diff --git a/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-07-18-mqtt-monitor-design.md b/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-07-18-mqtt-monitor-design.md
index 2856d3f..43e5330 100644
--- a/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-07-18-mqtt-monitor-design.md
+++ b/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-07-18-mqtt-monitor-design.md
@@ -45,10 +45,14 @@ present and one subprocess call reads everything at once.
 
 - Dockerfile: add `python3` + `py3-paho-mqtt` (Alpine packages), copy script
   and `run.sh`, `CMD ["/run.sh"]`.
-- `run.sh` (bashio): pull MQTT host/port/user/password from Supervisor
-  services API (works out of the box with the Mosquitto addon), allow
-  overrides from addon options, start `lifepo4wered-daemon -f` in the
-  background, run the monitor in the foreground.
+- `run.sh` (bashio): `lifepo4wered-daemon -f` is the exec'd main process,
+  started immediately — it must contact the UPS within PI_BOOT_TO seconds of
+  power-on or the UPS cuts power, so nothing (Supervisor API calls included)
+  may delay it and monitor failures must never take it down. The monitor runs
+  in a background subshell that pulls MQTT host/port/user/password from the
+  Supervisor services API (works out of the box with the Mosquitto addon,
+  addon options can override) and restarts the monitor with 30 s backoff if
+  it exits.
 - `config.json`: add `"services": ["mqtt:need"]`, addon options
   (`poll_interval`, optional MQTT overrides), bump version.
 
diff --git a/hassio-addon-lifepo4wered/run.sh b/hassio-addon-lifepo4wered/run.sh
index 67f32e5..03577f8 100644
--- a/hassio-addon-lifepo4wered/run.sh
+++ b/hassio-addon-lifepo4wered/run.sh
@@ -1,33 +1,47 @@
 #!/usr/bin/with-contenv bashio
 
-export POLL_INTERVAL="$(bashio::config 'poll_interval')"
+# The daemon must contact the UPS within PI_BOOT_TO seconds of power-on,
+# otherwise the UPS assumes the boot failed and cuts power. It is therefore
+# the main process, started before any MQTT/Supervisor API calls, and the
+# monitor runs on the side where its failures can never take the daemon down.
 
-# Manual MQTT settings from addon options win; otherwise use the broker
-# provided by the Supervisor (e.g. the Mosquitto addon).
-if bashio::config.has_value 'mqtt_host'; then
-    export MQTT_HOST="$(bashio::config 'mqtt_host')"
-    if bashio::config.has_value 'mqtt_port'; then
-        export MQTT_PORT="$(bashio::config 'mqtt_port')"
+setup_mqtt_env() {
+    export POLL_INTERVAL="$(bashio::config 'poll_interval')"
+
+    # Manual MQTT settings from addon options win; otherwise use the broker
+    # provided by the Supervisor (e.g. the Mosquitto addon).
+    if bashio::config.has_value 'mqtt_host'; then
+        export MQTT_HOST="$(bashio::config 'mqtt_host')"
+        if bashio::config.has_value 'mqtt_port'; then
+            export MQTT_PORT="$(bashio::config 'mqtt_port')"
+        fi
+        if bashio::config.has_value 'mqtt_user'; then
+            export MQTT_USER="$(bashio::config 'mqtt_user')"
+        fi
+        if bashio::config.has_value 'mqtt_password'; then
+            export MQTT_PASSWORD="$(bashio::config 'mqtt_password')"
+        fi
+    elif bashio::services.available "mqtt"; then
+        export MQTT_HOST="$(bashio::services mqtt 'host')"
+        export MQTT_PORT="$(bashio::services mqtt 'port')"
+        export MQTT_USER="$(bashio::services mqtt 'username')"
+        export MQTT_PASSWORD="$(bashio::services mqtt 'password')"
+    else
+        bashio::log.warning \
+            "No MQTT broker configured and no mqtt service available;" \
+            "trying localhost:1883"
     fi
-    if bashio::config.has_value 'mqtt_user'; then
-        export MQTT_USER="$(bashio::config 'mqtt_user')"
-    fi
-    if bashio::config.has_value 'mqtt_password'; then
-        export MQTT_PASSWORD="$(bashio::config 'mqtt_password')"
-    fi
-elif bashio::services.available "mqtt"; then
-    export MQTT_HOST="$(bashio::services mqtt 'host')"
-    export MQTT_PORT="$(bashio::services mqtt 'port')"
-    export MQTT_USER="$(bashio::services mqtt 'username')"
-    export MQTT_PASSWORD="$(bashio::services mqtt 'password')"
-else
-    bashio::log.warning \
-        "No MQTT broker configured and no mqtt service available;" \
-        "trying localhost:1883"
-fi
+}
+
+(
+    setup_mqtt_env
+    bashio::log.info "Starting MQTT monitor (poll interval: ${POLL_INTERVAL}s)"
+    while true; do
+        python3 /usr/bin/lifepo4wered_monitor.py || true
+        bashio::log.warning "MQTT monitor exited; restarting in 30s"
+        sleep 30
+    done
+) &
 
 bashio::log.info "Starting lifepo4wered-daemon"
-lifepo4wered-daemon -f &
-
-bashio::log.info "Starting MQTT monitor (poll interval: ${POLL_INTERVAL}s)"
-exec python3 /usr/bin/lifepo4wered_monitor.py
+exec lifepo4wered-daemon -f