diff --git a/TODO.md b/TODO.md
index 1d91eeb..edd9f11 100644
--- a/TODO.md
+++ b/TODO.md
@@ -29,6 +29,29 @@
 
 # Completed Steps
 
+- unwind the hash worker pool on the error path (2026-08-09, branch
+  `hash-pool-cleanup`, closes #6): `hashPhase` used to return the
+  moment `recordRun` failed and abandon the pool — the feeder parked
+  forever on a full `jobs` channel and every worker on a full
+  `results` channel. That only stopped being invisible when #4 landed
+  and `runScan` began unwinding instead of calling `os.Exit`. The
+  pool is now an owned, context-aware `hashPool`: every blocking send
+  in the feeder and the workers selects on `ctx.Done()`, `jobs` is
+  closed on every path out, and `hashPhase` defers `pool.stop()`,
+  which cancels and then drains `results` until the last goroutine
+  has exited — draining is what frees a worker already parked on a
+  send. `ctx` is threaded from `cmd.Context()` through `runScan`,
+  `syncScan`, both worker pools and the whole database layer (it is
+  the first parameter everywhere), so #5 can hand this path a signal
+  and needs to add nothing else. The walk pool never leaked, because
+  `walkPhase` always drains its events to close, but it has the same
+  unbounded-send shape and #5 will give it an early return, so it
+  gets the same treatment plus a `ctx.Err()` guard after the walk: a
+  cancelled walk yields a partial size census, and the update phase
+  would read every unreached file as vanished and delete its record.
+  New tests drive `run(scan)` against a database whose insert trigger
+  aborts, and assert both that the scan fails instead of hanging and
+  that `runtime.NumGoroutine()` polls back to its pre-scan baseline
 - guarantee the database is closed on every fatal exit path
   (2026-08-09, branch `db-close-on-fatal`, closes #4): `fatalf` and
   its `os.Exit(1)` are gone, so the deferred `db.Close()` — and with
diff --git a/db.go b/db.go
index 1965e76..573d944 100644
--- a/db.go
+++ b/db.go
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ func openDB(path string) (*sql.DB, error) {
 
 // openScanDatabase opens the database for the scan subcommand, creating
 // the file, its parent directory, and the schema as needed.
-func openScanDatabase(path string) (*sql.DB, error) {
+func openScanDatabase(ctx context.Context, path string) (*sql.DB, error) {
 	err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(path), dbDirPerm)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("create database directory: %w", err)
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ func openScanDatabase(path string) (*sql.DB, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	err = initSchema(db)
+	err = initSchema(ctx, db)
 	if err != nil {
 		_ = db.Close()
 
@@ -120,7 +120,9 @@ func openScanDatabase(path string) (*sql.DB, error) {
 // openReportDatabase opens an existing database for the report and
 // trees subcommands. A missing database file is an error directing the
 // user to run scan first; the schema version must match exactly.
-func openReportDatabase(path string) (*sql.DB, error) {
+func openReportDatabase(ctx context.Context,
+	path string,
+) (*sql.DB, error) {
 	_, err := os.Stat(path)
 	if errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s: %w", path, errNoDatabase)
@@ -135,7 +137,7 @@ func openReportDatabase(path string) (*sql.DB, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	v, err := userVersion(db)
+	v, err := userVersion(ctx, db)
 	if err != nil {
 		_ = db.Close()
 
@@ -154,15 +156,15 @@ func openReportDatabase(path string) (*sql.DB, error) {
 
 // initSchema creates the schema on a fresh database and verifies the
 // schema version on an existing one.
-func initSchema(db *sql.DB) error {
-	v, err := userVersion(db)
+func initSchema(ctx context.Context, db *sql.DB) error {
+	v, err := userVersion(ctx, db)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
 	switch v {
 	case 0:
-		return createSchema(db)
+		return createSchema(ctx, db)
 	case schemaVersion:
 		return nil
 	default:
@@ -173,9 +175,7 @@ func initSchema(db *sql.DB) error {
 
 // createSchema applies the schema to a fresh database and stamps the
 // schema version.
-func createSchema(db *sql.DB) error {
-	ctx := context.Background()
-
+func createSchema(ctx context.Context, db *sql.DB) error {
 	_, err := db.ExecContext(ctx, createTableSQL)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("create schema: %w", err)
@@ -191,11 +191,10 @@ func createSchema(db *sql.DB) error {
 }
 
 // userVersion reads the database's PRAGMA user_version.
-func userVersion(db *sql.DB) (int, error) {
+func userVersion(ctx context.Context, db *sql.DB) (int, error) {
 	var v int
 
-	err := db.QueryRowContext(context.Background(),
-		"PRAGMA user_version").Scan(&v)
+	err := db.QueryRowContext(ctx, "PRAGMA user_version").Scan(&v)
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, fmt.Errorf("read schema version: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -204,8 +203,8 @@ func userVersion(db *sql.DB) (int, error) {
 }
 
