diff --git a/test/integration/ios-simulator-e2e-deep-link-confirmation.test.ts b/test/integration/ios-simulator-e2e-deep-link-confirmation.test.ts
index e42b03476f..abff021f87 100644
--- a/test/integration/ios-simulator-e2e-deep-link-confirmation.test.ts
+++ b/test/integration/ios-simulator-e2e-deep-link-confirmation.test.ts
@@ -112,12 +112,29 @@ test('target discovery exhaustion still answers a deep-link confirmation', async
   ]);
 });
 
-test('runner startup exhaustion returns without probing for a deep-link confirmation', async () => {
-  const { device, log } = simulator([RUNNER_START_TIMEOUT]);
+test('runner startup exhaustion waits once more, then answers the confirmation the runner sees', async () => {
+  const { device, log } = simulator([RUNNER_START_TIMEOUT, LAUNCH_PENDING, LANDED]);
 
   await answerDeepLinkConfirmation(device);
 
-  assert.deepEqual(log, ['wait for the deep-link destination (1/5)']);
+  assert.deepEqual(log, [
+    'wait for the deep-link destination (1/5)',
+    'wait for the deep-link destination (2/5)',
+    'alert get',
+    'alert accept',
+    'wait for the deep-link destination (3/5)',
+  ]);
+});
+
+test('a second runner startup exhaustion returns without probing for a deep-link confirmation', async () => {
+  const { device, log } = simulator([RUNNER_START_TIMEOUT, RUNNER_START_TIMEOUT]);
+
+  await answerDeepLinkConfirmation(device);
+
+  assert.deepEqual(log, [
+    'wait for the deep-link destination (1/5)',
+    'wait for the deep-link destination (2/5)',
+  ]);
 });
 
 test('a readable no-match that answers Open waits for the released launch', async () => {
diff --git a/test/integration/ios-simulator-e2e/live-deep-link-confirmation.ts b/test/integration/ios-simulator-e2e/live-deep-link-confirmation.ts
index e167068d02..8267d1ab15 100644
--- a/test/integration/ios-simulator-e2e/live-deep-link-confirmation.ts
+++ b/test/integration/ios-simulator-e2e/live-deep-link-confirmation.ts
@@ -61,27 +61,60 @@ export async function answerDeepLinkConfirmation(
   device: DeepLinkConfirmationDevice,
 ): Promise<void> {
   let answered = false;
+  let runnerStartWaited = false;
   for (let wait = 1; wait <= DESTINATION_WAITS; wait += 1) {
     const arrived = await device.waitForDestination(
       `wait for the deep-link destination (${wait}/${DESTINATION_WAITS})`,
     );
     if (arrived.status === 0) return;
-    const details = arrived.json?.error?.details;
-    const launchPending = details?.runnerErrorCode === APP_NOT_RUNNING;
-    const reason = details?.reason;
-    const readableMiss =
-      reason === WAIT_REASONS.targetAbsent || reason === WAIT_REASONS.deadlineExceeded;
-    const interruptedObservation =
-      reason === WAIT_REASONS.captureStalled ||
-      (reason === WAIT_REASONS.readinessExhausted &&
-        details?.readinessPhase === 'target-discovery') ||
-      reason === WAIT_REASONS.runnerRestartExhausted;
-    if (!launchPending && !readableMiss && !interruptedObservation) return;
+    const miss = classifyDestinationMiss(arrived.json?.error?.details);
+    // A relaunch can restart the runner, and on a loaded host its start outlasts one wait; the
+    // next wait is the first that can see the confirmation. A second start timeout is a failure.
+    if (miss === 'runner-start' && !runnerStartWaited) {
+      runnerStartWaited = true;
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (miss === 'final' || miss === 'runner-start') return;
     if (!answered) answered = await acceptOpenConfirmation(device);
-    if (!answered && reason === WAIT_REASONS.targetAbsent) return;
+    if (!answered && miss === 'target-absent') return;
   }
 }
 
+/** Why a destination wait missed, as far as the confirmation loop acts on it. */
+type DestinationMiss = 'probe' | 'target-absent' | 'runner-start' | 'final';
+
+type DestinationMissDetails = {
+  reason?: string;
+  readinessPhase?: string;
+  runnerErrorCode?: string;
+};
+
+/** Wait failures that can leave the launch behind the confirmation: worth one `alert get`. */
+const PROBE_REASONS: ReadonlySet<string | undefined> = new Set([
+  WAIT_REASONS.deadlineExceeded,
+  WAIT_REASONS.captureStalled,
+  WAIT_REASONS.runnerRestartExhausted,
+]);
+
+/**
+ * Sorts a destination wait's failure: a pending launch, a readable miss, or an interrupted
+ * observation may hide the confirmation (`probe`, or `target-absent` for a readable no-match);
+ * a runner still starting saw nothing yet; anything else is the caller's to assert.
+ */
+function classifyDestinationMiss(details: DestinationMissDetails | undefined): DestinationMiss {
+  const readinessPhase = readinessExhaustedPhase(details);
+  if (readinessPhase === 'runner-start') return 'runner-start';
+  if (details?.reason === WAIT_REASONS.targetAbsent) return 'target-absent';
+  if (details?.runnerErrorCode === APP_NOT_RUNNING) return 'probe';
+  if (PROBE_REASONS.has(details?.reason) || readinessPhase === 'target-discovery') return 'probe';
+  return 'final';
+}
+
+/** The readiness phase a wait ran out of time in, when readiness is what it exhausted. */
+function readinessExhaustedPhase(details: DestinationMissDetails | undefined): string | undefined {
+  return details?.reason === WAIT_REASONS.readinessExhausted ? details.readinessPhase : undefined;
+}
+
 async function acceptOpenConfirmation(device: DeepLinkConfirmationDevice): Promise<boolean> {
   const alert = await device.inspectAlert();
   if (alert.status !== 0) return false;