diff --git a/cli/task_send_test.go b/cli/task_send_test.go
index e545da80d1..c90cb335cc 100644
--- a/cli/task_send_test.go
+++ b/cli/task_send_test.go
@@ -245,8 +245,15 @@ func Test_TaskSend(t *testing.T) {
 		pauseTask(setupCtx, t, setup.userClient, setup.task)
 		resumeTask(setupCtx, t, setup.userClient, setup.task)
 
+		// Set up mock clock and traps before starting the command.
+		// Without a mock clock the poll can race with the stop build
+		// and see a transient 'unknown' status instead of 'paused'.
+		mClock := quartz.NewMock(t)
+		tickTrap := mClock.Trap().NewTicker("task_send", "poll")
+		resetTrap := mClock.Trap().TickerReset("task_send", "poll")
+
 		// When: We attempt to send input to the initializing task.
-		inv, root := clitest.New(t, "task", "send", setup.task.Name, "some task input")
+		inv, root := clitest.NewWithClock(t, mClock, "task", "send", setup.task.Name, "some task input")
 		clitest.SetupConfig(t, setup.userClient, root)
 
 		ctx := testutil.Context(t, testutil.WaitLong)
@@ -259,11 +266,29 @@ func Test_TaskSend(t *testing.T) {
 		// of waitForTaskIdle.
 		pty.ExpectMatchContext(ctx, "Waiting for task to become idle")
 
+		// Wait for ticker creation and release it.
+		tickCall := tickTrap.MustWait(ctx)
+		tickCall.MustRelease(ctx)
+		tickTrap.Close()
+
+		// Fire the immediate first poll (time.Nanosecond initial interval).
+		// This poll sees 'initializing' because no agent is connected.
+		mClock.Advance(time.Nanosecond).MustWait(ctx)
+
+		// Wait for Reset (confirms first poll completed).
+		resetCall := resetTrap.MustWait(ctx)
+		resetCall.MustRelease(ctx)
+		resetTrap.Close()
+
 		// Pause the task while waitForTaskIdle is polling. Since
 		// no agent is connected, the task stays initializing until
 		// we pause it, at which point the status becomes paused.
 		pauseTask(ctx, t, setup.userClient, setup.task)
 
+		// Fire second poll at the regular 5s interval. The stop
+		// build has completed, so the poll sees 'paused'.
+		mClock.Advance(5 * time.Second).MustWait(ctx)
+
 		// Then: The command should fail because the task was paused.
 		err := w.Wait()
 		require.Error(t, err)