diff --git a/gateway/run.py b/gateway/run.py
index f9782b299..b72e95eb8 100644
--- a/gateway/run.py
+++ b/gateway/run.py
@@ -752,6 +752,26 @@ class GatewayRunner:
             chat_id for chat_id, mode in self._voice_mode.items() if mode == "off"
         )
 
+    async def _safe_adapter_disconnect(self, adapter, platform) -> None:
+        """Call adapter.disconnect() defensively, swallowing any error.
+
+        Used when adapter.connect() failed or raised — the adapter may
+        have allocated partial resources (aiohttp.ClientSession, poll
+        tasks, child subprocesses) that would otherwise leak and surface
+        as "Unclosed client session" warnings at process exit.
+
+        Must tolerate partial-init state and never raise, since callers
+        use it inside error-handling blocks.
+        """
+        try:
+            await adapter.disconnect()
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.debug(
+                "Defensive %s disconnect after failed connect raised: %s",
+                platform.value if platform is not None else "adapter",
+                e,
+            )
+
     # -----------------------------------------------------------------
 
     def _flush_memories_for_session(
@@ -1913,6 +1933,15 @@ class GatewayRunner:
                     logger.info("✓ %s connected", platform.value)
                 else:
                     logger.warning("✗ %s failed to connect", platform.value)
+                    # Defensive cleanup: a failed connect() may have
+                    # allocated resources (aiohttp.ClientSession, poll
+                    # tasks, bridge subprocesses) before giving up.
+                    # Without this call, those resources are orphaned
+                    # and Python logs "Unclosed client session" at
+                    # process exit. Adapter disconnect() implementations
+                    # are expected to be idempotent and tolerate
+                    # partial-init state.
+                    await self._safe_adapter_disconnect(adapter, platform)
                     if adapter.has_fatal_error:
                         self._update_platform_runtime_status(
                             platform.value,
@@ -1953,6 +1982,10 @@ class GatewayRunner:
                         }
             except Exception as e:
                 logger.error("✗ %s error: %s", platform.value, e)
+                # Same defensive cleanup path for exceptions — an adapter
+                # that raised mid-connect may still have a live
+                # aiohttp.ClientSession or child subprocess.
+                await self._safe_adapter_disconnect(adapter, platform)
                 self._update_platform_runtime_status(
                     platform.value,
                     platform_state="retrying",
diff --git a/tests/gateway/test_safe_adapter_disconnect.py b/tests/gateway/test_safe_adapter_disconnect.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ec11f2663
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/gateway/test_safe_adapter_disconnect.py
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+"""Regression tests: failed-connect path must call adapter.disconnect().
+
+When adapter.connect() returns False or raises, the adapter may have
+allocated resources (aiohttp.ClientSession, poll tasks, child
+subprocesses) before giving up. Without a defensive disconnect() call
+these leak and surface as "Unclosed client session" warnings at
+process exit (seen on the 2026-04-18 18:08:16 gateway restart).
+
+The fix: gateway/run.py wraps each adapter connect() with a safety-net
+call to _safe_adapter_disconnect() in the failure branches.
+"""
+
+from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, MagicMock
+
+import pytest
+
+from gateway.config import Platform
+from gateway.run import GatewayRunner
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def bare_runner():
+    """A GatewayRunner shell that only needs to support _safe_adapter_disconnect."""
+    return object.__new__(GatewayRunner)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_safe_disconnect_calls_adapter_disconnect(bare_runner):
+    """The helper forwards to adapter.disconnect()."""
+    adapter = MagicMock()
+    adapter.disconnect = AsyncMock(return_value=None)
+
+    await bare_runner._safe_adapter_disconnect(adapter, Platform.TELEGRAM)
+
+    adapter.disconnect.assert_awaited_once()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_safe_disconnect_swallows_exceptions(bare_runner):
+    """An exception in adapter.disconnect() must not propagate — the
+    caller is already on an error path."""
+    adapter = MagicMock()
+    adapter.disconnect = AsyncMock(side_effect=RuntimeError("partial init"))
+
+    # Must NOT raise
+    await bare_runner._safe_adapter_disconnect(adapter, Platform.TELEGRAM)
+
+    adapter.disconnect.assert_awaited_once()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_safe_disconnect_handles_none_platform(bare_runner):
+    """Logging path must tolerate platform=None."""
+    adapter = MagicMock()
+    adapter.disconnect = AsyncMock(side_effect=ValueError("nope"))
+
+    await bare_runner._safe_adapter_disconnect(adapter, None)
+
+    adapter.disconnect.assert_awaited_once()