diff --git a/.github/workflows/adhoc-mac-build.yml b/.github/workflows/adhoc-mac-build.yml
index c081831c28b..bb5bdba37ae 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/adhoc-mac-build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/adhoc-mac-build.yml
@@ -81,7 +81,20 @@ env:
   ADHOC_RETAIN_DAYS: 30
 
 jobs:
+  # Why its own job: this package ships relays for Windows SSH hosts, and only a
+  # Windows runner compiles the addon that launches one outside sshd's job.
+  # Why the unvetted ref is safe here: this job holds no secrets, and the mac job
+  # vets the same ref before it downloads anything, so fork code never gets signed.
+  relay-windows-process-tree:
+    if: github.repository == 'stablyai/orca'
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/relay-windows-process-tree.yml
+    with:
+      ref: ${{ inputs.ref || github.ref_name }}
+
   build-adhoc-mac:
+    needs: relay-windows-process-tree
     if: github.repository == 'stablyai/orca'
     # Why an environment: it gives the signing/notary/App secrets somewhere to
     # live that a stale copy of this workflow on an old branch cannot reach.
@@ -259,6 +272,14 @@ jobs:
           fi
           cat "$RUNNER_TEMP/adhoc-identity.txt" >>"$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
+      # Only a Windows runner compiles these; the relay-windows-process-tree job
+      # built them for this run.
+      - name: Collect the Windows process-table addons for the relay
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v8
+        with:
+          name: relay-windows-process-tree
+          path: .build/windows-process-tree
+
       - name: Build app
         run: pnpm build:release
         env:
@@ -267,6 +288,9 @@ jobs:
           # gate accepts only 'stable' or 'rc', so leaving this unset keeps them
           # silent, which is correct for unvetted branch artifacts.
           ORCA_DIAGNOSTICS_TOKEN_URL: https://www.onorca.dev/diagnostics/token
+          # Fail the build rather than ship a relay that cannot launch outside
+          # sshd's job for a standard user on a Windows SSH host.
+          ORCA_REQUIRE_RELAY_NATIVE_ADDONS: x64,arm64
 
       # Why the token is minted here and not at the top: installation tokens live
       # one hour, everything before this point writes nothing, and the notary round
diff --git a/.github/workflows/daily-mac-build.yml b/.github/workflows/daily-mac-build.yml
index 4e89b1f5a4b..788ea873481 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/daily-mac-build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/daily-mac-build.yml
@@ -70,7 +70,20 @@ env:
   DAILY_RETAIN_COUNT: 30
 
 jobs:
+  # Why its own job: this package ships relays for Windows SSH hosts, and only a
+  # Windows runner compiles the addon that launches one outside sshd's job.
+  # Why main and not the mac job's head_sha: that is resolved inside the mac job.
+  # A commit or two of drift is harmless; build-relay rejects a stale or wrong-arch addon.
+  relay-windows-process-tree:
+    if: github.repository == 'stablyai/orca'
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/relay-windows-process-tree.yml
+    with:
+      ref: main
+
   build-daily-mac:
+    needs: relay-windows-process-tree
     if: github.repository == 'stablyai/orca'
     outputs:
       tag: ${{ steps.release.outputs.tag }}
@@ -247,6 +260,15 @@ jobs:
           fi
           cat "$RUNNER_TEMP/daily-identity.txt" >>"$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
+      # Only a Windows runner compiles these; the relay-windows-process-tree job
+      # built them for this run.
+      - name: Collect the Windows process-table addons for the relay
+        if: steps.freshness.outputs.should_build == 'true'
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v8
+        with:
+          name: relay-windows-process-tree
+          path: .build/windows-process-tree
+
       - name: Build app
         if: steps.freshness.outputs.should_build == 'true'
         run: pnpm build:release
@@ -256,6 +278,9 @@ jobs:
           # gate accepts only 'stable' or 'rc', so leaving this unset keeps them
           # silent, which is correct for unvetted dev artifacts.
           ORCA_DIAGNOSTICS_TOKEN_URL: https://www.onorca.dev/diagnostics/token
+          # Fail the build rather than ship a relay that cannot launch outside
+          # sshd's job for a standard user on a Windows SSH host.
+          ORCA_REQUIRE_RELAY_NATIVE_ADDONS: x64,arm64
 
       # Why a second mint: everything from here on writes to the daily repo, and
       # the notary round trip inside the publish step can be tens of minutes. The
diff --git a/.github/workflows/hourly-mac-build.yml b/.github/workflows/hourly-mac-build.yml
index 8e061b83563..30c06c5eaa1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/hourly-mac-build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/hourly-mac-build.yml
@@ -116,9 +116,22 @@ jobs:
             echo "main moved to $head_sha (last hourly built $last_sha); building."
           fi
 
-  build-hourly-mac:
+  # Why its own job: this package ships relays for Windows SSH hosts, and only a
+  # Windows runner compiles the addon that launches one outside sshd's job.
+  relay-windows-process-tree:
     needs: preflight
     if: needs.preflight.outputs.should_build == 'true'
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/relay-windows-process-tree.yml
+    with:
+      ref: ${{ needs.preflight.outputs.head_sha }}
+
+  build-hourly-mac:
+    needs:
+      - preflight
+      - relay-windows-process-tree
+    if: needs.preflight.outputs.should_build == 'true'
     outputs:
       tag: ${{ steps.release.outputs.tag }}
       version: ${{ steps.hourly.outputs.version }}
@@ -254,6 +267,14 @@ jobs:
           fi
           cat "$RUNNER_TEMP/hourly-identity.txt" >>"$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
+      # Only a Windows runner compiles these; the relay-windows-process-tree job
+      # built them for this run.
+      - name: Collect the Windows process-table addons for the relay
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v8
+        with:
+          name: relay-windows-process-tree
+          path: .build/windows-process-tree
+
       - name: Build app
         run: pnpm build:release
         env:
@@ -262,6 +283,9 @@ jobs:
           # gate accepts only 'stable' or 'rc', so leaving this unset keeps them
           # silent, which is correct for unvetted dev artifacts.
           ORCA_DIAGNOSTICS_TOKEN_URL: https://www.onorca.dev/diagnostics/token
+          # Fail the build rather than ship a relay that cannot launch outside
+          # sshd's job for a standard user on a Windows SSH host.
+          ORCA_REQUIRE_RELAY_NATIVE_ADDONS: x64,arm64
 
       # Why a second mint: everything from here on writes to the hourly repo, and
       # the notary round trip inside the publish step can be tens of minutes. The
diff --git a/.github/workflows/relay-windows-process-tree.yml b/.github/workflows/relay-windows-process-tree.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4aadd22a692
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/relay-windows-process-tree.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+name: Relay Windows process-tree addons
+
+# Why a reusable workflow: every desktop package ships relays for Windows SSH hosts,
+# but only a Windows runner can compile the addon that launches a relay outside
+# sshd's job. macOS and Linux packaging jobs download this artifact into
+# .build/windows-process-tree before `pnpm build:release` stages it.
+on:
+  workflow_call:
+    inputs:
+      ref:
+        description: Commit or tag to build; must match what the packaging job checks out.
+        required: true
+        type: string
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+jobs:
+  build:
+    # Why windows-2022: windows-latest moved to VS 2026 before node-gyp could detect
+    # it. GitHub-hosted, so release-cut's SignPath provenance rule still holds.
+    runs-on: windows-2022
+    timeout-minutes: 30
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v6
+        with:
+          ref: ${{ inputs.ref }}
+          persist-credentials: false
+
+      # Plain setup rather than a composite action: `uses: ./` resolves from the
+      # checked-out ref, which may be a release tag that predates the action.
+      - name: Setup pnpm
+        uses: pnpm/setup@v2
+        with:
+          install: false
+
+      - name: Setup Node.js
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v6
+        with:
+          node-version-file: package.json
+          cache: pnpm
+          cache-dependency-path: pnpm-lock.yaml
+
+      # Why host-only: the addon is compiled from the patched source pnpm
+      # materializes, and arm64 cross-compiles through node-gyp --arch.
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        uses: nick-fields/retry@v4
+        with:
+          timeout_minutes: 10
+          max_attempts: 3
+          retry_wait_seconds: 30
+          command: pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
+
+      # The build script refuses unpatched source and checks each output's PE
+      # machine, ReadProcessMemory import, and spawnOutsideJob export.
+      - name: Build Windows process-table addons for the relay
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          node config/scripts/build-windows-process-tree-relay-addon.mjs --arch=x64
+          node config/scripts/build-windows-process-tree-relay-addon.mjs --arch=arm64
+
+      - name: Upload relay addons
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v7
+        with:
+          name: relay-windows-process-tree
+          path: .build/windows-process-tree/
+          if-no-files-found: error
+          retention-days: 7
+          # A rerun attempt re-uploads under the same name, which is otherwise refused.
+          overwrite: true
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-cut.yml b/.github/workflows/release-cut.yml
index b8315436d5e..4228b31fd21 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-cut.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-cut.yml
@@ -1184,12 +1184,25 @@ jobs:
       - name: Confirm blocking release gates passed
         run: echo "All blocking release gates passed; artifact builds may start."
 
+  # Why its own job: every desktop package ships Windows relays, but only a
+  # Windows runner compiles the addon that launches one outside sshd's job.
+  # Needs only cut, so it overlaps the release gates instead of extending them.
+  relay-windows-process-tree:
+    needs: cut
+    if: needs.cut.outputs.should_release == 'true'
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/relay-windows-process-tree.yml
+    with:
+      ref: refs/tags/${{ needs.cut.outputs.tag }}
+
   build:
     needs:
       - cut
       - create-release
       - orcad-template
       - release-preflight
+      - relay-windows-process-tree
     if: needs.cut.outputs.should_release == 'true'
     env:
       # beforePack and afterPack fail the package when the template is absent.
@@ -1398,19 +1411,15 @@ jobs:
           echo "identity=$identity" >>"$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           echo "Classified $TAG as $identity"
 
-      # Why here and not in build:relay: only a Windows runner can compile it, and
-      # arm64 cross-compiles from this same x64 agent. Mirrors dev-channel-win-build.yml,
-      # which had it while release-cut did not — so every stable installer through
-      # v1.4.203 shipped Windows relays with no windows-process-tree.node, silently
-      # falling back to the PowerShell scan on every Windows SSH host.
-      # Why no run_attempt guard, unlike the artifact steps below: Build app is ungated,
-      # so a rerun would reach the required-addon check with nothing staged and fail.
-      - name: Build Windows process-table addon for the relay
-        if: matrix.platform == 'win'
-        shell: bash
-        run: |
-          node config/scripts/build-windows-process-tree-relay-addon.mjs --arch=x64
-          node config/scripts/build-windows-process-tree-relay-addon.mjs --arch=arm64
+      # Why every leg: each package ships relays for Windows SSH hosts. v1.4.203 and
+      # earlier shipped Windows relays with no windows-process-tree.node, and mac and
+      # Linux packages shipped none until the addon moved to its own Windows job.
+      # Why no run_attempt guard: Build app is ungated, so a rerun needs it staged too.
+      - name: Collect the Windows process-table addons for the relay
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v8
+        with:
+          name: relay-windows-process-tree
+          path: .build/windows-process-tree
 
       # Why an explicit step rather than trusting the runner image: the packaged
       # CLI launcher is a native Rust binary, and a Windows host without cargo
@@ -1448,9 +1457,9 @@ jobs:
           ORCA_BUILD_IDENTITY: ${{ steps.tag-classify.outputs.identity }}
           ORCA_DIAGNOSTICS_TOKEN_URL: https://www.onorca.dev/diagnostics/token
           ORCA_POSTHOG_WRITE_KEY: ${{ secrets.ORCA_POSTHOG_WRITE_KEY }}
-          # Fail the release rather than ship a relay that silently falls back to
-          # the PowerShell scan on every Windows SSH host.
-          ORCA_REQUIRE_RELAY_NATIVE_ADDONS: ${{ matrix.platform == 'win' && 'x64,arm64' || '' }}
+          # Fail the release rather than ship a relay that cannot launch outside
+          # sshd's job for a standard user on a Windows SSH host.
+          ORCA_REQUIRE_RELAY_NATIVE_ADDONS: x64,arm64
 
       # After the app build so nothing that cleans out/ can drop it; electron-builder ships it.
       - name: Download the orcad deployment template
@@ -2295,6 +2304,8 @@ jobs:
       - create-release
       - orcad-template
       - release-preflight
+      # release-mac-build.yml downloads the relay addons from this run.
+      - relay-windows-process-tree
     if: needs.cut.outputs.should_release == 'true'
     # Why: SignPath requires every job in this signing workflow to be
     # GitHub-hosted. The actual mac build runs in release-mac-build.yml so
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-mac-build.yml b/.github/workflows/release-mac-build.yml
index 6cd660a0018..b8555ffbdeb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-mac-build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-mac-build.yml
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ jobs:
     # faster runner.
     runs-on: blacksmith-6vcpu-macos-15
     timeout-minutes: 60
+    # actions: read fetches the relay addons from the release-cut run.
+    permissions:
+      actions: read
+      contents: write
     env:
       NODE_OPTIONS: --max-old-space-size=4096
     steps:
@@ -129,6 +133,16 @@ jobs:
           echo "identity=$identity" >>"$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           echo "Classified $TAG as $identity"
 
+      # Only a Windows runner compiles these; release-cut's relay-windows-process-tree
+      # job built them from this tag before dispatching this workflow.
+      - name: Collect the Windows process-table addons for the relay
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v8
+        with:
+          name: relay-windows-process-tree
+          path: .build/windows-process-tree
+          run-id: ${{ inputs.release_run_id }}
+          github-token: ${{ github.token }}
+
       - name: Build app
         run: pnpm build:release
         env:
@@ -138,6 +152,9 @@ jobs:
           ORCA_BUILD_IDENTITY: ${{ steps.tag-classify.outputs.identity }}
           ORCA_DIAGNOSTICS_TOKEN_URL: https://www.onorca.dev/diagnostics/token
           ORCA_POSTHOG_WRITE_KEY: ${{ secrets.ORCA_POSTHOG_WRITE_KEY }}
+          # Fail the release rather than ship a relay that cannot launch outside
+          # sshd's job for a standard user on a Windows SSH host.
+          ORCA_REQUIRE_RELAY_NATIVE_ADDONS: x64,arm64
 
