diff --git a/src/cli/daemon-cli/lifecycle.test.ts b/src/cli/daemon-cli/lifecycle.test.ts
index f026f81399f..7da1935c1e2 100644
--- a/src/cli/daemon-cli/lifecycle.test.ts
+++ b/src/cli/daemon-cli/lifecycle.test.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { afterEach, beforeAll, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vite
 type RestartHealthSnapshot = {
   healthy: boolean;
   staleGatewayPids: number[];
-  runtime: { status?: string };
+  runtime: { status?: string; pid?: number };
   portUsage: { port: number; status: string; listeners: []; hints: []; errors?: string[] };
 };
 
@@ -206,6 +206,30 @@ describe("runDaemonRestart health checks", () => {
     expect(waitForGatewayHealthyRestart).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
   });
 
+  it("does not kill the current running gateway pid when stale detection includes self", async () => {
+    const unhealthy: RestartHealthSnapshot = {
+      healthy: false,
+      staleGatewayPids: [1993, 2111],
+      runtime: { status: "running", pid: 1993 },
+      portUsage: { port: 18789, status: "busy", listeners: [], hints: [] },
+    };
+    const healthy: RestartHealthSnapshot = {
+      healthy: true,
+      staleGatewayPids: [],
+      runtime: { status: "running", pid: 1993 },
+      portUsage: { port: 18789, status: "busy", listeners: [], hints: [] },
+    };
+    waitForGatewayHealthyRestart.mockResolvedValueOnce(unhealthy).mockResolvedValueOnce(healthy);
+    terminateStaleGatewayPids.mockResolvedValue([2111]);
+
+    const result = await runDaemonRestart({ json: true });
+
+    expect(result).toBe(true);
+    expect(terminateStaleGatewayPids).toHaveBeenCalledWith([2111]);
+    expect(service.restart).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(waitForGatewayHealthyRestart).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+  });
+
   it("skips stale-pid retry health checks when the retry restart is only scheduled", async () => {
     const unhealthy: RestartHealthSnapshot = {
       healthy: false,
diff --git a/src/cli/daemon-cli/lifecycle.ts b/src/cli/daemon-cli/lifecycle.ts
index d3e01f66412..df85ee3cc04 100644
--- a/src/cli/daemon-cli/lifecycle.ts
+++ b/src/cli/daemon-cli/lifecycle.ts
@@ -207,15 +207,22 @@ export async function runDaemonRestart(opts: DaemonLifecycleOptions = {}): Promi
         includeUnknownListenersAsStale: process.platform === "win32",
       });
 
-      if (!health.healthy && health.staleGatewayPids.length > 0) {
-        const staleMsg = `Found stale gateway process(es): ${health.staleGatewayPids.join(", ")}.`;
+      const staleGatewayPids = health.staleGatewayPids.filter((pid) => {
+        if (health.runtime.status !== "running") {
+          return true;
+        }
+        return health.runtime.pid == null || pid !== health.runtime.pid;
+      });
+
+      if (!health.healthy && staleGatewayPids.length > 0) {
+        const staleMsg = `Found stale gateway process(es): ${staleGatewayPids.join(", ")}.`;
         warnings.push(staleMsg);
         if (!json) {
           defaultRuntime.log(theme.warn(staleMsg));
           defaultRuntime.log(theme.muted("Stopping stale process(es) and retrying restart..."));
         }
 
-        await terminateStaleGatewayPids(health.staleGatewayPids);
+        await terminateStaleGatewayPids(staleGatewayPids);
         const retryRestart = await service.restart({ env: process.env, stdout });
         if (retryRestart.outcome === "scheduled") {
           return retryRestart;