diff --git a/playbook/pxe_server_setup.yml b/playbook/pxe_server_setup.yml
index ccc9782..05352c5 100644
--- a/playbook/pxe_server_setup.yml
+++ b/playbook/pxe_server_setup.yml
@@ -571,7 +571,11 @@
           # the short-lived flows that PXE imaging produces.
              socket options = TCP_NODELAY SO_KEEPALIVE IPTOS_LOWDELAY
              keepalive = 30
-             deadtime = 5
+             # deadtime=0 (disabled): WinPE maps the enrollment share early then
+             # idles for minutes during the WIM apply. A non-zero deadtime drops
+             # that idle session, so the post-apply staging copies failed (bay
+             # left with only site-config.json). 0 = never auto-disconnect idle.
+             deadtime = 0
 
     - name: "Configure Samba shares"
       blockinfile: