diff --git a/crates/nightward-core/src/providers.rs b/crates/nightward-core/src/providers.rs
index fb18d37..b543670 100644
--- a/crates/nightward-core/src/providers.rs
+++ b/crates/nightward-core/src/providers.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ use std::env;
 use std::io::Read;
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use std::process::{Command, Stdio};
+use std::sync::mpsc::{self, Receiver, RecvTimeoutError};
 use std::thread;
 use std::time::Duration;
 use wait_timeout::ChildExt;
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@ use wait_timeout::ChildExt;
 const DEFAULT_STDOUT_CAP: usize = 2 * 1024 * 1024;
 const DEFAULT_STDERR_CAP: usize = 64 * 1024;
 const DEFAULT_PROVIDER_TIMEOUT: Duration = Duration::from_secs(20);
+const STREAM_COLLECT_TIMEOUT: Duration = Duration::from_secs(1);
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct Provider {
@@ -162,26 +164,25 @@ pub fn run_provider(name: &str, root: &Path) -> Result<Vec<ProviderFinding>> {
         .stderr(Stdio::piped())
         .spawn()
         .with_context(|| format!("spawn provider {name}"))?;
-    let stdout_handle = child
+    let stdout_reader = child
         .stdout
         .take()
-        .map(|stream| thread::spawn(move || read_stream_capped(stream, stdout_cap)));
-    let stderr_handle = child
+        .map(|stream| spawn_stream_reader(stream, stdout_cap));
+    let stderr_reader = child
         .stderr
         .take()
-        .map(|stream| thread::spawn(move || read_stream_capped(stream, stderr_cap)));
+        .map(|stream| spawn_stream_reader(stream, stderr_cap));
     let status = match child.wait_timeout(timeout)? {
         Some(status) => status,
         None => {
             let _ = child.kill();
             let _ = child.wait();
-            let _ = join_stream(stdout_handle);
-            let _ = join_stream(stderr_handle);
             return Err(anyhow!("provider timed out after {:?}", timeout));
         }
     };
-    let (stdout, stdout_truncated) = join_stream(stdout_handle);
-    let (stderr, _) = join_stream(stderr_handle);
+    let (stdout, stdout_truncated) =
+        collect_stream(stdout_reader, "stdout", STREAM_COLLECT_TIMEOUT)?;
+    let (stderr, _) = collect_stream(stderr_reader, "stderr", STREAM_COLLECT_TIMEOUT)?;
     if stdout_truncated {
         return Err(anyhow!("provider stdout exceeded {stdout_cap} byte cap"));
     }
@@ -191,6 +192,18 @@ pub fn run_provider(name: &str, root: &Path) -> Result<Vec<ProviderFinding>> {
     parse_provider_output(name, root, &stdout)
 }
 
+struct StreamReader {
+    receiver: Receiver<(String, bool)>,
+}
+
+fn spawn_stream_reader(stream: impl Read + Send + 'static, cap: usize) -> StreamReader {
+    let (sender, receiver) = mpsc::channel();
+    thread::spawn(move || {
+        let _ = sender.send(read_stream_capped(stream, cap));
+    });
+    StreamReader { receiver }
+}
+
 fn read_stream_capped(mut stream: impl Read, cap: usize) -> (String, bool) {
     let mut out = Vec::with_capacity(cap.min(64 * 1024));
     let mut truncated = false;
@@ -213,10 +226,23 @@ fn read_stream_capped(mut stream: impl Read, cap: usize) -> (String, bool) {
     (redact_text(&String::from_utf8_lossy(&out)), truncated)
 }
 
-fn join_stream(handle: Option<thread::JoinHandle<(String, bool)>>) -> (String, bool) {
-    handle
-        .and_then(|handle| handle.join().ok())
-        .unwrap_or_default()
+fn collect_stream(
+    reader: Option<StreamReader>,
+    label: &str,
+    timeout: Duration,
+) -> Result<(String, bool)> {
+    let Some(reader) = reader else {
+        return Ok((String::new(), false));
+    };
+    match reader.receiver.recv_timeout(timeout) {
+        Ok(result) => Ok(result),
+        Err(RecvTimeoutError::Timeout) => {
+            Err(anyhow!("provider {label} did not close after process exit"))
+        }
+        Err(RecvTimeoutError::Disconnected) => {
+            Err(anyhow!("provider {label} reader ended without output"))
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 pub fn parse_provider_output(
diff --git a/crates/nightward-core/tests/provider_contracts.rs b/crates/nightward-core/tests/provider_contracts.rs
index 6639706..6d08768 100644
--- a/crates/nightward-core/tests/provider_contracts.rs
+++ b/crates/nightward-core/tests/provider_contracts.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 use nightward_core::analysis::SignalCategory;
 use nightward_core::providers::{parse_provider_output, run_provider, statuses};
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
+#[cfg(unix)]
+use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
 
 fn fixture(name: &str) -> String {
     let path = PathBuf::from(env!("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR"))
@@ -106,6 +108,35 @@ fn provider_timeout_returns_stable_warning_error() {
     assert!(error.to_string().contains("provider timed out after"));
 }
 
+#[cfg(unix)]
+#[test]
+fn provider_timeout_does_not_wait_for_inherited_output_pipes() {
+    let _guard = EnvRestore::set(&[
+        ("PATH", None),
+        ("NIGHTWARD_PROVIDER_TIMEOUT_MS", Some("50")),
+        ("NIGHTWARD_PROVIDER_STDOUT_CAP", None),
+    ]);
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().expect("temp dir");
+    write_executable(
+        dir.path().join("gitleaks"),
+        "#!/bin/sh\n(/bin/sleep 2) &\n/bin/sleep 1\n",
+    );
+    std::env::set_var("PATH", dir.path());
+
+    let started = Instant::now();
+    let error = run_provider("gitleaks", dir.path()).expect_err("timeout");
+    let elapsed = started.elapsed();
+
+    assert!(
+        error.to_string().contains("provider timed out after"),
+        "actual error: {error}"
+    );
+    assert!(
+        elapsed < Duration::from_secs(1),
+        "provider timeout waited for inherited pipe holder: {elapsed:?}"
+    );
+}
+
 #[cfg(unix)]
 #[test]
 fn provider_stdout_cap_fails_closed_before_parsing() {