diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 8853de2..dc4db72 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1652,7 +1652,7 @@ checksum = "09edd9e8b54e49e587e4f6295a7d29c3ea94d469cb40ab8ca70b288248a81db2"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "lesavka_client"
-version = "0.22.38"
+version = "0.22.39"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "async-stream",
@@ -1686,7 +1686,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "lesavka_common"
-version = "0.22.38"
+version = "0.22.39"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "base64",
@@ -1698,7 +1698,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "lesavka_server"
-version = "0.22.38"
+version = "0.22.39"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "base64",
diff --git a/client/Cargo.toml b/client/Cargo.toml
index 8786476..990be87 100644
--- a/client/Cargo.toml
+++ b/client/Cargo.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ path                    = "src/main.rs"
 
 [package]
 name                    = "lesavka_client"
-version                 = "0.22.38"
+version                 = "0.22.39"
 edition                 = "2024"
 
 [dependencies]
diff --git a/common/Cargo.toml b/common/Cargo.toml
index 40e8348..9cc0b46 100644
--- a/common/Cargo.toml
+++ b/common/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name                    = "lesavka_common"
-version = "0.22.38"
+version = "0.22.39"
 edition                 = "2024"
 build                   = "build.rs"
 
diff --git a/scripts/install/server.sh b/scripts/install/server.sh
index 3e6176a..d403804 100755
--- a/scripts/install/server.sh
+++ b/scripts/install/server.sh
@@ -1710,15 +1710,38 @@ sudo install -m 0644 "$UVC_ENV_TMP" /etc/lesavka/uvc.env
 rm -f "$SERVER_ENV_TMP" "$UVC_ENV_TMP"
 if [[ "$ATTACHED_UVC_RESTART_DEFERRED" == "1" ]]; then
   echo "⚠️  UVC runtime env changed while the host is attached, but the requested descriptor matches the live gadget." >&2
-  echo "    Updated /etc/lesavka/server.env and /etc/lesavka/uvc.env without restarting live services." >&2
-  echo "    Rerun the installer with the same UVC settings to restart services after the env is stable, or use LESAVKA_ALLOW_GADGET_RESET=1 LESAVKA_FORCE_GADGET_REBUILD=1 during a maintenance window." >&2
+  echo "    The installer will not restart lesavka-core or lesavka-uvc because that can wedge the Pi USB controller." >&2
+  if lesavka_server_has_active_clients && [[ "${LESAVKA_INSTALL_RESTART_WITH_CLIENTS:-0}" != "1" ]]; then
+    echo "⚠️  Active gRPC clients are connected; leaving the running server untouched for this install." >&2
+    echo "    $(server_active_client_detail)" >&2
+    echo "    Updated /etc/lesavka/server.env and /etc/lesavka/uvc.env, but binaries were installed without restarting live services." >&2
+    echo "    Rerun the installer after clients disconnect, or set LESAVKA_INSTALL_RESTART_WITH_CLIENTS=1 to force a server-only restart." >&2
+    INSTALLED_VERSION=$(manifest_package_version "$SRC_DIR/server/Cargo.toml" 2>/dev/null || true)
+    INSTALLED_SHA=$(git -C "$SCRIPT_REPO_ROOT" rev-parse --short HEAD 2>/dev/null || true)
+    sudo systemctl start lesavka-recovery-ladder.timer >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+    echo "✅  lesavka-server binaries and runtime env installed; live service restart deferred because clients are connected."
+    echo "➡️  Installed binaries: lesavka-server ${INSTALLED_VERSION:-unknown}${INSTALLED_SHA:+ ($INSTALLED_SHA)}"
+    echo "➡️  Recovery ladder: installed, enabled, and started in server-only mode"
+    echo "➡️  Deferred restart UVC codec: ${INSTALL_UVC_CODEC}"
+    exit 0
+  fi
+
+  echo "✅  No active gRPC clients detected; updated UVC env matches the live descriptor, restarting lesavka-server only." >&2
+  echo "    Preserving lesavka-core and lesavka-uvc so the attached USB gadget is not cycled." >&2
+  sudo install -d -m 0755 /var/log/lesavka
+  sudo truncate -s 0 /var/log/lesavka/server.log
+  install_lesavka_server_unit_file
+  sudo systemctl daemon-reload
+  sudo systemctl enable lesavka-server >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+  restart_lesavka_server_only
+  sudo /usr/local/bin/lesavka-recovery-ladder snapshot || true
   INSTALLED_VERSION=$(manifest_package_version "$SRC_DIR/server/Cargo.toml" 2>/dev/null || true)
   INSTALLED_SHA=$(git -C "$SCRIPT_REPO_ROOT" rev-parse --short HEAD 2>/dev/null || true)
   sudo systemctl start lesavka-recovery-ladder.timer >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
-  echo "✅  lesavka-server binaries and runtime env installed; live service restart deferred for attached-gadget safety."
-  echo "➡️  Installed binaries: lesavka-server ${INSTALLED_VERSION:-unknown}${INSTALLED_SHA:+ ($INSTALLED_SHA)}"
+  echo "✅  lesavka-server binaries, runtime env, and server unit installed; server-only restart completed."
+  echo "➡️  Installed and running: lesavka-server ${INSTALLED_VERSION:-unknown}${INSTALLED_SHA:+ ($INSTALLED_SHA)}"
   echo "➡️  Recovery ladder: installed, enabled, and started in server-only mode"
-  echo "➡️  Deferred restart UVC codec: ${INSTALL_UVC_CODEC}"
+  echo "➡️  Live UVC descriptor already matches: ${INSTALL_UVC_CODEC}"
   exit 0
 fi
 
