diff --git a/docs/cli/configure.md b/docs/cli/configure.md
index 518cc20c1c81..6bb782f18f59 100644
--- a/docs/cli/configure.md
+++ b/docs/cli/configure.md
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ When configure starts from a provider auth choice, the default-model and model-p
 
 - After local config writes, configure installs selected downloadable plugins when the chosen setup path requires them. Remote gateway config does not install local plugin packages.
 - Channel-oriented services (Slack/Discord/Matrix/Microsoft Teams) prompt for channel/room allowlists during setup. You can enter names or IDs; the wizard resolves names to IDs when possible.
+- Choosing **Reinstall** keeps the existing Gateway service in place while you select its runtime and configure validates authentication and prepares the replacement. Cancelling or failing during preparation leaves the existing service installed.
 - If you run the daemon install step, token auth requires a token. If `gateway.auth.token` is SecretRef-managed, configure validates the SecretRef but does not persist resolved plaintext token values into supervisor service environment metadata; if the SecretRef is unresolved, configure blocks daemon install with actionable remediation guidance.
 - If both `gateway.auth.token` and `gateway.auth.password` are configured and `gateway.auth.mode` is unset, configure blocks daemon install until you set the mode explicitly.
 
diff --git a/src/commands/configure.daemon.test.ts b/src/commands/configure.daemon.test.ts
index 0d927e6c24a3..d50d034d8961 100644
--- a/src/commands/configure.daemon.test.ts
+++ b/src/commands/configure.daemon.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 // Configure daemon tests cover daemon install prompts, progress labels, and runtime install calls.
 
+import { PassThrough } from "node:stream";
+import { select as clackSelect } from "@clack/prompts";
 import { expectDefined } from "@openclaw/normalization-core";
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import { maybeInstallDaemon } from "./configure.daemon.js";
@@ -14,13 +16,14 @@ const buildGatewayInstallPlan = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn());
 const note = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn());
 const serviceIsLoaded = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn(async () => false));
 const serviceInstall = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn(async () => {}));
+const serviceUninstall = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn(async () => {}));
 const serviceRestart = vi.hoisted(() =>
   vi.fn<() => Promise<{ outcome: "completed" } | { outcome: "scheduled" }>>(async () => ({
     outcome: "completed",
   })),
 );
 const ensureSystemdUserLingerInteractive = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn(async () => {}));
-const select = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn(async () => "node"));
+const select = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn<() => Promise<string | symbol>>(async () => "node"));
 
 vi.mock("../cli/progress.js", () => ({
   withProgress,
@@ -49,11 +52,6 @@ vi.mock("./configure.shared.js", () => ({
   select,
 }));
 
-vi.mock("./daemon-runtime.js", () => ({
-  DEFAULT_GATEWAY_DAEMON_RUNTIME: "node",
-  GATEWAY_DAEMON_RUNTIME_OPTIONS: [{ value: "node", label: "Node" }],
-}));
-
 vi.mock("../daemon/service.js", async () => {
   const actual =
     await vi.importActual<typeof import("../daemon/service.js")>("../daemon/service.js");
@@ -62,15 +60,12 @@ vi.mock("../daemon/service.js", async () => {
     resolveGatewayService: vi.fn(() => ({
       isLoaded: serviceIsLoaded,
       install: serviceInstall,
+      uninstall: serviceUninstall,
       restart: serviceRestart,
     })),
   };
 });
 
-vi.mock("./onboard-helpers.js", () => ({
-  guardCancel: (value: unknown) => value,
-}));
-
 vi.mock("./systemd-linger.js", () => ({
   ensureSystemdUserLingerInteractive,
 }));
@@ -81,6 +76,9 @@ describe("maybeInstallDaemon", () => {
     progressSetLabel.mockReset();
     serviceIsLoaded.mockResolvedValue(false);
     serviceInstall.mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+    serviceUninstall.mockReset();
+    select.mockReset();
+    select.mockResolvedValue("node");
     serviceRestart.mockResolvedValue({ outcome: "completed" });
     loadConfig.mockReturnValue({});
     resolveGatewayInstallToken.mockResolvedValue({
@@ -113,7 +111,11 @@ describe("maybeInstallDaemon", () => {
     expect(serviceInstall).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
   });
 
