diff --git a/packages/workflow-executor/src/adapters/forestadmin-client-activity-log-port.ts b/packages/workflow-executor/src/adapters/forestadmin-client-activity-log-port.ts
index c3232cd770..bb646c579e 100644
--- a/packages/workflow-executor/src/adapters/forestadmin-client-activity-log-port.ts
+++ b/packages/workflow-executor/src/adapters/forestadmin-client-activity-log-port.ts
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ export default class ForestadminClientActivityLogPort implements ActivityLogPort
 
       return { id: response.id, index: response.attributes.index };
     } catch (cause) {
-      this.logger.error('Activity log creation failed', {
+      this.logger.error('Failed to create activity log', {
         action: args.action,
         collectionId: args.collectionId,
         status: (cause as { status?: number }).status,
@@ -63,10 +63,10 @@ export default class ForestadminClientActivityLogPort implements ActivityLogPort
               activityLog: { id: handle.id, attributes: { index: handle.index } },
               status: 'completed',
             }),
-          { logger: this.logger },
+          { logger: this.logger, extraRetryStatuses: [404] },
         );
       } catch (err) {
-        this.logger.error('Activity log markSucceeded failed after retries', {
+        this.logger.error('Failed to mark activity log as succeeded', {
           handleId: handle.id,
           error: extractErrorMessage(err),
         });
@@ -85,10 +85,10 @@ export default class ForestadminClientActivityLogPort implements ActivityLogPort
               activityLog: { id: handle.id, attributes: { index: handle.index } },
               status: 'failed',
             }),
-          { logger: this.logger },
+          { logger: this.logger, extraRetryStatuses: [404] },
         );
       } catch (err) {
-        this.logger.error('Activity log markFailed failed after retries', {
+        this.logger.error('Failed to mark activity log as failed', {
           handleId: handle.id,
           stepErrorMessage: errorMessage,
           error: extractErrorMessage(err),
diff --git a/packages/workflow-executor/src/adapters/with-retry.ts b/packages/workflow-executor/src/adapters/with-retry.ts
index a5558df329..0c8eeab6d2 100644
--- a/packages/workflow-executor/src/adapters/with-retry.ts
+++ b/packages/workflow-executor/src/adapters/with-retry.ts
@@ -11,16 +11,17 @@ function sleep(ms: number): Promise<void> {
   });
 }
 
-function isRetryable(err: unknown): boolean {
+function isRetryable(err: unknown, extra: number[]): boolean {
   const { status } = err as { status?: number };
+  if (typeof status !== 'number') return false;
 
-  return typeof status === 'number' && RETRYABLE_STATUS.has(status);
+  return RETRYABLE_STATUS.has(status) || extra.includes(status);
 }
 
 export default async function withRetry<T>(
   label: string,
   fn: () => Promise<T>,
-  { logger }: { logger: Logger },
+  { logger, extraRetryStatuses = [] }: { logger: Logger; extraRetryStatuses?: number[] },
 ): Promise<T> {
   let lastError: unknown;
 
@@ -30,9 +31,10 @@ export default async function withRetry<T>(
       return await fn();
     } catch (err) {
       lastError = err;
-      if (!isRetryable(err) || attempt === RETRY_DELAYS_MS.length) throw err;
-      logger.info(`"${label}" failed, retrying`, {
+      if (!isRetryable(err, extraRetryStatuses) || attempt === RETRY_DELAYS_MS.length) throw err;
+      logger.warn(`"${label}" failed, retrying`, {
         attempt: attempt + 1,
+        status: (err as { status?: number }).status,
         error: extractErrorMessage(err),
       });
       // eslint-disable-next-line no-await-in-loop
diff --git a/packages/workflow-executor/test/adapters/forestadmin-client-activity-log-port.test.ts b/packages/workflow-executor/test/adapters/forestadmin-client-activity-log-port.test.ts
index 33c807dbb4..bd84336434 100644
--- a/packages/workflow-executor/test/adapters/forestadmin-client-activity-log-port.test.ts
+++ b/packages/workflow-executor/test/adapters/forestadmin-client-activity-log-port.test.ts
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ describe('ForestadminClientActivityLogPort', () => {
 
       expect(handle).toEqual({ id: 'log-2', index: '1' });
       expect(service.createActivityLog).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
-      expect(logger.info).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect(logger.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         expect.stringContaining('createPending'),
         expect.objectContaining({ attempt: 1 }),
       );
@@ -97,6 +97,17 @@ describe('ForestadminClientActivityLogPort', () => {
       expect(service.createActivityLog).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(4);
     });
 
