From 876cd067cc30aa758b23b5610476d9450e584cdb Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Hilary James Oliver <hilary.j.oliver@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Mar 2026 12:45:19 +1300
Subject: [PATCH] Fix parentless spawning.

---
 cylc/flow/scheduler.py |  7 +++----
 cylc/flow/task_pool.py | 42 +++++++++++++++++++++++++-----------------
 cylc/flow/taskdef.py   | 16 ++++++++++++++++
 3 files changed, 44 insertions(+), 21 deletions(-)

diff --git a/cylc/flow/scheduler.py b/cylc/flow/scheduler.py
index 1223c23f08..158a70337d 100644
--- a/cylc/flow/scheduler.py
+++ b/cylc/flow/scheduler.py
@@ -1717,11 +1717,10 @@ async def _main_loop(self) -> None:
             await self.update_data_structure()
 
         if has_updated:
-            if not self.is_reloaded:
+            if not self.is_reloaded and self.is_stalled:
                 # (A reload cannot un-stall workflow by itself)
-                if self.is_stalled:
-                    self.is_stalled = False
-                    self.update_data_store()
+                self.is_stalled = False
+                self.update_data_store()
             self.is_reloaded = False
 
             # Reset workflow and task updated flags.
diff --git a/cylc/flow/task_pool.py b/cylc/flow/task_pool.py
index 94835df506..67f55d16e5 100644
--- a/cylc/flow/task_pool.py
+++ b/cylc/flow/task_pool.py
@@ -850,23 +850,31 @@ def spawn_to_rh_limit(
             if self.runahead_limit_point is None:
                 return
 
-        is_xtrig_sequential = False
-        while point is not None and (point <= self.runahead_limit_point):
-            if tdef.is_parentless(point, cutoff=self.config.start_point):
-                ntask, is_in_pool, is_xtrig_sequential = (
-                    self.get_or_spawn_task(point, tdef, flow_nums)
-                )
-                if ntask is not None:
-                    if not is_in_pool:
-                        self.add_to_pool(ntask)
-                    self.rh_release_and_queue(ntask)
-                if is_xtrig_sequential:
-                    break
-            point = tdef.next_point(point)
-
-        # Once more for the runahead-limited task (don't release it).
-        if not is_xtrig_sequential:
-            self.spawn_if_parentless(tdef, point, flow_nums)
+        # Spawn this instance
+        if tdef.is_parentless(point, cutoff=self.config.start_point):
+            ntask, is_in_pool, is_xtrig_sequential = (
+                self.get_or_spawn_task(point, tdef, flow_nums)
+            )
+            if ntask is not None:
+                if not is_in_pool:
+                    self.add_to_pool(ntask)
+                self.rh_release_and_queue(ntask)
+            if is_xtrig_sequential:
+                return  # TODO?
+
+        # spawn next parentless instance, wherever it is.
+        point = tdef.next_point_parentless(point)
+        if point is None:
+            return
+        ntask, is_in_pool, _ = (
+            self.get_or_spawn_task(point, tdef, flow_nums)
+        )
+        if ntask is not None and not is_in_pool:
+            self.add_to_pool(ntask)
+            # if still below the limit, call again.
+            if point <= self.runahead_limit_point:
+                self.rh_release_and_queue(ntask)
+                self.spawn_to_rh_limit(tdef, point, flow_nums)
 
     def spawn_if_parentless(self, tdef, point, flow_nums):
         """Spawn a task if parentless, regardless of runahead limit."""
diff --git a/cylc/flow/taskdef.py b/cylc/flow/taskdef.py
index 359a5d686c..05516ad9b9 100644
--- a/cylc/flow/taskdef.py
+++ b/cylc/flow/taskdef.py
@@ -419,6 +419,22 @@ def next_point(self, point):
             p_next = min(adjusted)
         return p_next
 
+    def next_point_parentless(self, point):
+        """Return the next cycle point >= point."""
+        p_next = None
+        adjusted = []
+        for seq in self.sequences:
+            if seq in self.graph_parents:
+                # has parents here
+                continue
+            nxt = seq.get_next_point(point)
+            if nxt:
+                # may be None if beyond the sequence bounds
+                adjusted.append(nxt)
+        if adjusted:
+            p_next = min(adjusted)
+        return p_next
+
     def is_parentless(self, point: 'PointBase', cutoff: 'PointBase') -> bool:
         """Return True if task has no parents at the given point.