diff --git a/scripts/kiosk/90-carwatch-kiosk.rules b/scripts/kiosk/90-carwatch-kiosk.rules
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0ebf746
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/kiosk/90-carwatch-kiosk.rules
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# Start the CarWatch kiosk when a display is plugged in (DRM hotplug event).
+# Installed by install-kiosk*.sh with the kiosk user substituted for KUSER.
+SUBSYSTEM=="drm", ACTION=="change", ENV{HOTPLUG}=="1", TAG+="systemd", ENV{SYSTEMD_WANTS}+="carwatch-kiosk@KUSER.service"
diff --git a/scripts/kiosk/carwatch-kiosk.service b/scripts/kiosk/carwatch-kiosk.service
index e594487..022687d 100644
--- a/scripts/kiosk/carwatch-kiosk.service
+++ b/scripts/kiosk/carwatch-kiosk.service
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ Environment=XDG_SESSION_TYPE=wayland
 ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/carwatch-kiosk.sh
 Restart=always
 RestartSec=3
+# 78 = the launcher found no connected panel: stay down until udev
+# (90-carwatch-kiosk.rules) starts us on hotplug, instead of a 3 s loop.
+RestartPreventExitStatus=78
+SuccessExitStatus=78
 
 [Install]
 WantedBy=graphical.target
diff --git a/scripts/kiosk/carwatch-kiosk.sh b/scripts/kiosk/carwatch-kiosk.sh
index 8b3b0f9..54b5176 100755
--- a/scripts/kiosk/carwatch-kiosk.sh
+++ b/scripts/kiosk/carwatch-kiosk.sh
@@ -17,7 +17,35 @@
 #   CARWATCH_KIOSK_TRIES / CARWATCH_KIOSK_SLEEP  readiness attempts (120) and
 #                           seconds between them (2)
 #   CARWATCH_DASH_TOKEN_FILE, CARWATCH_DASH_URL
+#   CARWATCH_DRM_DIR        where connector status lives (default /sys/class/drm;
+#                           tests point it at a fake tree)
+#   CARWATCH_PANEL_POLL     seconds between panel checks while the browser runs (5;
+#                           also bounds how fast a crashed browser is noticed)
+#
+# No panel, no browser (petrus, 15 Sep 2026: the VTA's display had moved to
+# the Pi, and the kiosk kept drawing the dash for nobody: one full core, 80 C,
+# fans, for four hours). If no DRM connector reports "connected" the script
+# exits 78 (EX_CONFIG), which the unit lists in RestartPreventExitStatus, so
+# systemd leaves it alone; the udev rule installed next to the unit starts it
+# again the moment a panel is plugged in. While the browser runs, the panel is
+# re-checked every CARWATCH_PANEL_POLL seconds and the browser is stopped when
+# it goes away.
 set -u
+NO_PANEL_EXIT=78
+DRM_DIR="${CARWATCH_DRM_DIR:-/sys/class/drm}"
+PANEL_POLL="${CARWATCH_PANEL_POLL:-5}"
+panel_connected() {
+  local f
+  for f in "$DRM_DIR"/card*-*/status; do
+    [ -r "$f" ] || continue
+    [ "$(cat "$f" 2>/dev/null)" = "connected" ] && return 0
+  done
+  return 1
+}
+if ! panel_connected; then
+  echo "carwatch-kiosk: no display connected, not starting the browser" >&2
+  exit "$NO_PANEL_EXIT"
+fi
 TOKEN_FILE="${CARWATCH_DASH_TOKEN_FILE:-$HOME/.carwatch/dash-token}"
 DASH_URL="${CARWATCH_DASH_URL:-http://127.0.0.1:8088/dash}"
 HEALTH_URL="${DASH_URL%/dash}/"
@@ -49,9 +77,23 @@ URL="$DASH_URL"
 mkdir -p "$PROFILE" 2>/dev/null || true
 export XDG_SESSION_TYPE=wayland
 export WLR_LIBINPUT_NO_DEVICES=1
-exec "$CAGE" -d -- "$CHROMIUM" \
+"$CAGE" -d -- "$CHROMIUM" \
   --kiosk --ozone-platform=wayland --no-first-run --noerrdialogs \
   --disable-infobars --disable-session-crashed-bubble --disable-pinch \
   --overscroll-history-navigation=0 --check-for-update-interval=31536000 \
   --password-store=basic --user-data-dir="$PROFILE" \
-  "$URL"
+  "$URL" &
+BROWSER=$!
