diff --git a/context/multiplayer.md b/context/multiplayer.md
index b797b63..03bc709 100644
--- a/context/multiplayer.md
+++ b/context/multiplayer.md
@@ -412,6 +412,19 @@ phase). Plan: `~/.claude/plans/partitioned-snuggling-piglet.md`.
   survivors registered under remapped ids and ran the mission.  Auto (CLI) mode keeps the
   full-roster behavior.  Caveat: `sys.stdin` is None under some spawn shapes (pyenv .bat shim
   pipelines) -- the stdin reader guards it; the GUI's QProcess pipe is the supported channel.
+- **LAUNCH/LOAD RACE -- the silent mission-start crash (2026-07-22, FIXED) [T2]**: the relay
+  sends the RunMission pair LAUNCH_SETTLE_SECONDS (20s) after the egg ACK, but the ACK happens at
+  egg RECEIPT -- a long mission load (glass + dev gauges on a busy box took ~50s live) is still
+  in LoadingMission when RunMission lands, and `L4Application::RunMissionMessageHandler`'s
+  default case `Fail()`ed = abort = a SILENT crash (c0000409, no WER record; cdb stack:
+  ucrtbase!abort <- RunMissionMessageHandler <- RoutePacket; 3/3 reproducible in the
+  console-shaped run, and the field report's 464 crash died mid-LOD-load with the same
+  signature).  The 1995 console never hit this state (operator-paced launches).  FIX
+  (L4APP.cpp): the default case now DEFERS -- re-posts the message to itself at +1s (the
+  VehicleDead re-post pattern) until the ladder reaches WaitingForLaunch; bounded at 120
+  deferrals so a wedged load still surfaces the original Fail.  `[launch] ... deferred +1s`
+  log per deferral.  Verified: the crashing shape deferred 104x through a ~50s load, then
+  launched and ran clean.
 - **PATIENT WALK-UP (2026-07-18) [T2]**: a pod dialed at a relay that isn't up yet no longer
   aborts (release `Fail()` is a bare `abort()` = looked like a "crash", field report). Both the
   seat request (`RelayRequestSeat`) and LAN discovery (`BT_RELAY=auto`) now RETRY (2s dials, 30
diff --git a/engine/MUNGA_L4/L4APP.cpp b/engine/MUNGA_L4/L4APP.cpp
index e54e4f1..b450f6b 100644
--- a/engine/MUNGA_L4/L4APP.cpp
+++ b/engine/MUNGA_L4/L4APP.cpp
@@ -610,6 +610,30 @@ void
 		break;
 
 	default:
+		//
+		// LAUNCH/LOAD RACE (2026-07-22): the relay sends the RunMission pair
+		// a fixed settle after the egg ACK, but a long mission load (glass +
+		// dev gauges on a busy box) can still be in LoadingMission when it
+		// lands -- the 1995 console never hit this state (the operator
+		// launched much later), so it Fail()ed = the "silent crash at
+		// mission launch" (c0000409 abort; 3/3 reproduced under cdb).
+		// DEFER instead: re-post the message to ourselves at +1s until the
+		// ladder reaches WaitingForLaunch (the VehicleDead re-post pattern).
+		// Bounded so a truly wedged load still surfaces the original Fail.
+		{
+			static int s_launch_deferrals = 0;
+			if (++s_launch_deferrals <= 120)
+			{
+				DEBUG_STREAM << "[launch] RunMission arrived in state "
+					<< (int)GetApplicationState()
+					<< " (still loading) -- deferred +1s ("
+					<< s_launch_deferrals << ")" << std::endl << std::flush;
+				Time when = Now();
+				when += 1.0f;
+				Post(HighEventPriority, this, message, when);
+				return;						// base handler runs when ready
+			}
+		}
 		Fail("Application::RunMissionMessageHandler - Not ready to run!\n");
 		break;
 	}