diff --git a/elixir/lib/symphony_elixir/agent_runner.ex b/elixir/lib/symphony_elixir/agent_runner.ex
index 35ea8a03e..502c8cf5f 100644
--- a/elixir/lib/symphony_elixir/agent_runner.ex
+++ b/elixir/lib/symphony_elixir/agent_runner.ex
@@ -11,12 +11,12 @@ defmodule SymphonyElixir.AgentRunner do
 
   @spec run(map(), pid() | nil, keyword()) :: :ok | no_return()
   def run(issue, codex_update_recipient \\ nil, opts \\ []) do
-    worker_hosts =
-      candidate_worker_hosts(Keyword.get(opts, :worker_host), Config.settings!().worker.ssh_hosts)
+    # The orchestrator owns host retries so one worker lifetime never hops machines.
+    worker_host = selected_worker_host(Keyword.get(opts, :worker_host), Config.settings!().worker.ssh_hosts)
 
-    Logger.info("Starting agent run for #{issue_context(issue)} worker_hosts=#{inspect(worker_hosts_for_log(worker_hosts))}")
+    Logger.info("Starting agent run for #{issue_context(issue)} worker_host=#{worker_host_for_log(worker_host)}")
 
-    case run_on_worker_hosts(issue, codex_update_recipient, opts, worker_hosts) do
+    case run_on_worker_host(issue, codex_update_recipient, opts, worker_host) do
       :ok ->
         :ok
 
@@ -26,22 +26,6 @@ defmodule SymphonyElixir.AgentRunner do
     end
   end
 
-  defp run_on_worker_hosts(issue, codex_update_recipient, opts, [worker_host | rest]) do
-    case run_on_worker_host(issue, codex_update_recipient, opts, worker_host) do
-      :ok ->
-        :ok
-
-      {:error, reason} when rest != [] ->
-        Logger.warning("Agent run failed for #{issue_context(issue)} worker_host=#{worker_host_for_log(worker_host)} reason=#{inspect(reason)}; trying next worker host")
-        run_on_worker_hosts(issue, codex_update_recipient, opts, rest)
-
-      {:error, reason} ->
-        {:error, reason}
-    end
-  end
-
-  defp run_on_worker_hosts(_issue, _codex_update_recipient, _opts, []), do: {:error, :no_worker_hosts_available}
-
   defp run_on_worker_host(issue, codex_update_recipient, opts, worker_host) do
     Logger.info("Starting worker attempt for #{issue_context(issue)} worker_host=#{worker_host_for_log(worker_host)}")
 
@@ -188,9 +172,9 @@ defmodule SymphonyElixir.AgentRunner do
 
   defp active_issue_state?(_state_name), do: false
 
-  defp candidate_worker_hosts(nil, []), do: [nil]
+  defp selected_worker_host(nil, []), do: nil
 
-  defp candidate_worker_hosts(preferred_host, configured_hosts) when is_list(configured_hosts) do
+  defp selected_worker_host(preferred_host, configured_hosts) when is_list(configured_hosts) do
     hosts =
       configured_hosts
       |> Enum.map(&String.trim/1)
@@ -198,21 +182,12 @@ defmodule SymphonyElixir.AgentRunner do
       |> Enum.uniq()
 
     case preferred_host do
-      host when is_binary(host) and host != "" ->
-        [host | Enum.reject(hosts, &(&1 == host))]
-
-      _ when hosts == [] ->
-        [nil]
-
-      _ ->
-        hosts
+      host when is_binary(host) and host != "" -> host
+      _ when hosts == [] -> nil
+      _ -> List.first(hosts)
     end
   end
 
-  defp worker_hosts_for_log(worker_hosts) do
-    Enum.map(worker_hosts, &worker_host_for_log/1)
-  end
-
   defp worker_host_for_log(nil), do: "local"
   defp worker_host_for_log(worker_host), do: worker_host
 
diff --git a/elixir/test/symphony_elixir/core_test.exs b/elixir/test/symphony_elixir/core_test.exs
index 2e3323938..dcbe12a27 100644
--- a/elixir/test/symphony_elixir/core_test.exs
+++ b/elixir/test/symphony_elixir/core_test.exs
@@ -1164,6 +1164,76 @@ defmodule SymphonyElixir.CoreTest do
     end
   end
 
+  test "agent runner surfaces ssh startup failures instead of silently hopping hosts" do
+    test_root =
+      Path.join(
+        System.tmp_dir!(),
+        "symphony-elixir-agent-runner-single-host-#{System.unique_integer([:positive])}"
+      )
+
+    previous_path = System.get_env("PATH")
+    previous_trace = System.get_env("SYMP_TEST_SSH_TRACE")
+
+    on_exit(fn ->
+      restore_env("PATH", previous_path)
+      restore_env("SYMP_TEST_SSH_TRACE", previous_trace)
+    end)
+
+    try do
+      trace_file = Path.join(test_root, "ssh.trace")
+      fake_ssh = Path.join(test_root, "ssh")
+
+      File.mkdir_p!(test_root)
+      System.put_env("SYMP_TEST_SSH_TRACE", trace_file)
+      System.put_env("PATH", test_root <> ":" <> (previous_path || ""))
+
+      File.write!(fake_ssh, """
+      #!/bin/sh
+      trace_file="${SYMP_TEST_SSH_TRACE:-/tmp/symphony-fake-ssh.trace}"
+      printf 'ARGV:%s\\n' "$*" >> "$trace_file"
+
+      case "$*" in
+        *worker-a*"__SYMPHONY_WORKSPACE__"*)
+          printf '%s\\n' 'worker-a prepare failed' >&2
+          exit 75
+          ;;
+        *worker-b*"__SYMPHONY_WORKSPACE__"*)
+          printf '%s\\t%s\\t%s\\n' '__SYMPHONY_WORKSPACE__' '1' '/remote/home/.symphony-remote-workspaces/MT-SSH-FAILOVER'
+          exit 0
+          ;;
+        *)
+          exit 0
+          ;;
+      esac
+      """)
+
+      File.chmod!(fake_ssh, 0o755)
+
+      write_workflow_file!(Workflow.workflow_file_path(),
+        workspace_root: "~/.symphony-remote-workspaces",
+        worker_ssh_hosts: ["worker-a", "worker-b"]
+      )
+
+      issue = %Issue{
+        id: "issue-ssh-failover",
+        identifier: "MT-SSH-FAILOVER",
+        title: "Do not fail over within a single worker run",
+        description: "Surface the startup failure to the orchestrator",
+        state: "In Progress"
+      }
+
+      assert_raise RuntimeError, ~r/workspace_prepare_failed/, fn ->
+        AgentRunner.run(issue, nil, worker_host: "worker-a")
+      end
+
+      trace = File.read!(trace_file)
+      assert trace =~ "worker-a bash -lc"
+      refute trace =~ "worker-b bash -lc"
+    after
+      File.rm_rf(test_root)
+    end
+  end
+
   test "agent runner continues with a follow-up turn while the issue remains active" do
     test_root =
       Path.join(