diff --git a/babs/cli.py b/babs/cli.py
index c06fbcb6..f7dee487 100644
--- a/babs/cli.py
+++ b/babs/cli.py
@@ -464,6 +464,18 @@ def _parse_status():
         default=Path.cwd(),
         type=PathExists,
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '--wait',
+        action='store_true',
+        default=False,
+        help='Poll until all submitted jobs complete or fail.',
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '--wait-interval',
+        type=int,
+        default=300,
+        help='Seconds between status checks when using --wait.',
+    )
 
     return parser
 
@@ -486,6 +498,8 @@ def _enter_status(argv=None):
 
 def babs_status_main(
     project_root: str,
+    wait: bool = False,
+    wait_interval: int = 300,
 ):
     """
     This is the core function of `babs status`.
@@ -494,11 +508,18 @@ def babs_status_main(
     ----------
     project_root: str
         absolute path to the directory of BABS project
+    wait: bool
+        whether to poll until all submitted jobs complete or fail
+    wait_interval: int
+        seconds between status checks when using --wait
     """
     from babs import BABSInteraction
 
     babs_proj = BABSInteraction(project_root)
-    babs_proj.babs_status()
+    if wait:
+        babs_proj.babs_status_wait(interval=wait_interval)
+    else:
+        babs_proj.babs_status()
 
 
 def _parse_merge():
diff --git a/babs/interaction.py b/babs/interaction.py
index 004c294b..aa567906 100644
--- a/babs/interaction.py
+++ b/babs/interaction.py
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 """This is the main module."""
 
+import sys
+import time
+
 import numpy as np
 
 from babs.base import BABS
@@ -149,3 +152,42 @@ def babs_status(self):
         self.ensure_shared_group_runtime_ready()
         statuses = self._update_results_status()
         report_job_status(statuses, self.analysis_path)
+
+    def babs_status_wait(self, interval=300):
+        """Poll job status until all submitted jobs complete or fail.
+
+        Exits 0 if nothing has been submitted or all submitted jobs
+        succeeded; exits 1 only if a submitted job failed; exits 130
+        on Ctrl-C.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        interval: int
+            Seconds between status checks.
+        """
+        try:
+            while True:
+                statuses = self._update_results_status()
+                report_job_status(statuses, self.analysis_path)
+                sys.stdout.flush()
+
+                submitted = [j for j in statuses.values() if j.submitted]
+                if not submitted:
+                    print('No jobs have been submitted; nothing to wait on.')
+                    return
+
+                done = all(j.has_results or j.is_failed for j in submitted)
+                if done:
+                    n_results = sum(1 for j in submitted if j.has_results)
+                    n_failed = sum(1 for j in submitted if j.is_failed)
+                    print(
+                        f'\nAll submitted jobs finished: {n_results} succeeded, {n_failed} failed.'
+                    )
+                    if n_failed > 0:
+                        sys.exit(1)
+                    return
+
+                time.sleep(interval)
+        except KeyboardInterrupt:
+            print('\nInterrupted by user.')
+            sys.exit(130)
diff --git a/docker/environment.yml b/docker/environment.yml
index 2a76413d..f1944360 100644
--- a/docker/environment.yml
+++ b/docker/environment.yml
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ dependencies:
       - pytest
       - pytest-cov==5.0.0
       - pytest-env==1.1.3
-      - pytest-timeout>=2.2.0
       - pytest-xdist
   - python=3.11
   - shellcheck
diff --git a/environment_hpc.yml b/environment_hpc.yml
index 314bfa63..1ef30a32 100644
--- a/environment_hpc.yml
+++ b/environment_hpc.yml
@@ -31,5 +31,4 @@ dependencies:
       - qstat>=0.0.5
       - pytest-cov>=5.0.0
       - pytest-env>=1.1.0
-      - pytest-timeout>=2.2.0
       - pytest-xdist
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 7a2402ac..68479b9c 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ dev = ["ruff ~= 0.4.3", "pre-commit"]
 tests = [
     "coverage",
     "pytest",
+    "pytest-timeout>=2.2.0",
     "pytest-xdist", # for running pytest in parallel
     "pytest-cov",   # for ordering test execution
     "datalad-osf",
diff --git a/tests/e2e-slurm/container/walkthrough-tests.sh b/tests/e2e-slurm/container/walkthrough-tests.sh
index c8947af8..ba1bf8bc 100755
--- a/tests/e2e-slurm/container/walkthrough-tests.sh
+++ b/tests/e2e-slurm/container/walkthrough-tests.sh
@@ -73,44 +73,26 @@ echo "Job submitted: Check setup, with job"
 
