diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 4c003231..d261bb77 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -9698,6 +9698,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde_json",
  "tempfile",
  "tty7-core",
+ "windows-sys 0.59.0",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 8dc6c0b0..c116f44b 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -201,10 +201,10 @@ workspace = true
 # ---- caches are shared and versions stay aligned. ----
 [workspace]
 members = ["crates/*"]
-# The root `tty7` package is a member implicitly; naming all three here is what
-# makes a bare `cargo build` / `cargo test` at the root cover the whole
+# The root `tty7` package is a member implicitly; naming every crate here is
+# what makes a bare `cargo build` / `cargo test` at the root cover the whole
 # workspace, which is how CI invokes them.
-default-members = [".", "crates/tty7-core", "crates/tty7-server"]
+default-members = [".", "crates/tty7-core", "crates/tty7-server", "crates/tty7-cli"]
 
 [workspace.package]
 edition = "2024"
diff --git a/crates/tty7-cli/Cargo.toml b/crates/tty7-cli/Cargo.toml
index 38bdc543..a48a9d62 100644
--- a/crates/tty7-cli/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/tty7-cli/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 # The thin console CLI from docs/cli-design.md: the `tty7` on the user's PATH.
 # A control/pane-protocol client of tty7-server — the GUI is never required.
 # Kept apart from the GUI binary on purpose (subsystem, upgrade file locks,
-# millisecond cold start); until the GUI bin is renamed, build this package
-# alone (`cargo build -p tty7-cli`) so the two `tty7` bins never collide.
+# millisecond cold start).
 [package]
 name = "tty7-cli"
 version.workspace = true
@@ -35,6 +34,15 @@ libc = "0.2"
 [dev-dependencies]
 tempfile = "3"
 
+# The e2e harness puts its throwaway daemon in a Job Object wired to
+# KILL_ON_JOB_CLOSE, so a hard-killed test run cannot leak servers.
+[target.'cfg(windows)'.dev-dependencies]
+windows-sys = { version = "0.59", features = [
+    "Win32_Foundation",
+    "Win32_Security",
+    "Win32_System_JobObjects",
+] }
+
 # The end-to-end suite drives the compiled tty7.exe against a real isolated
 # server; its own main doubles as that server process, so no libtest harness.
 [[test]]
diff --git a/crates/tty7-cli/src/backend.rs b/crates/tty7-cli/src/backend.rs
index 20938a22..864db449 100644
--- a/crates/tty7-cli/src/backend.rs
+++ b/crates/tty7-cli/src/backend.rs
@@ -30,7 +30,9 @@ pub trait Backend {
 
     fn attach_pane(&mut self, pane: u64) -> Result<()>;
 
-    fn run(&mut self, spec: RunSpec) -> Result<i32>;
+    fn run_spawn(&mut self, spec: RunSpec) -> Result<u64>;
+
+    fn run_wait(&mut self) -> Result<Option<i32>>;
 
     fn events(&mut self, on_event: &mut dyn FnMut(ControlEvent) -> Result<()>) -> Result<()>;
 }
@@ -61,6 +63,7 @@ pub mod mock {
         pub procs_calls: Vec<u64>,
         pub procs_reply: PaneProcs,
         pub runs: Vec<RunSpec>,
+        pub run_exit: Option<i32>,
         pub events: Vec<ControlEvent>,
     }
 
@@ -78,6 +81,7 @@ pub mod mock {
                 procs_calls: Vec::new(),
                 procs_reply: PaneProcs::default(),
                 runs: Vec::new(),
+                run_exit: Some(0),
                 events: Vec::new(),
             }
         }
@@ -140,9 +144,15 @@ pub mod mock {
             Err(anyhow!("the mock backend cannot attach"))
         }
 