+    it('throws immediately on 404 — not retriable for createPending (unlike markSucceeded/markFailed)', async () => {
+      const service = makeService();
+      service.createActivityLog.mockRejectedValueOnce(makeHttpError(404));
+      const port = makePort(service);
+
+      await expect(
+        port.createPending({ renderingId: 5, action: 'update', type: 'write' }),
+      ).rejects.toBeInstanceOf(ActivityLogCreationError);
+      expect(service.createActivityLog).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    });
+
     it('does not retry on 401 (not a transient error)', async () => {
       const service = makeService();
       service.createActivityLog.mockRejectedValue(makeHttpError(401));
@@ -183,10 +194,23 @@ describe('ForestadminClientActivityLogPort', () => {
       await jest.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(2_600);
       await expect(promise).resolves.toBeUndefined();
       expect(logger.error).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-        expect.stringContaining('markSucceeded failed'),
+        'Failed to mark activity log as succeeded',
         expect.objectContaining({ handleId: 'log-1' }),
       );
     });
+
+    it('retries on 404 — eventual consistency: record may not be visible yet on the read path', async () => {
+      const service = makeService();
+      service.updateActivityLogStatus
+        .mockRejectedValueOnce(makeHttpError(404))
+        .mockResolvedValueOnce(undefined);
+      const port = makePort(service);
+
+      const promise = port.markSucceeded({ id: 'log-1', index: '0' });
+      await jest.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(100);
+      await expect(promise).resolves.toBeUndefined();
+      expect(service.updateActivityLogStatus).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    });
   });
 
   describe('markFailed', () => {
@@ -222,13 +246,26 @@ describe('ForestadminClientActivityLogPort', () => {
       await jest.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(2_600);
       await expect(promise).resolves.toBeUndefined();
       expect(logger.error).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-        expect.stringContaining('markFailed failed'),
+        'Failed to mark activity log as failed',
         expect.objectContaining({
           handleId: 'log-1',
           stepErrorMessage: 'step-error-msg',
         }),
       );
     });
+
+    it('retries on 404 — eventual consistency: record may not be visible yet on the read path', async () => {
+      const service = makeService();
+      service.updateActivityLogStatus
+        .mockRejectedValueOnce(makeHttpError(404))
+        .mockResolvedValueOnce(undefined);
+      const port = makePort(service);
+
+      const promise = port.markFailed({ id: 'log-1', index: '0' }, 'boom');
+      await jest.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(100);
+      await expect(promise).resolves.toBeUndefined();
+      expect(service.updateActivityLogStatus).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    });
   });
 
   describe('drainer integration', () => {
diff --git a/packages/workflow-executor/test/adapters/with-retry.test.ts b/packages/workflow-executor/test/adapters/with-retry.test.ts
index 3713b58876..098c525b90 100644
--- a/packages/workflow-executor/test/adapters/with-retry.test.ts
+++ b/packages/workflow-executor/test/adapters/with-retry.test.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ describe('withRetry', () => {
 
     expect(result).toBe('ok');
     expect(fn).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-    expect(logger.info).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(logger.warn).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
   it('retries on retryable HTTP status codes (503)', async () => {
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ describe('withRetry', () => {
 
     await expect(promise).resolves.toBe('ok');
     expect(fn).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
-    expect(logger.info).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+    expect(logger.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
       '"test" failed, retrying',
       expect.objectContaining({ attempt: 1 }),
     );
@@ -114,13 +114,37 @@ describe('withRetry', () => {
     expect(fn).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(4);
   });
 
+  it('retries on status 404 when extraRetryStatuses includes 404', async () => {
+    const logger = makeLogger();
+    const fn = jest.fn().mockRejectedValueOnce(makeHttpError(404)).mockResolvedValueOnce('ok');
+
+    const promise = withRetry('test', fn, { logger, extraRetryStatuses: [404] });
+    await jest.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(100);
+
+    await expect(promise).resolves.toBe('ok');
+    expect(fn).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    expect(logger.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      '"test" failed, retrying',
+      expect.objectContaining({ attempt: 1, status: 404 }),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('throws immediately on 404 without extraRetryStatuses', async () => {
+    const logger = makeLogger();
+    const fn = jest.fn().mockRejectedValue(makeHttpError(404));
+
+    await expect(withRetry('test', fn, { logger })).rejects.toMatchObject({ status: 404 });
+    expect(fn).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(logger.warn).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
   it('throws immediately on non-retryable errors (4xx)', async () => {
     const logger = makeLogger();
     const fn = jest.fn().mockRejectedValue(makeHttpError(400));
 
     await expect(withRetry('test', fn, { logger })).rejects.toMatchObject({ status: 400 });
     expect(fn).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-    expect(logger.info).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(logger.warn).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
   it('throws immediately on errors with no status', async () => {