Dryland ecosystems are increasingly threatened by intensified water deficits resulting from global climate change. Rising temperatures and irregular precipitation patterns exacerbate soil water stress, severely limiting plant water availability. Although non-rainfall water (NRW) may serve as a crucial supplementary water source, field-based evidence on the role of NRW for desert shrubs under natural soil water stress conditions remains scarce, and it remains unclear whether foliar uptake of NRW is transferred to roots and contributes to soil water. In this study, we employed comprehensive field measurements integrating weighing lysimeters, micro-lysimeters, isotopic labeling, and soil core sampling experiments to determine whether and how shrubs utilize NRW as a survival strategy during periods of soil water stress in the Mu Us Sandy Land, Northwestern China. Our results show that Artemisia ordosica (A. ordosica) experienced prolonged soil water stress during both climatically dry and wet years, indicating that rainfall alone is insufficient to offset seasonal soil water deficits. Our study suggests that nocturnal NRW uptake by A. ordosica foliage, with subsequent downward transport through the xylem to shallow dry soil layers. The well-developed shallow root system, with more than 70% of root mass density concentrated within the upper 0 similar to 40 cm soil profile, not only absorbs available NRW from the atmosphere during periods of water stress but also intercepts NRW (soil vapor flux) from deeper soil layers. In addition, during the daytime, A. ordosica closes stomata to reduce transpiration. Multiple integrated strategies allow A. ordosica to survive under severely water-limited conditions during soil water stress. This study underscores the ecological importance of NRW in supporting desert shrubs during periods of soil water stress and presents novel insights for desert restoration strategies.