diff --git a/src/game/engine/scenes/tests/capture_screenshot.gd b/src/game/engine/scenes/tests/capture_screenshot.gd
index 3fb6a121..06ef594d 100644
--- a/src/game/engine/scenes/tests/capture_screenshot.gd
+++ b/src/game/engine/scenes/tests/capture_screenshot.gd
@@ -12,15 +12,23 @@ var _captured: bool = false
 
 
 func _ready() -> void:
+	## ScreenCapture is a persistent autoload; screenshot.sh opts in by setting
+	## SCREENSHOT_NAME/SCREENSHOT_SCENE. Without those env vars, stay dormant so
+	## normal play (and AI arena matches) don't get killed by the auto-quit
+	## scheduled below. Without this guard the arena loop can't complete.
+	var env_name: String = OS.get_environment("SCREENSHOT_NAME")
+	var env_scene: String = OS.get_environment("SCREENSHOT_SCENE")
+	if env_name.is_empty() and env_scene.is_empty():
+		return
+
 	var env_delay: String = OS.get_environment("SCREENSHOT_DELAY")
 	if not env_delay.is_empty():
 		_delay = float(env_delay)
 
-	var env_name: String = OS.get_environment("SCREENSHOT_NAME")
 	if not env_name.is_empty():
 		_name = env_name
 
-	_scene = OS.get_environment("SCREENSHOT_SCENE")
+	_scene = env_scene
 
 	get_viewport().size = Vector2i(1920, 1080)
 	DisplayServer.window_set_size(Vector2i(1920, 1080))