diff --git a/src/cli/daemon-cli/lifecycle.test.ts b/src/cli/daemon-cli/lifecycle.test.ts
index 7da1935c1e2..6c1fde92ab2 100644
--- a/src/cli/daemon-cli/lifecycle.test.ts
+++ b/src/cli/daemon-cli/lifecycle.test.ts
@@ -230,6 +230,26 @@ describe("runDaemonRestart health checks", () => {
     expect(waitForGatewayHealthyRestart).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
   });
 
+  it("fails without killing the current runtime pid when stale detection only includes self", async () => {
+    const unhealthy: RestartHealthSnapshot = {
+      healthy: false,
+      staleGatewayPids: [1993],
+      runtime: { status: "running", pid: 1993 },
+      portUsage: { port: 18789, status: "busy", listeners: [], hints: [] },
+    };
+    waitForGatewayHealthyRestart.mockResolvedValue(unhealthy);
+
+    await expect(runDaemonRestart({ json: true })).rejects.toMatchObject({
+      message: "Gateway restart timed out after 60s waiting for health checks.",
+      hints: ["openclaw gateway status --deep", "openclaw doctor"],
+    });
+
+    expect(terminateStaleGatewayPids).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(service.restart).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(waitForGatewayHealthyRestart).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(renderRestartDiagnostics).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
   it("skips stale-pid retry health checks when the retry restart is only scheduled", async () => {
     const unhealthy: RestartHealthSnapshot = {
       healthy: false,