diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index 4d54b39a..7336005e 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -1071,10 +1071,15 @@ func (c *Client[TTx]) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 		return nil
 	}(); err != nil {
-		defer stopped()
+		// If context was cancelled due to Stop(), just close the stopped channel
+		// and return. Stop() will handle cleanup via finalizeStop().
 		if errors.Is(context.Cause(fetchCtx), startstop.ErrStop) {
+			stopped()
 			return nil
 		}
+
+		// For real startup failures, reset state so Start() can be called again.
+		c.baseStartStop.StartFailed(stopped)
 		return err
 	}
 
diff --git a/client_test.go b/client_test.go
index 90ccc43e..45669938 100644
--- a/client_test.go
+++ b/client_test.go
@@ -7115,6 +7115,31 @@ func Test_Client_Start_Error(t *testing.T) {
 		require.ErrorAs(t, err, &pgErr)
 		require.Equal(t, pgerrcode.InvalidCatalogName, pgErr.Code)
 	})
+
+	t.Run("CanRestartAfterFailure", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+
+		// Use a non-existent database to trigger a startup failure
+		dbConfig := riversharedtest.DBPool(ctx, t).Config().Copy()
+		dbConfig.ConnConfig.Database = "does-not-exist-and-dont-create-it"
+
+		dbPool, err := pgxpool.NewWithConfig(ctx, dbConfig)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		config := newTestConfig(t, "")
+
+		client := newTestClient(t, dbPool, config)
+
+		// First Start() should fail with a database error
+		err = client.Start(ctx)
+		require.Error(t, err, "first Start() should fail with database error")
+
+		// Second Start() should also fail with an error, NOT return nil.
+		// This verifies that the client's internal state was properly reset
+		// after the first failure, allowing it to attempt startup again.
+		err = client.Start(ctx)
+		require.Error(t, err, "second Start() should return an error, not nil; client state should be reset after failed start")
+	})
 }
 
 func Test_NewClient_BaseServiceName(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/rivershared/startstop/start_stop.go b/rivershared/startstop/start_stop.go
index b03cbf24..1f13e474 100644
--- a/rivershared/startstop/start_stop.go
+++ b/rivershared/startstop/start_stop.go
@@ -136,6 +136,28 @@ func (s *BaseStartStop) StartInit(ctx context.Context) (context.Context, bool, f
 	}
 }
 
+// StartFailed should be called when a service fails to start after StartInit.
+// It closes the stopped channel and resets internal state so Start can be
+// called again.
+//
+// This should not be used when a Stop is already in progress (ErrStop), because
+// Stop will handle cleanup via finalizeStop.
+func (s *BaseStartStop) StartFailed(stopped func()) {
+	if s.cancelFunc != nil {
+		s.cancelFunc(ErrStop)
+	}
+	stopped()
+
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	defer s.mu.Unlock()
+	if !s.isRunning {
+		return
+	}
+	s.isRunning = false
+	s.started = nil
+	s.stopped = nil
+}
+
 // Started returns a channel that's closed when a service finishes starting, or
 // if failed to start and is stopped instead. It can be used in conjunction with
 // WaitAllStarted to verify startup of a constellation of services.