diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 282dce48..3ded1cf7 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**: 0.1567 (must match `package.json` for npm publish)
+**Version**: 0.1568 (must match `package.json` for npm publish)
 
 ## Project Overview
 
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ The frontend is a single 16K-line vanilla JS file with these key systems:
 
 **Z-index layers**: subagent windows (1000), plan agents (1100), log viewers (2000), image popups (3000), local echo overlay (7).
 
-**Built-in respawn presets**: `solo-work` (3s idle, 60min), `subagent-workflow` (45s idle, 240min), `team-lead` (90s idle, 480min), `overnight-autonomous` (10s idle, 480min, full reset).
+**Built-in respawn presets**: `solo-work` (3s idle, 60min), `subagent-workflow` (45s idle, 240min), `team-lead` (90s idle, 480min), `ralph-todo` (8s idle, 480min, works through @fix_plan.md tasks), `overnight-autonomous` (10s idle, 480min, full reset).
 
 **Keyboard shortcuts**: Escape (close panels), Ctrl+? (help), Ctrl+Enter (quick start), Ctrl+W (kill session), Ctrl+Tab (next session), Ctrl+K (kill all), Ctrl+L (clear), Ctrl+Shift+R (restore size), Ctrl/Cmd +/- (font size).
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index c58c5130..f20a63e1 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "claudeman",
-  "version": "0.1567",
+  "version": "0.1568",
   "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/session.ts b/src/session.ts
index 37a37410..39c77c6e 100644
--- a/src/session.ts
+++ b/src/session.ts
@@ -878,9 +878,7 @@ export class Session extends EventEmitter {
           // Create a new mux session
           this._muxSession = await this._mux.createSession(this.id, this.workingDir, 'claude', this._name, this._niceConfig, this._model);
           console.log('[Session] Created mux session:', this._muxSession.muxName);
-
-          // Wait a moment for mux to fully start
-          await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, MUX_STARTUP_DELAY_MS));
+          // No extra sleep — createSession() already waits for tmux readiness
         }
 
         // Attach to the mux session via PTY
@@ -1176,9 +1174,7 @@ export class Session extends EventEmitter {
           // Create a new mux session
           this._muxSession = await this._mux.createSession(this.id, this.workingDir, 'shell', this._name, this._niceConfig);
           console.log('[Session] Created mux session:', this._muxSession.muxName);
-
-          // Wait a moment for mux to fully start
-          await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, MUX_STARTUP_DELAY_MS));
+          // No extra sleep — createSession() already waits for tmux readiness
         }
 
         // Attach to the mux session via PTY
diff --git a/src/tmux-manager.ts b/src/tmux-manager.ts
index 71480116..84c0af76 100644
--- a/src/tmux-manager.ts
+++ b/src/tmux-manager.ts
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ import { findClaudeDir } from './utils/claude-cli-resolver.js';
 /** Timeout for exec commands (5 seconds) */
 const EXEC_TIMEOUT_MS = 5000;
 
-/** Delay after tmux session creation (300ms) */
-const TMUX_CREATION_WAIT_MS = 300;
+/** Delay after tmux session creation — enough for detached tmux to be queryable */
+const TMUX_CREATION_WAIT_MS = 100;
 
 /** Delay after tmux kill command (200ms) */
 const TMUX_KILL_WAIT_MS = 200;
@@ -298,7 +298,9 @@ export class TmuxManager extends EventEmitter implements TerminalMultiplexer {
         );
       }
 
-      await Promise.all(configPromises);
+      // Fire-and-forget — these are non-critical UX niceties that don't need
+      // 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);
diff --git a/src/web/public/app.js b/src/web/public/app.js
index 9c6d3c12..4bfcf949 100644
--- a/src/web/public/app.js
+++ b/src/web/public/app.js
@@ -96,6 +96,23 @@ const BUILTIN_RESPAWN_PRESETS = [
     builtIn: true,
     createdAt: 0,
   },
+  {
+    id: 'ralph-todo',
+    name: 'Ralph/Todo',
+    description: 'Ralph Loop task list — works through todos with progress tracking',
+    config: {
+      idleTimeoutMs: 8000,
+      updatePrompt: 'update CLAUDE.md with discoveries and progress notes, mark completed tasks in @fix_plan.md, write a brief summary so the next cycle can continue seamlessly.',
+      interStepDelayMs: 3000,
+      sendClear: true,
+      sendInit: true,
+      kickstartPrompt: 'read @fix_plan.md for task status, continue on the next uncompleted task. When ALL tasks are complete, output <promise>COMPLETE</promise>.',
+      autoAcceptPrompts: true,
+    },
+    durationMinutes: 480,
+    builtIn: true,
+    createdAt: 0,
+  },
   {
     id: 'overnight-autonomous',
     name: 'Overnight',
diff --git a/src/web/server.ts b/src/web/server.ts
index a3dd2145..b470525b 100644
--- a/src/web/server.ts
+++ b/src/web/server.ts
@@ -4635,37 +4635,42 @@ NOW: Generate the implementation plan for the task above. Think step by step.`;
     return undefined;
   }
 
-  // Helper to get global Nice priority config from settings
-  private async getGlobalNiceConfig(): Promise<NiceConfig | undefined> {
+  // Read ~/.claudeman/settings.json once and return the parsed object.
+  // Cached for 2s to avoid redundant reads during session creation bursts.
+  private _settingsCache: { data: Record<string, unknown>; ts: number } | null = null;
+  private async readSettings(): Promise<Record<string, unknown>> {
+    const now = Date.now();
+    if (this._settingsCache && now - this._settingsCache.ts < 2000) {
+      return this._settingsCache.data;
+    }
     const settingsPath = join(homedir(), '.claudeman', 'settings.json');
-
     try {
       const content = await fs.readFile(settingsPath, 'utf-8');
-      const settings = JSON.parse(content);
-      if (settings.nice && settings.nice.enabled) {
-        return {
-          enabled: settings.nice.enabled ?? false,
-          niceValue: settings.nice.niceValue ?? DEFAULT_NICE_CONFIG.niceValue,
-        };
-      }
-    } catch (err) {
-      if ((err as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code !== 'ENOENT') {
-        console.error('Failed to read Nice priority settings:', err);
-      }
+      const data = JSON.parse(content) as Record<string, unknown>;
+      this._settingsCache = { data, ts: now };
+      return data;
+    } catch {
+      return {};
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Helper to get global Nice priority config from settings
+  private async getGlobalNiceConfig(): Promise<NiceConfig | undefined> {
+    const settings = await this.readSettings();
+    const nice = settings.nice as { enabled?: boolean; niceValue?: number } | undefined;
+    if (nice && nice.enabled) {
+      return {
+        enabled: nice.enabled ?? false,
+        niceValue: nice.niceValue ?? DEFAULT_NICE_CONFIG.niceValue,
+      };
     }
     return undefined;
   }
 
   // Helper to get model configuration from settings
   private async getModelConfig(): Promise<{ defaultModel?: string; agentTypeOverrides?: Record<string, string> } | null> {
-    const settingsPath = join(homedir(), '.claudeman', 'settings.json');
-
-    try {
-      const content = await fs.readFile(settingsPath, 'utf-8');
-      return JSON.parse(content).modelConfig || null;
-    } catch {
-      return null;
-    }
+    const settings = await this.readSettings();
+    return (settings.modelConfig as { defaultModel?: string; agentTypeOverrides?: Record<string, string> }) || null;
   }
 
   private async startScheduledRun(prompt: string, workingDir: string, durationMinutes: number): Promise<ScheduledRun> {