 // loadFileRows reads every record from the files table.
-func loadFileRows(db *sql.DB) ([]scanRec, error) {
-	rows, err := db.QueryContext(context.Background(),
+func loadFileRows(ctx context.Context, db *sql.DB) ([]scanRec, error) {
+	rows, err := db.QueryContext(ctx,
 		"SELECT path, size, mtime, head, tail FROM files")
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("read records: %w", err)
@@ -242,10 +241,10 @@ func loadFileRows(db *sql.DB) ([]scanRec, error) {
 // it carries hashes to fn. Scan change detection needs no hash
 // values, and skipping the hash columns keeps the scan's in-memory
 // index small on multi-million-file databases.
-func loadFileMeta(db *sql.DB,
+func loadFileMeta(ctx context.Context, db *sql.DB,
 	fn func(path string, size, mtime int64, hashed bool),
 ) error {
-	rows, err := db.QueryContext(context.Background(),
+	rows, err := db.QueryContext(ctx,
 		"SELECT path, size, mtime, head <> '' FROM files")
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("read records: %w", err)
@@ -286,18 +285,18 @@ const updateBatchSize = 10000
 // applyChanges writes one scan's database changes — upserts for new and
 // changed files, deletes for vanished ones — in batched transactions.
 // Progress is rendered on prog (one increment per change).
-func applyChanges(db *sql.DB, upserts []scanRec, deletes []string,
-	prog *progress,
+func applyChanges(ctx context.Context, db *sql.DB, upserts []scanRec,
+	deletes []string, prog *progress,
 ) error {
 	for batch := range slices.Chunk(upserts, updateBatchSize) {
-		err := applyBatch(db, batch, nil, prog)
+		err := applyBatch(ctx, db, batch, nil, prog)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
 
 	for batch := range slices.Chunk(deletes, updateBatchSize) {
-		err := applyBatch(db, nil, batch, prog)
+		err := applyBatch(ctx, db, nil, batch, prog)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -308,11 +307,9 @@ func applyChanges(db *sql.DB, upserts []scanRec, deletes []string,
 
 // applyBatch commits one batch of upserts and deletes in a single
 // transaction.
-func applyBatch(db *sql.DB, upserts []scanRec, deletes []string,
-	prog *progress,
+func applyBatch(ctx context.Context, db *sql.DB, upserts []scanRec,
+	deletes []string, prog *progress,
 ) error {
-	ctx := context.Background()
-
 	tx, err := db.BeginTx(ctx, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("begin transaction: %w", err)
diff --git a/db_test.go b/db_test.go
index 5a3de46..41ab6f2 100644
--- a/db_test.go
+++ b/db_test.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ func testDBPath(t *testing.T) string {
 func openTestDB(t *testing.T) *sql.DB {
 	t.Helper()
 
-	db, err := openScanDatabase(testDBPath(t))
+	db, err := openScanDatabase(t.Context(), testDBPath(t))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -52,12 +52,12 @@ func TestOpenScanDatabaseCreates(t *testing.T) {
 	// The parent directory does not exist yet; scan must create it.
 	path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "nested", "dir", "db.sqlite")
 
-	db, err := openScanDatabase(path)
+	db, err := openScanDatabase(t.Context(), path)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("openScanDatabase: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	v, err := userVersion(db)
+	v, err := userVersion(t.Context(), db)
 	if err != nil || v != schemaVersion {
 		t.Fatalf("userVersion = %d, %v; want %d, nil", v, err, schemaVersion)
 	}
@@ -65,14 +65,14 @@ func TestOpenScanDatabaseCreates(t *testing.T) {
 	_ = db.Close()
 
 	// Reopening an existing database must succeed and find the schema.
-	db, err = openScanDatabase(path)
+	db, err = openScanDatabase(t.Context(), path)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("reopen: %v", err)
 	}
 
 	defer func() { _ = db.Close() }()
 
-	recs, err := loadFileRows(db)
+	recs, err := loadFileRows(t.Context(), db)
 	if err != nil || len(recs) != 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("loadFileRows = %v, %v; want empty, nil", recs, err)
 	}
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ func TestOpenScanDatabaseCreates(t *testing.T) {
 func TestOpenReportDatabaseMissing(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
-	_, err := openReportDatabase(testDBPath(t))
+	_, err := openReportDatabase(t.Context(), testDBPath(t))
 	if !errors.Is(err, errNoDatabase) {
 		t.Fatalf("err = %v, want errNoDatabase", err)
 	}
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ func TestOpenReportDatabaseVersionMismatch(t *testing.T) {
 
 	path := testDBPath(t)
 
-	db, err := openScanDatabase(path)
+	db, err := openScanDatabase(t.Context(), path)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ func TestOpenReportDatabaseVersionMismatch(t *testing.T) {
 
 	_ = db.Close()
 
-	_, err = openReportDatabase(path)
+	_, err = openReportDatabase(t.Context(), path)
 	if !errors.Is(err, errSchemaVersion) {
 		t.Fatalf("err = %v, want errSchemaVersion", err)
 	}
@@ -115,14 +115,14 @@ func TestOpenReportDatabaseOK(t *testing.T) {
 
 	path := testDBPath(t)
 
-	db, err := openScanDatabase(path)
+	db, err := openScanDatabase(t.Context(), path)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
 	_ = db.Close()
 
-	db, err = openReportDatabase(path)
+	db, err = openReportDatabase(t.Context(), path)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("openReportDatabase: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -142,12 +142,13 @@ func TestApplyChangesRoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
 		{size: 1, mtime: 10, head: "h1", tail: "t1", path: "/a/x"},
 	}
 
