diff --git a/desktop/tauri/src-tauri/src/main.rs b/desktop/tauri/src-tauri/src/main.rs
index 746f2411..3f67f43d 100644
--- a/desktop/tauri/src-tauri/src/main.rs
+++ b/desktop/tauri/src-tauri/src/main.rs
@@ -66,11 +66,16 @@ impl portmaster::Handler for WsHandler {
         // relaunch the UI process now that the core is reachable again.
         if self.handle.portmaster().consume_restart_ui_proc_requested() {
             info!("restart-ui-process pending, relaunching UI process");
-            if let Err(err) = relaunch::request_ui_relaunch() {
-                error!("failed to relaunch UI process after upgrade: {}", err);
+            match relaunch::request_ui_relaunch() {
+                Ok(()) => {
+                    self.handle.exit(0);
+                    return;
+                }
+                Err(err) => {
+                    error!("failed to relaunch UI process after upgrade: {}", err);
+                    error!("continuing with current UI process");
+                }
             }
-            self.handle.exit(0);
-            return;
         }
 
         // we successfully connected to Portmaster. Set is_first_connect to false
diff --git a/desktop/tauri/src-tauri/src/relaunch.rs b/desktop/tauri/src-tauri/src/relaunch.rs
index e889be3f..e7540b51 100644
--- a/desktop/tauri/src-tauri/src/relaunch.rs
+++ b/desktop/tauri/src-tauri/src/relaunch.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 use std::{
     ffi::OsString,
+    path::Path,
     process::{Command, Stdio},
     thread,
     time::Duration,
@@ -11,6 +12,54 @@ const UI_RELAUNCH_HELPER_ENV: &str = "PORTMASTER_UI_RELAUNCH_HELPER";
 const RELAUNCH_RETRY_COUNT: usize = 40;
 const RELAUNCH_RETRY_DELAY: Duration = Duration::from_millis(500);
 
+fn current_process_argv0() -> Option<OsString> {
+    std::env::args_os().next()
+}
+
+fn is_usable_launch_program(program: &OsString) -> bool {
+    let path = Path::new(program);
+
+    // Fail closed for command-only values (for example, "portmaster"): we cannot
+    // verify where they resolve to, so do not use them for relaunch.
+    if !path.is_absolute() && path.components().count() <= 1 {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    if !path.exists() || !path.is_file() {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    #[cfg(unix)]
+    {
+        use std::os::unix::fs::PermissionsExt;
+
+        if let Ok(meta) = std::fs::metadata(path) {
+            return meta.permissions().mode() & 0o111 != 0;
+        }
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    #[cfg(not(unix))]
+    {
+        true
+    }
+}
+
+fn resolve_launch_program() -> Result<OsString, String> {
+    let current_exe = std::env::current_exe().ok().map(|p| p.into_os_string());
+    let argv0 = current_process_argv0();
+
+    if let Some(program) = current_exe.as_ref().filter(|p| is_usable_launch_program(p)) {
+        return Ok(program.clone());
+    }
+
+    if let Some(program) = argv0.as_ref().filter(|p| is_usable_launch_program(p)) {
+        return Ok(program.clone());
+    }
+
+    Err("failed to determine relaunch executable: no verified launchable file path from current_exe or argv0".to_string())
+}
+
 fn current_process_args() -> Vec<OsString> {
     std::env::args_os()
         .skip(1)
@@ -23,8 +72,7 @@ fn current_process_args() -> Vec<OsString> {
 }
 
 pub fn request_ui_relaunch() -> Result<(), String> {
-    let exe = std::env::current_exe()
-        .map_err(|err| format!("failed to get current executable path: {}", err))?;
+    let exe = resolve_launch_program()?;
     let args = current_process_args();
 
     let mut cmd = Command::new(&exe);
@@ -53,8 +101,7 @@ pub fn run_relaunch_helper_if_requested() {
 }
 
 fn run_relaunch_helper() -> Result<(), String> {
-    let exe = std::env::current_exe()
-        .map_err(|err| format!("failed to get current executable path in relaunch helper: {}", err))?;
+    let exe = resolve_launch_program()?;
     let args = current_process_args();
 
     debug!("[tauri] relaunch helper started");