       # Design D2: the parent release-cut run merged it from every node-server lane at this tag.
       - name: Download the orcad deployment template from the release run
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ssh-windows-hosts.yml b/.github/workflows/ssh-windows-hosts.yml
index 95bde6bbb5c..fc427e28940 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ssh-windows-hosts.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ssh-windows-hosts.yml
@@ -25,6 +25,11 @@ on:
       - 'config/scripts/orcad-windows-process-tree.mjs'
       - 'config/scripts/build-relay.mjs'
       - 'config/patches/node-pty*'
+      - 'config/patches/@vscode__windows-process-tree*'
+      - 'config/scripts/build-windows-process-tree-relay-addon.mjs'
+      - 'config/scripts/relay-windows-process-tree-staging.mjs'
+      - 'config/scripts/windows-process-tree-gyp-rebuild.mjs'
+      - 'src/shared/relay-windows-breakaway-launch.ts'
       - '!src/**/*.test.ts'
       - 'src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-windows-host-lane.test.ts'
       - 'config/ci/windows-ssh-provider/**'
@@ -88,9 +93,14 @@ jobs:
           }
           & config/ci/windows-ssh-provider/preview-ssh/test-preview-diagnostics.ps1
       # The deploy materializes rung A from this template; only this runner's slot exists here.
+      # The process-tree addon carries the launcher that starts the relay outside sshd's job; the
+      # orcad slot and the relay both stage it, and a standard-user host has no other launch route.
       - name: Build this runner's orcad slot, the win32 template and the relay
         shell: bash
+        env:
+          ORCA_REQUIRE_RELAY_NATIVE_ADDONS: ${{ matrix.arch }}
         run: |
+          node config/scripts/build-windows-process-tree-relay-addon.mjs --arch=${{ matrix.arch }}
           pnpm build:orcad-prebuilds
           pnpm build:orcad-prebuilds --require-slots "win32-${{ matrix.arch }}"
           pnpm build:orcad-prebuilds --smoke
diff --git a/config/ci/windows-ssh-provider/invoke-pinned-relay-cells.ps1 b/config/ci/windows-ssh-provider/invoke-pinned-relay-cells.ps1
index 35e3563aeb1..e4bfae52d69 100644
--- a/config/ci/windows-ssh-provider/invoke-pinned-relay-cells.ps1
+++ b/config/ci/windows-ssh-provider/invoke-pinned-relay-cells.ps1
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ $priorKnown=if($knownExisted){[IO.File]::ReadAllBytes($knownPath)}else{$null}
 $priorBackground=$env:ORCA_BACKGROUND_LAUNCH
 $failed=[Collections.Generic.List[string]]::new()
 $summary=[Collections.Generic.List[hashtable]]::new()
-$wmiOriginalSd=$null
 
 function Invoke-PrivateSsh([string]$Account,[string]$Command) {
   $start=[Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo]::new($Context.sshExe)
@@ -44,25 +43,16 @@ function Set-PrivateDefaultShell([string]$Shell) {
   }
 }
 
-# The relay launch goes through WMI Win32_Process.Create, which WMI refuses to a standard user's SSH
-# (network) logon without Remote Enable on root\cimv2. Prints ORCA_WMI=<ReturnValue> or ORCA_WMI=denied.
+# Diagnostic only: Orca must launch the relay without WMI, which refuses a standard user's SSH
+# (network) logon unless an administrator grants Remote Enable on root\cimv2. The cells run with no
+# such grant, so a relay launch that still needs WMI fails its cell. Prints ORCA_WMI=<ReturnValue>
+# or ORCA_WMI=denied.
 function Test-PrivateWmiLaunch([string]$Account) {
   $out=Invoke-PrivateSsh $Account 'powershell.exe -NoProfile -NonInteractive -Command "try{$r=Invoke-CimMethod -ClassName Win32_Process -MethodName Create -Arguments @{CommandLine=''cmd.exe /d /c exit 0''} -ErrorAction Stop;''ORCA_WMI=''+$r.ReturnValue}catch{''ORCA_WMI=denied''}"'
   $match=[regex]::Match($out,'ORCA_WMI=(\S+)')
   if($match.Success){return $match.Groups[1].Value}else{return 'no-output'}
 }
 
-function Grant-CellWmiLaunch([string[]]$Sids) {
-  $sd=(Invoke-CimMethod -Namespace root/cimv2 -ClassName __SystemSecurity -MethodName GetSD).SD
-  $script:wmiOriginalSd=[byte[]]$sd
-  $raw=[Security.AccessControl.RawSecurityDescriptor]::new([byte[]]$sd,0)
-  # WBEM_ENABLE | WBEM_METHOD_EXECUTE | WBEM_REMOTE_ACCESS
-  foreach($sid in $Sids){$raw.DiscretionaryAcl.InsertAce(0,[Security.AccessControl.CommonAce]::new([Security.AccessControl.AceFlags]::None,[Security.AccessControl.AceQualifier]::AccessAllowed,0x23,[Security.Principal.SecurityIdentifier]::new($sid),$false,$null))}
-  $bytes=[byte[]]::new($raw.BinaryLength);$raw.GetBinaryForm($bytes,0)
-  $result=Invoke-CimMethod -Namespace root/cimv2 -ClassName __SystemSecurity -MethodName SetSD -Arguments @{SD=$bytes}
-  if($result.ReturnValue -ne 0){throw "WMI namespace grant failed with $($result.ReturnValue)"}
-}
-
 New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path $ReceiptRoot | Out-Null
 Push-Location $SourceRoot
 try {
@@ -73,15 +63,9 @@ try {
   Add-Content -LiteralPath $knownPath -Value ("`n"+[IO.File]::ReadAllText($Context.knownHosts))
   $env:ORCA_BACKGROUND_LAUNCH='1'
   # DefaultShell is still stock cmd here.
-  $wmi=@{beforeGrant=(Test-PrivateWmiLaunch $Context.accounts[0].name);granted=$false}
-  if($wmi.beforeGrant -ne '0'){
-    Write-Host "::warning::Standard SSH user cannot launch through WMI Win32_Process.Create ($($wmi.beforeGrant)); Orca's Windows relay launch needs it. Granting the cell accounts Remote Enable on root\cimv2 so the remaining assertions run."
-    Grant-CellWmiLaunch @($Context.accounts[0..($Cells.Count-1)] | ForEach-Object {(Get-LocalUser -Name $_.name).SID.Value})
-    $wmi.granted=$true
-    $wmi.afterGrant=Test-PrivateWmiLaunch $Context.accounts[0].name
-    if($wmi.afterGrant -ne '0'){throw "WMI launch still refused after the grant ($($wmi.afterGrant))"}
-  }
-  $summary.Add(@{standardUserWmiLaunch=$wmi})
+  $wmi=Test-PrivateWmiLaunch $Context.accounts[0].name
+  Write-Host "Standard SSH user WMI Win32_Process.Create: $wmi (no grant; the relay launch must not depend on it)"
+  $summary.Add(@{standardUserWmiLaunch=$wmi;granted=$false})
   for($index=0;$index -lt $Cells.Count;$index++){
     $cell=$Cells[$index];$account=$Context.accounts[$index];$shell=$shells[$cell]
     Set-PrivateDefaultShell $shell
@@ -112,7 +96,6 @@ try {
   } while([DateTime]::UtcNow -lt $graceDeadline)
   $summary.Add(@{relayProcessesAfterGrace=@($relays | ForEach-Object {[IO.Path]::GetFileName($_.ExecutablePath)})})
 } finally {
-  if($wmiOriginalSd){$null=Invoke-CimMethod -Namespace root/cimv2 -ClassName __SystemSecurity -MethodName SetSD -Arguments @{SD=$wmiOriginalSd}}
   Set-PrivateDefaultShell 'cmd'
   if($knownExisted){[IO.File]::WriteAllBytes($knownPath,$priorKnown)}else{Remove-Item -LiteralPath $knownPath -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue}
   $env:ORCA_BACKGROUND_LAUNCH=$priorBackground
diff --git a/config/patches/@vscode__windows-process-tree@0.8.0.patch b/config/patches/@vscode__windows-process-tree@0.8.0.patch
index 3855e187ec6..bc50a8cfa63 100644
--- a/config/patches/@vscode__windows-process-tree@0.8.0.patch
+++ b/config/patches/@vscode__windows-process-tree@0.8.0.patch
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 diff --git a/binding.gyp b/binding.gyp
-index 855bd4b86f0a3c18c7594212c0e42b6e35bc4001..0bb2af7923b6e6f1f0da40cae8067304cd1fea14 100644
+index 11a5e71..1b2e74b 100644
 --- a/binding.gyp
 +++ b/binding.gyp
 @@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
@@ -10,9 +10,13 @@ index 855bd4b86f0a3c18c7594212c0e42b6e35bc4001..0bb2af7923b6e6f1f0da40cae8067304
        ],
        "conditions": [
          ['OS=="win"', {
-@@ -14,13 +13,12 @@
+@@ -12,15 +11,15 @@
+             "src/cpu_worker.cc",
+             "src/process.cc",
              "src/process_worker.cc",
-             "src/process_commandline.cc"
+-            "src/process_commandline.cc"
++            "src/process_commandline.cc",
++            "src/process_launch.cc"
            ],
 -          "include_dirs": [],
 +          "include_dirs": ["deps/node-addon-api"],
@@ -28,7 +32,7 @@ index 855bd4b86f0a3c18c7594212c0e42b6e35bc4001..0bb2af7923b6e6f1f0da40cae8067304
                  "/guard:cf",
                  "/sdl",
 diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
-index e586cd6ead522a4ff060f5338201f45e3467d639..0ee62c35558ff40e2298c464fdf6e9485f9d181d 100644
+index e586cd6..0ee62c3 100644
 --- a/lib/index.js
 +++ b/lib/index.js
 @@ -7,11 +7,14 @@
@@ -61,7 +65,7 @@ index e586cd6ead522a4ff060f5338201f45e3467d639..0ee62c35558ff40e2298c464fdf6e948
      });
      return buildNode(root, maxDepth);
 diff --git a/lib/index.ts b/lib/index.ts
-index 7b53aad05c3682a5c7d814d81a39c3f391ae97e3..284dae185b56241244b4d6bcab9e08f7530b8cf3 100644
+index 7b53aad..284dae1 100644
 --- a/lib/index.ts
 +++ b/lib/index.ts
 @@ -6,12 +6,16 @@
@@ -97,13 +101,21 @@ index 7b53aad05c3682a5c7d814d81a39c3f391ae97e3..284dae185b56241244b4d6bcab9e08f7
    });
  
 diff --git a/src/addon.cc b/src/addon.cc
-index 5253960ad97496b53c4a02572b64b270302af22f..a801526e20af72b6442c769a8ba1640386c23f46 100644
+index 5253960..f146490 100644
 --- a/src/addon.cc
 +++ b/src/addon.cc
-@@ -50,9 +50,32 @@
+@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
+ #include <napi.h>
+ #include "cpu_worker.h"
+ #include "process_worker.h"
++#include "process_launch.h"
+ 
+ void GetProcessList(const Napi::CallbackInfo& args) {
+   Napi::Env env(args.Env());
+@@ -50,9 +51,33 @@
    worker->Queue();
  }
-
+ 
 +Napi::Value ReadProcessCreationTime(const Napi::CallbackInfo& args) {
 +  Napi::Env env(args.Env());
 +  if (args.Length() != 1 || !args[0].IsNumber()) {
@@ -126,6 +138,7 @@ index 5253960ad97496b53c4a02572b64b270302af22f..a801526e20af72b6442c769a8ba16403
 +  exports.Set("getProcessCreationTime", Napi::Function::New(env, ReadProcessCreationTime));
    exports.Set("getProcessList", Napi::Function::New(env, GetProcessList));
    exports.Set("getProcessCpuUsage", Napi::Function::New(env, GetProcessCpuUsage));
++  exports.Set("spawnOutsideJob", Napi::Function::New(env, SpawnOutsideJob));
 +  // Lets a caller prove THIS BINARY understands CREATIONTIME. The JS enum is
 +  // patched source and says nothing about what the .node was compiled from.
 +  exports.Set("supportedProcessDataFlags",
@@ -134,10 +147,10 @@ index 5253960ad97496b53c4a02572b64b270302af22f..a801526e20af72b6442c769a8ba16403
  }
  
 diff --git a/src/process.cc b/src/process.cc
-index 3eea92077c4d1d433119361d5c432881859131e9..22a47421da919c76e2194280974d39c2287b098d 100644
+index ad63727..22a4742 100644
 --- a/src/process.cc
 +++ b/src/process.cc
-@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ uint32_t GetRawProcessList(std::vector<ProcessInfo>& process_info,
+@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@
    if (Process32First(snapshot_handle, &process_entry)) {
      do {
        if (process_entry.th32ProcessID != 0) {
@@ -147,7 +160,7 @@ index 3eea92077c4d1d433119361d5c432881859131e9..22a47421da919c76e2194280974d39c2
          pinfo.pid = process_entry.th32ProcessID;
          pinfo.ppid = process_entry.th32ParentProcessID;
  
-@@ -33,23 +34,51 @@ uint32_t GetRawProcessList(std::vector<ProcessInfo>& process_info,
+@@ -33,23 +34,51 @@
            GetProcessCommandLine(pinfo);
          }
  
@@ -201,7 +214,7 @@ index 3eea92077c4d1d433119361d5c432881859131e9..22a47421da919c76e2194280974d39c2
  
    if (hProcess == NULL) {
      return;
-@@ -81,7 +110,8 @@ void GetCpuUsage(Cpu& cpu_info, bool first_pass) {
+@@ -81,7 +110,8 @@
    DWORD pid = cpu_info.pid;
    HANDLE hProcess;
  
