diff --git a/mcp-server/src/legal_mcp/services/halacha_extractor.py b/mcp-server/src/legal_mcp/services/halacha_extractor.py
index fcdedb6..c83373c 100644
--- a/mcp-server/src/legal_mcp/services/halacha_extractor.py
+++ b/mcp-server/src/legal_mcp/services/halacha_extractor.py
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ import logging
 import re
 from uuid import UUID
 
+import asyncpg
+
 from legal_mcp import config
 from legal_mcp.config import parse_llm_json
 from legal_mcp.services import (
@@ -50,6 +52,34 @@ CHUNK_CONCURRENCY = config.HALACHA_CHUNK_CONCURRENCY
 # 4-5 overlapping driver processes × CHUNK_CONCURRENCY each → 12-16 concurrent
 # xhigh `claude -p` procs → load 69 → hard reboot.
 _HALACHA_EXTRACT_LOCK_KEY = 0x48414C41  # 'HALA'
+
+# The advisory lock is a SESSION lock held on a dedicated ``lock_conn`` that
+# sits idle while extraction work runs on OTHER pool connections. A hard crash
+# ("RuntimeError: Event loop is closed", OOM-kill, container restart) skips the
+# ``finally`` that unlocks AND skips ``pool.release`` — so the backend stays
+# alive, idle, holding the lock, and EVERY future extraction gets ``busy``
+# forever (#142: a leaked lock froze all halacha extraction ~4.5 min on
+# 2026-06-14 until a manual ``pg_terminate_backend``). Two mechanisms make the
+# lock self-recovering:
+#   1. KEEPALIVE — a background task touches ``lock_conn`` every
+#      ``_LOCK_KEEPALIVE_INTERVAL`` s, keeping ``pg_stat_activity.state_change``
+#      fresh. A *live* extraction's lock-holder is therefore never stale; a
+#      crashed one's keepalive dies with the loop, so ``state_change`` freezes.
+#   2. SELF-HEAL ON ACQUIRE — when ``pg_try_advisory_lock`` fails, we inspect
+#      the current holder; if it is idle AND its ``state_change`` is older than
+#      ``_LOCK_STALE_AFTER`` (≫ keepalive interval) it is a leaked orphan, so we
+#      ``pg_terminate_backend`` it (its session locks release on exit) and retry.
+# This is why a session lock + keepalive is preferred over ``pg_advisory_xact_lock``
+# (option ג): an xact lock would force a multi-minute open transaction
+# (idle-in-transaction bloat) and STILL wouldn't release a live-but-orphaned
+# connection promptly. ``_LOCK_STALE_AFTER`` is large enough that an in-flight
+# extraction is never mistaken for an orphan — the box-freeze the lock prevents
+# must never be re-introduced by killing a live holder.
+_LOCK_KEEPALIVE_INTERVAL = 30   # seconds between lock-conn keepalive touches
+_LOCK_STALE_AFTER = 150         # seconds idle ⇒ leaked orphan (5× keepalive)
+_LOCK_RECLAIM_RETRIES = 10      # poll attempts to re-acquire after terminate
+_LOCK_RECLAIM_DELAY = 0.2       # seconds between reclaim polls
+
 CHUNK_RETRY_ATTEMPTS = 1
 
 # If at least this fraction of chunks crash and the precedent yields zero
@@ -456,6 +486,82 @@ async def _extract_chunk(
     return [], False
 
 
+# Reconstruct the 64-bit advisory key from pg_locks' (classid, objid) pair so
+# the holder lookup is correct regardless of how Postgres splits the key.
