diff --git a/apis/libsandbox.lua b/apis/libsandbox.lua
index 79c7410..3c0a644 100644
--- a/apis/libsandbox.lua
+++ b/apis/libsandbox.lua
@@ -280,16 +280,24 @@ local function createSandbox()
       scheduleReconnect();
     end);
 
-    -- CC:T passes (url, reason, code). A displacement close (code 4000) is terminal:
-    -- another computer registered with our traposId, so we yield rather than reconnect
-    -- (reconnecting would just displace it back, an endless ping-pong).
+    -- CC:T passes (url, reason, code). A displacement close (code 4000) is only
+    -- terminal when it hits our *live* (ready) socket: another computer registered
+    -- our traposId, so we yield rather than reconnect (reconnecting would just
+    -- displace it back, an endless ping-pong). A displacement that arrives while we
+    -- are still connecting/awaiting_hello is for a socket our own reconnect has
+    -- already superseded -- ignoring it keeps the healthy new socket alive instead
+    -- of bricking the daemon into a permanent 'displaced' state.
     el.register('websocket_closed', function(eventUrl, reason, code)
       if eventUrl ~= url then return; end
       if code == DISPLACED_CLOSE_CODE or reason == 'displaced' then
-        activeWs = nil;
-        state = 'displaced';
-        lastError = 'displaced';
-        log('warn', 'displaced by a newer registration; yielding', { traposId = traposId });
+        if state == 'ready' then
+          activeWs = nil;
+          state = 'displaced';
+          lastError = 'displaced';
+          log('warn', 'displaced by a newer registration; yielding', { traposId = traposId });
+        else
+          log('info', 'ignoring stale displacement during reconnect', { traposId = traposId });
+        end
         return;
       end
       log('info', 'connection closed', { code = code, reason = reason });
diff --git a/manifest.json b/manifest.json
index 3c5d7ae..dca4542 100644
--- a/manifest.json
+++ b/manifest.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "TrapOS",
-  "version": "0.9.1",
+  "version": "0.9.2",
   "branch": "next",
   "packages": [
     "trapos"
diff --git a/packages/index.json b/packages/index.json
index 9d5ae88..e4c3624 100644
--- a/packages/index.json
+++ b/packages/index.json
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@
     "trapos-net": "0.3.0",
     "trapos-ui": "0.2.2",
     "trapos-ai": "0.7.0",
-    "trapos-sandbox": "0.2.4",
+    "trapos-sandbox": "0.2.5",
     "trapos-sandbox-legacy": "0.2.2",
-    "trapos": "0.9.1"
+    "trapos": "0.9.2"
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/trapos-sandbox/ccpm.json b/packages/trapos-sandbox/ccpm.json
index 088bb00..dd7159a 100644
--- a/packages/trapos-sandbox/ccpm.json
+++ b/packages/trapos-sandbox/ccpm.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "trapos-sandbox",
-  "version": "0.2.4",
+  "version": "0.2.5",
   "description": "TrapOS sandbox gateway client: WS daemon (servers/sandbox) + sandbox command",
   "dependencies": ["trapos-core"],
   "files": [
diff --git a/packages/trapos/ccpm.json b/packages/trapos/ccpm.json
index 90f8dcf..a1bec8f 100644
--- a/packages/trapos/ccpm.json
+++ b/packages/trapos/ccpm.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "trapos",
-  "version": "0.9.1",
+  "version": "0.9.2",
   "description": "TrapOS full install meta-package",
   "dependencies": [
     "trapos-boot",
diff --git a/tests/sandbox.lua b/tests/sandbox.lua
index 5ed1e6a..28dacdc 100644
--- a/tests/sandbox.lua
+++ b/tests/sandbox.lua
@@ -255,6 +255,8 @@ testlib.test('startSession treats a displacement close by reason as terminal', f
   local ctx = startSession();
   local ws = fakes.fakeWs();
   ctx.el.fire('websocket_success', ctx.url, ws);
+  ctx.el.fire('websocket_message', ctx.url, encode({ event = 'gateway_response', type = 'hello', ok = true, payload = {} }));
+  testlib.assertEquals(ctx.session.isReady(), true);
   local timersBefore = #ctx.el.timers;
 
   ctx.el.fire('websocket_closed', ctx.url, 'displaced'); -- reason only, code absent
@@ -264,6 +266,21 @@ testlib.test('startSession treats a displacement close by reason as terminal', f
   testlib.assertEquals(#ctx.http.connects, 1);
 end);
 
