diff --git a/internal/integration/daemon_helpers_test.go b/internal/integration/daemon_helpers_test.go
index 671abe6fb..a51816e22 100644
--- a/internal/integration/daemon_helpers_test.go
+++ b/internal/integration/daemon_helpers_test.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/leg100/otf/internal/module"
 	"github.com/leg100/otf/internal/notifications"
 	"github.com/leg100/otf/internal/organization"
+	"github.com/leg100/otf/internal/pubsub"
 	"github.com/leg100/otf/internal/releases"
 	"github.com/leg100/otf/internal/resource"
 	"github.com/leg100/otf/internal/run"
@@ -43,6 +44,8 @@ type (
 		*github.TestServer
 		// dowloader allows tests to download terraform
 		downloader
+		// run subscription for tests to check on run events
+		runEvents <-chan pubsub.Event[*run.Run]
 	}
 
 	// downloader downloads terraform versions
@@ -130,6 +133,10 @@ func setup(t *testing.T, cfg *config, gopts ...github.TestServerOption) (*testDa
 	// don't proceed until daemon has started.
 	<-started
 
+	// Subscribe to run events
+	runEvents, unsub := d.Runs.Watch(ctx)
+	t.Cleanup(unsub)
+
 	t.Cleanup(func() {
 		cancel() // terminates daemon
 		<-done   // don't exit test until daemon is fully terminated
@@ -139,6 +146,7 @@ func setup(t *testing.T, cfg *config, gopts ...github.TestServerOption) (*testDa
 		Daemon:     d,
 		TestServer: githubServer,
 		downloader: releases.NewDownloader(cfg.terraformBinDir),
+		runEvents:  runEvents,
 	}
 
 	// create a dedicated user account and context for test to use.
@@ -191,6 +199,29 @@ func (s *testDaemon) getWorkspace(t *testing.T, ctx context.Context, workspaceID
 	return ws
 }
 
+func (s *testDaemon) getRun(t *testing.T, ctx context.Context, runID resource.ID) *run.Run {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	run, err := s.Runs.Get(ctx, runID)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	return run
+}
+
+func (s *testDaemon) waitRunStatus(t *testing.T, runID resource.ID, status run.Status) {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	for event := range s.runEvents {
+		if event.Payload.ID == runID {
+			if event.Payload.Status == status {
+				break
+			}
+			if event.Payload.Done() && event.Payload.Status != status {
+				t.Fatalf("expected run status %s but run finished with status %s", status, event.Payload.Status)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func (s *testDaemon) createVCSProvider(t *testing.T, ctx context.Context, org *organization.Organization) *vcsprovider.VCSProvider {
 	t.Helper()
 
