diff --git a/apps/desktop/scripts/run-tests.mjs b/apps/desktop/scripts/run-tests.mjs
index 1aa40351..92653109 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/scripts/run-tests.mjs
+++ b/apps/desktop/scripts/run-tests.mjs
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ const behaviorTests = [
   ".test-dist/tests/display.test.js",
   ".test-dist/tests/preference-patch.test.js",
   ".test-dist/tests/plugin-agent-activity.test.js",
+  ".test-dist/tests/linux-ozone-startup.test.js",
   ".test-dist/tests/pet-window-wayland-predicate.test.js",
   ".test-dist/tests/pet-window-mouse-forwarding-predicate.test.js",
 ];
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/check-packaging-contract.ts b/apps/desktop/src/check-packaging-contract.ts
index f47cb444..25d2a3ba 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/check-packaging-contract.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/check-packaging-contract.ts
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ const localeSources = new Map([
 const agentSetupSource = readFileSync(join(appDir, "src", "agent-setup.ts"), "utf8");
 const loggerSource = readFileSync(join(appDir, "src", "logger.ts"), "utf8");
 const mainSource = readFileSync(join(appDir, "src", "main.ts"), "utf8");
+const linuxOzoneStartupSource = readFileSync(join(appDir, "src", "linux-ozone-startup.ts"), "utf8");
 const appStateSource = readFileSync(join(appDir, "src", "app-state.ts"), "utf8");
 const lifecycleSource = readFileSync(join(appDir, "src", "lifecycle.ts"), "utf8");
 const localIpcSourceForLogging = readFileSync(join(appDir, "src", "local-ipc.ts"), "utf8");
@@ -112,6 +113,8 @@ assert.match(mainSource, /isLinux && !allowWayland[\s\S]*?appendSwitch\("ozone-p
 assert.match(mainSource, /if \(process\.platform === "linux"\) \{\n\s*app\.commandLine\.appendSwitch\("password-store", "gnome-libsecret"\);\n\s*\} else \{\n\s*app\.commandLine\.appendSwitch\("password-store", "basic"\);\n\s*\}/, "Linux desktop must gate password-store as gnome-libsecret on Linux with basic only in the non-Linux else branch; an unconditional switch would disable Electron safeStorage and break plugin secret saves with 'Secret storage encryption is unavailable on this system'.");
 const passwordStoreValues = [...mainSource.matchAll(/appendSwitch\("password-store",\s*"([^"]+)"\)/g)].map((match) => match[1]);
 assert.deepStrictEqual(passwordStoreValues, ["gnome-libsecret", "basic"], "desktop must set password-store exactly twice (gnome-libsecret on Linux, basic otherwise); any extra or unconditional switch would override the backend and re-break plugin secret saves.");
+assert.match(mainSource, /getLinuxX11RelaunchArgs[\s\S]*?app\.relaunch\(\{ args: linuxX11RelaunchArgs \}\)[\s\S]*?app\.exit\(0\)/, "Linux must relaunch the browser process itself with the X11 Ozone argument before creating windows.");
+assert.match(linuxOzoneStartupSource, /removeOzonePlatformArgs\(argv\.slice\(1\)\)[\s\S]*?"--ozone-platform=x11"/, "Linux relaunch must replace conflicting Ozone arguments while preserving application arguments.");
 assert.match(mainSource, /OPENPETS_ALLOW_WAYLAND/, "Linux X11 override must support the OPENPETS_ALLOW_WAYLAND opt-out escape hatch.");
 assert.match(traySource, /t\("tray\.openLogsFolder"\)/, "desktop tray must expose user-sendable logs for bug reports.");
 assert.match(enCatalogSource, /Open Logs Folder/, "English catalog must keep the user-sendable logs label.");
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/codemap.md b/apps/desktop/src/codemap.md
index ed91a1f1..763187ae 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/codemap.md
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/codemap.md
@@ -63,6 +63,12 @@ plugin-sdk-bridge.ts → plugin-sdk-routes.ts → plugin-pet-registry.ts
 └── pet-motion-engine.ts tick() calculates interpolated target vectors for spawned/default pets
 ```
 
+**Linux Ozone bootstrap**: before acquiring the single-instance lock,
