diff --git a/update.py b/update.py
index c93cc1a..8974cdc 100644
--- a/update.py
+++ b/update.py
@@ -170,11 +170,36 @@ def ensure_tesseract(cfg_path):
         print(f"• Tesseract ready: {path}")
 
 
+def _kill_scripts(names):
+    """Force-stop pythonw processes whose command line names any of `names`."""
+    if not WIN:
+        return
+    pats = " -or ".join(f"$_.CommandLine -like '*{n}*'" for n in names)
+    ps("Get-CimInstance Win32_Process -Filter \"Name='pythonw.exe'\" | "
+       f"Where-Object {{ {pats} }} | "
+       "ForEach-Object { Stop-Process -Id $_.ProcessId -Force }")
+
+
+def _start_script(name):
+    if not WIN:
+        return
+    ps(f"Start-Process pythonw -ArgumentList '\"{os.path.join(HERE, name)}\"' "
+       f"-WorkingDirectory '{HERE}' -WindowStyle Hidden")
+
+
+def restart_mining_watchers():
+    """Restart only the data watchers (not the autoupdate poller) — used by the
+    poller to bring the watchers onto freshly-pulled code without killing itself."""
+    _kill_scripts(WATCHER_SCRIPTS)
+    for n in WATCHER_SCRIPTS:
+        _start_script(n)
+
+
 def watchers_running():
     if not WIN:
         return 0
     _, out = ps("(Get-CimInstance Win32_Process -Filter \"Name='pythonw.exe'\" "
-                "| Where-Object { $_.CommandLine -like '*watcher*' }).Count")
+                "| Where-Object { $_.CommandLine -like '*eve_*' }).Count")
     try:
         return int(out or "0")
     except ValueError:
@@ -182,9 +207,8 @@ def watchers_running():
 
 
 def stop_watchers():
-    ps("Get-CimInstance Win32_Process -Filter \"Name='pythonw.exe'\" | "
-       "Where-Object { $_.CommandLine -like '*watcher*' } | "
-       "ForEach-Object { Stop-Process -Id $_.ProcessId -Force }")
+    # all of ours run as pythonw on an eve_*.py script (watchers + autoupdate poller)
+    _kill_scripts(("eve_",))
 
 
 def start_watchers(cfg_path):