diff --git a/ios/Tests/ConcurrencyLimiterTests.swift b/ios/Tests/ConcurrencyLimiterTests.swift
index d2e7ecc..c09db40 100644
--- a/ios/Tests/ConcurrencyLimiterTests.swift
+++ b/ios/Tests/ConcurrencyLimiterTests.swift
@@ -72,4 +72,45 @@ final class ConcurrencyLimiterTests: XCTestCase {
         let finalPeak = await counter.peak
         XCTAssertEqual(finalPeak, 1)
     }
+
+    // Cold start: a process started by the OS has not run Dart initialize(), so the limiter it
+    // builds comes from the persisted value. Simulated with a throwaway defaults suite.
+    func test_issue_84_persisted_limit_survives_a_fresh_limiter() async throws {
+        let suite = "nwm.test.\(UUID().uuidString)"
+        let defaults = UserDefaults(suiteName: suite)!
+        defer { defaults.removePersistentDomain(forName: suite) }
+
+        XCTAssertEqual(ConcurrencyLimiter.persistedLimit(defaults: defaults), 4, "nothing persisted -> default")
+
+        await ConcurrencyLimiter(max: 4).configure(max: 2, persist: true, defaults: defaults)
+        XCTAssertEqual(ConcurrencyLimiter.persistedLimit(defaults: defaults), 2)
+
+        // "Process restart": brand new limiter built only from what was persisted.
+        let cold = ConcurrencyLimiter(max: ConcurrencyLimiter.persistedLimit(defaults: defaults))
+        let counter = Counter()
+        try await withThrowingTaskGroup(of: Void.self) { group in
+            for _ in 0..<12 {
+                group.addTask {
+                    try await cold.acquire()
+                    await counter.enter()
+                    try await Task.sleep(nanoseconds: 10_000_000)
+                    await counter.leave()
+                    await cold.release()
+                }
+            }
+            try await group.waitForAll()
+        }
+        let peak = await counter.peak
+        XCTAssertEqual(peak, 2, "restored limit must be enforced without any initialize() call")
+    }
+
+    func test_issue_84_invalid_persisted_values_fall_back_to_default() {
+        let suite = "nwm.test.\(UUID().uuidString)"
+        let defaults = UserDefaults(suiteName: suite)!
+        defer { defaults.removePersistentDomain(forName: suite) }
+        for bad: Any in [0, -3, "7", 2.5] {
+            defaults.set(bad, forKey: ConcurrencyLimiter.preferenceKey)
+            XCTAssertEqual(ConcurrencyLimiter.persistedLimit(defaults: defaults), 4, "bad value \(bad)")
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/ios/native_workmanager/Sources/native_workmanager/utils/ConcurrencyLimiter.swift b/ios/native_workmanager/Sources/native_workmanager/utils/ConcurrencyLimiter.swift
index c9f2522..fb4168b 100644
--- a/ios/native_workmanager/Sources/native_workmanager/utils/ConcurrencyLimiter.swift
+++ b/ios/native_workmanager/Sources/native_workmanager/utils/ConcurrencyLimiter.swift
@@ -4,9 +4,16 @@ import Foundation
 /// Reconfiguration preserves active permits. Cancellation removes queued waiters.
 actor ConcurrencyLimiter {
     static let preferenceKey = "native_workmanager.maxConcurrentTasks"
-    static let shared = ConcurrencyLimiter(
-        max: UserDefaults.standard.object(forKey: preferenceKey) as? Int ?? 4
-    )
+    static let defaultLimit = 4
+
+    /// The limit persisted by the last `initialize()`, or the default. This is what a process
+    /// started cold by the OS (BGTask, no Dart `initialize()` yet) will use.
+    static func persistedLimit(defaults: UserDefaults = .standard) -> Int {
+        guard let value = defaults.object(forKey: preferenceKey) as? Int, value > 0 else { return defaultLimit }
+        return value
+    }
+
+    static let shared = ConcurrencyLimiter(max: persistedLimit())
 
     private var max: Int
     private var running = 0
@@ -14,10 +21,10 @@ actor ConcurrencyLimiter {
 
     init(max: Int) { self.max = Swift.max(1, max) }
 
-    func configure(max: Int, persist: Bool = false) {
+    func configure(max: Int, persist: Bool = false, defaults: UserDefaults = .standard) {
         precondition(max > 0)
         self.max = max
-        if persist { UserDefaults.standard.set(max, forKey: Self.preferenceKey) }
+        if persist { defaults.set(max, forKey: Self.preferenceKey) }
         drain()
     }