diff --git a/includes/content-distribution/class-incoming-post.php b/includes/content-distribution/class-incoming-post.php
index ef9fdb2..465c2c9 100644
--- a/includes/content-distribution/class-incoming-post.php
+++ b/includes/content-distribution/class-incoming-post.php
@@ -682,19 +682,42 @@ public function insert( $payload = [] ) {
 			/**
 			 * Post status handling.
 			 *
-			 * If post is being published, use the incoming or stored
-			 * `status_on_publish` if available. Otherwise, use the post status from
-			 * the payload.
+			 * If post is being published, apply the stored `status_on_publish`
+			 * override if one exists. For new posts, use the incoming payload
+			 * value instead. If no override is configured, the post status is
+			 * left unchanged for existing posts and defaults to the incoming
+			 * status for new ones. If post is being scheduled (future) and
+			 * `status_on_publish` is a non-publish status, keep the node post
+			 * in that status. This prevents WP cron from scheduling
+			 * `publish_future_post` and auto-publishing the node post.
+			 * Otherwise, use the post status from the payload.
 			 */
 			if ( $post_data['post_status'] === 'publish' ) {
 				if ( $is_new_post ) {
-					$postarr['post_status'] = $this->payload['status_on_publish'];
+					$postarr['post_status'] = isset( $this->payload['status_on_publish'] ) ? $this->payload['status_on_publish'] : $post_data['post_status'];
 				} else {
 					$status_on_publish = get_post_meta( $this->ID, self::STATUS_ON_PUBLISH_META, true );
 					if ( $status_on_publish ) {
 						$postarr['post_status'] = $status_on_publish;
 					}
 				}
+			} elseif ( $post_data['post_status'] === 'future' ) {
+				if ( $is_new_post ) {
+					if ( isset( $this->payload['status_on_publish'] ) ) {
+						$status_on_publish = $this->payload['status_on_publish'];
+					} else {
+						$status_on_publish = '';
+					}
+				} else {
+					$status_on_publish = get_post_meta( $this->ID, self::STATUS_ON_PUBLISH_META, true );
+				}
+
+				if ( $status_on_publish && 'publish' !== $status_on_publish ) {
+					$postarr['post_status'] = $status_on_publish;
+				} else {
+					// If status_on_publish is 'publish' or unset, mirror the hub's schedule.
+					$postarr['post_status'] = 'future';
+				}
 			} else {
 				$postarr['post_status'] = $post_data['post_status'];
 			}
@@ -743,11 +766,16 @@ public function insert( $payload = [] ) {
 			// Handle `status_on_publish` meta.
 			if ( $post_data['post_status'] !== 'publish' && $is_new_post ) {
 				// Store the publish status for new posts.
-				update_post_meta(
-					$post_id,
-					self::STATUS_ON_PUBLISH_META,
-					$this->payload['status_on_publish']
-				);
+				if ( isset( $this->payload['status_on_publish'] ) ) {
+					// Only store the meta if the key is present. An absent status_on_publish
+					// means no override was configured — the node will fall back to safe
+					// defaults when the hub later sends 'publish' or 'future'.
+					update_post_meta(
+						$post_id,
+						self::STATUS_ON_PUBLISH_META,
+						$this->payload['status_on_publish']
+					);
+				}
 			} elseif ( $post_data['post_status'] === 'publish' && ! $is_new_post ) {
 				// Clean up the meta for published posts so it's not re-published after
 				// being unpublished.
diff --git a/tests/unit-tests/content-distribution/test-incoming-post.php b/tests/unit-tests/content-distribution/test-incoming-post.php
index b5d0250..4426bdc 100644
--- a/tests/unit-tests/content-distribution/test-incoming-post.php
+++ b/tests/unit-tests/content-distribution/test-incoming-post.php
@@ -524,6 +524,92 @@ public function test_pending_distribution() {
 		$this->assertSame( 'publish', get_post_status( $post_id ) );
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Test that a scheduled (future) hub post does not auto-publish on the node
+	 * when status_on_publish is set to a non-publish status.
