diff --git a/crates/core/src/eval.rs b/crates/core/src/eval.rs
index e5791bf..bd5d229 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/eval.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/eval.rs
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ impl Vm {
         }
         let mut frames = vec![frame];
         let result = self
-            .eval_frames(&mut frames, limits, &mut executed, usize::MAX)
+            .eval_frames(&mut frames, limits, &mut executed, usize::MAX, false)
             .map(|value| value.expect("unbounded slice completes or fails"));
         if result.is_err() {
             self.last_traceback = frames
@@ -189,7 +189,13 @@ impl Vm {
             .suspended_call
             .take()
             .ok_or(VmError::InvalidArgument("no suspended call"))?;
-        let result = self.eval_frames(&mut call.frames, call.limits, &mut call.executed, slice_end);
+        let result = self.eval_frames(
+            &mut call.frames,
+            call.limits,
+            &mut call.executed,
+            slice_end,
+            false,
+        );
         if let Ok(None) = result {
             let instructions = call.executed;
             self.suspended_call = Some(call);
@@ -376,8 +382,14 @@ impl Vm {
             _ => unreachable!(),
         };
         let slice_end = executed.saturating_add(slice);
-        let result = self.eval_frames(&mut frames, limits, &mut executed, slice_end);
+        let result = self.eval_frames(&mut frames, limits, &mut executed, slice_end, true);
         if let Ok(None) = result {
+            let waiting = frames.last().filter(|frame| frame.waiting).map(|frame| {
+                match Self::top_value(frame).expect("await operand remains on stack") {
+                    Value::Object(reference) => reference,
+                    _ => unreachable!(),
+                }
+            });
             let frames = std::sync::Arc::new(frames);
             let mut roots = Vec::new();
             for frame in frames.iter() {
@@ -395,6 +407,12 @@ impl Vm {
                 self.release(root)?;
             }
             published?;
+            if let Some(awaitable) = waiting {
+                return Ok(CoroutineProgress::Waiting {
+                    awaitable,
+                    instructions: executed,
+                });
+            }
             return Ok(CoroutineProgress::Pending {
                 instructions: executed,
             });
@@ -596,6 +614,7 @@ impl Vm {
             name: data.name().into(),
             instruction_offset: 0,
             current_offset: 0,
+            waiting: false,
             localsplus: vec![None; executable.slot_count()],
             stack: Vec::with_capacity(executable.stack_size()),
             executable,
@@ -981,6 +1000,7 @@ impl Vm {
         limits: ExecutionLimits,
         executed: &mut usize,
         slice_end: usize,
+        allow_wait: bool,
     ) -> Result<Option<Value>, VmError> {
         loop {
             if *executed >= limits.max_instructions {
@@ -997,6 +1017,36 @@ impl Vm {
             let opcode = decoded.instruction.opcode;
             let argument = decoded.instruction.argument as usize;
             match opcode {
+                Opcode::Await => {
+                    if self.objects.is_read_only() {
+                        return Err(VmError::UnsupportedOperation(
+                            "await during read-only execution",
+                        ));
+                    }
+                    let Value::Object(awaitable) = Self::top_value(frame)? else {
+                        return Err(VmError::ObjectKindMismatch("awaitable object"));
+                    };
+                    match self.object(awaitable)?.payload().poll_await()? {
+                        crate::AwaitPoll::Pending => {
+                            if !allow_wait {
+                                return Err(VmError::UnsupportedOperation(
+                                    "pending await outside a coroutine",
+                                ));
+                            }
+                            // Keep the evaluated operand, never replay its call
+                            // or the statements before this await instruction.
+                            frame.waiting = true;
+                            frame.instruction_offset = decoded.offset;
+                            return Ok(None);
+                        }
+                        crate::AwaitPoll::Ready(value) => {
+                            self.retain_value(&value)?;
+                            self.discard(frame, 1);
+                            frame.stack.push(StackEntry::Value(value));
+                            frame.waiting = false;
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
                 Opcode::Nop => {}
                 Opcode::LoadConst => {
                     let value = frame.executable.constants()[argument].clone();
diff --git a/crates/core/src/frame.rs b/crates/core/src/frame.rs
index b75f42c..36875c2 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/frame.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/frame.rs
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ pub struct EndorFrame {
     pub(crate) name: String,
     pub(crate) instruction_offset: usize,
     pub(crate) current_offset: usize,
+    pub(crate) waiting: bool,
     pub(crate) localsplus: Vec<Option<Value>>,
     pub(crate) stack: Vec<StackEntry>,
 }
@@ -118,8 +119,17 @@ pub(crate) struct SuspendedCall {
 /// not keep a VM-wide heap scope active between quanta.
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub enum CoroutineProgress {
-    Pending { instructions: usize },
-    Complete { value: Value, instructions: usize },
+    Waiting {
+        awaitable: ObjectRef,
+        instructions: usize,
+    },
+    Pending {
+        instructions: usize,
+    },
+    Complete {
+        value: Value,
+        instructions: usize,
+    },
 }
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub(crate) enum CoroutineState {
diff --git a/crates/core/src/lib.rs b/crates/core/src/lib.rs
index 3549dd5..06c8911 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/lib.rs
@@ -48,8 +48,8 @@ pub use frame::{
 // Preserve existing embedding imports; objects owns these definitions.
