diff --git a/electron-builder.yml b/electron-builder.yml
index 6ddc885ef..88899dbc1 100644
--- a/electron-builder.yml
+++ b/electron-builder.yml
@@ -157,10 +157,7 @@ linux:
   maintainer: ClawX Team <public@valuecell.ai>
   vendor: ClawX
   synopsis: AI Assistant powered by OpenClaw
-  description: |
-    ClawX is a graphical AI assistant application that integrates with
-    OpenClaw Gateway to provide intelligent automation and assistance
-    across multiple messaging platforms.
+  description: ClawX is a graphical AI assistant application that integrates with OpenClaw Gateway to provide intelligent automation and assistance across multiple messaging platforms.
   desktop:
     entry:
       Name: ClawX
diff --git a/electron/gateway/manager.ts b/electron/gateway/manager.ts
index b83cfbe9a..610d63fbf 100644
--- a/electron/gateway/manager.ts
+++ b/electron/gateway/manager.ts
@@ -436,6 +436,14 @@ export class GatewayManager extends EventEmitter {
 
           logger.debug('No existing Gateway found, starting new process...');
 
+          // On Windows, TCP TIME_WAIT can hold the port for up to 2 minutes
+          // after the previous Gateway process exits, preventing the new one
+          // from binding. Wait for the port to be free before proceeding.
+          if (process.platform === 'win32') {
+            await this.waitForPortFree(this.status.port);
+            this.assertLifecycleEpoch(startEpoch, 'start/wait-port');
+          }
+
           // Start new Gateway process
           await this.startProcess();
           this.assertLifecycleEpoch(startEpoch, 'start/start-process');
@@ -1015,6 +1023,45 @@ export class GatewayManager extends EventEmitter {
    * Start Gateway process
    * Uses OpenClaw npm package from node_modules (dev) or resources (production)
    */
+  /**
+   * Wait until the gateway port is no longer held by the OS.
+   * On Windows, TCP TIME_WAIT can keep a port occupied for up to 2 minutes
+   * after the owning process exits, causing the new Gateway to hang on bind.
+   */
+  private async waitForPortFree(port: number, timeoutMs = 30000): Promise<void> {
+    const net = await import('net');
+    const start = Date.now();
+    const pollInterval = 500;
+    let logged = false;
+
+    while (Date.now() - start < timeoutMs) {
+      const available = await new Promise<boolean>((resolve) => {
+        const server = net.createServer();
+        server.once('error', () => resolve(false));
+        server.once('listening', () => {
+          server.close(() => resolve(true));
+        });
+        server.listen(port, '127.0.0.1');
+      });
+
+      if (available) {
+        const elapsed = Date.now() - start;
+        if (elapsed > pollInterval) {
+          logger.info(`Port ${port} became available after ${elapsed}ms`);
+        }
+        return;
+      }
+
+      if (!logged) {
+        logger.info(`Waiting for port ${port} to become available (Windows TCP TIME_WAIT)...`);
+        logged = true;
+      }
+      await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, pollInterval));
+    }
+
+    logger.warn(`Port ${port} still occupied after ${timeoutMs}ms, proceeding anyway`);
+  }
+
   private async startProcess(): Promise<void> {
     // Ensure no system-managed gateway service will compete with our process.
     await this.unloadLaunchctlService();
diff --git a/electron/gateway/process-policy.ts b/electron/gateway/process-policy.ts
index c693a14c0..ece3b6596 100644
--- a/electron/gateway/process-policy.ts
+++ b/electron/gateway/process-policy.ts
@@ -46,11 +46,16 @@ export type DeferredRestartAction = 'none' | 'wait' | 'drop' | 'execute';
 
 /**
  * Decide what to do with a pending deferred restart once lifecycle changes.
+ *
+ * A deferred restart is an explicit restart() call that was postponed because
+ * the manager was mid-startup/reconnect.  When the in-flight operation settles
+ * we must honour the request — even if the gateway is now running — because
+ * the caller may have changed config (e.g. provider switch) that the current
+ * process hasn't picked up.
  */
 export function getDeferredRestartAction(context: DeferredRestartActionContext): DeferredRestartAction {
   if (!context.hasPendingRestart) return 'none';
   if (shouldDeferRestart(context)) return 'wait';
   if (!context.shouldReconnect) return 'drop';
-  if (context.state === 'running') return 'drop';
   return 'execute';
 }
diff --git a/electron/main/ipc-handlers.ts b/electron/main/ipc-handlers.ts
index 424e94e08..ced2a1b26 100644
--- a/electron/main/ipc-handlers.ts
+++ b/electron/main/ipc-handlers.ts
@@ -995,10 +995,14 @@ function registerDeviceOAuthHandlers(mainWindow: BrowserWindow): void {
  * Provider-related IPC handlers
  */
 function registerProviderHandlers(gatewayManager: GatewayManager): void {
-  // Listen for OAuth success to automatically restart the Gateway with new tokens/configs
+  // Listen for OAuth success to automatically restart the Gateway with new tokens/configs.
+  // Use a longer debounce (8s) so that provider:setDefault — which writes the full config
+  // and then calls debouncedRestart(2s) — has time to fire and coalesce into a single
+  // restart.  Without this, the OAuth restart fires first with stale config, and the
+  // subsequent provider:setDefault restart is deferred and dropped.
   deviceOAuthManager.on('oauth:success', (providerType) => {
     logger.info(`[IPC] Scheduling Gateway restart after ${providerType} OAuth success...`);
-    gatewayManager.debouncedRestart();
+    gatewayManager.debouncedRestart(8000);
   });
 
   // Get all providers with key info
diff --git a/tests/unit/gateway-process-policy.test.ts b/tests/unit/gateway-process-policy.test.ts
index 04089b20d..9392f9d20 100644
--- a/tests/unit/gateway-process-policy.test.ts
+++ b/tests/unit/gateway-process-policy.test.ts
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ describe('gateway process policy helpers', () => {
       expect(shouldDeferRestart({ state: 'error', startLock: false })).toBe(false);
     });
 
-    it('drops deferred restart once lifecycle recovers to running', () => {
+    it('executes deferred restart even after lifecycle recovers to running', () => {
       expect(
         getDeferredRestartAction({
           hasPendingRestart: true,
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ describe('gateway process policy helpers', () => {
           startLock: false,
           shouldReconnect: true,
         })
-      ).toBe('drop');
+      ).toBe('execute');
     });
 
     it('waits deferred restart while lifecycle is still busy', () => {