-        fn run(&mut self, spec: RunSpec) -> Result<i32> {
+        fn run_spawn(&mut self, spec: RunSpec) -> Result<u64> {
             self.runs.push(spec);
-            Ok(0)
+            let id = self.next_spawn_id;
+            self.next_spawn_id += 1;
+            Ok(id)
+        }
+
+        fn run_wait(&mut self) -> Result<Option<i32>> {
+            Ok(self.run_exit)
         }
 
         fn events(&mut self, on_event: &mut dyn FnMut(ControlEvent) -> Result<()>) -> Result<()> {
diff --git a/crates/tty7-cli/src/backend/real.rs b/crates/tty7-cli/src/backend/real.rs
index d77fcd53..be911fa8 100644
--- a/crates/tty7-cli/src/backend/real.rs
+++ b/crates/tty7-cli/src/backend/real.rs
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 use std::io::Write as _;
-use std::path::PathBuf;
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use std::time::Duration;
 
 use anyhow::{Context as _, Result, anyhow, bail};
 use serde_json::json;
-use tty7_core::client::{ControlClient, PaneClient};
+use tty7_core::client::{ControlClient, PaneClient, PaneSession};
 use tty7_core::core::session::WorkspaceId;
 use tty7_core::daemon::control::{
     ControlEvent, ControlHello, ControlHelloOk, ControlRequest, ReplyOk, RouteInfo,
@@ -29,18 +29,27 @@ const NOT_RUNNING: &str =
 
 pub struct RealBackend {
     machine: Option<String>,
+    socket: Option<String>,
     route: Option<RouteTarget>,
     control: Option<ControlClient>,
     panes: Option<PaneClient>,
+    running: Option<RunningCommand>,
+}
+
+struct RunningCommand {
+    session: PaneSession,
+    keep: bool,
 }
 
 impl RealBackend {
-    pub fn new(machine: Option<String>) -> RealBackend {
+    pub fn new(machine: Option<String>, socket: Option<String>) -> RealBackend {
         RealBackend {
             machine,
+            socket,
             route: None,
             control: None,
             panes: None,
+            running: None,
         }
     }
 
@@ -48,6 +57,18 @@ impl RealBackend {
         ControlHello::host_rpc(format!("tty7-cli-{}", std::process::id()), hostname())
     }
 
+    fn local_control(&self, hello: &ControlHello) -> Result<ControlClient> {
+        match &self.socket {
+            Some(path) => ControlClient::connect_at(Path::new(path), hello).with_context(|| {
+                format!(
+                    "connecting to the server at {}={path}",
+                    crate::address::ENV_SOCKET
+                )
+            }),
+            None => ControlClient::connect(hello).context(NOT_RUNNING),
+        }
+    }
+
     fn route(&mut self) -> Result<Option<RouteTarget>> {
         let Some(name) = self.machine.clone() else {
             return Ok(None);
@@ -55,7 +76,7 @@ impl RealBackend {
         if let Some(target) = &self.route {
             return Ok(Some(target.clone()));
         }
-        let local = ControlClient::connect(&Self::hello_msg()).context(NOT_RUNNING)?;
+        let local = self.local_control(&Self::hello_msg())?;
         let routes = match local
             .request(ControlRequest::Routes)
             .context("asking the local server for its machine links")?
@@ -79,7 +100,7 @@ impl RealBackend {
                         self.machine.as_deref().unwrap_or_default()
                     )
                 })?,
-                None => ControlClient::connect(&hello).context(NOT_RUNNING)?,
+                None => self.local_control(&hello)?,
             };
             self.control = Some(client);
         }
@@ -90,7 +111,10 @@ impl RealBackend {
         if self.panes.is_none() {
             let client = match self.route()? {
                 Some(target) => PaneClient::routed(target),
-                None => PaneClient::local(),
+                None => match &self.socket {
+                    Some(path) => PaneClient::at(pane_endpoint_for(Path::new(path))),
+                    None => PaneClient::local(),
+                },
             };
             self.panes = Some(client);
         }
@@ -98,6 +122,15 @@ impl RealBackend {
     }
 }
 
