diff --git a/.config/river/init b/.config/river/init
index c296099..629ff0b 100755
--- a/.config/river/init
+++ b/.config/river/init
@@ -7,13 +7,13 @@ riverctl spawn "/usr/libexec/xdg-desktop-portal-wlr"
 ~/.config/river/load-colors
 
 brillo -I
-riverctl spawn "foot --server"
-riverctl spawn "mako"
-riverctl spawn "gammastep -l -34.5:-58.4"
-riverctl spawn "syncthing -no-browser"
-riverctl spawn "river-tag-overlay"
+riverctl spawn "pgrep -x foot || foot --server"
+riverctl spawn "pgrep -x mako || mako"
+riverctl spawn "pgrep -x gammastep || gammastep -l -34.5:-58.4"
+riverctl spawn "pgrep -x syncthing || syncthing -no-browser"
+riverctl spawn "pgrep -x river-tag-overl || river-tag-overlay"
 # yambar spawned by load-colors
-riverctl spawn "kanshi"
+riverctl spawn "pgrep -x kanshi || kanshi"
 
 riverctl spawn 'swayidle -w \
     timeout 250 "brillo -O; brillo -S 5" resume "brillo -I" \