diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 1c850b0..77622e6 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@
     ".": "./src/index.js"
   },
   "scripts": {
-    "test": "bun test test/branding.test.mjs test/hygiene.test.mjs test/llm.test.mjs test/integration.test.mjs test/interaction.test.mjs test/captcha.test.mjs test/captcha.integration.test.mjs test/chrome.test.mjs test/cookies.test.mjs test/pipe.test.mjs test/cloak-profile.test.mjs test/cloak-profile.integration.test.mjs test/events.test.mjs test/agent-tabs.test.mjs test/events.integration.test.mjs test/bridge-transport.test.mjs test/bridge-host-dir.test.mjs test/skill-docs.test.mjs test/dialogs.test.mjs test/emulate.test.mjs test/frames-snapshot.test.mjs test/frames-snapshot.live-attach.test.mjs test/har.test.mjs test/human-handoff.test.mjs test/index-exports.test.mjs test/layers.test.mjs test/network-snoop.test.mjs test/routes.test.mjs test/routes.live.test.mjs test/scroll-collect.test.mjs test/trace.test.mjs test/trace.live.test.mjs test/bsk-ipc-client.test.mjs test/bsk-session.test.mjs test/bsk-snapshot.test.mjs test/bsk-external-extension.test.mjs test/bsk-browser-choice.test.mjs test/bsk-doctor.test.mjs",
-    "test:node": "node --test test/branding.test.mjs test/hygiene.test.mjs test/llm.test.mjs test/integration.test.mjs test/interaction.test.mjs test/captcha.test.mjs test/captcha.integration.test.mjs test/chrome.test.mjs test/cookies.test.mjs test/pipe.test.mjs test/cloak-profile.test.mjs test/cloak-profile.integration.test.mjs test/events.test.mjs test/agent-tabs.test.mjs test/events.integration.test.mjs test/bridge-transport.test.mjs test/bridge-host-dir.test.mjs test/skill-docs.test.mjs test/dialogs.test.mjs test/emulate.test.mjs test/frames-snapshot.test.mjs test/frames-snapshot.live-attach.test.mjs test/har.test.mjs test/human-handoff.test.mjs test/index-exports.test.mjs test/layers.test.mjs test/network-snoop.test.mjs test/routes.test.mjs test/routes.live.test.mjs test/scroll-collect.test.mjs test/trace.test.mjs test/trace.live.test.mjs test/bsk-ipc-client.test.mjs test/bsk-session.test.mjs test/bsk-snapshot.test.mjs test/bsk-external-extension.test.mjs test/bsk-browser-choice.test.mjs test/bsk-doctor.test.mjs",
+    "test": "bun test test/branding.test.mjs test/hygiene.test.mjs test/llm.test.mjs test/integration.test.mjs test/interaction.test.mjs test/captcha.test.mjs test/captcha.integration.test.mjs test/chrome.test.mjs test/cookies.test.mjs test/pipe.test.mjs test/cloak-profile.test.mjs test/cloak-profile.integration.test.mjs test/events.test.mjs test/agent-tabs.test.mjs test/events.integration.test.mjs test/bridge-transport.test.mjs test/bridge-host-dir.test.mjs test/skill-docs.test.mjs test/dialogs.test.mjs test/emulate.test.mjs test/frames-snapshot.test.mjs test/frames-snapshot.live-attach.test.mjs test/har.test.mjs test/human-handoff.test.mjs test/index-exports.test.mjs test/layers.test.mjs test/network-snoop.test.mjs test/routes.test.mjs test/routes.live.test.mjs test/scroll-collect.test.mjs test/trace.test.mjs test/trace.live.test.mjs test/bsk-ipc-client.test.mjs test/bsk-session.test.mjs test/bsk-snapshot.test.mjs test/bsk-external-extension.test.mjs test/bsk-browser-choice.test.mjs test/bsk-doctor.test.mjs test/bsk-daemon-start.test.mjs",
+    "test:node": "node --test test/branding.test.mjs test/hygiene.test.mjs test/llm.test.mjs test/integration.test.mjs test/interaction.test.mjs test/captcha.test.mjs test/captcha.integration.test.mjs test/chrome.test.mjs test/cookies.test.mjs test/pipe.test.mjs test/cloak-profile.test.mjs test/cloak-profile.integration.test.mjs test/events.test.mjs test/agent-tabs.test.mjs test/events.integration.test.mjs test/bridge-transport.test.mjs test/bridge-host-dir.test.mjs test/skill-docs.test.mjs test/dialogs.test.mjs test/emulate.test.mjs test/frames-snapshot.test.mjs test/frames-snapshot.live-attach.test.mjs test/har.test.mjs test/human-handoff.test.mjs test/index-exports.test.mjs test/layers.test.mjs test/network-snoop.test.mjs test/routes.test.mjs test/routes.live.test.mjs test/scroll-collect.test.mjs test/trace.test.mjs test/trace.live.test.mjs test/bsk-ipc-client.test.mjs test/bsk-session.test.mjs test/bsk-snapshot.test.mjs test/bsk-external-extension.test.mjs test/bsk-browser-choice.test.mjs test/bsk-doctor.test.mjs test/bsk-daemon-start.test.mjs",
     "test:cloak-profile": "node --test test/cloak-profile.test.mjs test/cloak-profile.integration.test.mjs",
     "test:cloak-profile:bun": "bun test test/cloak-profile.test.mjs test/cloak-profile.integration.test.mjs"
   },
diff --git a/skills/omowright/references/browserskill.md b/skills/omowright/references/browserskill.md
index f958ed6..100442a 100644
--- a/skills/omowright/references/browserskill.md
+++ b/skills/omowright/references/browserskill.md
@@ -27,7 +27,11 @@ await session.stop();                                // ALWAYS: returns borrowed
 
 `connectBrowserSkill` talks to the daemon over its Unix-socket IPC directly —
 no `bsk` process per call. It starts the daemon if needed (`bsk status`),
-unless `BSK_AUTO_START=0`. It never falls back to a headless browser: when no
+unless `BSK_AUTO_START=0`. On Windows, a host that forbids Job Object
+breakaway makes `bsk status` refuse to detach; the library then registers a
+per-user `bsk-daemon-<hash>` scheduled task that runs `bsk daemon start
+--foreground` under `conhost.exe --headless`, so no console window opens.
+It never falls back to a headless browser: when no
 extension is connected it throws `no_browser_connected` and `bskDoctor()`
 tells you the one step that is missing.
 
diff --git a/src/bsk/daemon-info.js b/src/bsk/daemon-info.js
index 7cc47a6..3148c1b 100644
--- a/src/bsk/daemon-info.js
+++ b/src/bsk/daemon-info.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { existsSync, readFileSync } from "node:fs";
 import { homedir } from "node:os";
 import path from "node:path";
 import { spawn } from "node:child_process";
+import { createHash } from "node:crypto";
 
 export function resolveBskHome(env = process.env) {
   const override = env.BSK_HOME;
@@ -36,25 +37,62 @@ export function findBskBinary(env = process.env) {
   return "bsk";
 }
 
-export function startDaemonWithCli({ home, env = process.env, bskBin = findBskBinary(env), timeoutMs = 20_000 } = {}) {
+// bsk refuses to detach its daemon when the caller's Job Object forbids breakaway, as agent
+// sandboxes on Windows do, and asks for `bsk daemon start --foreground` in a persistent host task.
+const NO_BREAKAWAY = /Job Object/;
+
+export function windowsDaemonTaskName(home) {
+  return `bsk-daemon-${createHash("sha256").update(path.resolve(home).toLowerCase()).digest("hex").slice(0, 12)}`;
+}
+
+// Task Scheduler starts the action outside the caller's job. conhost --headless gives the console
+// program a console without a window; a task that starts bsk directly opens one in the default
+// terminal, and Windows Terminal ignores the hidden-window flag a task or PowerShell passes.