+fn pane_endpoint_for(control: &Path) -> PathBuf {
+    let file = if cfg!(windows) {
+        "daemon.port"
+    } else {
+        "daemon.sock"
+    };
+    control.with_file_name(file)
+}
+
 impl Backend for RealBackend {
     fn control(&mut self, req: ControlRequest) -> Result<ReplyOk> {
         let reply = self.control_client()?.request(req)?;
@@ -171,7 +204,7 @@ impl Backend for RealBackend {
         bail!("interactive `tty7 attach %pane` is not wired yet — it lands in the next slice")
     }
 
-    fn run(&mut self, spec: RunSpec) -> Result<i32> {
+    fn run_spawn(&mut self, spec: RunSpec) -> Result<u64> {
         let (program, args) = spec
             .command
             .split_first()
@@ -181,7 +214,7 @@ impl Backend for RealBackend {
             args: args.to_vec(),
             args_are_tty7_defaults: false,
         };
-        let mut session = self
+        let session = self
             .pane_client()?
             .spawn(
                 spec.cwd.map(PathBuf::from),
@@ -191,6 +224,19 @@ impl Backend for RealBackend {
                 spec.workspace.map(|ws| ws.to_string()),
             )
             .with_context(|| format!("spawning `{program}`"))?;
+        let pane = session.pane_id();
+        self.running = Some(RunningCommand {
+            session,
+            keep: spec.keep,
+        });
+        Ok(pane)
+    }
+
+    fn run_wait(&mut self) -> Result<Option<i32>> {
+        let RunningCommand { mut session, keep } = self
+            .running
+            .take()
+            .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("run_wait without a spawned command"))?;
         let mut stdout = std::io::stdout().lock();
         let code = loop {
             match session.recv() {
@@ -198,12 +244,12 @@ impl Backend for RealBackend {
                     stdout.write_all(&bytes)?;
                     stdout.flush()?;
                 }
-                Ok(DaemonMsg::Exited { code }) => break code.unwrap_or(1),
+                Ok(DaemonMsg::Exited { code }) => break code,
                 Ok(_) => {}
                 Err(e) => return Err(anyhow!(e).context("streaming the command's output")),
             }
         };
-        if spec.keep {
+        if keep {
             session.detach()?;
         } else {
             session.kill()?;
@@ -236,6 +282,12 @@ fn hostname() -> String {
 fn resolve_route(name: &str, routes: &[RouteInfo]) -> Result<RouteTarget> {
     let matches: Vec<&RouteInfo> = routes.iter().filter(|r| route_matches(name, r)).collect();
     match matches.as_slice() {
+        [one] if !one.connected => bail!(
+            "the link to machine '{}' is down — the CLI will not dial a fresh connection of \
+             its own (that would guess at auth instead of using the profile's credentials); \
+             reconnect the link from the GUI or its SSH profile, then retry",
+            one.key
+        ),
         [one] => target_for(one),
         [] if routes.is_empty() => bail!(
             "the local server holds no machine links — connect one from the GUI first \
@@ -320,7 +372,7 @@ mod tests {
     fn a_machine_resolves_by_full_key_or_bare_host() {
         let routes = vec![
             route("me@build-box:22", "ssh", true),
-            route("me@web-box:2222", "ssh", false),
+            route("me@web-box:2222", "ssh", true),
         ];
         for name in ["me@build-box:22", "build-box"] {
             let RouteTarget::Ssh(spec) = resolve_route(name, &routes).unwrap() else {
@@ -353,6 +405,25 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(err.contains("no machine links"), "{err}");
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn a_down_link_is_refused_instead_of_dialed_fresh() {
+        let routes = vec![route("me@build-box:22", "ssh", false)];
+        let err = resolve_route("build-box", &routes).unwrap_err().to_string();
+        assert!(err.contains("down"), "{err}");
+        assert!(err.contains("reconnect"), "{err}");
+        assert!(err.contains("me@build-box:22"), "{err}");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn the_pane_endpoint_is_the_control_endpoints_sibling() {
+        let (control, pane) = if cfg!(windows) {
+            ("C:\\cfg\\tty7\\control.port", "C:\\cfg\\tty7\\daemon.port")
+        } else {
+            ("/run/user/1000/tty7/control.sock", "/run/user/1000/tty7/daemon.sock")
+        };
+        assert_eq!(pane_endpoint_for(Path::new(control)), PathBuf::from(pane));
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn chained_keys_are_refused_with_the_reason() {
         let routes = vec![route("me@inner:22|jump:me@bastion:22", "ssh", true)];
diff --git a/crates/tty7-cli/src/cli.rs b/crates/tty7-cli/src/cli.rs
index 426f2118..dd0afb2d 100644
--- a/crates/tty7-cli/src/cli.rs
+++ b/crates/tty7-cli/src/cli.rs
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ pub enum Command {
     #[command(about = "Type text into a pane")]
     Send(SendArgs),
 