@@ -212,10 +225,10 @@ index 3eea92077c4d1d433119361d5c432881859131e9..22a47421da919c76e2194280974d39c2
    if (hProcess == NULL) {
      return;
 diff --git a/src/process.h b/src/process.h
-index 82f8e4bcfa742551e5d874a7632736a7611d7aa7..78d1d2c3b2360ed06fd624b4cb2f5042510f7a77 100644
+index 3c9b852..72e1648 100644
 --- a/src/process.h
 +++ b/src/process.h
-@@ -22,18 +22,22 @@ struct ProcessInfo {
+@@ -22,18 +22,22 @@
    DWORD ppid;
    DWORD memory; // Reported in bytes
    std::string commandLine;
@@ -240,7 +253,7 @@ index 82f8e4bcfa742551e5d874a7632736a7611d7aa7..78d1d2c3b2360ed06fd624b4cb2f5042
  
  #endif  // SRC_PROCESS_H_
 diff --git a/src/process_commandline.cc b/src/process_commandline.cc
-index ea822b120e8038a4803e34647042f08f4aaf5ca1..25907c0bf542bed6c72b1b462b19bcf3210c3cfd 100644
+index 716051d..25907c0 100644
 --- a/src/process_commandline.cc
 +++ b/src/process_commandline.cc
 @@ -7,61 +7,119 @@
@@ -405,11 +418,173 @@ index ea822b120e8038a4803e34647042f08f4aaf5ca1..25907c0bf542bed6c72b1b462b19bcf3
 +  return StoreCommandLineUtf8(process_info, command_line->Buffer,
 +                              command_line->Length / sizeof(wchar_t));
  }
+diff --git a/src/process_launch.cc b/src/process_launch.cc
+new file mode 100644
+index 0000000..e3141c5
+--- /dev/null
++++ b/src/process_launch.cc
+@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
++// Orca: start a detached process outside the caller's job object.
++//
++// Win32-OpenSSH puts every session's shell in a job with KILL_ON_JOB_CLOSE, so
++// anything a session starts dies when the session ends. The same job carries
++// BREAKAWAY_OK, so CREATE_BREAKAWAY_FROM_JOB lets a standard user start a
++// process that outlives it -- which Node cannot ask for: libuv never passes it.
++
++#include "process_launch.h"
++
++#include <windows.h>
++#include <string>
++#include <vector>
++
++namespace {
++
++class OwnedHandle {
++ public:
++  explicit OwnedHandle(HANDLE handle) : handle_(handle) {}
++  ~OwnedHandle() {
++    if (valid()) {
++      CloseHandle(handle_);
++    }
++  }
++  OwnedHandle(const OwnedHandle&) = delete;
++  OwnedHandle& operator=(const OwnedHandle&) = delete;
++  bool valid() const { return handle_ != nullptr && handle_ != INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE; }
++  HANDLE get() const { return handle_; }
++
++ private:
++  HANDLE handle_;
++};
++
++std::wstring ToWide(const Napi::Value& value) {
++  const std::u16string text = value.As<Napi::String>().Utf16Value();
++  return std::wstring(text.begin(), text.end());
++}
++
++HANDLE OpenInheritable(const std::wstring& path, DWORD access, DWORD disposition) {
++  SECURITY_ATTRIBUTES attributes{};
++  attributes.nLength = sizeof(attributes);
++  attributes.bInheritHandle = TRUE;
++  return CreateFileW(path.c_str(), access,
++                     FILE_SHARE_READ | FILE_SHARE_WRITE | FILE_SHARE_DELETE,
++                     &attributes, disposition, FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL, nullptr);
++}
++
++Napi::Object Failure(Napi::Env env, const char* reason, const char* step, DWORD code) {
++  Napi::Object result = Napi::Object::New(env);
++  result.Set("ok", false);
++  result.Set("reason", reason);
++  result.Set("step", step);
++  result.Set("code", static_cast<double>(code));
++  return result;
++}
++
++}  // namespace
++
++// spawnOutsideJob(application, commandLine, cwd, stdoutPath, stderrPath)
++Napi::Value SpawnOutsideJob(const Napi::CallbackInfo& args) {
++  Napi::Env env(args.Env());
++  if (args.Length() != 5) {
++    throw Napi::TypeError::New(env, "spawnOutsideJob expects five string arguments.");
++  }
++  for (size_t index = 0; index < args.Length(); index++) {
++    if (!args[index].IsString()) {
++      throw Napi::TypeError::New(env, "spawnOutsideJob expects five string arguments.");
++    }
++  }
++  const std::wstring application = ToWide(args[0]);
++  const std::wstring command_line = ToWide(args[1]);
++  const std::wstring cwd = ToWide(args[2]);
++  // CreateProcessW may write into the command-line buffer.
++  std::vector<wchar_t> command_buffer(command_line.begin(), command_line.end());
++  command_buffer.push_back(L'\0');
++
++  OwnedHandle input(OpenInheritable(L"NUL", GENERIC_READ, OPEN_EXISTING));
++  if (!input.valid()) {
++    return Failure(env, "failed", "open-stdin", GetLastError());
++  }
++  OwnedHandle output(OpenInheritable(ToWide(args[3]), GENERIC_WRITE, CREATE_ALWAYS));
++  if (!output.valid()) {
++    return Failure(env, "failed", "open-stdout", GetLastError());
++  }
++  OwnedHandle error_output(OpenInheritable(ToWide(args[4]), GENERIC_WRITE, CREATE_ALWAYS));
++  if (!error_output.valid()) {
++    return Failure(env, "failed", "open-stderr", GetLastError());
++  }
++
++  // Inherit exactly these three: an inherited SSH channel pipe would hold the
++  // launching session open for the relay's whole life.
++  HANDLE inherited[3] = {input.get(), output.get(), error_output.get()};
++  SIZE_T attribute_size = 0;
++  InitializeProcThreadAttributeList(nullptr, 1, 0, &attribute_size);
++  std::vector<unsigned char> attribute_storage(attribute_size);
++  auto* attribute_list =
++      reinterpret_cast<LPPROC_THREAD_ATTRIBUTE_LIST>(attribute_storage.data());
++  if (!InitializeProcThreadAttributeList(attribute_list, 1, 0, &attribute_size)) {
++    return Failure(env, "failed", "attribute-list", GetLastError());
++  }
++  if (!UpdateProcThreadAttribute(attribute_list, 0, PROC_THREAD_ATTRIBUTE_HANDLE_LIST,
++                                 inherited, sizeof(inherited), nullptr, nullptr)) {
++    const DWORD code = GetLastError();
++    DeleteProcThreadAttributeList(attribute_list);
++    return Failure(env, "failed", "handle-list", code);
++  }
++
++  STARTUPINFOEXW startup{};
++  startup.StartupInfo.cb = sizeof(startup);
++  startup.StartupInfo.dwFlags = STARTF_USESTDHANDLES;
++  startup.StartupInfo.hStdInput = input.get();
++  startup.StartupInfo.hStdOutput = output.get();
++  startup.StartupInfo.hStdError = error_output.get();
++  startup.lpAttributeList = attribute_list;
++  PROCESS_INFORMATION info{};
++  // CREATE_NO_WINDOW keeps one hidden console for the relay's console
++  // children, as the cmd.exe that WMI used to start it did.
++  const DWORD flags = CREATE_BREAKAWAY_FROM_JOB | CREATE_NEW_PROCESS_GROUP |
++                      CREATE_NO_WINDOW | EXTENDED_STARTUPINFO_PRESENT;
++  const BOOL created = CreateProcessW(
++      application.c_str(), command_buffer.data(), nullptr, nullptr, TRUE, flags, nullptr,
++      cwd.empty() ? nullptr : cwd.c_str(), &startup.StartupInfo, &info);
++  const DWORD create_error = created ? ERROR_SUCCESS : GetLastError();
++  DeleteProcThreadAttributeList(attribute_list);
++  if (!created) {
++    BOOL caller_in_job = FALSE;
++    IsProcessInJob(GetCurrentProcess(), nullptr, &caller_in_job);
++    const bool denied = create_error == ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED && caller_in_job;
++    return Failure(env, denied ? "breakaway-denied" : "failed", "create-process", create_error);
++  }
++  BOOL child_in_job = FALSE;
++  IsProcessInJob(info.hProcess, nullptr, &child_in_job);
++  CloseHandle(info.hThread);
++  CloseHandle(info.hProcess);
++
++  Napi::Object result = Napi::Object::New(env);
++  result.Set("ok", true);
++  result.Set("pid", static_cast<double>(info.dwProcessId));
++  result.Set("inJob", child_in_job != FALSE);
++  return result;
++}
+diff --git a/src/process_launch.h b/src/process_launch.h
+new file mode 100644
+index 0000000..88872a1
+--- /dev/null
++++ b/src/process_launch.h
+@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
++// Orca: start a detached process outside the caller's job object.
++
++#ifndef SRC_PROCESS_LAUNCH_H_
++#define SRC_PROCESS_LAUNCH_H_
++
++#include <napi.h>
++
++Napi::Value SpawnOutsideJob(const Napi::CallbackInfo& args);
++
++#endif  // SRC_PROCESS_LAUNCH_H_
 diff --git a/src/process_worker.cc b/src/process_worker.cc
-index c9e3457a759c1acaa2644231a4917d45aed951f8..3f26a354477f062b34bd31fbd17be529e6a2fd7a 100644
+index f59559d..1d61c87 100644
 --- a/src/process_worker.cc
 +++ b/src/process_worker.cc
-@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@ void GetProcessesWorker::OnOK() {
+@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@
            Napi::String::New(env, pinfo.commandLine));
      }
  
@@ -422,10 +597,10 @@ index c9e3457a759c1acaa2644231a4917d45aed951f8..3f26a354477f062b34bd31fbd17be529
    }
  
 diff --git a/typings/windows-process-tree.d.ts b/typings/windows-process-tree.d.ts
-index 70e242b123e76d43c452007be1ce92a6d224c8bb..b1d0a53c0c18cc16531b394c19bb256bdbaf782f 100644
+index 70e242b..b1d0a53 100644
 --- a/typings/windows-process-tree.d.ts
 +++ b/typings/windows-process-tree.d.ts
-@@ -7,8 +7,17 @@
+@@ -7,9 +7,18 @@
    export enum ProcessDataFlag {
      None = 0,
      Memory = 1,
@@ -433,7 +608,7 @@ index 70e242b123e76d43c452007be1ce92a6d224c8bb..b1d0a53c0c18cc16531b394c19bb256b
 +    CommandLine = 2,
 +    CreationTime = 4
    }
-+
+ 
 +  /**
 +   * The flag bits the compiled addon actually understands, or undefined off
 +   * win32. `ProcessDataFlag` above is source; this is what the binary reports,
@@ -441,9 +616,10 @@ index 70e242b123e76d43c452007be1ce92a6d224c8bb..b1d0a53c0c18cc16531b394c19bb256b
 +   */
 +  export const supportedProcessDataFlags: number | undefined;
 +  export const getProcessCreationTime: ((pid: number) => number | undefined) | undefined;
-
++
    export interface IProcessInfo {
      pid: number;
+     ppid: number;
 @@ -24,6 +33,9 @@
       * The string returned is at most 512 chars, strings exceeding this length are truncated.
       */
diff --git a/config/scripts/build-relay.mjs b/config/scripts/build-relay.mjs
index 4bc46cdc9f6..20dd1e0b17a 100644
--- a/config/scripts/build-relay.mjs
+++ b/config/scripts/build-relay.mjs
@@ -23,12 +23,15 @@ import { join } from 'node:path'
 import {
   RELAY_BUILD_PLATFORMS,
   RELAY_VERSION_FILENAME,
-  RELAY_WINDOWS_PROCESS_TREE_FILENAME,
   RELAY_OPENCODE_SQLITE_READER_FILENAME,
   relayOptionalArtifactFilenames,
   isWindowsRelayPlatform,
   relayArtifactFilenames
 } from '../../src/shared/relay-artifacts.ts'
+import {
+  parseRequiredRelayAddonArches,
+  stageRelayWindowsProcessTreeAddon
+} from './relay-windows-process-tree-staging.mjs'
 
 const __dirname = import.meta.dirname
 // Why: the script lives under config/scripts, so go two levels up to reach the repo root.
@@ -79,38 +82,16 @@ const NODE_PTY_MASTER_CLOEXEC_PATCH_SOURCE = join(
   'relay-assets',
   NODE_PTY_MASTER_CLOEXEC_PATCH_FILENAME
 )
-// Written by build-windows-process-tree-relay-addon.mjs, which only runs on a
-// Windows machine.
+// Written by build-windows-process-tree-relay-addon.mjs on Windows, or downloaded
+// from CI's relay-windows-process-tree artifact on other OSes.
 const WINDOWS_PROCESS_TREE_BUILD_DIR = join(ROOT, '.build', 'windows-process-tree')
 
-// Which Windows arches must have the addon, as a comma-separated list ('all' for
-// every arch). Per-arch rather than a flag because arm64 needs the MSVC ARM64
-// cross toolset, an optional VS component: where it is absent that relay should
-// fall back to the scan, not fail the release the x64 relay is riding on.
-const REQUIRED_ADDON_ARCHES = (process.env.ORCA_REQUIRE_RELAY_NATIVE_ADDONS ?? '')
-  .split(',')
-  .map((value) => value.trim())
-  .filter(Boolean)
-
-function stageWindowsProcessTreeAddon(platform, outDir) {
-  if (!isWindowsRelayPlatform(platform)) {
-    return
-  }
-  const arch = platform.slice('win32-'.length)
-  const source = join(WINDOWS_PROCESS_TREE_BUILD_DIR, arch, RELAY_WINDOWS_PROCESS_TREE_FILENAME)
-  if (!existsSync(source)) {
-    if (REQUIRED_ADDON_ARCHES.includes(arch) || REQUIRED_ADDON_ARCHES.includes('all')) {
-      throw new Error(
-        `Relay ${platform} needs ${source}. Run: node config/scripts/build-windows-process-tree-relay-addon.mjs --arch=${arch} (Windows only).`
-      )
-    }
-    console.log(
-      `Relay ${platform}: no ${RELAY_WINDOWS_PROCESS_TREE_FILENAME}; relay will use the PowerShell scan.`
-    )
-    return
-  }
-  copyFileSync(source, join(outDir, RELAY_WINDOWS_PROCESS_TREE_FILENAME))
-}
+// Per-arch rather than a flag because arm64 needs the MSVC ARM64 cross toolset,
+// an optional VS component: where it is absent that relay should fall back to
+// the scan, not fail the release the x64 relay is riding on.
+const REQUIRED_ADDON_ARCHES = parseRequiredRelayAddonArches(
+  process.env.ORCA_REQUIRE_RELAY_NATIVE_ADDONS
+)
 
