diff --git a/openpilot/starpilot/system/starport/auto_connect.py b/openpilot/starpilot/system/starport/auto_connect.py
index 35bdc3ee30..51355b52d8 100644
--- a/openpilot/starpilot/system/starport/auto_connect.py
+++ b/openpilot/starpilot/system/starport/auto_connect.py
@@ -42,12 +42,12 @@ class AutoConnectPolicy:
   def start_refused(self, now: float) -> None:
     self._not_before = now + START_REFUSED_WAIT
 
-  def decide(self, now: float, *, enabled: bool, onroad: bool, car_link: bool, ready: bool, running: bool) -> str | None:
+  def decide(self, now: float, *, enabled: bool, onroad: bool, car_link: bool, ready: bool, running: bool, linked: bool = False) -> str | None:
     """Return "start", "stop" or None."""
     if onroad and not self._was_onroad:
       self.suppressed = False  # a new drive
     self._was_onroad = onroad
-    present = onroad or car_link
+    present = onroad or car_link or (running and linked)
 
     if running:
       if present:
diff --git a/openpilot/starpilot/system/starport/car_profiles.py b/openpilot/starpilot/system/starport/car_profiles.py
index faeda26273..f04b7b4a9d 100644
--- a/openpilot/starpilot/system/starport/car_profiles.py
+++ b/openpilot/starpilot/system/starport/car_profiles.py
@@ -2,13 +2,13 @@
 import re
 
 DEFAULTS = {"connect_delay_s": 0.0, "max_window": 2, "phone_services": False, "phone_frames": False,
-            "bootstrap_experiments": False}
+            "bootstrap_experiments": False, "stay_while_projecting": False}
 
 FINGERPRINT_KEYS = ("head_unit_make", "head_unit_model", "car_make", "car_model", "car_year")
 
 RULES: list[dict] = [
   {"id": "aawireless", "label": "AAWireless", "match": {},
-   "tuning": {"max_window": 30, "phone_services": True, "phone_frames": True}},
+   "tuning": {"max_window": 30, "phone_services": True, "phone_frames": True, "stay_while_projecting": True}},
   {"id": "unofficial", "label": "Unofficial dongle", "match": {}, "tuning": {"bootstrap_experiments": True}},
 ]
 
diff --git a/openpilot/starpilot/system/starport/supervisor.py b/openpilot/starpilot/system/starport/supervisor.py
index bad64b1df4..82ff4dd80b 100644
--- a/openpilot/starpilot/system/starport/supervisor.py
+++ b/openpilot/starpilot/system/starport/supervisor.py
@@ -930,7 +930,8 @@ class Supervisor:
         self._set(error=f'Waiting for selected car: {error}'[:300])
     car_link = bool(car_device and car_device["connected"]) or now - self._car_seen_at < CAR_LINK_HOLD
     onroad = self._onroad()
-    action = self.auto.decide(now, enabled=True, onroad=onroad, car_link=car_link,
+    linked = car_profiles.tuning(self.config)["stay_while_projecting"] and self._status.get("state") in ("streaming", "suspended")
+    action = self.auto.decide(now, enabled=True, onroad=onroad, car_link=car_link, linked=linked,
                               ready=adapter_ready and bool(device and device["paired"]) and (not companion or car_link), running=running)
     self._apply_auto_action(now, action, onroad)
 
diff --git a/openpilot/starpilot/system/starport/tests/test_auto_connect.py b/openpilot/starpilot/system/starport/tests/test_auto_connect.py
index d86663f50c..73b88f451b 100644
--- a/openpilot/starpilot/system/starport/tests/test_auto_connect.py
+++ b/openpilot/starpilot/system/starport/tests/test_auto_connect.py
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ def identity(tmp_path_factory):
   return make_identity(tmp_path_factory.mktemp("identity"))
 
 
-def decide(policy, now, onroad=False, car_link=False, ready=True, running=False, enabled=True):
-  return policy.decide(now, enabled=enabled, onroad=onroad, car_link=car_link, ready=ready, running=running)
+def decide(policy, now, onroad=False, car_link=False, ready=True, running=False, enabled=True, linked=False):
+  return policy.decide(now, enabled=enabled, onroad=onroad, car_link=car_link, ready=ready, running=running, linked=linked)
 
 
 # -------------------------------------------------------------------- policy
@@ -45,6 +45,16 @@ def test_policy_stops_after_car_gone():
   assert decide(policy, 100) is None                             # stopped, car still gone: no restart
 
 
+def test_policy_keeps_a_projecting_session_when_the_car_link_drops():
+  policy = AutoConnectPolicy()
+  assert decide(policy, 0, car_link=True) == "start"
+  assert decide(policy, 1, car_link=True, running=True) is None
+  for now in range(2, 400, 10):
+    assert decide(policy, now, running=True, linked=True) is None
+  assert decide(policy, 400, running=True) is None                # stream ended: grace period starts
+  assert decide(policy, 400 + auto_connect.STOP_AFTER, running=True) == "stop"
+
+
 def test_policy_leaves_sessions_that_never_saw_the_car():
   policy = AutoConnectPolicy()
   for now in range(0, 300, 10):