-    #[command(about = "Print what a pane is showing")]
+    #[command(about = "Print a pane's raw output (ANSI bytes): the newest scrollback segment by default")]
     Capture(CaptureArgs),
 
     #[command(about = "Processes and listening ports inside a pane")]
@@ -108,7 +108,8 @@ pub struct RunArgs {
     #[arg(
         long,
         value_name = "WORKSPACE",
-        help = "Workspace the pane belongs to; defaults to $TTY7_WS inside a tty7 shell"
+        help = "Sets the pane's TTY7_WS and, with --keep, the workspace the kept pane is \
+                filed into; defaults to $TTY7_WS inside a tty7 shell"
     )]
     pub ws: Option<String>,
 
@@ -154,7 +155,12 @@ pub struct CaptureArgs {
     #[arg(value_name = "%PANE", help = "Pane to read; defaults to $TTY7_PANE inside a tty7 shell")]
     pub target: Option<String>,
 
-    #[arg(long, help = "Include the server-side scrollback ring, not just the screen")]
+    #[arg(
+        long,
+        help = "Print the whole scrollback ring, raw ANSI bytes; the ring splits into \
+                segments on resize, and without this flag only the last segment is \
+                printed (for a never-resized pane the two are identical)"
+    )]
     pub scrollback: bool,
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/tty7-cli/src/commands.rs b/crates/tty7-cli/src/commands.rs
index b7ff044d..ac46281f 100644
--- a/crates/tty7-cli/src/commands.rs
+++ b/crates/tty7-cli/src/commands.rs
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ pub enum Outcome {
     Exit(i32),
 }
 
+pub const EXIT_CODE_UNKNOWN: &str =
+    "the command exited but its real exit code could not be determined — exiting 1 as a \
+     stand-in, not as the command's own code";
+
 fn report(human: impl Into<String>, json: Value) -> Result<Outcome> {
     Ok(Outcome::Report(Report {
         human: human.into(),
@@ -37,6 +41,7 @@ fn report(human: impl Into<String>, json: Value) -> Result<Outcome> {
 
 pub fn execute(cli: Cli, ctx: &Context, backend: &mut dyn Backend) -> Result<Outcome> {
     let json_mode = cli.json;
+    let machine = cli.machine.clone();
     match cli.command {
         None => launch_gui(cli.path),
         Some(Command::Ls) | Some(Command::Ws(WsCmd::Ls)) => ws_ls(backend),
@@ -77,14 +82,37 @@ pub fn execute(cli: Cli, ctx: &Context, backend: &mut dyn Backend) -> Result<Out
             "managing machine links from the CLI is not implemented yet — \
              use the GUI's connection manager for now"
         ),
-        Some(Command::Server(ServerCmd::Start)) => crate::server::start(),
-        Some(Command::Server(ServerCmd::Stop)) => crate::server::stop(),
-        Some(Command::Server(ServerCmd::Restart)) => crate::server::restart(),
-        Some(Command::Server(ServerCmd::Logs)) => crate::server::logs(),
+        Some(Command::Server(ServerCmd::Start)) => {
+            local_server(machine.as_deref(), "start", crate::server::start)
+        }
+        Some(Command::Server(ServerCmd::Stop)) => {
+            local_server(machine.as_deref(), "stop", crate::server::stop)
+        }
+        Some(Command::Server(ServerCmd::Restart)) => {
+            local_server(machine.as_deref(), "restart", crate::server::restart)
+        }
+        Some(Command::Server(ServerCmd::Logs)) => {
+            local_server(machine.as_deref(), "logs", crate::server::logs)
+        }
         Some(Command::Doctor) => doctor(ctx, backend),
     }
 }
 
