diff --git a/daemon/main.cpp b/daemon/main.cpp
index 0e7f934..39ecf21 100644
--- a/daemon/main.cpp
+++ b/daemon/main.cpp
@@ -1,15 +1,22 @@
 #include <QCoreApplication>
 #include <QDBusConnection>
 #include <QDebug>
+#include <QSocketNotifier>
+
 #include <csignal>
+#include <sys/socket.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
 
 #include "session_manager.h"
 #include "sessionmanageradaptor.h"  // generated by qt6_add_dbus_adaptor
 
-static void signalHandler(int sig)
+// Async-signal-safe shutdown via socketpair
+static int sigFd[2];
+
+static void signalHandler(int)
 {
-    qDebug() << "Received signal" << sig << "- shutting down";
-    QCoreApplication::quit();
+    char c = 1;
+    write(sigFd[0], &c, 1);
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
@@ -18,7 +25,20 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     app.setApplicationName("ollie-kde");
     app.setOrganizationName("ollie");
 
-    // Handle SIGTERM/SIGINT gracefully
+    // Set up signal handling via socketpair (async-signal-safe)
+    if (socketpair(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, 0, sigFd) != 0) {
+        qCritical() << "Cannot create signal socketpair";
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    auto *sigNotifier = new QSocketNotifier(sigFd[1], QSocketNotifier::Read, &app);
+    QObject::connect(sigNotifier, &QSocketNotifier::activated, &app, [&]() {
+        char c;
+        read(sigFd[1], &c, 1);
+        qDebug() << "Received shutdown signal, exiting gracefully...";
+        app.quit();
+    });
+
     signal(SIGTERM, signalHandler);
     signal(SIGINT, signalHandler);
 
@@ -49,5 +69,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     qDebug() << "ollie-kde daemon started on D-Bus: org.ollie.SessionManager";
 
-    return app.exec();
+    int rc = app.exec();
+
+    qDebug() << "ollie-kde daemon exiting";
+    return rc;
 }
diff --git a/kate/ollie_kate.cpp b/kate/ollie_kate.cpp
index a7666d4..8aeddfa 100644
--- a/kate/ollie_kate.cpp
+++ b/kate/ollie_kate.cpp
@@ -265,6 +265,8 @@ void OllieKateView::newSession()
         m_chatOffset = 0;
         m_sessionLabel->setText("○ " + m_sessionId.left(14) + " [idle]");
         m_cwdLabel->setText(cwd);
+    } else {
+        m_chatView->setPlainText("Error creating session: " + reply.error().message());
     }
 }
 
@@ -273,6 +275,10 @@ void OllieKateView::newSession()
 void OllieKateView::ensureSession()
 {
     if (!m_sessionId.isEmpty()) return;
+    if (!m_iface->isValid()) {
+        m_chatView->setPlainText("Error: ollie-kde daemon not running.\nStart with: ollie-kde or rc-service --user ollie-kde start");
+        return;
+    }
     newSession();
 }
 
diff --git a/krunner/ollie_runner.cpp b/krunner/ollie_runner.cpp
index 33411b2..4a9789b 100644
--- a/krunner/ollie_runner.cpp
+++ b/krunner/ollie_runner.cpp
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ void OllieRunner::match(KRunner::RunnerContext &context)
         return;
     }
 
+    // Bail if daemon isn't running
+    if (!m_iface->isValid()) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     QString args = query.mid(6).trimmed(); // everything after "ollie "
 
     if (args.isEmpty() || args == QLatin1String("list")) {
diff --git a/tray/main.cpp b/tray/main.cpp
index ba85286..f420771 100644
--- a/tray/main.cpp
+++ b/tray/main.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include <QApplication>
 #include <QDBusConnection>
 #include <QDBusConnectionInterface>
+#include <QDBusServiceWatcher>
 #include <QDebug>
 
 #include "ollie_tray.h"
@@ -12,20 +13,36 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     app.setOrganizationName("ollie");
     app.setQuitOnLastWindowClosed(false);
 
-    // Verify the daemon is reachable
     QDBusConnection bus = QDBusConnection::sessionBus();
     if (!bus.isConnected()) {
         qCritical() << "Cannot connect to D-Bus session bus";
         return 1;
     }
 
-    if (!bus.interface()->isServiceRegistered("org.ollie.SessionManager")) {
-        qCritical() << "ollie-kde daemon not running (org.ollie.SessionManager not registered)";
-        return 1;
-    }
-
     OllieTray tray;
-    qDebug() << "ollie-tray started";
+
+    // Watch for daemon appearing/disappearing
+    auto *watcher = new QDBusServiceWatcher(
+        "org.ollie.SessionManager",
+        bus,
+        QDBusServiceWatcher::WatchForRegistration | QDBusServiceWatcher::WatchForUnregistration,
+        &app);
+
+    QObject::connect(watcher, &QDBusServiceWatcher::serviceRegistered, [&]() {
+        qDebug() << "Daemon appeared on D-Bus";
+        tray.updateStatus();
+    });
+
+    QObject::connect(watcher, &QDBusServiceWatcher::serviceUnregistered, [&]() {
+        qDebug() << "Daemon disappeared from D-Bus";
+        tray.updateStatus();
+    });
+
+    if (bus.interface()->isServiceRegistered("org.ollie.SessionManager")) {
+        qDebug() << "ollie-tray started (daemon running)";
+    } else {
+        qDebug() << "ollie-tray started (waiting for daemon)";
+    }
 
     return app.exec();
 }
diff --git a/tray/ollie_tray.h b/tray/ollie_tray.h
index d84d91d..2a21f7e 100644
--- a/tray/ollie_tray.h
+++ b/tray/ollie_tray.h
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ public:
     explicit OllieTray(QObject *parent = nullptr);
     ~OllieTray() override;
 
+    void updateStatus();
+
 private slots:
     void onSessionCreated(const QString &session_id);
     void onSessionKilled(const QString &session_id);
@@ -27,7 +29,6 @@ private slots:
 
 private:
     void setupMenu();
-    void updateStatus();
     void updateTooltip();
     QStringList callListSessions();
     bool callKillSession(const QString &id);