+testlib.test('startSession ignores a displacement of an already-superseded socket', function()
+  -- A 4000 close that arrives before our reconnect completes hello is for a socket
+  -- our own reconnect superseded; it must not brick the daemon into 'displaced'.
+  local ctx = startSession();
+  local ws = fakes.fakeWs();
+  ctx.el.fire('websocket_success', ctx.url, ws);
+  -- still awaiting_hello (no ack yet): a stale displacement arrives.
+  ctx.el.fire('websocket_closed', ctx.url, 'displaced', 4000);
+
+  testlib.assertEquals(ctx.session.lastError(), nil);
+  -- Not terminal: a hello ack on the live socket still brings us to ready.
+  ctx.el.fire('websocket_message', ctx.url, encode({ event = 'gateway_response', type = 'hello', ok = true, payload = {} }));
+  testlib.assertEquals(ctx.session.isReady(), true);
+end);
+
 testlib.test('hello watchdog closes a socket stuck awaiting ack', function()
   local ctx = startSession();
   local ws = fakes.fakeWs();
diff --git a/tools/trap-sandbox/src/modules/trapos-cloud-gateway/index.ts b/tools/trap-sandbox/src/modules/trapos-cloud-gateway/index.ts
index bbd05e9..784933f 100644
--- a/tools/trap-sandbox/src/modules/trapos-cloud-gateway/index.ts
+++ b/tools/trap-sandbox/src/modules/trapos-cloud-gateway/index.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,14 @@ import type { AccountId } from "../../auth.js";
 
 let nextConnectionId = 1;
 
+// WS keepalive. The gateway is idle between requests, so without protocol-level
+// traffic the CC:T client's socket hits its idle timeout and drops (code 1006
+// "Timed out"), churning reconnects. We ping every interval; the client auto-pongs
+// at the protocol level. A socket that misses a full interval (no pong) is presumed
+// dead and terminated, which also reaps a rebooted machine's stale half-open entry
+// before its new daemon connects (so newest-wins doesn't fire on a phantom).
+const HEARTBEAT_INTERVAL_MS = 20_000;
+
 export type GatewayModuleOptions = {
   registry: GatewayRegistry;
   probe: OpencodeProbe;
@@ -38,13 +46,36 @@ const gatewayModule: FastifyPluginAsync<GatewayModuleOptions> = (fastify, opts)
       log,
     });
 
+    // Heartbeat: a pong (or any inbound frame) marks the socket live for the next
+    // interval; a silent interval terminates it.
+    let isAlive = true;
+    socket.on("pong", () => {
+      isAlive = true;
+    });
+    const heartbeat = setInterval(() => {
+      if (!isAlive) {
+        log.info("gateway connection heartbeat timeout; terminating");
+        socket.terminate();
+        return;
+      }
+      isAlive = false;
+      try {
+        socket.ping();
+      } catch {
+        // socket already closing; the close handler clears the interval
+      }
+    }, HEARTBEAT_INTERVAL_MS);
+
     socket.on("message", (raw) => {
+      isAlive = true;
       void connection.onMessage(raw);
     });
     socket.on("close", (code, reason) => {
+      clearInterval(heartbeat);
       connection.onClose(code, reason.toString());
     });
     socket.on("error", (err) => {
+      clearInterval(heartbeat);
       log.warn({ err }, "gateway socket error");
       connection.onClose();
     });