diff --git a/GitBranchStateCache.Tests/Fakes/FakeHostApplicationLifetime.cs b/GitBranchStateCache.Tests/Fakes/FakeHostApplicationLifetime.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..57494c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/GitBranchStateCache.Tests/Fakes/FakeHostApplicationLifetime.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2023-2026 ktsu-dev contributors
+
+namespace ktsu.GitBranchStateCache.Tests.Fakes;
+
+using Microsoft.Extensions.Hosting;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// A host lifetime whose shutdown a test triggers by hand.
+/// </summary>
+internal sealed class FakeHostApplicationLifetime : IHostApplicationLifetime, IDisposable
+{
+	private readonly CancellationTokenSource _started = new();
+	private readonly CancellationTokenSource _stopping = new();
+	private readonly CancellationTokenSource _stopped = new();
+
+	/// <inheritdoc />
+	public CancellationToken ApplicationStarted => _started.Token;
+
+	/// <inheritdoc />
+	public CancellationToken ApplicationStopping => _stopping.Token;
+
+	/// <inheritdoc />
+	public CancellationToken ApplicationStopped => _stopped.Token;
+
+	/// <inheritdoc />
+	public void StopApplication() => _stopping.Cancel();
+
+	/// <inheritdoc />
+	public void Dispose()
+	{
+		_started.Dispose();
+		_stopping.Dispose();
+		_stopped.Dispose();
+	}
+}
diff --git a/GitBranchStateCache.Tests/Mirrors/MirrorFetcherCoalescingTests.cs b/GitBranchStateCache.Tests/Mirrors/MirrorFetcherCoalescingTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a347ed4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/GitBranchStateCache.Tests/Mirrors/MirrorFetcherCoalescingTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,153 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2023-2026 ktsu-dev contributors
+
+namespace ktsu.GitBranchStateCache.Tests.Mirrors;
+
+using System.Diagnostics.Metrics;
+using ktsu.GitBranchStateCache.Coalescing;
+using ktsu.GitBranchStateCache.Configuration;
+using ktsu.GitBranchStateCache.Mirrors;
+using ktsu.GitBranchStateCache.Observability;
+using ktsu.GitBranchStateCache.Tests.Fakes;
+using Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection;
+using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Abstractions;
+using Microsoft.Extensions.Options;
+using Microsoft.Extensions.Time.Testing;
+using Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.UnitTesting;
+using Testably.Abstractions.Testing;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// The clone or fetch one request starts is shared by every request coalesced onto it, so it must not
+/// belong to whichever request happened to arrive first.
+/// </summary>
+[TestClass]
+public class MirrorFetcherCoalescingTests
+{
+	/// <summary>Gets or sets the context MSTest supplies, used for the run's cancellation token.</summary>
+	public TestContext TestContext { get; set; } = null!;
+
+	private static readonly string Root = Path.Combine(
+		Path.GetPathRoot(Path.GetTempPath()) ?? Path.DirectorySeparatorChar.ToString(),
+		"gitbranchstatecache-coalescing");
+
+	private static readonly MirrorKey Key = new("github", "studio/game.git");
+
+	private sealed record Harness(
+		MirrorFetcher Fetcher,
+		FakeGitRunner Runner,
+		FakeHostApplicationLifetime Lifetime,
+		string Directory,
+		TaskCompletionSource CloneStarted,
+		TaskCompletionSource CloneMayFinish);
+
+	/// <summary>
+	/// Builds a fetcher whose clone blocks until the test releases it, and which leaves a mirror on the
+	/// mock filesystem as a real clone would.
+	/// </summary>
+	private static Harness Build()
+	{
+		MockFileSystem fileSystem = new();
+		fileSystem.Directory.CreateDirectory(Root);
+
+		FakeTimeProvider time = new(new DateTimeOffset(2026, 8, 19, 9, 47, 0, TimeSpan.Zero));
+		IOptions<GitBranchStateCacheOptions> options = Options.Create(new GitBranchStateCacheOptions
+		{
+			MirrorRoot = Root,
+		});
+
+		MirrorStore store = new(fileSystem, options, time);
+		Assert.IsTrue(store.TryResolve(Key, out string? directory));
+
+		TaskCompletionSource cloneStarted = new(TaskCreationOptions.RunContinuationsAsynchronously);
+		TaskCompletionSource cloneMayFinish = new(TaskCreationOptions.RunContinuationsAsynchronously);
