feat(maestro): daemon status indicator and restart overlay in the TUI

The status bar gains the TUI's half of the same contract the web client got:
a coloured dot plus the release the daemon is running, pinned right so a narrow
terminal truncates the key hints rather than the release.

`DaemonLink` mirrors web/src/daemonLink.ts — the events loop reports its
connects and disconnects, a probe task polls `GET /api/info` while the daemon
is unreachable, and past the grace window a modal covers the frame and locks
the keyboard (quit excepted) until it answers. A daemon that comes back on a
new commit cannot be reloaded into a running TUI binary, so the status bar says
`updated: <hash> (restart tui)` instead.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

CLAUDE.md

@@ -71,6 +71,11 @@ before changing anything that creates or removes one.
 sidebars — line layout, activity colours, duration format, state precedence.
 Read it before changing sidebar rendering.
 
+`docs/RESTART.md` is the contract for what clients do when the daemon restarts
+or is upgraded under them — the build stamp on `/api/info`, the status
+indicator's states, the blocking overlay, grace and poll timings. Read it
+before changing reconnect behaviour on either client.
+
 `nix run .#dev` (or `just dev`) brings up the whole local stack under
 process-compose: a debug daemon on 127.0.0.1:7071, then Vite on :5173 once the
 daemon answers `/api/info`. The SPA proxies `/api/*` back to the daemon, so only

crates/maestro-daemon/build.rs

@@ -32,7 +32,9 @@ fn main() {
     let date = env_or_git("MAESTRO_BUILD_DATE", &["log", "-1", "--format=%cI"]);
     let dirty = match std::env::var("MAESTRO_BUILD_DIRTY") {
         Ok(v) => v == "1" || v.eq_ignore_ascii_case("true"),
-        Err(_) => !git(&["status", "--porcelain"]).unwrap_or_default().is_empty(),
+        Err(_) => !git(&["status", "--porcelain"])
+            .unwrap_or_default()
+            .is_empty(),
     };
 
     println!("cargo:rustc-env=MAESTRO_BUILD_COMMIT={commit}");

crates/maestro-tui/src/app.rs

@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ use uuid::Uuid;
 use crate::action::Action;
 use crate::catalog::CatalogStore;
 use crate::config::TuiConfig;
+use crate::daemon_link::DaemonLink;
 use crate::draft::{DraftInputResult, DraftPane};
 use crate::emulators::SessionEmulators;
 use crate::input::{
@@ -58,6 +59,9 @@ pub struct App {
     help: HelpOverlay,
     chord: ChordState,
     daemon: DaemonClient,
+    /// Liveness + release of the daemon (`docs/RESTART.md`): drives the status
+    /// bar's indicator, and locks the keyboard behind the restart overlay.
+    link: DaemonLink,
     /// The spawn form behind [`OverlayKind::Spawn`], kept here rather than in
     /// `AppState` so the overlay enum stays comparable — the same reason the
     /// rename buffer lives here.
@@ -127,7 +131,12 @@ pub enum Effect {
 }
 
 impl App {
-    pub fn new(cfg: TuiConfig, catalog: CatalogStore, daemon: DaemonClient) -> Self {
+    pub fn new(
+        cfg: TuiConfig,
+        catalog: CatalogStore,
+        daemon: DaemonClient,
+        link: DaemonLink,
+    ) -> Self {
         let (draft_tx, draft_rx) = tokio::sync::mpsc::unbounded_channel();
         let chord_timeout = cfg.chord_timeout;
         let help = HelpOverlay {
@@ -148,6 +157,7 @@ impl App {
             help,
             chord: ChordState::new(chord_timeout),
             daemon,
+            link,
             http,
             rename_input: TextInput::default(),
             draft_tx,
@@ -182,6 +192,10 @@ impl App {
                 _ = self.catalog.changed() => {
                     // Render on next loop iteration.
                 }
+                _ = self.link.changed() => {
+                    // The status indicator and the restart overlay both read
+                    // the link; redraw on the next loop iteration.
+                }
                 _ = tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(33)) => {
                     let effects = self.poll_due_probes_at(std::time::Instant::now());
                     self.perform(effects).await;
@@ -198,6 +212,21 @@ impl App {
         };
         let key = self.clicks.promote(key, std::time::Instant::now());
 
