diff --git a/crates/cli/src/commands.rs b/crates/cli/src/commands.rs
index 81d048b..174fb36 100644
--- a/crates/cli/src/commands.rs
+++ b/crates/cli/src/commands.rs
@@ -2,30 +2,59 @@ use super::*;
 use app_services::desktop::{
     build_orientation_matrix, host_and_pairing_port_from_endpoint,
     is_local_layout_token as is_local_layout_token_shared, parse_layout_matrix,
-    resolve_boundlessd_candidates, spawn_boundlessd_process,
+    resolve_boundlessd_candidates, spawn_boundlessd_process, terminate_boundlessd_processes,
 };
 
 pub(super) async fn ensure_daemon_available(endpoint: &str, start_daemon: bool) -> Result<()> {
-    if channel(endpoint).await.is_ok() {
-        return Ok(());
-    }
+    let initial_error = match channel(endpoint).await {
+        Ok(_) => return Ok(()),
+        Err(error) => error,
+    };
 
     if !start_daemon {
         bail!("daemon is not reachable at {endpoint}; run boundlessd or pass --start-daemon");
     }
 
+    if is_named_pipe_endpoint(endpoint) && has_access_denied_io_error(&initial_error) {
+        let launched = recover_stale_named_pipe_owner(endpoint).await?;
+        println!("daemon_start=spawned path={launched}");
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
     let launched = spawn_daemon_process()?;
     println!("daemon_start=spawned path={launched}");
 
+    wait_for_daemon_ready(endpoint, "start attempt").await
+}
+
+async fn recover_stale_named_pipe_owner(endpoint: &str) -> Result<String> {
+    let terminated = terminate_boundlessd_processes()?;
+    tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(400)).await;
+
+    if channel(endpoint).await.is_ok() {
+        return Ok("existing daemon became reachable after stale-process cleanup".to_string());
+    }
+
+    let launched = spawn_daemon_process()?;
+    let context = if terminated {
+        "stale-daemon recovery"
+    } else {
+        "named-pipe recovery"
+    };
+    wait_for_daemon_ready(endpoint, context).await?;
+    Ok(format!(
+        "{launched} (after clearing stale boundlessd.exe named-pipe owner)"
+    ))
+}
+
+async fn wait_for_daemon_ready(endpoint: &str, context: &str) -> Result<()> {
     let deadline = Instant::now() + Duration::from_secs(8);
     loop {
         match channel(endpoint).await {
             Ok(_) => return Ok(()),
             Err(error) => {
                 if Instant::now() >= deadline {
-                    bail!(
-                        "daemon did not become reachable at {endpoint} after start attempt: {error}"
-                    );
+                    bail!("daemon did not become reachable at {endpoint} after {context}: {error}");
                 }
                 tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(200)).await;
             }
diff --git a/crates/cli/src/main.rs b/crates/cli/src/main.rs
index 987cf57..9354ae5 100644
--- a/crates/cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/cli/src/main.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 use anyhow::{Context, Result, bail};
 use clap::{Parser, Subcommand, ValueEnum};
-use control_plane_client::{channel, connect_control_plane, default_endpoint};
+use control_plane_client::{
+    channel, connect_control_plane, default_endpoint, has_access_denied_io_error,
+    is_named_pipe_endpoint,
+};
 use core_clipboard::validate_bmp_payload as validate_bmp_bytes;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use std::{
diff --git a/crates/control-plane-client/src/lib.rs b/crates/control-plane-client/src/lib.rs
index bc1ceeb..e37936a 100644
--- a/crates/control-plane-client/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/control-plane-client/src/lib.rs
@@ -54,6 +54,18 @@ pub fn parse_npipe_endpoint(endpoint: &str) -> Result<Option<String>> {
     bail!("invalid named-pipe endpoint {endpoint}; expected npipe://./pipe/<name>")
 }
 
+pub fn is_named_pipe_endpoint(endpoint: &str) -> bool {
+    endpoint.trim().starts_with("npipe://")
+}
+
+pub fn has_access_denied_io_error(error: &anyhow::Error) -> bool {
+    error.chain().any(|cause| {
+        cause
+            .downcast_ref::<std::io::Error>()
+            .is_some_and(|io_error| io_error.raw_os_error() == Some(5))
+    })
+}
+
 fn pipe_path_from_name(name: &str) -> Result<String> {
     let trimmed = name.trim();
     if trimmed.is_empty() {
@@ -164,6 +176,21 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(parsed.is_none());
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn is_named_pipe_endpoint_detects_scheme_only() {
+        assert!(is_named_pipe_endpoint(" npipe://./pipe/boundlessd-api"));
+        assert!(!is_named_pipe_endpoint("http://127.0.0.1:50051"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn has_access_denied_io_error_matches_raw_os_code() {
+        let error = anyhow::Error::new(std::io::Error::from_raw_os_error(5));
+        assert!(has_access_denied_io_error(&error));
+
+        let error = anyhow::Error::new(std::io::Error::from_raw_os_error(2));
+        assert!(!has_access_denied_io_error(&error));
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn default_endpoint_uses_named_pipe_on_windows_only() {
         if cfg!(windows) {
diff --git a/crates/tray/src/main.rs b/crates/tray/src/main.rs
index 53ec2ae..066d037 100644
--- a/crates/tray/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/tray/src/main.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,10 @@ mod windows_app {
         terminate_boundlessd_processes, validate_layout_before_apply,
     };
     use clap::Parser;
-    use control_plane_client::{channel, connect_control_plane, default_endpoint};
+    use control_plane_client::{
+        channel, connect_control_plane, default_endpoint, has_access_denied_io_error,
+        is_named_pipe_endpoint,
+    };
     use eframe::icon_data;
     use image::ImageFormat;
     use ipc_api::boundless::v1::{
@@ -472,18 +475,6 @@ mod windows_app {
         spawn_boundlessd_process(candidates)
     }
 
-    fn is_named_pipe_endpoint(endpoint: &str) -> bool {
-        endpoint.trim().starts_with("npipe://")
-    }
-
-    fn has_access_denied_io_error(error: &anyhow::Error) -> bool {
-        error.chain().any(|cause| {
-            cause
-                .downcast_ref::<std::io::Error>()
-                .is_some_and(|io_error| io_error.raw_os_error() == Some(5))
-        })
-    }
-
     async fn pair_nearby_request_code(
         endpoint: &str,
         host: String,