-  it("blocks install when token SecretRef is unresolved", async () => {
+  it.each([false, true])("blocks install with unresolved auth (reinstall=%s)", async (loaded) => {
+    serviceIsLoaded.mockResolvedValue(loaded);
+    if (loaded) {
+      select.mockResolvedValueOnce("reinstall");
+    }
     resolveGatewayInstallToken.mockResolvedValue({
       token: undefined,
       tokenRefConfigured: true,
@@ -133,6 +135,64 @@ describe("maybeInstallDaemon", () => {
     );
     expect(buildGatewayInstallPlan).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     expect(serviceInstall).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(serviceUninstall).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("keeps the installed service when runtime selection is cancelled", async () => {
+    serviceIsLoaded.mockResolvedValue(true);
+    const cancelled = await clackSelect({
+      message: "Runtime",
+      options: [{ value: "node", label: "Node" }],
+      signal: AbortSignal.abort(),
+      input: new PassThrough(),
+      output: new PassThrough(),
+    });
+    select.mockResolvedValueOnce("reinstall").mockResolvedValueOnce(cancelled);
+    const runtime = {
+      log: vi.fn(),
+      error: vi.fn(),
+      exit: vi.fn(() => {
+        throw new Error("setup cancelled");
+      }),
+    };
+
+    await expect(maybeInstallDaemon({ runtime, port: 18789 })).rejects.toThrow("setup cancelled");
+
+    expect(runtime.exit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(1);
+    expect(serviceUninstall).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(resolveGatewayInstallToken).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(serviceInstall).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("keeps the installed service when replacement planning fails", async () => {
+    serviceIsLoaded.mockResolvedValue(true);
+    select.mockResolvedValueOnce("reinstall");
+    buildGatewayInstallPlan.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("replacement plan failed"));
+
+    await expect(
+      maybeInstallDaemon({
+        runtime: { log: vi.fn(), error: vi.fn(), exit: vi.fn() },
+        port: 18789,
+      }),
+    ).rejects.toThrow("replacement plan failed");
+
+    expect(serviceUninstall).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(serviceInstall).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("hands the existing service to the replacement installer", async () => {
+    serviceIsLoaded.mockResolvedValue(true);
+    select.mockResolvedValueOnce("reinstall");
+
+    const outcome = await maybeInstallDaemon({
+      runtime: { log: vi.fn(), error: vi.fn(), exit: vi.fn() },
+      port: 18789,
+    });
+
+    expect(outcome).toBe("succeeded");
+    expect(serviceInstall).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    expect(serviceUninstall).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(serviceRestart).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
   it("continues daemon install flow when service status probe throws", async () => {
diff --git a/src/commands/configure.daemon.ts b/src/commands/configure.daemon.ts
index ea469e73b190..dfb171604afe 100644
--- a/src/commands/configure.daemon.ts
+++ b/src/commands/configure.daemon.ts
@@ -71,19 +71,10 @@ export async function maybeInstallDaemon(params: {
     if (action === "skip") {
       return "skipped";
     }
-    if (action === "reinstall") {
-      await withProgress(
-        { label: "Gateway service", indeterminate: true, delayMs: 0 },
-        async (progress) => {
-          progress.setLabel("Uninstalling Gateway service…");
-          await service.uninstall({ env: process.env, stdout: process.stdout });
-          progress.setLabel("Gateway service uninstalled.");
-        },
-      );
-    }
   }
 