+        // The daemon is gone: everything a key could do goes through it, so
+        // only the quit binding still resolves until it answers again.
+        if self.link.is_blocking() {
+            let known = self.cfg.keymap.known_bindings(self.state.mode);
+            if let ChordResult::Resolved(canon) = self.chord.feed(&key, &known) {
+                if matches!(
+                    self.cfg.keymap.resolve(self.state.mode, &canon),
+                    Some(Action::Quit)
+                ) {
+                    return Ok(true);
+                }
+            }
+            return Ok(false);
+        }
+
         // Overlay intercept first.
         let (decision, effects) = self.handle_overlay_input(&key);
         self.perform(effects).await;
@@ -919,6 +948,7 @@ impl App {
             None => "session".into(),
         };
 
+        let link_status = self.link.status();
         let inputs = RenderInputs {
             sidebar: &sidebar,
             home_dir: &self.home_dir,
@@ -928,6 +958,7 @@ impl App {
             draft: self.draft.as_ref(),
             help: &self.help,
             rename_input: &self.rename_input,
+            link: &link_status,
         };
 
         let mut new_region = RegionMap::default();
@@ -1176,7 +1207,12 @@ mod tests {
 
     fn make_app_at(base: &str) -> App {
         let cfg = TuiConfig::load(&TuiSection::default()).unwrap();
-        App::new(cfg, CatalogStore::default(), DaemonClient::new(base))
+        App::new(
+            cfg,
+            CatalogStore::default(),
+            DaemonClient::new(base),
+            DaemonLink::default(),
+        )
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -1772,6 +1808,7 @@ mod tests {
                 Duration::from_millis(200),
                 Duration::from_millis(500),
             ),
+            DaemonLink::default(),
         );
         app.dispatch(Action::OpenSpawnModal);
         let req = CreateSessionRequest {

crates/maestro-tui/src/catalog.rs

@@ -127,11 +127,24 @@ impl CatalogStore {
     /// apply them. Reconnects with exponential backoff on disconnect. Never
     /// returns — spawn it on a Tokio task.
     pub async fn run_events_loop(self, ws_url: String) {
+        self.run_events_loop_reporting(ws_url, crate::daemon_link::DaemonLink::default())
+            .await
+    }
+
+    /// [`Self::run_events_loop`], reporting every connect and disconnect to
+    /// `link` — the socket dying is the first sign the daemon went down or was
+    /// upgraded under the client (`docs/RESTART.md`).
+    pub async fn run_events_loop_reporting(
+        self,
+        ws_url: String,
+        link: crate::daemon_link::DaemonLink,
+    ) {
         let mut backoff = Duration::from_secs(1);
         loop {
             match tokio_tungstenite::connect_async(&ws_url).await {
                 Ok((ws, _resp)) => {
                     backoff = Duration::from_secs(1);
+                    link.note_connected();
                     let (_sink, mut stream) = ws.split();
                     while let Some(frame) = stream.next().await {
                         match frame {
@@ -152,6 +165,7 @@ impl CatalogStore {
                     tracing::debug!(error = ?e, "catalog: connect failed");
                 }
             }
+            link.note_disconnected(std::time::Instant::now());
             tracing::debug!(?backoff, "catalog: sleeping before reconnect");
             tokio::time::sleep(jitter(backoff)).await;
             backoff = std::cmp::min(backoff.saturating_mul(2), Duration::from_secs(30));