 babs submit
 
-# # Wait for all running jobs to finish
-while [[ -n $(squeue -u "$USER" -t RUNNING,PENDING --noheader) ]]; do
-    echo "squeue -u \"$USER\" -t RUNNING,PENDING"
-    squeue -u "$USER" -t RUNNING,PENDING
-    echo "Waiting for running jobs to finish..."
-    sleep 5 # Wait for 60 seconds before checking again
-done
-
-echo "========================================================================="
-echo "babs status:"
-babs status
-echo "========================================================================="
-
-# Check for failed jobs TODO see above
-# if sacct -u $USER --state=FAILED --noheader | grep -q "FAILED"; then
-sacct -u "$USER"
-if sacct -u "$USER" --noheader | grep -q "FAILED"; then
-    echo "========================================================================="
-    echo "There are failed jobs."
-    LOGS_DIR="analysis/logs"
-    if [ -d "$LOGS_DIR" ]; then
-        echo "========================================================================="
-        echo "Failed job / task logs from $LOGS_DIR:"
-        for f in "$LOGS_DIR"/*; do
-            if [ -f "$f" ]; then
-                echo "---------- $f ----------"
-                cat "$f"
-                echo ""
-            fi
-        done
-    fi
-    exit 1 # Exit with failure status
-else
-    echo "========================================================================="
-    echo "PASSED: No failed jobs."
-fi
+babs status --wait --wait-interval 5
+echo "PASSED: No failed jobs."
 
 babs merge
+
+echo "Checking job_status.csv after merge..."
+cat analysis/code/job_status.csv
+python -c "
+import csv, sys
+with open('analysis/code/job_status.csv') as f:
+    for row in csv.DictReader(f):
+        if row['submitted'].strip().lower() == 'true':
+            if row['has_results'].strip().lower() != 'true':
+                print(f'FAIL: {row[\"sub_id\"]} submitted but has_results={row[\"has_results\"]}')
+                sys.exit(1)
+            if row['is_failed'].strip().lower() == 'true':
+                print(f'FAIL: {row[\"sub_id\"]} has_results=True but is_failed=True')
+                sys.exit(1)
+print('PASSED: job_status.csv is consistent')
+"
 echo "PASSED: e2e walkthrough successful!"
 
 popd
@@ -134,14 +116,22 @@ pushd "${PWD}/${TEST2_NAME}"
 babs check-setup
 
 babs submit
-# # Wait for all running jobs to finish
-while [[ -n $(squeue -u "$USER" -t RUNNING,PENDING --noheader) ]]; do
-    echo "squeue -u \"$USER\" -t RUNNING,PENDING"
-    squeue -u "$USER" -t RUNNING,PENDING
-    echo "Waiting for running jobs to finish..."
-    sleep 5 # Wait for 60 seconds before checking again
-done
-
-babs status
+babs status --wait --wait-interval 5
 
 babs merge
+
+echo "Checking job_status.csv after merge (multiinput)..."
+cat analysis/code/job_status.csv
+python -c "
+import csv, sys
+with open('analysis/code/job_status.csv') as f:
+    for row in csv.DictReader(f):
+        if row['submitted'].strip().lower() == 'true':
+            if row['has_results'].strip().lower() != 'true':
+                print(f'FAIL: {row[\"sub_id\"]} submitted but has_results={row[\"has_results\"]}')
+                sys.exit(1)
+            if row['is_failed'].strip().lower() == 'true':
+                print(f'FAIL: {row[\"sub_id\"]} has_results=True but is_failed=True')
+                sys.exit(1)
+print('PASSED: job_status.csv is consistent (multiinput)')
+"
diff --git a/tests/test_interaction.py b/tests/test_interaction.py
index abef84e5..6b086546 100644
--- a/tests/test_interaction.py
+++ b/tests/test_interaction.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import pytest
 
 from babs.interaction import BABSInteraction
+from babs.status import JobStatus, SchedulerState
 from babs.utils import scheduler_status_columns
 
