diff --git a/kernel/src/Drivers/Net/Wifi/Wifi.cpp b/kernel/src/Drivers/Net/Wifi/Wifi.cpp
index 1e2861f..f744260 100644
--- a/kernel/src/Drivers/Net/Wifi/Wifi.cpp
+++ b/kernel/src/Drivers/Net/Wifi/Wifi.cpp
@@ -440,6 +440,29 @@ namespace Drivers::Net::Wifi {
     static void ServiceAsync();
     static void ServiceRecovery();
 
+    bool HasDeferredWork() {
+        if (g_initPending.load(std::memory_order_acquire) &&
+            !g_initialized && Fs::Vfs::IsDriveRegistered(0)) {
+            return true;
+        }
+        if (!g_iwx.Mmio) return false;
+        if (g_iwx.WorkPending) return true;
+
+        uint64_t now = Timekeeping::GetMilliseconds();
+        if (g_scanDeadline != 0 && now >= g_scanDeadline) return true;
+        // The MLME/WPA state machine owns sub-second retransmission timers in
+        // addition to the overall async deadline. Service it until ServiceAsync
+        // observes Connected/Failed/Idle and clears this flag.
+        if (g_asyncConnect) return true;
+        if (g_iwx.State == IwxFwState::Error && g_initialized &&
+            !g_recoveryGaveUp &&
+            (g_lastRecoveryMs == 0 ||
+             now - g_lastRecoveryMs >= RECOVERY_BACKOFF_MS)) {
+            return true;
+        }
+        return false;
+    }
+
     void ServiceEvents() {
         if (!g_iwx.Mmio) return;
         if (g_iwx.WorkPending) IwxProcessEvents();
diff --git a/kernel/src/Drivers/Net/Wifi/Wifi.hpp b/kernel/src/Drivers/Net/Wifi/Wifi.hpp
index 96628e0..b4f70c2 100644
--- a/kernel/src/Drivers/Net/Wifi/Wifi.hpp
+++ b/kernel/src/Drivers/Net/Wifi/Wifi.hpp
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ namespace Drivers::Net::Wifi {
     // Steady-state event pump (RX ring, notifications).  Idle-loop callback.
     void ServiceEvents();
 
+    // True when firmware initialization, an RX notification, an expired async
+    // deadline, or a due recovery attempt needs idle-context servicing.
+    bool HasDeferredWork();
+
     bool IsInitialized();
     bool IsPresent();
 
diff --git a/kernel/src/Drivers/USB/Bluetooth/Bluetooth.cpp b/kernel/src/Drivers/USB/Bluetooth/Bluetooth.cpp
index aa0fe64..14a6434 100644
--- a/kernel/src/Drivers/USB/Bluetooth/Bluetooth.cpp
+++ b/kernel/src/Drivers/USB/Bluetooth/Bluetooth.cpp
@@ -419,6 +419,14 @@ namespace Drivers::USB::Bluetooth {
     // ServiceEvents — steady-state event pump (idle loop)
     // =========================================================================
 
+    bool HasDeferredWork() {
+        if (g_initPending.load(std::memory_order_acquire) &&
+            !g_initialized && Fs::Vfs::IsDriveRegistered(0)) {
+            return true;
+        }
+        return g_initialized && Hci::HasPendingCommands();
+    }
+
     void ServiceEvents() {
         if (!g_initialized) return;
         if (Xhci::InPollContext()) return;   // never nest under PollEvents
diff --git a/kernel/src/Drivers/USB/Bluetooth/Bluetooth.hpp b/kernel/src/Drivers/USB/Bluetooth/Bluetooth.hpp
index 699dcb3..86e9601 100644
--- a/kernel/src/Drivers/USB/Bluetooth/Bluetooth.hpp
+++ b/kernel/src/Drivers/USB/Bluetooth/Bluetooth.hpp
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ namespace Drivers::USB::Bluetooth {
     // (PollEvents/DrainEvents/ProcessPendingCommands all self-serialize).
     void ServiceEvents();
 
+    // True when boot-deferred initialization or queued HCI control work needs
+    // an idle-context service pass. USB receive events are signaled separately
+    // by xHCI and cause the dispatcher to service Bluetooth in the same pass.
+    bool HasDeferredWork();
+
     // Query adapter state
     bool IsInitialized();
     uint8_t GetSlotId();
diff --git a/kernel/src/Drivers/USB/Bluetooth/Hci.cpp b/kernel/src/Drivers/USB/Bluetooth/Hci.cpp
index f2ce045..44c863b 100644
--- a/kernel/src/Drivers/USB/Bluetooth/Hci.cpp
+++ b/kernel/src/Drivers/USB/Bluetooth/Hci.cpp
@@ -1719,6 +1719,11 @@ namespace Drivers::USB::Bluetooth::Hci {
         s_active.store(false, std::memory_order_release);
     }
 
