diff --git a/src/agents/bash-tools.exec.ts b/src/agents/bash-tools.exec.ts
index d72524461..b9de81872 100644
--- a/src/agents/bash-tools.exec.ts
+++ b/src/agents/bash-tools.exec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import crypto from "node:crypto";
-import { spawn, type ChildProcessWithoutNullStreams } from "node:child_process";
+import type { ChildProcessWithoutNullStreams } from "node:child_process";
 import path from "node:path";
 import type { AgentTool, AgentToolResult } from "@mariozechner/pi-agent-core";
 import { Type } from "@sinclair/typebox";
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import {
 } from "../infra/shell-env.js";
 import { enqueueSystemEvent } from "../infra/system-events.js";
 import { logInfo, logWarn } from "../logger.js";
+import { formatSpawnError, spawnWithFallback } from "../process/spawn-utils.js";
 import {
   type ProcessSession,
   type SessionStdin,
@@ -362,23 +363,38 @@ async function runExecProcess(opts: {
   let stdin: SessionStdin | undefined;
 
   if (opts.sandbox) {
-    child = spawn(
-      "docker",
-      buildDockerExecArgs({
-        containerName: opts.sandbox.containerName,
-        command: opts.command,
-        workdir: opts.containerWorkdir ?? opts.sandbox.containerWorkdir,
-        env: opts.env,
-        tty: opts.usePty,
-      }),
-      {
+    const { child: spawned } = await spawnWithFallback({
+      argv: [
+        "docker",
+        ...buildDockerExecArgs({
+          containerName: opts.sandbox.containerName,
+          command: opts.command,
+          workdir: opts.containerWorkdir ?? opts.sandbox.containerWorkdir,
+          env: opts.env,
+          tty: opts.usePty,
+        }),
+      ],
+      options: {
         cwd: opts.workdir,
         env: process.env,
         detached: process.platform !== "win32",
         stdio: ["pipe", "pipe", "pipe"],
         windowsHide: true,
       },
-    ) as ChildProcessWithoutNullStreams;
+      fallbacks: [
+        {
+          label: "no-detach",
+          options: { detached: false },
+        },
+      ],
+      onFallback: (err, fallback) => {
+        const errText = formatSpawnError(err);
+        const warning = `Warning: spawn failed (${errText}); retrying with ${fallback.label}.`;
+        logWarn(`exec: spawn failed (${errText}); retrying with ${fallback.label}.`);
+        opts.warnings.push(warning);
+      },
+    });
+    child = spawned as ChildProcessWithoutNullStreams;
     stdin = child.stdin;
   } else if (opts.usePty) {
     const { shell, args: shellArgs } = getShellConfig();
@@ -422,24 +438,56 @@ async function runExecProcess(opts: {
       const warning = `Warning: PTY spawn failed (${errText}); retrying without PTY for \`${opts.command}\`.`;
       logWarn(`exec: PTY spawn failed (${errText}); retrying without PTY for "${opts.command}".`);
       opts.warnings.push(warning);
-      child = spawn(shell, [...shellArgs, opts.command], {
+      const { child: spawned } = await spawnWithFallback({
+        argv: [shell, ...shellArgs, opts.command],
+        options: {
+          cwd: opts.workdir,
+          env: opts.env,
+          detached: process.platform !== "win32",
+          stdio: ["pipe", "pipe", "pipe"],
+          windowsHide: true,
+        },
+        fallbacks: [
+          {
+            label: "no-detach",
+            options: { detached: false },
+          },
+        ],
+        onFallback: (fallbackErr, fallback) => {
+          const fallbackText = formatSpawnError(fallbackErr);
+          const fallbackWarning = `Warning: spawn failed (${fallbackText}); retrying with ${fallback.label}.`;
+          logWarn(`exec: spawn failed (${fallbackText}); retrying with ${fallback.label}.`);
+          opts.warnings.push(fallbackWarning);
+        },
+      });
+      child = spawned as ChildProcessWithoutNullStreams;
+      stdin = child.stdin;
+    }
+  } else {
+    const { shell, args: shellArgs } = getShellConfig();
+    const { child: spawned } = await spawnWithFallback({
+      argv: [shell, ...shellArgs, opts.command],
+      options: {
         cwd: opts.workdir,
         env: opts.env,
         detached: process.platform !== "win32",
         stdio: ["pipe", "pipe", "pipe"],
         windowsHide: true,
-      }) as ChildProcessWithoutNullStreams;
-      stdin = child.stdin;
-    }
-  } else {
-    const { shell, args: shellArgs } = getShellConfig();
-    child = spawn(shell, [...shellArgs, opts.command], {
-      cwd: opts.workdir,
-      env: opts.env,
-      detached: process.platform !== "win32",
-      stdio: ["pipe", "pipe", "pipe"],
-      windowsHide: true,
-    }) as ChildProcessWithoutNullStreams;
+      },
+      fallbacks: [
+        {
+          label: "no-detach",
+          options: { detached: false },
+        },
+      ],
+      onFallback: (err, fallback) => {
+        const errText = formatSpawnError(err);
+        const warning = `Warning: spawn failed (${errText}); retrying with ${fallback.label}.`;
+        logWarn(`exec: spawn failed (${errText}); retrying with ${fallback.label}.`);
+        opts.warnings.push(warning);
+      },
+    });
+    child = spawned as ChildProcessWithoutNullStreams;
     stdin = child.stdin;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/process/exec.ts b/src/process/exec.ts
index 103612ffc..44f8b2ce0 100644
--- a/src/process/exec.ts
+++ b/src/process/exec.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { promisify } from "node:util";
 