crates/maestro-tui/src/daemon_link.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,343 @@
+//! Liveness and identity of the daemon behind this TUI.
+//!
+//! The status bar renders [`LinkStatus`], and [`LinkState::Down`] puts the
+//! restart overlay up and locks the keyboard. `docs/RESTART.md` is the
+//! contract; this is the TUI half of what `web/src/daemonLink.ts` does.
+
+use std::sync::{Arc, RwLock};
+use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
+
+use maestro_protocol::{BuildInfo, DaemonClient, DaemonInfo};
+use tokio::sync::Notify;
+
+/// How long a lost connection stays quiet before the overlay blocks the UI.
+pub const GRACE: Duration = Duration::from_millis(1200);
+/// Cadence of `GET /api/info` while the daemon is unreachable.
+pub const POLL: Duration = Duration::from_millis(700);
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub enum LinkState {
+    /// No probe has landed yet.
+    Connecting,
+    /// The daemon answered.
+    Online,
+    /// The events socket dropped, still inside the grace window.
+    Reconnecting,
+    /// Unreachable past the grace window: the overlay is up.
+    Down,
+}
+
+/// What happened between two `/api/info` replies.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub enum RestartKind {
+    Same,
+    Restarted,
+    Upgraded,
+}
+
+/// Compare two daemon replies. The commit decides first — a different one is
+/// new code. `instance` catches a restart of the same build, and is the only
+/// signal for a daemon built outside a git checkout (empty commit), which must
+/// never be read as an upgrade.
+pub fn compare_identity(before: &DaemonInfo, after: &DaemonInfo) -> RestartKind {
+    let a = before.build.commit.as_str();
+    let b = after.build.commit.as_str();
+    if !a.is_empty() && !b.is_empty() && a != b {
+        return RestartKind::Upgraded;
+    }
+    if !before.instance.is_empty()
+        && !after.instance.is_empty()
+        && before.instance != after.instance
+    {
+        return RestartKind::Restarted;
+    }
+    RestartKind::Same
+}
+
+/// One line naming a release: `f89be4a716c7 · 2026-09-02`, `(dirty)` when the
+/// build carried uncommitted changes.
+pub fn format_release(build: &BuildInfo) -> String {
+    if build.commit.is_empty() {
+        return "unknown release".to_string();
+    }
+    let mut out = build.commit.clone();
+    if build.commit_date.len() >= 10 {
+        out.push_str(" · ");
+        out.push_str(&build.commit_date[..10]);
+    }
+    if build.dirty {
+        out.push_str(" (dirty)");
+    }
+    out
+}
+
+/// Snapshot of the link, taken once per frame by the renderer.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+pub struct LinkStatus {
+    pub state: LinkState,
+    /// The release the daemon last reported. `None` until the first probe.
+    pub build: Option<BuildInfo>,
+    /// Failed probes in the current outage — the overlay counts them so a long
+    /// restart doesn't read as a hang.
+    pub attempts: u32,
+    /// Set once the daemon comes back on a different commit. The TUI is its own
+    /// binary, so it keeps running against the new daemon and shows this until
+    /// the user restarts it onto the new client.
+    pub upgraded_to: Option<BuildInfo>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Default, Clone)]
+pub struct DaemonLink {
+    inner: Arc<Inner>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Default)]
+struct Inner {
+    state: RwLock<State>,
+    notify: Notify,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+struct State {
+    state: LinkState,
+    identity: Option<DaemonInfo>,
+    attempts: u32,
+    /// When the events socket dropped, for the grace window.
+    down_since: Option<Instant>,
+    upgraded_to: Option<BuildInfo>,
+}
+
+impl Default for State {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            state: LinkState::Connecting,
+            identity: None,
+            attempts: 0,
+            down_since: None,
+            upgraded_to: None,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl DaemonLink {
+    pub fn status(&self) -> LinkStatus {
+        let s = self.read();
+        LinkStatus {
+            state: s.state,
+            build: s.identity.as_ref().map(|i| i.build.clone()),
+            attempts: s.attempts,
+            upgraded_to: s.upgraded_to.clone(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Whether the UI is locked behind the restart overlay.
+    pub fn is_blocking(&self) -> bool {
+        self.read().state == LinkState::Down
+    }
+
+    /// Wait until anything about the link changes, so the render loop redraws.
+    pub async fn changed(&self) {
+        self.inner.notify.notified().await;
+    }
+
+    /// The events socket dropped. Starts the grace window.
+    pub fn note_disconnected(&self, now: Instant) {
+        {
+            let mut s = self.write();
+            if s.state == LinkState::Down {
+                return;
+            }
+            s.state = LinkState::Reconnecting;
+            s.attempts = 0;
+            s.down_since = Some(now);
+        }
+        self.wake();
+    }
+
+    /// The events socket came back. Does not clear the state on its own: the
+    /// socket carries no identity, and only a probe can say which daemon
+    /// answered.
+    pub fn note_connected(&self) {
+        self.wake();
+    }
+
+    /// Fold in a successful `/api/info`. A reply on a new commit is recorded as
+    /// an upgrade; either way the link is back online.
+    pub fn apply_info(&self, info: DaemonInfo) {
+        {
+            let mut s = self.write();
+            if let Some(before) = &s.identity {
+                if compare_identity(before, &info) == RestartKind::Upgraded {
+                    s.upgraded_to = Some(info.build.clone());
+                }