+fn local_server(
+    machine: Option<&str>,
+    verb: &str,
+    act: fn() -> Result<Outcome>,
+) -> Result<Outcome> {
+    if let Some(machine) = machine {
+        bail!(
+            "`tty7 server {verb}` manages only the server on THIS machine — with -m {machine} \
+             it would still have acted on the LOCAL server, so it was refused; a remote \
+             machine's server lifecycle is handled by the install/reconnect flows, not the CLI"
+        );
+    }
+    act()
+}
+
 fn launch_gui(path: Option<String>) -> Result<Outcome> {
     match path {
         Some(p) => bail!("launching the GUI is not wired up yet (would open {p})"),
@@ -224,7 +252,7 @@ fn attach(target: &str, backend: &mut dyn Backend) -> Result<Outcome> {
     match address::parse(target)? {
         Address::Pane(pane) => {
             backend.attach_pane(pane)?;
-            report("", json!({ "detached_from": pane }))
+            report("", json!({ "attached": pane }))
         }
         Address::Workspace(addr) => ws_attach(addr, backend),
         Address::Tab(_) => bail!("attach takes a %pane or a workspace, not a tab"),
@@ -239,13 +267,39 @@ fn run(args: RunArgs, ctx: &Context, backend: &mut dyn Backend) -> Result<Outcom
         }
         None => ctx.ws.as_deref().and_then(|v| v.parse::<WorkspaceId>().ok()),
     };
-    let code = backend.run(RunSpec {
+    if args.keep && workspace.is_none() {
+        bail!(
+            "`run --keep` keeps the pane alive, so it must be filed into a workspace — \
+             pass --ws, or run inside a tty7 shell where $TTY7_WS names one"
+        );
+    }
+    let pane = backend.run_spawn(RunSpec {
         workspace,
-        cwd: args.cwd,
+        cwd: args.cwd.clone(),
         command: args.cmd,
         keep: args.keep,
     })?;
-    Ok(Outcome::Exit(code))
+    if args.keep {
+        let workspace = workspace.expect("checked above: --keep requires a workspace");
+        backend.control(ControlRequest::TabCreate {
+            workspace,
+            at: None,
+            pane: PaneSeed {
+                pane,
+                cwd: args.cwd,
+                ssh_spec: None,
+                agent: None,
+            },
+            tab: None,
+        })?;
+    }
+    match backend.run_wait()? {
+        Some(code) => Ok(Outcome::Exit(code)),
+        None => {
+            eprintln!("tty7: {EXIT_CODE_UNKNOWN}");
+            Ok(Outcome::Exit(1))
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 fn pane_split(args: SplitArgs, ctx: &Context, backend: &mut dyn Backend) -> Result<Outcome> {
@@ -993,6 +1047,116 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(matches!(out, Outcome::Exit(0)), "run's outcome is the child's exit code");
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn run_keep_spawns_first_then_files_the_pane_into_the_workspace() {
+        let mut backend = mock();
+        let api = backend.machine.workspaces[0].id;
+        let out = execute(
+            cli(&[
+                "tty7", "run", "--keep", "--ws", "api", "--cwd", "C:\\proj", "--", "cargo",
+                "watch",
+            ]),
+            &Context::default(),
+            &mut backend,
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            backend.control_calls,
+            vec![
+                ControlRequest::MachineGet,
+                ControlRequest::TabCreate {
+                    workspace: api,
+                    at: None,
+                    pane: PaneSeed {
+                        pane: 6,
+                        cwd: Some("C:\\proj".into()),
+                        ssh_spec: None,
+                        agent: None,
+                    },
+                    tab: None,
+                },
+            ],
+            "the daemon-assigned pane id (6) lands in the tree op, so the spawn came first"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            backend.runs,
+            vec![RunSpec {
+                workspace: Some(api),
+                cwd: Some("C:\\proj".into()),
+                command: vec!["cargo".into(), "watch".into()],
+                keep: true,
+            }]
+        );
+        assert!(matches!(out, Outcome::Exit(0)));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn run_without_keep_files_nothing() {
+        let mut backend = mock();
+        let out = execute(
+            cli(&["tty7", "run", "--", "cargo", "test"]),
+            &Context::default(),
+            &mut backend,
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        assert!(
+            backend.control_calls.is_empty(),
+            "a reaped pane must not be filed into the tree"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(backend.runs.len(), 1);
+        assert!(matches!(out, Outcome::Exit(0)));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn run_keep_without_a_workspace_names_the_fix() {
+        let mut backend = mock();
+        let err = execute(