 import { danger, shouldLogVerbose } from "../globals.js";
 import { logDebug, logError } from "../logger.js";
+import { resolveCommandStdio } from "./spawn-utils.js";
 
 const execFileAsync = promisify(execFile);
 
@@ -78,19 +79,22 @@ export async function runCommandWithTimeout(
     if (resolvedEnv.npm_config_fund == null) resolvedEnv.npm_config_fund = "false";
   }
 
+  const stdio = resolveCommandStdio({ hasInput, preferInherit: true });
+  const child = spawn(argv[0], argv.slice(1), {
+    stdio,
+    cwd,
+    env: resolvedEnv,
+    windowsVerbatimArguments,
+  });
   // Spawn with inherited stdin (TTY) so tools like `pi` stay interactive when needed.
   return await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-    const child = spawn(argv[0], argv.slice(1), {
-      stdio: [hasInput ? "pipe" : "inherit", "pipe", "pipe"],
-      cwd,
-      env: resolvedEnv,
-      windowsVerbatimArguments,
-    });
     let stdout = "";
     let stderr = "";
     let settled = false;
     const timer = setTimeout(() => {
-      child.kill("SIGKILL");
+      if (typeof child.kill === "function") {
+        child.kill("SIGKILL");
+      }
     }, timeoutMs);
 
