diff --git a/src/main/updater.test.ts b/src/main/updater.test.ts
index a8d37301b9d..a0ab479343d 100644
--- a/src/main/updater.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/updater.test.ts
@@ -4234,6 +4234,7 @@ describe('updater', () => {
         message:
           'The downloaded package no longer matches the verified release, so Orca will not hand it to a package manager. Download the update again, or get it from the official release page.'
       })
+      expect(send).toHaveBeenCalledWith('updater:quitAndInstallAborted')
       expect(recordUpdaterLifecycleMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         'linux_package_revalidation_failed',
         expect.objectContaining({ action: 'restart-to-install', reason: 'hash-mismatch' }),
@@ -4242,7 +4243,7 @@ describe('updater', () => {
     })
 
     it('installs normally when the retained package still matches its digest', async () => {
-      const { updater } = await startUpdater('deb')
+      const { send, updater } = await startUpdater('deb')
       await reachDownloaded(updater, downloadedEvent())
 
       updater.quitAndInstall()
@@ -4250,6 +4251,9 @@ describe('updater', () => {
 
       expect(autoUpdaterMock.quitAndInstall).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
       expect(killAllPtyMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+      // Why: an abort push here would clear the restart flag mid-quit and re-arm the dirty-buffer
+      // prompt against the install that is already committed.
+      expect(send).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith('updater:quitAndInstallAborted')
       expect(recordUpdaterLifecycleMock).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         'linux_package_revalidation_failed',
         expect.anything(),
@@ -4277,6 +4281,9 @@ describe('updater', () => {
       // The install is still abandoned — only the stale status is withheld.
       expect(autoUpdaterMock.quitAndInstall).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
       expect(lastStatus(send)).toMatchObject({ state: 'available', version: '1.0.61' })
+      // Withholding the status must not also withhold the abort: the renderer armed its restart and
+      // would otherwise skip its unsaved-work prompt for the rest of the session.
+      expect(send).toHaveBeenCalledWith('updater:quitAndInstallAborted')
       expect(recordUpdaterLifecycleMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         'linux_package_revalidation_failed',
         expect.objectContaining({ reason: 'hash-mismatch' }),
diff --git a/src/main/updater.ts b/src/main/updater.ts
index a40c3a99b01..302591286f3 100644
--- a/src/main/updater.ts
+++ b/src/main/updater.ts
@@ -717,6 +717,10 @@ async function performQuitAndInstall(): Promise<void> {
   // swapped or vanished package aborts instead of being installed as root. The synchronous guard
   // keeps every non-Linux install on its existing timing.
   if (getTrackedLinuxPackageArtifact() && !(await proveRetainedLinuxPackage(pendingVersion))) {
+    // Why: the renderer armed its restart before invoking, and it infers the abort from the error
+    // status — which a stale-cycle verdict deliberately withholds. Signal the abandon here, where
+    // it cannot depend on that decision, or the window keeps skipping its unsaved-work prompt.
+    mainWindowRef?.webContents.send('updater:quitAndInstallAborted')
     return
   }
   quitAndInstallInProgress = true
diff --git a/src/preload/renderer-restart-wiring.test.ts b/src/preload/renderer-restart-wiring.test.ts
index 0198c72a44f..6831b5f2181 100644
--- a/src/preload/renderer-restart-wiring.test.ts
+++ b/src/preload/renderer-restart-wiring.test.ts
@@ -7,10 +7,11 @@ import {
 } from './renderer-restart-wiring'
 
 describe('renderer restart wiring', () => {
-  it('relays updater status and prevented unload events', () => {
+  it('relays updater status, aborted installs, and prevented unload events', () => {
     const eventTarget = new EventTarget()
     const unloadPrevented = vi.fn()
     const handleStatus = vi.fn()
+    const abort = vi.fn()
     const listeners = new Map<string, (...args: unknown[]) => void>()
     const ipcRenderer = {
       on: vi.fn((channel: string, listener: (...args: unknown[]) => void) => {
@@ -20,12 +21,15 @@ describe('renderer restart wiring', () => {
     } as unknown as Parameters<typeof registerRendererRestartIpcRelays>[0]
     eventTarget.addEventListener(ORCA_RENDERER_UNLOAD_PREVENTED_EVENT, unloadPrevented)
 
-    registerRendererRestartIpcRelays(ipcRenderer, eventTarget, { handleStatus })
+    registerRendererRestartIpcRelays(ipcRenderer, eventTarget, { handleStatus, abort })
     listeners.get('updater:status')?.({}, { state: 'error', message: 'install failed' })
+    // Why: main abandons an install without any status when its verdict outlived the cycle.
+    listeners.get('updater:quitAndInstallAborted')?.({})
     listeners.get('window:unload-prevented')?.({})
 
-    expect(ipcRenderer.on).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
+    expect(ipcRenderer.on).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3)
     expect(handleStatus).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ state: 'error', message: 'install failed' })
+    expect(abort).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
     expect(unloadPrevented).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
   })
 
diff --git a/src/preload/renderer-restart-wiring.ts b/src/preload/renderer-restart-wiring.ts
index 254d386403a..8ee6d5f1486 100644
--- a/src/preload/renderer-restart-wiring.ts
+++ b/src/preload/renderer-restart-wiring.ts
@@ -13,11 +13,15 @@ import {
 export function registerRendererRestartIpcRelays(
   ipcRenderer: Pick<IpcRenderer, 'on'>,
   eventTarget: EventTarget,
-  relay: Pick<UpdaterQuitAbortRelay, 'handleStatus'>
+  relay: Pick<UpdaterQuitAbortRelay, 'handleStatus' | 'abort'>
 ): void {
   ipcRenderer.on('updater:status', (_event, status: UpdateStatus) => {
     relay.handleStatus(status)
   })
+  // Why: main abandons some installs without an error status, and only this tells the renderer.
+  ipcRenderer.on('updater:quitAndInstallAborted', () => {
+    relay.abort()
+  })
   ipcRenderer.on('window:unload-prevented', () => {
     eventTarget.dispatchEvent(new Event(ORCA_RENDERER_UNLOAD_PREVENTED_EVENT))
   })