diff --git a/src/daemon/launchd-plist.ts b/src/daemon/launchd-plist.ts
index a9b489af438..19c0447da45 100644
--- a/src/daemon/launchd-plist.ts
+++ b/src/daemon/launchd-plist.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import fs from "node:fs/promises";
 
 // launchd applies ThrottleInterval to any rapid relaunch, including config-crash
-// loops. Intentional gateway restarts use launchctl kickstart, so a higher value
-// here primarily slows unhealthy restart storms without making operator restarts sluggish.
+// loops and clean supervised exits. Keep KeepAlive=true so intentional restarts
+// still come back up, and use a higher throttle to slow unhealthy restart storms.
 export const LAUNCH_AGENT_THROTTLE_INTERVAL_SECONDS = 30;
 // launchd stores plist integer values in decimal; 0o077 renders as 63 (owner-only files).
 export const LAUNCH_AGENT_UMASK_DECIMAL = 0o077;
@@ -113,5 +113,5 @@ export function buildLaunchAgentPlist({
     ? `\n    <key>Comment</key>\n    <string>${plistEscape(comment.trim())}</string>`
     : "";
   const envXml = renderEnvDict(environment);
-  return `<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>\n<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">\n<plist version="1.0">\n  <dict>\n    <key>Label</key>\n    <string>${plistEscape(label)}</string>\n    ${commentXml}\n    <key>RunAtLoad</key>\n    <true/>\n    <key>KeepAlive</key>\n    <dict>\n      <key>SuccessfulExit</key>\n      <false/>\n    </dict>\n    <key>ThrottleInterval</key>\n    <integer>${LAUNCH_AGENT_THROTTLE_INTERVAL_SECONDS}</integer>\n    <key>Umask</key>\n    <integer>${LAUNCH_AGENT_UMASK_DECIMAL}</integer>\n    <key>ProgramArguments</key>\n    <array>${argsXml}\n    </array>\n    ${workingDirXml}\n    <key>StandardOutPath</key>\n    <string>${plistEscape(stdoutPath)}</string>\n    <key>StandardErrorPath</key>\n    <string>${plistEscape(stderrPath)}</string>${envXml}\n  </dict>\n</plist>\n`;
+  return `<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>\n<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">\n<plist version="1.0">\n  <dict>\n    <key>Label</key>\n    <string>${plistEscape(label)}</string>\n    ${commentXml}\n    <key>RunAtLoad</key>\n    <true/>\n    <key>KeepAlive</key>\n    <true/>\n    <key>ThrottleInterval</key>\n    <integer>${LAUNCH_AGENT_THROTTLE_INTERVAL_SECONDS}</integer>\n    <key>Umask</key>\n    <integer>${LAUNCH_AGENT_UMASK_DECIMAL}</integer>\n    <key>ProgramArguments</key>\n    <array>${argsXml}\n    </array>\n    ${workingDirXml}\n    <key>StandardOutPath</key>\n    <string>${plistEscape(stdoutPath)}</string>\n    <key>StandardErrorPath</key>\n    <string>${plistEscape(stderrPath)}</string>${envXml}\n  </dict>\n</plist>\n`;
 }
diff --git a/src/daemon/launchd.test.ts b/src/daemon/launchd.test.ts
index f1b7574eb46..a10d254b3c7 100644
--- a/src/daemon/launchd.test.ts
+++ b/src/daemon/launchd.test.ts
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ describe("launchd install", () => {
     expect(plist).toContain(`<string>${tmpDir}</string>`);
   });
 
-  it("writes KeepAlive restart-on-failure policy with restrictive umask", async () => {
+  it("writes KeepAlive policy with restrictive umask", async () => {
     const env = createDefaultLaunchdEnv();
     await installLaunchAgent({
       env,
@@ -200,9 +200,7 @@ describe("launchd install", () => {
     const plistPath = resolveLaunchAgentPlistPath(env);
     const plist = state.files.get(plistPath) ?? "";
     expect(plist).toContain("<key>KeepAlive</key>");
-    expect(plist).toContain("<dict>");
-    expect(plist).toContain("<key>SuccessfulExit</key>");
-    expect(plist).toContain("<false/>");
+    expect(plist).toContain("<true/>");
     expect(plist).toContain("<key>Umask</key>");
     expect(plist).toContain(`<integer>${LAUNCH_AGENT_UMASK_DECIMAL}</integer>`);
     expect(plist).toContain("<key>ThrottleInterval</key>");