-	err := applyChanges(db, recs, nil, newProgress("update", 2))
+	err := applyChanges(t.Context(), db, recs, nil,
+		newProgress("update", 2))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("applyChanges: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	got, err := loadFileRows(db)
+	got, err := loadFileRows(t.Context(), db)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -164,13 +165,13 @@ func TestApplyChangesRoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
 	// removes exactly its path.
 	upd := scanRec{size: 3, mtime: 30, head: "h3", tail: "t3", path: "/a/x"}
 
-	err = applyChanges(db, []scanRec{upd},
+	err = applyChanges(t.Context(), db, []scanRec{upd},
 		[]string{"/a/tab\tnew\nline"}, newProgress("update", 2))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("applyChanges: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	got, err = loadFileRows(db)
+	got, err = loadFileRows(t.Context(), db)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -197,12 +198,13 @@ func TestApplyChangesBatching(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 
-	err := applyChanges(db, recs, nil, newProgress("update", int64(n)))
+	err := applyChanges(t.Context(), db, recs, nil,
+		newProgress("update", int64(n)))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("applyChanges: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	got, err := loadFileRows(db)
+	got, err := loadFileRows(t.Context(), db)
 	if err != nil || len(got) != n {
 		t.Fatalf("loadFileRows = %d rows, %v; want %d", len(got), err, n)
 	}
@@ -212,12 +214,13 @@ func TestApplyChangesBatching(t *testing.T) {
 		deletes = append(deletes, r.path)
 	}
 
-	err = applyChanges(db, nil, deletes, newProgress("update", int64(n)))
+	err = applyChanges(t.Context(), db, nil, deletes,
+		newProgress("update", int64(n)))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("applyChanges deletes: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	got, err = loadFileRows(db)
+	got, err = loadFileRows(t.Context(), db)
 	if err != nil || len(got) != 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("loadFileRows = %d rows, %v; want 0", len(got), err)
 	}
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 873bf7d..e9012db 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
@@ -121,8 +122,8 @@ func newRootCommand(stderr io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 		Use:   cmdScan + " [--workers N] [-x] PATH...",
 		Short: "Walk trees and synchronize the scan database",
 		Args:  cobra.MinimumNArgs(1),
-		RunE: runE(func(args []string) error {
-			return runScan(args, scanWorkers, scanOneFS)
+		RunE: runE(func(ctx context.Context, args []string) error {
+			return runScan(ctx, args, scanWorkers, scanOneFS)
 		}),
 	}
 	scanCmd.Flags().IntVar(&scanWorkers, "workers", runtime.NumCPU(),
@@ -134,8 +135,8 @@ func newRootCommand(stderr io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 		Use:   cmdReport,
 		Short: "Read the scan database and print the file-level duplicates report",
 		Args:  cobra.NoArgs,
-		RunE: runE(func(_ []string) error {
-			return runReport()
+		RunE: runE(func(ctx context.Context, _ []string) error {
+			return runReport(ctx)
 		}),
 	}
 
@@ -143,8 +144,8 @@ func newRootCommand(stderr io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 		Use:   cmdTrees,
 		Short: "Read the scan database and print the duplicate-tree report",
 		Args:  cobra.NoArgs,
-		RunE: runE(func(_ []string) error {
-			return runTrees()
+		RunE: runE(func(ctx context.Context, _ []string) error {
+			return runTrees(ctx)
 		}),
 	}
 
@@ -157,13 +158,17 @@ func newRootCommand(stderr io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 // prints the error and the command's usage text for every error RunE
 // returns, but a subcommand that ran and failed has no usage problem
 // to report: both are silenced here, and the error is marked fatal so
-// that run reports it on stderr and exits 1 rather than 2.
-func runE(fn func(args []string) error) func(*cobra.Command, []string) error {
+// that run reports it on stderr and exits 1 rather than 2. The command's
+// context is handed to the implementation: cancelling it unwinds the
+// scan's worker pools.
+func runE(
+	fn func(ctx context.Context, args []string) error,
+) func(*cobra.Command, []string) error {
 	return func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		cmd.SilenceUsage = true
 		cmd.SilenceErrors = true
 
-		err := fn(args)
+		err := fn(cmd.Context(), args)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fatalError{err: err}
 		}
diff --git a/main_test.go b/main_test.go
index 9dbff77..b307a82 100644
--- a/main_test.go
+++ b/main_test.go
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ func TestOpenDatabaseKeepsWALWhileOpen(t *testing.T) {
 	// database was closed and its WAL checkpointed.
 	path := testDBPath(t)
 
-	db, err := openScanDatabase(path)
+	db, err := openScanDatabase(t.Context(), path)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
diff --git a/report.go b/report.go
index f326fb6..7f7d0f9 100644
--- a/report.go
+++ b/report.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"bufio"
+	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"slices"
@@ -32,17 +33,17 @@ type scanRec struct {
 // exiting, so that the deferred close — which checkpoints the SQLite
 // WAL — always runs; the database is closed before the caller formats
 // its output, so it stays closed even if that output fails.
-func loadRecords() ([]scanRec, error) {
+func loadRecords(ctx context.Context) ([]scanRec, error) {
 	dbPath := databasePath()
 
-	db, err := openReportDatabase(dbPath)
+	db, err := openReportDatabase(ctx, dbPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	defer func() { _ = db.Close() }()
 
