diff --git a/flock.go b/flock.go
index 52f119b..16ab4a9 100644
--- a/flock.go
+++ b/flock.go
@@ -128,6 +128,17 @@ func (f *Flock) pick(nest Nest, n int) []string {
 	return out
 }
 
+// reserve takes a flock slot, honoring ctx: a saturated flock waits for a
+// slot, but gives up when the context ends instead of wedging the caller.
+func (f *Flock) reserve(ctx context.Context) (func(), bool) {
+	select {
+	case f.sem <- struct{}{}:
+		return func() { <-f.sem }, true
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		return nil, false
+	}
+}
+
 // ask is the only way any crow touches the model: budget, flock cap, timeout, log.
 func (f *Flock) ask(ctx context.Context, w Watcher, crow, system, prompt string, budgets ...*Budget) (string, error) {
 	for _, b := range budgets {
@@ -136,8 +147,11 @@ func (f *Flock) ask(ctx context.Context, w Watcher, crow, system, prompt string,
 			return "", err
 		}
 	}
-	f.sem <- struct{}{}
-	defer func() { <-f.sem }()
+	release, slot := f.reserve(ctx)
+	if !slot {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("flock at cap: %w", ctx.Err())
+	}
+	defer release()
 
 	if w != nil {
 		w.Flying(crow)
diff --git a/jev.go b/jev.go
index ea7343d..80b8660 100644
--- a/jev.go
+++ b/jev.go
@@ -200,8 +200,11 @@ func (f *Flock) ClassifyMode(ctx context.Context, text string, budgets ...*Budge
 			return "", false
 		}
 	}
-	f.sem <- struct{}{}
-	defer func() { <-f.sem }()
+	release, slot := f.reserve(ctx)
+	if !slot {
+		return "", false
+	}
+	defer release()
 	cctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, f.g.CrowTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
 	start := time.Now()
@@ -295,8 +298,11 @@ func (f *Flock) ClassifyDivergence(ctx context.Context, state any, budgets ...*B
 			return 0, false
 		}
 	}
-	f.sem <- struct{}{}
-	defer func() { <-f.sem }()
+	release, slot := f.reserve(ctx)
+	if !slot {
+		return 0, false
+	}
+	defer release()
 	cctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, f.g.CrowTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
 	start := time.Now()
@@ -318,8 +324,11 @@ func (f *Flock) ClassifyKind(ctx context.Context, text string, budgets ...*Budge
 			return "", nil, false
 		}
 	}
-	f.sem <- struct{}{}
-	defer func() { <-f.sem }()
+	release, slot := f.reserve(ctx)
+	if !slot {
+		return "", nil, false
+	}
+	defer release()
 	cctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, f.g.CrowTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
 	start := time.Now()
@@ -346,8 +355,11 @@ func (f *Flock) classify(ctx context.Context, w Watcher, item string, budgets ..
 			return JevCall{}, err
 		}
 	}
-	f.sem <- struct{}{}
-	defer func() { <-f.sem }()
+	release, slot := f.reserve(ctx)
+	if !slot {
+		return JevCall{}, fmt.Errorf("flock at cap: %w", ctx.Err())
+	}
+	defer release()
 	if w != nil {
 		w.Flying("Sentry")
 	}