   if (shouldInstall) {
+    // Keep the old service until preparation succeeds; install owns replacement.
     let installError: string | null = null;
     if (!params.daemonRuntime) {
       if (GATEWAY_DAEMON_RUNTIME_OPTIONS.length === 1) {
diff --git a/src/wizard/i18n/locales/en.ts b/src/wizard/i18n/locales/en.ts
index 42c6b6784570..814f107376aa 100644
--- a/src/wizard/i18n/locales/en.ts
+++ b/src/wizard/i18n/locales/en.ts
@@ -1140,8 +1140,6 @@ export const en = {
       gatewayServiceRestarted: "Gateway service restarted.",
       gatewayServiceRestarting: "Restarting Gateway service...",
       gatewayServiceRestartScheduled: "Gateway service restart scheduled.",
-      gatewayServiceUninstalled: "Gateway service uninstalled.",
-      gatewayServiceUninstalling: "Uninstalling Gateway service...",
       gatewayTokenGenerate: "Generate token: {command}",
       gatewayTokenShared: "Gateway token: shared auth for the Gateway + Control UI.",
       gatewayTokenStored:
diff --git a/src/wizard/i18n/locales/zh-CN.ts b/src/wizard/i18n/locales/zh-CN.ts
index 78e4804c9b20..056113d54c19 100644
--- a/src/wizard/i18n/locales/zh-CN.ts
+++ b/src/wizard/i18n/locales/zh-CN.ts
@@ -1103,8 +1103,6 @@ export const zh_CN = {
       gatewayServiceRestarted: "Gateway 服务已重启。",
       gatewayServiceRestarting: "正在重启 Gateway 服务...",
       gatewayServiceRestartScheduled: "Gateway 服务重启已排队。",
-      gatewayServiceUninstalled: "Gateway 服务已卸载。",
-      gatewayServiceUninstalling: "正在卸载 Gateway 服务...",
       gatewayTokenGenerate: "生成令牌：{command}",
       gatewayTokenShared: "Gateway 令牌：Gateway 和 Control UI 的共享认证。",
       gatewayTokenStored:
diff --git a/src/wizard/i18n/locales/zh-TW.ts b/src/wizard/i18n/locales/zh-TW.ts
index 2713ab4dace2..a4aaf12fe11c 100644
--- a/src/wizard/i18n/locales/zh-TW.ts
+++ b/src/wizard/i18n/locales/zh-TW.ts
@@ -1104,8 +1104,6 @@ export const zh_TW = {
       gatewayServiceRestarted: "Gateway 服務已重新啟動。",
       gatewayServiceRestarting: "正在重新啟動 Gateway 服務...",
       gatewayServiceRestartScheduled: "Gateway 服務重新啟動已排程。",
-      gatewayServiceUninstalled: "Gateway 服務已解除安裝。",
-      gatewayServiceUninstalling: "正在解除安裝 Gateway 服務...",
       gatewayTokenGenerate: "產生權杖：{command}",
       gatewayTokenShared: "Gateway 權杖：Gateway 和 Control UI 的共享認證。",
       gatewayTokenStored:
diff --git a/src/wizard/setup.finalize.test.ts b/src/wizard/setup.finalize.test.ts
index 43bbce034fdf..319448f4a86b 100644
--- a/src/wizard/setup.finalize.test.ts
+++ b/src/wizard/setup.finalize.test.ts
@@ -1111,6 +1111,37 @@ describe("finalizeSetupWizard", () => {
     expect(gatewayServiceInstall).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
+  it.each([false, true])(
+    "detects the surviving gateway after failed reinstall (skipHealth=%s)",
+    async (skipHealth) => {
+      gatewayServiceIsLoaded.mockResolvedValue(true);
+      buildGatewayInstallPlan.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("replacement plan failed"));
+      probeGatewayReachable.mockResolvedValue({ ok: true });
+      const prompter = buildWizardPrompter({
+        select: vi.fn().mockResolvedValueOnce("reinstall").mockResolvedValueOnce("tui"),
+      });
+
+      await finalizeSetupWizard(
+        createFinalizeArgs("quickstart", {
+          opts: { installDaemon: true, skipHealth },
+          prompter,
+        }),
+      );
+
+      expect(gatewayServiceUninstall).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(gatewayServiceInstall).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(waitForGatewayReachable).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(probeGatewayReachable).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+      expect(healthCommand).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(skipHealth ? 0 : 1);
+      expect(runTui).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        expect.objectContaining({ boundGateway: { url: "ws://127.0.0.1:18789" } }),
+      );
+      expectNoteContains(prompter, "replacement plan failed", "Gateway");
+      expectNoteNotContains(prompter, "Gateway: not detected");
+      expect(prompter.outro).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.stringContaining("setup failed"));
+    },
+  );
+
   it("reports gateway installation failure without waiting for impossible health", async () => {
     gatewayServiceInstall.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("service install exploded"));
     const prompter = createLaterPrompter();
@@ -1124,10 +1155,10 @@ describe("finalizeSetupWizard", () => {
     );
 
     expect(waitForGatewayReachable).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-    expect(probeGatewayReachable).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(probeGatewayReachable).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
     expect(runtime.error).toHaveBeenCalledWith("health failed");
     expectNoteContains(prompter, "service install exploded", "Gateway");
-    expectNoteContains(prompter, "Gateway: not detected (service install exploded)", "Control UI");
+    expectNoteContains(prompter, "Gateway: not detected (offline)", "Control UI");
     expect(prompter.outro).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
       expect.stringContaining("managed Mock Platform Service setup failed"),
     );
@@ -1442,6 +1473,73 @@ describe("finalizeSetupWizard", () => {
     expect(progressStop).toHaveBeenCalledWith("Gateway service restart scheduled.");
   });
 
