diff --git a/screen_locker/screen_lock.py b/screen_locker/screen_lock.py
index 41558f6..f89f5df 100755
--- a/screen_locker/screen_lock.py
+++ b/screen_locker/screen_lock.py
@@ -156,6 +156,12 @@ class ScreenLocker(
             mode="hard",
             grab="local" if demo_mode else "global",
             disable_vt=not demo_mode,
+            # Opt in: a weaker holder (diet_guard, leetcode_guard) that already
+            # owns the grab must stand down rather than block enforcement
+            # forever -- the 2026-08-21 lockout was diet_guard holding it for
+            # hours. Safe in this direction only; gatelock never signals a
+            # holder that outranks us, so wake_alarm can still take the screen.
+            preempt_weaker_holder=not demo_mode,
         )
         # Built before setup(), which calls build_surface per live output.
         self.container = FrameGroup([])