diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8956ac2..f4f0e50 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -121,6 +121,21 @@ redroid/redroid:13.0.0_mindthegapps_houdini_magisk
 
 Headless servers have **no screen** to approve the USB debugging RSA dialog. Always pass **`--adb-insecure`** so boot props disable ADB RSA checks and apply **before** the Pixel user profile (`androidboot.adb.secure=0`, `ro.adb.secure=0`, `ro.secure=0`, `ro.debuggable=1`). **Do not expose the ADB port on a public network.**
 
+### Persist after reboot (default)
+
+By default **`run_redroid.py` does not pass `--rm`**: the container stays on disk when it stops, and uses **`--restart unless-stopped`** so **Docker/Podman will start it again after the daemon or host reboots** (unless you ran `docker stop <name>`).
+
+- **Always restart** even after explicit stop: `--restart always`
+- **No auto-restart** but still keep the container (no `--rm`): `--restart no`
+- **One-off / dev only** (old behavior, removed on stop): pass **`--rm`**
+
+On Ubuntu, ensure the engine starts on boot:
+
+```bash
+sudo systemctl enable docker --now
+# or: sudo systemctl enable podman.socket --now   # if you use Podman rootful similarly
+```
+
 ```bash
 python run_redroid.py \
   --image redroid/redroid:13.0.0_mindthegapps_houdini_magisk \
@@ -186,7 +201,7 @@ The `shell` subcommand is a minimal pseudo-shell only; for a full TTY, use norma
 
 This means **nothing is listening on the host port** (not the same as `unauthorized`). Typical causes:
 
-1. **Container exited** — especially with `--rm`, a crash removes the instance. Run `docker ps -a` and `docker logs` on a **non-`--rm`** run (`--keep-container`) to see init/EGL errors.
+1. **Container exited** — if you used **`--rm`**, a crash removes the instance. By default the container is **kept**; use `docker ps -a` and `docker logs` to inspect. Ensure **`--restart`** is not `no` if you want auto-start after reboot.
 2. **`androidboot.redroid_gpu_mode=host`** — Mesa/EGL or DRI inside the guest can fail on some hosts; Android never reaches **adbd**. **Workaround:** force software rendering:
    ```bash
    python run_redroid.py ... --adb-insecure --gpu-mode guest
diff --git a/run_redroid.py b/run_redroid.py
index 3a8195f..b145261 100644
--- a/run_redroid.py
+++ b/run_redroid.py
@@ -314,10 +314,26 @@ def main():
         action="store_true",
         help="Remove an existing container with the same name before running",
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--rm",
+        dest="ephemeral",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="Ephemeral: delete container when it stops (disables auto-restart; not for production)",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--restart",
+        dest="restart_policy",
+        default="unless-stopped",
+        choices=("no", "always", "unless-stopped", "on-failure"),
+        help=(
+            "Docker/Podman restart policy when not using --rm (default: unless-stopped = "
+            "start after daemon reboot unless you docker stop'd it)"
+        ),
+    )
     parser.add_argument(
         "--keep-container",
         action="store_true",
-        help="Do not pass --rm to the runtime",
+        help="Legacy: containers are persistent by default; this flag is a no-op",
     )
     parser.add_argument(
         "--dry-run",
@@ -408,8 +424,10 @@ def main():
     ]
     if memory:
         cmd.extend(["--memory", memory])
-    if not args.keep_container:
+    if args.ephemeral:
         cmd.append("--rm")
+    elif args.restart_policy != "no":
+        cmd.extend(["--restart", args.restart_policy])
     cmd.extend(dri_device_args)
     cmd.append(image)
     # Init applies read-only props in order; later ro.adb.secure=0 is ignored if adb.secure
@@ -472,6 +490,14 @@ def main():
 
     subprocess.run(cmd, check=True)
     print_color("Container started as {}".format(name), bcolors.GREEN)
+    if args.ephemeral:
+        print_color("Ephemeral (--rm): container is removed when it stops.", bcolors.YELLOW)
+    else:
+        print_color(
+            "Persistent: restart policy is {!r} (survives Docker daemon restart; "
+            "use `docker stop {}` to opt out of auto-start).".format(args.restart_policy, name),
+            bcolors.GREEN,
+        )
     if args.diagnose:
         local_post_diagnose(args.container, name, args.port, args.diagnose_settle)
     if args.wait_tcp > 0:
@@ -490,8 +516,8 @@ def main():
             print_color("Last logs from container {!r}:".format(name), bcolors.YELLOW)
             subprocess.run([args.container, "logs", "--tail", "100", name], check=False)
             print(
-                "\nIf the container already exited with --rm, logs are gone; re-run with "
-                "--keep-container (no --rm) to capture docker logs after a crash."
+                "\nIf the container already exited with --rm, logs are gone; re-run without --rm "
+                "for a persistent container."
             )
     print("ADB: adb connect 127.0.0.1:{}".format(args.port))
     if effective_gpu_mode == "host":