diff --git a/dylib/feats/compat_run.sh b/dylib/feats/compat_run.sh
index ca2ab0ed..5f0c9b10 100755
--- a/dylib/feats/compat_run.sh
+++ b/dylib/feats/compat_run.sh
@@ -446,8 +446,8 @@ NP_CONF_NAMES
   BEGIN {
     nkv = 0; records = 0; id = ""; code = ""; detail = ""
     if (kind == "plugin") {
-      split("label description description_on section on off depends requires inject env overrides stage tools type choice min max step default suffix hide_crossover", f, " ")
-      split("1 1 16 1 1 1 1 4 1 16 1 1 8 1 16 1 1 1 1 1 1", m, " ")
+      split("label description description_on section on off depends requires inject env overrides stage session_helper tools type choice min max step default suffix hide_crossover", f, " ")
+      split("1 1 16 1 1 1 1 4 1 16 1 1 1 8 1 16 1 1 1 1 1 1", m, " ")
       split("label", req, " "); nreq = 1
     } else {
       split("label variant src dst build remove", f, " ")
@@ -2871,6 +2871,9 @@ else
 $uielement_arg" > "$loader_contents/Info.plist"
 fi
 
+# Keep the original loader for helpers, before staging the game bundle.
+np_session_wine_loader="$WINELOADER"
+
 # Invokes macOS Game Mode
 if [ -z "$game_runner" ]; then
   (
@@ -3070,11 +3073,50 @@ kill_wine_prefix() {
   fi
 }
 
+np_session_helper_pids=""
+
+np_start_session_helpers() {
+  while IFS= read -r np_session_helper; do
+    [ -n "$np_session_helper" ] || continue
+    WINELOADER="$np_session_wine_loader" "$np_session_helper" "$$" "$np_session_wine_loader" "$WINEPREFIX" \
+      </dev/null >> "$log" 2>&1 8>&- 9>&- &
+    np_session_helper_pids="${np_session_helper_pids:+$np_session_helper_pids }$!"
+  done <<NP_SESSION_HELPERS
+$np_feat_helpers
+NP_SESSION_HELPERS
+}
+
+np_stop_session_helpers() {
+  # shellcheck disable=SC2086 # split the list of numeric PIDs
+  set -- $np_session_helper_pids
+  np_session_helper_pids=""
+  [ "$#" -gt 0 ] || return 0
+  kill -TERM "$@" 2>/dev/null || true
+  np_session_ticks=0
+  while [ "$np_session_ticks" -lt 50 ]; do
+    np_session_running=0
+    for np_session_pid do
+      if kill -0 "$np_session_pid" 2>/dev/null; then np_session_running=1; fi
+    done
+    [ "$np_session_running" -eq 1 ] || break
+    sleep 0.1
+    np_session_ticks=$((np_session_ticks + 1))
+  done
+  for np_session_pid do
+    kill -KILL "$np_session_pid" 2>/dev/null || true
+    if wait "$np_session_pid"; then :; else
+      np_session_status=$?
+      [ "$np_session_status" -eq 143 ] || np_feat_log "session helper $np_session_pid exited with status $np_session_status"
+    fi
+  done
+}
+
 # Steam's "Exit Game" and the client shutting the game down both send a
 # termination signal to this run script, this handles it
 # shellcheck disable=SC2329 # the trap below invokes this
 terminate() {
   np_terminated=1
+  np_stop_session_helpers
   echo "=== termination signal received, killing wine prefix ===" >> "$log" 2>&1 || true
   kill_wine_prefix
   [ -n "$open_pid" ] && kill "$open_pid" 2>/dev/null || true
@@ -3115,7 +3157,11 @@ np_feat_requires() {
   done
 }
 np_feat_installed() {
-  [ -z "$(np_feat_first "$1" requires)" ] || [ -n "$(np_feat_requires "$1")" ]
+  if [ -n "$(np_feat_first "$1" requires)" ] && [ -z "$(np_feat_requires "$1")" ]; then return 1; fi
+  np_feat_inst_helper=$(np_feat_first "$1" session_helper)
+  [ -z "$np_feat_inst_helper" ] && return 0
+  np_feat_inst_helper=$(np_home_path "$np_feat_inst_helper")
+  [ -f "$np_feat_inst_helper" ] && [ -x "$np_feat_inst_helper" ]
 }
 np_feat_switched() {
   eval "np_feat_sv=\${$1-}"
@@ -3159,6 +3205,8 @@ np_feat_list=$(np_conf_ids "$np_conf_feat_table")
 
 np_feat_dylibs=""
 np_feat_envs=""
+np_feat_helpers=""
+
 while IFS= read -r np_feat_key; do
   [ -n "$np_feat_key" ] || continue
   if ! np_feat_installed "$np_feat_key"; then
@@ -3183,6 +3231,12 @@ while IFS= read -r np_feat_key; do
     fi
   fi
 