-	recs, err := loadFileRows(db)
+	recs, err := loadFileRows(ctx, db)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("database %s: %w", dbPath, err)
 	}
@@ -62,8 +63,8 @@ type dupeGroup struct {
 // from the database and prints the file-level duplicates report as TSV
 // on stdout. It never touches the scanned filesystem; its only I/O is
 // the database, stdout, and stderr.
-func runReport() error {
-	recs, err := loadRecords()
+func runReport(ctx context.Context) error {
+	recs, err := loadRecords(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/scan.go b/scan.go
index e33318b..0c978bc 100644
--- a/scan.go
+++ b/scan.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"cmp"
+	"context"
 	"crypto/sha256"
 	"database/sql"
 	"encoding/hex"
@@ -51,7 +52,11 @@ type fileMeta struct {
 // duplicate. Flag parsing and the at-least-one-operand check are done
 // by cobra. Errors are returned rather than exiting, so that the
 // deferred close — which checkpoints the SQLite WAL — always runs.
-func runScan(roots []string, workers int, oneFS bool) error {
+// Cancelling ctx unwinds the worker pools and aborts the scan with the
+// context's error.
+func runScan(ctx context.Context, roots []string, workers int,
+	oneFS bool,
+) error {
 	if workers < 1 {
 		workers = 1
 	}
@@ -63,14 +68,14 @@ func runScan(roots []string, workers int, oneFS bool) error {
 
 	dbPath := databasePath()
 
-	db, err := openScanDatabase(dbPath)
+	db, err := openScanDatabase(ctx, dbPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
 	defer func() { _ = db.Close() }()
 
-	st, err := syncScan(db, roots, workers, oneFS)
+	st, err := syncScan(ctx, db, roots, workers, oneFS)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("update database %s: %w", dbPath, err)
 	}
@@ -168,28 +173,37 @@ type scanState struct {
 // and update (record the size-unique files without reading them, and
 // delete the records the scan no longer verifies). Records outside
 // the roots are never touched.
-func syncScan(db *sql.DB, roots []string, workers int,
-	oneFS bool,
+func syncScan(ctx context.Context, db *sql.DB, roots []string,
+	workers int, oneFS bool,
 ) (scanStats, error) {
 	roots = pruneRoots(roots)
 
 	s := &scanState{db: db}
 
-	err := s.loadIndex(roots)
+	err := s.loadIndex(ctx, roots)
 	if err != nil {
 		return s.st, err
 	}
 
-	changed, unhashed := s.walkPhase(startWalk(roots, oneFS, workers))
+	changed, unhashed := s.walkPhase(startWalk(ctx, roots, oneFS, workers))
+
+	// A cancelled walk stops early, so its size census covers only part
+	// of the roots. Every file it never reached would look vanished to
+	// the update phase, which would then delete a perfectly good record
+	// for it: abort instead of writing that.
+	err = ctx.Err()
+	if err != nil {
+		return s.st, err
+	}
 
 	s.partition(changed, unhashed)
 
-	err = s.hashPhase(workers)
+	err = s.hashPhase(ctx, workers)
 	if err != nil {
 		return s.st, err
 	}
 
-	return s.st, s.updatePhase()
+	return s.st, s.updatePhase(ctx)
 }
 
 // loadIndex indexes the database records under the scan roots for
@@ -197,7 +211,7 @@ func syncScan(db *sql.DB, roots []string, workers int,
 // them: out-of-scope records join the size census so a scanned file
 // can be recognized as a possible duplicate of a tree scanned
 // separately into the same database.
-func (s *scanState) loadIndex(roots []string) error {
+func (s *scanState) loadIndex(ctx context.Context, roots []string) error {
 	// Indexing tens of millions of records takes real time; without a
 	// display the scan looks hung before the walk begins.
 	prog := newProgress("load", -1)
@@ -205,7 +219,7 @@ func (s *scanState) loadIndex(roots []string) error {
 
 	s.existing = make(map[string]fileMeta)
 
-	return loadFileMeta(s.db,
+	return loadFileMeta(ctx, s.db,
 		func(path string, size, mtime int64, hashed bool) {
 			prog.increment()
 
@@ -370,28 +384,29 @@ func sameInode(a, b fileRec) bool {
 // reads, so the bar shows a real ETA. A run that fails to hash is
 // warned about and skipped; stale records for its paths, if any, are
 // deleted by the update phase.
-func (s *scanState) hashPhase(workers int) error {
+//
+// Returning early — a failed database write, or a cancelled scan — must
+// not strand the pool: the feeder would park forever on a full jobs
+// channel and every worker on a full results channel. The deferred stop
+// is what prevents that.
+func (s *scanState) hashPhase(ctx context.Context, workers int) error {
 	runs := hashRuns(s.toHash)
 	s.toHash = nil
 
-	jobs := make(chan []fileRec, workQueueDepth)
-	results := make(chan hashResult, workQueueDepth)
-
-	startHashWorkers(jobs, results, workers)
-
-	go func() {
-		for _, run := range runs {
-			jobs <- run
-		}
-
-		close(jobs)
-	}()
+	pool := startHashPool(ctx, runs, workers)
+	defer pool.stop()
 
 	prog := newProgress("hash", int64(len(runs)))
 	defer prog.finish()
 
 	for range runs {
-		r := <-results
+		var r hashResult
+
+		select {
+		case r = <-pool.results:
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return ctx.Err()
+		}
 
 		prog.increment()
 
