diff --git a/e2e/task_schedule/input/schedule.nomad.hcl b/e2e/task_schedule/input/schedule.nomad.hcl
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f240bb98b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e2e/task_schedule/input/schedule.nomad.hcl
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+// Copyright (c) HashiCorp, Inc.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: BUSL-1.1
+
+variable "start" {}
+variable "end" {}
+
+job "test_task_schedule" {
+  type = "service"
+
+  group "group" {
+    # disable deployments
+    update { max_parallel = 0 }
+    # restart faster
+    restart { delay = "5s" }
+
+    task "app" {
+
+      # feature under test
+      schedule {
+        cron {
+          start    = var.start
+          end      = var.end
+          timezone = "UTC" # test "now"s are .UTC()
+        }
+      }
+
+      driver = "raw_exec"
+      config {
+        command = "python3"
+        args    = ["-c", local.app]
+      }
+
+    } # task
+  }   # group
+}     # job
+
+locals {
+  # this "app" just sleeps and handles signals to exit cleanly.
+  app = <<EOF
+import signal
+import sys
+import time
+from datetime import datetime
+
+def handle(sig, _frame):
+    print(f'{datetime.now()} exiting: {sig=}', flush=True)
+    sys.exit(0)
+
+signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, handle)
+signal.signal(signal.SIGTERM, handle)
+
+print(f'{datetime.now()} running', flush=True)
+time.sleep(10 * 60)  # 10 minutes
+EOF
+}
diff --git a/e2e/task_schedule/task_schedule_test.go b/e2e/task_schedule/task_schedule_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..45d66f80d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e2e/task_schedule/task_schedule_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,295 @@
+// Copyright (c) HashiCorp, Inc.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: BUSL-1.1
+
+package task_schedule
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	nomadapi "github.com/hashicorp/nomad/api"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/e2e/v3/cluster3"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/e2e/v3/jobs3"
+	"github.com/shoenig/test/must"
+	"github.com/shoenig/test/wait"
+)
+
+const jobspec = "./input/schedule.nomad.hcl"
+
+// TestTaskSchedule tests the task{ schedule{} } block:
+// https://developer.hashicorp.com/nomad/docs/job-specification/schedule
+func TestTaskSchedule(t *testing.T) {
+	cluster3.Establish(t,
+		cluster3.Enterprise(),
+		cluster3.Leader(),
+		cluster3.LinuxClients(1),
+	)
+
+	nomadClient, err := nomadapi.NewClient(nomadapi.DefaultConfig())
+	must.NoError(t, err)
+
+	t.Run("in schedule", testInSchedule)
+	t.Run("in future", testInFuture)
+	t.Run("job update", testJobUpdate)
+	t.Run("force run", testForceRun(nomadClient))
+	t.Run("force stop", testForceStop(nomadClient))
+}
+
+// testInSchedule ensures a task starts when allocated in schedule,
+// then is killed at the end of the schedule.
+func testInSchedule(t *testing.T) {
+	now := time.Now()
+
+	// start one minute ago, end one minute from now.
+	job := runJob(t, now.Add(-time.Minute), now.Add(time.Minute))
+
+	// task should start nearly right away
+	expectAllocStatus(t, job, "running", 5*time.Second, "task should start")
+
+	// in about a minute, the task should get killed and restart
+	expectAllocStatus(t, job, "pending", time.Minute+(5*time.Second), "task should be killed")
+
+	// all in all, this is what should have happened
+	expectTaskEvents(t, job, []string{
+		"Received",
+		"Task Setup",
+		"Started",
+		"Pausing",
+		"Terminated",
+		"Restarting",
+	})
+}
+
+// testInFuture ensures a task "pauses" until the schedule starts,
+// then is killed at the end.
