How to Stop Runaway Agents
A runaway agent is spend compounding at machine speed. Here's how to stop the bleeding now, contain it, and prevent the next one.
Step 1 — Stop the bleeding
Disable the agent's spending instantly (per-agent kill switch).
Block the merchant or category the run is spending on.
Pause the workflow, not just the agent.
Step 2 — Contain
Set a hard ceiling on the agent and the fleet.
Add a velocity limit if the pattern is a loop.
Step 3 — Understand
Read the audit log: what fired, what didn't, which rule was missing.
Step 4 — Prevent
Add the missing rule, review the fleet, and tune the thresholds.
FAQ
How fast can I stop an agent?
Instantly — disable spending, the next transaction is blocked.
What if I don't have a firewall?
You're finding out now why the money path needs a gate.
Related
Stop the next $12,400 night.
One API call (or MCP tool) in front of every agent transaction — APPROVED, BLOCKED, or FLAGGED, deterministic, ~5 ms, fully logged.
See plans — from $99/mo Try a live check