@@ -403,7 +418,7 @@ func (s *scanState) hashPhase(workers int) error {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		err := s.recordRun(r)
+		err := s.recordRun(ctx, r)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -415,7 +430,7 @@ func (s *scanState) hashPhase(workers int) error {
 // recordRun folds one hash result into the running batch: every path
 // in the run (one file, or several hard links to it) gets a record
 // with the shared hashes.
-func (s *scanState) recordRun(r hashResult) error {
+func (s *scanState) recordRun(ctx context.Context, r hashResult) error {
 	for _, rec := range r.run {
 		s.resolve(rec.path)
 
@@ -432,7 +447,7 @@ func (s *scanState) recordRun(r hashResult) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	err := applyBatch(s.db, s.batch, nil, nil)
+	err := applyBatch(ctx, s.db, s.batch, nil, nil)
 	s.batch = s.batch[:0]
 
 	return err
@@ -443,7 +458,7 @@ func (s *scanState) recordRun(r hashResult) error {
 // size-unique new or changed file, and deletions for every record the
 // scan did not verify (vanished files, plus paths that failed to stat
 // or hash).
-func (s *scanState) updatePhase() error {
+func (s *scanState) updatePhase(ctx context.Context) error {
 	deletes := make([]string, 0, len(s.existing))
 	for path := range s.existing {
 		deletes = append(deletes, path)
@@ -459,7 +474,7 @@ func (s *scanState) updatePhase() error {
 
 	defer prog.finish()
 
-	err := applyChanges(s.db, s.batch, nil, prog)
+	err := applyChanges(ctx, s.db, s.batch, nil, prog)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -476,13 +491,13 @@ func (s *scanState) updatePhase() error {
 			})
 		}
 
-		err = applyBatch(s.db, recs, nil, prog)
+		err = applyBatch(ctx, s.db, recs, nil, prog)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
 
-	return applyChanges(s.db, nil, deletes, prog)
+	return applyChanges(ctx, s.db, nil, deletes, prog)
 }
 
 // underAnyRoot reports whether path is any of the roots or lies under
@@ -532,34 +547,53 @@ type walkEvent struct {
 // startWalk seeds every root into the shared walk worker pool and
 // returns the event stream: one record per regular file, one warning
 // event per per-path error. The channel is closed when the walk
-// completes.
-func startWalk(roots []string, oneFS bool, workers int) <-chan walkEvent {
-	jobs, subdirs, events := startWalkWorkers(workers, oneFS)
+// completes, and also when ctx is cancelled — every goroutine in the
+// pool abandons its blocking send in that case, so the consumer sees a
+// truncated but properly terminated stream instead of a stalled one.
+func startWalk(ctx context.Context, roots []string, oneFS bool,
+	workers int,
+) <-chan walkEvent {
+	jobs, subdirs, events := startWalkWorkers(ctx, workers, oneFS)
 
 	go func() {
 		initial := make([]dirJob, 0, len(roots))
 		for _, root := range roots {
-			initial = append(initial, seedRoot(root, events)...)
+			initial = append(initial, seedRoot(ctx, root, events)...)
 		}
 
-		dispatchDirs(initial, jobs, subdirs)
+		dispatchDirs(ctx, initial, jobs, subdirs)
 	}()
 
 	return events
 }
 
+// sendEvent delivers one walk event, abandoning the send when the scan
+// is cancelled. Every walk goroutine reaches the consumer through this
+// one channel, so this is where a cancelled walk unwinds rather than
+// parking on a buffer nobody is draining.
+func sendEvent(ctx context.Context, events chan<- walkEvent,
+	ev walkEvent,
+) {
+	select {
+	case events <- ev:
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+	}
+}
+
 // seedRoot turns one PATH operand into the walk's starting state: a
 // regular-file operand is statted and emitted directly, a directory
 // operand becomes an initial job, and a symlink or other non-regular
 // operand yields nothing (symlinks are never followed, including as
 // operands).
-func seedRoot(root string, events chan<- walkEvent) []dirJob {
+func seedRoot(ctx context.Context, root string,
+	events chan<- walkEvent,
+) []dirJob {
 	fi, err := os.Lstat(root)
 	if err != nil {
-		events <- walkEvent{
+		sendEvent(ctx, events, walkEvent{
 			warn: fmt.Sprintf("walk %s: %v", root, err),
 			fail: true,
-		}
+		})
 
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -576,13 +610,13 @@ func seedRoot(root string, events chan<- walkEvent) []dirJob {
 	case fi.Mode().IsRegular():
 		dev, ino := inodeOfInfo(fi)
 
-		events <- walkEvent{rec: fileRec{
+		sendEvent(ctx, events, walkEvent{rec: fileRec{
 			path:  root,
 			size:  fi.Size(),
 			mtime: fi.ModTime().Unix(),
 			dev:   dev,
 			ino:   ino,
-		}}
+		}})
 
