedTokens = 4000
+					s, _, retryErr := e.cfg.Router.Stream(ctx, task, req)
+					return s, retryErr
+				}
+				return e.cfg.Provider.Stream(ctx, req)
+			})
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("provider stream: %w", err)
+			}
 		}
 
 		// Consume stream, forwarding events to callback
@@ -320,6 +341,53 @@ func truncate(s string, maxLen int) string {
 	return s[:maxLen] + "..."
 }
 
+// retryOnTransient retries the stream call on 429/5xx with exponential backoff.
+// Returns the original error if not retryable or all retries exhausted.
+func (e *Engine) retryOnTransient(ctx context.Context, firstErr error, fn func() (stream.Stream, error)) (stream.Stream, error) {
+	var provErr *provider.ProviderError
+	if !errors.As(firstErr, &provErr) || !provErr.Retryable {
+		return nil, firstErr
+	}
+
+	const maxRetries = 4
+	delays := [maxRetries]time.Duration{
+		1 * time.Second,
+		2 * time.Second,
+		4 * time.Second,
+		8 * time.Second,
+	}
+
+	// Use Retry-After if the provider told us
+	if provErr.RetryAfter > 0 && provErr.RetryAfter < 30*time.Second {
+		delays[0] = provErr.RetryAfter
+	}
+
+	for attempt := range maxRetries {
+		e.logger.Debug("retrying after transient error",
+			"attempt", attempt+1,
+			"delay", delays[attempt],
+			"status", provErr.StatusCode,
+		)
+
+		select {
+		case <-time.After(delays[attempt]):
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return nil, ctx.Err()
+		}
+
+		s, err := fn()
+		if err == nil {
+			return s, nil
+		}
+
+		if !errors.As(err, &provErr) || !provErr.Retryable {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil, firstErr
+}
+
 // toolDefFromTool converts a tool.Tool to provider.ToolDefinition.
 // Unused currently but kept for reference when building tool definitions dynamically.
 func toolDefFromJSON(name, description string, params json.RawMessage) provider.ToolDefinition {
diff --git a/internal/tool/agent/batch.go b/internal/tool/agent/batch.go
index d5ea687..c0f385c 100644
--- a/internal/tool/agent/batch.go
+++ b/internal/tool/agent/batch.go
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ func (t *BatchTool) Execute(ctx context.Context, args json.RawMessage) (tool.Res
 
 	systemPrompt := "You are an elf — a focused sub-agent of gnoma. Complete the given task thoroughly and concisely. Use tools as needed."
 
-	// Spawn all elfs
+	// Spawn all elfs with slight stagger to avoid rate limit bursts
 	type elfEntry struct {
 		elf  elf.Elf
 		desc string
@@ -102,11 +102,22 @@ func (t *BatchTool) Execute(ctx context.Context, args json.RawMessage) (tool.Res
 	}
 	var elfs []elfEntry
 
-	for _, task := range a.Tasks {
+	for i, task := range a.Tasks {
+		// Stagger spawns to avoid hitting rate limits (e.g., Mistral's 1 req/s)
+		if i > 0 {
+			select {
+			case <-time.After(300 * time.Millisecond):
+			case <-ctx.Done():
+				for _, entry := range elfs {
+					entry.elf.Cancel()
+				}
+				return tool.Result{Output: "cancelled during spawn"}, nil
+			}
+		}
+
 		taskType := parseTaskType(task.TaskType)
 		e, err := t.manager.Spawn(ctx, taskType, task.Prompt, systemPrompt, maxTurns)
 		if err != nil {
-			// Clean up already-spawned elfs
 			for _, entry := range elfs {
 				entry.elf.Cancel()
 			}
@@ -120,7 +131,6 @@ func (t *BatchTool) Execute(ctx context.Context, args json.RawMessage) (tool.Res
 
 		elfs = append(elfs, elfEntry{elf: e, desc: desc, task: task})
 
-		// Send initial progress
 		t.sendProgress(elf.Progress{
 			ElfID:       e.ID(),
 			Description: desc,