diff --git a/backend/Cargo.lock b/backend/Cargo.lock
index f3e5b80..5979f8d 100644
--- a/backend/Cargo.lock
+++ b/backend/Cargo.lock
@@ -1448,7 +1448,7 @@ checksum = "c41e0c4fef86961ac6d6f8a82609f55f31b05e4fce149ac5710e439df7619ba4"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "mangalord"
-version = "0.25.0"
+version = "0.26.0"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "argon2",
diff --git a/backend/Cargo.toml b/backend/Cargo.toml
index b44b7f8..de08c88 100644
--- a/backend/Cargo.toml
+++ b/backend/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "mangalord"
-version = "0.25.0"
+version = "0.26.0"
 edition = "2021"
 default-run = "mangalord"
 
diff --git a/backend/src/bin/crawler.rs b/backend/src/bin/crawler.rs
index d2510fe..88f95d8 100644
--- a/backend/src/bin/crawler.rs
+++ b/backend/src/bin/crawler.rs
@@ -48,6 +48,11 @@
 //!   Chromium (`--proxy-server`) and `reqwest::Proxy::all`. Supports
 //!   `http://`, `https://`, and `socks5://` (with optional user:pass).
 //!   Example: `socks5://user:pass@host:1080`. Unset → direct.
+//! - **Keep browser open**: `CRAWLER_KEEP_BROWSER_OPEN=1` — when
+//!   running headed, block on Ctrl+C at every shutdown point so the
+//!   operator can inspect DOM state, cookies, or network calls in the
+//!   visible Chromium window before exit. Ignored in headless mode
+//!   (no window to inspect).
 
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::sync::Arc;
@@ -110,6 +115,7 @@ async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     let proxy_url = std::env::var("CRAWLER_PROXY")
         .ok()
         .filter(|s| !s.trim().is_empty());
+    let keep_browser_open = env_bool("CRAWLER_KEEP_BROWSER_OPEN", false);
 
     let db = PgPoolOptions::new()
         .max_connections(5)
@@ -149,6 +155,19 @@ async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     if let Some(proxy) = &proxy_url {
         options.extra_args.push(format!("--proxy-server={proxy}"));
     }
+    // Keep-open is a debug aid; only meaningful when there's a window
+    // to inspect. Warn loudly if the operator set it under headless so
+    // they don't sit waiting for a Ctrl+C that won't show anything.
+    let keep_open = match (keep_browser_open, options.mode) {
+        (true, browser::BrowserMode::Headed) => true,
+        (true, browser::BrowserMode::Headless) => {
+            tracing::warn!(
+                "CRAWLER_KEEP_BROWSER_OPEN ignored in headless mode (no window to inspect)"
+            );
+            false
+        }
+        _ => false,
+    };
     tracing::info!(
         ?options,
         %start_url,
@@ -164,6 +183,7 @@ async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         cookie_domain = ?cookie_domain,
         user_agent = ?user_agent,
         proxy = ?proxy_url,
+        keep_open,
         storage_dir = %storage_dir.display(),
         "starting crawler"
     );
@@ -177,13 +197,13 @@ async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     // instead of 30 min into a backfill.
     let session_ready = if let (Some(sid), Some(domain)) = (&phpsessid, &cookie_domain) {
         if let Err(e) = session::inject_phpsessid(handle.browser(), sid, domain).await {
-            handle.close().await.ok();
+            close_or_wait(handle, keep_open).await;
             return Err(e);
         }
         match session::verify_session(handle.browser(), &start_url).await {
             Ok(()) => true,
             Err(e) => {
-                handle.close().await.ok();
+                close_or_wait(handle, keep_open).await;
                 return Err(e);
             }
         }
@@ -208,10 +228,27 @@ async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         force_refetch_chapters,
     )
     .await;
-    handle.close().await.ok();
+    close_or_wait(handle, keep_open).await;
     result
 }
 
+/// Either close the browser immediately or wait for Ctrl+C first.
+/// `keep_open=true` is only ever passed when the browser is headed, so
+/// the operator has a real window to poke at. Browser is dropped at
+/// the end of this fn in both cases — chromiumoxide's `Browser` is
+/// `kill_on_drop`, so we must wait for the Ctrl+C *before* the drop
+/// or the Chromium child gets killed out from under the operator.
+async fn close_or_wait(handle: browser::Handle, keep_open: bool) {
+    if keep_open {
+        tracing::info!(
+            "crawler finished; browser kept open. Press Ctrl+C to close and exit."
+        );
+        let _ = tokio::signal::ctrl_c().await;
+        tracing::info!("Ctrl+C received; closing browser");
+    }
+    let _ = handle.close().await;
+}
+
 #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
 async fn run(
     browser: &chromiumoxide::Browser,
diff --git a/frontend/package.json b/frontend/package.json
index 8867d66..ee2158a 100644
--- a/frontend/package.json
+++ b/frontend/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "mangalord-frontend",
-  "version": "0.25.0",
+  "version": "0.26.0",
   "private": true,
   "type": "module",
   "scripts": {