+	 *
+	 * Regression test for: hub distributes a draft, then schedules it shortly
+	 * after. The scheduling sync sends post_status='future' to the node. If the
+	 * node applies that status directly, WordPress cron will find a future-status
+	 * post and auto-publish it via wp_publish_post(), bypassing the
+	 * status_on_publish setting entirely.
+	 *
+	 * The node should keep the post in the status_on_publish state, such as draft,
+	 * so that WP cron never has a chance to publish it.
+	 */
+	public function test_future_status_with_non_publish_status_on_publish() {
+		$payload = $this->get_sample_payload();
+
+		// Simulate Event 1: hub distributes the post as a draft.
+		// status_on_publish='draft' means the node should never auto-publish.
+		$payload['post_data']['post_status'] = 'draft';
+		$payload['status_on_publish']        = 'draft';
+
+		$post_id = $this->incoming_post->insert( $payload );
+		$this->assertSame( 'draft', get_post_status( $post_id ) );
+
+		// Simulate Event 2: hub schedules the post, syncing post_status='future'.
+		// The node must not apply 'future', as a future-status post with a past date
+		// is auto-published by WP cron, bypassing status_on_publish entirely.
+		$payload['post_data']['post_status'] = 'future';
+		$this->incoming_post->insert( $payload );
+
+		$this->assertSame( 'draft', get_post_status( $post_id ) );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Test that a scheduled (future) hub post mirrors the future status on the
+	 * node when status_on_publish is 'publish'.
+	 *
+	 * When a publisher wants the node to publish in sync with the hub, the node
+	 * should mirror the 'future' status so that WP cron fires on both sites at
+	 * the same scheduled time.
+	 */
+	public function test_future_status_with_publish_status_on_publish() {
+		$payload = $this->get_sample_payload();
+
+		$payload['post_data']['post_status'] = 'draft';
+		$payload['status_on_publish']        = 'publish';
+
+		$post_id = $this->incoming_post->insert( $payload );
+
+		// Hub schedules the post. date_gmt must be in the future or WordPress
+		// will immediately publish the post rather than storing it as 'future'.
+		$payload['post_data']['post_status'] = 'future';
+		$payload['post_data']['date_gmt']    = gmdate( 'Y-m-d H:i:s', strtotime( '+1 week' ) );
+		$this->incoming_post->insert( $payload );
+
+		// Node should mirror the hub's scheduled status so both publish together.
+		$this->assertSame( 'future', get_post_status( $post_id ) );
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Test that a scheduled (future) hub post mirrors the future status on the
+	 * node when status_on_publish is absent from the payload.
+	 *
+	 * The sample payload includes status_on_publish by default, so it is
+	 * explicitly unset here to simulate a payload that omits the key.
+	 * The node should fall back to mirroring the hub's future status.
+	 */
+	public function test_future_status_with_unset_status_on_publish() {
+		$payload = $this->get_sample_payload();
+
+		// Remove status_on_publish to simulate a payload that omits the key.
+		unset( $payload['status_on_publish'] );
+
+		$payload['post_data']['post_status'] = 'draft';
+		$post_id                             = $this->incoming_post->insert( $payload );
+
+		// Hub schedules the post. date_gmt must be in the future or WordPress
+		// will immediately publish the post rather than storing it as 'future'.
+		$payload['post_data']['post_status'] = 'future';
+		$payload['post_data']['date_gmt']    = gmdate( 'Y-m-d H:i:s', strtotime( '+1 week' ) );
+		$this->incoming_post->insert( $payload );
+
+		// With no status_on_publish set, the node should mirror the hub's schedule.
+		$this->assertSame( 'future', get_post_status( $post_id ) );
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Test that "status on publish" only applies once.
 	 */