 
@@ -209,3 +210,219 @@ def test_get_latest_submitted_jobs_df_missing_job_id_column(babs_project_subject
     assert latest_df['sub_id'].tolist() == ['sub-01']
     assert latest_df['task_id'].tolist() == [1]
     assert latest_df['job_id'].isna().all()
+
+
+# -- babs_status_wait tests --
+
+
+def _make_statuses(submitted, has_results):
+    """Build a statuses dict from parallel lists of booleans."""
+    statuses = {}
+    for i, (sub, res) in enumerate(zip(submitted, has_results, strict=True)):
+        sub_id = f'sub-{i + 1:02d}'
+        if sub and not res:
+            state = SchedulerState.DONE
+        elif sub:
+            state = SchedulerState.DONE
+        else:
+            state = SchedulerState.NOT_SUBMITTED
+        job = JobStatus(
+            sub_id=sub_id,
+            ses_id=None,
+            scheduler_state=state,
+            has_results=res,
+            job_id=100 + i if sub else None,
+            task_id=i + 1 if sub else None,
+            time_used='',
+            time_limit='',
+            nodes=0,
+            cpus=0,
+            partition='',
+            name='',
+        )
+        statuses[job.key] = job
+    return statuses
+
+
+def _patch_wait(monkeypatch, babs_proj, statuses_list):
+    """Patch a BABSInteraction for babs_status_wait testing.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    statuses_list : list[dict]
+        Sequence of statuses dicts returned by successive _update_results_status calls.
+    """
+    call_count = {'n': 0}
+
+    def _update():
+        idx = min(call_count['n'], len(statuses_list) - 1)
+        call_count['n'] += 1
+        return statuses_list[idx]
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(babs_proj, '_update_results_status', _update)
+    monkeypatch.setattr('babs.interaction.report_job_status', lambda *a, **kw: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr('babs.interaction.time.sleep', lambda s: None)
+
+    return call_count
+
+
+def test_status_wait_all_succeeded(babs_project_subjectlevel, monkeypatch, capsys):
+    """All submitted jobs already have results — should exit immediately."""
+    babs_proj = BABSInteraction(project_root=babs_project_subjectlevel)
+    statuses = _make_statuses(submitted=[True, True], has_results=[True, True])
+    call_count = _patch_wait(monkeypatch, babs_proj, [statuses])
+
+    babs_proj.babs_status_wait(interval=1)
+
+    assert call_count['n'] == 1
+    captured = capsys.readouterr()
+    assert '2 succeeded' in captured.out
+    assert '0 failed' in captured.out
+
+
+def test_status_wait_all_failed(babs_project_subjectlevel, monkeypatch):
+    """All submitted jobs failed — should exit with sys.exit(1)."""
+    babs_proj = BABSInteraction(project_root=babs_project_subjectlevel)
+    statuses = _make_statuses(submitted=[True, True], has_results=[False, False])
+    _patch_wait(monkeypatch, babs_proj, [statuses])
+
+    with pytest.raises(SystemExit, match='1'):
+        babs_proj.babs_status_wait(interval=1)
+
+
+def test_status_wait_mixed_results(babs_project_subjectlevel, monkeypatch, capsys):
+    """Some succeeded, some failed — should exit(1)."""
+    babs_proj = BABSInteraction(project_root=babs_project_subjectlevel)
+    statuses = _make_statuses(submitted=[True, True], has_results=[True, False])
+    _patch_wait(monkeypatch, babs_proj, [statuses])
+
+    with pytest.raises(SystemExit, match='1'):
+        babs_proj.babs_status_wait(interval=1)
+
+
+def test_status_wait_loops_until_done(babs_project_subjectlevel, monkeypatch, capsys):
+    """Jobs still running on first check, done on second — should loop once."""
+    babs_proj = BABSInteraction(project_root=babs_project_subjectlevel)
+
+    # First poll: running
+    running = {}
