diff --git a/openevolve/process_parallel.py b/openevolve/process_parallel.py
index a2fd6592a9..8a7421dae3 100644
--- a/openevolve/process_parallel.py
+++ b/openevolve/process_parallel.py
@@ -511,6 +511,7 @@ async def run_evolution(
 
         # Early stopping tracking
         early_stopping_enabled = self.config.early_stopping_patience is not None
+        termination_reason = None
         if early_stopping_enabled:
             best_score = float("-inf")
             iterations_without_improvement = 0
@@ -686,6 +687,7 @@ async def run_evolution(
                             logger.info(
                                 f"Target score {target_score} reached at iteration {completed_iteration}"
                             )
+                            termination_reason = "target_score"
                             break
 
                     # Check early stopping
@@ -731,6 +733,7 @@ async def run_evolution(
                                         f"No improvement for {iterations_without_improvement} iterations "
                                         f"(best score: {best_score:.4f})"
                                     )
+                                    termination_reason = "early_stopping"
                                     break
 
                             else:
@@ -742,6 +745,7 @@ async def run_evolution(
                                         f"Task successfully solved with score {best_score:.4f}."
                                     )
                                     self.early_stopping_triggered = True
+                                    termination_reason = "early_stopping"
                                     break
 
             except FutureTimeoutError:
@@ -777,17 +781,40 @@ async def run_evolution(
                         next_iteration += 1
                         break  # Only submit one iteration per completion to maintain balance
 
-        # Handle shutdown
-        if self.shutdown_event.is_set():
-            logger.info("Shutdown requested, canceling remaining evaluations...")
+        # Handle shutdown / early termination by canceling pending work quickly.
+        if self.shutdown_event.is_set() and termination_reason is None:
+            termination_reason = "shutdown"
+
+        if termination_reason in {"target_score", "early_stopping", "shutdown"}:
+            if termination_reason == "shutdown":
+                logger.info("Shutdown requested, canceling remaining evaluations...")
+            else:
+                logger.info(
+                    f"{termination_reason} triggered, canceling remaining pending evaluations..."
+                )
             for future in pending_futures.values():
                 future.cancel()
 
+        # Determine completion reason if no explicit early termination was set.
+        if termination_reason is None:
+            if completed_iterations >= max_iterations:
+                termination_reason = "max_iterations"
+            elif not pending_futures:
+                termination_reason = "no_pending_futures"
+            elif self.shutdown_event.is_set():
+                termination_reason = "shutdown"
+            else:
+                termination_reason = "max_iterations"
+
         # Log completion reason
-        if self.early_stopping_triggered:
+        if termination_reason == "early_stopping":
             logger.info("✅ Evolution completed - Early stopping triggered due to convergence")
-        elif self.shutdown_event.is_set():
+        elif termination_reason == "target_score":
+            logger.info("✅ Evolution completed - Target score reached")
+        elif termination_reason == "shutdown":
             logger.info("✅ Evolution completed - Shutdown requested")
+        elif termination_reason == "no_pending_futures":
+            logger.info("✅ Evolution completed - No pending futures remaining")
         else:
             logger.info("✅ Evolution completed - Maximum iterations reached")
 
diff --git a/tests/test_process_parallel.py b/tests/test_process_parallel.py
index 8cdd525b33..fe671e9e9e 100644
--- a/tests/test_process_parallel.py
+++ b/tests/test_process_parallel.py
@@ -163,6 +163,47 @@ def test_request_shutdown(self):
         # Verify shutdown event is set
         self.assertTrue(controller.shutdown_event.is_set())
 
+    def test_target_score_fast_exit_cancels_pending_futures(self):
+        """Test that reaching target score cancels pending futures immediately."""
+
+        async def run_test():
+            controller = ProcessParallelController(self.config, self.eval_file, self.database)
+            controller.executor = Mock()  # run_evolution requires a started executor
+
+            done_future = MagicMock(spec=Future)
+            done_future.done.return_value = True
+            done_future.result.return_value = SerializableResult(
+                child_program_dict={
+                    "id": "child_target_hit",
+                    "code": "def evolved(): return 99",
+                    "language": "python",
+                    "parent_id": "test_0",
+                    "generation": 1,
+                    "metrics": {"combined_score": 0.95, "score": 0.95},
+                    "iteration_found": 1,
+                    "metadata": {"changes": "target score hit", "island": 0},
+                },
+                parent_id="test_0",
+                iteration_time=0.1,
+                iteration=1,
+                target_island=0,
+            )
+
+            pending_future = MagicMock(spec=Future)
+            pending_future.done.return_value = False
+            pending_future.cancel.return_value = True
+
+            with patch.object(
+                controller, "_submit_iteration", side_effect=[done_future, pending_future]
+            ) as mock_submit:
+                await controller.run_evolution(start_iteration=1, max_iterations=2, target_score=0.9)
+
+            self.assertEqual(mock_submit.call_count, 2)
+            self.assertTrue(pending_future.cancel.called)
+            self.assertIn("child_target_hit", self.database.programs)
+
+        asyncio.run(run_test())
+
     def test_serializable_result(self):
         """Test SerializableResult dataclass"""
         result = SerializableResult(