 // Why: lets the packaging contract test build into a temp tree instead of
 // clobbering a developer's out/relay or racing tests that read it.
@@ -249,7 +230,12 @@ for (const platform of RELAY_BUILD_PLATFORMS) {
     NODE_PTY_MASTER_CLOEXEC_PATCH_SOURCE,
     join(outDir, NODE_PTY_MASTER_CLOEXEC_PATCH_FILENAME)
   )
-  stageWindowsProcessTreeAddon(platform, outDir)
+  stageRelayWindowsProcessTreeAddon({
+    platform,
+    outDir,
+    buildDir: WINDOWS_PROCESS_TREE_BUILD_DIR,
+    requiredArches: REQUIRED_ADDON_ARCHES
+  })
 
   // Why: include a content hash so the deploy check detects code changes even
   // when RELAY_VERSION hasn't been bumped. Hashing the whole manifest means a
diff --git a/config/scripts/build-windows-process-tree-relay-addon.mjs b/config/scripts/build-windows-process-tree-relay-addon.mjs
index cc2472587a0..bd810144b8a 100644
--- a/config/scripts/build-windows-process-tree-relay-addon.mjs
+++ b/config/scripts/build-windows-process-tree-relay-addon.mjs
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import {
   inspectWindowsProcessTreeAddon,
   nodeGypRebuildInvocation,
   stageWindowsProcessTreeNodeAddonApiHeaders,
+  windowsProcessTreeAddonHasRelayLauncher,
   WINDOWS_PROCESS_TREE_PACKAGE_DIR as PACKAGE_DIR
 } from './windows-process-tree-gyp-rebuild.mjs'
 
@@ -126,6 +127,21 @@ function assertPatchApplied() {
       )
     }
   }
+  // Without the launcher a standard-user SSH host cannot start a relay that outlives the session.
+  const requiredLauncherSources = [
+    ['binding.gyp', '"src/process_launch.cc"'],
+    ['src/addon.cc', 'exports.Set("spawnOutsideJob"'],
+    ['src/process_launch.cc', 'CREATE_BREAKAWAY_FROM_JOB']
+  ]
+  for (const [relativePath, expected] of requiredLauncherSources) {
+    const filePath = join(PACKAGE_DIR, relativePath)
+    if (!existsSync(filePath) || !readFileSync(filePath, 'utf8').includes(expected)) {
+      throw new Error(
+        `${relativePath} does not contain the relay launcher patch (${expected}). ` +
+          'Run pnpm install before building the relay addon.'
+      )
+    }
+  }
 }
 
 function repairCreationTimeSources() {
@@ -444,6 +460,12 @@ function main() {
       `Built binary is ${describePeMachine(machine)}, expected 0x${PE_MACHINE[arch].toString(16)} for ${arch}. ${cause}`
     )
   }
+  if (!windowsProcessTreeAddonHasRelayLauncher(built)) {
+    throw new Error(
+      'The built addon does not export spawnOutsideJob. A relay would fall back to WMI, ' +
+        'which refuses to launch it for a standard user.'
+    )
+  }
 
   mkdirSync(outDir, { recursive: true })
   const staged = join(outDir, RELAY_WINDOWS_PROCESS_TREE_FILENAME)
diff --git a/config/scripts/hourly-preflight-workflow.test.mjs b/config/scripts/hourly-preflight-workflow.test.mjs
index 2bec40b329b..4d453f07103 100644
--- a/config/scripts/hourly-preflight-workflow.test.mjs
+++ b/config/scripts/hourly-preflight-workflow.test.mjs
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ describe('hourly build preflight', () => {
     expect(
       preflight.steps.find((step) => step.id === 'app_token').with['permission-contents']
     ).toBe('read')
-    expect(build.needs).toBe('preflight')
+    expect(build.needs).toEqual(['preflight', 'relay-windows-process-tree'])
     expect(build.if).toBe("needs.preflight.outputs.should_build == 'true'")
     expect(build.steps.find((step) => step.name === 'Checkout').with.ref).toBe(
       build.outputs.head_sha
diff --git a/config/scripts/orcad-template-release-workflow.test.mjs b/config/scripts/orcad-template-release-workflow.test.mjs
index ced4e6bd629..87ea8570767 100644
--- a/config/scripts/orcad-template-release-workflow.test.mjs
+++ b/config/scripts/orcad-template-release-workflow.test.mjs
@@ -105,7 +105,11 @@ describe('orcad template release wiring (design D2)', () => {
     }
 
     const macSteps = releaseMac.jobs['build-mac'].steps
-    const macDownload = stepIndex(macSteps, (step) => step.uses === 'actions/download-artifact@v8')
+    // Why by name: the mac job also downloads the relay Windows process-tree addons.
+    const macDownload = stepIndex(
+      macSteps,
+      (step) => step.uses === 'actions/download-artifact@v8' && step.with?.name === 'orcad-template'
+    )
     expect(macSteps[macDownload].with).toMatchObject({
       name: 'orcad-template',
       path: 'out/orcad-template',
diff --git a/config/scripts/relay-windows-process-tree-staging.mjs b/config/scripts/relay-windows-process-tree-staging.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5abd1baf35a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/scripts/relay-windows-process-tree-staging.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+/**
+ * Stage the prebuilt `@vscode/windows-process-tree` addon into a Windows relay bundle.
+ *
+ * Every desktop package ships relays for every host OS, so a macOS or Linux build
+ * needs the addon a Windows job compiled: without it a Windows SSH host cannot
+ * launch the relay outside sshd's job as a standard user. Release builds list the
+ * arches they require; a local build without the addon ships the scan fallback.
+ */
+import { copyFileSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { join } from 'node:path'
+import {
+  RELAY_WINDOWS_PROCESS_TREE_FILENAME,
+  isWindowsRelayPlatform
+} from '../../src/shared/relay-artifacts.ts'
+import { relayWindowsProcessTreeAddonDefect } from './windows-process-tree-gyp-rebuild.mjs'
+
+/** `ORCA_REQUIRE_RELAY_NATIVE_ADDONS`: comma-separated arches, or `all`. */
+export function parseRequiredRelayAddonArches(value) {
+  return (value ?? '')
+    .split(',')
+    .map((entry) => entry.trim())
+    .filter(Boolean)
+}
+
+/**
+ * @param {{
+ *   platform: string,
+ *   outDir: string,
+ *   buildDir: string,
+ *   requiredArches: string[],
+ *   log?: (message: string) => void
+ * }} options
+ * @returns {'staged' | 'skipped' | 'not-windows'}
+ */
+export function stageRelayWindowsProcessTreeAddon({
+  platform,
+  outDir,
+  buildDir,
+  requiredArches,
+  log = console.log
+}) {
+  if (!isWindowsRelayPlatform(platform)) {
+    return 'not-windows'
+  }
+  const arch = platform.slice('win32-'.length)
+  const source = join(buildDir, arch, RELAY_WINDOWS_PROCESS_TREE_FILENAME)
+  const required = requiredArches.includes(arch) || requiredArches.includes('all')
+  const defect = relayWindowsProcessTreeAddonDefect(source, arch)
+  if (defect) {
+    const reason = `${source}: ${defect}`
+    if (required) {
+      throw new Error(
+        `Relay ${platform} needs ${RELAY_WINDOWS_PROCESS_TREE_FILENAME}, but ${reason}. ` +
+          `On Windows run: node config/scripts/build-windows-process-tree-relay-addon.mjs --arch=${arch}. ` +
+          'CI builds on other OSes download it from the relay-windows-process-tree artifact.'
+      )
+    }
+    // Never ship a defective binary: the scan fallback beats a relay that loads the wrong addon.
+    log(`Relay ${platform}: ${reason}; relay will use the PowerShell scan.`)
+    return 'skipped'
+  }
+  copyFileSync(source, join(outDir, RELAY_WINDOWS_PROCESS_TREE_FILENAME))
+  return 'staged'
+}
diff --git a/config/scripts/relay-windows-process-tree-staging.test.mjs b/config/scripts/relay-windows-process-tree-staging.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..07477965d43
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/scripts/relay-windows-process-tree-staging.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+import { existsSync, mkdirSync, mkdtempSync, readFileSync, rmSync, writeFileSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { tmpdir } from 'node:os'
+import { join } from 'node:path'
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import {
+  parseRequiredRelayAddonArches,
+  stageRelayWindowsProcessTreeAddon
+} from './relay-windows-process-tree-staging.mjs'
+import { relayWindowsProcessTreeAddonDefect } from './windows-process-tree-gyp-rebuild.mjs'
+
+const MACHINE = { x64: 0x8664, arm64: 0xaa64 }
+const LAUNCHER = 'spawnOutsideJob\0'
+
+const roots = []
+afterEach(() => roots.splice(0).forEach((root) => rmSync(root, { recursive: true, force: true })))
+
+function peImage(machine, body) {
+  const header = Buffer.alloc(0x90)
+  header.write('MZ')
+  header.writeUInt32LE(0x80, 0x3c)
+  header.write('PE\0\0', 0x80)
+  header.writeUInt16LE(machine, 0x84)
+  return Buffer.concat([header, Buffer.from(body, 'binary')])
+}
+
+function fixture(addons = {}) {
+  const root = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'relay-process-tree-'))
+  roots.push(root)
+  const buildDir = join(root, 'build')
+  const outDir = join(root, 'out')
+  mkdirSync(outDir)
+  for (const [arch, bytes] of Object.entries(addons)) {
+    mkdirSync(join(buildDir, arch), { recursive: true })
+    writeFileSync(join(buildDir, arch, 'windows-process-tree.node'), bytes)
+  }
+  const logs = []
+  const stage = (platform, requiredArches = []) =>
+    stageRelayWindowsProcessTreeAddon({
+      platform,
+      outDir,
+      buildDir,
+      requiredArches,
+      log: (message) => logs.push(message)
+    })
+  return { buildDir, outDir, logs, stage, staged: join(outDir, 'windows-process-tree.node') }
+}
+
+describe('relay windows-process-tree addon check', () => {
+  it('accepts only a clean launcher build for the requested machine', () => {
+    const { buildDir } = fixture({
+      x64: peImage(MACHINE.x64, `ntdll.dll\0${LAUNCHER}`),
+      arm64: peImage(MACHINE.x64, LAUNCHER)
+    })
+    expect(
+      relayWindowsProcessTreeAddonDefect(join(buildDir, 'x64/windows-process-tree.node'), 'x64')
+    ).toBeNull()
+    expect(
+      relayWindowsProcessTreeAddonDefect(join(buildDir, 'arm64/windows-process-tree.node'), 'arm64')
+    ).toContain('machine 0x8664, not arm64')
+  })
+
+  it('rejects a pre-launcher build that is otherwise clean and loadable', () => {
+    const { buildDir } = fixture({ x64: peImage(MACHINE.x64, 'NtQueryInformationProcess\0') })
+    expect(
+      relayWindowsProcessTreeAddonDefect(join(buildDir, 'x64/windows-process-tree.node'), 'x64')
+    ).toContain('does not export spawnOutsideJob')
+  })
+
+  it('rejects the unpatched command-line reader even when it has the launcher', () => {
+    const { buildDir } = fixture({ x64: peImage(MACHINE.x64, `ReadProcessMemory\0${LAUNCHER}`) })
+    expect(
+      relayWindowsProcessTreeAddonDefect(join(buildDir, 'x64/windows-process-tree.node'), 'x64')
+    ).toContain('ReadProcessMemory')
+  })
+})
+
+describe('staging the relay windows-process-tree addon', () => {
+  it('copies a valid addon into each Windows relay and skips other hosts', () => {
+    const addon = peImage(MACHINE.arm64, LAUNCHER)
+    const { stage, staged } = fixture({ arm64: addon })
+    expect(stage('linux-x64', ['all'])).toBe('not-windows')
+    expect(existsSync(staged)).toBe(false)
+    expect(stage('win32-arm64', ['x64', 'arm64'])).toBe('staged')
+    expect(readFileSync(staged)).toEqual(addon)
+  })
+
+  it('degrades to the scan when an unrequired addon is missing or stale', () => {
+    const { stage, staged, logs } = fixture({ x64: peImage(MACHINE.x64, 'no launcher') })
+    expect(stage('win32-x64')).toBe('skipped')
+    expect(stage('win32-arm64')).toBe('skipped')
+    expect(existsSync(staged)).toBe(false)
+    expect(logs.join('\n')).toMatch(/does not export spawnOutsideJob[\s\S]*is missing/)
+  })
+
+  it('fails a release build whose required addon is missing or stale', () => {
+    const { stage, staged } = fixture({ x64: peImage(MACHINE.x64, 'no launcher') })
+    expect(() => stage('win32-x64', ['x64', 'arm64'])).toThrow(/spawnOutsideJob/)
+    expect(() => stage('win32-arm64', ['all'])).toThrow(/is missing/)
+    expect(existsSync(staged)).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it('reads the per-arch requirement list', () => {
+    expect(parseRequiredRelayAddonArches(undefined)).toEqual([])
+    expect(parseRequiredRelayAddonArches(' x64, arm64 ,')).toEqual(['x64', 'arm64'])
+  })
+})
diff --git a/config/scripts/relay-windows-process-tree-workflow-contract.test.mjs b/config/scripts/relay-windows-process-tree-workflow-contract.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fae539bb0eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/scripts/relay-windows-process-tree-workflow-contract.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+// Every shipped desktop package carries Windows relays, so each must stage the
+// launcher-capable process-tree addon, not only the Windows packages that can compile it.
+import { readFileSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { join, resolve } from 'node:path'
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { parse } from 'yaml'
+
+const projectDir = resolve(import.meta.dirname, '../..')
+const readWorkflow = (name) =>
+  parse(readFileSync(join(projectDir, '.github/workflows', name), 'utf8'))
+
+const ARTIFACT = 'relay-windows-process-tree'
+const ADDON_WORKFLOW = './.github/workflows/relay-windows-process-tree.yml'
+const BUILD_BOTH_ARCHES = [
+  'node config/scripts/build-windows-process-tree-relay-addon.mjs --arch=x64',
+  'node config/scripts/build-windows-process-tree-relay-addon.mjs --arch=arm64'
+]
+
+// [workflow, packaging job, job that produces the artifact in the same run]
+const DOWNLOADING_PACKAGERS = [
+  ['release-cut.yml', 'build', 'relay-windows-process-tree'],
+  ['hourly-mac-build.yml', 'build-hourly-mac', 'relay-windows-process-tree'],
+  ['daily-mac-build.yml', 'build-daily-mac', 'relay-windows-process-tree'],
+  ['adhoc-mac-build.yml', 'build-adhoc-mac', 'relay-windows-process-tree']
+]
+
+function stepIndex(job, predicate, label) {
+  const index = job.steps.findIndex(predicate)
+  expect(index, label).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
+  return index
+}
+
+function expectRequiredBeforeBuild(job, stagingIndex) {
+  const build = stepIndex(
+    job,
+    (step) => /pnpm (run )?build:release\b/.test(step.run ?? ''),
+    'build'
+  )
+  expect(stagingIndex).toBeLessThan(build)
+  expect(job.steps[build].env.ORCA_REQUIRE_RELAY_NATIVE_ADDONS).toBe('x64,arm64')
+}
+
+const isDownload = (step) =>
+  step.uses?.startsWith('actions/download-artifact@') && step.with?.name === ARTIFACT
+
+describe('relay Windows process-tree addon in every desktop package', () => {
+  it('builds both arches once on a GitHub-hosted Windows runner and uploads them', () => {
+    const job = readWorkflow('relay-windows-process-tree.yml').jobs.build
+    expect(job['runs-on']).toBe('windows-2022')
+    const build = job.steps.find((step) => step.name?.startsWith('Build Windows process-table'))
+    expect(build.run.trim().split('\n')).toEqual(BUILD_BOTH_ARCHES)
+    const upload = job.steps.find((step) => step.uses?.startsWith('actions/upload-artifact@'))
+    expect(upload.with).toMatchObject({
+      name: ARTIFACT,
+      path: '.build/windows-process-tree/',
+      'if-no-files-found': 'error'
+    })
+  })
+
+  it.each(DOWNLOADING_PACKAGERS)(
+    '%s %s downloads the addons and requires them',
+    (workflowName, jobName, producer) => {
+      const { jobs } = readWorkflow(workflowName)
+      expect(jobs[producer].uses).toBe(ADDON_WORKFLOW)
+      expect([jobs[jobName].needs].flat()).toContain(producer)
+      const job = jobs[jobName]
+      const download = stepIndex(job, isDownload, 'download')
+      expect(job.steps[download].with.path).toBe('.build/windows-process-tree')
+      expectRequiredBeforeBuild(job, download)
+    }
+  )
+
+  it('builds the release addons from the tag the packages are cut from', () => {
+    const { jobs } = readWorkflow('release-cut.yml')
+    expect(jobs[ARTIFACT].with.ref).toBe('refs/tags/${{ needs.cut.outputs.tag }}')
+    // The mac build is a separate dispatched run that downloads from this one.
+    expect(jobs['build-mac'].needs).toContain(ARTIFACT)
+  })
+
+  it('has the dispatched mac release build download from the release-cut run', () => {
+    const job = readWorkflow('release-mac-build.yml').jobs['build-mac']
+    expect(job.permissions).toMatchObject({ actions: 'read' })
+    const download = stepIndex(job, isDownload, 'download')
+    expect(job.steps[download].with['run-id']).toBe('${{ inputs.release_run_id }}')
+    expectRequiredBeforeBuild(job, download)
+  })
+
+  it('has the dev-channel Windows build compile its own addons', () => {
+    const job = readWorkflow('dev-channel-win-build.yml').jobs['build-win']
+    const build = stepIndex(
+      job,
+      (step) => step.run?.trim().split('\n').join('\n') === BUILD_BOTH_ARCHES.join('\n'),
+      'addon build'
+    )
+    expectRequiredBeforeBuild(job, build)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/config/scripts/release-cut-token-permissions.test.mjs b/config/scripts/release-cut-token-permissions.test.mjs
index 489623262b4..938e9d86d72 100644
--- a/config/scripts/release-cut-token-permissions.test.mjs
+++ b/config/scripts/release-cut-token-permissions.test.mjs
@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@ const EXPECTED_MATRIX = {
   [`${RELEASE_WORKFLOW}#post-release-e2e`]: { actions: 'write' },
   [`${RELEASE_WORKFLOW}#publish-release`]: { contents: 'write' },
   [`${RELEASE_WORKFLOW}#release-preflight`]: { contents: 'read' },
+  [`${RELEASE_WORKFLOW}#relay-windows-process-tree`]: { contents: 'read' },
+  [`${RELEASE_WORKFLOW}#relay-windows-process-tree -> .github/workflows/relay-windows-process-tree.yml#build`]:
+    { contents: 'read' },
   [`${RELEASE_WORKFLOW}#skill-sharing-linux-floor-release-gate`]: { contents: 'read' },
   [`${RELEASE_WORKFLOW}#skill-sharing-release-gate`]: { contents: 'read' },
   [`${RELEASE_WORKFLOW}#terminal-rendering-golden`]: { contents: 'read' },
diff --git a/config/scripts/windows-process-tree-gyp-rebuild.mjs b/config/scripts/windows-process-tree-gyp-rebuild.mjs
index befbcf96acc..ba3c699a7a6 100644
--- a/config/scripts/windows-process-tree-gyp-rebuild.mjs
+++ b/config/scripts/windows-process-tree-gyp-rebuild.mjs
@@ -98,6 +98,49 @@ export function inspectWindowsProcessTreeAddon(addonPath) {
   return readFileSync(addonPath).includes(FLAGGED_IMPORT) ? 'unpatched' : 'clean'
 }
 