+    for i in range(2):
+        sub_id = f'sub-{i + 1:02d}'
+        job = JobStatus(
+            sub_id=sub_id,
+            ses_id=None,
+            scheduler_state=SchedulerState.RUNNING,
+            has_results=False,
+            job_id=100 + i,
+            task_id=i + 1,
+            time_used='',
+            time_limit='',
+            nodes=0,
+            cpus=0,
+            partition='',
+            name='',
+        )
+        running[job.key] = job
+
+    # Second poll: done
+    done = _make_statuses(submitted=[True, True], has_results=[True, True])
+
+    call_count = _patch_wait(monkeypatch, babs_proj, [running, done])
+
+    babs_proj.babs_status_wait(interval=1)
+
+    assert call_count['n'] == 2
+    captured = capsys.readouterr()
+    assert '2 succeeded' in captured.out
+
+
+def test_status_wait_no_submitted_jobs(babs_project_subjectlevel, monkeypatch, capsys):
+    """No jobs submitted — should return cleanly (exit 0)."""
+    babs_proj = BABSInteraction(project_root=babs_project_subjectlevel)
+    statuses = _make_statuses(submitted=[False, False], has_results=[False, False])
+    _patch_wait(monkeypatch, babs_proj, [statuses])
+
+    babs_proj.babs_status_wait(interval=1)
+    captured = capsys.readouterr()
+    assert 'No jobs have been submitted' in captured.out
+
+
+def test_status_wait_report_called_each_iteration(babs_project_subjectlevel, monkeypatch):
+    """report_job_status should be called on every iteration."""
+    babs_proj = BABSInteraction(project_root=babs_project_subjectlevel)
+
+    running = {}
+    sub_id = 'sub-01'
+    job = JobStatus(
+        sub_id=sub_id,
+        ses_id=None,
+        scheduler_state=SchedulerState.RUNNING,
+        has_results=False,
+        job_id=100,
+        task_id=1,
+        time_used='',
+        time_limit='',
+        nodes=0,
+        cpus=0,
+        partition='',
+        name='',
+    )
+    running[job.key] = job
+
+    done = _make_statuses(submitted=[True], has_results=[True])
+
+    report_calls = []
+
+    call_count = {'n': 0}
+
+    def _update():
+        idx = min(call_count['n'], 1)
+        call_count['n'] += 1
+        return [running, done][idx]
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(babs_proj, '_update_results_status', _update)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        'babs.interaction.report_job_status',
+        lambda *a, **kw: report_calls.append(a),
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr('babs.interaction.time.sleep', lambda s: None)
+
+    babs_proj.babs_status_wait(interval=1)
+
+    assert len(report_calls) == 2
+
+
+def test_status_wait_keyboard_interrupt(babs_project_subjectlevel, monkeypatch, capsys):
+    """Ctrl-C should print a message and exit(130)."""
+    babs_proj = BABSInteraction(project_root=babs_project_subjectlevel)
+
+    running = {}
+    job = JobStatus(
+        sub_id='sub-01',
+        ses_id=None,
+        scheduler_state=SchedulerState.RUNNING,
+        has_results=False,
+        job_id=100,
+        task_id=1,
+        time_used='',
+        time_limit='',
+        nodes=0,
+        cpus=0,
+        partition='',
+        name='',
+    )
+    running[job.key] = job
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(babs_proj, '_update_results_status', lambda: running)
+    monkeypatch.setattr('babs.interaction.report_job_status', lambda *a, **kw: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        'babs.interaction.time.sleep',
+        lambda s: (_ for _ in ()).throw(KeyboardInterrupt),
+    )
+
+    with pytest.raises(SystemExit) as exc_info:
+        babs_proj.babs_status_wait(interval=1)
+
+    assert exc_info.value.code == 130
+    captured = capsys.readouterr()
+    assert 'Interrupted' in captured.out