+		FakeGitRunner runner = BlockingCloneRunner(fileSystem, cloneStarted, cloneMayFinish);
+
+		FakeHostApplicationLifetime lifetime = new();
+
+		MirrorFetcher fetcher = new(
+			runner,
+			store,
+			fileSystem,
+			new SingleFlight(),
+			new BranchStateMetrics(MeterFactory()),
+			options,
+			time,
+			lifetime,
+			NullLogger<MirrorFetcher>.Instance);
+
+		return new Harness(fetcher, runner, lifetime, directory!, cloneStarted, cloneMayFinish);
+	}
+
+	private static FakeGitRunner BlockingCloneRunner(
+		MockFileSystem fileSystem,
+		TaskCompletionSource cloneStarted,
+		TaskCompletionSource cloneMayFinish) =>
+		new()
+		{
+			Before = async invocation =>
+			{
+				if (invocation.Arguments[0] != "clone")
+				{
+					return;
+				}
+
+				cloneStarted.TrySetResult();
+				await cloneMayFinish.Task.ConfigureAwait(false);
+				fileSystem.Directory.CreateDirectory(fileSystem.Path.Combine(invocation.Arguments[^1], "objects"));
+			},
+		};
+
+	private static IMeterFactory MeterFactory()
+	{
+		ServiceCollection services = new();
+		services.AddMetrics();
+		return services.BuildServiceProvider().GetRequiredService<IMeterFactory>();
+	}
+
+	private static Task<MirrorFetchResult> EnsureAsync(Harness harness, CancellationToken cancellationToken) =>
+		harness.Fetcher.EnsureCurrentAsync(
+			Key,
+			harness.Directory,
+			new Uri("https://forge.example/studio/game.git"),
+			new Uri("https://forge.example"),
+			authorization: null,
+			cancellationToken);
+
+	[TestMethod]
+	public async Task EnsureCurrent_WhenTheLeaderDisconnectsMidClone_FinishesTheCloneForTheFollowerAsync()
+	{
+		Harness harness = Build();
+		using FakeHostApplicationLifetime lifetime = harness.Lifetime;
+
+		using CancellationTokenSource leaderDisconnect = new();
+		Task<MirrorFetchResult> leader = EnsureAsync(harness, leaderDisconnect.Token);
+		await harness.CloneStarted.Task.WaitAsync(TestContext.CancellationTokenSource.Token).ConfigureAwait(false);
+
+		Task<MirrorFetchResult> follower = EnsureAsync(harness, TestContext.CancellationTokenSource.Token);
+
+		await leaderDisconnect.CancelAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
+		await Assert.ThrowsAsync<OperationCanceledException>(() => leader).ConfigureAwait(false);
+
+		harness.CloneMayFinish.TrySetResult();
+		MirrorFetchResult result = await follower.ConfigureAwait(false);
+
+		Assert.AreEqual(MirrorFetchStatus.Current, result.Status, result.Failure);
+		Assert.AreEqual(1, harness.Runner.CountOf("clone"));
+	}
+
+	[TestMethod]
+	public async Task EnsureCurrent_WhenTheHostStopsMidClone_CancelsTheCloneAsync()
+	{
+		Harness harness = Build();
+		using FakeHostApplicationLifetime lifetime = harness.Lifetime;
+
+		Task<MirrorFetchResult> leader = EnsureAsync(harness, TestContext.CancellationTokenSource.Token);
+		await harness.CloneStarted.Task.WaitAsync(TestContext.CancellationTokenSource.Token).ConfigureAwait(false);
+
+		lifetime.StopApplication();
+		harness.CloneMayFinish.TrySetResult();
+
+		// The fake runner throws once its token is cancelled, which is where GitRunner kills the process.
+		await Assert.ThrowsAsync<OperationCanceledException>(() => leader).ConfigureAwait(false);
+		Assert.AreEqual(0, harness.Runner.CountOf("config"));
+	}
+}
diff --git a/GitBranchStateCache.Tests/Mirrors/MirrorFetcherRealGitTests.cs b/GitBranchStateCache.Tests/Mirrors/MirrorFetcherRealGitTests.cs
index 32a24d0..be03f18 100644
--- a/GitBranchStateCache.Tests/Mirrors/MirrorFetcherRealGitTests.cs
+++ b/GitBranchStateCache.Tests/Mirrors/MirrorFetcherRealGitTests.cs
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ namespace ktsu.GitBranchStateCache.Tests.Mirrors;
 using ktsu.GitBranchStateCache.Mirrors;
 using ktsu.GitBranchStateCache.Observability;
 using ktsu.GitBranchStateCache.Refs;
+using ktsu.GitBranchStateCache.Tests.Fakes;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Abstractions;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Options;
@@ -100,6 +101,7 @@ public void RemoveFixture()
 			new BranchStateMetrics(meterFactory),
 			options,
 			time,
+			new FakeHostApplicationLifetime(),
 			NullLogger<MirrorFetcher>.Instance);
 