 pub use objects::ObjectStore;
 pub use objects::{
-    AnnotationType, ClassField, EndorTraitObject, EndorTypeObject, MethodRequirement, RootTypes,
-    TypeConstructor, TypedMethodRequirement,
+    AnnotationType, AwaitPoll, ClassField, EndorTraitObject, EndorTypeObject, MethodRequirement,
+    RootTypes, TypeConstructor, TypedMethodRequirement,
 };
 pub use objects::{
     CallArity, CallEffect, CallSignature, CallType, ChangeBatch, ChangeKey, CodeLayout, CompareOp,
diff --git a/crates/objects/src/code.rs b/crates/objects/src/code.rs
index 57703fe..577935a 100644
--- a/crates/objects/src/code.rs
+++ b/crates/objects/src/code.rs
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ fn verify(
             | Opcode::StoreDeref
             | Opcode::PopJumpIfFalse
             | Opcode::PopJumpIfTrue => (1, 1, 0),
-            Opcode::ToBool | Opcode::UnaryNot | Opcode::LoadAttr => (1, 1, 1),
+            Opcode::ToBool | Opcode::UnaryNot | Opcode::LoadAttr | Opcode::Await => (1, 1, 1),
             Opcode::CompareOp => (2, 2, 1),
             Opcode::StoreAttr => (2, 2, 0),
             Opcode::Copy => (argument, 0, 1),
diff --git a/crates/objects/src/effects.rs b/crates/objects/src/effects.rs
index 6f4bf5c..2e7516a 100644
--- a/crates/objects/src/effects.rs
+++ b/crates/objects/src/effects.rs
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ impl ObjectStore {
             let argument = decoded.instruction.argument as usize;
             let mut stack = states[index].clone().expect("reachable effect state");
             match opcode {
+                Opcode::Await => return Ok(None),
                 Opcode::LoadConst => stack.push(Fact::value(code.constants()[argument].clone())),
                 Opcode::LoadFast => stack.push(if argument == 0 {
                     receiver.map(Fact::Object).unwrap_or(Fact::Unknown)
diff --git a/crates/objects/src/error.rs b/crates/objects/src/error.rs
index 20eacd5..93af03e 100644
--- a/crates/objects/src/error.rs
+++ b/crates/objects/src/error.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ use std::fmt;
 /// retained for embedders; defining it here avoids a dependency on the VM.
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub enum VmError {
+    AwaitFailed(String),
+    AwaitCancelled,
     ForeignHandle,
     InvalidHandle,
     IdentityExhausted,
@@ -49,6 +51,8 @@ pub enum VmError {
 impl fmt::Display for VmError {
     fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
         match self {
+            Self::AwaitFailed(message) => write!(f, "await failed: {message}"),
+            Self::AwaitCancelled => f.write_str("await cancelled"),
             Self::ForeignHandle => f.write_str("handle belongs to another VM"),
             Self::InvalidHandle => f.write_str("handle does not identify a live object"),
             Self::IdentityExhausted => f.write_str("process-local VM identities exhausted"),
diff --git a/crates/objects/src/instruction.rs b/crates/objects/src/instruction.rs
index 157bb1c..8084afd 100644
--- a/crates/objects/src/instruction.rs
+++ b/crates/objects/src/instruction.rs
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ pub enum Opcode {
     BuildMap = 27,
     MakeFunction = 28,
     BuildClass = 29,
+    Await = 30,
     ExtendedArg = 255,
 }
 
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@ impl Opcode {
             27 => Self::BuildMap,
             28 => Self::MakeFunction,
             29 => Self::BuildClass,
+            30 => Self::Await,
             255 => Self::ExtendedArg,
             _ => return None,
         })
@@ -85,6 +87,7 @@ impl Opcode {
                 | Self::ReturnValue
                 | Self::ToBool
                 | Self::UnaryNot
+                | Self::Await
                 | Self::BuildClass
         )
     }
diff --git a/crates/objects/src/lib.rs b/crates/objects/src/lib.rs
index ea07ab2..9535f73 100644
--- a/crates/objects/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/objects/src/lib.rs
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ pub use number::{
     EndorDecimal, EndorInteger, EndorNumber, EndorNumberObject, EndorRational, EndorReal,
 };
 pub use object::{
-    CompareOp, EndorNativeCall, EndorNativeFunctionObject, EndorObject, NativeCall, NativeFunction,
-    ObjectHeader, ObjectPayload, Record, Value,
+    AwaitPoll, CompareOp, EndorNativeCall, EndorNativeFunctionObject, EndorObject, NativeCall,
+    NativeFunction, ObjectHeader, ObjectPayload, Record, Value,
 };
 pub use store::ObjectStore;
 pub use types::{
diff --git a/crates/objects/src/object.rs b/crates/objects/src/object.rs
index c7746ec..e1103dc 100644
--- a/crates/objects/src/object.rs
+++ b/crates/objects/src/object.rs
@@ -42,6 +42,14 @@ impl CompareOp {
     }
 }
 
+/// Non-blocking awaitable observation. Ready object values are borrowed from
+/// the managed graph and must be retained by the consumer before dropping it.
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub enum AwaitPoll {
+    Pending,
+    Ready(Value),
+}
+
 /// Rust-side operation interface, not a language type or metaclass.
 ///
 /// Implementations must report every payload-owned object reference in trace(),
@@ -51,6 +59,10 @@ impl CompareOp {
 /// Rust Drop releases host resources when the payload is destroyed.
 /// Equal payloads must provide compatible hashes, or reject hashing explicitly.
 pub trait ObjectPayload: Any + fmt::Debug + Send + Sync {
+    fn poll_await(&self) -> Result<AwaitPoll, VmError> {
+        Err(VmError::UnsupportedOperation("await"))
+    }
+
     /// Explicit function category; callable Type objects are not functions.
     fn is_function(&self) -> bool {
         false