diff --git a/src/services/memory/pruner.js b/src/services/memory/pruner.js
index bf996d6..5619ce1 100644
--- a/src/services/memory/pruner.js
+++ b/src/services/memory/pruner.js
@@ -265,9 +265,7 @@ export async function createLifecyclePlan(memories, options) {
  * @param {Awaited<ReturnType<typeof createLifecyclePlan>>} plan
  */
 export async function applyLifecycleActions(repository, plan) {
-  const results = [];
-
-  for (const decision of plan.actions) {
+  const results = await Promise.all(plan.actions.map(async (decision) => {
     if (decision.merged_into && typeof repository.markMerged === 'function') {
       await repository.markMerged(decision.id, decision.merged_into);
     }
@@ -280,8 +278,8 @@ export async function applyLifecycleActions(repository, plan) {
       await repository.keepMemory?.(decision.id, decision.reason);
     }
 
-    results.push(decision);
-  }
+    return decision;
+  }));
 
   return {
     applied: results,
diff --git a/test/memory-pruner.test.mjs b/test/memory-pruner.test.mjs
index 4957c44..7dd378e 100644
--- a/test/memory-pruner.test.mjs
+++ b/test/memory-pruner.test.mjs
@@ -138,11 +138,22 @@ test('applyLifecycleActions executes keep/archive/delete and merge markers', asy
     policyLogs: [],
   });
 
-  assert.deepEqual(calls, [
-    ['keepMemory', 'k1', 'keep reason'],
-    ['markMerged', 'a1', 'k1'],
+  // Sort calls to verify presence regardless of execution order
+  const sortedCalls = [...calls].sort((a, b) => a[0].localeCompare(b[0]) || a[1].localeCompare(b[1]));
+  const expectedCalls = [
     ['archiveMemory', 'a1', 'archive reason'],
     ['deleteMemory', 'd1', 'delete reason'],
-  ]);
+    ['keepMemory', 'k1', 'keep reason'],
+    ['markMerged', 'a1', 'k1'],
+  ];
+
+  assert.deepEqual(sortedCalls, expectedCalls);
+
+  // Verify that markMerged happens before archiveMemory for the same ID
+  const markIndex = calls.findIndex((c) => c[0] === 'markMerged' && c[1] === 'a1');
+  const archiveIndex = calls.findIndex((c) => c[0] === 'archiveMemory' && c[1] === 'a1');
+  assert.ok(markIndex !== -1, 'markMerged was called');
+  assert.ok(archiveIndex !== -1, 'archiveMemory was called');
+  assert.ok(markIndex < archiveIndex, 'markMerged should precede archiveMemory');
   assert.equal(result.applied.length, 3);
 });