diff --git a/src/core/dispatch-context.ts b/src/core/dispatch-context.ts
index 2cfee83e56..4c84eea381 100644
--- a/src/core/dispatch-context.ts
+++ b/src/core/dispatch-context.ts
@@ -44,6 +44,9 @@ export type DispatchContext = ScreenshotDispatchFlags & {
   activity?: string;
   launchConsole?: string;
   launchArgs?: string[];
+  // iOS simulator only: relaunch via a single `simctl launch
+  // --terminate-running-process` instead of a separate terminate + launch.
+  terminateRunningApp?: boolean;
   clearAppState?: boolean;
   verbose?: boolean;
   logPath?: string;
diff --git a/src/core/dispatch.ts b/src/core/dispatch.ts
index 131ba6c809..643725ebae 100644
--- a/src/core/dispatch.ts
+++ b/src/core/dispatch.ts
@@ -304,6 +304,7 @@ async function handleOpenCommand(
     appBundleId: context?.appBundleId,
     launchConsole,
     launchArgs,
+    terminateRunningApp: context?.terminateRunningApp,
   });
   return { app, ...(launchConsole ? { launchConsole } : {}), ...successText(`Opened: ${app}`) };
 }
diff --git a/src/core/interactor-types.ts b/src/core/interactor-types.ts
index d003f73578..ecd1299353 100644
--- a/src/core/interactor-types.ts
+++ b/src/core/interactor-types.ts
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ export type Interactor = {
       appBundleId?: string;
       launchConsole?: string;
       launchArgs?: string[];
+      terminateRunningApp?: boolean;
       url?: string;
     },
   ): Promise<void>;
diff --git a/src/daemon/handlers/__tests__/session.test.ts b/src/daemon/handlers/__tests__/session.test.ts
index 42b0f29f1b..23c3848096 100644
--- a/src/daemon/handlers/__tests__/session.test.ts
+++ b/src/daemon/handlers/__tests__/session.test.ts
@@ -3238,7 +3238,7 @@ test('open --relaunch on iOS stops runner before close/open', async () => {
   expect(calls).toEqual(['stop-runner', 'close:com.example.app', 'open:com.example.app']);
 });
 
-test('open --relaunch on iOS simulator keeps runner hot across close/open', async () => {
+test('open --relaunch on iOS simulator collapses into one terminate-running open dispatch', async () => {
   const sessionStore = makeSessionStore();
   const sessionName = 'ios-simulator-session';
   sessionStore.set(sessionName, {
@@ -3263,8 +3263,10 @@ test('open --relaunch on iOS simulator keeps runner hot across close/open', asyn
   mockStopIosRunner.mockImplementation(async () => {
     calls.push('stop-runner');
   });
-  mockDispatch.mockImplementation(async (_device, command, positionals) => {
+  let openContext: Record<string, unknown> | undefined;
+  mockDispatch.mockImplementation(async (_device, command, positionals, _out, context) => {
     calls.push(`${command}:${positionals.join(' ')}`);
+    if (command === 'open') openContext = context as Record<string, unknown>;
     return {};
   });
 
@@ -3282,9 +3284,110 @@ test('open --relaunch on iOS simulator keeps runner hot across close/open', asyn
     invoke: noopInvoke,
   });
 