+`main.ts` uses the pure planner in `linux-ozone-startup.ts` to relaunch once
+with `--ozone-platform=x11` in the browser process argv. The relaunched process
+then registers the same switch for GPU/renderer children. The
+`OPENPETS_ALLOW_WAYLAND=1` escape hatch bypasses this relaunch.
+
 **Agent Setup Flow**:
 ```
 windows.ts (IPC handlers)
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/linux-ozone-startup.ts b/apps/desktop/src/linux-ozone-startup.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..51b96f7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/linux-ozone-startup.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+export function getLinuxX11RelaunchArgs(
+  platform: NodeJS.Platform,
+  allowWayland: boolean,
+  argv: readonly string[],
+): string[] | null {
+  if (platform !== "linux" || allowWayland || hasX11OzoneArg(argv)) return null;
+  return [...removeOzonePlatformArgs(argv.slice(1)), "--ozone-platform=x11"];
+}
+
+function hasX11OzoneArg(argv: readonly string[]): boolean {
+  for (let index = 1; index < argv.length; index += 1) {
+    const arg = argv[index];
+    if (arg === "--ozone-platform") return argv[index + 1] === "x11";
+    if (arg.startsWith("--ozone-platform=")) return arg.slice("--ozone-platform=".length) === "x11";
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
+function removeOzonePlatformArgs(args: readonly string[]): string[] {
+  const result: string[] = [];
+  for (let index = 0; index < args.length; index += 1) {
+    const arg = args[index];
+    if (arg === "--ozone-platform") {
+      if (index + 1 < args.length && !args[index + 1].startsWith("--")) index += 1;
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (arg.startsWith("--ozone-platform=")) continue;
+    result.push(arg);
+  }
+  return result;
+}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/main.ts b/apps/desktop/src/main.ts
index 3b5d8ce1..abd174f0 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/main.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/main.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { createAppIcon } from "./assets.js";
 import { setLocaleFromPreference } from "./i18n/index.js";
 import { installDefaultPetDisplayHandlers, shouldOpenDefaultPetOnLaunch, showDefaultPet } from "./default-pet-controller.js";
 import { installAppLifecycle } from "./lifecycle.js";
+import { getLinuxX11RelaunchArgs } from "./linux-ozone-startup.js";
 import { startLanController } from "./lan-controller.js";
 import { debug, error as logError, getLogFilePath, info, initializeLogger, warn } from "./logger.js";
 import { startLocalIpcServer } from "./local-ipc.js";
@@ -52,19 +53,23 @@ const allowWayland = process.env.OPENPETS_ALLOW_WAYLAND === "1";
 const hasExplicitOzonePlatformArg = process.argv.some(
   (arg) => arg === "--ozone-platform" || arg.startsWith("--ozone-platform="),
 );
-// When OPENPETS_ALLOW_WAYLAND=1 we deliberately do NOT append an ozone-platform
-// switch: Electron honours the system default (typically wayland on a Wayland
-// session, or any explicit --ozone-platform the user passed) and we warn at
-// startup that positioning/gravity/walkabout/drag are unsupported there.
-if (isLinux && !allowWayland) {
-  // Force x11 even if the user passed --ozone-platform=wayland or auto;
-  // we overwrite any pre-existing switch so nothing silently slips through.
+// app.commandLine updates child launches but can be too late for the already
+// running browser process's Ozone initialization. Relaunch once with x11 in
+// the real argv so browser, GPU, and renderer processes select one backend.
+const linuxX11RelaunchArgs = getLinuxX11RelaunchArgs(process.platform, allowWayland, process.argv);
+if (linuxX11RelaunchArgs) {
+  app.relaunch({ args: linuxX11RelaunchArgs });
+  app.exit(0);
+} else if (isLinux && !allowWayland) {
+  // Keep the command-line registry aligned for child processes and diagnostics.
   app.commandLine.appendSwitch("ozone-platform", "x11");
 }
 
