diff --git a/dev-dashboard/backend/src/socat.ts b/dev-dashboard/backend/src/socat.ts
index b00f3978e8..06c39da7f9 100644
--- a/dev-dashboard/backend/src/socat.ts
+++ b/dev-dashboard/backend/src/socat.ts
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ export async function startForwarding(branch: string, wtDir: string): Promise<bo
 
   const containerIp = await getContainerIp(branch);
   if (!containerIp) {
-    console.log(`[socat] no sandbox container found for ${branch}, skipping`);
     return false;
   }
 
@@ -55,6 +54,8 @@ export async function startForwarding(branch: string, wtDir: string): Promise<bo
       `TCP-LISTEN:${port},fork,reuseaddr`,
       `TCP:${containerIp}:${port}`,
     ], { stdout: "ignore", stderr: "pipe" });
+    // Consume the exit promise so Bun reaps the child (prevents zombies)
+    proc.exited.then(() => {});
     entry.ports.push({ host: port, proc });
     console.log(`[socat] forwarding :${port} → ${containerIp}:${port} (branch=${branch}, pid=${proc.pid})`);
   }
@@ -96,7 +97,7 @@ export async function reconcileForwarding(getWorktreeDir: (branch: string) => st
       // No orphans found (pkill exits non-zero when no match)
     }
 
-    const ps = await $`docker ps --filter ancestor=windmill-sandbox --format {{.Names}}`.text();
+    const ps = await $`docker ps --filter name=wm- --format {{.Names}}`.text();
     const names = ps.trim().split("\n").filter(Boolean);
 
     for (const name of names) {
diff --git a/dev-dashboard/backend/src/workmux.ts b/dev-dashboard/backend/src/workmux.ts
index f7dfca188e..dc35a9c011 100644
--- a/dev-dashboard/backend/src/workmux.ts
+++ b/dev-dashboard/backend/src/workmux.ts
@@ -173,11 +173,13 @@ export async function addWorktree(
     // so we poll in the background rather than blocking the API response.
     if (profile === "agent-yolo" && wtDir) {
       (async () => {
-        for (let i = 0; i < 15; i++) {
+        console.log(`[socat] waiting for container to start for ${branch}...`);
+        for (let i = 1; i <= 15; i++) {
           await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 2000));
           if (await startForwarding(branch, wtDir)) return;
+          console.log(`[socat] container not ready for ${branch}, retrying (${i}/15)...`);
         }
-        console.error(`[socat] gave up waiting for container for ${branch}`);
+        console.error(`[socat] gave up waiting for container for ${branch} after 30s`);
       })();
     }
   }