+/** Only an addon built with the relay launcher patch registers this export. */
+const RELAY_LAUNCHER_EXPORT = 'spawnOutsideJob'
+
+/**
+ * Does this compiled addon carry the relay launcher?
+ *
+ * A byte search like the import check: the export name is a string literal in
+ * the image. A pre-launcher build is otherwise clean and loadable, so a stale
+ * `.build` dir or cached artifact would ship and the relay would fall back to
+ * WMI, which refuses a standard user.
+ */
+export function windowsProcessTreeAddonHasRelayLauncher(addonPath) {
+  return readFileSync(addonPath).includes(RELAY_LAUNCHER_EXPORT)
+}
+
+/**
+ * Why this binary cannot ship as the `arch` relay addon, or null when it can.
+ *
+ * @param {string} addonPath
+ * @param {'x64' | 'arm64'} arch
+ * @returns {string | null}
+ */
+export function relayWindowsProcessTreeAddonDefect(addonPath, arch) {
+  const state = inspectWindowsProcessTreeAddon(addonPath)
+  if (state === 'missing') {
+    return 'it is missing'
+  }
+  if (state === 'unpatched') {
+    return `it imports ${FLAGGED_IMPORT}, so it was built from the unpatched command-line reader`
+  }
+  const { PE_MACHINE, describePeMachine, readPeMachine } = createRequire(import.meta.url)(
+    './windows-pe-machine.cjs'
+  )
+  const machine = readPeMachine(addonPath)
+  if (machine !== PE_MACHINE[arch]) {
+    return `it is ${describePeMachine(machine)}, not ${arch} (0x${PE_MACHINE[arch].toString(16)})`
+  }
+  if (!windowsProcessTreeAddonHasRelayLauncher(addonPath)) {
+    return `it does not export ${RELAY_LAUNCHER_EXPORT}, so it predates the relay launcher patch`
+  }
+  return null
+}
+
 export function assertWindowsProcessTreeCreationTimePatch(
   packageDir = WINDOWS_PROCESS_TREE_PACKAGE_DIR
 ) {
diff --git a/docs/reference/windows-edr-posture.md b/docs/reference/windows-edr-posture.md
index 46fd1f1bc14..d1845ec5cbe 100644
--- a/docs/reference/windows-edr-posture.md
+++ b/docs/reference/windows-edr-posture.md
@@ -370,10 +370,32 @@ Runtime-store GC (`src/main/ssh/remote-node-runtime-store-windows.ts`) reads the
 store in one PowerShell invocation. It learns which runtimes are in use from a
 single `Get-CimInstance Win32_Process` query, filtered on an image path under
 `runtimes\`. It never matches on the image name, so another program's node.exe
-holds nothing. If the query fails, no process check has run and the pass keeps
-everything. Windows itself also refuses to delete a running image, which is a
+holds nothing. WMI refuses a standard user's SSH logon, so a refusal falls back to
+`Get-Process`, which reads the image path of the account's own processes — the
+only ones running from its store. If both fail, no process check has run and the
+pass keeps everything. Windows itself also refuses to delete a running image, which is a
 second safeguard.
 
+### SSH hosts: starting the relay outside the session
+
+Win32-OpenSSH puts each session's shell in a job with
+`JOB_OBJECT_LIMIT_KILL_ON_JOB_CLOSE | JOB_OBJECT_LIMIT_BREAKAWAY_OK`
+(`contrib/win32/win32compat/w32-doexec.c`, unchanged since 2018), so the relay
+must leave that job to outlive the connection. It used to leave through WMI
+`Win32_Process.Create`, which is both an EDR-scored remote-execution shape
+(T1047) and refused to a standard user's network logon unless an administrator
+grants Remote Enable on `root\cimv2`.
+
+Now `relay.js --windows-breakaway-launch` runs once per launch on the same
+node.exe and calls `spawnOutsideJob` in the staged process-tree addon
+(`src/process_launch.cc` in the patch): one `CreateProcessW` with
+`CREATE_BREAKAWAY_FROM_JOB`, and a handle list that passes only the relay's
+three stdio handles, so no SSH channel pipe is inherited. libuv never passes that
+flag, so Node alone cannot do this. WMI remains only as the fallback for a relay
+built without the addon or a job that refuses breakaway, and a refusal there is
+reported as `ORCA_RELAY_LAUNCH_REFUSED`. The Windows SSH-host lanes run with no
+WMI grant and assert the breakaway route.
+
 ## Signing is not the gate
 
 The most useful calibration in the whole incident set came from the reporter's
diff --git a/docs/reference/windows-process-enumeration.md b/docs/reference/windows-process-enumeration.md
index e56bec2cd7a..affa11f7e4e 100644
--- a/docs/reference/windows-process-enumeration.md
+++ b/docs/reference/windows-process-enumeration.md
@@ -339,8 +339,22 @@ straight to the addon drops the duplicate.
 The artifact is optional in `RELAY_ARTIFACTS`: hashed when present, so a relay
 carrying it never shares an immutable directory with one that does not, and
 never probed, because requiring a file only a Windows build machine can produce
-would make a correct relay read as MISSING and redeploy forever. A relay built
-on any other OS keeps using the scan.
+would make a correct relay read as MISSING and redeploy forever. A local build
+on another OS has no addon, so its Windows relays use the scan.
+
+Every desktop package ships relays for Windows hosts, not just the Windows
+installer, and the addon also carries the relay launcher (`spawnOutsideJob`,
+see `windows-edr-posture.md`). So one Windows job,
+`.github/workflows/relay-windows-process-tree.yml`, compiles both arches and
+uploads the `relay-windows-process-tree` artifact. The release and dev-channel
+macOS and Linux packaging jobs download it into `.build/windows-process-tree`
+and set `ORCA_REQUIRE_RELAY_NATIVE_ADDONS=x64,arm64`, as the Windows jobs do.
+`config/scripts/relay-windows-process-tree-staging.mjs` checks each staged
+binary for its PE machine, the missing `ReadProcessMemory` import, and the
+`spawnOutsideJob` export. Without that last check a pre-launcher build from an
+old `.build` dir or cached artifact would pass. A required arch that fails any
+check fails the build. An unrequired one (a local build) is left out, and that
+relay uses the scan and the WMI launch fallback.
 
