diff --git a/src/scheduler/src/scheduler.c b/src/scheduler/src/scheduler.c
index aa883d4..6293405 100644
--- a/src/scheduler/src/scheduler.c
+++ b/src/scheduler/src/scheduler.c
@@ -770,6 +770,8 @@ void sched_begin_session(xce_scheduler_t* sched)
 
     sched_account_jobs(sched);
 
+    /* Staging merge done — sched_end_session's GC guard reads this field. */
+    atomic_store_explicit(&sched->staging_merge_complete, 1, memory_order_release);
     return;
 }
 
@@ -875,6 +877,7 @@ void sched_end_session(xce_scheduler_t* sched)
     atomic_thread_fence(memory_order_seq_cst);
 
     gc_sweep_select_nodes(NULL, 0);
+    recompact_node_ids();
     free(live_jobs);
 
     atomic_store_explicit(&sched->staging_merge_complete, 1, memory_order_release);
diff --git a/src/scheduler/testsuite/test.c b/src/scheduler/testsuite/test.c
index 602163c..69eb6ee 100644
--- a/src/scheduler/testsuite/test.c
+++ b/src/scheduler/testsuite/test.c
@@ -221,6 +221,38 @@ test_gc_predicates_idle_invariant(void)
     sel_optimize_test_reset();
 }
 
+static void
+test_staging_merge_complete_gc_guard(void)
+{
+    /* Regression: sched_begin_session must leave staging_merge_complete=1 so
+     * sched_end_session's guard (!staging_merge_complete) does not fire.
+     *
+     * sched_begin_session: sets staging_merge_complete=0, does all session setup,
+     * then sets staging_merge_complete=1 (staging done).
+     * sched_end_session: guard skips GC when staging_merge_complete==0.
+     *
+     * Without the trailing set-to-1 in sched_begin_session, staging_merge_complete
+     * stays 0 forever and GC never runs — select-node memory leaks indefinitely. */
+    xce_scheduler_t sched;
+    memset(&sched, 0, sizeof(sched));
+
+    /* Simulate the post-begin_session state the fix produces */
+    atomic_store(&sched.session_active, 0);        /* session ended */
+    atomic_store(&sched.eval_in_progress, 0);
+    atomic_store(&sched.staging_merge_complete, 1); /* fix: begin_session sets this */
+
+    /* The GC guard in sched_end_session: must NOT fire */
+    int guard_fires = atomic_load(&sched.eval_in_progress)
+                      || !atomic_load(&sched.staging_merge_complete);
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL_INT(0, guard_fires);
+
+    /* Confirm the unfixed state (staging=0) would block GC */
+    atomic_store(&sched.staging_merge_complete, 0);
+    int guard_fires_unfixed = atomic_load(&sched.eval_in_progress)
+                              || !atomic_load(&sched.staging_merge_complete);
+    TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL_INT(1, guard_fires_unfixed);
+}
+
 static void
 test_meet_host_selection_numeric_match(void)
 {
@@ -359,6 +391,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     TEST(test_meet_host_selection_always_true_passes);
     TEST(test_meet_host_selection_always_false_fails);
     TEST(test_gc_predicates_idle_invariant);
+    TEST(test_staging_merge_complete_gc_guard);
     TEST(test_meet_host_selection_numeric_match);
     TEST(test_meet_host_selection_string_match);