diff --git a/lib/pgbus/configuration.rb b/lib/pgbus/configuration.rb
index 9bcf5c7..6191616 100644
--- a/lib/pgbus/configuration.rb
+++ b/lib/pgbus/configuration.rb
@@ -485,6 +485,11 @@ def recurring_execution_retention=(value)
     # default formula provides.
     POOL_SIZE_WARN_THRESHOLD = 50
 
+    # Connections needed per async worker: one for the reactor's serial
+    # execution, one for polling, one for headroom. Fibers share connections
+    # because only one runs at a time per reactor thread.
+    ASYNC_POOL_CONNECTIONS = 3
+
     def resolved_pool_size
       return pool_size if pool_size
 
@@ -624,10 +629,19 @@ def sum_thread_counts(entries, default_threads:, group:)
           raise ArgumentError,
                 "#{group} threads must be a positive integer, got #{threads.inspect}"
         end
-        threads
+
+        if async_execution_mode?(entry)
+          ASYNC_POOL_CONNECTIONS
+        else
+          threads
+        end
       end
     end
 
+    def async_execution_mode?(entry)
+      execution_mode_for(entry) == :async
+    end
+
     def warn_if_oversized(size)
       return unless size > POOL_SIZE_WARN_THRESHOLD
 
diff --git a/spec/pgbus/allocation_budget_spec.rb b/spec/pgbus/allocation_budget_spec.rb
index 41ae7d7..c1882e9 100644
--- a/spec/pgbus/allocation_budget_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/pgbus/allocation_budget_spec.rb
@@ -108,14 +108,17 @@ def transaction(...) = yield(self)
     end
 
     it "retains zero objects across 100 send_message cycles" do
-      10.times { plain_client.send_message("default", small_payload) }
-
-      # Scope to lib/pgbus/ so retained objects from external gems
-      # (async fiber scheduler hooks, connection_pool singletons, JSON
-      # parser caches) loaded by other specs in the same process don't
-      # pollute the measurement. This test validates that Pgbus's own
-      # send_message path leaks nothing.
-      report = MemoryProfiler.report(allow_files: "lib/pgbus") do
+      # Warmup: force all lazy initialization (gem globals, JSON parser
+      # caches, connection_pool singletons) to complete before measuring.
+      # The first MemoryProfiler run captures any one-time retained objects;
+      # the second run should retain zero — proving send_message itself
+      # doesn't leak. This two-pass approach is immune to Ruby version
+      # differences in GC timing and gem autoloading order.
+      50.times { plain_client.send_message("default", small_payload) }
+      MemoryProfiler.report { 50.times { plain_client.send_message("default", small_payload) } }
+      GC.start
+
+      report = MemoryProfiler.report do
         100.times { plain_client.send_message("default", small_payload) }
       end
 
diff --git a/spec/pgbus/configuration_spec.rb b/spec/pgbus/configuration_spec.rb
index d49935a..58c610e 100644
--- a/spec/pgbus/configuration_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/pgbus/configuration_spec.rb
@@ -259,6 +259,39 @@
         expect(warned_message).to match(/pool_size .* 62/)
       end
 
+      it "uses fewer connections for async workers (fibers share connections)" do
+        config.pool_size = nil
+        config.workers = [{ queues: %w[webhooks], threads: 100, execution_mode: :async }]
+        # Async workers need ~3 connections (reactor + polling + headroom),
+        # not 100 (one per fiber). Total: 3 + 1 dispatcher + 1 scheduler = 5
+        expect(config.resolved_pool_size).to eq(5)
+      end
+
+      it "mixes async and thread workers correctly" do
+        config.pool_size = nil
+        config.workers = [
+          { queues: %w[webhooks], threads: 50, execution_mode: :async },
+          { queues: %w[default], threads: 5 }
+        ]
+        # 3 (async) + 5 (threads) + 1 dispatcher + 1 scheduler = 10
+        expect(config.resolved_pool_size).to eq(10)
+      end
+
+      it "uses fewer connections for fiber mode (alias for async)" do
+        config.pool_size = nil
+        config.workers = [{ queues: %w[llm], threads: 200, execution_mode: :fiber }]
+        # 3 + 1 + 1 = 5
+        expect(config.resolved_pool_size).to eq(5)
+      end
+
+      it "honors global execution_mode when workers have no per-entry override" do
+        config.pool_size = nil
+        config.execution_mode = :async
+        config.workers = [{ queues: %w[default], threads: 50 }]
+        # Global async: 3 + 1 dispatcher + 1 scheduler = 5
+        expect(config.resolved_pool_size).to eq(5)
+      end
+
       it "does not warn for normal sizes" do
         config.pool_size = nil
         config.workers = [{ queues: %w[default], threads: 5 }]