diff --git a/src/bot/index.js b/src/bot/index.js
index b521f4f9..6522efa7 100644
--- a/src/bot/index.js
+++ b/src/bot/index.js
@@ -38,17 +38,15 @@ function acquirePidfile() {
       const oldPid = parseInt(fs.readFileSync(PIDFILE, 'utf8').trim());
       // Check if old process is still alive
       try { process.kill(oldPid, 0); 
-        logger.warn(`⚠ Another zCode instance (PID ${oldPid}) is running — killing stale process`);
-        process.kill(oldPid, 'SIGTERM');
-        // Wait briefly for cleanup
-        const deadline = Date.now() + 5000;
-        while (Date.now() < deadline) {
-          try { process.kill(oldPid, 0); } catch { break; }
-          Atomics.wait(new Int32Array(new SharedArrayBuffer(4)), 0, 0, 200);
+        // Same PID or different process - just log warning, don't kill
+        if (oldPid !== process.pid) {
+          logger.warn(`⚠ Another zCode instance (PID ${oldPid}) is running — keeping this instance (PID ${process.pid})`);
+        } else {
+          logger.info(`✓ Pidfile already acquired by this instance (PID ${process.pid})`);
         }
-        // Force kill if still alive
-        try { process.kill(oldPid, 0); process.kill(oldPid, 'SIGKILL'); } catch {}
-      } catch { /* old PID dead, safe */ }
+        // Don't kill - just continue with current process
+        return;
+      } catch { /* old PID dead, safe to acquire */ }
     }
     fs.writeFileSync(PIDFILE, process.pid.toString());
     logger.info(`✓ Pidfile acquired: ${PIDFILE} (PID ${process.pid})`);