diff --git a/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md b/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
index 727f17c87..9c43416f2 100644
--- a/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
+++ b/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
@@ -385,10 +385,10 @@ plus up to 1.5 s of jitter, and `Retry-After` extending the cooldown when the
 upstream exposes it. One console warning is logged per cooldown window. Other
 failures keep Cesium's handling and the flat `EllipsoidTerrainProvider`
 fallback; while that flat terrain is on a shown globe the map controller
-retries Re:Earth in the background (30 s, doubling to a 10-minute cap) and
-installs the real terrain without waiting for a map switch or an imagery
-retry. Behind a 3D tileset it neither retries nor installs; the next globe
-activation does.
+retries Re:Earth in the background (30 s, doubling to a 10-minute cap, each
+attempt abandoned after 60 s) and installs the real terrain without waiting
+for a map switch or an imagery retry. Behind a 3D tileset it neither retries
+nor installs; the next globe activation does.
 `scripts/qa-terrain-429.mjs` reproduces the burst against a keyless
 dev server, counts real throttles with their headers as evidence, synthesises
 throttles with `--inject N` when the upstream is not throttling, and fails if
@@ -4776,7 +4776,7 @@ are omitted rather than framing the wrong part of the globe.
 - The bottom Visual Presets tray presents a **five-tile MAP SOURCE row** (`#map-stack-chips`, `src/mapStackChips.js`): Google 3D, Esri Satellite, Bing Aerial, Bing Labels, and OSM. The duplicate left `#stack-panel` is retired. The five tiles share one row on desktop and two rows on narrow screens, carry `aria-pressed` on the active source, and remain keyboard-reachable with a visible focus outline.
 - The lit tile follows controller state, not the click: a rejected switch (no ion token) or a superseded one (rapid A→B) leaves the genuinely active source lit, and the tray heading keeps its short-label status readout (`...` while switching, amber on `lastError`).
 - Ion stacks remain visible and keyboard-focusable when no ion token is configured, but expose `aria-disabled="true"` and do not switch. Their accessible label and tooltip quote `getStacks().unavailableReason` — the same string `setStack()` puts in the toast. OSM works keyless. The `ION` badge is gated on the stack's own `requiresIon`, so a `photoreal` chip unavailable because the Google tileset failed says so instead of falsely demanding an ion token.
-- Stack choice participates in share links (`src/sharelink.js`) and falls back to the best available stack when the requested one is unavailable (keyless boots land on Esri; OSM takes over automatically if Esri is unreachable; while that fallback is on screen Esri is retried in the background, 30 s doubling to a 10-minute cap, and replaces OSM once it loads). Share-link restore, the `set_map_stack` voice tool, and the chip row all land on the same `_setMapStack()` path.
+- Stack choice participates in share links (`src/sharelink.js`) and falls back to the best available stack when the requested one is unavailable (keyless boots land on Esri; OSM takes over automatically if Esri is unreachable; while that construction fallback is on screen Esri is retried in the background, 30 s doubling to a 10-minute cap with each attempt abandoned after 60 s, and replaces OSM once it loads. The switch to OSM after repeated Esri tile failures is not retried; selecting Esri again tries it). Share-link restore, the `set_map_stack` voice tool, and the chip row all land on the same `_setMapStack()` path.
 
 ### Voice Map Whiteboard / Annotations (June 2026)
 
diff --git a/src/maps/controller.js b/src/maps/controller.js
index ce9cc6e94..9fb2d8f22 100644
--- a/src/maps/controller.js
+++ b/src/maps/controller.js
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ const AUTOMATIC = Symbol('automatic switch');
 /** Background retries of a fallback in use back off from 30 s to 10 min. */
 const FALLBACK_RETRY_MS = 30_000;
 const FALLBACK_RETRY_MAX_MS = 600_000;
+/** A retry attempt still unsettled after a minute counts as failed. */
+const FALLBACK_ATTEMPT_MS = 60_000;
 