+func testInFuture(t *testing.T) {
+	now := time.Now()
+
+	// run 2 min in the future, so we can ensure it stays pending for ~a minute
+	job := runJob(t, now.Add(2*time.Minute), now.Add(3*time.Minute))
+
+	// should not start right away
+	time.Sleep(5 * time.Second)
+	expectAllocStatus(t, job, "pending", 0, "task should stay pending")
+
+	logStamp(t, "wait a minute")
+	time.Sleep(time.Minute)
+	expectAllocStatus(t, job, "running", time.Minute+(5*time.Second), "task should start")
+
+	expectAllocStatus(t, job, "pending", time.Minute+(5*time.Second), "task should be killed")
+
+	expectTaskEvents(t, job, []string{
+		"Received",
+		"Task Setup",
+		"Pausing",
+		"Running",
+		"Started",
+		"Pausing",
+		"Terminated",
+		"Restarting",
+	})
+}
+
+// testJobUpdate ensures job updates that change the schedule appropriately
+// start or stop the task.
+func testJobUpdate(t *testing.T) {
+	now := time.Now()
+
+	// schedule in future; task should not run.
+	job := runJob(t, now.Add(time.Hour), now.Add(2*time.Hour))
+	time.Sleep(5 * time.Second)
+	expectAllocStatus(t, job, "pending", 0, "task should stay pending")
+
+	// update the same job with a schedule that should run now;
+	// task should run.
+	rerunJob(t, job, now.Add(-time.Hour), now.Add(time.Hour))
+	expectAllocStatus(t, job, "running", time.Minute+(5*time.Second), "task should start")
+
+	// update the job again, putting it out of schedule;
+	// task should stop.
+	rerunJob(t, job, now.Add(time.Hour), now.Add(2*time.Hour))
+	expectAllocStatus(t, job, "pending", time.Minute+(5*time.Second), "task should be killed")
+
+	expectTaskEvents(t, job, []string{
+		"Received",
+		"Task Setup",
+		"Pausing",
+		"Running",
+		"Started",
+		"Pausing",
+		"Terminated",
+		"Restarting",
+	})
+}
+
+// testForceRun ensures the "pause" API can force the task to run,
+// even when out of schedule, then resuming the schedule should stop it again.
+func testForceRun(api *nomadapi.Client) func(t *testing.T) {
+	return func(t *testing.T) {
+		now := time.Now()
+
+		// schedule in future; task should not run.
+		job := runJob(t, now.Add(time.Hour), now.Add(2*time.Hour))
+		expectAllocStatus(t, job, "pending", 5*time.Second, "task should be placed")
+
+		alloc := &nomadapi.Allocation{
+			ID: job.AllocID("group"),
+		}
+		expectScheduleState(t, api, alloc, "scheduled_pause")
+
+		// force the task to run.
+		must.NoError(t,
+			api.Allocations().SetPauseState(alloc, nil, "app", "run"))
+		expectScheduleState(t, api, alloc, "force_run")
+		expectAllocStatus(t, job, "running", 5*time.Second, "task should start")
+
+		// resume schedule; should stop the task.
+		must.NoError(t,
+			api.Allocations().SetPauseState(alloc, nil, "app", "scheduled"))
+		expectScheduleState(t, api, alloc, "scheduled_pause")
+		expectAllocStatus(t, job, "pending", 5*time.Second, "task should stop")
+
+		expectTaskEvents(t, job, []string{
+			"Received",
+			"Task Setup",
+			"Pausing",
+			"Running",
+			"Started",
+			"Pausing",
+			"Terminated",
+			"Restarting",
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// testForceStop ensures the "pause" API can force the task to stop ("pause"),
+// even when in schedule, then resuming the schedule should start the task.
+func testForceStop(api *nomadapi.Client) func(t *testing.T) {
+	return func(t *testing.T) {
+		now := time.Now()
+
+		// in schedule; task should run.
+		job := runJob(t, now.Add(-time.Hour), now.Add(time.Hour))
+		expectAllocStatus(t, job, "running", 5*time.Second, "task should start")
+
+		alloc := &nomadapi.Allocation{
+			ID: job.AllocID("group"),
+		}
+		expectScheduleState(t, api, alloc, "") // "" = run (scheduled)
+
+		// force the task to stop.
