diff --git a/.local/bin/docker-nuke b/.local/bin/docker-nuke
index b7296e2..4acebd1 100755
--- a/.local/bin/docker-nuke
+++ b/.local/bin/docker-nuke
@@ -785,15 +785,32 @@ main() {
 
   local verdict="daemon did not return within ${RESTART_TIMEOUT}s${dump_note}${kill_note}"
   elapsed=$(( $(date +%s) - started ))
-  local still_running
-  still_running="docker-nuke: still running: $(docker_pids | tr '\n' ' ')"
-  local deep_hint
+
+  # The advice depends on WHY the daemon is absent, and the tell is whether any
+  # Docker process survived the relaunch. No survivors means Docker Desktop was
+  # started but did not stay up -- an app crashing on startup, which no
+  # programmatic relaunch can work around. Survivors mean it is up but the
+  # daemon is not answering yet: still starting, or wedged.
+  local survivors dump_hint
+  survivors="$(docker_pids | tr '\n' ' ')"
   if [ -n "${DUMP_DIR:-}" ]; then
-    deep_hint="docker-nuke: try 'docker-nuke --deep', or check disk space in $DUMP_DIR/disk.txt"
+    dump_hint="docker-nuke: see $DUMP_DIR/summary.txt for triage, and disk.txt for free space"
   else
-    deep_hint="docker-nuke: try 'docker-nuke --deep'; no dump was captured this run to check disk space in"
+    dump_hint="docker-nuke: no dump was captured this run"
+  fi
+
+  if [ -z "$survivors" ]; then
+    finish "$verdict" 1 "$elapsed" \
+      "docker-nuke: no Docker processes are running -- Docker Desktop was relaunched but did not stay up" \
+      "docker-nuke: launch Docker Desktop from the Dock or Spotlight; a programmatic relaunch cannot recover an app that crashes on startup" \
+      "docker-nuke: if it keeps crashing, check Console.app for com.docker.backend, then update or reinstall Docker Desktop" \
+      "$dump_hint"
+  else
+    finish "$verdict" 1 "$elapsed" \
+      "docker-nuke: still running: $survivors" \
+      "docker-nuke: Docker is up but the daemon is not answering -- it may still be starting; retry, or use 'docker-nuke --deep' to also stop root helpers" \
+      "$dump_hint"
   fi
-  finish "$verdict" 1 "$elapsed" "$still_running" "$deep_hint"
   return 1
 }
 
diff --git a/.local/bin/test-docker-nuke.sh b/.local/bin/test-docker-nuke.sh
index 4e8a1fe..7889b05 100755
--- a/.local/bin/test-docker-nuke.sh
+++ b/.local/bin/test-docker-nuke.sh
@@ -1246,9 +1246,44 @@ test_main_daemon_never_returns() {
   rc=$?  # not `|| rc=$?` -- see the note on the first main() test above
   assert_eq "daemon never returns: rc 1" "1" "$rc"
   assert_contains "daemon never returns: warns it did not return" "$out" "did not return"
+
+  # No surviving Docker processes means the app was relaunched but did not stay
+  # up, so the advice must point at a manual Dock launch -- NOT at --deep or at
+  # disk space, which is what a real run got wrong in the field.
+  assert_contains "no survivors: says Docker did not stay up" "$out" "did not stay up"
+  assert_contains "no survivors: advises launching from the Dock" "$out" "Dock or Spotlight"
+  assert_not_contains "no survivors: does NOT suggest --deep" "$out" "--deep"
 }
 test_main_daemon_never_returns
 
+test_main_daemon_never_returns_with_survivors() {
+  local rc out dump_dir="$TMPROOT/main-survivors"
+
+  out="$(
+    set -euo pipefail
+    # shellcheck disable=SC2329  # invoked indirectly by main (sourced from docker-nuke) via docker_healthy name lookup
+    docker_healthy() { return 1; }
+    # shellcheck disable=SC2329  # invoked indirectly by main (sourced from docker-nuke) via run_dump name lookup
+    run_dump() { DUMP_DIR="$dump_dir"; mkdir -p "$DUMP_DIR"; return 0; }
+    # shellcheck disable=SC2329  # invoked indirectly by main (sourced from docker-nuke) via nuke_docker name lookup
+    nuke_docker() { return 0; }
+    # shellcheck disable=SC2329  # invoked indirectly by main (sourced from docker-nuke) via start_docker name lookup
+    start_docker() { return 0; }
+    # shellcheck disable=SC2329  # invoked indirectly by main (sourced from docker-nuke) via wait_for_daemon name lookup
+    wait_for_daemon() { return 1; }
+    # Docker processes ARE alive: it is up but not answering, a different case.
+    # shellcheck disable=SC2329  # invoked indirectly by main (sourced from docker-nuke) via docker_pids name lookup
+    docker_pids() { printf '4242\n'; }
+    main </dev/null 2>&1
+  )"
+  rc=$?  # not `|| rc=$?` -- see the note on the first main() test above
+  assert_eq "survivors: rc 1" "1" "$rc"
+  assert_contains "survivors: reports the surviving pid" "$out" "4242"
+  assert_contains "survivors: suggests --deep for this case" "$out" "--deep"
+  assert_not_contains "survivors: does NOT advise a Dock launch" "$out" "Dock or Spotlight"
+}
+test_main_daemon_never_returns_with_survivors
+
 printf '\n=== summary ===\n'
 teardown_tmp
 printf 'ran %d, failed %d\n' "$TESTS_RUN" "$TESTS_FAILED"