+_LOCK_HOLDER_SQL = """
+SELECT a.pid,
+       a.state,
+       EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (now() - a.state_change)) AS idle_seconds
+FROM pg_locks l
+JOIN pg_stat_activity a ON a.pid = l.pid
+WHERE l.locktype = 'advisory'
+  AND ((l.classid::bigint << 32) | (l.objid::bigint)) = $1
+  AND l.objsubid = 1
+  AND l.granted
+  AND a.pid <> pg_backend_pid()
+LIMIT 1
+"""
+
+
+async def _acquire_global_lock(pool) -> "asyncpg.Connection | None":
+    """Take the global advisory lock, self-healing a leaked (orphaned) holder.
+
+    Returns a connection that HOLDS the lock, or ``None`` if a *live* extraction
+    legitimately holds it. On failure we look up the holder: only an **idle**
+    backend whose ``state_change`` is older than ``_LOCK_STALE_AFTER`` (i.e. its
+    keepalive stopped — a crash) is treated as a leaked orphan and terminated;
+    a live extraction's holder is kept fresh by its keepalive and is never
+    killed, so the serialization guarantee (and the box-freeze it prevents) is
+    preserved.
+    """
+    conn = await pool.acquire()
+    try:
+        if await conn.fetchval("SELECT pg_try_advisory_lock($1)",
+                               _HALACHA_EXTRACT_LOCK_KEY):
+            return conn
+        holder = await conn.fetchrow(_LOCK_HOLDER_SQL, _HALACHA_EXTRACT_LOCK_KEY)
+        if (holder and holder["state"] == "idle"
+                and (holder["idle_seconds"] or 0) >= _LOCK_STALE_AFTER):
+            logger.warning(
+                "halacha extract: reclaiming LEAKED lock — holder pid=%s idle "
+                "%.0fs (≥%ds, keepalive stopped → crashed). pg_terminate_backend.",
+                holder["pid"], holder["idle_seconds"], _LOCK_STALE_AFTER,
+            )
+            await conn.execute("SELECT pg_terminate_backend($1)", holder["pid"])
+            for _ in range(_LOCK_RECLAIM_RETRIES):
+                if await conn.fetchval("SELECT pg_try_advisory_lock($1)",
+                                       _HALACHA_EXTRACT_LOCK_KEY):
+                    logger.info("halacha extract: leaked lock reclaimed.")
+                    return conn
+                await asyncio.sleep(_LOCK_RECLAIM_DELAY)
+        await pool.release(conn)
+        return None
+    except Exception:
+        await pool.release(conn)
+        raise
+
+
+async def _lock_keepalive(conn, stop: asyncio.Event) -> None:
+    """Touch ``conn`` every ``_LOCK_KEEPALIVE_INTERVAL`` s while extraction runs.
+
+    Keeps the lock-holder's ``pg_stat_activity.state_change`` fresh so a live
+    extraction is never mistaken for a leaked orphan by ``_acquire_global_lock``.
+    Exits on ``stop`` (clean finish) or on any DB error (so the final unlock,
+    which reuses ``conn``, never races a keepalive query on the same connection).
+    """
+    while not stop.is_set():
+        try:
+            await asyncio.wait_for(stop.wait(), timeout=_LOCK_KEEPALIVE_INTERVAL)
+            return  # stop signaled — clean exit
+        except asyncio.TimeoutError:
+            pass
+        try:
+            await conn.execute("SELECT 1")
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.warning("halacha lock keepalive failed (stopping): %s", e)
+            return
+
+
 async def extract(case_law_id: UUID | str, force: bool = False,
                   effort: str | None = None) -> dict:
     """Extract halachot from an uploaded precedent — globally serialized.