+  expect(response).toBeTruthy();
+  expect(response?.ok).toBe(true);
+  expect(calls).toEqual(['open:com.example.app']);
+  expect(openContext?.terminateRunningApp).toBe(true);
+});
+
+test('open <app> <url> --relaunch on iOS simulator keeps close-first ordering', async () => {
+  const sessionStore = makeSessionStore();
+  const sessionName = 'ios-simulator-url-relaunch-session';
+  sessionStore.set(sessionName, {
+    ...makeSession(sessionName, {
+      platform: 'apple',
+      id: 'sim-1',
+      name: 'iPhone 17 Pro',
+      kind: 'simulator',
+      booted: true,
+    }),
+    appName: 'com.example.app',
+  });
+
+  const calls: string[] = [];
+  mockResolveTargetDevice.mockResolvedValue({
+    platform: 'apple',
+    id: 'sim-1',
+    name: 'iPhone 17 Pro',
+    kind: 'simulator',
+    booted: true,
+  });
+  let openContext: Record<string, unknown> | undefined;
+  mockDispatch.mockImplementation(async (_device, command, positionals, _out, context) => {
+    calls.push(`${command}:${positionals.join(' ')}`);
+    if (command === 'open') openContext = context as Record<string, unknown>;
+    return {};
+  });
+
+  const response = await handleSessionCommands({
+    req: {
+      token: 't',
+      session: sessionName,
+      command: 'open',
+      positionals: ['com.example.app', 'https://example.com/deal'],
+      flags: { relaunch: true },
+    },
+    sessionName,
+    logPath: path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'daemon.log'),
+    sessionStore,
+    invoke: noopInvoke,
+  });
+
+  expect(response).toBeTruthy();
+  expect(response?.ok).toBe(true);
+  // The URL dispatch path cannot carry the terminate, so the relaunch keeps
+  // the explicit close-then-open sequence.
+  expect(calls).toEqual(['close:com.example.app', 'open:com.example.app https://example.com/deal']);
+  expect(openContext?.terminateRunningApp).toBeUndefined();
+});
+
+test('open --relaunch --clear-app-state on iOS simulator keeps close-first ordering', async () => {
+  const sessionStore = makeSessionStore();
+  const sessionName = 'ios-simulator-clear-state-session';
+  sessionStore.set(sessionName, {
+    ...makeSession(sessionName, {
+      platform: 'apple',
+      id: 'sim-1',
+      name: 'iPhone 17 Pro',
+      kind: 'simulator',
+      booted: true,
+    }),
+    appName: 'com.example.app',
+  });
+
+  const calls: string[] = [];
+  mockResolveTargetDevice.mockResolvedValue({
+    platform: 'apple',
+    id: 'sim-1',
+    name: 'iPhone 17 Pro',
+    kind: 'simulator',
+    booted: true,
+  });
+  let openContext: Record<string, unknown> | undefined;
+  mockDispatch.mockImplementation(async (_device, command, positionals, _out, context) => {
+    calls.push(`${command}:${positionals.join(' ')}`);
+    if (command === 'open') openContext = context as Record<string, unknown>;
+    return {};
+  });
+
+  const response = await handleSessionCommands({
+    req: {
+      token: 't',
+      session: sessionName,
+      command: 'open',
+      positionals: [],
+      flags: { relaunch: true, clearAppState: true },
+    },
+    sessionName,
+    logPath: path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'daemon.log'),
+    sessionStore,
+    invoke: noopInvoke,
+  });
+
   expect(response).toBeTruthy();
   expect(response?.ok).toBe(true);
   expect(calls).toEqual(['close:com.example.app', 'open:com.example.app']);
+  expect(openContext?.terminateRunningApp).toBeUndefined();
 });
 
 test('open --relaunch includes timing and waits for iOS runner prewarm after opening app', async () => {
@@ -3395,7 +3498,7 @@ test('open --relaunch on iOS without existing session closes then opens target a
   expect(calls).toEqual(['stop-runner', 'close:com.example.app', 'open:com.example.app']);
 });
 
-test('open --relaunch on iOS simulator reaches settle path for close and open', async () => {
+test('open --relaunch on iOS simulator settles once after the collapsed open', async () => {
   const sessionStore = makeSessionStore();
   const sessionName = 'ios-sim-session';
   sessionStore.set(sessionName, {
@@ -3437,9 +3540,8 @@ test('open --relaunch on iOS simulator reaches settle path for close and open',
 
   expect(response).toBeTruthy();
   expect(response?.ok).toBe(true);
-  expect(settleCalls.length).toBe(2);
-  expect(settleCalls[0]).toEqual({ deviceId: 'sim-1', delayMs: 300 });
-  expect(settleCalls[1]).toEqual({ deviceId: 'sim-1', delayMs: 300 });
+  // Collapsed simulator relaunch skips the post-close settle: one settle after open.
+  expect(settleCalls).toEqual([{ deviceId: 'sim-1', delayMs: 300 }]);
 });
 
 test('close on macOS session stops runner and dismisses automation alert before delete', async () => {
diff --git a/src/daemon/handlers/session-open.ts b/src/daemon/handlers/session-open.ts
index e1d2790d1d..3b4307d213 100644
--- a/src/daemon/handlers/session-open.ts
+++ b/src/daemon/handlers/session-open.ts
@@ -208,7 +208,20 @@ async function completeOpenCommand(params: {
     schedulePrewarm();
   }
 
