diff --git a/backend/managers/gameLauncher.js b/backend/managers/gameLauncher.js
index ce9a7d1..4fc7750 100644
--- a/backend/managers/gameLauncher.js
+++ b/backend/managers/gameLauncher.js
@@ -389,6 +389,11 @@ exec "$REAL_JAVA" "\${ARGS[@]}"
      }
    }
 
+  // Debug: log LD_PRELOAD before spawn
+  if (process.platform === 'linux') {
+    console.log(`Linux: LD_PRELOAD = ${env.LD_PRELOAD || '(not set)'}`);
+  }
+
   try {
     let spawnOptions = {
       stdio: ['ignore', 'pipe', 'pipe'],
@@ -401,7 +406,26 @@ exec "$REAL_JAVA" "\${ARGS[@]}"
       spawnOptions.windowsHide = true;
     }
 
-    const child = spawn(clientPath, args, spawnOptions);
+    // Linux: Use wrapper script to ensure LD_PRELOAD is definitely applied
+    // This works around potential issues with detached spawn not inheriting env properly
+    let actualClientPath = clientPath;
+    let actualArgs = args;
+
+    if (process.platform === 'linux' && env.LD_PRELOAD) {
+      const wrapperPath = path.join(path.dirname(clientPath), 'launcher-wrapper.sh');
+      const wrapperScript = `#!/bin/bash
+# Auto-generated wrapper to ensure LD_PRELOAD is applied
+export LD_PRELOAD="${env.LD_PRELOAD}"
+exec "$@"
+`;
+      fs.writeFileSync(wrapperPath, wrapperScript, { mode: 0o755 });
+      console.log(`Linux: Created wrapper script at ${wrapperPath}`);
+
+      actualClientPath = wrapperPath;
+      actualArgs = [clientPath, ...args];
+    }
+
+    const child = spawn(actualClientPath, actualArgs, spawnOptions);
 
     console.log(`Game process started with PID: ${child.pid}`);