diff --git a/gateway/status.py b/gateway/status.py
index 74763332c86c5..88239f247740b 100644
--- a/gateway/status.py
+++ b/gateway/status.py
@@ -216,10 +216,11 @@ def _cleanup_invalid_pid_path(pid_path: Path, *, cleanup_stale: bool) -> None:
     if not cleanup_stale:
         return
     try:
-        if pid_path == _get_pid_path():
-            remove_pid_file()
-        else:
-            pid_path.unlink(missing_ok=True)
+        # Invalid/stale PID records must be removed unconditionally.
+        # Do NOT call remove_pid_file() here: that helper intentionally keeps
+        # PID files that belong to a different process during graceful
+        # handoffs, which is the opposite of what stale cleanup needs.
+        pid_path.unlink(missing_ok=True)
     except Exception:
         pass
 
diff --git a/tests/gateway/test_status.py b/tests/gateway/test_status.py
index 6c371cfbead62..4626e104e8bbb 100644
--- a/tests/gateway/test_status.py
+++ b/tests/gateway/test_status.py
@@ -51,6 +51,26 @@ def test_get_running_pid_rejects_live_non_gateway_pid(self, tmp_path, monkeypatc
         assert status.get_running_pid() is None
         assert not pid_path.exists()
 
+    def test_get_running_pid_removes_stale_pid_from_different_process(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+        """Regression: stale PID file owned by a dead *different* PID must be removed.
+
+        Previously, stale cleanup called remove_pid_file() for the default PID path,
+        but that helper intentionally refuses to delete files that don't belong to
+        the current process. Result: a dead foreign PID could leave gateway.pid
+        behind forever and block startup with a PID-file race.
+        """
+        monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(tmp_path))
+        pid_path = tmp_path / "gateway.pid"
+        pid_path.write_text(json.dumps({"pid": 99999}))
+
+        def _dead_pid(pid, sig):
+            raise ProcessLookupError
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(status.os, "kill", _dead_pid)
+
+        assert status.get_running_pid() is None
+        assert not pid_path.exists()
+
     def test_get_running_pid_accepts_gateway_metadata_when_cmdline_unavailable(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
         monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(tmp_path))
         pid_path = tmp_path / "gateway.pid"