+trap 'kill "$BROWSER" 2>/dev/null' TERM INT
+# Watch the panel while the browser runs: unplugged panel = stop drawing.
+while kill -0 "$BROWSER" 2>/dev/null; do
+  if ! panel_connected; then
+    echo "carwatch-kiosk: display disconnected, stopping the browser" >&2
+    kill "$BROWSER" 2>/dev/null
+    wait "$BROWSER" 2>/dev/null
+    exit "$NO_PANEL_EXIT"
+  fi
+  sleep "$PANEL_POLL" &
+  wait $! 2>/dev/null
+done
+wait "$BROWSER"
diff --git a/scripts/kiosk/install-kiosk-ubuntu.sh b/scripts/kiosk/install-kiosk-ubuntu.sh
index 9f0b0aa..eb0fa53 100755
--- a/scripts/kiosk/install-kiosk-ubuntu.sh
+++ b/scripts/kiosk/install-kiosk-ubuntu.sh
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ cat > /etc/systemd/system/carwatch-kiosk@.service.d/snap-chromium.conf <<'CONF'
 Environment=CARWATCH_CHROMIUM=/snap/bin/chromium
 CONF
 install -m 644 "$HERE/carwatch-kiosk.service" /etc/systemd/system/carwatch-kiosk@.service
+sed "s/KUSER/${KUSER}/g" "$HERE/90-carwatch-kiosk.rules" > /etc/udev/rules.d/90-carwatch-kiosk.rules
+udevadm control --reload-rules 2>/dev/null || true
 usermod -aG video,input,render "$KUSER" 2>/dev/null || true
 # keep an existing tty1 text console, moved to tty2 (Ctrl+Alt+F2)
 if systemctl cat vta-console.service >/dev/null 2>&1; then
diff --git a/scripts/kiosk/install-kiosk.sh b/scripts/kiosk/install-kiosk.sh
index 820a4ad..2bcf44e 100755
--- a/scripts/kiosk/install-kiosk.sh
+++ b/scripts/kiosk/install-kiosk.sh
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ apt-get update -q
 apt-get install -y -q --no-install-recommends cage chromium seatd grim fonts-noto-color-emoji
 install -m 755 "$HERE/carwatch-kiosk.sh" /usr/local/bin/carwatch-kiosk.sh
 install -m 644 "$HERE/carwatch-kiosk.service" /etc/systemd/system/carwatch-kiosk@.service
+sed "s/KUSER/${KUSER}/g" "$HERE/90-carwatch-kiosk.rules" > /etc/udev/rules.d/90-carwatch-kiosk.rules
+udevadm control --reload-rules 2>/dev/null || true
 usermod -aG video,input,render "$KUSER" 2>/dev/null || true
 systemctl daemon-reload
 systemctl disable --now getty@tty1.service || true
diff --git a/tests/test_kiosk_launcher.py b/tests/test_kiosk_launcher.py
index 9ac0d9f..0aeb6b4 100644
--- a/tests/test_kiosk_launcher.py
+++ b/tests/test_kiosk_launcher.py
@@ -14,6 +14,14 @@ def _stub(dirpath: Path, name: str, body: str) -> None:
     p.chmod(p.stat().st_mode | stat.S_IEXEC)
 
 
+def _drm(tmp: Path, status: str = "connected") -> Path:
+    """A fake /sys/class/drm with one HDMI connector reporting [status]."""