+            cli(&["tty7", "run", "--keep", "--", "make"]),
+            &Context::default(),
+            &mut backend,
+        )
+        .expect_err("a kept pane with no workspace would be an unlisted orphan");
+        assert!(err.to_string().contains("--ws"), "{err}");
+        assert!(backend.runs.is_empty(), "nothing must be spawned");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn a_missing_exit_code_still_exits_nonzero_via_the_note_path() {
+        let mut backend = mock();
+        backend.run_exit = None;
+        let out = execute(
+            cli(&["tty7", "run", "--", "make"]),
+            &Context::default(),
+            &mut backend,
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        assert!(
+            matches!(out, Outcome::Exit(1)),
+            "an unknown exit code is still a failure"
+        );
+        assert!(EXIT_CODE_UNKNOWN.contains("could not be determined"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn a_machine_flag_refuses_the_local_server_verbs() {
+        for verb in ["start", "stop", "restart", "logs"] {
+            let mut backend = mock();
+            let err = execute(
+                cli(&["tty7", "-m", "devbox", "server", verb]),
+                &Context::default(),
+                &mut backend,
+            )
+            .expect_err("server lifecycle verbs are local-only");
+            let msg = err.to_string();
+            assert!(msg.contains("LOCAL"), "{msg}");
+            assert!(msg.contains(verb), "{msg}");
+            assert!(
+                backend.control_calls.is_empty(),
+                "the refusal must come before any dial"
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn the_still_missing_verbs_say_so_without_touching_the_wire() {
         for (args, needle) in [
diff --git a/crates/tty7-cli/src/main.rs b/crates/tty7-cli/src/main.rs
index e8e75c1a..fa9d9a5e 100644
--- a/crates/tty7-cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/tty7-cli/src/main.rs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ fn main() -> std::process::ExitCode {
     let json = cli.json;
     let quiet = cli.quiet;
     let ctx = address::Context::from_env();
-    let mut backend = backend::RealBackend::new(cli.machine.clone());
+    let mut backend = backend::RealBackend::new(cli.machine.clone(), ctx.socket.clone());
     match commands::execute(cli, &ctx, &mut backend) {
         Ok(commands::Outcome::Exit(code)) => std::process::exit(code),
         Ok(commands::Outcome::Report(report)) => {
diff --git a/crates/tty7-cli/src/server.rs b/crates/tty7-cli/src/server.rs
index 7b5f8f68..a554f2e5 100644
--- a/crates/tty7-cli/src/server.rs
+++ b/crates/tty7-cli/src/server.rs
@@ -44,15 +44,30 @@ pub fn start() -> Result<Outcome> {
         .stdout(Stdio::null())
         .stderr(Stdio::null());
     detach(&mut cmd);
-    let child = cmd
+    let mut child = cmd
         .spawn()
         .map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("could not start {}: {e}", exe.display()))?;
     let pid = child.id();
     let deadline = Instant::now() + START_TIMEOUT;
     while !running() {
         if Instant::now() >= deadline {
+            let fate = match child.try_wait() {
+                Ok(None) => {
+                    let _ = child.kill();
+                    let _ = child.wait();
+                    "it was still running and has been killed"
+                }
+                Ok(Some(status)) => {
+                    if status.success() {
+                        "it had already exited cleanly"
+                    } else {
+                        "it had already exited with an error"
+                    }
+                }
+                Err(_) => "its state could not be checked, so it was left alone",
+            };
             bail!(
-                "{} (pid {pid}) did not open its endpoints within {START_TIMEOUT:?}",
+                "{} (pid {pid}) did not open its endpoints within {START_TIMEOUT:?} — {fate}",
                 exe.display()
             );
         }
diff --git a/crates/tty7-cli/tests/cli_e2e.rs b/crates/tty7-cli/tests/cli_e2e.rs
index 84d858e1..4d71a8d2 100644
--- a/crates/tty7-cli/tests/cli_e2e.rs
+++ b/crates/tty7-cli/tests/cli_e2e.rs
@@ -24,8 +24,10 @@ fn main() {
         ("ls_on_an_empty_server", ls_on_an_empty_server),
         ("new_builds_a_workspace_with_a_live_pane", new_builds_a_workspace_with_a_live_pane),
         ("run_streams_output_and_passes_the_exit_code", run_streams_output_and_passes_the_exit_code),
+        ("run_keep_files_the_pane_so_ls_shows_it", run_keep_files_the_pane_so_ls_shows_it),
         ("send_then_capture_round_trip", send_then_capture_round_trip),
         ("status_reports_the_live_server", status_reports_the_live_server),
+        ("status_answers_over_tty7_socket_alone", status_answers_over_tty7_socket_alone),
         ("events_stream_reports_a_workspace_creation", events_stream_reports_a_workspace_creation),
     ];
 
