diff --git a/androidctl/src/androidctl/commands/run_pipeline.py b/androidctl/src/androidctl/commands/run_pipeline.py
index f4243a9..ca1b7fb 100644
--- a/androidctl/src/androidctl/commands/run_pipeline.py
+++ b/androidctl/src/androidctl/commands/run_pipeline.py
@@ -113,10 +113,15 @@ def run_command(cli_request: CliCommandRequest, ctx: AppContext) -> CommandOutco
         _raise_pre_dispatch_error(error, cli_request.command)
 
     try:
-        runtime_payload = daemon.get_runtime()
+        daemon, runtime_payload = _get_runtime_with_single_rediscovery_retry(
+            daemon=daemon,
+            ctx=ctx,
+            workspace_root=workspace_root,
+        )
     except (
         DaemonApiError,
         DaemonProtocolError,
+        click.ClickException,
         OSError,
         ValidationError,
         httpx.HTTPStatusError,
@@ -247,6 +252,41 @@ def _resolve_command_daemon(
         ) from error
 
 
+def _get_runtime_with_single_rediscovery_retry(
+    *,
+    daemon: RuntimeCommandClient,
+    ctx: AppContext,
+    workspace_root: Path,
+) -> tuple[RuntimeCommandClient, RuntimePayload]:
+    try:
+        return daemon, daemon.get_runtime()
+    except (
+        DaemonProtocolError,
+        OSError,
+        httpx.HTTPStatusError,
+        httpx.RequestError,
+    ):
+        if not _should_rediscover_daemon(ctx):
+            raise
+    except DaemonApiError as error:
+        if not _should_rediscover_daemon(ctx) or not _is_daemon_shutdown_busy(error):
+            raise
+
+    refreshed_daemon = _resolve_command_daemon(ctx, workspace_root)
+    return refreshed_daemon, refreshed_daemon.get_runtime()
+
+
+def _should_rediscover_daemon(ctx: AppContext) -> bool:
+    return ctx.daemon is None and ctx.daemon_discovery is not None
+
+
+def _is_daemon_shutdown_busy(error: DaemonApiError) -> bool:
+    return (
+        error.code == "RUNTIME_BUSY"
+        and error.details.get("reason") == "daemon_shutting_down"
+    )
+
+
 def _build_command_run_request(command: CliCommandPayload) -> CommandRunRequest:
     if isinstance(
         command,
diff --git a/androidctl/tests/unit/test_run_pipeline.py b/androidctl/tests/unit/test_run_pipeline.py
index f6edaad..7fa9f4f 100644
--- a/androidctl/tests/unit/test_run_pipeline.py
+++ b/androidctl/tests/unit/test_run_pipeline.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import click
+import httpx
 import pytest
 from pydantic import ValidationError
 
@@ -654,6 +655,98 @@ def discover_for_test(resolved_workspace_root: Path) -> ScriptedRecordingDaemon:
     assert outcome.payload["nextScreenId"] == "screen-next"
 
 
+def test_run_command_rediscovers_daemon_when_runtime_get_loses_closing_daemon(
+    tmp_path: Path,
+) -> None:
+    workspace_root = tmp_path / "workspace"
+    runtime_request = httpx.Request("POST", "http://127.0.0.1:8765/runtime/get")
+
+    class ClosingDaemon(ScriptedRecordingDaemon):
+        def get_runtime(self) -> RuntimePayload:
+            raise httpx.ConnectError("daemon stopped", request=runtime_request)
+
+    stale_daemon = ClosingDaemon(root=workspace_root.resolve())
+    fresh_daemon = ScriptedRecordingDaemon(
+        root=workspace_root.resolve(),
+        command_handlers={"observe": _run_pipeline_result},
+    )
+    daemon_iter = iter([stale_daemon, fresh_daemon])
+    discovery_calls: list[Path] = []
+
+    def discover_for_test(resolved_workspace_root: Path) -> ScriptedRecordingDaemon:
+        discovery_calls.append(resolved_workspace_root)
+        return next(daemon_iter)
+
+    ctx = AppContext(
+        daemon=None,
+        cwd=workspace_root,
+        env={},
+        daemon_discovery=discover_for_test,
+    )
+
+    outcome = run_command(
+        CliCommandRequest(
+            public_command="observe",
+            command=ObserveCommandPayload(kind="observe"),
+        ),
+        ctx,
+    )
+
+    assert discovery_calls == [workspace_root.resolve(), workspace_root.resolve()]
+    assert stale_daemon.runtime_requests == 0
+    assert stale_daemon.run_requests == []
+    assert fresh_daemon.runtime_requests == 1
+    assert fresh_daemon.runs == [{"command": {"kind": "observe"}}]
+    assert outcome.payload["command"] == "observe"
+
+
+def test_run_command_rediscovers_daemon_when_runtime_get_reports_shutdown(
+    tmp_path: Path,
+) -> None:
+    workspace_root = tmp_path / "workspace"
+
+    class ShuttingDownDaemon(ScriptedRecordingDaemon):
+        def get_runtime(self) -> RuntimePayload:
+            raise DaemonApiError(
+                code="RUNTIME_BUSY",
+                message="daemon is shutting down",
+                details={"reason": "daemon_shutting_down"},
+            )
+
+    stale_daemon = ShuttingDownDaemon(root=workspace_root.resolve())
+    fresh_daemon = ScriptedRecordingDaemon(
+        root=workspace_root.resolve(),
+        command_handlers={"observe": _run_pipeline_result},
+    )
+    daemon_iter = iter([stale_daemon, fresh_daemon])
+    discovery_calls: list[Path] = []
+
+    def discover_for_test(resolved_workspace_root: Path) -> ScriptedRecordingDaemon:
+        discovery_calls.append(resolved_workspace_root)
+        return next(daemon_iter)
+
+    ctx = AppContext(
+        daemon=None,
+        cwd=workspace_root,
+        env={},
+        daemon_discovery=discover_for_test,
+    )
+
+    outcome = run_command(
+        CliCommandRequest(
+            public_command="observe",
+            command=ObserveCommandPayload(kind="observe"),
+        ),
+        ctx,
+    )
+
+    assert discovery_calls == [workspace_root.resolve(), workspace_root.resolve()]
+    assert stale_daemon.run_requests == []
+    assert fresh_daemon.runtime_requests == 1
+    assert fresh_daemon.runs == [{"command": {"kind": "observe"}}]
+    assert outcome.payload["command"] == "observe"
+
+
 def test_run_command_returns_canonical_payload_for_explicit_null_result(
     tmp_path: Path,
 ) -> None: