diff --git a/src-tauri/src/core_config/settings.rs b/src-tauri/src/core_config/settings.rs
index 61014d4..f603860 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/core_config/settings.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/core_config/settings.rs
@@ -808,15 +808,47 @@ pub(crate) fn replace_file_atomically(
     fs::rename(temporary_path, destination_path)
 }
 
+#[cfg(windows)]
+pub(crate) fn retry_windows_file_replace(
+    mut replace: impl FnMut() -> io::Result<()>,
+    mut wait: impl FnMut(Duration),
+) -> io::Result<()> {
+    use windows_sys::Win32::Foundation::{
+        ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED, ERROR_LOCK_VIOLATION, ERROR_SHARING_VIOLATION,
+        ERROR_UNABLE_TO_REMOVE_REPLACED,
+    };
+
+    let mut delays = [50, 100, 200, 400, 800].into_iter();
+    loop {
+        match replace() {
+            Ok(()) => return Ok(()),
+            Err(error) => {
+                let retryable = matches!(
+                    error.raw_os_error().map(|code| code as u32),
+                    Some(
+                        ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED
+                            | ERROR_LOCK_VIOLATION
+                            | ERROR_SHARING_VIOLATION
+                            | ERROR_UNABLE_TO_REMOVE_REPLACED
+                    )
+                );
+                if retryable {
+                    if let Some(delay) = delays.next() {
+                        wait(Duration::from_millis(delay));
+                        continue;
+                    }
+                }
+                return Err(error);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(windows)]
 pub(crate) fn replace_file_atomically(
     temporary_path: &Path,
     destination_path: &Path,
 ) -> io::Result<()> {
-    if !destination_path.exists() {
-        return fs::rename(temporary_path, destination_path);
-    }
-
     use std::{os::windows::ffi::OsStrExt, ptr};
     use windows_sys::Win32::Storage::FileSystem::ReplaceFileW;
 
@@ -830,22 +862,28 @@ pub(crate) fn replace_file_atomically(
         .encode_wide()
         .chain(Some(0))
         .collect::<Vec<_>>();
-    let replaced = unsafe {
-        ReplaceFileW(
-            destination.as_ptr(),
-            replacement.as_ptr(),
-            ptr::null(),
-            0,
-            ptr::null(),
-            ptr::null(),
-        )
-    };
-
-    if replaced == 0 {
-        return Err(io::Error::last_os_error());
-    }
-
-    Ok(())
+    retry_windows_file_replace(
+        || {
+            if !destination_path.exists() {
+                return fs::rename(temporary_path, destination_path);
+            }
+            let replaced = unsafe {
+                ReplaceFileW(
+                    destination.as_ptr(),
+                    replacement.as_ptr(),
+                    ptr::null(),
+                    0,
+                    ptr::null(),
+                    ptr::null(),
+                )
+            };
+            if replaced == 0 {
+                return Err(io::Error::last_os_error());
+            }
+            Ok(())
+        },
+        thread::sleep,
+    )
 }
 
 pub(crate) fn fixed_oauth_dir() -> Result<PathBuf, String> {
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/tests.rs b/src-tauri/src/tests.rs
index 9d8f1be..e4a6eca 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/tests.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/tests.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ mod app_settings;
 mod app_update;
 mod core_config;
 mod core_runtime;
+#[cfg(windows)]
+mod file_replace;
 mod instance_lock;
 mod model_aliases;
 mod platform;
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/tests/file_replace.rs b/src-tauri/src/tests/file_replace.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..89ed440
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src-tauri/src/tests/file_replace.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,184 @@
+use super::support::*;
+use super::*;
+use std::os::windows::fs::OpenOptionsExt;
+use windows_sys::Win32::Storage::FileSystem::{FILE_SHARE_READ, FILE_SHARE_WRITE};
+
+fn lock_against_replacement(path: &Path) -> File {
+    File::options()
+        .read(true)
+        .share_mode(FILE_SHARE_READ | FILE_SHARE_WRITE)
+        .open(path)
+        .unwrap()
+}
+
+fn release_lock_soon(file: File) -> thread::JoinHandle<()> {
+    thread::spawn(move || {
+        thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(200));
+        drop(file);
+    })
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn windows_file_replace_retries_transient_errors_including_1175() {
+    let mut errors = [1175, 32, 5, 33].into_iter();
+    let mut waits = Vec::new();
+    let mut attempts = 0;
+    retry_windows_file_replace(
+        || {
+            attempts += 1;
+            match errors.next() {
+                Some(code) => Err(io::Error::from_raw_os_error(code)),
+                None => Ok(()),
+            }
+        },
+        |delay| waits.push(delay.as_millis()),
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(attempts, 5);
+    assert_eq!(waits, [50, 100, 200, 400]);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn windows_file_replace_stops_retrying_and_preserves_the_last_os_error() {
+    let mut attempts = 0;
+    let mut waits = Vec::new();
+    let error = retry_windows_file_replace(
+        || {
+            attempts += 1;
+            Err(io::Error::from_raw_os_error(if attempts < 6 {
+                32
+            } else {
+                1175
+            }))
+        },
+        |delay| waits.push(delay.as_millis()),
+    )
+    .unwrap_err();
+
+    assert_eq!(error.raw_os_error(), Some(1175));
+    assert_eq!(attempts, 6);
+    assert_eq!(waits, [50, 100, 200, 400, 800]);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn windows_file_replace_does_not_retry_permanent_or_partial_replacement_errors() {
+    for code in [2, 3, 87, 112, 1176, 1177] {
+        let mut attempts = 0;
+        let error = retry_windows_file_replace(
+            || {
+                attempts += 1;
+                Err(io::Error::from_raw_os_error(code))
+            },
+            |_| panic!("unexpected retry for Windows error {code}"),
+        )
+        .unwrap_err();
+
+        assert_eq!(error.raw_os_error(), Some(code));
+        assert_eq!(attempts, 1);
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn core_file_replace_succeeds_after_a_temporary_target_lock_is_released() {
+    let root = agent_test_home("core-replace-transient-lock");
+    for name in [CORE_CONFIG_FILE, CORE_METADATA_FILE] {
+        let target = root.join(name);
+        let source = root.join(format!("{name}.new"));
+        fs::write(&target, b"old content").unwrap();
+        fs::write(&source, b"new content").unwrap();
+        let release = release_lock_soon(lock_against_replacement(&target));
+
+        let result = copy_core_file_replace(&source, &target);
+        release.join().unwrap();
+
+        result.unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(fs::read(&target).unwrap(), b"new content");
+        assert_eq!(fs::read(&source).unwrap(), b"new content");
+    }
+    assert_eq!(fs::read_dir(&root).unwrap().count(), 4);
+    fs::remove_dir_all(root).unwrap();
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn atomic_replace_retries_a_locked_temporary_file_for_existing_and_new_targets() {
+    let root = agent_test_home("atomic-replace-source-lock");
+    for existing in [false, true] {
+        let target = root.join(format!("target-{existing}.json"));
+        let temporary = root.join(format!("temporary-{existing}.json"));
+        if existing {
+            fs::write(&target, b"old content").unwrap();
+        }
+        fs::write(&temporary, b"new content").unwrap();
+        let release = release_lock_soon(lock_against_replacement(&temporary));
+
+        let result = replace_file_atomically(&temporary, &target);
+        release.join().unwrap();
+
+        result.unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(fs::read(&target).unwrap(), b"new content");
+        assert!(!temporary.exists());
+    }
+    fs::remove_dir_all(root).unwrap();
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn atomic_config_write_retries_a_temporary_lock_and_records_the_successful_write() {
+    let root = agent_test_home("config-write-transient-lock");
+    let target = root.join(CORE_CONFIG_FILE);
+    fs::write(&target, b"port: 8317\n").unwrap();
+    let release = release_lock_soon(lock_against_replacement(&target));
+
+    let result = write_bytes_atomically(&target, b"port: 8318\n");
+    release.join().unwrap();
+
+    result.unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(fs::read(&target).unwrap(), b"port: 8318\n");
+    assert!(consume_software_write(&target));
+    assert_eq!(fs::read_dir(&root).unwrap().count(), 1);
+    fs::remove_dir_all(root).unwrap();
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn persistent_locks_preserve_original_files_and_clean_up_failed_write_temporary_files() {
+    let root = agent_test_home("file-replace-persistent-lock");
+    let source = root.join("source.json");
+    fs::write(&source, b"new content").unwrap();
+
+    for core_file in [false, true] {
+        let target = root.join(if core_file {
+            CORE_METADATA_FILE
+        } else {
+            CORE_CONFIG_FILE
+        });
+        fs::write(&target, b"old content").unwrap();
+        let lock = lock_against_replacement(&target);
+        let result = if core_file {
+            copy_core_file_replace(&source, &target)
+        } else {
+            write_bytes_atomically(&target, b"new content")
+        };
+        drop(lock);
+
+        let error = result.unwrap_err();
+        assert!(error.contains("os error 32"), "{error}");
+        assert_eq!(fs::read(&target).unwrap(), b"old content");
+        assert_eq!(fs::read(&source).unwrap(), b"new content");
+        assert!(!consume_software_write(&target));
+    }
+    assert_eq!(fs::read_dir(&root).unwrap().count(), 3);
+    fs::remove_dir_all(root).unwrap();
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_missing_replacement_file_leaves_the_original_intact() {
+    let root = agent_test_home("file-replace-missing-source");
+    let target = root.join(CORE_METADATA_FILE);
+    fs::write(&target, b"old content").unwrap();
+
+    let error = replace_file_atomically(&root.join("missing.json"), &target).unwrap_err();
+
+    assert_eq!(error.kind(), io::ErrorKind::NotFound);
+    assert_eq!(fs::read(&target).unwrap(), b"old content");
+    fs::remove_dir_all(root).unwrap();
+}