diff --git a/src-ts/openclose.ts b/src-ts/openclose.ts
index 1279930..cafeb24 100644
--- a/src-ts/openclose.ts
+++ b/src-ts/openclose.ts
@@ -6,9 +6,43 @@
 //   bot lab is open/close
 
 import type { Robot } from "./runtime/types";
+import * as cron from "node-cron";
 
-export = (robot: Robot): void => {
+const istTime = new Intl.DateTimeFormat("en-GB", {
+  timeZone: "Asia/Kolkata",
+  year: "numeric",
+  month: "2-digit",
+  day: "2-digit",
+  hour: "2-digit",
+  minute: "2-digit",
+  hourCycle: "h23",
+});
+
+export = (robot: Robot, now: () => Date = () => new Date()): void => {
   let status = "";
+  let lastAutoCloseDate = "";
+
+  // node-cron 1.x uses the host timezone, so check the Kolkata wall clock
+  // explicitly instead of relying on the deployment's TZ setting.
+  cron.schedule("* * * * *", () => {
+    const parts = Object.fromEntries(
+      istTime.formatToParts(now()).map(({ type, value }) => [type, value]),
+    );
+    const date = `${parts.year}-${parts.month}-${parts.day}`;
+    if (
+      parts.hour !== "02" ||
+      parts.minute !== "00" ||
+      date === lastAutoCloseDate
+    )
+      return;
+
+    lastAutoCloseDate = date;
+    status = "closed";
+    robot.send(
+      { room: "bottesting" },
+      "Lab is now closed (auto-updated at 2:00 AM IST).",
+    );
+  });
 
   robot.hear(/lab is (open|closed|close)/i, (msg) => {
     status = msg.match[1];
diff --git a/test/cutover-regressions.js b/test/cutover-regressions.js
index 8229dbd..ca769ef 100644
--- a/test/cutover-regressions.js
+++ b/test/cutover-regressions.js
@@ -91,6 +91,48 @@ test("all production scripts register offline and retain help commands", async t
   assert(sent.some(item => /^https?:\/\//.test(item.messages[0])));
 });
 
+test("lab status auto-closes once daily at 2 AM Kolkata time in #bottesting", async t => {
+  let tick;
+  t.mock.method(cron, "schedule", (expression, callback) => {
+    assert.equal(expression, "* * * * *");
+    tick = callback;
+    return { stop() {} };
+  });
+  const { bot, sent } = botFixture();
+  let time = new Date("2026-09-23T20:29:00.000Z"); // 1:59 AM IST
+  require("../scripts/openclose")(bot, () => time);
+
+  await command(bot, "bot lab is open");
+  tick();
+  await bot.flush();
+  assert.equal(sent.length, 1);
+  await command(bot, "bot is lab open");
+  assert.equal(sent.at(-1).messages[0], "lab is open");
+
+  time = new Date("2026-09-23T20:30:00.000Z"); // 2:00 AM IST
+  tick();
+  await bot.flush();
+  assert.equal(sent.at(-1).envelope.room, "bottesting");
+  assert.equal(sent.at(-1).messages[0], "Lab is now closed (auto-updated at 2:00 AM IST).");
+  const count = sent.length;
+  time = new Date("2026-09-23T20:30:30.000Z");
+  tick();
+  await bot.flush();
+  assert.equal(sent.length, count);
+  await command(bot, "bot is lab open");
+  assert.equal(sent.at(-1).messages[0], "lab is closed");
+
+  await command(bot, "bot lab is open");
+  await command(bot, "bot is lab open");
+  assert.equal(sent.at(-1).messages[0], "lab is open");
+  time = new Date("2026-09-24T20:30:00.000Z");
+  tick();
+  await bot.flush();
+  await command(bot, "bot is lab open");
+  assert.equal(sent.at(-1).messages[0], "lab is closed");
+  assert.equal(sent.filter(item => item.envelope.room === "bottesting").length, 2);
+});
+
 test("persisted environment is restored without logging secret values", t => {
   preserveEnvironment(t, ["CUTOVER_BOOT_VALUE", "SLACK_BOT_TOKEN"]);
   const brain = new Brain();