 ## Why the package is patched
 
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index 17332ca0bb1..b0f724a3ecc 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -109,14 +109,14 @@ overrides:
   monaco-editor>dompurify: 3.4.15
 
 patchedDependencies:
-  i18next-cli@1.74.2: 7955b89d3aa229f477408608d331f78c85148a85a85913729f89fac65ad8b207
-  '@vscode/windows-process-tree@0.8.0': b4be93859cefb159949d9cf05f97fa91a221dff0f793a6f03d02d78ae5b32035
+  '@vscode/windows-process-tree@0.8.0': 9da74aa3d17243aa53dcdc95c9f06e97437e7fbccf098aeb017579e2d24cbac2
   '@xterm/addon-image@0.10.0-beta.300': e5254a46d6f57bef4a8a19683bfa685afa0ca0127545aea53b54a48104ca3562
   '@xterm/addon-ligatures@0.11.0-beta.300': 47405b9994b5acf1b4e90b49250358c1ca03649854d59560e7732b72fe336920
   '@xterm/addon-search@0.17.0-beta.300': eee5338dd2621ece46e79c61ec06766cd7fadaf79ffdb24e2a8ab68e97ef31f0
   '@xterm/addon-serialize@0.15.0-beta.300': b35533fe252e7e45433150170348889f4e08a6c17f7017ac34ea694d831fec7f
   '@xterm/addon-webgl@0.20.0-beta.299': 94687e89a0115e6e6aa102837f986debdc029c091527ee5eb4a4e17ceaf9473e
   '@xterm/xterm@6.1.0-beta.303': dd0ccc59cd1ccf99f4d76e5aa2456da165fa0804dce19a833d7638bd07ffa393
+  i18next-cli@1.74.2: 7955b89d3aa229f477408608d331f78c85148a85a85913729f89fac65ad8b207
   lint-staged@16.4.0: 7333b3837f80a7fbd045964db6d76ba4fc118e49134bdbabb00585b6b7b60673
   node-pty@1.1.0: 92c95cffab383d86b3b13a460c75a08074468ebf1f3911db8e874e083201f192
 
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ importers:
         version: link:native/windows-registry
       '@vscode/windows-process-tree':
         specifier: 0.8.0
-        version: 0.8.0(patch_hash=b4be93859cefb159949d9cf05f97fa91a221dff0f793a6f03d02d78ae5b32035)
+        version: 0.8.0(patch_hash=9da74aa3d17243aa53dcdc95c9f06e97437e7fbccf098aeb017579e2d24cbac2)
       sherpa-onnx-darwin-arm64:
         specifier: 1.12.37
         version: 1.12.37
@@ -10733,7 +10733,7 @@ snapshots:
 
   '@vscode/ripgrep-universal@1.18.0': {}
 
-  '@vscode/windows-process-tree@0.8.0(patch_hash=b4be93859cefb159949d9cf05f97fa91a221dff0f793a6f03d02d78ae5b32035)':
+  '@vscode/windows-process-tree@0.8.0(patch_hash=9da74aa3d17243aa53dcdc95c9f06e97437e7fbccf098aeb017579e2d24cbac2)':
     dependencies:
       node-addon-api: 7.1.0
     optional: true
diff --git a/src/main/ssh/remote-node-runtime-store-windows.test.ts b/src/main/ssh/remote-node-runtime-store-windows.test.ts
index 91d584a4aee..ba43516f9c1 100644
--- a/src/main/ssh/remote-node-runtime-store-windows.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/ssh/remote-node-runtime-store-windows.test.ts
@@ -60,13 +60,24 @@ describe('Windows runtime store commands', () => {
     expect(script).toContain(
       `Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_Process -Filter "ExecutablePath LIKE '%\\\\runtimes\\\\%'" -Property ExecutablePath -ErrorAction Stop`
     )
-    expect(script).not.toMatch(/Name\s*=|node\.exe|Get-Process/)
+    expect(script).not.toMatch(/Name\s*=|node\.exe|ProcessName/)
     // A failed query must not report that the check ran.
     expect(script.indexOf("Write-Output 'PROCESS_CHECK cim'")).toBeGreaterThan(
       script.indexOf('Get-CimInstance')
     )
   })
 
+  it('falls back to Get-Process image paths when WMI refuses a standard user', () => {
+    const script = decodeRemotePowerShellScript(windowsRuntimeStoreInventoryCommand(root))
+    const fallback = script.slice(script.indexOf("Write-Output 'PROCESS_CHECK cim'"))
+    expect(fallback).toContain(
+      "Get-Process -ErrorAction Stop | Where-Object { $_.Path -and $_.Path.IndexOf('\\runtimes\\', [StringComparison]::OrdinalIgnoreCase) -ge 0 }"
+    )
+    expect(fallback.indexOf("Write-Output 'PROCESS_CHECK process'")).toBeGreaterThan(
+      fallback.indexOf('Get-Process')
+    )
+  })
+
   it('reads both ref shapes from every sibling of runtimes\\', () => {
     const script = decodeRemotePowerShellScript(windowsRuntimeStoreInventoryCommand(root))
     expect(script).toContain("Join-Path $d.FullName '.runtime-node'")
diff --git a/src/main/ssh/remote-node-runtime-store-windows.ts b/src/main/ssh/remote-node-runtime-store-windows.ts
index fcca7083b97..c3335f71cb0 100644
--- a/src/main/ssh/remote-node-runtime-store-windows.ts
+++ b/src/main/ssh/remote-node-runtime-store-windows.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@
  * `sh` passes, each as ONE PowerShell invocation (docs/reference/windows-edr-posture.md).
  *
  * Process holds come from one `Get-CimInstance Win32_Process` query filtered on the image path
- * under `runtimes\`, never on the image name: another program's node.exe must hold nothing.
+ * under `runtimes\`, never on the image name: another program's node.exe must hold nothing. WMI
+ * refuses a standard user's SSH logon, so a refusal falls back to `Get-Process`, which reads the
+ * image path of this account's own processes -- the only ones that run from its store. Windows
+ * also refuses to delete a running image, which backs both.
  */
 import {
   ORCAD_NODE_RUNTIME_DIR_PREFIX,
@@ -64,7 +67,14 @@ export function windowsRuntimeStoreInventoryCommand(root: string): string {
       `$held = @(Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_Process -Filter "ExecutablePath LIKE '%\\\\${ORCAD_RUNTIMES_DIRNAME}\\\\%'" -Property ExecutablePath -ErrorAction Stop)`,
       "Write-Output 'PROCESS_CHECK cim'",
       "foreach ($p in $held) { if ($p.ExecutablePath) { Write-Output ('HOLD ' + $p.ExecutablePath) } }",
+      '} catch {',
+      // WMI refuses a standard user's SSH logon; this account's own relays still report their image.
+      'try {',
+      `$held = @(Get-Process -ErrorAction Stop | Where-Object { $_.Path -and $_.Path.IndexOf(${powerShellLiteral(`\\${ORCAD_RUNTIMES_DIRNAME}\\`)}, [StringComparison]::OrdinalIgnoreCase) -ge 0 })`,
+      "Write-Output 'PROCESS_CHECK process'",
+      "foreach ($p in $held) { Write-Output ('HOLD ' + $p.Path) }",
       '} catch { }',
+      '}',
       `Write-Output ${powerShellLiteral(INVENTORY_OK)}`
     ].join('\n')
   )
diff --git a/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-deploy.ts b/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-deploy.ts
index 74e830a1715..4e803d30763 100644
--- a/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-deploy.ts
+++ b/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-deploy.ts
@@ -118,6 +118,12 @@ import {
 } from './ssh-remote-platform'
 import { detectRemoteHostPlatform } from './ssh-remote-platform-detection'
 import { powerShellCommand, powerShellLiteral, powerShellNativeArg } from './ssh-remote-powershell'
+import {
+  classifyWindowsRelayLaunchError,
+  WINDOWS_RELAY_LAUNCH_LOG_PREFIX,
+  windowsRelayLaunchCommand
+} from './ssh-relay-windows-launch-command'
+import { parseRelayWindowsLaunchReport } from '../../shared/relay-windows-breakaway-launch'
 import { relaySocketNameForInstanceId } from './ssh-relay-instance-id'
 import { resolveRelayEndpointBeforeRelaunch } from './ssh-relay-endpoint-takeover'
 import {
@@ -2399,23 +2405,26 @@ async function launchWindowsRelay(
   const logFile = joinRemotePath(hostPlatform, launchOpts.remoteDir, 'relay.log')
   const errFile = joinRemotePath(hostPlatform, launchOpts.remoteDir, 'relay.err.log')
   // Why no credential write: see launchRelay — the daemon publishes after it owns the pipe.
-  await execHostCommand(
+  const launchOutput = await execHostCommand(
     conn,
     hostPlatform,
-    windowsRelayLaunchCommand(
-      hostPlatform,
-      launchOpts.nodePath,
-      launchOpts.remoteDir,
-      launchOpts.sockPath,
-      launchOpts.endpointDir,
-      launchOpts.graceTime,
+    windowsRelayLaunchCommand(hostPlatform, {
+      nodePath: launchOpts.nodePath,
+      remoteDir: launchOpts.remoteDir,
+      sockPath: launchOpts.sockPath,
+      endpointDir: launchOpts.endpointDir,
+      graceTime: launchOpts.graceTime,
       logFile,
       errFile,
-      launchOpts.credentialFile,
-      launchOpts.ripgrepPath
-    ),
+      credentialFile: launchOpts.credentialFile,
+      ripgrepPath: launchOpts.ripgrepPath
+    }),
     { signal }
-  )
+  ).catch((error: unknown) => {
+    throw classifyWindowsRelayLaunchError(error)
+  })
+  const launchReport = parseRelayWindowsLaunchReport(launchOutput)
+  console.log(`${WINDOWS_RELAY_LAUNCH_LOG_PREFIX}${JSON.stringify(launchReport)}`)
 
   const POLL_INTERVAL_MS = 200
   const POLL_TIMEOUT_MS = 10_000
@@ -2495,52 +2504,6 @@ function windowsRelayConnectCommand(
   )
 }
 
-function windowsRelayLaunchCommand(
-  hostPlatform: RemoteHostPlatform,
-  nodePath: string,
-  remoteDir: string,
-  sockPath: string,
-  endpointDir: string,
-  graceTime: number,
-  logFile: string,
-  errFile: string,
-  credentialFile: string,
-  ripgrepPath?: string
-): string {
-  const relayScript = joinRemotePath(hostPlatform, remoteDir, 'relay.js')
-  // Why: Windows sshd kills the exec channel's process tree on close; WMI re-parents the detached relay to survive.
-  const quoted = (value: string): string => `"${value.replace(/"/g, '\\"')}"`
-  const relayCommandLine = [
-    quoted(nodePath),
-    quoted(relayScript),
-    '--detached',
-    '--grace-time',
-    String(graceTime),
-    '--sock-path',
-    quoted(sockPath),
-    '--credential-file',
-    quoted(credentialFile),
-    '--endpoint-dir',
-    quoted(endpointDir),
-    // Why: --log-file owns rotation; shell redirects still capture pre-JS boot/crash output.
-    '--log-file',
-    quoted(logFile),
-    ...(ripgrepPath ? ['--ripgrep-path', quoted(ripgrepPath)] : []),
-    `1>${quoted(logFile)}`,
-    `2>${quoted(errFile)}`
-  ].join(' ')
-  const wmiCommandLine = `cmd.exe /d /s /c "${relayCommandLine}"`
-  return commandWithNodePath(
-    hostPlatform,
-    nodePath,
-    remoteDir,
-    [
-      `$result = Invoke-CimMethod -ClassName Win32_Process -MethodName Create -Arguments @{ CommandLine = ${powerShellLiteral(wmiCommandLine)}; CurrentDirectory = ${powerShellLiteral(remoteDir)} }`,
-      `if ($result.ReturnValue -ne 0) { throw "Win32_Process.Create failed with $($result.ReturnValue)" }`
-    ].join('; ')
-  )
-}
-
 async function probeWindowsRelayPipe(
   conn: SshConnection,
   hostPlatform: RemoteHostPlatform,
diff --git a/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-windows-host-lane.test.ts b/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-windows-host-lane.test.ts
index dbfc58991c0..6d0a978593b 100644
--- a/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-windows-host-lane.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-windows-host-lane.test.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ vi.mock('electron', () => ({ app: { getAppPath: () => process.cwd() } }))
 
