diff --git a/src/daemon/launchd-plist.ts b/src/daemon/launchd-plist.ts
index fa2a780a5c8..a9b489af438 100644
--- a/src/daemon/launchd-plist.ts
+++ b/src/daemon/launchd-plist.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 import fs from "node:fs/promises";
 
-// launchd applies ThrottleInterval to any rapid relaunch, including
-// intentional gateway restarts. Keep it low so CLI restarts and forced
-// reinstalls do not stall for a full minute.
-export const LAUNCH_AGENT_THROTTLE_INTERVAL_SECONDS = 1;
+// 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.
+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    ${commentXml}\n    <key>RunAtLoad</key>\n    <true/>\n    <key>KeepAlive</key>\n    <true/>\n    <key>ThrottleInterval</key>\n    <integer>${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`;
+  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`;
 }
diff --git a/src/daemon/launchd.test.ts b/src/daemon/launchd.test.ts
index ca94f8b5602..f1b7574eb46 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=true policy with restrictive umask", async () => {
+  it("writes KeepAlive restart-on-failure policy with restrictive umask", async () => {
     const env = createDefaultLaunchdEnv();
     await installLaunchAgent({
       env,
@@ -200,8 +200,9 @@ describe("launchd install", () => {
     const plistPath = resolveLaunchAgentPlistPath(env);
     const plist = state.files.get(plistPath) ?? "";
     expect(plist).toContain("<key>KeepAlive</key>");
-    expect(plist).toContain("<true/>");
-    expect(plist).not.toContain("<key>SuccessfulExit</key>");
+    expect(plist).toContain("<dict>");
+    expect(plist).toContain("<key>SuccessfulExit</key>");
+    expect(plist).toContain("<false/>");
     expect(plist).toContain("<key>Umask</key>");
     expect(plist).toContain(`<integer>${LAUNCH_AGENT_UMASK_DECIMAL}</integer>`);
     expect(plist).toContain("<key>ThrottleInterval</key>");
diff --git a/src/daemon/service-audit.ts b/src/daemon/service-audit.ts
index 09e766065ec..69698b5a529 100644
--- a/src/daemon/service-audit.ts
+++ b/src/daemon/service-audit.ts
@@ -171,7 +171,10 @@ async function auditLaunchdPlist(
   }
 
   const hasRunAtLoad = /<key>RunAtLoad<\/key>\s*<true\s*\/>/i.test(content);
-  const hasKeepAlive = /<key>KeepAlive<\/key>\s*<true\s*\/>/i.test(content);
+  const hasKeepAlive =
+    /<key>KeepAlive<\/key>\s*(?:<true\s*\/>|<dict>[\s\S]*?<key>SuccessfulExit<\/key>\s*<false\s*\/>[\s\S]*?<\/dict>)/i.test(
+      content,
+    );
   if (!hasRunAtLoad) {
     issues.push({
       code: SERVICE_AUDIT_CODES.launchdRunAtLoad,
diff --git a/src/daemon/systemd-unit.test.ts b/src/daemon/systemd-unit.test.ts
index 5c5562b25e6..aa32f30f2bf 100644
--- a/src/daemon/systemd-unit.test.ts
+++ b/src/daemon/systemd-unit.test.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,16 @@ describe("buildSystemdUnit", () => {
     expect(unit).toContain("KillMode=control-group");
   });
 
+  it("restarts only on failure", () => {
+    const unit = buildSystemdUnit({
+      description: "OpenClaw Gateway",
+      programArguments: ["/usr/bin/openclaw", "gateway", "run"],
+      environment: {},
+    });
+    expect(unit).toContain("Restart=on-failure");
+    expect(unit).not.toContain("Restart=always");
+  });
+
   it("rejects environment values with line breaks", () => {
     expect(() =>
       buildSystemdUnit({
diff --git a/src/daemon/systemd-unit.ts b/src/daemon/systemd-unit.ts
index 9cddbee24d1..4e9d0d72a5f 100644
--- a/src/daemon/systemd-unit.ts
+++ b/src/daemon/systemd-unit.ts
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ export function buildSystemdUnit({
     "",
     "[Service]",
     `ExecStart=${execStart}`,
-    "Restart=always",
+    "Restart=on-failure",
     "RestartSec=5",
     // Keep service children in the same lifecycle so restarts do not leave
     // orphan ACP/runtime workers behind.