 		return nil
 	default:
@@ -593,8 +627,10 @@ func seedRoot(root string, events chan<- walkEvent) []dirJob {
 // startWalkWorkers starts the walk worker pool. Each worker processes
 // one directory at a time, emitting an event per regular file and
 // handing discovered subdirectories back to the dispatcher; events is
-// closed once every worker has finished.
-func startWalkWorkers(workers int,
+// closed once every worker has finished. A cancelled scan makes the
+// workers drop the directories still queued rather than stop reading
+// jobs, so the range always runs out and the pool always tears down.
+func startWalkWorkers(ctx context.Context, workers int,
 	oneFS bool,
 ) (chan dirJob, chan []dirJob, chan walkEvent) {
 	jobs := make(chan dirJob, workQueueDepth)
@@ -606,7 +642,14 @@ func startWalkWorkers(workers int,
 	for range workers {
 		wg.Go(func() {
 			for job := range jobs {
-				subdirs <- walkOneDir(job, oneFS, events)
+				if ctx.Err() != nil {
+					continue
+				}
+
+				select {
+				case subdirs <- walkOneDir(ctx, job, oneFS, events):
+				case <-ctx.Done():
+				}
 			}
 		})
 	}
@@ -622,11 +665,15 @@ func startWalkWorkers(workers int,
 // dispatchDirs feeds directory jobs to the walk workers, queueing
 // newly discovered subdirectories (newest first, which keeps the
 // frontier small) until every directory has been processed, then
-// closes jobs.
-func dispatchDirs(initial []dirJob, jobs chan<- dirJob,
-	subdirs <-chan []dirJob,
+// closes jobs. jobs is closed on every path out, cancellation
+// included: the workers range over it, and a dispatcher that returned
+// without closing would strand all of them.
+func dispatchDirs(ctx context.Context, initial []dirJob,
+	jobs chan<- dirJob, subdirs <-chan []dirJob,
 ) {
 	go func() {
+		defer close(jobs)
+
 		queue := slices.Clone(initial)
 		pending := len(queue)
 
@@ -647,23 +694,25 @@ func dispatchDirs(initial []dirJob, jobs chan<- dirJob,
 			case subs := <-subdirs:
 				pending += len(subs) - 1
 				queue = append(queue, subs...)
+			case <-ctx.Done():
+				return
 			}
 		}
-
-		close(jobs)
 	}()
 }
 
 // walkOneDir reads one directory, emitting an event per regular-file
 // entry and a warning event per unreadable one, and returns the
 // subdirectories to descend into.
-func walkOneDir(job dirJob, oneFS bool, events chan<- walkEvent) []dirJob {
+func walkOneDir(ctx context.Context, job dirJob, oneFS bool,
+	events chan<- walkEvent,
+) []dirJob {
 	entries, err := os.ReadDir(job.path)
 	if err != nil {
-		events <- walkEvent{
+		sendEvent(ctx, events, walkEvent{
 			warn: fmt.Sprintf("walk %s: %v", job.path, err),
 			fail: true,
-		}
+		})
 
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -674,7 +723,7 @@ func walkOneDir(job dirJob, oneFS bool, events chan<- walkEvent) []dirJob {
 		p := filepath.Join(job.path, e.Name())
 
 		if e.IsDir() {
-			if sub, ok := subdirJob(p, e, job, oneFS, events); ok {
+			if sub, ok := subdirJob(ctx, p, e, job, oneFS, events); ok {
 				subs = append(subs, sub)
 			}
 
@@ -686,7 +735,7 @@ func walkOneDir(job dirJob, oneFS bool, events chan<- walkEvent) []dirJob {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		emitFile(p, e, events)
+		emitFile(ctx, p, e, events)
 	}
 
 	return subs
@@ -697,13 +746,15 @@ func walkOneDir(job dirJob, oneFS bool, events chan<- walkEvent) []dirJob {
 // metadata is still hot; a path that fails to stat (or stops being a
 // regular file) between the directory read and the lstat is warned
 // about and skipped.
-func emitFile(p string, e fs.DirEntry, events chan<- walkEvent) {
+func emitFile(ctx context.Context, p string, e fs.DirEntry,
+	events chan<- walkEvent,
+) {
 	info, err := e.Info()
 	if err != nil {
-		events <- walkEvent{
+		sendEvent(ctx, events, walkEvent{
 			warn: fmt.Sprintf("stat %s: %v", p, err),
 			fail: true,
-		}
+		})
 
 		return
 	}
@@ -714,21 +765,21 @@ func emitFile(p string, e fs.DirEntry, events chan<- walkEvent) {
 
 	dev, ino := inodeOfInfo(info)
 
-	events <- walkEvent{rec: fileRec{
+	sendEvent(ctx, events, walkEvent{rec: fileRec{
 		path:  p,
 		size:  info.Size(),
 		mtime: info.ModTime().Unix(),
 		dev:   dev,
 		ino:   ino,
-	}}
+	}})
 }
 
 // subdirJob applies the descent rules to directory p: never enter
 // .zfs (ZFS snapshot pseudo-dirs would list every file once per
 // snapshot), and with -x never enter a directory on a different
 // filesystem than its operand.
-func subdirJob(p string, e fs.DirEntry, parent dirJob, oneFS bool,
-	events chan<- walkEvent,
+func subdirJob(ctx context.Context, p string, e fs.DirEntry,
+	parent dirJob, oneFS bool, events chan<- walkEvent,
 ) (dirJob, bool) {
 	if e.Name() == ".zfs" {
 		return dirJob{}, false
@@ -741,10 +792,10 @@ func subdirJob(p string, e fs.DirEntry, parent dirJob, oneFS bool,
 
 	info, err := e.Info()
 	if err != nil {
-		events <- walkEvent{
+		sendEvent(ctx, events, walkEvent{
 			warn: fmt.Sprintf("walk %s: %v", p, err),
 			fail: true,
-		}
+		})
 
 		return dirJob{}, false
 	}
@@ -788,22 +839,102 @@ type hashResult struct {
 	err  error
 }
 
