diff --git a/apps/.i18n/native-source.json b/apps/.i18n/native-source.json
index b1330acecaf6..815ebb41d1c3 100644
--- a/apps/.i18n/native-source.json
+++ b/apps/.i18n/native-source.json
@@ -18147,7 +18147,7 @@
     },
     {
       "kind": "ui-call",
-      "line": 103,
+      "line": 102,
       "path": "apps/macos/Sources/OpenClaw/MenuBar.swift",
       "source": "Settings...",
       "surface": "apple",
@@ -18155,7 +18155,7 @@
     },
     {
       "kind": "conditional-branch",
-      "line": 122,
+      "line": 121,
       "path": "apps/macos/Sources/OpenClaw/MenuBar.swift",
       "source": "OpenClaw",
       "surface": "apple",
@@ -18163,7 +18163,7 @@
     },
     {
       "kind": "conditional-branch",
-      "line": 122,
+      "line": 121,
       "path": "apps/macos/Sources/OpenClaw/MenuBar.swift",
       "source": "OpenClaw - Voice Wake live meter active",
       "surface": "apple",
@@ -18171,7 +18171,7 @@
     },
     {
       "kind": "conditional-branch",
-      "line": 317,
+      "line": 316,
       "path": "apps/macos/Sources/OpenClaw/MenuBar.swift",
       "source": "Close Canvas",
       "surface": "apple",
@@ -18179,7 +18179,7 @@
     },
     {
       "kind": "conditional-branch",
-      "line": 317,
+      "line": 316,
       "path": "apps/macos/Sources/OpenClaw/MenuBar.swift",
       "source": "Open Canvas",
       "surface": "apple",
diff --git a/apps/macos/Sources/OpenClaw/GatewayEndpointStore.swift b/apps/macos/Sources/OpenClaw/GatewayEndpointStore.swift
index b25ebebdbf7c..9bd8e4ac96fd 100644
--- a/apps/macos/Sources/OpenClaw/GatewayEndpointStore.swift
+++ b/apps/macos/Sources/OpenClaw/GatewayEndpointStore.swift
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ actor GatewayEndpointStore {
         let localPort: @Sendable () -> Int
         let localHost: @Sendable () async -> String
         let remotePortIfRunning: @Sendable () async -> UInt16?
+        let canStartRemoteTunnel: @Sendable () -> Bool
         let ensureRemoteTunnel: @Sendable () async throws -> UInt16
 
         static let live = Deps(
@@ -75,9 +76,16 @@ actor GatewayEndpointStore {
                     tailscaleIP: tailscaleIP)
             },
             remotePortIfRunning: { await RemoteTunnelManager.shared.controlTunnelPortIfRunning() },
+            canStartRemoteTunnel: { GatewayEndpointStore.primaryAppLaunchAdmitted.withValue { $0 } },
             ensureRemoteTunnel: { try await RemoteTunnelManager.shared.ensureControlTunnel() })
     }
 
+    private static let primaryAppLaunchAdmitted = LockIsolated(false)
+
+    static func admitPrimaryAppLaunch() {
+        self.primaryAppLaunchAdmitted.withValue { $0 = true }
+    }
+
     private static func resolveGatewayPassword(
         isRemote: Bool,
         root: [String: Any],
@@ -461,10 +469,15 @@ actor GatewayEndpointStore {
         self.remoteEnsure = nil
     }
 
-    private func kickRemoteEnsureIfNeeded(detail: String) {
+    @discardableResult
+    private func kickRemoteEnsureIfNeeded(detail: String) -> Bool {
+        guard self.deps.canStartRemoteTunnel() else {
+            self.setState(.connecting(mode: .remote, detail: detail))
+            return false
+        }
         if self.remoteEnsure != nil {
             self.setState(.connecting(mode: .remote, detail: detail))
-            return
+            return true
         }
 
         let deps = self.deps
@@ -472,6 +485,7 @@ actor GatewayEndpointStore {
         let task = Task.detached(priority: .utility) { try await deps.ensureRemoteTunnel() }
         self.remoteEnsure = (token: token, task: task)
         self.setState(.connecting(mode: .remote, detail: detail))
+        return true
     }
 
     private func ensureRemoteConfig(detail: String) async throws -> GatewayConnection.Config {
@@ -485,7 +499,9 @@ actor GatewayEndpointStore {
             return (url, token, password)
         }
 
-        self.kickRemoteEnsureIfNeeded(detail: detail)
+        guard self.kickRemoteEnsureIfNeeded(detail: detail) else {
+            throw CancellationError()
+        }
         guard let ensure = self.remoteEnsure else {
             throw NSError(domain: "GatewayEndpoint", code: 1, userInfo: [NSLocalizedDescriptionKey: "Connecting…"])
         }
diff --git a/apps/macos/Sources/OpenClaw/MenuBar.swift b/apps/macos/Sources/OpenClaw/MenuBar.swift
index 11992df9ac37..1407f2b00d0e 100644
--- a/apps/macos/Sources/OpenClaw/MenuBar.swift
+++ b/apps/macos/Sources/OpenClaw/MenuBar.swift
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ struct OpenClawApp: App {
 
     init() {
         OpenClawLogging.bootstrapIfNeeded()
-        GatewayConnectivityCoordinator.shared.start()
 
         Self.applyAttachOnlyOverrideIfNeeded()
         _state = State(initialValue: AppStateStore.shared)
@@ -379,6 +378,10 @@ final class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate {
             NSApp.terminate(nil)
             return
         }
+        // Remote startup can spawn an SSH child. Admit tunnel work only after the
+        // singleton check so a short-lived handoff process cannot orphan that child.
+        GatewayEndpointStore.admitPrimaryAppLaunch()
+        GatewayConnectivityCoordinator.shared.start()
         self.state = AppStateStore.shared
         if let state {
             MacNodeModeCoordinator.prepareNodeIdentityProfile(
diff --git a/apps/macos/Tests/OpenClawIPCTests/GatewayEndpointStoreTests.swift b/apps/macos/Tests/OpenClawIPCTests/GatewayEndpointStoreTests.swift
index 2ed6ea0d1aed..4dc8def4fe7d 100644
--- a/apps/macos/Tests/OpenClawIPCTests/GatewayEndpointStoreTests.swift
+++ b/apps/macos/Tests/OpenClawIPCTests/GatewayEndpointStoreTests.swift
@@ -1,8 +1,34 @@
+import ConcurrencyExtras
 import Foundation
 import Testing
 @testable import OpenClaw
 
 struct GatewayEndpointStoreTests {
+    @Test func `remote tunnel waits for primary app launch admission`() async throws {
+        let admitted = LockIsolated(false)
+        let tunnelStarts = LockIsolated(0)
+        let deps = GatewayEndpointStore.Deps(
+            mode: { .remote },
+            token: { nil },
+            password: { nil },
+            localPort: { 18789 },
+            localHost: { "127.0.0.1" },
+            remotePortIfRunning: { nil },
+            canStartRemoteTunnel: { admitted.withValue { $0 } },
+            ensureRemoteTunnel: {
+                tunnelStarts.withValue { $0 += 1 }
+                return 18789
+            })
+        let store = GatewayEndpointStore(deps: deps)
+
+        await store.setMode(.remote)
+        #expect(tunnelStarts.withValue { $0 } == 0)
+
+        admitted.withValue { $0 = true }
+        #expect(try await store.ensureRemoteControlTunnel() == 18789)
+        #expect(tunnelStarts.withValue { $0 } == 1)
+    }
+
     private func makeLaunchAgentSnapshot(
         env: [String: String],
         token: String?,