diff --git a/gateway/run.py b/gateway/run.py
index 847db36c93..f71fc22804 100644
--- a/gateway/run.py
+++ b/gateway/run.py
@@ -745,10 +745,22 @@ class GatewayRunner:
                 logger.error("No connected messaging platforms remain. Shutting down gateway cleanly.")
             await self.stop()
         elif not self.adapters and self._failed_platforms:
-            logger.warning(
-                "No connected messaging platforms remain, but %d platform(s) queued for reconnection",
-                len(self._failed_platforms),
-            )
+            # All platforms are down and queued for background reconnection.
+            # If the error is retryable, exit with failure so systemd Restart=on-failure
+            # can restart the process. Otherwise stay alive and keep retrying in background.
+            if adapter.fatal_error_retryable:
+                self._exit_reason = adapter.fatal_error_message or "All messaging platforms failed with retryable errors"
+                self._exit_with_failure = True
+                logger.error(
+                    "All messaging platforms failed with retryable errors. "
+                    "Shutting down gateway for service restart (systemd will retry)."
+                )
+                await self.stop()
+            else:
+                logger.warning(
+                    "No connected messaging platforms remain, but %d platform(s) queued for reconnection",
+                    len(self._failed_platforms),
+                )
 
     def _request_clean_exit(self, reason: str) -> None:
         self._exit_cleanly = True
diff --git a/tests/gateway/test_platform_reconnect.py b/tests/gateway/test_platform_reconnect.py
index 3073f2f5da..68dfd2044d 100644
--- a/tests/gateway/test_platform_reconnect.py
+++ b/tests/gateway/test_platform_reconnect.py
@@ -344,6 +344,7 @@ class TestRuntimeDisconnectQueuing:
     async def test_retryable_runtime_error_queued_for_reconnect(self):
         """Retryable runtime errors should add the platform to _failed_platforms."""
         runner = _make_runner()
+        runner.stop = AsyncMock()
 
         adapter = StubAdapter(succeed=True)
         adapter._set_fatal_error("network_error", "DNS failure", retryable=True)
@@ -371,8 +372,12 @@ class TestRuntimeDisconnectQueuing:
         assert Platform.TELEGRAM not in runner._failed_platforms
 
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
-    async def test_retryable_error_prevents_shutdown_when_queued(self):
-        """Gateway should not shut down if failed platforms are queued for reconnection."""
+    async def test_retryable_error_exits_for_service_restart_when_all_down(self):
+        """Gateway should exit with failure when all platforms fail with retryable errors.
+
+        This lets systemd Restart=on-failure restart the process, which is more
+        reliable than in-process background reconnection after exhausted retries.
+        """
         runner = _make_runner()
         runner.stop = AsyncMock()
 
@@ -382,7 +387,28 @@ class TestRuntimeDisconnectQueuing:
 
         await runner._handle_adapter_fatal_error(adapter)
 
-        # stop() should NOT have been called since we have platforms queued
+        # stop() SHOULD be called — gateway exits for systemd restart
+        runner.stop.assert_called_once()
+        assert runner._exit_with_failure is True
+        assert Platform.TELEGRAM in runner._failed_platforms
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_retryable_error_no_exit_when_other_adapters_still_connected(self):
+        """Gateway should NOT exit if some adapters are still connected."""
+        runner = _make_runner()
+        runner.stop = AsyncMock()
+
+        failing_adapter = StubAdapter(succeed=True)
+        failing_adapter._set_fatal_error("network_error", "DNS failure", retryable=True)
+        runner.adapters[Platform.TELEGRAM] = failing_adapter
+
+        # Another adapter is still connected
+        healthy_adapter = StubAdapter(succeed=True)
+        runner.adapters[Platform.DISCORD] = healthy_adapter
+
+        await runner._handle_adapter_fatal_error(failing_adapter)
+
+        # stop() should NOT have been called — Discord is still up
         runner.stop.assert_not_called()
         assert Platform.TELEGRAM in runner._failed_platforms
 
diff --git a/tests/gateway/test_runner_fatal_adapter.py b/tests/gateway/test_runner_fatal_adapter.py
index 6eb2850598..13b9a7d99e 100644
--- a/tests/gateway/test_runner_fatal_adapter.py
+++ b/tests/gateway/test_runner_fatal_adapter.py
@@ -89,7 +89,8 @@ async def test_runner_queues_retryable_runtime_fatal_for_reconnection(monkeypatc
 
     await runner._handle_adapter_fatal_error(adapter)
 
-    # Should NOT shut down — platform is queued for reconnection
-    runner.stop.assert_not_awaited()
+    # Should shut down with failure — systemd Restart=on-failure will restart
+    runner.stop.assert_awaited_once()
+    assert runner._exit_with_failure is True
     assert Platform.WHATSAPP in runner._failed_platforms
     assert runner._failed_platforms[Platform.WHATSAPP]["attempts"] == 0