-  if (shouldRelaunch && openTarget) {
+  // iOS simulators relaunch with one `simctl launch --terminate-running-process`
+  // instead of terminate + settle + launch (~1s per relaunch). Runtime hints
+  // written below are user-defaults reads at that launch, so ordering holds.
+  // Only the single app-launch form collapses: `open <app> <url>` dispatches
+  // through the URL path, where a deep-link open never launches the app and
+  // so cannot carry the terminate; those keep the close-first ordering, as
+  // does --clear-app-state, which must never mutate a running app's container.
+  const collapseSimulatorRelaunch =
+    shouldRelaunch &&
+    Boolean(openTarget) &&
+    openPositionals.length === 1 &&
+    isIosSimulator(device) &&
+    req.flags?.clearAppState !== true;
+  if (shouldRelaunch && openTarget && !collapseSimulatorRelaunch) {
     const closeTarget = sessionAppBundleId ?? openTarget;
     const closeStartedAtMs = Date.now();
     await relaunchCloseApp({
@@ -255,6 +268,7 @@ async function completeOpenCommand(params: {
   const openDispatchSession = provisionalSession.session ?? existingSession;
   await dispatchCommand(device, 'open', openPositionals, req.flags?.out, {
     ...contextFromFlags(logPath, req.flags, sessionAppBundleId),
+    ...(collapseSimulatorRelaunch ? { terminateRunningApp: true } : {}),
   });
   timing.openDispatchDurationMs = Math.max(0, Date.now() - openStartedAtMs);
   const launchUrlStartedAtMs = Date.now();
diff --git a/src/platforms/apple/core/apps.ts b/src/platforms/apple/core/apps.ts
index 065b080eb9..4d3f53e3d8 100644
--- a/src/platforms/apple/core/apps.ts
+++ b/src/platforms/apple/core/apps.ts
@@ -186,7 +186,13 @@ function parseUrlScheme(url: string): string | undefined {
 export async function openIosApp(
   device: DeviceInfo,
   app: string,
-  options?: { appBundleId?: string; launchConsole?: string; launchArgs?: string[]; url?: string },
+  options?: {
+    appBundleId?: string;
+    launchConsole?: string;
+    launchArgs?: string[];
+    terminateRunningApp?: boolean;
+    url?: string;
+  },
 ): Promise<void> {
   const launchConsole = options?.launchConsole?.trim();
   const launchArgs = options?.launchArgs;
@@ -258,6 +264,7 @@ export async function openIosApp(
     await launchIosSimulatorApp(device, bundleId, {
       ...(launchConsole ? { launchConsole } : {}),
       ...(launchArgs ? { launchArgs } : {}),
+      ...(options?.terminateRunningApp ? { terminateRunningApp: true } : {}),
     });
     return;
   }
@@ -1112,7 +1119,7 @@ function isIosBiometricCapabilityMissing(stdout: string, stderr: string): boolea
 async function launchIosSimulatorApp(
   device: DeviceInfo,
   bundleId: string,
-  options?: { launchConsole?: string; launchArgs?: string[] },
+  options?: { launchConsole?: string; launchArgs?: string[]; terminateRunningApp?: boolean },
 ): Promise<void> {
   await ensureBootedSimulator(device);
 
@@ -1175,10 +1182,11 @@ async function launchIosSimulatorApp(
 function buildIosSimulatorLaunchArgs(
   deviceId: string,
   bundleId: string,
-  options?: { launchConsole?: string; launchArgs?: string[] },
+  options?: { launchConsole?: string; launchArgs?: string[]; terminateRunningApp?: boolean },
 ): string[] {
   const args = ['launch'];
   if (options?.launchConsole) args.push('--console-pty');
+  if (options?.terminateRunningApp) args.push('--terminate-running-process');
   args.push(deviceId, bundleId);
   if (options?.launchArgs && options.launchArgs.length > 0) {
     args.push(...options.launchArgs);
diff --git a/src/platforms/apple/interactor.ts b/src/platforms/apple/interactor.ts
index f7931c925a..79d429184d 100644
--- a/src/platforms/apple/interactor.ts
+++ b/src/platforms/apple/interactor.ts
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ export function createAppleInteractor(
         appBundleId: options?.appBundleId,
         launchConsole: options?.launchConsole,
         launchArgs: options?.launchArgs,
+        terminateRunningApp: options?.terminateRunningApp,
         url: options?.url,
       }),
     openDevice: () => openIosDevice(device),