+  np_feat_helper=$(np_feat_first "$np_feat_key" session_helper)
+  if [ -n "$np_feat_helper" ]; then
+    np_feat_helpers="$np_feat_helpers
+$(np_home_path "$np_feat_helper")"
+  fi
+
   np_feat_stage=$(np_feat_first "$np_feat_key" stage)
   if [ -n "$np_feat_stage" ]; then
     np_feat_stage=$(np_home_path "$np_feat_stage")
@@ -3294,6 +3348,10 @@ for launched_app in "$loader_app" ${game_runner:+"$game_app"}; do
     fi
   fi
 done
+
+trap np_stop_session_helpers EXIT
+np_start_session_helpers
+
 if [ -n "$game_runner" ]; then
   shim="$HOME/Library/Application Support/notproton/overlay-shim.dylib"
   inserts="$STEAM_DYLD_INSERT_LIBRARIES"
@@ -3363,6 +3421,10 @@ open_pid=$!
 /usr/bin/caffeinate -d -i -w "$open_pid" >> "$log" 2>&1 &
 status=0
 wait "$open_pid" || status=$?
+
+np_stop_session_helpers
+trap - EXIT
+
 echo "=== game exited status=$status, killing wine prefix ===" >> "$log" 2>&1 || true
 kill_wine_prefix
 [ -z "$STEAM_COMPAT_DATA_PATH" ] \
diff --git a/dylib/feats/conf.c b/dylib/feats/conf.c
index 64ccee00..cdee436c 100644
--- a/dylib/feats/conf.c
+++ b/dylib/feats/conf.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ static const np_conf_spec_t kPlugin[] = {
     { "section", 1, 0 },   { "on", 1, 0 },          { "off", 1, 0 },
     { "depends", 1, 0 },   { "requires", 4, 0 },    { "inject", 1, 0 },
     { "env", 16, 0 },      { "overrides", 1, 0 },   { "stage", 1, 0 },
+    { "session_helper", 1, 0 },
     { "tools", 8, 0 },     { "type", 1, 0 },        { "choice", 16, 0 },
     { "min", 1, 0 },
     { "max", 1, 0 },       { "step", 1, 0 },        { "default", 1, 0 },
diff --git a/dylib/feats/session-helper.md b/dylib/feats/session-helper.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..512cd75f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dylib/feats/session-helper.md
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+# Plugin session helpers
+
+Set `session_helper` once in a plugin configuration to an executable path.
+Relative paths are resolved against `$HOME`. The launcher starts the helper
+asynchronously alongside the game when the plugin is active and the executable
+exists.
+
+The helper inherits the runner environment, with `WINELOADER` set to the original
+Wine loader. It receives these arguments in order:
+
+1. The launch script's PID.
+2. The original Wine loader's absolute path.
+3. The Wine prefix's absolute path.
+
+Standard output and standard error go to the launch log. During cleanup, the
+launcher sends SIGTERM and gives the helper up to five seconds to exit before
+sending SIGKILL and reaping it.
+
+The helper should stay in the foreground and manage any child processes it
+starts. A child can keep the Wine session open after the game's foreground
+windows close if not managed correctly.
+For a Windows child process that should end with the Wine session,
+launch it as a Wine background process.
diff --git a/dylib/feats/webpatch.c b/dylib/feats/webpatch.c
index a717dabc..8fc09f00 100644
--- a/dylib/feats/webpatch.c
+++ b/dylib/feats/webpatch.c
@@ -266,11 +266,11 @@ static int resolve_home_path(char *out, size_t size, const char *home, const cha
     return snprintf(out, size, "%s/%s", home, rel) < (int)size;
 }
 