+            }
+            s.identity = Some(info);
+            s.state = LinkState::Online;
+            s.attempts = 0;
+            s.down_since = None;
+        }
+        self.wake();
+    }
+
+    /// Fold in a failed probe. The overlay goes up once the grace window since
+    /// the disconnect has passed.
+    pub fn probe_failed(&self, now: Instant) {
+        {
+            let mut s = self.write();
+            s.attempts = s.attempts.saturating_add(1);
+            let since = *s.down_since.get_or_insert(now);
+            if now.duration_since(since) >= GRACE {
+                s.state = LinkState::Down;
+            } else if s.state == LinkState::Online {
+                s.state = LinkState::Reconnecting;
+            }
+        }
+        self.wake();
+    }
+
+    /// Long-running task: keep [`LinkStatus`] true. Probes on a flat cadence
+    /// while the daemon is unreachable and idles while it is up. Never returns.
+    pub async fn run_probe_loop(self, daemon: DaemonClient) {
+        loop {
+            if self.read().state == LinkState::Online {
+                // A tick bounds the wait so a disconnect racing the notify
+                // costs a second, not the whole outage.
+                let _ = tokio::time::timeout(Duration::from_secs(1), self.changed()).await;
+                continue;
+            }
+            match daemon.daemon_info().await {
+                Ok(info) => self.apply_info(info),
+                Err(_) => {
+                    self.probe_failed(Instant::now());
+                    tokio::time::sleep(POLL).await;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn wake(&self) {
+        self.inner.notify.notify_waiters();
+    }
+
+    fn read(&self) -> std::sync::RwLockReadGuard<'_, State> {
+        self.inner
+            .state
+            .read()
+            .expect("daemon link rwlock poisoned")
+    }
+
+    fn write(&self) -> std::sync::RwLockWriteGuard<'_, State> {
+        self.inner
+            .state
+            .write()
+            .expect("daemon link rwlock poisoned")
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    fn info(commit: &str, instance: &str) -> DaemonInfo {
+        DaemonInfo {
+            hostname: "konishi".into(),
+            version: "0.1.0".into(),
+            home_dir: "/home/naps".into(),
+            presets: Vec::new(),
+            build: BuildInfo {
+                commit: commit.into(),
+                commit_date: "2026-09-02T14:03:11Z".into(),
+                dirty: false,
+            },
+            instance: instance.into(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn identity_tells_upgrade_from_restart() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            compare_identity(&info("aaa", "i1"), &info("bbb", "i2")),
+            RestartKind::Upgraded
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            compare_identity(&info("aaa", "i1"), &info("aaa", "i2")),
+            RestartKind::Restarted
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            compare_identity(&info("aaa", "i1"), &info("aaa", "i1")),
+            RestartKind::Same
+        );
+        // No build stamp: the instance still reports the restart, and nothing
+        // ever claims a phantom upgrade.
+        assert_eq!(
+            compare_identity(&info("", "i1"), &info("", "i2")),
+            RestartKind::Restarted
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn release_line_pairs_hash_with_date() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            format_release(&info("f89be4a716c7", "i1").build),
+            "f89be4a716c7 · 2026-09-02"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            format_release(&BuildInfo {
+                commit: "abc".into(),
+                commit_date: String::new(),
+                dirty: true,
+            }),
+            "abc (dirty)"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(format_release(&BuildInfo::default()), "unknown release");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn grace_window_holds_the_overlay_back() {
+        let link = DaemonLink::default();
+        link.apply_info(info("aaa", "i1"));
+        assert_eq!(link.status().state, LinkState::Online);
+
+        let t0 = Instant::now();
+        link.note_disconnected(t0);
+        assert_eq!(link.status().state, LinkState::Reconnecting);
+        assert!(!link.is_blocking());
+
+        link.probe_failed(t0 + Duration::from_millis(400));
+        assert_eq!(link.status().state, LinkState::Reconnecting);
+
+        link.probe_failed(t0 + GRACE);
+        assert_eq!(link.status().state, LinkState::Down);
+        assert!(link.is_blocking());
+        assert_eq!(link.status().attempts, 2);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn a_plain_restart_unlocks_without_an_upgrade_note() {
+        let link = DaemonLink::default();
+        link.apply_info(info("aaa", "i1"));
+        let t0 = Instant::now();
+        link.note_disconnected(t0);
+        link.probe_failed(t0 + GRACE);
+        assert!(link.is_blocking());
+
+        link.apply_info(info("aaa", "i2"));
+        assert_eq!(link.status().state, LinkState::Online);
+        assert!(link.status().upgraded_to.is_none());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn an_upgrade_unlocks_and_names_the_new_release() {
+        let link = DaemonLink::default();
+        link.apply_info(info("aaa", "i1"));
+        let t0 = Instant::now();
+        link.note_disconnected(t0);
+        link.probe_failed(t0 + GRACE);
+
+        link.apply_info(info("bbb", "i2"));
+        let status = link.status();
+        assert_eq!(status.state, LinkState::Online);
+        assert_eq!(status.upgraded_to.unwrap().commit, "bbb");
+        assert!(!link.is_blocking());
+    }
+}