+  it.each(["auth", "planning"])(
+    "preserves the installed service when reinstall %s fails",
+    async (failure) => {
+      let installed = true;
+      gatewayServiceIsLoaded.mockImplementation(async () => installed);
+      gatewayServiceUninstall.mockImplementationOnce(async () => {
+        installed = false;
+      });
+      if (failure === "auth") {
+        resolveGatewayInstallToken.mockImplementationOnce(async () => ({
+          token: undefined,
+          tokenRefConfigured: true,
+          warnings: [],
+          unavailableReason: "replacement auth unavailable",
+        }));
+      } else {
+        buildGatewayInstallPlan.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("replacement plan failed"));
+      }
+      const prompter = buildWizardPrompter({ select: vi.fn(async () => "reinstall") as never });
+
+      const result = await ensureGatewayServiceForOnboarding(
+        createFinalizeArgs("quickstart", { opts: { installDaemon: true }, prompter }),
+      );
+
+      expect(result.gateway.status).toBe("failed");
+      expect(installed).toBe(true);
+      expect(gatewayServiceInstall).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    },
+  );
+
+  it("passes the existing service intact to the reinstall owner", async () => {
+    let installed = true;
+    gatewayServiceIsLoaded.mockImplementation(async () => installed);
+    gatewayServiceUninstall.mockImplementationOnce(async () => {
+      installed = false;
+    });
+    gatewayServiceInstall.mockImplementationOnce(async () => {
+      expect(installed).toBe(true);
+    });
+    const prompter = buildWizardPrompter({ select: vi.fn(async () => "reinstall") as never });
+
+    const result = await ensureGatewayServiceForOnboarding(
+      createFinalizeArgs("quickstart", { opts: { installDaemon: true }, prompter }),
+    );
+
+    expect(result.gateway).toEqual({ status: "ready", action: "installed" });
+    expect(gatewayServiceInstall).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    expect(gatewayServiceUninstall).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it.each(["skip", "restart"])("does not turn %s into an implicit reinstall", async (action) => {
+    gatewayServiceIsLoaded.mockResolvedValueOnce(true).mockResolvedValue(false);
+    const prompter = buildWizardPrompter({ select: vi.fn(async () => action) as never });
+
+    const result = await ensureGatewayServiceForOnboarding(
+      createFinalizeArgs("quickstart", { opts: { installDaemon: true }, prompter }),
+    );
+
+    expect(result.gateway).toEqual({
+      status: "ready",
+      action: action === "restart" ? "restarted" : "reused",
+    });
+    expect(gatewayServiceInstall).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(gatewayServiceUninstall).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(gatewayServiceRestart).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(action === "restart" ? 1 : 0);
+  });
+
   it("localizes finalize non-prompt notes", async () => {
     const previousLocale = process.env.OPENCLAW_LOCALE;
     process.env.OPENCLAW_LOCALE = "zh-CN";
diff --git a/src/wizard/setup.finalize.ts b/src/wizard/setup.finalize.ts
index 055416c48145..d9c23a5c8542 100644
--- a/src/wizard/setup.finalize.ts
+++ b/src/wizard/setup.finalize.ts
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ function buildGatewayRecoveryProjection(params: {
 } {
   const { gateway } = params;
   const notDetected = t("wizard.finalize.gatewayNotDetected");
-  if (params.reachable) {
+  if (params.reachable && gateway.status !== "failed") {
     return { detail: t("wizard.finalize.gatewayReachable"), summary: t("wizard.guided.complete") };
   }
   if (gateway.status === "ready") {
@@ -202,7 +202,10 @@ function buildGatewayRecoveryProjection(params: {
       statusCommand: formatCliCommand("openclaw gateway status --deep"),
       recoveryCommand: formatCliCommand("openclaw gateway install --force"),
     });
-    return { detail, summary: `${notDetected} ${detail.replaceAll("\n", " ")}` };
+    return {
+      detail,
+      summary: `${params.reachable ? "" : `${notDetected} `}${detail.replaceAll("\n", " ")}`,
+    };
   }
 
   const startGuidance =
@@ -388,7 +391,7 @@ export async function ensureGatewayServiceForOnboarding(params: {
       }
     }
     const loaded = await service.isLoaded({ env: process.env });
-    let restartWasScheduled = false;
+    let shouldInstall = !loaded;
     if (loaded) {
       const action =
         (params.loadedAction === "restart" ? params.loadedAction : undefined) ??
@@ -415,7 +418,6 @@ export async function ensureGatewayServiceForOnboarding(params: {
             restartDoneMessage = restartStatus.scheduled
               ? t("wizard.finalize.gatewayServiceRestartScheduled")
               : t("wizard.finalize.gatewayServiceRestarted");
-            restartWasScheduled = restartStatus.scheduled;
             gateway = {
               status: "ready",
               action: restartStatus.scheduled ? "restart-scheduled" : "restarted",
@@ -423,21 +425,12 @@ export async function ensureGatewayServiceForOnboarding(params: {
           },
         );
       } else if (action === "reinstall") {
-        await withWizardProgress(
-          t("wizard.finalize.gatewayService"),
-          { doneMessage: t("wizard.finalize.gatewayServiceUninstalled") },
-          async (progress) => {
-            progress.update(t("wizard.finalize.gatewayServiceUninstalling"));
-            await service.uninstall({ env: process.env, stdout: process.stdout });
-          },
-        );
+        // Preserve the old definition so the install owner can replace or restore it.
+        shouldInstall = true;
       }
     }
 
