diff --git a/api/app.py b/api/app.py
index 07507de..87baa41 100644
--- a/api/app.py
+++ b/api/app.py
@@ -692,40 +692,64 @@ def apply_pending_config():
         # existing network's subnet in-place, so we need `down` + `up` in that case.
         needs_network_recreate = pending.get('network_recreate', False)
 
+        host_env     = os.path.join(project_dir, '.env')
+        host_compose = os.path.join(project_dir, 'docker-compose.yml')
+
         if '*' in containers:
+            # All-services restart: `docker compose down` or `up -d` may stop/recreate the
+            # API container itself, killing this background thread mid-operation.
+            # Spawn an independent helper container using pic_api:latest that has docker CLI
+            # and survives cell-api being stopped/recreated.
             if needs_network_recreate:
-                # down removes containers AND the bridge network; up recreates everything
-                compose_down_args = ['down']
-                compose_up_args   = ['up', '-d']
+                helper_script = (
+                    f'sleep 2'
+                    f' && docker compose --project-directory {project_dir}'
+                    f' -f {host_compose} --env-file {host_env} down'
+                    f' && docker compose --project-directory {project_dir}'
+                    f' -f {host_compose} --env-file {host_env} up -d'
+                )
             else:
-                compose_down_args = None
-                compose_up_args   = ['up', '-d']
+                helper_script = (
+                    f'sleep 2'
+                    f' && docker compose --project-directory {project_dir}'
+                    f' -f {host_compose} --env-file {host_env} up -d'
+                )
+
+            def _do_apply():
+                import subprocess as _subprocess
+                _subprocess.Popen(
+                    ['docker', 'run', '--rm',
+                     '-v', '/var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock',
+                     '-v', f'{project_dir}:{project_dir}',
+                     '--entrypoint', 'sh',
+                     'pic_api:latest',
+                     '-c', helper_script],
+                    close_fds=True,
+                    stdout=_subprocess.DEVNULL,
+                    stderr=_subprocess.DEVNULL,
+                )
+                logger.info(
+                    'spawned helper container for all-services restart'
+                    + (' (network_recreate)' if needs_network_recreate else '')
+                )
         else:
-            compose_down_args = None
-            compose_up_args   = ['up', '-d', '--no-deps'] + containers
-
-        base_cmd = ['docker', 'compose',
-                    '--project-directory', project_dir,
-                    '-f', '/app/docker-compose.yml',
-                    '--env-file', '/app/.env.compose']
-
-        # Run in a background thread; 0.3 s delay lets Flask send this response first.
-        def _do_apply():
-            import time as _time
-            import subprocess as _subprocess
-            _time.sleep(0.3)
-            if compose_down_args:
-                r = _subprocess.run(base_cmd + compose_down_args,
-                                    capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=60)
-                if r.returncode != 0:
-                    logger.error(f"docker compose down failed: {r.stderr.strip()}")
-                    return
-            result = _subprocess.run(base_cmd + compose_up_args,
-                                     capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=120)
-            if result.returncode != 0:
-                logger.error(f"docker compose up failed: {result.stderr.strip()}")
-            else:
-                logger.info(f'docker compose {" ".join(compose_up_args)} completed successfully')
+            # Specific containers only — API is not affected, run directly from here.
+            def _do_apply():
+                import time as _time
+                import subprocess as _subprocess
+                _time.sleep(0.3)
+                result = _subprocess.run(
+                    ['docker', 'compose',
+                     '--project-directory', project_dir,
+                     '-f', '/app/docker-compose.yml',
+                     '--env-file', '/app/.env.compose',
+                     'up', '-d', '--no-deps'] + containers,
+                    capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=120,
+                )
+                if result.returncode != 0:
+                    logger.error(f"docker compose up failed: {result.stderr.strip()}")
+                else:
+                    logger.info(f'docker compose up completed for: {containers}')
 
         threading.Thread(target=_do_apply, daemon=False).start()