-static int feat_exists(const char *home, const char *rel) {
+static int feat_exists(const char *home, const char *rel, int executable) {
     char path[2048];
     struct stat st;
     if (!resolve_home_path(path, sizeof(path), home, rel)) return 0;
-    return stat(path, &st) == 0 && S_ISREG(st.st_mode);
+    return stat(path, &st) == 0 && S_ISREG(st.st_mode) && (!executable || access(path, X_OK) == 0);
 }
 
 typedef struct { np_conf_rec_t *list; int count; } feat_ctx_t;
@@ -481,6 +481,7 @@ static void feat_build(void) {
         const char *type = np_conf_get(rec, "type");
         const char *dflt = np_conf_get(rec, "default");
         const char *inj = np_conf_get(rec, "inject");
+        const char *helper = np_conf_get(rec, "session_helper");
         const char *fn, *fv;
         int it = 0, nreq = 0, ok = 0;
         char item[NP_CONF_ID_MAX + 32];
@@ -491,12 +492,13 @@ static void feat_build(void) {
         while (np_conf_next(rec, &it, &fn, &fv)) {
             if (strcmp(fn, "requires") != 0) continue;
             nreq++;
-            if (ok || !feat_exists(home, fv)) continue;
+            if (ok || !feat_exists(home, fv, 0)) continue;
             // The first that exists is the one a page without our run script inserts.
             ok = 1;
             if (!resolve_home_path(resolved, sizeof(resolved), home, fv)) resolved[0] = 0;
         }
         if (!nreq) ok = 1;
+        if (helper && !feat_exists(home, helper, 1)) ok = 0;
         len = snprintf(item, sizeof(item), "%s\"%s\":%d", i ? "," : "", rec->id, ok);
         if (len < 0 || len >= (int)sizeof(item) || !out_put(&ready, item, (size_t)len)) goto done;
 
@@ -515,7 +517,7 @@ static void feat_build(void) {
         if (*resolved && inj && strcmp(inj, "1") == 0) {
             if (!out_put(&rows, ",rq:", 4) || !out_jsstr(&rows, resolved)) goto done;
         }
-        if ((np_conf_get(rec, "stage") || np_conf_get(rec, "overrides"))
+        if ((helper || np_conf_get(rec, "stage") || np_conf_get(rec, "overrides"))
             && !out_put(&rows, ",rn:1", 5)) goto done;
         if (np_conf_get(rec, "hide_crossover") && !out_put(&rows, ",hc:1", 5)) goto done;
         if (type) {
@@ -1374,7 +1376,7 @@ static int out_expand(np_out_t *o, const char *replace, const np_cap_t *caps) {
     "||{data:String(pf(f(\"DXMT_CONFIG\")||\"\"))}).data:\"\"," \
     "pickFps=f=>pfp(f(\"DXMT_CONFIG\")||\"\");" \
     /* Without our run script behind it a row can only be what a launch option can carry,
-       so one asking for a staged DLL or an override is not offered, and neither is one
+       so one asking for a session helper, staged DLL or override is not offered, and neither is one
        with nothing to deliver. */ \
     "const npRows=ours?MSCXFeat:MSCXFeat.filter(f=>!f.rn&&(f.ty" \
     "?/^NOTPROTON_ENV_/.test(f.k):f.rq||(f.ev||[]).length))," \
diff --git a/dylib/tests/conf-fixtures/EXPECTED b/dylib/tests/conf-fixtures/EXPECTED
index b79b3317..6a204274 100644
--- a/dylib/tests/conf-fixtures/EXPECTED
+++ b/dylib/tests/conf-fixtures/EXPECTED
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ NOTPROTON_SPACED	env	PATH_LIKE=a=b=c
 NOTPROTON_PICKY	label	Picky
 NOTPROTON_PICKY	tools	notproton-fex*
 NOTPROTON_PICKY	tools	notproton-26.3
+NOTPROTON_SESSION	label	Session helper
+NOTPROTON_SESSION	session_helper	bin/session helper
 
 == plugins/37-hide-crossover.conf
 NOTPROTON_FEXMAC	label	FEXMac
diff --git a/dylib/tests/conf-fixtures/plugins/36-tools.conf b/dylib/tests/conf-fixtures/plugins/36-tools.conf
index 53812135..20ec40ef 100644
--- a/dylib/tests/conf-fixtures/plugins/36-tools.conf
+++ b/dylib/tests/conf-fixtures/plugins/36-tools.conf
@@ -5,3 +5,7 @@
 label = Picky
 tools = notproton-fex*
 tools = notproton-26.3
+
+[NOTPROTON_SESSION]
+label = Session helper
+session_helper = bin/session helper
diff --git a/dylib/tests/featcheck.c b/dylib/tests/featcheck.c
index d80801c1..5c824f36 100644
--- a/dylib/tests/featcheck.c
+++ b/dylib/tests/featcheck.c
@@ -125,6 +125,18 @@ int main(void) {
     make_asset("assets/a.dylib");
     ok(strcmp(ready_json(), "{\"NOTPROTON_A\":1}") == 0, "is ready");
 