+    bool HasPendingCommands() {
+        return g_pendingTail.load(std::memory_order_acquire) !=
+               g_pendingHead.load(std::memory_order_acquire);
+    }
+
     bool WaitSecureSendResult(uint32_t timeoutMs, uint8_t* outResult, uint8_t* outStatus) {
         uint64_t start = Timekeeping::GetMilliseconds();
         while (Timekeeping::GetMilliseconds() - start < timeoutMs) {
diff --git a/kernel/src/Drivers/USB/Bluetooth/Hci.hpp b/kernel/src/Drivers/USB/Bluetooth/Hci.hpp
index b89f45d..a774d22 100644
--- a/kernel/src/Drivers/USB/Bluetooth/Hci.hpp
+++ b/kernel/src/Drivers/USB/Bluetooth/Hci.hpp
@@ -331,6 +331,7 @@ namespace Drivers::USB::Bluetooth::Hci {
     // real confirmed transfers.  Call from top-level (e.g. the connect loop),
     // NOT from an event handler -- event handlers only enqueue.
     void ProcessPendingCommands();
+    bool HasPendingCommands();
 
     // ACL TX flow control: outstanding (un-acked) ACL packets, and the
     // controller's ACL buffer count (Number-Of-Completed-Packets credits).  The
diff --git a/kernel/src/Hal/SmpBoot.cpp b/kernel/src/Hal/SmpBoot.cpp
index a867641..0e19663 100644
--- a/kernel/src/Hal/SmpBoot.cpp
+++ b/kernel/src/Hal/SmpBoot.cpp
@@ -218,6 +218,10 @@ namespace Smp {
         for (;;) {
             // Pick up thermal-governor frequency changes decided by the BSP.
             Hal::CpuPower::ApplyPolicyIfChanged();
+            // Runnable work sends this AP a reschedule IPI. Keep its periodic
+            // scheduler tick masked for the entire idle-context pass so long
+            // firmware waits do not keep generating useless timer interrupts.
+            Timekeeping::ApicTimerEnterApIdle();
             // Any idle core may run bounded USB/NIC bottom halves. Preserve
             // the AP's ACPI/MWAIT idle selection after servicing them.
             Timekeeping::ServiceDeferredWork();
diff --git a/kernel/src/Sched/Scheduler.cpp b/kernel/src/Sched/Scheduler.cpp
index 9b2e6bd..4a17853 100644
--- a/kernel/src/Sched/Scheduler.cpp
+++ b/kernel/src/Sched/Scheduler.cpp
@@ -1284,6 +1284,15 @@ namespace Sched {
         uint8_t* oldFpu = (oldSlot >= 0) ? processTable[oldSlot].fpuState : nullptr;
         uint8_t* newFpu = processTable[next].fpuState;
 
+        if (oldSlot < 0) {
+            // AP idle loops mask their local periodic timer. Rearm it before
+            // dispatching user work so preemption resumes with the process.
+            // Also pick up a thermal-governor policy epoch that may have
+            // changed while this CPU remained asleep without timer ticks.
+            Hal::CpuPower::ApplyPolicyIfChanged();
+            Timekeeping::ApicTimerLeaveApIdle();
+        }
+
         LoadUserFsBase(cpu, processTable[next].fsBase);
 
         // DO NOT release schedLock here! It is held across the context
diff --git a/kernel/src/Timekeeping/ApicTimer.cpp b/kernel/src/Timekeeping/ApicTimer.cpp
index f097e5f..d1d2993 100644
--- a/kernel/src/Timekeeping/ApicTimer.cpp
+++ b/kernel/src/Timekeeping/ApicTimer.cpp
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ namespace Timekeeping {
     static constexpr uint32_t DIVIDE_BY_16 = 0x03;
 
     // The BSP keeps a 1 ms tick for timekeeping and sleep deadlines.
-    // APs use a coarser 10 ms scheduler tick to avoid waking idle cores
-    // 1000 times per second with no useful work to do.
+    // Running APs use a 10 ms scheduler tick. Idle APs mask it entirely and
+    // rely on reschedule IPIs, avoiding periodic package wakeups.
     static constexpr uint32_t BSP_TICK_INTERVAL_MS = 1;
     static constexpr uint32_t BSP_TIMER_HZ = 1000 / BSP_TICK_INTERVAL_MS;
     static constexpr uint32_t AP_TICK_INTERVAL_MS = 10;
@@ -220,8 +220,28 @@ namespace Timekeeping {
         // identical. This avoids PIT contention during AP boot.
         if (g_ticksPerMs == 0) return;
 
-        // Configure a coarser periodic timer on APs. The scheduler still gets
-        // a 10 ms time slice, but idle APs stop taking 1000 timer interrupts/sec.
+        // Configure the 10 ms scheduler timer for running APs. Their idle loop
+        // masks it after initialization and rearms it when dispatching work.
+        ProgramTimer(true, AP_TICK_INTERVAL_MS);
+    }
+
+    void ApicTimerEnterApIdle() {
+        auto* cpu = Smp::GetCurrentCpuData();
+        if (cpu == nullptr || cpu->cpuIndex == 0 || g_ticksPerMs == 0) return;
+
+        uint32_t lvt = Hal::LocalApic::ReadRegister(Hal::LocalApic::REG_TIMER_LVT);
+        if ((lvt & LVT_MASKED) == 0) {
+            Hal::LocalApic::WriteRegister(Hal::LocalApic::REG_TIMER_LVT,
+                                          lvt | LVT_MASKED);
+        }
+    }
+
+    void ApicTimerLeaveApIdle() {
+        auto* cpu = Smp::GetCurrentCpuData();
+        if (cpu == nullptr || cpu->cpuIndex == 0 || g_ticksPerMs == 0) return;
+
+        // Reprogram the initial count as well as unmasking. A deep idle state
+        // may have stopped the local timer at an arbitrary point in its period.
         ProgramTimer(true, AP_TICK_INTERVAL_MS);
     }
 
