diff --git a/src/lib/agent-poll.ts b/src/lib/agent-poll.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b7c3b6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/agent-poll.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+import Gradient from "@digitalocean/gradient";
+
+export type AgentStatus =
+    | 'STATUS_UNKNOWN'
+    | 'STATUS_WAITING_FOR_DEPLOYMENT'
+    | 'STATUS_DEPLOYING'
+    | 'STATUS_RUNNING'
+    | 'STATUS_FAILED'
+    | 'STATUS_WAITING_FOR_UNDEPLOYMENT'
+    | 'STATUS_UNDEPLOYING'
+    | 'STATUS_UNDEPLOYMENT_FAILED'
+    | 'STATUS_DELETED';
+
+export interface WaitForAgentOptions {
+    /** Check interval in ms (default: 3000) */
+    interval?: number;
+    /** Maximum wait time in ms (default: 180000 = 3 mins) */
+    timeout?: number;
+    /** Optional callback for progress updates */
+    onUpdate?: (status: AgentStatus, elapsed: number) => void;
+    signal?: AbortSignal;
+}
+
+export class AgentTimeoutError extends Error {
+    constructor(public agentId: string, public timeoutMs: number) {
+        super(`Agent ${agentId} did not become ready within ${timeoutMs}ms`);
+        this.name = 'AgentTimeoutError';
+    }
+}
+
+export class AgentDeploymentError extends Error {
+    constructor(public agentId: string, public status: AgentStatus) {
+        super(`Agent ${agentId} deployment failed with status: ${status}`);
+        this.name = 'AgentDeploymentError';
+    }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Polls an agent until it reaches STATUS_RUNNING.
+ * 
+ * @example
+ * ```typescript
+ * const agent = await waitForAgentReady(client, 'agent-123', {
+ *   timeout: 60000, // 1 minute
+ *   onUpdate: (status, elapsed) => {
+ *     console.log(`Status: ${status} (${elapsed}ms elapsed)`);
+ *   }
+ * });
+ * ```
+ * 
+ * @param client - Gradient API client instance
+ * @param agentId - ID of the agent to monitor
+ * @param options - Polling configuration
+ * @returns The agent object once STATUS_RUNNING is reached
+ * @throws {AgentTimeoutError} When polling exceeds timeout duration
+ * @throws {AgentDeploymentError} When agent enters a failure state
+ */
+export async function waitForAgentReady(
+    client: Gradient,
+    agentId: string,
+    options: WaitForAgentOptions = {}
+): Promise<Awaited<ReturnType<typeof client.agents.retrieve>>> {
+    const { interval = 3000, timeout = 180000, onUpdate, signal } = options;
+    const start = Date.now();
+
+    while (true) {
+        signal?.throwIfAborted();
+
+        const elapsed = Date.now() - start;
+
+        // ⏰ Check timeout BEFORE making the API call
+        if (elapsed > timeout) {
+            throw new AgentTimeoutError(agentId, timeout);
+        }
+
+        const agent = await client.agents.retrieve(agentId);
+        const status = agent.agent?.deployment?.status as AgentStatus || 'STATUS_UNKNOWN';
+
+        onUpdate?.(status, Date.now() - start);
+
+        if (status === "STATUS_RUNNING") {
+            return agent;
+        }
+
+        if (status === "STATUS_FAILED" || status === "STATUS_UNDEPLOYMENT_FAILED") {
+            throw new AgentDeploymentError(agentId, status);
+        }
+
+        await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, interval));
+    }
+}