diff --git a/internal/cmd/doctor.go b/internal/cmd/doctor.go
index cd119b05..e25c30ac 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/doctor.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/doctor.go
@@ -10,9 +10,10 @@ import (
 )
 
 var (
-	doctorFix     bool
-	doctorVerbose bool
-	doctorRig     string
+	doctorFix             bool
+	doctorVerbose         bool
+	doctorRig             string
+	doctorRestartSessions bool
 )
 
 var doctorCmd = &cobra.Command{
@@ -82,6 +83,7 @@ func init() {
 	doctorCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&doctorFix, "fix", false, "Attempt to automatically fix issues")
 	doctorCmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&doctorVerbose, "verbose", "v", false, "Show detailed output")
 	doctorCmd.Flags().StringVar(&doctorRig, "rig", "", "Check specific rig only")
+	doctorCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&doctorRestartSessions, "restart-sessions", false, "Restart patrol sessions when fixing stale settings (use with --fix)")
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(doctorCmd)
 }
 
@@ -94,9 +96,10 @@ func runDoctor(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 
 	// Create check context
 	ctx := &doctor.CheckContext{
-		TownRoot: townRoot,
-		RigName:  doctorRig,
-		Verbose:  doctorVerbose,
+		TownRoot:        townRoot,
+		RigName:         doctorRig,
+		Verbose:         doctorVerbose,
+		RestartSessions: doctorRestartSessions,
 	}
 
 	// Create doctor and register checks
diff --git a/internal/doctor/claude_settings_check.go b/internal/doctor/claude_settings_check.go
index b222acb9..fbce040c 100644
--- a/internal/doctor/claude_settings_check.go
+++ b/internal/doctor/claude_settings_check.go
@@ -495,14 +495,17 @@ func (c *ClaudeSettingsCheck) Fix(ctx *CheckContext) error {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		// Only cycle patrol roles that can auto-recover (daemon restarts them).
-		// Crew and polecats are spawned on-demand and won't auto-restart.
-		if sf.agentType == "witness" || sf.agentType == "refinery" ||
-			sf.agentType == "deacon" || sf.agentType == "mayor" {
-			running, _ := t.HasSession(sf.sessionName)
-			if running {
-				// Cycle the agent by killing and letting gt up restart it
-				_ = t.KillSession(sf.sessionName)
+		// Only cycle patrol roles if --restart-sessions was explicitly passed.
+		// This prevents unexpected session restarts during routine --fix operations.
+		// Crew and polecats are spawned on-demand and won't auto-restart anyway.
+		if ctx.RestartSessions {
+			if sf.agentType == "witness" || sf.agentType == "refinery" ||
+				sf.agentType == "deacon" || sf.agentType == "mayor" {
+				running, _ := t.HasSession(sf.sessionName)
+				if running {
+					// Cycle the agent by killing and letting gt up restart it
+					_ = t.KillSession(sf.sessionName)
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/internal/doctor/types.go b/internal/doctor/types.go
index 2bb18dc0..6115afd3 100644
--- a/internal/doctor/types.go
+++ b/internal/doctor/types.go
@@ -38,9 +38,10 @@ func (s CheckStatus) String() string {
 
 // CheckContext provides context for running checks.
 type CheckContext struct {
-	TownRoot string // Root directory of the Gas Town workspace
-	RigName  string // Rig name (empty for town-level checks)
-	Verbose  bool   // Enable verbose output
+	TownRoot        string // Root directory of the Gas Town workspace
+	RigName         string // Rig name (empty for town-level checks)
+	Verbose         bool   // Enable verbose output
+	RestartSessions bool   // Restart patrol sessions when fixing (requires explicit --restart-sessions flag)
 }
 
 // RigPath returns the full path to the rig directory.