diff --git a/src/gui/src/services/ExecService.js b/src/gui/src/services/ExecService.js
index 9b9b111f2..b71950973 100644
--- a/src/gui/src/services/ExecService.js
+++ b/src/gui/src/services/ExecService.js
@@ -21,6 +21,17 @@ import { PROCESS_IPC_ATTACHED, Service } from '../definitions.js';
 import launch_app from '../helpers/launchApp.js';
 import { expand_home_path } from '../helpers/expandHomePath.js';
 
+// The /apps endpoint serializes `godmode` as a boolean; older cached shapes used 0/1.
+const is_godmode = (app_info) =>
+    !! app_info && (app_info.godmode === true || app_info.godmode === 1);
+
+// `window.get_apps(name)` returns the app object for a single name, or [] when absent.
+const resolve_app = async (name) => {
+    if ( ! name ) return null;
+    const info = await window.get_apps(name);
+    return info && ! Array.isArray(info) ? info : null;
+};
+
 export class ExecService extends Service {
     static description = `
         Manages instances of apps on the Puter desktop.
@@ -53,6 +64,15 @@ export class ExecService extends Service {
         const app = ipc_context?.caller?.app;
         const process = ipc_context?.caller?.process;
 
+        // Only a godmode app may launch another godmode app.
+        const target_app_info = await resolve_app(app_name);
+        if ( is_godmode(target_app_info) ) {
+            const caller_app_info = await resolve_app(process?.name);
+            if ( ! is_godmode(caller_app_info) ) {
+                throw new Error('Launching this app is not allowed.');
+            }
+        }
+
         // This mechanism will be replated with xdrpc soon
         const child_instance_id = window.uuidv4();
 
diff --git a/src/gui/src/services/ExecService.test.js b/src/gui/src/services/ExecService.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..67f57be13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/gui/src/services/ExecService.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2024-present Puter Technologies Inc.
+ *
+ * This file is part of Puter.
+ *
+ * Puter is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published
+ * by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+import { afterEach, beforeAll, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+
+// `definitions.js` reads the class registry the bundle installs at boot.
+globalThis.def = globalThis.def ?? ((cls) => cls);
+globalThis.use = globalThis.use ?? (() => ({}));
+
+// A full launch pulls in UIWindow and the desktop; the gate under test runs
+// before any of it, so stand the launcher in for a spy.
+const launchSpy = vi.fn(async () => ({ launchResult: { launched: true } }));
+vi.mock('../helpers/launchApp.js', () => ({ default: (...a) => launchSpy(...a) }));
+vi.mock('../helpers/expandHomePath.js', () => ({ expand_home_path: (p) => p }));
+
+let ExecService;
+
+beforeAll(async () => {
+    ({ ExecService } = await import('./ExecService.js'));
+});
+
+// Registry of apps by name, read by the mocked `window.get_apps`.
+let apps;
+
+const makeService = async () => {
+    const svc = new ExecService();
+    svc.param_providers = svc.param_providers ?? [];
+    const ipc = {
+        register_ipc_handler: () => {},
+        add_connection: () => ({ forward: { uuid: 'fwd' }, backward: { uuid: 'bwd' } }),
+    };
+    await svc.init({ services: { get: (name) => (name === 'ipc' ? ipc : {}) } });
+    return svc;
+};
+
+const callerProcess = (name) => ({
+    name,
+    uuid: `proc-${name}`,
+    references: { iframe: null },
+});
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+    launchSpy.mockClear();
+    apps = new Map();
+    globalThis.window = globalThis.window ?? {};
+    let n = 0;
+    window.uuidv4 = () => `uuid-${++n}`;
+    window.get_apps = async (name) => apps.get(name) ?? [];
+    globalThis.puter = { logger: { fields: () => ({ warn () {} }) } };
+});
+
+afterEach(() => {
+    vi.restoreAllMocks();
+});
+
+describe('ExecService.launchApp godmode gate', () => {
+    it('refuses an ordinary app launching a godmode target', async () => {
+        const svc = await makeService();
+        apps.set('privileged', { name: 'privileged', godmode: true });
+        apps.set('ordinary', { name: 'ordinary', godmode: false });
+
+        await expect(
+            svc.launchApp(
+                { app_name: 'privileged', args: {} },
+                { ipc_context: { caller: { app: {}, process: callerProcess('ordinary') } } },
+            ),
+        ).rejects.toThrow(/not allowed/);
+        expect(launchSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    // 0/1 is the older serialized shape; it must gate the same as a boolean.
+    it('gates a godmode target expressed as 1 the same way', async () => {
+        const svc = await makeService();
+        apps.set('privileged', { name: 'privileged', godmode: 1 });
+        apps.set('ordinary', { name: 'ordinary', godmode: 0 });
+
+        await expect(
+            svc.launchApp(
+                { app_name: 'privileged' },
+                { ipc_context: { caller: { app: {}, process: callerProcess('ordinary') } } },
+            ),
+        ).rejects.toThrow(/not allowed/);
+    });
+
+    it('lets a godmode caller launch a godmode target', async () => {
+        const svc = await makeService();
+        apps.set('privileged', { name: 'privileged', godmode: true });
+        apps.set('privileged-caller', { name: 'privileged-caller', godmode: true });
+
+        await svc.launchApp(
+            { app_name: 'privileged' },
+            { ipc_context: { caller: { app: {}, process: callerProcess('privileged-caller') } } },
+        );
+        expect(launchSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    });
+
+    it('does not gate an ordinary target', async () => {
+        const svc = await makeService();
+        apps.set('editor', { name: 'editor', godmode: false });
+        apps.set('ordinary', { name: 'ordinary', godmode: false });
+
+        await svc.launchApp(
+            { app_name: 'editor' },
+            { ipc_context: { caller: { app: {}, process: callerProcess('ordinary') } } },
+        );
+        expect(launchSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    });
+});