diff --git a/src/gateway/desktop/session-registry.ts b/src/gateway/desktop/session-registry.ts
index 7a7c0b21bcb1..ff8154a366aa 100644
--- a/src/gateway/desktop/session-registry.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/desktop/session-registry.ts
@@ -224,6 +224,17 @@ export function createDesktopSessionRegistry(
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Retires only owners strictly older than the claimant. An equal epoch shares the
+   * session, so fencing must not tear down a peer that claimed the same generation.
+   */
+  async function stopSuperseded(sourceKey: string, ownerEpoch: number): Promise<void> {
+    const entry = entries.get(sourceKey);
+    if (entry && entry.ownerEpoch < ownerEpoch) {
+      await stopEntry(entry);
+    }
+  }
+
   async function stopAll(): Promise<void> {
     await Promise.all([...entries.values()].map(stopEntry));
   }
@@ -235,6 +246,7 @@ export function createDesktopSessionRegistry(
     isOwnerEpochCurrent: (sourceKey: string, ownerEpoch: number) =>
       claimedOwnerEpochs.get(sourceKey) === ownerEpoch,
     stop,
+    stopSuperseded,
     stopAll,
   };
 }
diff --git a/src/gateway/worker-environments/desktop-tunnel.test.ts b/src/gateway/worker-environments/desktop-tunnel.test.ts
index 069f9469c490..d39d5e597cf8 100644
--- a/src/gateway/worker-environments/desktop-tunnel.test.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/worker-environments/desktop-tunnel.test.ts
@@ -396,4 +396,26 @@ describe("worker desktop tunnels", () => {
     await expect(launchApp(failed)).rejects.toThrow("launcher failed");
     await failed.stopAll();
   });
+
+  it("keeps a same-epoch desktop session alive when an app launch fences replaced owners", async () => {
+    const fake = fakeRunner();
+    const manager = createWorkerDesktopTunnels({ runner: fake.runner });
+    // The launcher claims the epoch first, so its fencing pass runs after the
+    // observer session for that same epoch already exists. Fencing must only
+    // retire strictly older owners; equal epochs share the session.
+    const launching = launchApp(manager, "browser", 1);
+    const starting = acquire(manager, 1);
+    await waitForStarts(fake.starts, 1);
+    fake.starts[0]?.process.becomeReady();
+    await starting;
+    await launching;
+
+    const observer = manager.attachObserver("worker:one", {
+      control: false,
+      ownerEpoch: 1,
+      close: vi.fn(),
+    });
+    expect(observer).toBeDefined();
+    observer?.release();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/gateway/worker-environments/desktop-tunnel.ts b/src/gateway/worker-environments/desktop-tunnel.ts
index 632196f9bd84..60940d4b9990 100644
--- a/src/gateway/worker-environments/desktop-tunnel.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/worker-environments/desktop-tunnel.ts
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ export function createWorkerDesktopTunnels(deps: {
   };
 
   const fenceReplacedOwners = async (environmentId: string, ownerEpoch: number): Promise<void> => {
-    await sessions.stop(environmentId);
+    await sessions.stopSuperseded(environmentId, ownerEpoch);
     const staleLaunches = [...appLaunches.values()].filter(
       (entry) => entry.environmentId === environmentId && entry.ownerEpoch < ownerEpoch,
     );