+		must.NoError(t,
+			api.Allocations().SetPauseState(alloc, nil, "app", "pause"))
+		expectScheduleState(t, api, alloc, "force_pause")
+		expectAllocStatus(t, job, "pending", 5*time.Second, "task should stop")
+
+		// resume schedule; task should resume.
+		must.NoError(t,
+			api.Allocations().SetPauseState(alloc, nil, "app", "scheduled"))
+		expectScheduleState(t, api, alloc, "")
+		expectAllocStatus(t, job, "running", 15*time.Second, "task should start")
+
+		expectTaskEvents(t, job, []string{
+			"Received",
+			"Task Setup",
+			"Started",
+			"Pausing",
+			"Terminated",
+			"Restarting",
+			"Running",
+			"Started",
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+/** helpers **/
+
+// logStamp logs with a timestamp; the feature being tested is all about time.
+func logStamp(t *testing.T, format string, args ...any) {
+	t.Helper()
+	t.Logf(time.Now().UTC().Format(time.RFC3339)+" "+format, args...)
+}
+
+// runJob runs a job.
+func runJob(t *testing.T, start, end time.Time) *jobs3.Submission {
+	t.Helper()
+	opts := jobOpts(t, start, end)
+	job, _ := jobs3.Submit(t, jobspec, opts...)
+	logStamp(t, "ran job %q", job.JobID())
+	return job
+}
+
+// rerunJob re-runs the job with new start/end times.
+func rerunJob(t *testing.T, job *jobs3.Submission, start, end time.Time) {
+	t.Helper()
+	opts := jobOpts(t, start, end)
+	job.Rerun(opts...)
+	logStamp(t, "re-ran job %q", job.JobID())
+}
+
+// jobOpts provides the options we need to (re)run the job.
+func jobOpts(t *testing.T, start, end time.Time) []jobs3.Option {
+	t.Helper()
+	startS := start.UTC().Format("4 15 * * * *")
+	endS := end.UTC().Format("4 15")
+	logStamp(t, "job options: start=%q end=%q", startS, endS)
+	return []jobs3.Option{
+		jobs3.Var("start", startS),
+		jobs3.Var("end", endS),
+		jobs3.Detach(), // disable deployment checking
+	}
+}
+
+// expectAllocStatus asserts that a job's alloc reaches the expected status
+// before the timeout.
+func expectAllocStatus(t *testing.T, job *jobs3.Submission, expect string, timeout time.Duration, message string) {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	check := func() error {
+		allocs := job.Allocs()
+		if len(allocs) < 1 {
+			return fmt.Errorf("no allocs for job %q", job.JobID())
+		}
+		actual := allocs[0].ClientStatus
+		if expect != actual {
+			return fmt.Errorf("expect alloc status %q; got %q", expect, actual)
+		}
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	if timeout == 0 {
+		must.NoError(t, check(), must.Sprint(message))
+		return
+	}
+
+	logStamp(t, "waiting up to %s: %s", timeout, message)
+	must.Wait(t, wait.InitialSuccess(
+		wait.ErrorFunc(check),
+		wait.Timeout(timeout),
+		wait.Gap(time.Second),
+	), must.Sprintf("ran out of time waiting: %q", message))
+}
+
+// expectTaskEvents asserts a job's task events Types.
+func expectTaskEvents(t *testing.T, job *jobs3.Submission, expect []string) {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	allocID := job.AllocID("group")
+	events, ok := job.AllocEvents()[allocID]
+	must.True(t, ok, must.Sprintf("did not find alloc in events"))
+
+	actual := make([]string, len(events.Events))
+	for i, e := range events.Events {
+		actual[i] = e.Type
+	}
+	must.Eq(t, expect, actual)
+}
+
+// expectScheduleState asserts that the "pause" state of the allocation/task.
+func expectScheduleState(t *testing.T, api *nomadapi.Client, alloc *nomadapi.Allocation, expect string) {
+	t.Helper()
+	actual, _, err := api.Allocations().GetPauseState(alloc, nil, "app")
+	must.NoError(t, err)
+	must.Eq(t, expect, actual)
+}