diff --git a/gateway/run.py b/gateway/run.py
index b9d1589760..c5c9cd9163 100644
--- a/gateway/run.py
+++ b/gateway/run.py
@@ -5096,6 +5096,17 @@ def _exit_with_failure_verdict(runner) -> bool:
     return True
 
 
+def _unexpected_signal_requires_restart(runner, signal_initiated_shutdown: bool) -> bool:
+    """True when an unplanned signal should make the supervisor revive the gateway."""
+    if not signal_initiated_shutdown or runner._restart_requested:
+        return False
+    logger.info(
+        "Exiting with code 1 (signal-initiated shutdown without restart "
+        "request) so the service manager can revive the gateway."
+    )
+    return True
+
+
 async def _start_gateway_shutdown_tail(
     runner, _control_server, cron_stop: threading.Event, cron_provider,
     cron_thread: threading.Thread, housekeeping_thread: threading.Thread,
@@ -5142,10 +5153,8 @@ async def _start_gateway_shutdown_tail(
     if runner.exit_code is not None:
         raise SystemExit(runner.exit_code)
 
-    # Unplanned SIGTERM exits non-zero so systemd Restart=on-failure revives us; planned stops must not.
-    if _signal_initiated_shutdown[0] and not runner._restart_requested:
-        logger.info("Exiting with code 1 (signal-initiated shutdown without restart "
-                    "request) so systemd Restart=on-failure can revive the gateway.")
+    # Unplanned SIGTERM exits non-zero so the service manager revives us; planned stops must not.
+    if _unexpected_signal_requires_restart(runner, _signal_initiated_shutdown[0]):
         return False  # → sys.exit(1) in the caller
 
     # Older restart paths may reach here without ``runner.exit_code``; keep the non-zero fallback.
@@ -5301,6 +5310,8 @@ async def start_gateway(config: Optional[GatewayConfig] = None, replace: bool =
                 await _shutdown_mcp_servers_nonblocking()
             if runner.exit_code is not None:
                 raise SystemExit(runner.exit_code)
+            if _unexpected_signal_requires_restart(runner, _signal_initiated_shutdown[0]):
+                return False
             return True
         finally:
             _shutdown_gateway_health_export(runner)
diff --git a/tests/gateway/test_startup_restart_race.py b/tests/gateway/test_startup_restart_race.py
index e73b84a6c1..015b4bd9f6 100644
--- a/tests/gateway/test_startup_restart_race.py
+++ b/tests/gateway/test_startup_restart_race.py
@@ -216,3 +216,67 @@ async def test_start_gateway_does_not_start_cron_after_aborted_startup(tmp_path,
     assert exc.value.code == GATEWAY_SERVICE_RESTART_EXIT_CODE
     assert cron_started is False
     assert export_shutdown_calls == 1
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("unexpected_signal", "expected_success"),
+    [(True, False), (False, True)],
+    ids=["unexpected-sigterm", "planned-stop"],
+)
+async def test_start_gateway_classifies_startup_signal_exit(
+    tmp_path, monkeypatch, unexpected_signal, expected_success
+):
+    """A startup SIGTERM is restartable unless a planned-stop marker classified it as intentional."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(tmp_path))
+    signal_state = None
+    cron_started = False
+
+    class AbortedStartupRunner:
+        def __init__(self, config):
+            self.config = config
+            self.adapters = {}
+            self._running = False
+            self._restart_requested = False
+            self.should_exit_cleanly = False
+            self.should_exit_with_failure = False
+            self.exit_reason = None
+            self.exit_code = None
+
+        async def start(self):
+            if unexpected_signal:
+                signal_state[0] = True
+            return True
+
+        async def wait_for_shutdown(self):
+            return None
+
+    def capture_signal_state(runner, state):
+        nonlocal signal_state
+        signal_state = state
+        return lambda received_signal=None: None
+
+    def fail_if_cron_starts(*args, **kwargs):
+        nonlocal cron_started
+        cron_started = True
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr("gateway.status.get_running_pid", lambda: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr("gateway.status.acquire_gateway_runtime_lock", lambda: True)
+    monkeypatch.setattr("gateway.status.write_pid_file", lambda: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr("gateway.status.remove_pid_file", lambda: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr("gateway.status.release_gateway_runtime_lock", lambda: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr("tools.skills_sync.sync_skills", lambda quiet=True: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr("hermes_logging.setup_logging", lambda hermes_home, mode: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr("gateway.run.GatewayRunner", AbortedStartupRunner)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        "gateway.run._start_gateway_make_shutdown_signal_handler", capture_signal_state
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr("gateway.run._start_cron_ticker", fail_if_cron_starts)
+    monkeypatch.setattr("tools.mcp_tool_lifecycle.shutdown_mcp_servers", lambda: None)
+
+    result = await gateway_run.start_gateway(
+        config=GatewayConfig(), replace=False, verbosity=None
+    )
+
+    assert result is expected_success
+    assert cron_started is False