@@ -51,6 +53,8 @@ fn main() {
 struct Daemon {
     child: Child,
     dir: tempfile::TempDir,
+    #[cfg(windows)]
+    _job: job::Job,
 }
 
 impl Daemon {
@@ -67,7 +71,14 @@ impl Daemon {
             .stderr(Stdio::null())
             .spawn()
             .expect("start the in-test tty7 server");
-        let daemon = Daemon { child, dir };
+        #[cfg(windows)]
+        let _job = job::Job::kill_on_close(&child);
+        let daemon = Daemon {
+            child,
+            dir,
+            #[cfg(windows)]
+            _job,
+        };
         daemon.await_ready();
         daemon
     }
@@ -153,6 +164,56 @@ impl Drop for Daemon {
     }
 }
 
+#[cfg(windows)]
+mod job {
+    use std::os::windows::io::AsRawHandle as _;
+    use std::process::Child;
+
+    use windows_sys::Win32::Foundation::{CloseHandle, HANDLE};
+    use windows_sys::Win32::System::JobObjects::{
+        AssignProcessToJobObject, CreateJobObjectW, JOB_OBJECT_LIMIT_KILL_ON_JOB_CLOSE,
+        JOBOBJECT_EXTENDED_LIMIT_INFORMATION, JobObjectExtendedLimitInformation,
+        SetInformationJobObject,
+    };
+
+    pub struct Job(HANDLE);
+
+    impl Job {
+        pub fn kill_on_close(child: &Child) -> Job {
+            unsafe {
+                let handle = CreateJobObjectW(std::ptr::null(), std::ptr::null());
+                assert!(!handle.is_null(), "CreateJobObjectW failed");
+                let mut info: JOBOBJECT_EXTENDED_LIMIT_INFORMATION = std::mem::zeroed();
+                info.BasicLimitInformation.LimitFlags = JOB_OBJECT_LIMIT_KILL_ON_JOB_CLOSE;
+                assert_ne!(
+                    SetInformationJobObject(
+                        handle,
+                        JobObjectExtendedLimitInformation,
+                        (&raw const info).cast(),
+                        size_of::<JOBOBJECT_EXTENDED_LIMIT_INFORMATION>() as u32,
+                    ),
+                    0,
+                    "SetInformationJobObject failed"
+                );
+                assert_ne!(
+                    AssignProcessToJobObject(handle, child.as_raw_handle()),
+                    0,
+                    "AssignProcessToJobObject failed"
+                );
+                Job(handle)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    impl Drop for Job {
+        fn drop(&mut self) {
+            unsafe {
+                CloseHandle(self.0);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 fn workdir() -> String {
     std::env::temp_dir().display().to_string()
 }
@@ -211,6 +272,74 @@ fn run_streams_output_and_passes_the_exit_code(daemon: &Daemon) {
     );
 }
 
