diff --git a/apps/api/src/webhooks/__tests__/webhook-processor.service.spec.ts b/apps/api/src/webhooks/__tests__/webhook-processor.service.spec.ts
index 0a0b9055..397fbc5d 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/webhooks/__tests__/webhook-processor.service.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/webhooks/__tests__/webhook-processor.service.spec.ts
@@ -133,6 +133,67 @@ describe('WebhookProcessorService', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  describe('Adaptive scheduling loop', () => {
+    let processRetriesSpy: jest.SpyInstance;
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      jest.useFakeTimers();
+      processRetriesSpy = jest.spyOn(service, 'processRetries');
+    });
+
+    afterEach(() => {
+      jest.clearAllTimers();
+      jest.useRealTimers();
+    });
+
+    it('schedules at FAST interval when processRetries returns true', async () => {
+      processRetriesSpy.mockResolvedValue(true);
+      (service as any).startRetryProcessor();
+
+      await jest.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(0);
+
+      await jest.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1999);
+      expect(processRetriesSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      await jest.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1);
+      expect(processRetriesSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    });
+
+    it('schedules at BASE interval when processRetries returns false', async () => {
+      processRetriesSpy.mockResolvedValue(false);
+      (service as any).startRetryProcessor();
+
+      await jest.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(0);
+
+      await jest.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(9999);
+      expect(processRetriesSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      await jest.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1);
+      expect(processRetriesSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    });
+
+    it('does not reschedule when isShuttingDown is true', async () => {
+      processRetriesSpy.mockResolvedValue(true);
+      (service as any).isShuttingDown = true;
+      (service as any).startRetryProcessor();
+
+      await jest.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(0);
+
+      expect(jest.getTimerCount()).toBe(0);
+      expect(processRetriesSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    });
+
+    it('falls back to BASE interval when processRetries throws', async () => {
+      processRetriesSpy.mockRejectedValue(new Error('storage error'));
+      (service as any).startRetryProcessor();
+
+      await jest.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(0);
+
+      await jest.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(9999);
+      expect(processRetriesSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      await jest.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1);
+      expect(processRetriesSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    });
+  });
+
   describe('Exponential Backoff', () => {
     it('should calculate correct retry delays', () => {
       const retryPolicy = {
diff --git a/apps/api/src/webhooks/webhook-processor.service.ts b/apps/api/src/webhooks/webhook-processor.service.ts
index 31725717..3fbafb92 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/webhooks/webhook-processor.service.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/webhooks/webhook-processor.service.ts
@@ -10,12 +10,14 @@ export class WebhookProcessorService implements OnModuleInit, OnModuleDestroy {
   private readonly logger = new Logger(WebhookProcessorService.name);
   private retryInterval: NodeJS.Timeout | null = null;
 
-  // Retry processing configuration
-  // 10 second interval: Balances responsiveness vs. database load
-  // - Fast enough for most retry delays (1s, 2s, 4s initial backoff)
-  // - Slow enough to avoid constant polling overhead
-  // - TODO: Consider adaptive polling (faster when retries pending)
-  private readonly RETRY_CHECK_INTERVAL_MS = 10_000;
+  // Adaptive polling intervals:
+  // - BASE_RETRY_CHECK_INTERVAL_MS: Used when no retries are pending. Keeps
+  //   database load low during quiet periods.
+  // - FAST_RETRY_CHECK_INTERVAL_MS: Used immediately after a cycle that found
+  //   retries, so subsequent retries (e.g. next backoff window) are picked up
+  //   without waiting the full base interval.
+  private readonly BASE_RETRY_CHECK_INTERVAL_MS = 10_000;
+  private readonly FAST_RETRY_CHECK_INTERVAL_MS = 2_000;
 
   // Max 10 concurrent retries: Prevents overwhelming downstream webhooks
   // - Limits parallel HTTP requests to avoid socket exhaustion
@@ -39,6 +41,7 @@ export class WebhookProcessorService implements OnModuleInit, OnModuleDestroy {
   private isProcessing = false;
   private activeRetries = 0;
   private shutdownPromise: Promise<void> | null = null;
+  private isShuttingDown = false;
 
   constructor(
     @Inject('STORAGE_CLIENT') private readonly storageClient: StoragePort,
@@ -53,6 +56,7 @@ export class WebhookProcessorService implements OnModuleInit, OnModuleDestroy {
 
   async onModuleDestroy() {
     this.logger.log('Stopping webhook processor service');
+    this.isShuttingDown = true;
     this.stopRetryProcessor();
 
     // Gracefully wait for active retries to complete
@@ -80,19 +84,28 @@ export class WebhookProcessorService implements OnModuleInit, OnModuleDestroy {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Start the retry processor background job
+   * Start the retry processor background job with adaptive polling.
+   * Schedules itself faster when the previous cycle found pending retries.
    */
   private startRetryProcessor(): void {
-    this.retryInterval = setInterval(() => {
-      this.processRetries().catch(error => {
-        this.logger.error('Error in retry processor:', error);
-      });
-    }, this.RETRY_CHECK_INTERVAL_MS);
+    const schedule = (delayMs: number): void => {
+      this.retryInterval = setTimeout(() => {
+        this.processRetries()
+          .then((hadRetries) => {
+            if (!this.isShuttingDown) {
+              schedule(hadRetries ? this.FAST_RETRY_CHECK_INTERVAL_MS : this.BASE_RETRY_CHECK_INTERVAL_MS);
+            }
+          })
+          .catch((error) => {
+            this.logger.error('Error in retry processor:', error);
+            if (!this.isShuttingDown) {
+              schedule(this.BASE_RETRY_CHECK_INTERVAL_MS);
+            }
+          });
+      }, delayMs);
+    };
 
-    // Run immediately on start
-    this.processRetries().catch(error => {
-      this.logger.error('Error in initial retry processor run:', error);
-    });
+    schedule(0);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -100,19 +113,20 @@ export class WebhookProcessorService implements OnModuleInit, OnModuleDestroy {
    */
   private stopRetryProcessor(): void {
     if (this.retryInterval) {
-      clearInterval(this.retryInterval);
+      clearTimeout(this.retryInterval);
       this.retryInterval = null;
     }
   }
 
   /**
-   * Process pending retries
+   * Process pending retries. Returns true when at least one delivery was
+   * found so the caller can schedule the next poll at the faster interval.
    */
-  async processRetries(): Promise<void> {
+  async processRetries(): Promise<boolean> {
     // Prevent concurrent processing
     if (this.isProcessing) {
       this.logger.debug('Retry processing already in progress, skipping');
-      return;
+      return false;
     }
 
     this.isProcessing = true;
@@ -125,7 +139,7 @@ export class WebhookProcessorService implements OnModuleInit, OnModuleDestroy {
 
       if (retriableDeliveries.length === 0) {
         this.logger.debug('No deliveries ready for retry');
-        return;
+        return false;
       }
 
       this.logger.log(`Processing ${retriableDeliveries.length} delivery retries`);
@@ -135,8 +149,10 @@ export class WebhookProcessorService implements OnModuleInit, OnModuleDestroy {
         retriableDeliveries.map(delivery => this.retryDelivery(delivery))
       );
 
+      return true;
     } catch (error) {
       this.logger.error('Failed to process retries:', error);
+      return false;
     } finally {
       this.isProcessing = false;
     }