crates/maestro-tui/src/lib.rs

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ pub mod app;
 pub mod catalog;
 pub mod cli;
 pub mod config;
+pub mod daemon_link;
 pub mod draft;
 pub mod emulators;
 pub mod fast_forward;
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ use ratatui::Terminal;
 use crate::app::App;
 use crate::catalog::CatalogStore;
 use crate::config::TuiConfig;
+use crate::daemon_link::DaemonLink;
 
 /// Inputs for [`run`]. Built by the umbrella binary from the parsed
 /// `TuiArgs` plus any global flags.
@@ -94,8 +96,15 @@ pub async fn run(cfg: RunConfig) -> Result<(), TuiError> {
     let ws_url = daemon
         .events_url()
         .map_err(|e| TuiError::Config(e.to_string()))?;
+    // The link watches the same daemon over `/api/info`; the events socket
+    // reports its own connects and disconnects into it (`docs/RESTART.md`).
+    let link = DaemonLink::default();
     let bg_catalog = catalog.clone();
-    tokio::spawn(async move { bg_catalog.run_events_loop(ws_url).await });
+    let ws_link = link.clone();
+    tokio::spawn(async move { bg_catalog.run_events_loop_reporting(ws_url, ws_link).await });
+    let probe_link = link.clone();
+    let probe_daemon = daemon.clone();
+    tokio::spawn(async move { probe_link.run_probe_loop(probe_daemon).await });
 
     // Wait briefly for the bootstrap Snapshot to land. If it doesn't, we
     // still enter the UI — the sidebar will populate when events flow.
@@ -107,7 +116,7 @@ pub async fn run(cfg: RunConfig) -> Result<(), TuiError> {
     let backend = CrosstermBackend::new(std::io::stdout());
     let mut terminal = Terminal::new(backend).map_err(|e| TuiError::Terminal(e.to_string()))?;
 
-    let app = App::new(tui_cfg, catalog, daemon);
+    let app = App::new(tui_cfg, catalog, daemon, link);
     app.run(&mut terminal).await
 }
 

crates/maestro-tui/src/overlays.rs

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //! Overlay widgets: spawn modal, kill-confirm prompt, rename prompt, help
-//! overlay, transient toast.
+//! overlay, restart overlay, transient toast.
 //!
 //! All overlays are centered popups drawn over the rest of the UI; the
 //! `Clear` widget wipes the underlying buffer before drawing.
@@ -33,6 +33,42 @@ impl SpawnModal {
     }
 }
 