 		Assert.IsTrue(store.TryResolve(new MirrorKey("github", "studio/game.git"), out string? directory));
diff --git a/GitBranchStateCache.Tests/Mirrors/MirrorMaintenanceServiceTests.cs b/GitBranchStateCache.Tests/Mirrors/MirrorMaintenanceServiceTests.cs
index 282dd8a..53d144e 100644
--- a/GitBranchStateCache.Tests/Mirrors/MirrorMaintenanceServiceTests.cs
+++ b/GitBranchStateCache.Tests/Mirrors/MirrorMaintenanceServiceTests.cs
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ private static MirrorFetcher BuildFetcher(
 			new BranchStateMetrics(meterFactory),
 			options,
 			time,
+			new FakeHostApplicationLifetime(),
 			NullLogger<MirrorFetcher>.Instance);
 	}
 
diff --git a/GitBranchStateCache/Mirrors/MirrorFetcher.cs b/GitBranchStateCache/Mirrors/MirrorFetcher.cs
index eba5b69..59babe6 100644
--- a/GitBranchStateCache/Mirrors/MirrorFetcher.cs
+++ b/GitBranchStateCache/Mirrors/MirrorFetcher.cs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ namespace ktsu.GitBranchStateCache.Mirrors;
 using ktsu.GitBranchStateCache.Configuration;
 using ktsu.GitBranchStateCache.Git;
 using ktsu.GitBranchStateCache.Observability;
+using Microsoft.Extensions.Hosting;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Options;
 
@@ -20,6 +21,13 @@ namespace ktsu.GitBranchStateCache.Mirrors;
 /// LFS the large assets are pointer files of a hundred or so bytes each, so the git object store was
 /// never carrying the bulk anyway.
 /// <para>
+/// A clone or fetch is shared by every request coalesced onto it, so it runs under the service's own
+/// lifetime rather than under the request that happened to start it. Each request waits on it with its
+/// own disconnect token: a client that hangs up stops waiting, but the work carries on for everyone
+/// else. Host shutdown still cancels it, and <see cref="GitBranchStateCacheOptions.FetchTimeout"/>
+/// still bounds it, because <see cref="IGitRunner"/> enforces the invocation's timeout itself.
+/// </para>
+/// <para>
 /// A clone lands in a temporary directory and is moved into place only once it has finished. A crash
 /// part way through a clone of a large repository would otherwise leave a directory that looks like a
 /// mirror, and every later request would be answered from a repository missing most of its history.
@@ -32,6 +40,7 @@ namespace ktsu.GitBranchStateCache.Mirrors;
 /// <param name="metrics">Service counters.</param>
 /// <param name="options">The configured options.</param>
 /// <param name="timeProvider">Clock, injected so freshness is testable.</param>
+/// <param name="lifetime">The host's lifetime, whose shutdown cancels a clone or fetch in progress.</param>
 /// <param name="logger">Logger.</param>
 public sealed class MirrorFetcher(
 	IGitRunner runner,
@@ -41,6 +50,7 @@ public sealed class MirrorFetcher(
 	BranchStateMetrics metrics,
 	IOptions<GitBranchStateCacheOptions> options,
 	TimeProvider timeProvider,
+	IHostApplicationLifetime lifetime,
 	ILogger<MirrorFetcher> logger) : IMirrorFetcher
 {
 	/// <inheritdoc />
@@ -65,25 +75,51 @@ public async Task<MirrorFetchResult> EnsureCurrentAsync(
 			return MirrorFetchResult.Current(current);
 		}
 