+fn run_keep_files_the_pane_so_ls_shows_it(daemon: &Daemon) {
+    let ws = daemon.run_json(&["ws", "new", "runws"]);
+    let ws_id = ws["id"].as_str().expect("ws new prints the id").to_string();
+
+    let mut args: Vec<String> = vec![
+        "run".into(),
+        "--keep".into(),
+        "--ws".into(),
+        ws_id.clone(),
+        "--".into(),
+    ];
+    args.extend(one_shot("echo tty7_e2e_keep_marker"));
+    let arg_refs: Vec<&str> = args.iter().map(String::as_str).collect();
+    let out = daemon.run(&arg_refs);
+    assert!(
+        out.status.success(),
+        "run --keep failed ({}): {}",
+        out.status,
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr)
+    );
+
+    let listed = daemon.run_json(&["ls"]);
+    let workspaces = listed["workspaces"].as_array().expect("ls --json lists workspaces");
+    let ours = workspaces
+        .iter()
+        .find(|w| w["id"].as_str() == Some(ws_id.as_str()))
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| panic!("the target workspace is missing from ls: {listed}"));
+    assert_eq!(
+        ours["panes"].as_u64(),
+        Some(1),
+        "the kept pane must be filed where every listing sees it: {listed}"
+    );
+
+    let panes = daemon.run_json(&["pane", "ls", &ws_id]);
+    let filed = panes["panes"].as_array().expect("pane ls --json lists panes");
+    assert_eq!(filed.len(), 1, "{panes}");
+    assert!(
+        filed[0]["pane"].as_u64().is_some_and(|p| p >= 1),
+        "{panes}"
+    );
+}
+
+fn status_answers_over_tty7_socket_alone(daemon: &Daemon) {
+    let out = Command::new(env!("CARGO_BIN_EXE_tty7"))
+        .args(["status", "--json"])
+        .env_remove("TTY7_CONFIG_DIR")
+        .env_remove("TTY7_DATA_DIR")
+        .env_remove("TTY7_CONTROL_SOCK")
+        .env_remove("TTY7_PANE")
+        .env_remove("TTY7_WS")
+        .env("TTY7_SOCKET", daemon.control_endpoint())
+        .output()
+        .expect("run tty7 status with only TTY7_SOCKET");
+    assert!(
+        out.status.success(),
+        "status over TTY7_SOCKET failed ({}): {}",
+        out.status,
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr)
+    );
+    let status: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_str(&String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stdout))
+        .expect("status --json prints one JSON object");
+    assert_eq!(
+        status["pid"].as_u64(),
+        Some(u64::from(daemon.child.id())),
+        "the answer must come from the isolated daemon TTY7_SOCKET points at: {status}"
+    );
+}
+
 fn send_then_capture_round_trip(daemon: &Daemon) {
     let created = daemon.run_json(&["new", &workdir()]);
     let pane = created["pane"].as_u64().expect("new prints the pane id");