diff --git a/store.go b/store.go
index d1baf39..10137ed 100644
--- a/store.go
+++ b/store.go
@@ -258,19 +258,22 @@ func (storeInstance *Store) Close() error {
 	storeInstance.callbacksLock.Unlock()
 
 	storeInstance.orphanWorkspacesLock.Lock()
+	var orphanCleanupErr error
 	for _, orphanWorkspace := range storeInstance.orphanWorkspaces {
-		orphanWorkspace.Discard()
+		if err := orphanWorkspace.closeWithoutRemovingFiles(); err != nil && orphanCleanupErr == nil {
+			orphanCleanupErr = err
+		}
 	}
 	storeInstance.orphanWorkspaces = nil
 	storeInstance.orphanWorkspacesLock.Unlock()
 
 	if storeInstance.database == nil {
-		return nil
+		return orphanCleanupErr
 	}
 	if err := storeInstance.database.Close(); err != nil {
 		return core.E("store.Close", "database close", err)
 	}
-	return nil
+	return orphanCleanupErr
 }
 
 // Usage example: `colourValue, err := storeInstance.Get("config", "colour")`
diff --git a/workspace.go b/workspace.go
index 45de1d5..4e4a55c 100644
--- a/workspace.go
+++ b/workspace.go
@@ -354,6 +354,16 @@ func (workspace *Workspace) aggregateFields() (map[string]any, error) {
 }
 
 func (workspace *Workspace) closeAndRemoveFiles() error {
+	return workspace.closeAndCleanup(true)
+}
+
+// closeWithoutRemovingFiles closes the database handle but leaves the orphan
+// file on disk so a later store instance can recover it.
+func (workspace *Workspace) closeWithoutRemovingFiles() error {
+	return workspace.closeAndCleanup(false)
+}
+
+func (workspace *Workspace) closeAndCleanup(removeFiles bool) error {
 	if workspace == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -372,6 +382,9 @@ func (workspace *Workspace) closeAndRemoveFiles() error {
 	if err := workspace.database.Close(); err != nil {
 		return core.E("store.Workspace.closeAndRemoveFiles", "close workspace database", err)
 	}
+	if !removeFiles {
+		return nil
+	}
 	for _, path := range []string{workspace.databasePath, workspace.databasePath + "-wal", workspace.databasePath + "-shm"} {
 		if result := workspace.filesystem.Delete(path); !result.OK && workspace.filesystem.Exists(path) {
 			return core.E("store.Workspace.closeAndRemoveFiles", "delete workspace file", result.Value.(error))
diff --git a/workspace_test.go b/workspace_test.go
index d3f04e4..72359d0 100644
--- a/workspace_test.go
+++ b/workspace_test.go
@@ -246,3 +246,31 @@ func TestWorkspace_New_Good_CachesOrphansDuringConstruction(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, map[string]any{}, orphans[0].Aggregate())
 	orphans[0].Discard()
 }
+
+func TestWorkspace_Close_Good_PreservesOrphansForRecovery(t *testing.T) {
+	stateDirectory := useWorkspaceStateDirectory(t)
+	requireCoreOK(t, testFilesystem().EnsureDir(stateDirectory))
+
+	orphanDatabasePath := workspaceFilePath(stateDirectory, "orphan-session")
+	orphanDatabase, err := openWorkspaceDatabase(orphanDatabasePath)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, orphanDatabase.Close())
+	assert.True(t, testFilesystem().Exists(orphanDatabasePath))
+
+	storeInstance, err := New(":memory:")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	require.NoError(t, storeInstance.Close())
+
+	assert.True(t, testFilesystem().Exists(orphanDatabasePath))
+
+	recoveryStore, err := New(":memory:")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer recoveryStore.Close()
+
+	orphans := recoveryStore.RecoverOrphans(stateDirectory)
+	require.Len(t, orphans, 1)
+	assert.Equal(t, "orphan-session", orphans[0].Name())
+	orphans[0].Discard()
+	assert.False(t, testFilesystem().Exists(orphanDatabasePath))
+}