diff --git a/cloud/autoscaler.py b/cloud/autoscaler.py
index ff66f66..f8e9de9 100644
--- a/cloud/autoscaler.py
+++ b/cloud/autoscaler.py
@@ -65,7 +65,15 @@ def queue_depth(db_path, executor=None):
             deps = row["depends_on"]
         except (KeyError, IndexError, TypeError):
             deps = []
-        if isinstance(deps, str):
+        if deps is None:
+            # depends_on 为 NULL（裸 SQL 插的任务、或老数据）表示
+            # 无依赖，绝不能变成 [None]——那样 ready_tasks 会判定
+            # 它依赖一个永远不存在的 None，任务永远不算就绪，
+            # scaler 也就永远看不到深度（2026-10-26 实测教训：
+            # worker 的 _task_from_row 对 NULL 处理正确所以能
+            # 正常认领，只有 scaler 的深度计算被这个 bug 致盲）。
+            deps = []
+        elif isinstance(deps, str):
             try:
                 deps = json.loads(deps) if deps else []
             except ValueError:
diff --git a/cloud/tests/test_autoscaler.py b/cloud/tests/test_autoscaler.py
index d69834a..da9ec85 100644
--- a/cloud/tests/test_autoscaler.py
+++ b/cloud/tests/test_autoscaler.py
@@ -85,6 +85,24 @@ class QueueDepthTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         _set_status(self.db_path, "A", "completed")
         self.assertEqual(queue_depth(self.db_path), 1)
 
+    def test_null_depends_on_counts_as_ready(self):
+        # 回归：depends_on 为 NULL 时必须算无依赖，不能变成
+        # [None] 导致任务永远不算就绪（scaler 致盲）。
+        conn = sqlite3.connect(self.db_path)
+        try:
+            now = time.time()
+            conn.execute(
+                "INSERT INTO tasks(id, project_id, prompt, status,"
+                " idempotency_key, depends_on, priority, created_by,"
+                " created_at, updated_at, last_heartbeat)"
+                " VALUES('N', 'p1', 'x', 'queued', NULL, NULL, 0,"
+                " 'tester', ?, ?, NULL)",
+                (now, now))
+            conn.commit()
+        finally:
+            conn.close()
+        self.assertEqual(queue_depth(self.db_path), 1)
+
     def test_dependency_cycle_counts_zero(self):
         _insert_task(self.db_path, "A", depends_on='["B"]')
         _insert_task(self.db_path, "B", depends_on='["A"]')