diff --git a/gateway/run.py b/gateway/run.py
index db7066281c3..a0ab84e850d 100644
--- a/gateway/run.py
+++ b/gateway/run.py
@@ -8971,13 +8971,15 @@ class GatewayRunner:
             logger.debug("Failed to write restart dedup marker: %s", e)
 
         active_agents = self._running_agent_count()
-        # When running under a service manager (systemd/launchd), use the
-        # service restart path: exit with code 75 so the service manager
-        # restarts us.  The detached subprocess approach (setsid + bash)
-        # doesn't work under systemd because KillMode=mixed kills all
-        # processes in the cgroup, including the detached helper.
+        # When running under a service manager (systemd/launchd) or inside a
+        # Docker/Podman container, use the service restart path: exit with
+        # code 75 so the service manager / container restart policy restarts
+        # us.  The detached subprocess approach (setsid + bash) doesn't work
+        # under systemd (KillMode=mixed kills the cgroup) or Docker (tini
+        # exits when the gateway dies, taking the detached helper with it).
         _under_service = bool(os.environ.get("INVOCATION_ID"))  # systemd sets this
-        if _under_service:
+        _in_container = os.path.exists("/.dockerenv") or os.path.exists("/run/.containerenv")
+        if _under_service or _in_container:
             self.request_restart(detached=False, via_service=True)
         else:
             self.request_restart(detached=True, via_service=False)