     if (hasInput && child.stdin) {
diff --git a/src/process/spawn-utils.test.ts b/src/process/spawn-utils.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d290d5938
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/process/spawn-utils.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+import { EventEmitter } from "node:events";
+import { PassThrough } from "node:stream";
+import type { ChildProcess } from "node:child_process";
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+import { spawnWithFallback } from "./spawn-utils.js";
+
+function createStubChild() {
+  const child = new EventEmitter() as ChildProcess;
+  child.stdin = new PassThrough() as ChildProcess["stdin"];
+  child.stdout = new PassThrough() as ChildProcess["stdout"];
+  child.stderr = new PassThrough() as ChildProcess["stderr"];
+  child.pid = 1234;
+  child.killed = false;
+  child.kill = vi.fn(() => true) as ChildProcess["kill"];
+  queueMicrotask(() => {
+    child.emit("spawn");
+  });
+  return child;
+}
+
+describe("spawnWithFallback", () => {
+  it("retries on EBADF using fallback options", async () => {
+    const spawnMock = vi
+      .fn()
+      .mockImplementationOnce(() => {
+        const err = new Error("spawn EBADF");
+        (err as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code = "EBADF";
+        throw err;
+      })
+      .mockImplementationOnce(() => createStubChild());
+
+    const result = await spawnWithFallback({
+      argv: ["echo", "ok"],
+      options: { stdio: ["pipe", "pipe", "pipe"] },
+      fallbacks: [{ label: "safe-stdin", options: { stdio: ["ignore", "pipe", "pipe"] } }],
+      spawnImpl: spawnMock,
+    });
+
+    expect(result.usedFallback).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.fallbackLabel).toBe("safe-stdin");
+    expect(spawnMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    expect(spawnMock.mock.calls[0]?.[2]?.stdio).toEqual(["pipe", "pipe", "pipe"]);
+    expect(spawnMock.mock.calls[1]?.[2]?.stdio).toEqual(["ignore", "pipe", "pipe"]);
+  });
+
+  it("does not retry on non-EBADF errors", async () => {
+    const spawnMock = vi.fn().mockImplementationOnce(() => {
+      const err = new Error("spawn ENOENT");
+      (err as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code = "ENOENT";
+      throw err;
+    });
+
+    await expect(
+      spawnWithFallback({
+        argv: ["missing"],
+        options: { stdio: ["pipe", "pipe", "pipe"] },
+        fallbacks: [{ label: "safe-stdin", options: { stdio: ["ignore", "pipe", "pipe"] } }],
+        spawnImpl: spawnMock,
+      }),
+    ).rejects.toThrow(/ENOENT/);
+    expect(spawnMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/process/spawn-utils.ts b/src/process/spawn-utils.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2d4604432
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/process/spawn-utils.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+import type { ChildProcess, SpawnOptions } from "node:child_process";
+import { spawn } from "node:child_process";
+
+export type SpawnFallback = {
+  label: string;
+  options: SpawnOptions;
+};
+
+export type SpawnWithFallbackResult = {
+  child: ChildProcess;
+  usedFallback: boolean;
+  fallbackLabel?: string;
+};
+
+type SpawnWithFallbackParams = {
+  argv: string[];
+  options: SpawnOptions;
+  fallbacks?: SpawnFallback[];
+  spawnImpl?: typeof spawn;
+  retryCodes?: string[];
+  onFallback?: (err: unknown, fallback: SpawnFallback) => void;
+};
+
+const DEFAULT_RETRY_CODES = ["EBADF"];
+
+export function resolveCommandStdio(params: {
+  hasInput: boolean;
+  preferInherit: boolean;
+}): ["pipe" | "inherit" | "ignore", "pipe", "pipe"] {
+  const stdin = params.hasInput ? "pipe" : params.preferInherit ? "inherit" : "pipe";
+  return [stdin, "pipe", "pipe"];
+}
+
+export function formatSpawnError(err: unknown): string {
+  if (!(err instanceof Error)) return String(err);
+  const details = err as NodeJS.ErrnoException;
+  const parts: string[] = [];
+  const message = err.message?.trim();
+  if (message) parts.push(message);
+  if (details.code && !message?.includes(details.code)) parts.push(details.code);
+  if (details.syscall) parts.push(`syscall=${details.syscall}`);
+  if (typeof details.errno === "number") parts.push(`errno=${details.errno}`);
+  return parts.join(" ");
+}
+
+function shouldRetry(err: unknown, codes: string[]): boolean {
+  const code =
+    err && typeof err === "object" && "code" in err ? String((err as { code?: unknown }).code) : "";
+  return code.length > 0 && codes.includes(code);
+}
+
+async function spawnAndWaitForSpawn(
+  spawnImpl: typeof spawn,
+  argv: string[],
+  options: SpawnOptions,
+): Promise<ChildProcess> {
+  const child = spawnImpl(argv[0], argv.slice(1), options);
+
+  return await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    let settled = false;
+    const cleanup = () => {
+      child.removeListener("error", onError);
+      child.removeListener("spawn", onSpawn);
+    };
+    const finishResolve = () => {
+      if (settled) return;
+      settled = true;
+      cleanup();
+      resolve(child);
+    };
+    const onError = (err: unknown) => {
+      if (settled) return;
+      settled = true;
+      cleanup();
+      reject(err);
+    };
+    const onSpawn = () => {
+      finishResolve();
+    };
+    child.once("error", onError);
+    child.once("spawn", onSpawn);
+    // Ensure mocked spawns that never emit "spawn" don't stall.
+    process.nextTick(() => {
+      if (typeof child.pid === "number") {
+        finishResolve();
+      }
+    });
+  });
+}
+
+export async function spawnWithFallback(
+  params: SpawnWithFallbackParams,
+): Promise<SpawnWithFallbackResult> {
+  const spawnImpl = params.spawnImpl ?? spawn;
+  const retryCodes = params.retryCodes ?? DEFAULT_RETRY_CODES;
+  const baseOptions = { ...params.options };
+  const fallbacks = params.fallbacks ?? [];
+  const attempts: Array<{ label?: string; options: SpawnOptions }> = [
+    { options: baseOptions },
+    ...fallbacks.map((fallback) => ({
+      label: fallback.label,
+      options: { ...baseOptions, ...fallback.options },
+    })),
+  ];
+
+  let lastError: unknown;
+  for (let index = 0; index < attempts.length; index += 1) {
+    const attempt = attempts[index];
+    try {
+      const child = await spawnAndWaitForSpawn(spawnImpl, params.argv, attempt.options);
+      return {
+        child,
+        usedFallback: index > 0,
+        fallbackLabel: attempt.label,
+      };
+    } catch (err) {
+      lastError = err;
+      const nextFallback = fallbacks[index];
+      if (!nextFallback || !shouldRetry(err, retryCodes)) {
+        throw err;
+      }
+      params.onFallback?.(err, nextFallback);
+    }
+  }
+
+  throw lastError;
+}