diff --git a/frontend/src/components/BoardOnboardingChat.test.tsx b/frontend/src/components/BoardOnboardingChat.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b32591db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/components/BoardOnboardingChat.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+import { act, fireEvent, render, screen, waitFor } from "@testing-library/react";
+import type { ReactNode } from "react";
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+import type { BoardOnboardingRead } from "@/api/generated/model";
+import { BoardOnboardingChat } from "./BoardOnboardingChat";
+
+const startOnboardingMock = vi.fn();
+const getOnboardingMock = vi.fn();
+const answerOnboardingMock = vi.fn();
+const confirmOnboardingMock = vi.fn();
+
+vi.mock("@/hooks/usePageActive", () => ({
+  usePageActive: () => true,
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@/components/ui/dialog", () => ({
+  DialogHeader: ({ children }: { children?: ReactNode }) => (
+    <div>{children}</div>
+  ),
+  DialogFooter: ({ children }: { children?: ReactNode }) => (
+    <div>{children}</div>
+  ),
+  DialogTitle: ({ children }: { children?: ReactNode }) => (
+    <h2>{children}</h2>
+  ),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@/api/generated/board-onboarding/board-onboarding", () => ({
+  startOnboardingApiV1BoardsBoardIdOnboardingStartPost: (...args: unknown[]) =>
+    startOnboardingMock(...args),
+  getOnboardingApiV1BoardsBoardIdOnboardingGet: (...args: unknown[]) =>
+    getOnboardingMock(...args),
+  answerOnboardingApiV1BoardsBoardIdOnboardingAnswerPost: (...args: unknown[]) =>
+    answerOnboardingMock(...args),
+  confirmOnboardingApiV1BoardsBoardIdOnboardingConfirmPost: (...args: unknown[]) =>
+    confirmOnboardingMock(...args),
+}));
+
+const buildQuestionSession = (question: string): BoardOnboardingRead => ({
+  id: "session-1",
+  board_id: "board-1",
+  session_key: "session:key",
+  status: "active",
+  messages: [
+    {
+      role: "assistant",
+      content: JSON.stringify({
+        question,
+        options: ["Option A", "Option B"],
+      }),
+      timestamp: "2026-02-15T00:00:00Z",
+    },
+  ],
+  draft_goal: null,
+  created_at: "2026-02-15T00:00:00Z",
+  updated_at: "2026-02-15T00:00:00Z",
+});
+
+describe("BoardOnboardingChat polling", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers({ toFake: ["setInterval", "clearInterval"] });
+    startOnboardingMock.mockReset();
+    getOnboardingMock.mockReset();
+    answerOnboardingMock.mockReset();
+    confirmOnboardingMock.mockReset();
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.useRealTimers();
+  });
+
+  it("does not keep polling while waiting for user answer on a shown question", async () => {
+    const session = buildQuestionSession("What should we prioritize?");
+    startOnboardingMock.mockResolvedValue({ status: 200, data: session });
+    getOnboardingMock.mockResolvedValue({ status: 200, data: session });
+
+    render(
+      <BoardOnboardingChat boardId="board-1" onConfirmed={() => undefined} />,
+    );
+
+    await screen.findByText("What should we prioritize?");
+    const callsBeforeWait = getOnboardingMock.mock.calls.length;
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(6500);
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+
+    expect(getOnboardingMock.mock.calls.length).toBe(callsBeforeWait);
+  });
+
+  it("continues polling after an answer is submitted and waiting for assistant", async () => {
+    const session = buildQuestionSession("Pick a style");
+    startOnboardingMock.mockResolvedValue({ status: 200, data: session });
+    getOnboardingMock.mockResolvedValue({ status: 200, data: session });
+    answerOnboardingMock.mockResolvedValue({ status: 200, data: session });
+
+    render(
+      <BoardOnboardingChat boardId="board-1" onConfirmed={() => undefined} />,
+    );
+
+    await screen.findByText("Pick a style");
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Option A" }));
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Next" }));
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(answerOnboardingMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    });
+
+    const callsBeforePoll = getOnboardingMock.mock.calls.length;
+    await act(async () => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(2500);
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(getOnboardingMock.mock.calls.length).toBeGreaterThan(callsBeforePoll);
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/BoardOnboardingChat.tsx b/frontend/src/components/BoardOnboardingChat.tsx
index ac5c95a9..66047dd0 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/BoardOnboardingChat.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/BoardOnboardingChat.tsx
@@ -247,12 +247,17 @@ export function BoardOnboardingChat({
     void startSession();
   }, [startSession]);
 
+  const shouldPollSession =
+    isPageActive && (loading || isAwaitingAgent || (!question && !draft));
+
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (!isPageActive) return;
+    if (!shouldPollSession) return;
     void refreshSession();
-    const interval = setInterval(refreshSession, 2000);
+    const interval = setInterval(() => {
+      void refreshSession();
+    }, 2000);
     return () => clearInterval(interval);
-  }, [isPageActive, refreshSession]);
+  }, [refreshSession, shouldPollSession]);
 
   const handleAnswer = useCallback(
     async (value: string, freeText?: string) => {