diff --git a/server/Cargo.toml b/server/Cargo.toml
index bff3db3..3099e91 100644
--- a/server/Cargo.toml
+++ b/server/Cargo.toml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ bench                   = false
 
 [package]
 name                    = "lesavka_server"
-version                 = "0.22.38"
+version                 = "0.22.39"
 edition                 = "2024"
 autobins                = false
 
diff --git a/tests/installer/scripts/install/server_install_script_contract.rs b/tests/installer/scripts/install/server_install_script_contract.rs
index 4820efd..ad7d348 100644
--- a/tests/installer/scripts/install/server_install_script_contract.rs
+++ b/tests/installer/scripts/install/server_install_script_contract.rs
@@ -326,6 +326,14 @@ fn server_install_pins_hdmi_camera_and_display_defaults() {
             && SERVER_INSTALL.contains("Live UVC descriptors may still differ"),
         "idle attached-gadget installs should be explicit about server readiness and deferred descriptor rebuilds"
     );
+    assert!(
+        SERVER_INSTALL.contains("ATTACHED_UVC_RESTART_DEFERRED")
+            && SERVER_INSTALL.contains(
+                "updated UVC env matches the live descriptor, restarting lesavka-server only"
+            )
+            && SERVER_INSTALL.contains("Live UVC descriptor already matches"),
+        "attached installs with env-only changes should restart lesavka-server without cycling the UVC gadget"
+    );
     assert!(
         SERVER_INSTALL
             .contains("Recovery ladder: installed, enabled, and started in server-only mode"),
@@ -363,11 +371,15 @@ fn server_install_pins_hdmi_camera_and_display_defaults() {
     );
     assert!(
         SERVER_INSTALL.contains("ATTACHED_UVC_RESTART_DEFERRED=1"),
-        "attached UVC env changes that match the live descriptor should still defer service restarts"
+        "attached UVC env changes that match the live descriptor should still defer gadget restarts"
     );
     assert!(
-        SERVER_INSTALL.contains("Updated /etc/lesavka/server.env and /etc/lesavka/uvc.env without restarting live services"),
-        "safe env repairs should not immediately restart the attached gadget path"
+        SERVER_INSTALL.contains(
+            "updated UVC env matches the live descriptor, restarting lesavka-server only"
+        ) && SERVER_INSTALL.contains(
+            "Preserving lesavka-core and lesavka-uvc so the attached USB gadget is not cycled"
+        ),
+        "safe env repairs should restart only the server process, not the attached gadget path"
     );
     assert!(
         SERVER_INSTALL.contains("dwDefaultFrameInterval"),