diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 5bb537f4..c595cb21 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ When user says "COM":
 1. Increment version in BOTH `package.json` AND `CLAUDE.md` (verify they match with `grep version package.json && grep Version CLAUDE.md`)
 2. Run: `git add -A && git commit -m "chore: bump version to X.XXXX" && git push && npm run build && systemctl --user restart claudeman-web`
 
-**Version**: 0.1608 (must match `package.json`)
+**Version**: 0.1609 (must match `package.json`)
 
 ## Project Overview
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 8b20cafd..520f06fb 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "claudeman",
-  "version": "0.1608",
+  "version": "0.1609",
   "description": "The missing control plane for Claude Code - run 20 autonomous agents with real-time monitoring and session persistence",
   "type": "module",
   "main": "dist/index.js",
diff --git a/src/tmux-manager.ts b/src/tmux-manager.ts
index 84c0af76..349086d1 100644
--- a/src/tmux-manager.ts
+++ b/src/tmux-manager.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
  */
 
 import { EventEmitter } from 'node:events';
-import { spawn, execSync, exec } from 'node:child_process';
+import { execSync, exec } from 'node:child_process';
 import { promisify } from 'node:util';
 
 const execAsync = promisify(exec);
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@ const EXEC_TIMEOUT_MS = 5000;
 /** Delay after tmux session creation — enough for detached tmux to be queryable */
 const TMUX_CREATION_WAIT_MS = 100;
 
+/** Max retries for getPanePid — tmux server cold-start (e.g. macOS) may need extra time */
+const GET_PID_MAX_RETRIES = 5;
+const GET_PID_RETRY_MS = 200;
+
 /** Delay after tmux kill command (200ms) */
 const TMUX_KILL_WAIT_MS = 200;
 
@@ -253,25 +257,17 @@ export class TmuxManager extends EventEmitter implements TerminalMultiplexer {
       // Build the full command to run inside tmux
       const fullCmd = `${pathExport}${envExports} && ${cmd}`;
 
-      // Create tmux session in detached mode
+      // Create tmux session in detached mode using execSync so tmux server
+      // cold-start (common on macOS first run) completes before we query it.
       // -d: don't attach, -s: session name, -c: starting directory
       // -x/-y: initial window size
-      const tmuxProcess = spawn('tmux', [
-        'new-session',
-        '-ds', muxName,
-        '-c', workingDir,
-        '-x', '120',
-        '-y', '40',
-        'bash', '-c', fullCmd,
-      ], {
-        cwd: workingDir,
-        detached: true,
-        stdio: 'ignore',
-      });
+      const shellCmd = fullCmd.replace(/'/g, "'\\''");
+      execSync(
+        `tmux new-session -ds "${muxName}" -c "${workingDir}" -x 120 -y 40 bash -c '${shellCmd}'`,
+        { cwd: workingDir, timeout: EXEC_TIMEOUT_MS, stdio: 'ignore' }
+      );
 
-      tmuxProcess.unref();
-
-      // Wait for tmux session to start
+      // Wait for tmux session to be queryable
       await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, TMUX_CREATION_WAIT_MS));
 
       // Non-critical tmux config — run in parallel to avoid blocking event loop.
@@ -302,8 +298,12 @@ export class TmuxManager extends EventEmitter implements TerminalMultiplexer {
       // to complete before the session is usable. Errors are already swallowed.
       void Promise.all(configPromises);
 
-      // Get the PID of the pane process
-      const pid = this.getPanePid(muxName);
+      // Get the PID of the pane process (retry for tmux server cold-start)
+      let pid = this.getPanePid(muxName);
+      for (let i = 0; !pid && i < GET_PID_MAX_RETRIES; i++) {
+        await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, GET_PID_RETRY_MS));
+        pid = this.getPanePid(muxName);
+      }
       if (!pid) {
         throw new Error('Failed to get tmux pane PID');
       }