diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index cae2d78..9fab79c 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "aurora-dockside",
-  "version": "2.0.0-alpha.39",
+  "version": "2.0.0-alpha.40",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "aurora-dockside",
-      "version": "2.0.0-alpha.39",
+      "version": "2.0.0-alpha.40",
       "hasInstallScript": true,
       "dependencies": {
         "@electron-toolkit/preload": "^3.0.2",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 8ee3b1b..cd48088 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "aurora-dockside",
-  "version": "2.0.0-alpha.39",
+  "version": "2.0.0-alpha.40",
   "description": "A modern, modular Docker development platform for building, running, and managing web applications locally.",
   "desktopName": "aurora-dockside.desktop",
   "main": "./out/main/index.js",
diff --git a/src/main/nativeRuntime.ts b/src/main/nativeRuntime.ts
index c27ad45..6723f5f 100644
--- a/src/main/nativeRuntime.ts
+++ b/src/main/nativeRuntime.ts
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ export async function installNativeRuntimeArchive(source: string): Promise<Auror
   await mkdir(runtimes, { recursive: true })
   const staging = await mkdtemp(join(runtimes, '.install-'))
   const target = runtimeRoot()
-  const backup = `${target}.previous`
+  const backup = `${target}.previous-${Date.now()}`
   try {
     const { stdout } = await execFileAsync('tar', ['-tzf', source], { maxBuffer: 16 * 1024 * 1024 })
     validateArchiveEntries(stdout)
@@ -148,15 +148,20 @@ export async function installNativeRuntimeArchive(source: string): Promise<Auror
     )
     await rejectLinks(staging)
     await verifyRuntimeAt(staging)
-    await rm(backup, { recursive: true, force: true })
     try {
       await rename(target, backup)
-    } catch {
-      /* first installation */
+    } catch (error) {
+      if ((error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code !== 'ENOENT') throw error
     }
     try {
       await rename(staging, target)
-      await rm(backup, { recursive: true, force: true })
+      try {
+        await rm(backup, { recursive: true, force: true })
+      } catch (error) {
+        // Windows keeps running executables locked. The uniquely named rollback folder can be
+        // removed after those old processes exit and must never block the new runtime install.
+        console.warn('Previous Aurora Native runtime is still in use; cleanup was deferred:', error)
+      }
     } catch (error) {
       try {
         await rename(backup, target)