diff --git a/update_semaphore.yml b/update_semaphore.yml
index 0e672f4..1248608 100644
--- a/update_semaphore.yml
+++ b/update_semaphore.yml
@@ -45,49 +45,59 @@
           - |
               set -euo pipefail
 
-              # English comments: create unique run id and log paths
-              RID="$(date +%s)"
-              LOG="/tmp/semaphore-self-update-${RID}.log"
-              PIDF="/tmp/semaphore-self-update-${RID}.pid"
-              RCF="/tmp/semaphore-self-update-${RID}.rc"
+              # English comments: store state in user's home (more reliable than /tmp)
+              STATE_DIR="${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.cache}/semaphore-self-update"
+              mkdir -p "$STATE_DIR"
+
+              RID="$(date +%s)"
+              LOG="$STATE_DIR/run-${RID}.log"
+              PIDF="$STATE_DIR/run-${RID}.pid"
+              RCF="$STATE_DIR/run-${RID}.rc"
+              SH="$STATE_DIR/run-${RID}.sh"
+
+              # English comments: write worker script (no variable expansion while writing)
+              cat > "$SH" <<'EOS'
+              #!/usr/bin/env bash
+              set -euo pipefail
+              unalias docker 2>/dev/null || true
+              export DOCKER_CLI_HINTS=0
+
+              echo "=== started: $(date -Is) ==="
+              echo "host: $(hostname)"
+              echo "compose: {{ semaphore_compose_file }}"
+              echo "project: {{ semaphore_project }} service: {{ semaphore_service }}"
+              echo "USE_SUDO=${USE_SUDO:-0}"
+              echo
+
+              sleep 15
 
-              # English comments: build docker command (optionally via sudo -n)
               DOCKER="docker"
               if [ "${USE_SUDO:-0}" = "1" ]; then
                 DOCKER="sudo -n docker"
               fi
 
-              # English comments: start background worker, delay to let Semaphore job finish
-              nohup bash -lc "
-                set -euo pipefail
-                unalias docker 2>/dev/null || true
-                export DOCKER_CLI_HINTS=0
+              # English comments: pull explicitly + recreate
+              $DOCKER compose -p {{ semaphore_project }} -f {{ semaphore_compose_file }} pull {{ semaphore_service }}
+              $DOCKER compose -p {{ semaphore_project }} -f {{ semaphore_compose_file }} up -d --no-deps --force-recreate {{ semaphore_service }}
 
-                echo \"=== started: \$(date -Is) ===\"
-                echo \"host: \$(hostname)\"
-                echo \"compose: {{ semaphore_compose_file }}\"
-                echo \"project: {{ semaphore_project }} service: {{ semaphore_service }}\"
-                echo \"USE_SUDO=\${USE_SUDO:-0}\"
-                echo
+              echo
+              echo "=== finished: $(date -Is) ==="
+              EOS
 
-                sleep 15
+              chmod +x "$SH"
 
-                # English comments: pull explicitly (more compatible than --pull always)
-                $DOCKER compose -p {{ semaphore_project }} -f {{ semaphore_compose_file }} pull {{ semaphore_service }}
+              # English comments: start in background, persist output, store pid + rc
+              nohup env USE_SUDO="{{ lookup('env', 'USE_SUDO') | default('0') }}" \
+                bash "$SH" >"$LOG" 2>&1 </dev/null &
 
-                # English comments: recreate service
-                $DOCKER compose -p {{ semaphore_project }} -f {{ semaphore_compose_file }} up -d --no-deps --force-recreate {{ semaphore_service }}
+              echo $! >"$PIDF"
 
-                echo
-                echo \"=== finished: \$(date -Is) ===\"
-              " >\"$LOG\" 2>&1 </dev/null &
+              # English comments: best-effort rc tracking (will be overwritten at end if you add it later)
+              echo "running" >"$RCF"
 
-              echo $! >\"$PIDF\"
-              echo \"scheduled: pid=\$(cat \"$PIDF\"), log=$LOG\"
+              echo "scheduled: pid=$(cat "$PIDF"), log=$LOG, script=$SH, rcfile=$RCF"
       environment:
         SSHPASS: "{{ vm_pass }}"
-        # Set USE_SUDO=1 in Semaphore env vars if vm_user needs sudo for docker
-        USE_SUDO: "{{ lookup('env', 'USE_SUDO') | default('0') }}"
       register: semaphore_update
       changed_when: false
       no_log: "{{ DEBUG == 0 }}"