diff --git a/src/second_brain/scheduler/runner.py b/src/second_brain/scheduler/runner.py
index c3fc205..988da5f 100644
--- a/src/second_brain/scheduler/runner.py
+++ b/src/second_brain/scheduler/runner.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ from datetime import datetime, time as dtime
 from second_brain.config import Config
 from second_brain.database import get_database
 from second_brain.models import Source, SourceStatus, utcnow
+from second_brain.settings_store import get_settings, in_active_window
 
 
 class Scheduler:
@@ -51,6 +52,38 @@ class Scheduler:
         from second_brain.models import Extraction
 
         db = get_database()
+
+        # Pull the DB-side runtime knobs once at the top of the run. The
+        # dashboard edits these; settings.toml is the static fallback. The
+        # values are snapshotted for the duration of this run so a mid-run
+        # toggle doesn't half-apply (consistent with the way max_calls is
+        # tracked locally).
+        with db.session() as sess:
+            settings = get_settings(sess)
+            extraction_enabled = settings.extraction_enabled
+            db_window = (
+                settings.extraction_active_hours_start,
+                settings.extraction_active_hours_end,
+            )
+            max_items = int(settings.extraction_max_items_per_run or 0)
+
+        if not extraction_enabled:
+            print("[Scheduler] extraction_enabled=false in pipeline_settings. Skipping run.")
+            return
+
+        # DB window (if set) overrides the static settings.toml window. If
+        # only one side is set, treat the other as unbounded (no constraint).
+        if db_window[0] is not None or db_window[1] is not None:
+            self.window_start = db_window[0] or dtime(0, 0)
+            self.window_end = db_window[1] or dtime(23, 59)
+
+        if not in_active_window(datetime.now().time(), db_window[0], db_window[1]):
+            print(
+                f"[Scheduler] outside extraction active window "
+                f"{_fmt_opt(db_window[0])}–{_fmt_opt(db_window[1])}. Skipping run."
+            )
+            return
+
         assembler = ContextAssembler(self.config)
         ex_cfg = self.config.extractor
         engine = ExtractionEngine(
@@ -74,10 +107,14 @@ class Scheduler:
         print(
             f"[Scheduler] backend={self.backend} window "
             f"{_fmt(self.window_start)}–{_fmt(self.window_end)} cap {cap_desc} "
-            f"gap {self.min_gap_seconds}s"
+            f"gap {self.min_gap_seconds}s max_items={max_items or '∞'}"
         )
 
         while self._in_window():
+            # DB-side hard cap on items per run (0 = unlimited).
+            if max_items and processed >= max_items:
+                print(f"[Scheduler] reached extraction_max_items_per_run={max_items}. Done.")
+                break
             # Reset hourly buckets
             elapsed = time.time() - hour_start
             if elapsed >= 3600:
@@ -191,4 +228,8 @@ def _fmt(t: dtime) -> str:
     return t.strftime("%H:%M")
 
 
+def _fmt_opt(t: dtime | None) -> str:
+    return t.strftime("%H:%M") if t is not None else "—"
+
+
 __all__ = ["Scheduler"]