-    if (
-      !loaded ||
-      (!restartWasScheduled && loaded && !(await service.isLoaded({ env: process.env })))
-    ) {
+    if (shouldInstall) {
       const progress = prompter.progress(t("wizard.finalize.gatewayService"));
       let installError: string | null = null;
       const installWarnings: Array<{ message: string; title?: string }> = [];
@@ -531,9 +524,6 @@ export async function finalizeSetupWizard(
     prompter,
     runtime,
   });
-  if (gateway.status === "failed") {
-    gatewayProbe = { ok: false, detail: gateway.error };
-  }
 
   if (settings.authMode === "password") {
     try {
@@ -573,17 +563,17 @@ export async function finalizeSetupWizard(
         basePath: undefined,
         tlsEnabled: nextConfig.gateway?.tls?.enabled === true,
       });
-      // A failed installation cannot become healthy; preserve its authoritative
-      // error instead of masking it behind a slow, guaranteed-to-fail probe.
-      if (gateway.status !== "failed") {
-        // Install/restart can briefly flap the WS; wait before checking health.
-        gatewayProbe = await waitForGatewayReachable({
-          url: probeLinks.wsUrl,
-          token: settings.authMode === "token" ? settings.gatewayToken : undefined,
-          password: settings.authMode === "password" ? resolvedGatewayPassword : undefined,
-          deadlineMs: 15_000,
-        });
-      }
+      const probeOptions = {
+        url: probeLinks.wsUrl,
+        token: settings.authMode === "token" ? settings.gatewayToken : undefined,
+        password: settings.authMode === "password" ? resolvedGatewayPassword : undefined,
+      };
+      // A failed replacement may leave the old Gateway alive. Observe it once;
+      // only successful install/restart needs the startup grace period.
+      gatewayProbe =
+        gateway.status === "failed"
+          ? await probeGatewayReachable(probeOptions)
+          : await waitForGatewayReachable({ ...probeOptions, deadlineMs: 15_000 });
       if (gatewayProbe.ok) {
         try {
           const healthConfig: OpenClawConfig =
@@ -684,7 +674,7 @@ export async function finalizeSetupWizard(
       basePath: controlUiBasePath,
       tlsEnabled: nextConfig.gateway?.tls?.enabled === true,
     });
-    if (gateway.status !== "failed" && (opts.skipHealth || !gatewayProbe.ok)) {
+    if (opts.skipHealth || (!gatewayProbe.ok && gateway.status !== "failed")) {
       gatewayProbe = await probeGatewayReachable({
         url: probeLinks.wsUrl,
         token: settings.authMode === "token" ? settings.gatewayToken : undefined,
@@ -993,12 +983,17 @@ export async function finalizeSetupWizard(
     await prompter.note(t("wizard.finalize.whatNow"), t("wizard.finalize.whatNowTitle"));
 
     await prompter.outro(
-      gatewayProbe.ok && gatewayHealthCheckFailed
-        ? t("wizard.finalize.outroHealthCheckFailed", {
-            command: formatCliCommand("openclaw health"),
-          })
-        : gatewayProbe.ok
-          ? dashboardReady
+      !gatewayProbe.ok || gateway.status === "failed"
+        ? buildGatewayRecoveryProjection({
+            gateway,
+            reachable: gatewayProbe.ok,
+            serviceLabel: gateway.status === "skipped" ? undefined : resolveGatewayService().label,
+          }).summary
+        : gatewayHealthCheckFailed
+          ? t("wizard.finalize.outroHealthCheckFailed", {
+              command: formatCliCommand("openclaw health"),
+            })
+          : dashboardReady
             ? t("wizard.finalize.outroDashboardLink")
             : controlUiEnabled
               ? [
@@ -1007,13 +1002,7 @@ export async function finalizeSetupWizard(
                     command: formatCliCommand("openclaw dashboard"),
                   }),
                 ].join(" ")
-              : t("wizard.guided.complete")
-          : buildGatewayRecoveryProjection({
-              gateway,
-              reachable: false,
-              serviceLabel:
-                gateway.status === "skipped" ? undefined : resolveGatewayService().label,
-            }).summary,
+              : t("wizard.guided.complete"),
     );
 
     if (shouldLaunchTui) {