diff --git a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/auto.ts b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/auto.ts
index f777d5da4..4df1bcaf4 100644
--- a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/auto.ts
+++ b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/auto.ts
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ import {
   formatHealthSummary,
   getConsecutiveErrorUnits,
 } from "./doctor-proactive.js";
+import { selfHealRuntimeRecords } from "./auto-recovery.js";
 import { clearSkillSnapshot } from "./skill-discovery.js";
 import {
   captureAvailableSkills,
@@ -1052,6 +1053,9 @@ export async function startAuto(
     );
     logCmuxEvent(loadEffectiveGSDPreferences()?.preferences, s.stepMode ? "Step-mode resumed." : "Auto-mode resumed.", "progress");
 
+    // Clear orphaned runtime records from prior process deaths before entering the loop
+    await selfHealRuntimeRecords(s.basePath, ctx);
+
     await autoLoop(ctx, pi, s, buildLoopDeps());
     return;
   }
@@ -1082,6 +1086,9 @@ export async function startAuto(
   }
   logCmuxEvent(loadEffectiveGSDPreferences()?.preferences, requestedStepMode ? "Step-mode started." : "Auto-mode started.", "progress");
 
+  // Clear orphaned runtime records from prior process deaths before entering the loop
+  await selfHealRuntimeRecords(s.basePath, ctx);
+
   // Dispatch the first unit
   await autoLoop(ctx, pi, s, buildLoopDeps());
 }
diff --git a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/tests/auto-loop.test.ts b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/tests/auto-loop.test.ts
index 0e82b3569..c61730950 100644
--- a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/tests/auto-loop.test.ts
+++ b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/tests/auto-loop.test.ts
@@ -1098,6 +1098,32 @@ test("auto.ts startAuto calls autoLoop (not dispatchNextUnit as first dispatch)"
   );
 });
 
+test("startAuto calls selfHealRuntimeRecords before autoLoop (#1727)", () => {
+  const src = readFileSync(
+    resolve(import.meta.dirname, "..", "auto.ts"),
+    "utf-8",
+  );
+  const fnIdx = src.indexOf("export async function startAuto");
+  assert.ok(fnIdx > -1, "startAuto must exist in auto.ts");
+  const fnEnd = src.indexOf("\n// ─── ", fnIdx + 100);
+  const fnBlock =
+    fnEnd > -1 ? src.slice(fnIdx, fnEnd) : src.slice(fnIdx, fnIdx + 5000);
+
+  // Both autoLoop call sites must be preceded by selfHealRuntimeRecords
+  const healIdx = fnBlock.indexOf("selfHealRuntimeRecords");
+  const loopIdx = fnBlock.indexOf("autoLoop(");
+  assert.ok(healIdx > -1, "startAuto must call selfHealRuntimeRecords");
+  assert.ok(healIdx < loopIdx, "selfHealRuntimeRecords must be called before autoLoop");
+
+  // Verify the second autoLoop call site also has selfHeal before it
+  const secondLoopIdx = fnBlock.indexOf("autoLoop(", loopIdx + 1);
+  if (secondLoopIdx > -1) {
+    const secondHealIdx = fnBlock.indexOf("selfHealRuntimeRecords", healIdx + 1);
+    assert.ok(secondHealIdx > -1, "second autoLoop call must also have selfHealRuntimeRecords");
+    assert.ok(secondHealIdx < secondLoopIdx, "second selfHealRuntimeRecords must precede second autoLoop");
+  }
+});
+
 test("agent_end handler calls resolveAgentEnd (not handleAgentEnd)", () => {
   const hooksSrc = readFileSync(
     resolve(import.meta.dirname, "..", "bootstrap", "register-hooks.ts"),