diff --git a/openevolve/process_parallel.py b/openevolve/process_parallel.py
index 33c19303e..0e89baf7b 100644
--- a/openevolve/process_parallel.py
+++ b/openevolve/process_parallel.py
@@ -22,6 +22,39 @@
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+_worker_event_loop = None
+
+
+def _close_worker_event_loop():
+    """Release the worker's loop on orderly process exit."""
+    global _worker_event_loop
+    loop = _worker_event_loop
+    _worker_event_loop = None
+    if loop is not None and not loop.is_closed():
+        try:
+            pending = asyncio.all_tasks(loop)
+            for task in pending:
+                task.cancel()
+            if pending:
+                loop.run_until_complete(asyncio.gather(*pending, return_exceptions=True))
+            loop.run_until_complete(loop.shutdown_asyncgens())
+            loop.run_until_complete(loop.shutdown_default_executor())
+        finally:
+            loop.close()
+            asyncio.set_event_loop(None)
+
+
+def _run_worker_async(coroutine):
+    """Keep cached async clients on one loop for the lifetime of a worker."""
+    global _worker_event_loop
+    if _worker_event_loop is None:
+        from multiprocessing.util import Finalize
+
+        _worker_event_loop = asyncio.new_event_loop()
+        asyncio.set_event_loop(_worker_event_loop)
+        Finalize(None, _close_worker_event_loop, exitpriority=10)
+    return _worker_event_loop.run_until_complete(coroutine)
+
 
 class _CandidateRejected(Exception):
     """Stop processing an iteration after admission rejects its child."""
@@ -56,6 +89,10 @@ def _worker_init(config_dict: dict, evaluation_file: str, parent_env: dict = Non
     global _worker_evaluator
     global _worker_llm_ensemble
     global _worker_prompt_sampler
+    global _worker_event_loop
+
+    # A forked worker must not inherit a loop owned by the parent process.
+    _worker_event_loop = None
 
     # Store config for later use
     # Reconstruct Config object from nested dictionaries
@@ -208,7 +245,7 @@ def _run_iteration_worker(
 
         # Generate code modification (sync wrapper for async)
         try:
-            llm_response = asyncio.run(
+            llm_response = _run_worker_async(
                 _worker_llm_ensemble.generate_with_context(
                     system_message=prompt["system"],
                     messages=[{"role": "user", "content": prompt["user"]}],
@@ -364,7 +401,7 @@ def _run_iteration_worker(
         import uuid
 
         child_id = str(uuid.uuid4())
-        child_metrics = asyncio.run(_worker_evaluator.evaluate_program(child_code, child_id))
+        child_metrics = _run_worker_async(_worker_evaluator.evaluate_program(child_code, child_id))
 
         # Get artifacts
         artifacts = _worker_evaluator.get_pending_artifacts(child_id)
diff --git a/tests/test_worker_loop_lifecycle.py b/tests/test_worker_loop_lifecycle.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8b6170cbb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_worker_loop_lifecycle.py
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+"""Regression tests for persistent worker event-loop ownership."""
+
+import asyncio
+import unittest
+
+from openevolve import process_parallel as worker
+
+
+class LoopBoundClient:
+    """Simulates an asynchronous client retaining a loop-bound resource."""
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.loop = None
+        self.calls = 0
+
+    async def request(self):
+        current = asyncio.get_running_loop()
+
+        if self.loop is None:
+            self.loop = current
+        elif self.loop is not current:
+            raise RuntimeError("Event loop is closed")
+
+        await asyncio.sleep(0)
+        self.calls += 1
+        return self.calls
+
+
+class WorkerLoopLifecycleTests(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        worker._close_worker_event_loop()
+
+    def test_reuses_loop_across_twelve_calls(self):
+        client = LoopBoundClient()
+
+        for count in range(1, 13):
+            self.assertEqual(
+                worker._run_worker_async(client.request()),
+                count,
+            )
+
+        self.assertIsNotNone(client.loop)
+        self.assertFalse(client.loop.is_closed())
+
+    def test_generation_and_evaluation_share_loop(self):
+        generation_client = LoopBoundClient()
+        evaluation_client = LoopBoundClient()
+
+        for _ in range(8):
+            worker._run_worker_async(
+                generation_client.request()
+            )
+            worker._run_worker_async(
+                evaluation_client.request()
+            )
+
+        self.assertIs(
+            generation_client.loop,
+            evaluation_client.loop,
+        )
+
+    def test_exception_propagates_without_closing_loop(self):
+        async def fail():
+            raise ValueError("deliberate failure")
+
+        with self.assertRaisesRegex(
+            ValueError, "deliberate failure"
+        ):
+            worker._run_worker_async(fail())
+
+        client = LoopBoundClient()
+        self.assertEqual(
+            worker._run_worker_async(client.request()), 1
+        )
+
+    def test_cleanup_closes_loop_and_resets_state(self):
+        client = LoopBoundClient()
+        worker._run_worker_async(client.request())
+
+        loop = client.loop
+        worker._close_worker_event_loop()
+
+        self.assertTrue(loop.is_closed())
+        self.assertIsNone(worker._worker_event_loop)
+
+    def test_cleanup_cancels_pending_tasks(self):
+        cancelled = []
+
+        async def pending():
+            try:
+                await asyncio.Event().wait()
+            finally:
+                cancelled.append(True)
+
+        async def schedule():
+            asyncio.create_task(pending())
+            await asyncio.sleep(0)
+
+        worker._run_worker_async(schedule())
+        worker._close_worker_event_loop()
+
+        self.assertEqual(cancelled, [True])
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()