diff --git a/gateway/run.py b/gateway/run.py
index 6ce409ff1..d3ee8d4a0 100644
--- a/gateway/run.py
+++ b/gateway/run.py
@@ -10956,8 +10956,25 @@ async def start_gateway(config: Optional[GatewayConfig] = None, replace: bool =
     
     # Write PID file so CLI can detect gateway is running
     import atexit
-    from gateway.status import write_pid_file, remove_pid_file
-    write_pid_file()
+    from gateway.status import write_pid_file, remove_pid_file, get_running_pid
+    # Defensive re-check: another --replace racer may have started
+    # while we were initializing. If so, yield and exit.
+    _current_pid = get_running_pid()
+    if _current_pid is not None and _current_pid != os.getpid():
+        logger.error(
+            "Another gateway instance (PID %d) started during our startup. "
+            "Exiting to avoid double-running.", _current_pid
+        )
+        await runner.stop()
+        return False
+    try:
+        write_pid_file()
+    except FileExistsError:
+        logger.error(
+            "PID file race lost to another gateway instance. Exiting."
+        )
+        await runner.stop()
+        return False
     atexit.register(remove_pid_file)
     
     # Start background cron ticker so scheduled jobs fire automatically.
diff --git a/gateway/status.py b/gateway/status.py
index e1598e179..74763332c 100644
--- a/gateway/status.py
+++ b/gateway/status.py
@@ -225,8 +225,28 @@ def _cleanup_invalid_pid_path(pid_path: Path, *, cleanup_stale: bool) -> None:
 
 
 def write_pid_file() -> None:
-    """Write the current process PID and metadata to the gateway PID file."""
-    _write_json_file(_get_pid_path(), _build_pid_record())
+    """Write the current process PID and metadata to the gateway PID file.
+
+    Uses atomic O_CREAT | O_EXCL creation so that concurrent --replace
+    invocations race: exactly one process wins and the rest get
+    FileExistsError.
+    """
+    path = _get_pid_path()
+    path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    record = json.dumps(_build_pid_record())
+    try:
+        fd = os.open(path, os.O_CREAT | os.O_EXCL | os.O_WRONLY)
+    except FileExistsError:
+        raise  # Let caller decide: another gateway is racing us
+    try:
+        with os.fdopen(fd, "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+            f.write(record)
+    except Exception:
+        try:
+            path.unlink(missing_ok=True)
+        except OSError:
+            pass
+        raise
 
 
 def write_runtime_status(
diff --git a/scripts/release.py b/scripts/release.py
index 1a5a1ea8a..efe32f236 100755
--- a/scripts/release.py
+++ b/scripts/release.py
@@ -307,6 +307,7 @@ AUTHOR_MAP = {
     "anthhub@163.com": "anthhub",
     "shenuu@gmail.com": "shenuu",
     "xiayh17@gmail.com": "xiayh0107",
+    "zhujianxyz@gmail.com": "opriz",
     "asurla@nvidia.com": "anniesurla",
     "limkuan24@gmail.com": "WideLee",
     "aviralarora002@gmail.com": "AviArora02-commits",