diff --git a/src/netshaper/core/mitm_manager.py b/src/netshaper/core/mitm_manager.py
index e45f4e7..f7f14f3 100644
--- a/src/netshaper/core/mitm_manager.py
+++ b/src/netshaper/core/mitm_manager.py
@@ -240,7 +240,10 @@ def get_state_for_persistence(self) -> dict:
             if self._mitm_process_identity is None:
                 log.error("Live mitmproxy process has no recoverable identity")
                 return state
-            command = list(self._mitm_command or getattr(proc, "args", []) or [])
+            command = list(self._mitm_command or [])
+            if not command:
+                log.error("Live mitmproxy process has no recoverable command")
+                return state
             state.update(
                 {
                     "service": "mitmproxy",
diff --git a/src/netshaper/core/orchestrator.py b/src/netshaper/core/orchestrator.py
index 4affc66..fe18041 100644
--- a/src/netshaper/core/orchestrator.py
+++ b/src/netshaper/core/orchestrator.py
@@ -125,13 +125,17 @@ def _portal_manager(self) -> PortalManager:
                 self.authorized_cidrs,
                 journal=self._journal_state_if_ready,
             )
+            self.portal_manager = manager
             legacy_proc = getattr(self, "_fake_server_proc", None)
-            if legacy_proc is not None:
-                manager.process = legacy_proc
             legacy_token = getattr(self, "_fake_server_health_token", None)
-            if legacy_token:
-                manager._health_token = legacy_token
-            self.portal_manager = manager
+            if legacy_proc is not None:
+                if not manager.attach_owned_process(
+                    legacy_proc,
+                    health_token=legacy_token,
+                ):
+                    self._fake_server_proc = None
+            elif legacy_token:
+                manager.use_health_token(legacy_token)
         return manager
 
     @staticmethod
diff --git a/src/netshaper/core/portal_manager.py b/src/netshaper/core/portal_manager.py
index 17ac276..1e4e980 100644
--- a/src/netshaper/core/portal_manager.py
+++ b/src/netshaper/core/portal_manager.py
@@ -69,6 +69,12 @@ def start(self, portal_config: PortalConfig) -> bool:
             return True
 
         if self.process and self.process.poll() is None:
+            if self._command is None:
+                self._command = self._command_from_process(self.process)
+            if not self._command:
+                log.error("Could not establish recoverable portal process command")
+                self.stop()
+                return False
             if self._process_identity is None and not self._capture_process_identity(
                 self.process,
             ):
@@ -148,6 +154,40 @@ def start(self, portal_config: PortalConfig) -> bool:
         self.stop()
         return False
 
+    def attach_owned_process(
+        self,
+        process: subprocess.Popen[Any],
+        *,
+        health_token: Optional[str] = None,
+    ) -> bool:
+        """Attach a legacy NetShaper-owned portal child to this manager."""
+        if process.poll() is not None:
+            return False
+
+        command = self._command_from_process(process)
+        self.process = process
+        self._command = command
+        if health_token:
+            self._health_token = health_token
+
+        if not command:
+            log.error("Could not establish recoverable portal process command")
+            self.stop()
+            return False
+        if not self._capture_process_identity(process):
+            log.error("Could not establish recoverable portal process identity")
+            self.stop()
+            return False
+        if not self._journal_state():
+            log.error("Refusing to attach netshaper-portal without recovery state")
+            self.stop()
+            return False
+        return True
+
+    def use_health_token(self, token: str) -> None:
+        """Use an existing portal health token without adopting a process."""
+        self._health_token = token
+
     def health_token(self) -> str:
         if not self._health_token:
             self._health_token = secrets.token_urlsafe(32)
@@ -214,6 +254,15 @@ def _capture_process_identity(self, process: subprocess.Popen[Any]) -> bool:
         self._process_identity = dict(identity)
         return True
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _command_from_process(process: subprocess.Popen[Any]) -> list[str]:
+        args = getattr(process, "args", None)
+        if isinstance(args, (list, tuple)):
+            return [str(item) for item in args]
+        if isinstance(args, str) and args:
+            return [args]
+        return []
+
     def _journal_state(self) -> bool:
         if self._journal is None:
             return True
@@ -230,7 +279,10 @@ def get_state_for_persistence(self) -> dict[str, object]:
         if self._process_identity is None:
             log.error("Live portal process has no recoverable identity")
             return {}
-        command = list(self._command or getattr(process, "args", []) or [])
+        command = list(self._command or [])
+        if not command:
+            log.error("Live portal process has no recoverable command")
+            return {}
         executable = command[0] if command else None
         return {
             "service": "portal",
diff --git a/tests/test_orchestrator.py b/tests/test_orchestrator.py
index 4930b99..0a124e8 100644
--- a/tests/test_orchestrator.py
+++ b/tests/test_orchestrator.py
@@ -420,6 +420,46 @@ def test_fake_server_health_token_is_stable_for_manual_launch(self):
             self.assertEqual(ns.fake_server_health_token(), "manual-token")
             self.assertEqual(ns.fake_server_health_token(), "manual-token")
 
