diff --git a/src/daemon.rs b/src/daemon.rs
index 37df3cf..774b8c7 100644
--- a/src/daemon.rs
+++ b/src/daemon.rs
@@ -265,12 +265,7 @@ fn proc_uptime(pid: u32) -> Option<String> {
 // --- Status writing ---
 
 fn write_status(choir: &Choir, last_daily: Option<chrono::NaiveDate>) {
-    let statuses = choir.task_statuses();
-    let status = DaemonStatus {
-        pid: std::process::id(),
-        tasks: statuses,
-        last_daily: last_daily.map(|d| d.to_string()),
-    };
+    let status = build_status(choir, last_daily);
     if let Ok(json) = serde_json::to_string_pretty(&status) {
         let _ = fs::write(status_path(), json);
     }
@@ -484,9 +479,10 @@ pub fn run_daemon() -> Result<(), String> {
         }
     });
 
-    // Main thread: wait for Ctrl-C
+    // Main thread: listen on status socket + wait for signals
     let choir_main = Arc::clone(&choir);
-    ctrlc_wait();
+    let last_daily_main = Arc::clone(&last_daily);
+    status_socket_loop(&choir_main, &last_daily_main);
 
     log_event("daemon", "stopping", "");
     eprintln!("Shutting down...");
@@ -497,14 +493,37 @@ pub fn run_daemon() -> Result<(), String> {
             log_event(&info.name, "cancelling", "");
         }
     }
-    // Workers will shut down when their handles are dropped
+
+    // Clean up socket
+    let _ = fs::remove_file(status_sock_path());
 
     log_event("daemon", "stopped", "");
     Ok(())
 }
 
-fn ctrlc_wait() {
+fn read_status_socket() -> Option<DaemonStatus> {
+    use std::io::Read as _;
+    use std::os::unix::net::UnixStream;
+
+    let mut stream = UnixStream::connect(status_sock_path()).ok()?;
+    stream.set_read_timeout(Some(Duration::from_secs(2))).ok();
+    let mut buf = String::new();
+    stream.read_to_string(&mut buf).ok()?;
+    serde_json::from_str(&buf).ok()
+}
+
+fn status_sock_path() -> PathBuf {
+    crate::config::get().data_dir.join("daemon.sock")
+}
+
+/// Listen on a Unix domain socket for status requests.
+/// Any connection gets the live status JSON written and closed.
+/// Also handles SIGINT/SIGTERM for clean shutdown.
+fn status_socket_loop(choir: &Choir, last_daily: &Arc<Mutex<Option<chrono::NaiveDate>>>) {
+    use std::io::Write as _;
+    use std::os::unix::net::UnixListener;
     use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicBool, Ordering};
+
     static STOP: AtomicBool = AtomicBool::new(false);
 
     unsafe {
@@ -512,12 +531,52 @@ fn ctrlc_wait() {
         libc::signal(libc::SIGTERM, handle_signal as libc::sighandler_t);
     }
 
+    let sock_path = status_sock_path();
+    let _ = fs::remove_file(&sock_path); // clean up stale socket
+
+    let listener = match UnixListener::bind(&sock_path) {
+        Ok(l) => l,
+        Err(e) => {
+            eprintln!("Warning: couldn't bind status socket {}: {}", sock_path.display(), e);
+            // Fall back to just waiting for signals
+            while !STOP.load(Ordering::Acquire) {
+                std::thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(500));
+            }
+            return;
+        }
+    };
+
+    // Non-blocking so we can check STOP flag
+    listener.set_nonblocking(true).ok();
+
     while !STOP.load(Ordering::Acquire) {
-        std::thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(500));
+        match listener.accept() {
+            Ok((mut stream, _)) => {
+                let status = build_status(choir, *last_daily.lock().unwrap());
+                if let Ok(json) = serde_json::to_string_pretty(&status) {
+                    let _ = stream.write_all(json.as_bytes());
+                }
+                // Connection closes when stream is dropped
+            }
+            Err(ref e) if e.kind() == std::io::ErrorKind::WouldBlock => {
+                std::thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(100));
+            }
+            Err(_) => {
+                std::thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(100));
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     extern "C" fn handle_signal(_: libc::c_int) {
-        STOP.store(true, Ordering::Release);
+        STOP.store(true, std::sync::atomic::Ordering::Release);
+    }
+}
+
+fn build_status(choir: &Choir, last_daily: Option<chrono::NaiveDate>) -> DaemonStatus {
+    DaemonStatus {
+        pid: std::process::id(),
+        tasks: choir.task_statuses(),
+        last_daily: last_daily.map(|d| d.to_string()),
     }
 }
 
@@ -574,39 +633,19 @@ fn status_symbol(t: &TaskInfo) -> &'static str {
 }
 
 pub fn show_status() -> Result<(), String> {
-    let path = status_path();
-    if !path.exists() {
-        eprintln!("No daemon status file found. Is the daemon running?");
-        return Ok(());
-    }
-
-    let content = fs::read_to_string(&path)
-        .map_err(|e| format!("read status: {}", e))?;
-    let status: DaemonStatus = serde_json::from_str(&content)
-        .map_err(|e| format!("parse status: {}", e))?;
-
-    let alive = Path::new(&format!("/proc/{}", status.pid)).exists();
-    let state = if alive { "running" } else { "NOT RUNNING" };
-
-    // Show uptime from /proc/<pid>/stat start time
-    let uptime_str = if alive {
-        proc_uptime(status.pid).unwrap_or_default()
-    } else {
-        String::new()
+    let status = match read_status_socket() {
+        Some(s) => s,
+        None => {
+            eprintln!("Daemon not running.");
+            return Ok(());
+        }
     };
 
+    let uptime_str = proc_uptime(status.pid).unwrap_or_default();
     if uptime_str.is_empty() {
-        eprintln!("poc-memory daemon  pid={}  {}", status.pid, state);
+        eprintln!("poc-memory daemon  pid={}", status.pid);
     } else {
-        eprintln!("poc-memory daemon  pid={}  {}  uptime {}", status.pid, state, uptime_str);
-    }
-
-    // Status file age
-    if let Ok(meta) = fs::metadata(&path) {
-        if let Ok(modified) = meta.modified() {
-            let age = std::time::SystemTime::now().duration_since(modified).unwrap_or_default();
-            eprintln!("  status updated {}s ago", age.as_secs());
-        }
+        eprintln!("poc-memory daemon  pid={}  uptime {}", status.pid, uptime_str);
     }
 
     if status.tasks.is_empty() {