-// startHashWorkers starts the hash worker pool: workers read inode
-// runs, hash each run's first path (all paths in a run are hard links
-// to the same inode), write one result per run, and exit when jobs is
-// closed.
-func startHashWorkers(jobs <-chan []fileRec, results chan<- hashResult,
+// hashPool owns every goroutine of the hash worker pool: the feeder
+// that queues the inode runs and the workers that read them. Both block
+// on channel sends, so both are cancellable — the pool's context is
+// derived from the scan's, and stop cancels it and waits the goroutines
+// out. The consumer must call stop on every path out of the phase, not
+// just the happy one.
+type hashPool struct {
+	results <-chan hashResult
+	cancel  context.CancelFunc
+	done    <-chan struct{}
+}
+
+// startHashPool starts the feeder and the workers over runs. Workers
+// hash each run's first path (all paths in a run are hard links to the
+// same inode) and write one result per run.
+func startHashPool(ctx context.Context, runs [][]fileRec,
 	workers int,
-) {
+) *hashPool {
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
+
+	jobs := make(chan []fileRec, workQueueDepth)
+	results := make(chan hashResult, workQueueDepth)
+
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+
+	wg.Go(func() { feedHashJobs(ctx, runs, jobs) })
+
 	for range workers {
-		go func() {
-			for run := range jobs {
-				head, tail, err := hashHeadTail(run[0].path, run[0].size)
-				results <- hashResult{
-					run: run, head: head, tail: tail, err: err,
-				}
-			}
-		}()
+		wg.Go(func() { hashWorker(ctx, jobs, results) })
+	}
+
+	done := make(chan struct{})
+
+	go func() {
+		wg.Wait()
+		close(done)
+	}()
+
+	return &hashPool{results: results, cancel: cancel, done: done}
+}
+
+// stop cancels the pool and blocks until every one of its goroutines
+// has exited, draining results while it waits: a worker already parked
+// on a send observes the cancellation only once a receiver frees it.
+// Calling stop more than once is safe.
+func (p *hashPool) stop() {
+	p.cancel()
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-p.results:
+		case <-p.done:
+			return
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// feedHashJobs queues every run for the workers, closing jobs on the
+// way out — including when the scan is cancelled mid-queue, so that the
+// workers' range over jobs always terminates.
+func feedHashJobs(ctx context.Context, runs [][]fileRec,
+	jobs chan<- []fileRec,
+) {
+	defer close(jobs)
+
+	for _, run := range runs {
+		select {
+		case jobs <- run:
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// hashWorker hashes one inode run at a time until jobs is closed or the
+// scan is cancelled. A cancelled worker drops the runs still queued
+// instead of stopping its reads of jobs: the range must run out for the
+// pool to tear down, and reading a file nobody wants the hash of only
+// delays that.
+func hashWorker(ctx context.Context, jobs <-chan []fileRec,
+	results chan<- hashResult,
+) {
+	for run := range jobs {
+		if ctx.Err() != nil {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		head, tail, err := hashHeadTail(run[0].path, run[0].size)
+
+		select {
+		case results <- hashResult{
+			run: run, head: head, tail: tail, err: err,
+		}:
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return
+		}
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/scan_test.go b/scan_test.go
index 9e563cd..2c0a2f2 100644
--- a/scan_test.go
+++ b/scan_test.go
@@ -1,14 +1,18 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"crypto/sha256"
 	"database/sql"
 	"encoding/hex"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"runtime"
 	"slices"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -130,7 +134,7 @@ func collectWalk(t *testing.T, roots []string, oneFS bool,
 		errs int
 	)
 
-	for ev := range startWalk(roots, oneFS, workers) {
+	for ev := range startWalk(t.Context(), roots, oneFS, workers) {
 		if ev.fail {
 			errs++
 
@@ -359,7 +363,7 @@ const smokeTreeFiles = 15
 func syncTree(t *testing.T, db *sql.DB, roots ...string) scanStats {
 	t.Helper()
 
-	st, err := syncScan(db, roots, 4, false)
+	st, err := syncScan(t.Context(), db, roots, 4, false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("syncScan: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -371,7 +375,7 @@ func syncTree(t *testing.T, db *sql.DB, roots ...string) scanStats {
 func dbRecords(t *testing.T, db *sql.DB) []scanRec {
 	t.Helper()
 