+    d = tmp / "drm" / "card0-HDMI-A-1"
+    d.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    (d / "status").write_text(status + "\n")
+    return tmp / "drm"
+
+
 class KioskLauncherTest(unittest.TestCase):
     def _run(self, curl_ok: bool):
         tmp = Path(tempfile.mkdtemp())
@@ -24,8 +32,9 @@ def _run(self, curl_ok: bool):
         cage_log = tmp / "cage.log"
         _stub(binp, "cage", f'echo "$@" > "{cage_log}"; exit 0')
         env = dict(os.environ, HOME=str(home), PATH=f"{binp}:{os.environ['PATH']}",
-                   CARWATCH_KIOSK_TRIES="3", CARWATCH_KIOSK_SLEEP="0",
-                   CARWATCH_CAGE=str(binp / "cage"), CARWATCH_CHROMIUM="/usr/bin/chromium")
+                   CARWATCH_KIOSK_TRIES="3", CARWATCH_KIOSK_SLEEP="0", CARWATCH_PANEL_POLL="1",
+                   CARWATCH_CAGE=str(binp / "cage"), CARWATCH_CHROMIUM="/usr/bin/chromium",
+                   CARWATCH_DRM_DIR=str(_drm(tmp)))
         res = subprocess.run(["bash", str(SCRIPT)], env=env, capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=30)
         return res, cage_log, home
 
@@ -48,12 +57,53 @@ def test_snap_chromium_uses_snap_writable_profile(self):
         binp = tmp / "bin"; binp.mkdir(); _stub(binp, "curl", "exit 0")
         cage_log = tmp / "cage.log"; _stub(binp, "cage", f'echo "$@" > "{cage_log}"; exit 0')
         env = dict(os.environ, HOME=str(home), PATH=f"{binp}:{os.environ['PATH']}",
-                   CARWATCH_KIOSK_TRIES="1", CARWATCH_KIOSK_SLEEP="0",
-                   CARWATCH_CAGE=str(binp / "cage"), CARWATCH_CHROMIUM="/snap/bin/chromium")
+                   CARWATCH_KIOSK_TRIES="1", CARWATCH_KIOSK_SLEEP="0", CARWATCH_PANEL_POLL="1",
+                   CARWATCH_CAGE=str(binp / "cage"), CARWATCH_CHROMIUM="/snap/bin/chromium",
+                   CARWATCH_DRM_DIR=str(_drm(tmp)))
         res = subprocess.run(["bash", str(SCRIPT)], env=env, capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=30)
         self.assertEqual(res.returncode, 0, res.stderr)
         self.assertIn(f"--user-data-dir={home}/snap/chromium/common/carwatch-kiosk", cage_log.read_text())
 
+    # petrus, 15 Sep 2026: the VTA's panel had moved to the Pi and the kiosk
+    # kept drawing the dash for nobody (one core, 80 C, four hours).
+    def test_no_panel_means_no_browser_and_exit_78(self):
+        tmp = Path(tempfile.mkdtemp()); home = tmp / "home"; (home / ".carwatch").mkdir(parents=True)
+        binp = tmp / "bin"; binp.mkdir(); _stub(binp, "curl", "exit 0")
+        cage_log = tmp / "cage.log"; _stub(binp, "cage", f'echo "$@" > "{cage_log}"; exit 0')
+        env = dict(os.environ, HOME=str(home), PATH=f"{binp}:{os.environ['PATH']}",
+                   CARWATCH_KIOSK_TRIES="1", CARWATCH_KIOSK_SLEEP="0", CARWATCH_PANEL_POLL="1",
+                   CARWATCH_CAGE=str(binp / "cage"), CARWATCH_CHROMIUM="/usr/bin/chromium",
+                   CARWATCH_DRM_DIR=str(_drm(tmp, "disconnected")))
+        res = subprocess.run(["bash", str(SCRIPT)], env=env, capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=30)
+        self.assertEqual(res.returncode, 78, res.stderr)
+        self.assertFalse(cage_log.exists(), "browser started with no panel connected")
+        self.assertIn("no display connected", res.stderr)
+
+    def test_browser_stopped_when_panel_unplugged(self):
+        tmp = Path(tempfile.mkdtemp()); home = tmp / "home"; (home / ".carwatch").mkdir(parents=True)
+        binp = tmp / "bin"; binp.mkdir(); _stub(binp, "curl", "exit 0")
+        started = tmp / "started"
+        # a browser that runs until killed
+        _stub(binp, "cage", f'touch "{started}"; trap "exit 0" TERM; while :; do sleep 1; done')
+        drm = _drm(tmp, "connected")
+        env = dict(os.environ, HOME=str(home), PATH=f"{binp}:{os.environ['PATH']}",
+                   CARWATCH_KIOSK_TRIES="1", CARWATCH_KIOSK_SLEEP="0", CARWATCH_PANEL_POLL="1",
+                   CARWATCH_CAGE=str(binp / "cage"), CARWATCH_CHROMIUM="/usr/bin/chromium",
+                   CARWATCH_DRM_DIR=str(drm))
+        proc = subprocess.Popen(["bash", str(SCRIPT)], env=env, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, text=True)
+        import time
+        for _ in range(50):
+            if started.exists(): break
+            time.sleep(0.1)
+        self.assertTrue(started.exists(), "browser never started with a panel connected")
+        (drm / "card0-HDMI-A-1" / "status").write_text("disconnected\n")
+        try:
+            _, err = proc.communicate(timeout=15)
+        except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
+            proc.kill(); self.fail("launcher kept running after the panel was unplugged")
+        self.assertEqual(proc.returncode, 78, err)
+        self.assertIn("display disconnected", err)
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()