 import { ORCAD_RUNTIMES_DIRNAME } from '../../shared/orcad-artifacts'
 import { RELAY_REMOTE_DIR } from './relay-protocol'
+import { WINDOWS_RELAY_LAUNCH_LOG_PREFIX } from './ssh-relay-windows-launch-command'
 import type { SshConnection } from './ssh-connection'
 import { localHostObserver } from './ssh-hostile-host-observer'
 import {
@@ -64,6 +65,16 @@ describe.runIf(RUN)('SSH relay on a Windows OpenSSH host', () => {
         expect(violations, `${cell.id}: ${violations.join('; ')}`).toEqual([])
       }
       const receipt: Record<string, unknown> = { cell: cell.id, target: descriptor.target, audits }
+      // The deploy logs each relay launch; the cell reads them to prove which route ran.
+      const launches: unknown[] = []
+      const logSpy = vi.spyOn(console, 'log').mockImplementation((...args: unknown[]) => {
+        const line = args.map(String).join(' ')
+        if (line.startsWith(WINDOWS_RELAY_LAUNCH_LOG_PREFIX)) {
+          launches.push(JSON.parse(line.slice(WINDOWS_RELAY_LAUNCH_LOG_PREFIX.length)))
+        }
+        process.stdout.write(`${line}\n`)
+      })
+      receipt.launches = launches
       let conn: SshConnection | null = null
       try {
         conn = await connectHostileHost(sshTarget)
@@ -87,6 +98,9 @@ describe.runIf(RUN)('SSH relay on a Windows OpenSSH host', () => {
             inspectDeploy
           })
           Object.assign(receipt, evidence, { reused: true, gcKeptInUse: true })
+          // One launch, outside sshd's job with no WMI grant; the second connect launched nothing,
+          // so it adopted the relay that outlived the first SSH connection.
+          expect(launches).toEqual([{ method: 'breakaway', pid: expect.any(Number), inJob: false }])
         } else {
           // Opted out: nothing may enter the pinned runtime store, whatever the host-Node path did.
           const store = `${descriptor.home}/${RELAY_REMOTE_DIR}/${ORCAD_RUNTIMES_DIRNAME}`
@@ -95,6 +109,7 @@ describe.runIf(RUN)('SSH relay on a Windows OpenSSH host', () => {
         }
         receipt.passed = true
       } finally {
+        logSpy.mockRestore()
         await conn?.disconnect().catch(() => {})
         writeFileSync(descriptor.receipt, `${JSON.stringify(receipt, null, 2)}\n`)
       }
diff --git a/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-windows-launch-command.test.ts b/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-windows-launch-command.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..504ce0244ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-windows-launch-command.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import {
+  formatRelayWindowsLaunchReport,
+  parseRelayWindowsLaunchReport,
+  RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_LAUNCH_FLAG
+} from '../../shared/relay-windows-breakaway-launch'
+import {
+  classifyWindowsRelayLaunchError,
+  WINDOWS_RELAY_LAUNCH_REFUSED_MARKER,
+  windowsRelayLaunchCommand
+} from './ssh-relay-windows-launch-command'
+import { getRemoteHostPlatform } from './ssh-remote-platform'
+import { decodeRemotePowerShellScript } from './ssh-remote-powershell'
+
+const host = getRemoteHostPlatform('win32-x64')
+const opts = {
+  nodePath: 'C:/Users/me user/.orca-remote/runtimes/node-abc/node.exe',
+  remoteDir: 'C:/Users/me user/.orca-remote/relay-1',
+  sockPath: '\\\\.\\pipe\\orca-relay-1',
+  endpointDir: 'C:/Users/me user/.orca-remote/relay-1/agent-hooks/orca-relay-1',
+  graceTime: 300,
+  logFile: 'C:/Users/me user/.orca-remote/relay-1/relay.log',
+  errFile: 'C:/Users/me user/.orca-remote/relay-1/relay.err.log',
+  credentialFile: 'C:/Users/me user/.orca-remote/relay-1/orca-relay-1.credential'
+}
+
+function launchScript(): string {
+  return decodeRemotePowerShellScript(windowsRelayLaunchCommand(host, opts))
+}
+
+describe('windowsRelayLaunchCommand', () => {
+  it('starts the relay through the breakaway launcher on the same node.exe', () => {
+    const script = launchScript()
+    const launcher = `& '${opts.nodePath}' relay.js '${RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_LAUNCH_FLAG}' '--stdout-file' '${opts.logFile}' '--stderr-file' '${opts.errFile}' '--relay-args' '--detached' '--grace-time' '300' '--sock-path' '${opts.sockPath}'`
+    expect(script).toContain(launcher)
+    expect(script.indexOf(launcher)).toBeLessThan(script.indexOf('Invoke-CimMethod'))
+  })
+
+  it('reaches WMI only when the launcher reports itself unavailable', () => {
+    const script = launchScript()
+    const wmiBranch = script.slice(script.indexOf('if ($orcaLaunchCode -eq 3)'))
+    expect(wmiBranch.indexOf('Invoke-CimMethod')).toBeGreaterThan(0)
+    expect(wmiBranch.indexOf('Invoke-CimMethod')).toBeLessThan(wmiBranch.indexOf('elseif'))
+    expect(script).toContain(
+      `"C:/Users/me user/.orca-remote/relay-1/relay.js" --detached --grace-time 300`
+    )
+    expect(script).toContain(`1>"${opts.logFile}" 2>"${opts.errFile}"`)
+  })
+
+  it('names a WMI refusal so a standard-user host fails with a reason', () => {
+    const script = launchScript()
+    expect(script).toContain(`throw "${WINDOWS_RELAY_LAUNCH_REFUSED_MARKER}:`)
+    expect(script).toContain('Invoke-CimMethod -ErrorAction Stop')
+  })
+
+  it('emits nothing an EDR scores as a launch technique', () => {
+    const script = launchScript()
+    expect(script).not.toMatch(/Add-Type|ExecutionPolicy|Register-ScheduledTask|schtasks/iu)
+  })
+
+  it('passes the uploaded ripgrep to both routes', () => {
+    const script = decodeRemotePowerShellScript(
+      windowsRelayLaunchCommand(host, { ...opts, ripgrepPath: 'C:/rg/rg.exe' })
+    )
+    expect(script).toContain(`'--ripgrep-path' 'C:/rg/rg.exe'`)
+    expect(script).toContain('--ripgrep-path "C:/rg/rg.exe"')
+  })
+})
+
+describe('classifyWindowsRelayLaunchError', () => {
+  it('turns a refusal into a named error', () => {
+    const exec = new Error(
+      `Command "powershell.exe -EncodedCommand AAAA" failed (exit 1): ${WINDOWS_RELAY_LAUNCH_REFUSED_MARKER}: this account cannot start a process that outlives the SSH session: breakaway launcher unavailable (ORCA_RELAY_LAUNCH {"method":"unavailable","reason":"addon-missing"}) and WMI Win32_Process.Create denied (Access denied)\nAt line:1 char:1`
+    )
+    const classified = classifyWindowsRelayLaunchError(exec)
+    if (!(classified instanceof Error)) {
+      throw new Error('expected an Error')
+    }
+    expect(classified.message).toMatch(
+      /^The Windows host refused to start Orca's relay outside the SSH session\. ORCA_RELAY_LAUNCH_REFUSED: .*addon-missing.*Access denied\)$/u
+    )
+    expect(classified.message).not.toContain('EncodedCommand')
+  })
+
+  it('leaves every other launch failure as it was', () => {
+    const exec = new Error('Command "x" failed (exit 1): Relay launcher exited 1')
+    expect(classifyWindowsRelayLaunchError(exec)).toBe(exec)
+  })
+})
+
+describe('parseRelayWindowsLaunchReport', () => {
+  it('reads the launcher and WMI reports', () => {
+    const breakaway = formatRelayWindowsLaunchReport({ method: 'breakaway', pid: 7, inJob: false })
+    expect(parseRelayWindowsLaunchReport(`noise\r\n${breakaway}\r\n`)).toEqual({
+      method: 'breakaway',
+      pid: 7,
+      inJob: false
+    })
+    const unavailable = formatRelayWindowsLaunchReport({
+      method: 'unavailable',
+      reason: 'addon-missing'
+    })
+    expect(
+      parseRelayWindowsLaunchReport(`${unavailable}\nORCA_RELAY_LAUNCH {"method":"wmi"}`)
+    ).toEqual({ method: 'wmi' })
+  })
+
+  it('reads nothing from output without a report', () => {
+    expect(parseRelayWindowsLaunchReport('')).toBeNull()
+    expect(parseRelayWindowsLaunchReport('ORCA_RELAY_LAUNCH not-json')).toBeNull()
+    expect(parseRelayWindowsLaunchReport('ORCA_RELAY_LAUNCH {"method":"breakaway"}')).toBeNull()
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-windows-launch-command.ts b/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-windows-launch-command.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9c110c69ad8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/ssh/ssh-relay-windows-launch-command.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+/**
+ * The PowerShell that starts a detached relay on a Windows SSH host.
+ *
+ * Win32-OpenSSH puts each session's shell in a job with KILL_ON_JOB_CLOSE, so a relay started
+ * inside the session dies with it. The job allows breakaway, so `relay.js`'s one-shot launcher
+ * mode starts the relay with CREATE_BREAKAWAY_FROM_JOB through the staged process-tree addon. That
+ * works for a standard user; WMI Win32_Process.Create, the old route, is refused to a standard
+ * user's network logon, so it runs only when the launcher is unavailable (a relay built without
+ * the addon, or a job that refuses breakaway), and a refusal there is reported as one.
+ */
+import {
+  RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_ARGS_FLAG,
+  RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_EXIT_CODES,
+  RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_LAUNCH_FLAG,
+  RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_STDERR_FLAG,
+  RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_STDOUT_FLAG,
+  RELAY_WINDOWS_LAUNCH_REPORT_MARKER
+} from '../../shared/relay-windows-breakaway-launch'
+import { commandWithNodePath } from './ssh-remote-commands'
+import { joinRemotePath, type RemoteHostPlatform } from './ssh-remote-platform'
+import { powerShellLiteral, powerShellNativeArg } from './ssh-remote-powershell'
+
+/** Followed by the launch report as JSON, or `null` when the script printed none. */
+export const WINDOWS_RELAY_LAUNCH_LOG_PREFIX = '[ssh-relay] Windows relay launch: '
+
+/** In the launch error when neither route may start a process outside the session. */
+export const WINDOWS_RELAY_LAUNCH_REFUSED_MARKER = 'ORCA_RELAY_LAUNCH_REFUSED'
+
+export type WindowsRelayLaunchCommandOptions = {
+  nodePath: string
+  remoteDir: string
+  sockPath: string
+  endpointDir: string
+  graceTime: number
+  logFile: string
+  errFile: string
+  credentialFile: string
+  ripgrepPath?: string
+}
+
+function relayDaemonArgs(opts: WindowsRelayLaunchCommandOptions): string[] {
+  return [
+    '--detached',
+    '--grace-time',
+    String(opts.graceTime),
+    '--sock-path',
+    opts.sockPath,
+    '--credential-file',
+    opts.credentialFile,
+    '--endpoint-dir',
+    opts.endpointDir,
+    // Why: --log-file owns rotation; the stdout/stderr files still capture pre-JS boot/crash output.
+    '--log-file',
+    opts.logFile,
+    ...(opts.ripgrepPath ? ['--ripgrep-path', opts.ripgrepPath] : [])
+  ]
+}
+
+function wmiCommandLine(opts: WindowsRelayLaunchCommandOptions, relayScript: string): string {
+  const quoted = (value: string): string => `"${value.replace(/"/g, '\\"')}"`
+  const relayCommandLine = [
+    quoted(opts.nodePath),
+    quoted(relayScript),
+    ...relayDaemonArgs(opts).map((arg) =>
+      arg.startsWith('--') || arg === String(opts.graceTime) ? arg : quoted(arg)
+    ),
+    `1>${quoted(opts.logFile)}`,
+    `2>${quoted(opts.errFile)}`
+  ].join(' ')
+  return `cmd.exe /d /s /c "${relayCommandLine}"`
+}
+
+export function windowsRelayLaunchCommand(
+  hostPlatform: RemoteHostPlatform,
+  opts: WindowsRelayLaunchCommandOptions
+): string {
+  const relayScript = joinRemotePath(hostPlatform, opts.remoteDir, 'relay.js')
+  const launcherArgs = [
+    RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_LAUNCH_FLAG,
+    RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_STDOUT_FLAG,
+    opts.logFile,
+    RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_STDERR_FLAG,
+    opts.errFile,
+    RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_ARGS_FLAG,
+    ...relayDaemonArgs(opts)
+  ]
+  const launcher = `& ${powerShellLiteral(opts.nodePath)} relay.js ${launcherArgs.map(powerShellNativeArg).join(' ')}`
+  const refused = `${WINDOWS_RELAY_LAUNCH_REFUSED_MARKER}: this account cannot start a process that outlives the SSH session`
+  const wmi = [
+    'try {',
+    `$orcaWmi = Invoke-CimMethod -ErrorAction Stop -ClassName Win32_Process -MethodName Create -Arguments @{ CommandLine = ${powerShellLiteral(wmiCommandLine(opts, relayScript))}; CurrentDirectory = ${powerShellLiteral(opts.remoteDir)} }`,
+    `} catch { throw "${refused}: breakaway launcher unavailable ($orcaLaunch) and WMI Win32_Process.Create denied ($($_.Exception.Message))" }`,
+    `if ($orcaWmi.ReturnValue -ne 0) { throw "${refused}: breakaway launcher unavailable ($orcaLaunch) and Win32_Process.Create returned $($orcaWmi.ReturnValue)" }`,
+    `'${RELAY_WINDOWS_LAUNCH_REPORT_MARKER} {"method":"wmi"}'`
+  ].join('; ')
+  return commandWithNodePath(
+    hostPlatform,
+    opts.nodePath,
+    opts.remoteDir,
+    [
+      `$orcaLaunch = (${launcher}) -join ' '`,
+      '$orcaLaunchCode = $LASTEXITCODE',
+      '$orcaLaunch',
+      `if ($orcaLaunchCode -eq ${RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_EXIT_CODES.unavailable}) { ${wmi} } ` +
+        `elseif ($orcaLaunchCode -ne ${RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_EXIT_CODES.launched}) { throw "Relay launcher exited $($orcaLaunchCode): $orcaLaunch" }`
+    ].join('; ')
+  )
+}
+
+/**
+ * A launch refusal is a host policy, not a transient failure: name it rather than surface the
+ * encoded command the exec error carries.
+ */
+export function classifyWindowsRelayLaunchError(error: unknown): unknown {
+  const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)
+  const refusal = message
+    .split(/\r?\n/u)
+    .find((line) => line.includes(WINDOWS_RELAY_LAUNCH_REFUSED_MARKER))
+  if (!refusal) {
+    return error
+  }
+  const detail = refusal.slice(refusal.indexOf(WINDOWS_RELAY_LAUNCH_REFUSED_MARKER)).trim()
+  return new Error(
+    `The Windows host refused to start Orca's relay outside the SSH session. ${detail}`,
+    { cause: error }
+  )
+}
diff --git a/src/relay/relay-windows-breakaway-launch.test.ts b/src/relay/relay-windows-breakaway-launch.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b73ea73e1ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/relay/relay-windows-breakaway-launch.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,145 @@
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { quoteWindowsArgument } from '../shared/child-process/windows-command-line'
+import {
+  RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_EXIT_CODES,
+  RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_LAUNCH_FLAG
+} from '../shared/relay-windows-breakaway-launch'
+import {
+  launchRelayOutsideJob,
+  loadSpawnOutsideJob,
+  parseRelayWindowsBreakawayLaunch,
+  type SpawnOutsideJob
+} from './relay-windows-breakaway-launch'
+
+const argv = [
+  'C:\\rt\\node.exe',
+  'C:\\Users\\me user\\.orca-remote\\relay-1\\relay.js',
+  RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_LAUNCH_FLAG,
+  '--stdout-file',
+  'C:/Users/me user/relay.log',
+  '--stderr-file',
+  'C:/Users/me user/relay.err.log',
+  '--relay-args',
+  '--detached',
+  '--sock-path',
+  '\\\\.\\pipe\\orca-relay-1',
+  '--log-file',
+  'C:/Users/me user/relay.log'
+]
+const runtime = { execPath: argv[0], relayScript: argv[1], cwd: 'C:\\Users\\me user' }
+
+function requestFrom(args: readonly string[]) {
+  const request = parseRelayWindowsBreakawayLaunch(args)
+  if (!request) {
+    throw new Error('expected a launch request')
+  }
+  return request
+}
+
+describe('relay Windows breakaway launcher', () => {
+  it('is not requested by an ordinary relay launch', () => {
+    expect(parseRelayWindowsBreakawayLaunch(['node', 'relay.js', '--detached'])).toBeNull()
+  })
+
+  it('takes its own flags before -- and hands the rest to the relay', () => {
+    expect(parseRelayWindowsBreakawayLaunch(argv)).toEqual({
+      stdoutPath: 'C:/Users/me user/relay.log',
+      stderrPath: 'C:/Users/me user/relay.err.log',
+      relayArgs: argv.slice(8)
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('refuses a request without its output files', () => {
+    expect(() =>
+      parseRelayWindowsBreakawayLaunch(['node', 'relay.js', RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_LAUNCH_FLAG])
+    ).toThrow('--stdout-file')
+  })
+
+  it('starts the same node and relay script with the relay args, quoted for CommandLineToArgvW', () => {
+    const spawn = vi.fn<SpawnOutsideJob>(() => ({ ok: true, pid: 4242, inJob: false }))
+
+    const outcome = launchRelayOutsideJob(requestFrom(argv), spawn, runtime)
+
+    expect(outcome).toEqual({
+      report: { method: 'breakaway', pid: 4242, inJob: false },
+      exitCode: RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_EXIT_CODES.launched
+    })
+    expect(spawn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      runtime.execPath,
+      [runtime.execPath, runtime.relayScript, ...argv.slice(8)].map(quoteWindowsArgument).join(' '),
+      runtime.cwd,
+      'C:/Users/me user/relay.log',
+      'C:/Users/me user/relay.err.log'
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('reports a job that refuses breakaway as unavailable so the script can try WMI', () => {
+    const spawn: SpawnOutsideJob = () => ({
+      ok: false,
+      reason: 'breakaway-denied',
+      step: 'create-process',
+      code: 5
+    })
+
+    expect(launchRelayOutsideJob(requestFrom(argv), spawn, runtime)).toEqual({
+      report: {
+        method: 'unavailable',
+        reason: 'breakaway-denied',
+        step: 'create-process',
+        code: 5
+      },
+      exitCode: RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_EXIT_CODES.unavailable
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('reports any other CreateProcess failure as failed, without a WMI retry', () => {
+    const spawn: SpawnOutsideJob = () => ({
+      ok: false,
+      reason: 'failed',
+      step: 'open-stdout',
+      code: 32
+    })
+
+    expect(launchRelayOutsideJob(requestFrom(argv), spawn, runtime)).toEqual({
+      report: { method: 'failed', reason: 'failed', step: 'open-stdout', code: 32 },
+      exitCode: RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_EXIT_CODES.failed
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('reports a missing launcher as unavailable', () => {
+    expect(launchRelayOutsideJob(requestFrom(argv), 'addon-missing', runtime)).toEqual({
+      report: { method: 'unavailable', reason: 'addon-missing' },
+      exitCode: RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_EXIT_CODES.unavailable
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('names an absent addon and one that predates the launcher', () => {
+    expect(
+      loadSpawnOutsideJob(() => {
+        throw new Error('Cannot find module')
+      }, 'win32')
+    ).toBe('addon-missing')
+    expect(loadSpawnOutsideJob(() => ({ getProcessList: () => {} }), 'win32')).toBe(
+      'addon-predates-launcher'
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('reads an unrecognised addon result as a failure', () => {
+    const spawn = loadSpawnOutsideJob(() => ({ spawnOutsideJob: () => ({ ok: true }) }), 'win32')
+    if (typeof spawn !== 'function') {
+      throw new Error(`expected a launcher, got ${spawn}`)
+    }
+    expect(spawn('a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e')).toEqual({
+      ok: false,
+      reason: 'unrecognized-result',
+      step: 'create-process',
+      code: 0
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('never binds the addon off Windows', () => {
+    expect(loadSpawnOutsideJob(() => ({ spawnOutsideJob: () => ({}) }), 'linux')).toBe(
+      'not-windows'
+    )
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/relay/relay-windows-breakaway-launch.ts b/src/relay/relay-windows-breakaway-launch.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..72b5400deff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/relay/relay-windows-breakaway-launch.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,154 @@
+/**
+ * One-shot launcher mode of `relay.js` on Windows SSH hosts: start the detached relay outside the
+ * SSH session's job object, then exit.
+ *
+ * Win32-OpenSSH kills a session's job when the session ends. The job allows breakaway, but libuv
+ * never asks for it, so the staged process-tree addon does the CreateProcessW. WMI, the old
+ * route, is refused to a standard user's network logon, so it is only the launch script's
+ * fallback for hosts whose relay predates this addon.
+ */
+import { createRequire } from 'node:module'
+import { quoteWindowsArgument } from '../shared/child-process/windows-command-line'
+import { RELAY_WINDOWS_PROCESS_TREE_FILENAME } from '../shared/relay-artifacts'
+import {
+  formatRelayWindowsLaunchReport,
+  RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_ARGS_FLAG,
+  RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_EXIT_CODES,
+  RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_LAUNCH_FLAG,
+  RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_STDERR_FLAG,
+  RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_STDOUT_FLAG,
+  type RelayWindowsLaunchReport
+} from '../shared/relay-windows-breakaway-launch'
+
+type SpawnOutsideJobResult =
+  | { ok: true; pid: number; inJob: boolean }
+  | { ok: false; reason: string; step: string; code: number }
+
+export type SpawnOutsideJob = (
+  application: string,
+  commandLine: string,
+  cwd: string,
+  stdoutPath: string,
+  stderrPath: string
+) => SpawnOutsideJobResult
+
+type LaunchRequest = {
+  stdoutPath: string
+  stderrPath: string
+  relayArgs: string[]
+}
+
+export function parseRelayWindowsBreakawayLaunch(argv: readonly string[]): LaunchRequest | null {
+  const flag = argv.indexOf(RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_LAUNCH_FLAG)
+  if (flag === -1) {
+    return null
+  }
+  const separator = argv.indexOf(RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_ARGS_FLAG, flag)
+  const own = argv.slice(flag + 1, separator === -1 ? argv.length : separator)
+  const valueOf = (name: string): string => {
+    const index = own.indexOf(name)
+    const value = index === -1 ? undefined : own[index + 1]
+    if (!value) {
+      throw new Error(`${RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_LAUNCH_FLAG} needs ${name}`)
+    }
+    return value
+  }
+  return {
+    stdoutPath: valueOf(RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_STDOUT_FLAG),
+    stderrPath: valueOf(RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_STDERR_FLAG),
+    relayArgs: separator === -1 ? [] : argv.slice(separator + 1)
+  }
+}
+
+/** The staged addon's launcher, or why there is none. */
+export function loadSpawnOutsideJob(
+  requireNative: (specifier: string) => unknown = createRequire(__filename),
+  platform: NodeJS.Platform = process.platform
+): SpawnOutsideJob | string {
+  if (platform !== 'win32') {
+    return 'not-windows'
+  }
+  let addon: unknown
+  try {
+    addon = requireNative(`./${RELAY_WINDOWS_PROCESS_TREE_FILENAME}`)
+  } catch {
+    return 'addon-missing'
+  }
+  const spawn =
+    addon && typeof addon === 'object' && 'spawnOutsideJob' in addon
+      ? addon.spawnOutsideJob
+      : undefined
+  if (typeof spawn !== 'function') {
+    return 'addon-predates-launcher'
+  }
+  return (...args) => readSpawnOutsideJobResult(spawn(...args))
+}
+
+function readSpawnOutsideJobResult(value: unknown): SpawnOutsideJobResult {
+  const record = value && typeof value === 'object' ? Object.fromEntries(Object.entries(value)) : {}
+  if (record.ok === true && typeof record.pid === 'number') {
+    return { ok: true, pid: record.pid, inJob: record.inJob === true }
+  }
+  return {
+    ok: false,
+    reason: typeof record.reason === 'string' ? record.reason : 'unrecognized-result',
+    step: typeof record.step === 'string' ? record.step : 'create-process',
+    code: typeof record.code === 'number' ? record.code : 0
+  }
+}
+
+export function launchRelayOutsideJob(
+  request: LaunchRequest,
+  spawnOutsideJob: SpawnOutsideJob | string,
+  runtime: { execPath: string; relayScript: string; cwd: string }
+): { report: RelayWindowsLaunchReport; exitCode: number } {
+  if (typeof spawnOutsideJob === 'string') {
+    return {
+      report: { method: 'unavailable', reason: spawnOutsideJob },
+      exitCode: RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_EXIT_CODES.unavailable
+    }
+  }
+  const commandLine = [runtime.execPath, runtime.relayScript, ...request.relayArgs]
+    .map(quoteWindowsArgument)
+    .join(' ')
+  const result = spawnOutsideJob(
+    runtime.execPath,
+    commandLine,
+    runtime.cwd,
+    request.stdoutPath,
+    request.stderrPath
+  )
+  if (result.ok) {
+    return {
+      report: { method: 'breakaway', pid: result.pid, inJob: result.inJob },
+      exitCode: RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_EXIT_CODES.launched
+    }
+  }
+  const failure = { reason: result.reason, step: result.step, code: result.code }
+  // A job without BREAKAWAY_OK is a host property, not a launch failure: WMI may still work.
+  return result.reason === 'breakaway-denied'
+    ? {
+        report: { method: 'unavailable', ...failure },
+        exitCode: RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_EXIT_CODES.unavailable
+      }
+    : {
+        report: { method: 'failed', ...failure },
+        exitCode: RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_EXIT_CODES.failed
+      }
+}
+
+/** Runs the launcher mode when argv asks for it; false means run the relay normally. */
+export function runRelayWindowsBreakawayLaunchIfRequested(argv: readonly string[]): boolean {
+  const request = parseRelayWindowsBreakawayLaunch(argv)
+  if (!request) {
+    return false
+  }
+  const { report, exitCode } = launchRelayOutsideJob(request, loadSpawnOutsideJob(), {
+    execPath: process.execPath,
+    relayScript: argv[1] ?? '',
+    cwd: process.cwd()
+  })
+  // Why exit: nothing this one-shot mode loaded may keep the launching SSH exec open.
+  process.stdout.write(`${formatRelayWindowsLaunchReport(report)}\n`, () => process.exit(exitCode))
+  return true
+}
diff --git a/src/relay/relay.ts b/src/relay/relay.ts
index 9f49664599b..e986a19b709 100644
--- a/src/relay/relay.ts
+++ b/src/relay/relay.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { runRelayDaemon } from './relay-daemon'
 import { relayLogLine } from './relay-diagnostic-log'
 import { configureRelayBundledRipgrep } from './relay-bundled-ripgrep'
 import { runRelayRuntimeSelfTestCommand } from './relay-runtime-self-test'
+import { runRelayWindowsBreakawayLaunchIfRequested } from './relay-windows-breakaway-launch'
 import { RELAY_RUNTIME_SELF_TEST_FLAG } from '../shared/relay-runtime-self-test-report'
 
