diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index de3289bf..a3654ce1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -91,11 +91,7 @@ jobs:
           rm -rf ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/GhosttyTabs-*
 
       - name: Run UI tests
-        env:
-          # Debug builds require CMUX_TAG to prevent accidental untagged launches.
-          # XCUITest launches the app as a separate process without XCTest env vars,
-          # so the app's isRunningUnderXCTest() check fails. Provide a tag explicitly.
-          CMUX_TAG: ci
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
+          # Run directly on the self-hosted macOS runner.
           xcodebuild -project GhosttyTabs.xcodeproj -scheme cmux -configuration Debug -destination "platform=macOS" -only-testing:cmuxUITests/UpdatePillUITests test
diff --git a/Sources/SocketControlSettings.swift b/Sources/SocketControlSettings.swift
index da220b15..b9705095 100644
--- a/Sources/SocketControlSettings.swift
+++ b/Sources/SocketControlSettings.swift
@@ -230,6 +230,11 @@ struct SocketControlSettings {
         if isRunningUnderXCTest(environment: environment) {
             return false
         }
+        // XCUITest launches the app as a separate process without XCTest env vars,
+        // so isRunningUnderXCTest() misses it. Check for any CMUX_UI_TEST_ env var.
+        if environment.keys.contains(where: { $0.hasPrefix("CMUX_UI_TEST_") }) {
+            return false
+        }
 
         guard let bundleIdentifier = bundleIdentifier?.trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespacesAndNewlines),
               !bundleIdentifier.isEmpty else {
diff --git a/cmuxTests/GhosttyConfigTests.swift b/cmuxTests/GhosttyConfigTests.swift
index a788043b..0d912bb7 100644
--- a/cmuxTests/GhosttyConfigTests.swift
+++ b/cmuxTests/GhosttyConfigTests.swift
@@ -741,6 +741,18 @@ final class SocketControlSettingsTests: XCTestCase {
             )
         )
     }
+
+    func testXCUITestLaunchEnvironmentIgnoresLaunchTagGate() {
+        // XCUITest launches the app as a separate process without XCTest env vars.
+        // The app receives CMUX_UI_TEST_* vars via XCUIApplication.launchEnvironment.
+        XCTAssertFalse(
+            SocketControlSettings.shouldBlockUntaggedDebugLaunch(
+                environment: ["CMUX_UI_TEST_MODE": "1"],
+                bundleIdentifier: "com.cmuxterm.app.debug",
+                isDebugBuild: true
+            )
+        )
+    }
 }
 
 final class PostHogAnalyticsPropertiesTests: XCTestCase {