diff --git a/internal/integration/run_scheduler_test.go b/internal/integration/run_scheduler_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6f6407ac0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/integration/run_scheduler_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+package integration
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/leg100/otf/internal/pubsub"
+	"github.com/leg100/otf/internal/resource"
+	otfrun "github.com/leg100/otf/internal/run"
+	"github.com/leg100/otf/internal/workspace"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestRunScheduler(t *testing.T) {
+	integrationTest(t)
+
+	daemon, _, ctx := setup(t, &config{})
+	user := userFromContext(t, ctx)
+
+	// watch workspace events
+	workspaceEvents, unsub := daemon.Workspaces.Watch(ctx)
+	defer unsub()
+
+	ws := daemon.createWorkspace(t, ctx, nil)
+	cv := daemon.createAndUploadConfigurationVersion(t, ctx, ws, nil)
+	run1 := daemon.createRun(t, ctx, ws, cv, nil)
+	run2 := daemon.createRun(t, ctx, ws, cv, nil)
+
+	// Wait for Run#1 to lock workspace
+	waitWorkspaceLock(t, workspaceEvents, &run1.ID)
+
+	// Wait for Run#1 to be planned
+	daemon.waitRunStatus(t, run1.ID, otfrun.RunPlanned)
+	// Run#2 should still be pending
+	assert.Equal(t, otfrun.RunPending, daemon.getRun(t, ctx, run2.ID).Status)
+
+	// Apply Run#1
+	err := daemon.Runs.Apply(ctx, run1.ID)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// Wait for Run#1 to be applied
+	daemon.waitRunStatus(t, run1.ID, otfrun.RunApplied)
+
+	// Wait for Run#2 to lock workspace
+	waitWorkspaceLock(t, workspaceEvents, &run2.ID)
+
+	// Wait for Run#2 to be planned&finished (because there are no changes)
+	daemon.waitRunStatus(t, run2.ID, otfrun.RunPlannedAndFinished)
+
+	// Wait for workspace to be unlocked
+	waitWorkspaceLock(t, workspaceEvents, nil)
+
+	// User locks workspace
+	_, err = daemon.Workspaces.Lock(ctx, ws.ID, nil)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// Create another run, it should remain in pending status.
+	run3 := daemon.createRun(t, ctx, ws, cv, nil)
+
+	// Workspace should still be locked by user
+	waitWorkspaceLock(t, workspaceEvents, &user.ID)
+
+	// User unlocks workspace
+	_, err = daemon.Workspaces.Unlock(ctx, ws.ID, nil, false)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// Run #3 should now proceed to planned&finished
+	daemon.waitRunStatus(t, run3.ID, otfrun.RunPlannedAndFinished)
+}
+
+func waitWorkspaceLock(t *testing.T, events <-chan pubsub.Event[*workspace.Workspace], lock *resource.ID) {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	timeout := time.After(5 * time.Second)
+	for {
+		select {
+		case event := <-events:
+			if lock != nil {
+				if event.Payload.Lock != nil && *lock == *event.Payload.Lock {
+					return
+				}
+			} else {
+				if event.Payload.Lock == nil {
+					return
+				}
+			}
+		case <-timeout:
+			t.Fatalf("timed out waiting for workspace lock condition")
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/integration/run_test.go b/internal/integration/run_service_test.go
similarity index 99%
rename from internal/integration/run_test.go
rename to internal/integration/run_service_test.go
index e5d561009..a04ec95be 100644
--- a/internal/integration/run_test.go
+++ b/internal/integration/run_service_test.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
-func TestRun(t *testing.T) {
+func TestRunService(t *testing.T) {
 	integrationTest(t)
 
 	t.Run("create", func(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/internal/run/scheduler.go b/internal/run/scheduler.go
index 5206127b7..656e4a721 100644
--- a/internal/run/scheduler.go
+++ b/internal/run/scheduler.go
@@ -145,9 +145,13 @@ func (s *scheduler) schedule(ctx context.Context, workspaceID resource.ID, run *
 		if err != nil {
 			if errors.Is(err, workspace.ErrWorkspaceAlreadyLocked) {
 				s.V(0).Info("workspace locked by user; cannot schedule run", "run", *q.current)
-				return nil
+				// Place current run back onto front of backlog and wait til
+				// user unlocks workspace
+				q.backlog = append([]resource.ID{*q.current}, q.backlog...)
+				q.current = nil
+			} else {
+				return err
 			}
-			return err
 		}
 	}
 	if unlock {
diff --git a/internal/run/scheduler_test.go b/internal/run/scheduler_test.go
index 56bee24ba..fb242f696 100644
--- a/internal/run/scheduler_test.go
+++ b/internal/run/scheduler_test.go
@@ -65,8 +65,10 @@ func TestScheduler_schedule(t *testing.T) {
 		// Should not propagate error
 		err := s.schedule(ctx, wsID, run1)
 		assert.NoError(t, err)
-		// Should not schedule
-		assert.Equal(t, 0, len(s.queues))
+		// Should not be made current run but instead placed on backlog
+		assert.Equal(t, 1, len(s.queues))
+		assert.Nil(t, s.queues[wsID].current)
+		assert.Equal(t, []resource.ID{run1.ID}, s.queues[wsID].backlog)
 	})
 
 	t.Run("remove finished current run and unlock queue", func(t *testing.T) {