diff --git a/src/polygateway/ocr.py b/src/polygateway/ocr.py
index 6d5bd53..72d3d2a 100644
--- a/src/polygateway/ocr.py
+++ b/src/polygateway/ocr.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ from polygateway.errors import (
 )
 from polygateway.middleware.breaker import BreakerGate
 from polygateway.middleware.ratelimit import QuotaGate
-from polygateway.middleware.retry import _failure_reason, backoff_delay
+from polygateway.middleware.retry import StallClock, _failure_reason, backoff_delay
 from polygateway.middleware.telemetry import TelemetryEmitter
 from polygateway.ports import OutcomeAwareSelector
 from polygateway.sources import SourceCooldownMemo
@@ -204,13 +204,17 @@ class OcrClient:
             raise AllSourcesExhausted(scope=self._scope, reason="no_sources", retry_after_s=0.0)
         fails = 0
         reasons: dict[str, str] = {}
-        entered_at = self._now()
+        # 只计非生产性等待(issue #8): 真实尝试由重试预算治理,不重复烧 stall 预算
+        clock = StallClock(self._now)
         while True:
             picked, gate_rejections = await self._pick_runnable(reasons)
             if picked is None:
-                await self._on_no_runnable(gate_rejections, reasons, entered_at)
+                await self._on_no_runnable(gate_rejections, reasons, clock)
                 continue
-            outcome = await self._attempt(kind, image, *picked, reasons, session_id, parent_call_id)
+            async with clock.attempting():
+                outcome = await self._attempt(
+                    kind, image, *picked, reasons, session_id, parent_call_id
+                )
             if isinstance(outcome, _AttemptOutcome):
                 return outcome
             fails += 1
@@ -253,7 +257,7 @@ class OcrClient:
         return None, gate_rejections
 
     async def _on_no_runnable(
-        self, gate_rejections: int, reasons: dict[str, str], entered_at: float
+        self, gate_rejections: int, reasons: dict[str, str], clock: StallClock
     ) -> None:
         if gate_rejections == len(self._sources):
             names = tuple(s.name for s in self._sources)
@@ -270,7 +274,7 @@ class OcrClient:
                 per_source_reasons=reasons,
             )
         stall = self._bp.stall_window_s
-        if self._now() - entered_at > stall and await self._quota.progress_age_s() > stall:
+        if clock.stalled_s() > stall and await self._quota.progress_age_s() > stall:
             names = tuple(s.name for s in self._sources)
             raise AllSourcesExhausted(
                 scope=self._scope,
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_ocr_client.py b/tests/unit/test_ocr_client.py
index 1c737d6..2c0cecb 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_ocr_client.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_ocr_client.py
@@ -80,6 +80,22 @@ class ScriptedOcrTransport:
         raise NotImplementedError
 
 
+class ClockAdvancingOcrTransport(ScriptedOcrTransport):
+    """按脚本 [(推进秒数, 动作), ...] 在一次尝试内部推进时钟(issue #8)。
+
+    stall 口径要区分"时间花在哪",故必须能让时钟只在 transport 内前进。
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, script, clock):
+        super().__init__([a for _, a in script])
+        self._advances = [d for d, _ in script]
+        self.clock = clock
+
+    async def _next(self, method, source, call_id):
+        self.clock.advance(self._advances.pop(0))
+        return await super()._next(method, source, call_id)
+
+
 class StaticSelector:
     def order(self, sources, stats):
         return list(sources)
@@ -292,6 +308,38 @@ class TestBackpressure:
             await permit.settle(0)
             await permit.release()
 
+    async def test_single_timeout_does_not_exhaust_stall_budget(self):
+        """issue #8: 一次耗满 timeout 的尝试不得吃掉 stall 预算而使重试失效。
+
+        OCR 只有 `_on_no_runnable` 一处 stall 判定,故失效链条是"先超时一次
+        (墙钟耗尽)→ 再遇到无可用源 → 判死"。此处正是这条路径。
+        """
+        clock = FakeClock()
+        limiter = held = None
+        rounds = []
+
+        async def toggle_permit(_seconds):
+            """首次退避占满 permit,迫使下一轮走 _on_no_runnable;之后放行。"""
+            nonlocal held
+            rounds.append(_seconds)
+            if len(rounds) > 10:
+                raise RuntimeError("超过 10 次轮询仍未判死/未获 permit")
+            if len(rounds) == 1:
+                held = await limiter.acquire("m1", 0)
+            else:
+                await held.settle(0)
+                await held.release()
+
+        transport = ClockAdvancingOcrTransport(
+            [(300.1, TransientError("timeout", status_code=504)), (0.0, "text")], clock
+        )
+        client, limiter, _ = _client(
+            [_src(max_concurrency=1)], [], now=clock, sleep=toggle_permit, transport=transport
+        )
+        r = await client.recognize_text(b"jpg")
+        assert r.text == "LINE-1"
+        assert len(transport.calls) == 2  # 第二次尝试确实发出了
+
 
 class FakeClock:
     def __init__(self, start=1000.0):