+// The home and binary travel as PowerShell single-quoted literals inside -EncodedCommand: conhost
+// re-parses a cmd.exe line and drops it at the first &, (, ^ or |, and cmd.exe expands % in quotes.
+function windowsDaemonLaunch(home, bskBin) {
+  const literal = (value) => `'${value.replaceAll("'", "''")}'`;
+  const script = `$env:BSK_HOME = ${literal(home)}; & ${literal(bskBin)} daemon start --foreground; exit $LASTEXITCODE`;
+  return `--headless powershell.exe -NoProfile -NonInteractive -EncodedCommand ${Buffer.from(script, "utf16le").toString("base64")}`;
+}
+
+function startDaemonInWindowsTask({ home, bskBin, timeoutMs }) {
+  const script = [
+    "$action = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute (Join-Path $env:SystemRoot 'System32\\conhost.exe') -Argument $env:BSK_TASK_ARGUMENT",
+    "$settings = New-ScheduledTaskSettingsSet -AllowStartIfOnBatteries -DontStopIfGoingOnBatteries -ExecutionTimeLimit ([TimeSpan]::Zero) -MultipleInstances IgnoreNew",
+    "Register-ScheduledTask -TaskName $env:BSK_TASK_NAME -Action $action -Settings $settings -Force | Out-Null",
+    "Start-ScheduledTask -TaskName $env:BSK_TASK_NAME",
+  ].join("; ");
+  return runToExit("powershell.exe", ["-NoProfile", "-NonInteractive", "-Command", script], {
+    env: { ...process.env, BSK_TASK_NAME: windowsDaemonTaskName(home), BSK_TASK_ARGUMENT: windowsDaemonLaunch(home, bskBin) },
+    timeoutMs,
+    label: "registering the bsk daemon task",
+  });
+}
+
+function runToExit(command, args, { env, timeoutMs, label }) {
   return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-    const child = spawn(bskBin, ["status", "--json"], {
-      env: { ...env, BSK_HOME: home },
-      stdio: ["ignore", "pipe", "pipe"],
-      windowsHide: true,
-    });
-    let stderr = "";
-    child.stderr.on("data", (chunk) => { stderr = (stderr + chunk).slice(-4096); });
-    child.stdout.on("data", () => {});
+    const child = spawn(command, args, { env, stdio: ["ignore", "pipe", "pipe"], windowsHide: true });
+    let output = "";
+    const keep = (chunk) => { output = (output + chunk).slice(-4096); };
+    child.stdout.on("data", keep);
+    child.stderr.on("data", keep);
     const timer = setTimeout(() => {
       child.kill("SIGKILL");
-      reject(new Error(`bsk status did not return within ${timeoutMs}ms`));
+      reject(new Error(`${label} did not return within ${timeoutMs}ms`));
     }, timeoutMs);
-    child.on("error", (error) => { clearTimeout(timer); reject(new Error(`could not run ${bskBin}: ${error.message}`)); });
-    child.on("exit", (code) => {
-      clearTimeout(timer);
-      if (code === 0) resolve();
-      else reject(new Error(`bsk status exited with ${code}${stderr ? `: ${stderr.trim()}` : ""}`));
-    });
+    child.on("error", (error) => { clearTimeout(timer); reject(new Error(`could not run ${command}: ${error.message}`)); });
+    child.on("exit", (code) => { clearTimeout(timer); resolve({ code, output: output.trim() }); });
   });
 }
+
+export async function startDaemonWithCli({ home, env = process.env, bskBin = findBskBinary(env), timeoutMs = 20_000 } = {}) {
+  const status = await runToExit(bskBin, ["status", "--json"], { env: { ...env, BSK_HOME: home }, timeoutMs, label: "bsk status" });
+  if (status.code === 0) return;
+  if (process.platform === "win32" && NO_BREAKAWAY.test(status.output)) {
+    const task = await startDaemonInWindowsTask({ home, bskBin, timeoutMs });
+    if (task.code === 0) return;
+    throw new Error(`registering the bsk daemon task exited with ${task.code}${task.output ? `: ${task.output}` : ""}`);
+  }
+  throw new Error(`bsk status exited with ${status.code}${status.output ? `: ${status.output}` : ""}`);
+}
diff --git a/test/bsk-daemon-start.test.mjs b/test/bsk-daemon-start.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..62fdf43
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/bsk-daemon-start.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+import { after, before, test } from "node:test";
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import { execFileSync } from "node:child_process";
+import { existsSync, mkdirSync, mkdtempSync, readFileSync, rmSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import path from "node:path";
+import { startDaemonWithCli, windowsDaemonTaskName } from "../src/bsk/daemon-info.js";
+
+// Platform contract: when bsk cannot detach its daemon from the caller's Job Object, the start
+// must still succeed through a scheduled task that opens no console window, whatever the home path holds.
