diff --git a/Launcher.Next.App/App.xaml.cs b/Launcher.Next.App/App.xaml.cs
index 7b0f244..9577b8f 100644
--- a/Launcher.Next.App/App.xaml.cs
+++ b/Launcher.Next.App/App.xaml.cs
@@ -28,7 +28,16 @@ public partial class App : System.Windows.Application
             catch (Exception exception) { System.Windows.MessageBox.Show("Controlled local configuration blocked: " + exception.Message, "Launcher Next"); Shutdown(2); }
             return;
         }
-        if (e.Args.FirstOrDefault()?.Equals("pilot", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase) == true) { Shutdown(await PilotCli.RunAsync(e.Args.Skip(1).ToArray())); return; }
+        if (e.Args.FirstOrDefault()?.Equals("pilot", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase) == true)
+        {
+            // A pilot command is asynchronous and owns no WPF window.  Without an
+            // explicit shutdown mode the dispatcher may terminate at its first
+            // await, after the Preview child has been started but before Apply
+            // and its evidence/rollback boundary have run.
+            ShutdownMode = System.Windows.ShutdownMode.OnExplicitShutdown;
+            Shutdown(await PilotCli.RunAsync(e.Args.Skip(1).ToArray()));
+            return;
+        }
         new MainWindow().Show();
     }
 }