+    puts("== a session helper needs an executable and the NotProton runner");
+    clear_descs();
+    write_desc("10-helper.conf",
+               "[NOTPROTON_HELPER]\nlabel = Helper\nsession_helper = assets/session helper\n");
+    ok(strcmp(ready_json(), "{\"NOTPROTON_HELPER\":0}") == 0, "missing helper is not ready");
+    make_asset("assets/session helper");
+    ok(strcmp(ready_json(), "{\"NOTPROTON_HELPER\":0}") == 0, "non-executable helper is not ready");
+    snprintf(cmd, sizeof(cmd), "chmod +x '%s/assets/session helper'", g_home);
+    ok(system(cmd) == 0, "helper made executable");
+    ok(strcmp(ready_json(), "{\"NOTPROTON_HELPER\":1}") == 0, "executable helper is ready");
+    ok(strstr(feats_json(), ",rn:1") != NULL, "helper is restricted to NotProton runners");
+
     puts("== repeated requires are any-of");
     clear_descs();
     write_desc("10-b.conf",
diff --git a/dylib/tests/featstagecheck.sh b/dylib/tests/featstagecheck.sh
index 333f79e2..11de1c27 100755
--- a/dylib/tests/featstagecheck.sh
+++ b/dylib/tests/featstagecheck.sh
@@ -329,5 +329,50 @@ dyld=$(env -i HOME="$work" NOTPROTON_FEATURE_DYLIBS=/f.dylib \
   sh -c 'eval "$1"; printf "%s|%s" "$DYLD_INSERT_LIBRARIES" "${NOTPROTON_OVERLAY_SHIM:+shim}"' sh "$inject")
 ok "plugin dylibs load without the overlay shim" "$dyld" "/f.dylib|"
 
+reset
+mkdir -p "$work/helper files"
+cat > "$work/helper files/bridge" <<'EOF'
+#!/bin/sh
+[ "$1" = "$PPID" ] && [ "$2" = "$WINELOADER" ] && [ "$3" = "$WINEPREFIX" ] || exit 1
+[ ! -e /dev/fd/8 ] && [ ! -e /dev/fd/9 ] || exit 2
+trap 'touch "$HOME/helper-stopped"; exit 0' TERM
+touch "$HOME/helper-started"
+while :; do sleep 0.1; done
+EOF
+chmod +x "$work/helper files/bridge"
+conf 50-test.conf <<'EOF'
+[NOTPROTON_HELPER]
+label = Helper
+session_helper = helper files/bridge
+EOF
+sed -n '/^np_session_helper_pids=/,/^# Steam.s "Exit Game"/p' "$SRC" > "$work/lifecycle.sh"
+# shellcheck disable=SC2016 # expanded by the inner shell
+env -i PATH="$PATH" HOME="$work" np_support="$work/Library/Application Support/notproton" \
+  log="$work/log" WINEPREFIX="$work/pfx" sh -c '
+    set -e
+    . "$HOME/block.sh"
+    . "$HOME/lifecycle.sh"
+    test -z "$np_feat_helpers"
+    NOTPROTON_HELPER=1
+    . "$HOME/block.sh"
+    np_session_wine_loader="$HOME/original loader"
+    trap np_stop_session_helpers EXIT
+    exec 8>"$HOME/prefix-lock" 9>"$HOME/template-lock"
+    np_start_session_helpers
+    for attempt in 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10; do
+      [ ! -f "$HOME/helper-started" ] || break
+      sleep 0.1
+    done
+    test -f "$HOME/helper-started"
+    pid=$np_session_helper_pids
+    np_stop_session_helpers
+    test -f "$HOME/helper-stopped"
+    ! kill -0 "$pid" 2>/dev/null
+    chmod -x "$HOME/helper files/bridge"
+    . "$HOME/block.sh"
+    test -z "$np_feat_helpers"
+  '
+echo "  ok    session helpers honor the toggle, receive runner context and stop on cleanup"
+
 [ "$fail" -eq 0 ] || exit 1
 echo "==> featstagecheck: plugins stage into the prefix and extend the overrides"