+    def test_legacy_fake_server_proc_attaches_recoverable_portal_before_ready(self):
+        ns = NetShaper.__new__(NetShaper)
+        self._set_authorized(ns)
+        ns.own_ip = "192.0.2.1"
+        ns._fake_server_health_token = "test-health-token"
+        process = mock.Mock()
+        process.pid = 1234
+        process.poll.return_value = None
+        process.args = [
+            "/usr/bin/python3",
+            "-m",
+            "netshaper.portal",
+            "--health-token",
+            "test-health-token",
+        ]
+        ns._fake_server_proc = process
+
+        with mock.patch(
+            "netshaper.core.portal_manager.process_owner_metadata",
+            return_value={
+                "pid": 1234,
+                "process_create_time": 456.0,
+                "created_at": 789.0,
+            },
+        ) as owner_metadata, mock.patch(
+            "netshaper.core.portal_manager.PortalManager.health_ready",
+            return_value=True,
+        ), mock.patch(
+            "netshaper.core.portal_manager.subprocess.Popen"
+        ) as popen:
+            self.assertTrue(ns.fake_server_ready())
+            state = ns._portal_manager().get_state_for_persistence()
+
+        owner_metadata.assert_called_once_with(1234)
+        popen.assert_not_called()
+        self.assertEqual(state["pid"], 1234)
+        self.assertEqual(state["process_create_time"], 456.0)
+        self.assertEqual(state["argv"], process.args)
+        self.assertEqual(state["ownership_token"], "test-health-token")
+
     def test_fake_server_launch_refuses_unverified_claimed_listener(self):
         ns = NetShaper.__new__(NetShaper)
         ns.own_ip = "192.0.2.1"
diff --git a/tests/test_portal_manager.py b/tests/test_portal_manager.py
index ed07951..7fa7f3e 100644
--- a/tests/test_portal_manager.py
+++ b/tests/test_portal_manager.py
@@ -66,11 +66,95 @@ def test_state_includes_owned_portal_process(self):
         self.assertEqual(state["ownership_token"], "token")
         self.assertIn("netshaper.portal", state["argv"])
 
+    def test_attach_owned_process_captures_identity_and_command(self):
+        journal = mock.Mock(return_value=True)
+        manager = PortalManager(
+            "192.0.2.10",
+            ["192.0.2.0/24"],
+            journal=journal,
+        )
+        process = mock.Mock()
+        process.pid = 1234
+        process.poll.return_value = None
+        process.args = [
+            "/usr/bin/python3",
+            "-m",
+            "netshaper.portal",
+            "--health-token",
+            "token",
+        ]
+
+        with mock.patch(
+            "netshaper.core.portal_manager.process_owner_metadata",
+            return_value={
+                "pid": 1234,
+                "process_create_time": 456.0,
+                "created_at": 789.0,
+            },
+        ) as owner_metadata:
+            self.assertTrue(
+                manager.attach_owned_process(process, health_token="token")
+            )
+            state = manager.get_state_for_persistence()
+
+        owner_metadata.assert_called_once_with(1234)
+        journal.assert_called_once()
+        self.assertEqual(state["pid"], 1234)
+        self.assertEqual(state["process_create_time"], 456.0)
+        self.assertEqual(state["argv"], process.args)
+        self.assertEqual(state["ownership_token"], "token")
+
+    def test_attach_owned_process_stops_when_command_is_missing(self):
+        manager = PortalManager("192.0.2.10", ["192.0.2.0/24"])
+        process = mock.Mock()
+        process.pid = 1234
+        process.poll.side_effect = [None, None, 0]
+
+        self.assertFalse(manager.attach_owned_process(process, health_token="token"))
+
+        process.terminate.assert_called_once()
+        self.assertIsNone(manager.process)
+
+    def test_attach_owned_process_stops_when_identity_capture_fails(self):
+        manager = PortalManager("192.0.2.10", ["192.0.2.0/24"])
+        process = mock.Mock()
+        process.pid = 1234
+        process.poll.side_effect = [None, None, 0]
+        process.args = [
+            "/usr/bin/python3",
+            "-m",
+            "netshaper.portal",
+            "--health-token",
+            "token",
+        ]
+
+        with mock.patch(
+            "netshaper.core.portal_manager.process_owner_metadata",
+            return_value={
+                "pid": 1234,
+                "process_create_time": None,
+                "created_at": 789.0,
+            },
+        ):
+            self.assertFalse(
+                manager.attach_owned_process(process, health_token="token")
+            )
+
+        process.terminate.assert_called_once()
+        self.assertIsNone(manager.process)
+
     def test_start_waits_for_existing_child(self):
         manager = PortalManager("192.0.2.10", ["192.0.2.0/24"])
         manager.process = mock.Mock()
         manager.process.pid = 1234
         manager.process.poll.return_value = None
+        manager.process.args = [
+            "/usr/bin/python3",
+            "-m",
+            "netshaper.portal",
+            "--health-token",
+            "token",
+        ]
 
         with mock.patch.object(manager, "ready", side_effect=[False, True]), \
              mock.patch("netshaper.core.portal_manager.check_local_port"