@@ -239,19 +259,24 @@ namespace Timekeeping {
         bool wasReserved = cpu->reservedForKernelWork;
         cpu->reservedForKernelWork = true;
 
-        // Drain USB hot-plug deferred work from any idle core, not just the BSP.
-        if (Drivers::USB::Xhci::HasDeferredWork()) {
+        // Drain USB work only when the MSI path has actually queued something.
+        // Bluetooth shares this controller, so service its protocol queues in
+        // the same pass after xHCI has delivered completion callbacks.
+        bool usbWork = Drivers::USB::Xhci::HasDeferredWork();
+        if (usbWork) {
             Drivers::USB::Xhci::ProcessDeferredWork();
         }
 
         // NIC hard IRQs only acknowledge/mask and queue RX work. Dispatching
         // Ethernet/TCP/UDP here keeps process-context IPC mutexes out of IRQs.
-        Drivers::Net::E1000::ProcessDeferredWork();
-        Drivers::Net::E1000E::ProcessDeferredWork();
+        if (Drivers::Net::E1000::HasDeferredWork())
+            Drivers::Net::E1000::ProcessDeferredWork();
+        if (Drivers::Net::E1000E::HasDeferredWork())
+            Drivers::Net::E1000E::ProcessDeferredWork();
 
         // HDA completion IRQs only acknowledge/mask. Resampling and DMA-ring
         // refill are far too expensive for hard interrupt context.
-        if (cpu->cpuIndex == 0) {
+        if (cpu->cpuIndex == 0 && Drivers::Audio::IntelHda::HasDeferredWork()) {
             Drivers::Audio::IntelHda::ProcessDeferredWork();
         }
 
@@ -260,7 +285,10 @@ namespace Timekeeping {
         // seconds and used to stall kmain before the first process spawned.
         // Cheap no-op unless an adapter is waiting; self-claiming, and safe
         // to preempt (the scheduler saves/resumes the idle context).
-        Drivers::USB::Bluetooth::ServiceDeferredInit();
+        bool bluetoothWork = usbWork ||
+            Drivers::USB::Bluetooth::HasDeferredWork();
+        if (bluetoothWork)
+            Drivers::USB::Bluetooth::ServiceDeferredInit();
 
         // Service Bluetooth inbound traffic (the headset's SDP/AVRCP queries,
         // AVDTP commands, ACL flow-control credits) whenever a core idles.
@@ -269,13 +297,16 @@ namespace Timekeeping {
         // writes got silence (observed: Bose re-dialing SDP during playback,
         // queries never answered).  Self-serializing and a cheap no-op when
         // the adapter is down.
-        Drivers::USB::Bluetooth::ServiceEvents();
+        if (bluetoothWork)
+            Drivers::USB::Bluetooth::ServiceEvents();
 
         // Wi-Fi mirrors the Bluetooth split: the firmware load needs the
         // ramdisk, and the RX/notification ring must be drained outside hard
         // interrupt context (the MSI handler only latches a flag).
-        Drivers::Net::Wifi::ServiceDeferredInit();
-        Drivers::Net::Wifi::ServiceEvents();
+        if (Drivers::Net::Wifi::HasDeferredWork()) {
+            Drivers::Net::Wifi::ServiceDeferredInit();
+            Drivers::Net::Wifi::ServiceEvents();
+        }
 
         // Thermal policy records transitions during BSP maintenance; print
         // them from this explicitly non-interrupt idle path.
diff --git a/kernel/src/Timekeeping/ApicTimer.hpp b/kernel/src/Timekeeping/ApicTimer.hpp
index 0b1a525..a614178 100644
--- a/kernel/src/Timekeeping/ApicTimer.hpp
+++ b/kernel/src/Timekeeping/ApicTimer.hpp
@@ -11,9 +11,14 @@ namespace Timekeeping {
     // Initialize the APIC timer: calibrate against PIT, start periodic interrupts
     void ApicTimerInitialize();
 
-    // Initialize the APIC timer on an AP (calibrate + start, no IRQ handler registration)
+    // Initialize the scheduler timer on an AP using the BSP calibration.
     void ApicTimerInitializeAP();
 
+    // Idle APs are woken for runnable work by the reschedule IPI, so their
+    // periodic scheduler timer can remain masked until a process is dispatched.
+    void ApicTimerEnterApIdle();
+    void ApicTimerLeaveApIdle();
+
     // Reinitialize the APIC timer after S3 resume using the previously
     // calibrated tick rate. Skips PIT calibration and IRQ registration
     // (both survive in RAM). Only reprograms the timer hardware registers.