diff --git a/artemis/drivers/android/adb_driver.py b/artemis/drivers/android/adb_driver.py
index 360aa4862..a3a2baa7f 100644
--- a/artemis/drivers/android/adb_driver.py
+++ b/artemis/drivers/android/adb_driver.py
@@ -384,7 +384,10 @@ async def press_key(self, key: KeyCode | str | int) -> bool:
 
     async def launch_app(self, package_name: str) -> bool:
         try:
-            cmd = f"monkey -p {package_name} -c android.intent.category.LAUNCHER 1"
+            # --pct-syskeys 0: on devices without physical keys (emulators, head units) monkey otherwise warns
+            # "SYS_KEYS has no physical keys" and can spend its single event on a key instead of the launch,
+            # leaving the previous app in the foreground.
+            cmd = f"monkey --pct-syskeys 0 -p {package_name} -c android.intent.category.LAUNCHER 1"
             await asyncio.to_thread(self.device.shell, cmd)
             return True
         except Exception as e:
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_drivers.py b/tests/unit/test_drivers.py
index 6d5b2493a..89386bec5 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_drivers.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_drivers.py
@@ -101,6 +101,12 @@ async def test_android_driver_with_mock_adb():
     await driver.press_key(KeyCode.BACK)
     mock_adb_device.shell.assert_called_with("input keyevent 4")
 
+    # Launch through the LAUNCHER category without system-key events (keyless devices)
+    assert await driver.launch_app("com.example.themesim") is True
+    mock_adb_device.shell.assert_called_with(
+        "monkey --pct-syskeys 0 -p com.example.themesim -c android.intent.category.LAUNCHER 1"
+    )
+
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_android_driver_preserves_elements_from_combined_screen_data():