diff --git a/python/packages/orchestrations/agent_framework_orchestrations/_handoff.py b/python/packages/orchestrations/agent_framework_orchestrations/_handoff.py
index 8b65da4e202..6b8e243b558 100644
--- a/python/packages/orchestrations/agent_framework_orchestrations/_handoff.py
+++ b/python/packages/orchestrations/agent_framework_orchestrations/_handoff.py
@@ -275,6 +275,9 @@ def __init__(
             autonomous_mode_prompt: Prompt to provide to the agent when continuing in autonomous mode.
                                     This will guide the agent in the absence of user input.
             autonomous_mode_turn_limit: Maximum number of autonomous turns before requesting user input.
+                                        ``0`` returns control to the user as soon as the agent responds
+                                        without a handoff; the default limit is only used when this is
+                                        left as ``None``.
         """
         self._auto_handoff_middleware = _AutoHandoffMiddleware(handoffs)
         cloned_agent = self._prepare_agent_with_handoffs(agent, handoffs, self._auto_handoff_middleware)
@@ -288,7 +291,9 @@ def __init__(
         # Autonomous mode members
         self._autonomous_mode = autonomous_mode
         self._autonomous_mode_prompt = autonomous_mode_prompt or _AUTONOMOUS_MODE_DEFAULT_PROMPT
-        self._autonomous_mode_turn_limit = autonomous_mode_turn_limit or _DEFAULT_AUTONOMOUS_TURN_LIMIT
+        self._autonomous_mode_turn_limit = (
+            _DEFAULT_AUTONOMOUS_TURN_LIMIT if autonomous_mode_turn_limit is None else autonomous_mode_turn_limit
+        )
         self._autonomous_mode_turns = 0
 
     def _prepare_agent_with_handoffs(
@@ -938,6 +943,8 @@ def with_autonomous_mode(
                      in autonomous mode. If not provided, a default prompt will be used.
             turn_limits: Optional mapping of agent identifiers/factory names to maximum number of autonomous turns
                          before returning control to the user. If not provided, a default turn limit will be used.
+                         A limit of ``0`` disables autonomous continuation for that agent instead of falling back
+                         to the default.
         """
         self._autonomous_mode = True
         self._autonomous_mode_prompts = prompts or {}
diff --git a/python/packages/orchestrations/tests/test_handoff.py b/python/packages/orchestrations/tests/test_handoff.py
index 5410363524c..a9c01bd6a2d 100644
--- a/python/packages/orchestrations/tests/test_handoff.py
+++ b/python/packages/orchestrations/tests/test_handoff.py
@@ -1327,6 +1327,40 @@ async def test_autonomous_mode_resumes_user_input_on_turn_limit():
     assert requests[0].source_executor_id == worker.name
 
 
+async def test_autonomous_mode_zero_turn_limit_returns_control_immediately():
+    """A turn limit of 0 means no autonomous continuation, not the default turn limit."""
+    triage_client = MockChatClient(name="triage", handoff_to="worker")
+    worker_client = MockChatClient(name="worker")
+    triage: Agent[Any] = Agent(
+        id="triage",
+        name="triage",
+        client=triage_client,
+        require_per_service_call_history_persistence=True,
+    )
+    worker: Agent[Any] = Agent(
+        id="worker",
+        name="worker",
+        client=worker_client,
+        require_per_service_call_history_persistence=True,
+    )
+
+    workflow = (
+        HandoffBuilder(participants=_as_handoff_agents(triage, worker), termination_condition=lambda _: False)
+        .with_start_agent(_as_handoff_agent(triage))
+        .with_autonomous_mode(agents=[worker], turn_limits={resolve_agent_id(worker): 0})
+        .build()
+    )
+
+    events = await _drain(workflow.run("Start", stream=True))
+
+    # Swallowing 0 into the default limit lets the agent run on for 50 injected prompts,
+    # so the worker's client being called once is what distinguishes the two readings.
+    assert len(worker_client.received_messages) == 1, "A zero turn limit must not grant autonomous turns"
+    requests = [ev for ev in events if ev.type == "request_info"]
+    assert requests and len(requests) == 1, "A zero turn limit should request user input at once"
+    assert requests[0].source_executor_id == worker.name
+
+
 def test_build_fails_without_start_agent():
     """Verify that build() raises ValueError when with_start_agent() was not called."""
     triage = MockHandoffAgent(name="triage")