diff --git a/src/main/runtime/relay/desktop-relay-service.test.ts b/src/main/runtime/relay/desktop-relay-service.test.ts
index a69c5a74fa6..508b3fb64d7 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/relay/desktop-relay-service.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/relay/desktop-relay-service.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 import type { MobilePairingConnectionContext } from '../runtime-rpc'
 import { DesktopRelayService, pairingAuthorizationForContext } from './desktop-relay-service'
 
@@ -61,6 +61,47 @@ describe('pairingAuthorizationForContext', () => {
   })
 })
 
+describe('liveness safety net lifecycle', () => {
+  afterEach(() => vi.useRealTimers())
+
+  it('fences hard: the tick stops on fence and re-arms on the next auth mutation', () => {
+    // Why: a tick surviving the pre-sign-out fence could catch the window
+    // before the profile wipe and briefly resurrect a broker.
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    const coordinator = {
+      reconcile: vi.fn(),
+      ensureLive: vi.fn(),
+      fenceAndCloseNow: vi.fn(),
+      stop: vi.fn()
+    }
+    const service = Object.create(DesktopRelayService.prototype) as DesktopRelayService
+    Object.assign(service, {
+      coordinator,
+      demandLedger: { nextPendingExpiry: () => null },
+      stopped: false,
+      livenessTimer: null,
+      demandExpiryTimer: null
+    })
+
+    service.start()
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(5 * 60_000)
+    expect(coordinator.ensureLive).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+
+    service.fenceAndCloseNow()
+    expect(coordinator.fenceAndCloseNow).toHaveBeenCalledOnce()
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(30 * 60_000)
+    expect(coordinator.ensureLive).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+
+    service.authMutated()
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(5 * 60_000)
+    expect(coordinator.ensureLive).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
+
+    service.stop()
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(30 * 60_000)
+    expect(coordinator.ensureLive).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
+  })
+})
+
 describe('local-only mobile pairing', () => {
   it('refuses endpoint discovery and provisioning without opening Relay demand', async () => {
     const registry = {
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/relay/desktop-relay-service.ts b/src/main/runtime/relay/desktop-relay-service.ts
index 04236fea2b7..575cbe23bbc 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/relay/desktop-relay-service.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/relay/desktop-relay-service.ts
@@ -96,9 +96,6 @@ export class DesktopRelayService {
 
   start(): void {
     this.refreshDemand()
-    if (!this.livenessTimer) {
-      this.livenessTimer = setInterval(() => this.ensureLive(), RELAY_LIVENESS_INTERVAL_MS)
-    }
   }
 
   // Safe to call from any wake signal (power resume, network change).
@@ -113,6 +110,13 @@ export class DesktopRelayService {
   }
 
   fenceAndCloseNow(): void {
+    // Why: a fence must be hard — a surviving liveness tick could catch the
+    // window between the pre-sign-out fence and the profile wipe and briefly
+    // resurrect a broker. The next auth mutation re-arms via refreshDemand.
+    if (this.livenessTimer) {
+      clearInterval(this.livenessTimer)
+      this.livenessTimer = null
+    }
     this.coordinator.fenceAndCloseNow()
   }
 
@@ -307,6 +311,9 @@ export class DesktopRelayService {
     if (this.stopped) {
       return
     }
+    if (!this.livenessTimer) {
+      this.livenessTimer = setInterval(() => this.ensureLive(), RELAY_LIVENESS_INTERVAL_MS)
+    }
     if (this.demandExpiryTimer) {
       clearTimeout(this.demandExpiryTimer)
       this.demandExpiryTimer = null