+/// Shown while the daemon is unreachable past the grace window, over
+/// everything else, with the keyboard locked (`docs/RESTART.md`). Nothing to
+/// dismiss: it clears itself when a probe succeeds.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+pub struct RestartOverlay {
+    /// Failed probes so far, so a long restart doesn't read as a hang.
+    pub attempts: u32,
+    /// The release the daemon was running before it went away.
+    pub release: String,
+}
+
+impl RestartOverlay {
+    pub fn render(&self, f: &mut Frame, parent: Rect) {
+        let area = centered(parent, 54, 7);
+        f.render_widget(Clear, area);
+        let block = Block::default()
+            .title(" daemon restarting ")
+            .borders(Borders::ALL);
+        let inner = block.inner(area);
+        f.render_widget(block, area);
+        let attempts = if self.attempts <= 1 {
+            String::new()
+        } else {
+            format!(" ({} attempts)", self.attempts)
+        };
+        let lines = vec![
+            Line::from("Waiting for the daemon to come back…"),
+            Line::from(format!("Polling /api/info{attempts}")),
+            Line::from(""),
+            Line::from(format!("was: {}", self.release)),
+            Line::from("Sessions are held by tmux and survive the restart."),
+        ];
+        f.render_widget(Paragraph::new(lines), inner);
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct KillConfirm {
     pub label: String,

crates/maestro-tui/src/render.rs

@@ -3,14 +3,17 @@
 //! hit-test mouse clicks.
 
 use ratatui::layout::{Constraint, Direction, Layout, Rect};
-use ratatui::style::Modifier;
+use ratatui::style::{Modifier, Style};
 use ratatui::text::Span;
 use ratatui::widgets::Paragraph;
 use ratatui::Frame;
 
+use maestro_protocol::ActivityState;
+
+use crate::daemon_link::{format_release, LinkState, LinkStatus};
 use crate::input::Region;
 use crate::keymap::Mode;
-use crate::overlays::{HelpOverlay, KillConfirm, RenamePrompt, SpawnModal, Toast};
+use crate::overlays::{HelpOverlay, KillConfirm, RenamePrompt, RestartOverlay, SpawnModal, Toast};
 use crate::palette;
 use crate::pane::Pane;
 use crate::sidebar::Sidebar;
@@ -83,6 +86,9 @@ pub struct RenderInputs<'a> {
     pub help: &'a HelpOverlay,
     /// Edit buffer behind the rename prompt (#125).
     pub rename_input: &'a crate::text_input::TextInput,
+    /// Liveness + release of the daemon, for the status bar's indicator and the
+    /// restart overlay (`docs/RESTART.md`).
+    pub link: &'a crate::daemon_link::LinkStatus,
 }
 
 /// Draw one frame. Returns the `RegionMap` the input router will consult for
@@ -145,7 +151,7 @@ pub fn draw(f: &mut Frame, inputs: RenderInputs<'_>) -> RegionMap {
 
     // Status bar — always visible, never eclipsed by overlays so the user can
     // always see the current mode + key hints.
-    render_status_bar(f, status_area, inputs.state);
+    render_status_bar(f, status_area, inputs.state, inputs.link);
 
     match inputs.state.overlay() {
         Some(OverlayKind::Spawn) => {
@@ -203,6 +209,22 @@ pub fn draw(f: &mut Frame, inputs: RenderInputs<'_>) -> RegionMap {
         None => {}
     }
 
+    // Last, so it covers whatever else is up: while the daemon is gone none of
+    // it can act (`docs/RESTART.md`).
+    if inputs.link.state == LinkState::Down {
+        RestartOverlay {
+            attempts: inputs.link.attempts,
+            release: inputs
+                .link
+                .build
+                .as_ref()
+                .map(format_release)
+                .unwrap_or_else(|| "unknown release".to_string()),
+        }
+        .render(f, area);
+        map.modal = Some(area);
+    }
+
     map
 }
 