@@ -483,28 +589,35 @@ async def extract(case_law_id: UUID | str, force: bool = False,
         case_law_id = UUID(case_law_id)
 
     pool = await db.get_pool()
-    lock_conn = await pool.acquire()
-    try:
-        got = await lock_conn.fetchval(
-            "SELECT pg_try_advisory_lock($1)", _HALACHA_EXTRACT_LOCK_KEY,
+    lock_conn = await _acquire_global_lock(pool)
+    if lock_conn is None:
+        logger.warning(
+            "halacha extract: global lock held by a live extraction — "
+            "skipping %s (stays pending for next drain)", case_law_id,
         )
-        if not got:
-            logger.warning(
-                "halacha extract: global lock held by another extraction — "
-                "skipping %s (stays pending for next drain)", case_law_id,
-            )
-            return {
-                "status": "busy", "extracted": 0, "stored": 0,
-                "case_law_id": str(case_law_id),
-            }
+        return {
+            "status": "busy", "extracted": 0, "stored": 0,
+            "case_law_id": str(case_law_id),
+        }
+
+    stop_keepalive = asyncio.Event()
+    keepalive_task = asyncio.create_task(_lock_keepalive(lock_conn, stop_keepalive))
+    try:
+        return await _extract_impl(case_law_id, force=force, effort=effort)
+    finally:
+        # Stop the keepalive and await it BEFORE reusing lock_conn for unlock —
+        # two coroutines must never query the same asyncpg connection at once.
+        stop_keepalive.set()
+        try:
+            await keepalive_task
+        except Exception:  # pragma: no cover — keepalive swallows its own errors
+            logger.warning("halacha lock keepalive task ended abnormally")
         try:
-            return await _extract_impl(case_law_id, force=force, effort=effort)
-        finally:
             await lock_conn.fetchval(
                 "SELECT pg_advisory_unlock($1)", _HALACHA_EXTRACT_LOCK_KEY,
             )
-    finally:
-        await pool.release(lock_conn)
+        finally:
+            await pool.release(lock_conn)
 
 
 async def _select_extractable_chunks(
diff --git a/mcp-server/tests/test_halacha_lock_selfheal.py b/mcp-server/tests/test_halacha_lock_selfheal.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9b80e96
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mcp-server/tests/test_halacha_lock_selfheal.py
@@ -0,0 +1,159 @@
+"""Regression test for TaskMaster #142 — leaked global advisory lock recovery.
+
+Bug (2026-06-14, CMP-174): when ``halacha_extractor`` crashed with
+"RuntimeError: Event loop is closed", the ``finally`` that runs
+``pg_advisory_unlock`` (and ``pool.release``) never executed. The dedicated
+``lock_conn`` stayed alive, idle, holding the global advisory lock, so EVERY
+subsequent ``extract`` returned ``status='busy'`` until a manual
+``pg_terminate_backend`` (~4.5 min later) freed it.
+
+Fix: ``extract`` now (1) keeps the lock-holder's ``pg_stat_activity.state_change``
+fresh via a keepalive task, and (2) on a failed ``pg_try_advisory_lock`` inspects
+the holder — terminating ONLY an idle backend whose ``state_change`` is older
+than ``_LOCK_STALE_AFTER`` (its keepalive stopped ⇒ a crash), then re-acquiring.
+A *live* extraction's holder is kept fresh and is never killed.
+
+Runs fully OFFLINE — a fake pool/connection captures SQL instead of hitting
+Postgres (same style as ``test_halacha_reextract_preserves_approved.py``).
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import asyncio
+
+import pytest
+
+from legal_mcp.services import halacha_extractor as hx
+
+
+class _LockConn:
+    """Fake asyncpg connection driving the advisory-lock SQL paths."""