-const gotSingleInstanceLock = app.requestSingleInstanceLock();
+const gotSingleInstanceLock = linuxX11RelaunchArgs ? false : app.requestSingleInstanceLock();
 
-if (!gotSingleInstanceLock) {
+if (linuxX11RelaunchArgs) {
+  // The replacement browser process owns startup.
+} else if (!gotSingleInstanceLock) {
   app.quit();
 } else {
   installAppLifecycle();
diff --git a/apps/desktop/tests/linux-ozone-startup.test.ts b/apps/desktop/tests/linux-ozone-startup.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7c4fa7c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/tests/linux-ozone-startup.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+
+import { getLinuxX11RelaunchArgs } from "../src/linux-ozone-startup.js";
+
+assert.deepEqual(
+  getLinuxX11RelaunchArgs("linux", false, ["/opt/OpenPets/openpets", "--user-data-dir=/tmp/profile"]),
+  ["--user-data-dir=/tmp/profile", "--ozone-platform=x11"],
+  "Linux startup should relaunch the browser process itself with the X11 backend",
+);
+assert.equal(
+  getLinuxX11RelaunchArgs("linux", false, ["/opt/OpenPets/openpets", "--ozone-platform=x11"]),
+  null,
+  "an already-correct X11 process must not relaunch again",
+);
+assert.deepEqual(
+  getLinuxX11RelaunchArgs("linux", false, ["/opt/OpenPets/openpets", "--ozone-platform", "wayland", "--inspect=9229"]),
+  ["--inspect=9229", "--ozone-platform=x11"],
+  "the forced backend should replace conflicting split-form Ozone arguments without dropping unrelated arguments",
+);
+assert.deepEqual(
+  getLinuxX11RelaunchArgs("linux", false, ["/opt/OpenPets/openpets", "--ozone-platform=auto"]),
+  ["--ozone-platform=x11"],
+  "the forced backend should replace conflicting equals-form Ozone arguments",
+);
+assert.equal(
+  getLinuxX11RelaunchArgs("linux", true, ["/opt/OpenPets/openpets", "--ozone-platform=wayland"]),
+  null,
+  "the explicit native Wayland escape hatch must not relaunch",
+);
+assert.equal(
+  getLinuxX11RelaunchArgs("darwin", false, ["/Applications/OpenPets.app/Contents/MacOS/OpenPets"]),
+  null,
+  "non-Linux startup must remain unchanged",
+);
+
+console.log("Linux Ozone startup validation passed.");
diff --git a/docs/desktop.md b/docs/desktop.md
index 83eb819f..e5b746d1 100644
--- a/docs/desktop.md
+++ b/docs/desktop.md
@@ -43,14 +43,20 @@ Key files: `main.ts` (entry/bootstrap), `lifecycle.ts` (app events + cleanup),
 
 ## Linux display backend (Ozone/Wayland)
 
-On Linux, `main.ts` appends `--ozone-platform=x11` **before** `app` is ready, so
-the app always runs under x11/XWayland. This is required because OpenPets pets
-depend on programmatic top-level window positioning (`setPosition`/`setBounds`)
-and z-order control (`setAlwaysOnTop`); native Wayland forbids clients from
-positioning or restacking their own toplevels, which silently breaks motion,
-gravity, walkabout, drag, and always-on-top stacking. The forcing is
-unconditional (it overrides even an explicit `--ozone-platform=wayland`) so a
-mistaken launch flag cannot disable pet movement.
+On Linux, `main.ts` ensures the browser process itself starts with
+`--ozone-platform=x11`. If the initial process lacks that argument,
+`linux-ozone-startup.ts` performs one early relaunch with conflicting Ozone
+arguments replaced; the relaunched process also registers the switch through
+`app.commandLine` for child processes and diagnostics. This avoids mixing a
+Wayland browser process with X11 GPU/renderers, which can leave every OpenPets
+window invisible.
+
+OpenPets requires x11/XWayland because pets depend on programmatic top-level
+window positioning (`setPosition`/`setBounds`) and z-order control
+(`setAlwaysOnTop`); native Wayland forbids clients from positioning or
+restacking their own toplevels, which silently breaks motion, gravity,
+walkabout, drag, and always-on-top stacking. The forcing overrides even an
+explicit `--ozone-platform=wayland` unless the escape hatch is enabled.
 
 The escape hatch is the environment variable `OPENPETS_ALLOW_WAYLAND=1`: when
 set, the app honors the system default backend (or an explicit
@@ -64,8 +70,9 @@ decision (platform + `--ozone-platform` + `XDG_SESSION_TYPE`/`WAYLAND_DISPLAY`)
 is factored into `computeEffectiveWaylandBackend()` in `wayland-backend.ts`;
 `pet-window.ts` delegates to it and owns only the cache.
 
-The x11-forcing branch and the `OPENPETS_ALLOW_WAYLAND` opt-out are asserted by
-`check-packaging-contract.ts`, so this behavior cannot silently regress.
+The browser-process relaunch, x11 child-process switch, and
+`OPENPETS_ALLOW_WAYLAND` opt-out are protected by behavior and packaging
+contract tests so this behavior cannot silently regress.
 
 On Windows, the shell silently strips `HWND_TOPMOST` from other windows when an
 app enters fullscreen (browser video, games) and never restores it — and no
diff --git a/docs/development.md b/docs/development.md
index cac935d6..4aa0556c 100644
--- a/docs/development.md
+++ b/docs/development.md
@@ -121,6 +121,10 @@ and the runbooks under `web/docs/`.
   mounted macOS checkout (platform-specific `node_modules`).
 - Use the VM to validate Linux/Wayland renderer, tray, pet-window drag, IPC,
   plugin, and packaging behavior.
+- Linux defaults to a one-time early browser-process relaunch with
+  `--ozone-platform=x11`; seeing two short-lived startup PIDs is expected. Set
+  `OPENPETS_ALLOW_WAYLAND=1` only when intentionally testing the documented
+  native-Wayland limitations.
 - **WSL** cross-platform IPC (WSL client → Windows host over private TCP) is part
   of the protocol — see [ipc.md](ipc.md).