+const windowsOnly = { skip: process.platform !== "win32" };
+const REFUSAL = "cannot start an independent Windows daemon; the host may prohibit Job Object breakaway";
+
+// A compiled stand-in for bsk: `status` refuses breakaway, `daemon start` records what the task gave it.
+const FAKE_BSK = `import { writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import path from "node:path";
+const args = process.argv.slice(2);
+if (args[0] === "status") { console.log(JSON.stringify({ message: ${JSON.stringify(REFUSAL)}, exit_code: 2 })); process.exit(2); }
+writeFileSync(path.join(process.env.BSK_HOME, "started.txt"), args.join(" "));
+`;
+
+let dir;
+let bskBin;
+
+function powershell(command) {
+  return execFileSync("powershell.exe", ["-NoProfile", "-NonInteractive", "-Command", command], { encoding: "utf8" }).trim();
+}
+
+before(() => {
+  if (process.platform !== "win32") return;
+  dir = mkdtempSync(path.join(tmpdir(), "bsk-task-"));
+  writeFileSync(path.join(dir, "fake-bsk.mjs"), FAKE_BSK);
+  mkdirSync(path.join(dir, "bin & (x)"));
+  bskBin = path.join(dir, "bin & (x)", "bsk.exe");
+  execFileSync("bun", ["build", "--compile", path.join(dir, "fake-bsk.mjs"), "--outfile", bskBin], { stdio: "ignore" });
+});
+
+after(() => { if (dir) rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true }); });
+
+for (const name of ["Tom&Jerry (x) ^ ;", "100% %PATH% home", "O'Brien"]) {
+  test(`a refused breakaway starts the daemon from a headless task for a home named ${name}`, windowsOnly, async () => {
+    const home = path.join(dir, name);
+    mkdirSync(home);
+    const task = windowsDaemonTaskName(home);
+    try {
+      await startDaemonWithCli({ home, bskBin });
+      const [execute, args] = powershell(`$a = (Get-ScheduledTask -TaskName '${task}').Actions[0]; $a.Execute + '|' + $a.Arguments`).split("|");
+      assert.match(execute, /\\conhost\.exe$/i);
+      assert.match(args, /^--headless powershell\.exe -NoProfile -NonInteractive -EncodedCommand [A-Za-z0-9+/=]+$/);
+      const marker = path.join(home, "started.txt");
+      const deadline = Date.now() + 15_000;
+      while (!existsSync(marker) && Date.now() < deadline) await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 200));
+      assert.equal(readFileSync(marker, "utf8"), "daemon start --foreground");
+    } finally {
+      powershell(`Unregister-ScheduledTask -TaskName '${task}' -Confirm:$false -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue; exit 0`);
+    }
+  });
+}