@@ -220,7 +242,16 @@ fn render_title_bar(f: &mut Frame, area: Rect, title: &str, focused: bool) {
 /// Render the always-visible status bar at the bottom of the frame. Surfaces
 /// mode + focused panel + the most useful key hints so the user is never
 /// guessing what state they're in.
-fn render_status_bar(f: &mut Frame, area: Rect, state: &AppState) {
+fn render_status_bar(f: &mut Frame, area: Rect, state: &AppState, link: &LinkStatus) {
+    // The daemon indicator is pinned right and sized to its own text, so a
+    // narrow terminal truncates the key hints rather than the release.
+    let label = link_label(link);
+    let indicator_w = (label.chars().count() as u16).saturating_add(3);
+    let cols = Layout::default()
+        .direction(Direction::Horizontal)
+        .constraints([Constraint::Min(0), Constraint::Length(indicator_w)])
+        .split(area);
+
     let mode_label = match state.mode {
         Mode::Normal => "[NORMAL]",
         Mode::Insert => "[INSERT]",
@@ -238,7 +269,42 @@ fn render_status_bar(f: &mut Frame, area: Rect, state: &AppState) {
         Span::styled(format!(" {mode_label} "), mode_style),
         Span::raw(format!("  {focus_label}  •  {hint}")),
     ]);
-    f.render_widget(Paragraph::new(line), area);
+    f.render_widget(Paragraph::new(line), cols[0]);
+
+    let indicator = ratatui::text::Line::from(vec![
+        Span::styled(" ●", Style::default().fg(link_colour(link.state))),
+        Span::raw(format!(" {label} ")),
+    ]);
+    f.render_widget(Paragraph::new(indicator), cols[1]);
+}
+
+/// The status dot's colour: the same three the sidebar cards use for session
+/// activity, so "green is fine, red is broken" reads the same everywhere.
+fn link_colour(state: LinkState) -> ratatui::style::Color {
+    let card = palette::active().card;
+    match state {
+        LinkState::Online => card.activity(ActivityState::Active),
+        LinkState::Connecting | LinkState::Reconnecting => {
+            card.activity(ActivityState::AwaitingInput)
+        }
+        LinkState::Down => card.activity(ActivityState::Error),
+    }
+}
+
+/// What sits next to the dot. The browser shows the release on hover; a
+/// terminal has no hover, so it is always on the line — replaced by the state
+/// while the daemon is not answering, which is the more urgent fact.
+fn link_label(link: &LinkStatus) -> String {
+    match link.state {
+        LinkState::Connecting => "connecting…".to_string(),
+        LinkState::Reconnecting => "reconnecting…".to_string(),
+        LinkState::Down => "daemon unreachable".to_string(),
+        LinkState::Online => match (&link.upgraded_to, &link.build) {
+            (Some(build), _) => format!("updated: {} (restart tui)", format_release(build)),
+            (None, Some(build)) => format_release(build),
+            (None, None) => "unknown release".to_string(),
+        },
+    }
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
@@ -246,6 +312,16 @@ mod tests {
     use super::*;
     use crate::input::Region;
 
