diff --git a/gateway/run_shutdown.py b/gateway/run_shutdown.py
index 738a37670e..72ffa097e7 100644
--- a/gateway/run_shutdown.py
+++ b/gateway/run_shutdown.py
@@ -1403,6 +1403,18 @@ class GatewayShutdownMixin:
         settled_multiplex = is_multiplex_active()
         multiplex = False
         if not on_default and not settled_multiplex:
+            # Second settled source: the live host gateway's OWN published record
+            # (its settled served set). Only when NO settled identity exists may the
+            # raw config re-read stand — it reads the UNSET flag as False, which is
+            # wrong exactly when this process IS the default-on host (#120305).
+            try:
+                from gateway import host_rendezvous as hr
+                record = hr.read_record(hr.ROLE_GATEWAY)
+                if record is not None and hr.liveness_is_proven(record) and len(record.profiles) > 1:
+                    multiplex = True
+            except Exception:
+                multiplex = False
+        if not on_default and not settled_multiplex and not multiplex:
             try:
                 from gateway.config import load_gateway_config
                 multiplex = bool(load_gateway_config().multiplex_profiles)
diff --git a/hermes_cli/gateway.py b/hermes_cli/gateway.py
index 93f8c70fb7..299b03ff3b 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/gateway.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/gateway.py
@@ -980,9 +980,15 @@ def launch_detached_profile_gateway_restart(profile: str, old_pid: int) -> bool:
 def _restart_argv_is_host_gateway(argv: list[str]) -> bool:
     """True when *argv* relaunches the host multiplexer, not a named profile's own gateway.
 
-    ``--profile <name>`` (other than default) is that profile. No selector is the host
-    only when this process is already the default root — a worker ``gateway run`` has
-    no selector and must not be retargeted.
+    ``--profile <name>`` (other than default) is that profile. A selector-less argv is
+    decided by ALREADY-SETTLED identity, never ambient coordinates alone (#93943):
+
+    1. this process's own settled multiplex verdict (``is_multiplex_active`` — set by
+       boot after ``resolve_multiplex_mode``; the gateway replaying its own restart);
+    2. the live host gateway's published rendezvous record (proof the RUNNING owner
+       settled multiplex — the update/fleet process replaying a foreign gateway's
+       captured argv has no settled flag of its own);
+    3. only then the compatibility default-root comparison.
     """
     if not argv or "gateway" not in argv:
         return False
@@ -999,6 +1005,19 @@ def _restart_argv_is_host_gateway(argv: list[str]) -> bool:
         from agent.secret_scope import is_multiplex_active
         if is_multiplex_active():
             return True
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+    # The publishing gateway's SETTLED served set, not this process's ambient home:
+    # a host launched from a named profile must be replayed as the host even though
+    # the replaying process (the updater) sits on the named profile's home.
+    try:
+        from gateway import host_rendezvous as hr
+        record = hr.read_record(hr.ROLE_GATEWAY)
+        if record is not None and hr.liveness_is_proven(record) and len(record.profiles) > 1:
+            return True
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+    try:
         from hermes_constants import get_default_hermes_root, get_hermes_home
         return get_hermes_home().resolve() == get_default_hermes_root().resolve()
     except Exception:
diff --git a/tests/gateway/test_host_gateway_profile_env.py b/tests/gateway/test_host_gateway_profile_env.py
index 51117e364d..669df26b81 100644
--- a/tests/gateway/test_host_gateway_profile_env.py
+++ b/tests/gateway/test_host_gateway_profile_env.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ and a duplicate refusal must say which claim came from the environment.
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Sequence
 
 import pytest
 
@@ -148,6 +149,85 @@ class TestHostGatewaySpawnEnv:
         assert env.get("TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN") != _WORKER_TOKEN
 
 
+class TestSettledHostRecordDecidesRestart:
+    """An updater process (no settled flag of its own) replaying a host gateway's
+    captured argv / spawning a restart watcher must take the identity from the
+    live host record the gateway published — its SETTLED served set — and never
+    from ambient coordinates (current HERMES_HOME / raw config re-read). #120305, #93943."""
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _publish_live_host_record(monkeypatch, tmp_path, *, home: Path, profiles: Sequence[str]) -> None:
+        """Publish a proven-live host record in an isolated lock dir."""
+        from gateway import host_rendezvous as hr
+        lock_dir = tmp_path / "locks"
+        lock_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_GATEWAY_LOCK_DIR", str(lock_dir))
+        record = hr.publish_record(
+            hr.ROLE_GATEWAY, profiles=tuple(profiles), home=str(home),
+        )
+        assert record is not None, "fixture must publish a host record"
+        # Make the recorded PID provably live: it must match this process's own
+        # incarnation so liveness_is_proven() positively answers.
+        published = hr.read_record(hr.ROLE_GATEWAY)
+        assert published is not None
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            hr, "_pid_incarnation_matches", lambda pid, create_time: True,
+        )
+
+    def test_selectorless_replay_of_a_live_host_is_host_even_from_named_home(
+        self, tmp_path, monkeypatch,
+    ):
+        """The updater sits on the named profile's home; the host record proves hostness."""
+        from hermes_cli.gateway import _restart_argv_is_host_gateway
+
+        default_home, worker_home = _two_homes(tmp_path)
+        self._publish_live_host_record(
+            monkeypatch, tmp_path, home=worker_home, profiles=("default", "worker"),
+        )
+        _inherit_worker_env(monkeypatch, worker_home)
+
+        assert _restart_argv_is_host_gateway(
+            ["python", "-m", "hermes_cli.main", "gateway", "run"]
+        ), "a live host multiplexer's selector-less argv must replay as the host"
+
+    def test_replay_stays_profile_scoped_without_a_live_host_record(
+        self, tmp_path, monkeypatch,
+    ):
+        """No live host record + a named-profile home => the argv is that profile's."""
+        from hermes_cli.gateway import _restart_argv_is_host_gateway
+
+        _default_home, worker_home = _two_homes(tmp_path)
+        (worker_home / "config.yaml").write_text("gateway: {}\n", encoding="utf-8")
+        _inherit_worker_env(monkeypatch, worker_home)
+        monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_GATEWAY_LOCK_DIR", str(tmp_path / "empty-locks"))
+
+        assert not _restart_argv_is_host_gateway(
+            ["python", "-m", "hermes_cli.main", "gateway", "run"]
+        ), "without settled proof a named-home process must not mint host authority"
+
+    def test_restart_watcher_uses_the_live_host_record_when_no_flag_is_set(
+        self, tmp_path, monkeypatch,
+    ):
+        """An unset raw config + no settled flag + a live host record => host env."""
+        from gateway.run_shutdown import GatewayShutdownMixin
+
+        default_home, worker_home = _two_homes(tmp_path)
+        (worker_home / "config.yaml").write_text("gateway: {}\n", encoding="utf-8")
+        self._publish_live_host_record(
+            monkeypatch, tmp_path, home=worker_home, profiles=("default", "worker"),
+        )
+        _inherit_worker_env(monkeypatch, worker_home)
+
+        env = GatewayShutdownMixin._restart_watcher_env()
+
+        assert env.get("HERMES_HOME") == str(default_home), (
+            "the live host record's settled identity must select the default root"
+        )
+        assert env.get("TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN") != _WORKER_TOKEN, (
+            "the named profile's credential must not be donated to the host watcher"
+        )
+
+
 class TestDuplicateRefusalNamesEnvClaim:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_refusal_says_which_claim_is_env_derived(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):