-	recs, err := loadFileRows(db)
+	recs, err := loadFileRows(t.Context(), db)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -815,6 +819,189 @@ func TestScanHardlinkRunFailsTogether(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// injectedWriteFailure is the message the injected database trigger
+// aborts with, so the test can recognize its own failure in the error
+// the scan reports.
+const injectedWriteFailure = "injected write failure"
+
+// hashLeakFiles is the size of the fixture for the hash-phase failure
+// test. The batch commit inside the hash phase is what fails, so the
+// tree must hold more than updateBatchSize files for the failure to
+// happen at all; the surplus over that is what is still queued when it
+// does, and it exceeds the depth of both pool channels so that the
+// workers have nowhere left to put their results. An abandoned pool
+// therefore parks forever, which is exactly what this test detects.
+const hashLeakFiles = updateBatchSize + 2*workQueueDepth
+
+// hashLeakWorkers is the worker count for that scan: a fixed, modest
+// number keeps the leak deterministic on any machine.
+const hashLeakWorkers = 4
+
+// goroutineSettle bounds how long a goroutine count is given to come
+// back down to its target. Only a failing run ever waits this long.
+const goroutineSettle = 5 * time.Second
+
+// goroutinePoll is the interval between goroutine-count samples.
+const goroutinePoll = 10 * time.Millisecond
+
+// writeEmptyFiles creates n empty files directly in dir. Zero-length
+// files are never opened by the hasher — their hashes are constant —
+// so a fixture this size costs directory entries and no read I/O,
+// while still queueing n runs through the hash pool.
+func writeEmptyFiles(t *testing.T, dir string, n int) {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	for i := range n {
+		err := os.WriteFile(
+			filepath.Join(dir, strconv.Itoa(i)), nil, 0o600)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// injectWriteFailure creates a scan database at path carrying the real
+// schema plus a trigger that aborts every insert. Reads are untouched,
+// so a scan loads its index and walks normally and then fails on the
+// first record it tries to commit — a genuine database write failure
+// partway through the hash phase.
+func injectWriteFailure(t *testing.T, path string) {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	db, err := openScanDatabase(t.Context(), path)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	_, err = db.ExecContext(t.Context(),
+		"CREATE TRIGGER refuse_insert BEFORE INSERT ON files "+
+			"BEGIN SELECT RAISE(ABORT, '"+injectedWriteFailure+"'); END")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	err = db.Close()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+}
+
+// baselineGoroutines waits for the goroutine count to stop moving and
+// returns it. Handles closed by earlier tests take a moment to reap
+// their driver goroutines, so a single sample would make the baseline
+// itself flaky.
+func baselineGoroutines(t *testing.T) int {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	deadline := time.Now().Add(goroutineSettle)
+	last := runtime.NumGoroutine()
+
+	for time.Now().Before(deadline) {
+		time.Sleep(goroutinePoll)
+
+		n := runtime.NumGoroutine()
+		if n == last {
+			return n
+		}
+
+		last = n
+	}
+
+	return last
+}
+
+// settledGoroutines polls runtime.NumGoroutine until it is back at or
+// below want and returns the last count seen. Polling, rather than one
+// sample after a fixed sleep, is what keeps this from being a race
+// between the assertion and goroutines that are already exiting.
+func settledGoroutines(t *testing.T, want int) int {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	deadline := time.Now().Add(goroutineSettle)
+
+	for {
+		n := runtime.NumGoroutine()
+		if n <= want || time.Now().After(deadline) {
+			return n
+		}
+
+		time.Sleep(goroutinePoll)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestScanHashWriteFailureUnwindsPool drives the scan entry point
+// against a database that refuses every write. The hash phase gives up
+// partway through with thousands of runs still queued, which used to
+// leave the feeder parked on a full job channel and every worker parked
+// on a full result channel for the life of the process.
+func TestScanHashWriteFailureUnwindsPool(t *testing.T) {
+	path := testDBPath(t)
+	t.Setenv(databaseEnv, path)
+
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+
+	writeEmptyFiles(t, dir, hashLeakFiles)
+	injectWriteFailure(t, path)
+
+	base := baselineGoroutines(t)
+
+	var stderr bytes.Buffer
+
+	code := run([]string{
+		cmdScan, "--workers", strconv.Itoa(hashLeakWorkers), dir,
+	}, &stderr)
+	if code != exitFatal {
+		t.Fatalf("run(scan) = %d, want %d; stderr: %s",
+			code, exitFatal, stderr.String())
+	}
+
+	if !strings.Contains(stderr.String(), injectedWriteFailure) {
+		t.Errorf("stderr = %q, want the injected write failure",
+			stderr.String())
+	}
+
+	if got := settledGoroutines(t, base); got > base {
+		t.Errorf("goroutines = %d after the failed scan, want %d back",
+			got, base)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestSyncScanCancelledWalkKeepsRecords checks the other half of the
+// cancellation path: a scan whose context is already cancelled stops
+// with that error instead of treating its truncated walk as the truth
+// and deleting the record of every file it never reached.
+//
+//nolint:paralleltest // counts goroutines: must not run beside others
+func TestSyncScanCancelledWalkKeepsRecords(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := buildSmokeTree(t)
+	db := openTestDB(t)
+
+	syncTree(t, db, dir)
+
+	before := recordPaths(dbRecords(t, db))
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(t.Context())
+	cancel()
+
+	base := baselineGoroutines(t)
+
+	_, err := syncScan(ctx, db, []string{dir}, 4, false)
+	if !errors.Is(err, context.Canceled) {
+		t.Fatalf("syncScan on a cancelled context = %v, want %v",
+			err, context.Canceled)
+	}
+
+	if got := recordPaths(dbRecords(t, db)); !slices.Equal(got, before) {
+		t.Errorf("records = %q after a cancelled scan, want %q",
+			got, before)
+	}
+
+	if got := settledGoroutines(t, base); got > base {
+		t.Errorf("goroutines = %d after the cancelled scan, want %d back",
+			got, base)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestHashRuns(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
diff --git a/trees.go b/trees.go
index 7dba881..fd05c0a 100644
--- a/trees.go
+++ b/trees.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"bufio"
+	"context"
 	"crypto/sha256"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
@@ -34,8 +35,8 @@ type treeNode struct {
 // maximal duplicate-tree groups as TSV on stdout. It never touches the
 // scanned filesystem; its only I/O is the database, stdout, and
 // stderr.
-func runTrees() error {
-	recs, err := loadRecords()
+func runTrees(ctx context.Context) error {
+	recs, err := loadRecords(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}