+
+    def __init__(self, try_results: list[bool], holder: dict | None = None) -> None:
+        self._try = list(try_results)  # queued pg_try_advisory_lock returns
+        self.holder = holder
+        self.executed: list[str] = []
+        self.terminated: list[int] = []
+        self.keepalive_touches = 0
+
+    async def fetchval(self, sql: str, *args):  # noqa: ANN002
+        s = sql.lower()
+        if "pg_try_advisory_lock" in s:
+            return self._try.pop(0)
+        if "pg_advisory_unlock" in s:
+            return True
+        return None
+
+    async def fetchrow(self, sql: str, *args):  # noqa: ANN002
+        return self.holder
+
+    async def execute(self, sql: str, *args):  # noqa: ANN002
+        self.executed.append(sql)
+        low = sql.lower()
+        if "pg_terminate_backend" in low:
+            self.terminated.append(args[0])
+        if low.strip() == "select 1":
+            self.keepalive_touches += 1
+        return "OK"
+
+
+class _Pool:
+    def __init__(self, conn: _LockConn) -> None:
+        self.conn = conn
+        self.acquired = 0
+        self.released = 0
+
+    async def acquire(self) -> _LockConn:
+        self.acquired += 1
+        return self.conn
+
+    async def release(self, conn: _LockConn) -> None:
+        self.released += 1
+
+
+def _run(coro):
+    loop = asyncio.new_event_loop()
+    try:
+        return loop.run_until_complete(coro)
+    finally:
+        loop.close()
+
+
+def test_acquire_when_free_returns_held_conn() -> None:
+    conn = _LockConn(try_results=[True])
+    pool = _Pool(conn)
+    got = _run(hx._acquire_global_lock(pool))
+    assert got is conn
+    assert pool.released == 0  # caller keeps the held connection
+
+
+def test_acquire_with_live_holder_returns_none() -> None:
+    # Holder is idle but FRESH (keepalive active) → live extraction, do not kill.
+    conn = _LockConn(
+        try_results=[False],
+        holder={"pid": 555, "state": "idle", "idle_seconds": 12.0},
+    )
+    pool = _Pool(conn)
+    got = _run(hx._acquire_global_lock(pool))
+    assert got is None
+    assert conn.terminated == []          # never terminate a live holder
+    assert pool.released == 1             # connection handed back
+
+
+def test_acquire_does_not_kill_active_holder() -> None:
+    # Even if stale-by-time, an 'active' backend is doing work — never killed.
+    conn = _LockConn(
+        try_results=[False],
+        holder={"pid": 556, "state": "active", "idle_seconds": 9999.0},
+    )
+    pool = _Pool(conn)
+    got = _run(hx._acquire_global_lock(pool))
+    assert got is None
+    assert conn.terminated == []
+
+
+def test_acquire_reclaims_leaked_orphan() -> None:
+    # Idle holder past the stale threshold ⇒ leaked orphan: terminate + reacquire.
+    stale = hx._LOCK_STALE_AFTER + 10
+    conn = _LockConn(
+        try_results=[False, True],  # fail, then succeed after terminate
+        holder={"pid": 777, "state": "idle", "idle_seconds": float(stale)},
+    )
+    pool = _Pool(conn)
+    got = _run(hx._acquire_global_lock(pool))
+    assert got is conn
+    assert conn.terminated == [777]       # the orphan was terminated
+    assert pool.released == 0             # lock reclaimed → conn retained
+
+
+def test_acquire_no_holder_row_releases() -> None:
+    # Lock released between the failed try and the holder lookup → give up cleanly.
+    conn = _LockConn(try_results=[False], holder=None)
+    pool = _Pool(conn)
+    got = _run(hx._acquire_global_lock(pool))
+    assert got is None
+    assert pool.released == 1
+
+
+def test_keepalive_exits_on_stop_without_touching() -> None:
+    conn = _LockConn(try_results=[])
+    stop = asyncio.Event()
+    stop.set()  # already signaled → must return immediately, no SELECT 1
+    _run(hx._lock_keepalive(conn, stop))
+    assert conn.keepalive_touches == 0
+
+
+def test_extract_returns_busy_when_lock_unavailable(monkeypatch) -> None:
+    async def _no_lock(_pool):
+        return None
+
+    async def _fake_pool():
+        return object()
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(hx, "_acquire_global_lock", _no_lock)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(hx.db, "get_pool", _fake_pool)
+
+    from uuid import uuid4
+    result = _run(hx.extract(uuid4()))
+    assert result["status"] == "busy"
+    assert result["extracted"] == 0