+    /// A link that answered — the normal case every other render test assumes.
+    fn online_link() -> LinkStatus {
+        LinkStatus {
+            state: LinkState::Online,
+            build: None,
+            attempts: 0,
+            upgraded_to: None,
+        }
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn region_map_resolves_known_areas() {
         let map = RegionMap {
@@ -331,6 +407,96 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    fn frame_text(link: &LinkStatus) -> String {
+        use crate::overlays::HelpOverlay;
+        use std::collections::HashSet;
+
+        let sidebar = Sidebar {
+            sessions: Vec::new(),
+            highlight: None,
+            attached: HashSet::new(),
+        };
+        let help = HelpOverlay { lines: Vec::new() };
+        let state = AppState::new();
+        let inputs = RenderInputs {
+            sidebar: &sidebar,
+            home_dir: "",
+            pane_title: "session",
+            pane: None,
+            draft: None,
+            state: &state,
+            help: &help,
+            rename_input: &crate::text_input::TextInput::default(),
+            link,
+        };
+        let backend = ratatui::backend::TestBackend::new(120, 24);
+        let mut terminal = ratatui::Terminal::new(backend).unwrap();
+        terminal
+            .draw(|f| {
+                draw(f, inputs);
+            })
+            .unwrap();
+        let buf = terminal.backend().buffer().clone();
+        buf.content()
+            .iter()
+            .map(|c| c.symbol())
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+            .join("")
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn the_status_bar_names_the_release_the_daemon_is_running() {
+        let text = frame_text(&LinkStatus {
+            state: LinkState::Online,
+            build: Some(maestro_protocol::BuildInfo {
+                commit: "f89be4a716c7".into(),
+                commit_date: "2026-09-02T14:03:11Z".into(),
+                dirty: false,
+            }),
+            attempts: 0,
+            upgraded_to: None,
+        });
+        assert!(text.contains("f89be4a716c7"), "{text}");
+        assert!(text.contains("2026-09-02"), "{text}");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn an_unreachable_daemon_covers_the_frame_with_the_restart_overlay() {
+        let up = frame_text(&LinkStatus {
+            state: LinkState::Online,
+            build: None,
+            attempts: 0,
+            upgraded_to: None,
+        });
+        assert!(!up.contains("daemon restarting"));
+
+        let down = frame_text(&LinkStatus {
+            state: LinkState::Down,
+            build: None,
+            attempts: 4,
+            upgraded_to: None,
+        });
+        assert!(down.contains("daemon restarting"), "{down}");
+        assert!(down.contains("(4 attempts)"), "{down}");
+        assert!(down.contains("daemon unreachable"), "{down}");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn an_upgraded_daemon_tells_the_user_to_restart_the_tui() {
+        let text = frame_text(&LinkStatus {
+            state: LinkState::Online,
+            build: Some(maestro_protocol::BuildInfo::default()),
+            attempts: 0,
+            upgraded_to: Some(maestro_protocol::BuildInfo {
+                commit: "bbb111222333".into(),
+                commit_date: "2026-09-03T09:00:00Z".into(),
+                dirty: false,
+            }),
+        });
+        assert!(text.contains("updated: bbb111222333"), "{text}");
+        assert!(text.contains("restart tui"), "{text}");
+    }
+
     /// The spawn form is a modal: the frame shows it over whatever the pane
     /// was displaying, framed by its own border.
     #[test]
@@ -356,6 +522,7 @@ mod tests {
             state: &state,
             help: &help,
             rename_input: &crate::text_input::TextInput::default(),
+            link: &online_link(),
         };
 
         let backend = ratatui::backend::TestBackend::new(80, 24);
@@ -408,6 +575,7 @@ mod tests {
                 state: &state,
                 help: &help,
                 rename_input: &crate::text_input::TextInput::default(),
+                link: &online_link(),
             };
             let backend = ratatui::backend::TestBackend::new(80, 24);
             let mut terminal = ratatui::Terminal::new(backend).unwrap();
@@ -447,6 +615,7 @@ mod tests {
                 state: &state,
                 help: &help,
                 rename_input: &crate::text_input::TextInput::default(),
+                link: &online_link(),
             };
             let backend = ratatui::backend::TestBackend::new(80, 24);
             let mut terminal = ratatui::Terminal::new(backend).unwrap();

docs/RESTART.md

@@ -50,17 +50,23 @@ in both clients. Its colour is the link state, and it names the running release
 — commit hash and commit date — on hover (web) or in the status bar (TUI).
 
 | state          | colour | meaning                                              |
-| -------------- | ------ | -------------------------------------------------- |
+| -------------- | ------ | ---------------------------------------------------- |
 | `connecting`   | amber  | first probe hasn't landed                            |
 | `online`       | green  | daemon answered; same process, or a resolved new one |
 | `reconnecting` | amber  | socket dropped, still inside the grace window        |
 | `down`         | red    | unreachable past the grace window — the UI blocks    |
 | `updating`     | red    | answered on a new commit; the page is reloading      |
 
+`updating` is web-only, because reloading is web-only. The TUI goes straight
+back to `online` after an upgrade and puts `updated: <hash> (restart tui)` on
+its status bar instead, until the user restarts it.
+
 The **restart overlay** is up for exactly `down` and `updating`. It is not
 dismissable and it swallows the app's keyboard shortcuts: everything behind it
-would act on a daemon that is not there. It clears itself the moment a probe
-succeeds — there is no "retry" button, because the client is already retrying.
+would act on a daemon that is not there. In the TUI the quit binding still
+resolves, so a blocked client is never a trapped one. It clears itself the
+moment a probe succeeds — there is no "retry" button, because the client is
+already retrying.
 
 ## Timing