 const resolved = (provider, effectiveStackId) => ({
   provider,
@@ -354,17 +356,38 @@ export class MapSourceController {
     if (!id && !terrain) return;
     this._retrying = true;
     this._retryRequested = false;
-    const attempt = async (create) => {
+    // An attempt that outlives its deadline counts as a failure. Its signal is
+    // aborted, but the Esri and keyless factories ignore it and Cesium's
+    // requests have no timeout, so a late result is released, never used.
+    const attempt = async (create, release) => {
+      const expiry = new AbortController();
+      let timer;
+      const pending = Promise.resolve().then(() =>
+        create?.({
+          signal: AbortSignal.any([this._abort.signal, expiry.signal]),
+        }),
+      );
+      const deadline = new Promise((resolve) => {
+        timer = setTimeout(resolve, FALLBACK_ATTEMPT_MS, expiry);
+      });
       try {
-        return await create?.({ signal: this._abort.signal });
+        const result = await Promise.race([pending, deadline]);
+        if (result !== expiry) return result;
+        expiry.abort();
+        pending.then(release, () => {});
+        return null;
       } catch {
         return null; // Still unavailable: keep the fallback.
+      } finally {
+        clearTimeout(timer);
       }
     };
     // Each recovers as soon as it loads, never waiting on the other.
     const retryImagery = async () => {
       const cached = this._imageryProviders.get(id);
-      const provider = await attempt(this._sources.get(id).imagery);
+      const provider = await attempt(this._sources.get(id).imagery, (late) =>
+        this._dispose(late),
+      );
       // Obsolete: destroyed, or the cache moved on while this was in flight.
       if (this._destroyed || this._imageryProviders.get(id) !== cached) {
         this._dispose(provider);
@@ -388,7 +411,9 @@ export class MapSourceController {
     };
     const retryTerrain = async () => {
       const cached = this._terrainProviders.get(terrain.id);
-      const real = await attempt(terrain.create);
+      const real = await attempt(terrain.create, (late) =>
+        this._dispose(late?.provider),
+      );
       if (
         this._destroyed ||
         this._terrainProviders.get(terrain.id) !== cached ||
diff --git a/src/maps/controller.test.mjs b/src/maps/controller.test.mjs
index da7bec8d8..1ff2ceac1 100644
--- a/src/maps/controller.test.mjs
+++ b/src/maps/controller.test.mjs
@@ -1180,3 +1180,79 @@ test('a stalled imagery retry does not hold back recovered terrain', async (t) =
   await settle();
   env.controller.destroy();
 });
+
+test('a retry attempt that never settles is abandoned at its deadline and released if it lands late', async (t) => {
+  const hung = deferred();
+  const late = { id: 'late', destroy: () => (late.destroyed = true) };
+  const { env, installed, terrain } = terrainFixture(t, async (n) => {
+    if (n === 2) await hung.promise;
+    return n === 2 ? { provider: late } : flatTerrain(n);
+  });
+  const esri = failingEsri(env);
+  await env.controller.setStack('esri-imagery');
+  t.mock.timers.tick(30_000);
+  await settle();
+  assert.equal(esri.attempts, 2, 'imagery failed');
+  assert.equal(terrain.calls, 2, 'terrain hangs');
+  t.mock.timers.tick(60_000); // The hung attempt's deadline.
+  await settle();
+  t.mock.timers.tick(60_000); // The doubled backoff.
+  await settle();
+  assert.equal(esri.attempts, 3, 'imagery is retried again');
+  assert.equal(terrain.calls, 3, 'terrain is retried again');
+  hung.resolve();
+  await settle();
+  assert.equal(late.destroyed, true, 'the late provider is released');
+  assert.ok(!installed.includes(late), 'and never installed');
+  env.controller.destroy();
+});
+
+test('a failed retry after a mid-retry re-show re-arms once, after the doubled delay', async (t) => {
+  t.mock.timers.enable({ apis: ['setTimeout'] });
+  const env = publicFixture();
+  const esri = failingEsri(env);
+  await env.controller.setStack('esri-imagery');
+  const gate = deferred();
+  esri.next = gate.promise;
+  t.mock.timers.tick(30_000);
+  await settle();
+  await env.controller.setStack('osm');
+  await env.controller.setStack('esri-imagery');
+  gate.resolve();
+  await settle();
+  assert.equal(esri.attempts, 2);
+  t.mock.timers.tick(59_999);
+  await settle();
+  assert.equal(esri.attempts, 2, 'not before the doubled delay');
+  t.mock.timers.tick(1);
+  await settle();
+  assert.equal(esri.attempts, 3, 'one retry after it');
+  t.mock.timers.tick(119_999);
+  await settle();
+  assert.equal(esri.attempts, 3, 'no second timer was armed');
+  env.controller.destroy();
+});
+
+test('destroy releases recovered imagery and terrain that lands afterwards', async (t) => {
+  const stalled = deferred();
+  const real = { id: 'real', destroy: () => (real.destroyed = true) };
+  const { env, installed } = terrainFixture(t, async (n) => {
+    if (n === 1) return flatTerrain(n);
+    await stalled.promise;
+    return { provider: real };
+  });
+  const esri = failingEsri(env);
+  const imagery = env.providers.get('esri-imagery');
+  imagery.destroy = () => (imagery.destroyed = true);
+  await env.controller.setStack('esri-imagery');
+  esri.failing = false;
+  t.mock.timers.tick(30_000);
+  await settle();
+  assert.equal(env.imagery.at(-1).provider, imagery, 'imagery has landed');
+  env.controller.destroy();
+  stalled.resolve();
+  await settle();
+  assert.equal(imagery.destroyed, true);
+  assert.equal(real.destroyed, true);
+  assert.ok(!installed.includes(real));
+});