 async function main(): Promise<void> {
@@ -17,6 +18,9 @@ async function main(): Promise<void> {
     await runRelayRuntimeSelfTestCommand(process.argv[selfTestFlag + 1] ?? '')
     return
   }
+  if (runRelayWindowsBreakawayLaunchIfRequested(process.argv)) {
+    return
+  }
   const options = parseRelayLaunchOptions(process.argv)
   if (options.connectMode) {
     runRelayConnectChannel(options.sockPath, readRelayEndpointCredential(options.credentialFile))
diff --git a/src/shared/relay-windows-breakaway-launch.ts b/src/shared/relay-windows-breakaway-launch.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5c7407fa8bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shared/relay-windows-breakaway-launch.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+/**
+ * The contract between the Windows relay launch script (main) and the one-shot launcher mode of
+ * `relay.js` that starts the detached relay outside the SSH session's job object.
+ */
+
+export const RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_LAUNCH_FLAG = '--windows-breakaway-launch'
+export const RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_STDOUT_FLAG = '--stdout-file'
+export const RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_STDERR_FLAG = '--stderr-file'
+/** Everything after it is the relay's own argv. Not `--`: Windows PowerShell may consume that. */
+export const RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_ARGS_FLAG = '--relay-args'
+
+/** The launcher's one report line, followed by a JSON object. */
+export const RELAY_WINDOWS_LAUNCH_REPORT_MARKER = 'ORCA_RELAY_LAUNCH'
+
+/**
+ * `unavailable` means this host cannot use the launcher (no addon, an addon that predates it, or
+ * a job that refuses breakaway); the launch script then tries WMI.
+ */
+export const RELAY_WINDOWS_BREAKAWAY_EXIT_CODES = {
+  launched: 0,
+  failed: 1,
+  unavailable: 3
+} as const
+
+export type RelayWindowsLaunchReport =
+  | { method: 'breakaway'; pid: number; inJob: boolean }
+  | { method: 'wmi' }
+  | { method: 'unavailable'; reason: string; step?: string; code?: number }
+  | { method: 'failed'; reason: string; step?: string; code?: number }
+
+/** The last report line in `output`, or null when none parses. */
+export function parseRelayWindowsLaunchReport(output: string): RelayWindowsLaunchReport | null {
+  const lines = output
+    .split(/\r?\n/u)
+    .filter((line) => line.startsWith(RELAY_WINDOWS_LAUNCH_REPORT_MARKER))
+  const last = lines.at(-1)
+  if (!last) {
+    return null
+  }
+  try {
+    const parsed: unknown = JSON.parse(last.slice(RELAY_WINDOWS_LAUNCH_REPORT_MARKER.length).trim())
+    if (!parsed || typeof parsed !== 'object' || !('method' in parsed)) {
+      return null
+    }
+    const record = Object.fromEntries(Object.entries(parsed))
+    switch (record.method) {
+      case 'breakaway':
+        return typeof record.pid === 'number'
+          ? { method: 'breakaway', pid: record.pid, inJob: record.inJob === true }
+          : null
+      case 'wmi':
+        return { method: 'wmi' }
+      case 'unavailable':
+      case 'failed':
+        return {
+          method: record.method,
+          reason: typeof record.reason === 'string' ? record.reason : 'unknown',
+          ...(typeof record.step === 'string' ? { step: record.step } : {}),
+          ...(typeof record.code === 'number' ? { code: record.code } : {})
+        }
+      default:
+        return null
+    }
+  } catch {
+    return null
+  }
+}
+
+export function formatRelayWindowsLaunchReport(report: RelayWindowsLaunchReport): string {
+  return `${RELAY_WINDOWS_LAUNCH_REPORT_MARKER} ${JSON.stringify(report)}`
+}