diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a312e49..381df76 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -334,8 +334,10 @@ systemctl status ibkr-gateway-daily-restart.timer --no-pager
 then restarts and finally recreates the container if the API does not recover.
 
 `ibkr-gateway-daily-restart.timer` restarts the Gateway once per day at
-`10:30 UTC` by default, then waits for the same API handshake readiness. Override
-the schedule during install with:
+`10:30 UTC` by default, then waits for the same API handshake readiness. Missed
+daily restart times are not replayed when the timer is started manually, so
+re-enabling the timer during a maintenance window does not immediately restart
+an already-authenticated Gateway. Override the schedule during install with:
 
 ```bash
 IB_GATEWAY_DAILY_RESTART_ON_CALENDAR='Mon..Fri 10:30:00 UTC' sudo bash ./scripts/install_gateway_health_watcher.sh
diff --git a/scripts/install_gateway_health_watcher.sh b/scripts/install_gateway_health_watcher.sh
index 94c8bc0..2470c13 100755
--- a/scripts/install_gateway_health_watcher.sh
+++ b/scripts/install_gateway_health_watcher.sh
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ Description=Restart IBKR Gateway on a fixed daily schedule
 
 [Timer]
 OnCalendar=$daily_restart_calendar
-Persistent=true
+Persistent=false
 Unit=$IBKR_GATEWAY_DAILY_RESTART_SERVICE
 
 [Install]
diff --git a/tests/test_gateway_recovery_scripts.sh b/tests/test_gateway_recovery_scripts.sh
index f3ce1f1..9b63b8d 100644
--- a/tests/test_gateway_recovery_scripts.sh
+++ b/tests/test_gateway_recovery_scripts.sh
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ grep -Fq 'Environment=COMPOSE_FILE=$compose_file' "$health_watcher_script"
 grep -Fq 'Environment=IB_GATEWAY_RECOVERY_LOCK_FILE=$recovery_lock_file' "$health_watcher_script"
 grep -Fq 'Environment=IB_GATEWAY_RECOVERY_LOCK_WAIT_SECONDS=0' "$health_watcher_script"
 grep -Fq 'OnActiveSec=$health_interval_seconds' "$health_watcher_script"
+grep -Fq 'Persistent=false' "$health_watcher_script"
 ! grep -Fq 'OnBootSec=5min' "$health_watcher_script"
 grep -Fq 'enable --now "$IBKR_GATEWAY_HEALTHCHECK_TIMER"' "$health_watcher_script"
 grep -Fq 'enable --now "$IBKR_GATEWAY_DAILY_RESTART_TIMER"' "$health_watcher_script"