-		using IWorkTicket ticket = flights.Acquire(key.ToFlightKey());
+		IWorkTicket ticket = flights.Acquire(key.ToFlightKey());
 
 		if (!ticket.IsLeader)
 		{
 			return await FollowAsync(key, directory, ticket, cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
 		}
 
-		MirrorFetchResult result = exists
-			? await FetchAsync(key, directory, upstreamBase, authorization, fetchedAt, cancellationToken)
-				.ConfigureAwait(false)
-			: await CloneAsync(key, directory, repositoryUrl, upstreamBase, authorization, cancellationToken)
-				.ConfigureAwait(false);
+		// The work owns the leader's ticket from here on, so a leader whose client disconnects stops waiting
+		// without abandoning the clone or fetch every follower is waiting on.
+		Task<MirrorFetchResult> work = LeadAsync(
+			key, directory, repositoryUrl, upstreamBase, authorization, exists, fetchedAt, ticket);
 
-		ticket.Complete(result.Status == MirrorFetchStatus.Current);
-		return result;
+		return await work.WaitAsync(cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
 	}
 
 	/// <summary>
-	/// Waits for whichever request is already working on this repository.
+	/// Does the clone or fetch on behalf of every request coalesced onto it, and reports the outcome.
+	/// </summary>
+	private async Task<MirrorFetchResult> LeadAsync(
+		MirrorKey key,
+		string directory,
+		Uri repositoryUrl,
+		Uri upstreamBase,
+		string? authorization,
+		bool exists,
+		DateTimeOffset? fetchedAt,
+		IWorkTicket ticket)
+	{
+		using (ticket)
+		{
+			CancellationToken stopping = lifetime.ApplicationStopping;
+
+			MirrorFetchResult result = exists
+				? await FetchAsync(key, directory, upstreamBase, authorization, fetchedAt, stopping)
+					.ConfigureAwait(false)
+				: await CloneAsync(key, directory, repositoryUrl, upstreamBase, authorization, stopping)
+					.ConfigureAwait(false);
+
+			ticket.Complete(result.Status == MirrorFetchStatus.Current);
+			return result;
+		}
+	}
+
+	/// <summary>
+	/// Waits for whichever request is already working on this repository, and releases its ticket.
 	/// </summary>
 	/// <remarks>
 	/// A follower whose leader succeeded re-reads the marker rather than trusting the leader's answer,
@@ -99,9 +135,13 @@ private async Task<MirrorFetchResult> FollowAsync(
 	{
 		metrics.RecordFetchWait(key.Upstream);
 
-		bool succeeded = await ticket
-			.WaitForLeaderAsync(options.Value.FetchTimeout, cancellationToken)
-			.ConfigureAwait(false);
+		bool succeeded;
+		using (ticket)
+		{
+			succeeded = await ticket
+				.WaitForLeaderAsync(options.Value.FetchTimeout, cancellationToken)
+				.ConfigureAwait(false);
+		}
 
 		if (succeeded && mirrors.RefsFetchedAt(directory) is DateTimeOffset refreshed)
 		{