diff --git a/tools/re-capture/launch_mission.sh b/tools/re-capture/launch_mission.sh
index 4126967..77cdadc 100755
--- a/tools/re-capture/launch_mission.sh
+++ b/tools/re-capture/launch_mission.sh
@@ -13,12 +13,25 @@ SD="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd)"
 SHOTS=/sylph-home/re/shots
 
 alive(){ ps -o pid=,stat= -C xenia_canary 2>/dev/null | awk '$2 !~ /^Z/ {print $1}'; }
+
+# DO NOT `setsid` THE DISPLAY OR THE EMULATOR. They used to be detached into
+# their own sessions so they would outlive the shell that started them. What
+# that actually bought was the opposite: a process nothing owns is a process
+# nothing keeps alive, and both were being reaped a couple of minutes in — the
+# long-standing "Xvfb and the emulator die on their own every few minutes" note.
+# Run this whole script as ONE tracked background task and leave Xvfb, openbox
+# and xenia as its children: they then live exactly as long as the session does.
+# `nohup` still shields them from a stray HUP; the exit-status wrapper means a
+# death is reported with the server's own account instead of being inferred.
 ensure_display(){
   if ! xdpyinfo -display "$DISPLAY" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-    setsid nohup Xvfb "$DISPLAY" -screen 0 1280x720x24 -ac -nolisten tcp \
-      +extension GLX +extension RANDR </dev/null >/tmp/xvfb98.log 2>&1 &
+    rm -f "/tmp/.X${DISPLAY#:}-lock" 2>/dev/null || true
+    nohup bash -c 'Xvfb "$0" -screen 0 1280x720x24 -ac -nolisten tcp \
+        +extension GLX +extension RANDR >/tmp/xvfb98.log 2>&1
+      echo "$(date +%T) XVFB EXIT $? (128+N means signal N)" >>/tmp/xvfb-exit.log' \
+      "$DISPLAY" </dev/null >/dev/null 2>&1 &
     for _ in $(seq 1 50); do xdpyinfo -display "$DISPLAY" >/dev/null 2>&1 && break; sleep 0.2; done
-    setsid nohup env DISPLAY="$DISPLAY" HOME=/sylph-home openbox </dev/null >/tmp/openbox98.log 2>&1 &
+    nohup env DISPLAY="$DISPLAY" HOME=/sylph-home openbox </dev/null >/tmp/openbox98.log 2>&1 &
     sleep 1
   fi
   xdpyinfo -display "$DISPLAY" >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo "DISPLAY UNAVAILABLE"; exit 1; }
@@ -32,7 +45,7 @@ rm -f /dev/shm/xenia_memory_* /dev/shm/xenia_code_cache_* 2>/dev/null
 ensure_display
 
 cd /sylph-home/re
-setsid nohup run-canary --audio --apu=sdl --log_mask=13 \
+nohup run-canary --audio --apu=sdl --log_mask=13 \
   --logged_profile_slot_0_xuid=E0300000EFBEA3D4 </dev/null >/dev/null 2>&1 &
 sleep 5
 "$SD/skip_intro.sh" 600 || { echo "BOOT FAILED (skip_intro exit $?)"; exit 1; }