diff --git a/standards/launcher-standard.a2ml b/standards/launcher-standard.a2ml
index bffdb14..6075d9e 100644
--- a/standards/launcher-standard.a2ml
+++ b/standards/launcher-standard.a2ml
@@ -15,14 +15,33 @@
 #   - standards/docs/UX-standards/LM-LA-LIFECYCLE-STANDARD.adoc (install/uninstall)
 
 [spec]
-version = "0.1.0"
-date = "2026-04-10"
+version = "0.2.0"
+date = "2026-04-17"
 compliance = [
     "launcher-standard.adoc",
     "LM-LA-LIFECYCLE-STANDARD.adoc",
     "cross-platform-system-integration-modes",
+    "fallback-ladder-keepopen",
 ]
 
+[fallback-ladder]
+# keepopen.sh wraps every primary desktop-file Exec line. It turns launcher
+# failures from invisible flashes into loud, labelled banners, and lands the
+# user in an interactive shell at the repo root if everything fails.
+#
+# See launcher-standard.adoc §Fallback Ladder for the prose version.
+wrapper             = "keepopen.sh"
+canonical-path      = "developer-ecosystem/standards/launcher/keepopen.sh"
+deployed-symlink    = "/var/mnt/eclipse/repos/.desktop-tools/keepopen.sh"
+calling-convention  = "keepopen.sh APP_NAME REPO_DIR \"GUI_CMD\" \"TUI_CMD\" [LOG_FILE]"
+stages = [
+    { name = "gui",   colour = "yellow", on-failure = "show-banner-then-try-tui" },
+    { name = "tui",   colour = "red",    on-failure = "show-banner-then-drop-to-shell" },
+    { name = "shell", colour = "green",  behaviour  = "exec-bash-login-at-repo-dir" },
+]
+banner-visibility = "loud"   # Intentionally ugly — visibility beats aesthetics.
+final-shell       = "bash -l at REPO_DIR (never 'press enter to close')"
+
 [required-modes]
 # These are the modes every compliant launcher MUST implement.
 runtime = ["--start", "--stop", "--status", "--auto", "--browser"]
diff --git a/templates/launcher.sh.tera b/templates/launcher.sh.tera
index 9239263..ba64723 100644
--- a/templates/launcher.sh.tera
+++ b/templates/launcher.sh.tera
@@ -325,6 +325,27 @@ write_linux_desktop_file() {
     else
         icon_name="package-x-generic"
     fi
+
+    # keepopen.sh implements the standard fallback ladder: GUI → TUI →
+    # bash-at-repo-root. See launcher-standard.adoc §Fallback Ladder.
+    local keepopen="/var/mnt/eclipse/repos/.desktop-tools/keepopen.sh"
+    local gui_cmd tui_cmd
+{% if runtime_kind == "server-url" -%}
+    # server-url: GUI = start server + open browser + tail log (so terminal
+    # stays open); TUI = start-only + follow log; Shell = repo root.
+    gui_cmd="$LAUNCHER_TARGET --auto && tail -f $LOG_FILE"
+    tui_cmd="$LAUNCHER_TARGET --start && tail -f $LOG_FILE"
+{%- elif runtime_kind == "remote" -%}
+    # remote: GUI = open remote URL; TUI = print status; Shell = repo root.
+    gui_cmd="$LAUNCHER_TARGET --browser"
+    tui_cmd="$LAUNCHER_TARGET --status"
+{%- else -%}
+    # process: GUI = start then tail log so terminal stays open;
+    # TUI = just tail the existing log; Shell = repo root.
+    gui_cmd="$LAUNCHER_TARGET --start && tail -f $LOG_FILE"
+    tui_cmd="tail -n 200 -f $LOG_FILE"
+{%- endif %}
+
     cat > "$target" <<EOF
 [Desktop Entry]
 Type=Application
@@ -332,9 +353,9 @@ Version=1.0
 Name=$APP_DISPLAY
 GenericName=$APP_GENERIC_NAME
 Comment=$APP_DESC
-Exec=$LAUNCHER_TARGET {% if runtime_kind == "process" %}--start{% else %}--auto{% endif %}
+Exec=$keepopen "$APP_DISPLAY" "$REPO_DIR" "$gui_cmd" "$tui_cmd" "$LOG_FILE"
 Icon=$icon_name
-Terminal=false
+Terminal=true
 Categories=$APP_CATEGORIES
 StartupNotify=true
 StartupWMClass=$APP_NAME