diff --git a/src/mcp/daemonRecord.ts b/src/mcp/daemonRecord.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c46b6b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/mcp/daemonRecord.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+import fs from "node:fs";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import { dirname, join } from "node:path";
+import { resolveHunkMcpConfig, type ResolvedHunkMcpConfig } from "./config";
+
+export interface HunkDaemonRecord {
+  pid: number;
+  startedAt: string;
+  instanceId: string;
+}
+
+function sanitizeHost(host: string) {
+  return host.replace(/[^a-z0-9_.:-]+/gi, "_");
+}
+
+function runtimeUserSuffix(env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env) {
+  if (typeof process.getuid === "function") {
+    return String(process.getuid());
+  }
+
+  return env.USER?.trim() || env.USERNAME?.trim() || "shared";
+}
+
+function resolveDaemonRuntimeDir(env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env) {
+  const configured = env.XDG_RUNTIME_DIR?.trim();
+  if (configured) {
+    return join(configured, "hunk");
+  }
+
+  return join(tmpdir(), `hunk-${runtimeUserSuffix(env)}`);
+}
+
+/** Resolve the per-user daemon record path for one host/port pair. */
+export function resolveDaemonRecordPath(
+  config: ResolvedHunkMcpConfig = resolveHunkMcpConfig(),
+  env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env,
+) {
+  return join(
+    resolveDaemonRuntimeDir(env),
+    `daemon-${sanitizeHost(config.host)}-${config.port}.json`,
+  );
+}
+
+function isDaemonRecord(value: unknown): value is HunkDaemonRecord {
+  if (!value || typeof value !== "object") {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  const candidate = value as Record<string, unknown>;
+  return (
+    typeof candidate.pid === "number" &&
+    Number.isInteger(candidate.pid) &&
+    candidate.pid > 0 &&
+    typeof candidate.startedAt === "string" &&
+    candidate.startedAt.length > 0 &&
+    typeof candidate.instanceId === "string" &&
+    candidate.instanceId.length > 0
+  );
+}
+
+/** Read one previously persisted daemon record, if it looks valid. */
+export function readDaemonRecord(
+  config: ResolvedHunkMcpConfig = resolveHunkMcpConfig(),
+  env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env,
+) {
+  const path = resolveDaemonRecordPath(config, env);
+  if (!fs.existsSync(path)) {
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  try {
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(path, "utf8")) as unknown;
+    return isDaemonRecord(parsed) ? parsed : null;
+  } catch {
+    return null;
+  }
+}
+
+/** Persist the currently running daemon's identity so sibling Hunk commands can verify it later. */
+export function writeDaemonRecord(
+  record: HunkDaemonRecord,
+  config: ResolvedHunkMcpConfig = resolveHunkMcpConfig(),
+  env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env,
+) {
+  const path = resolveDaemonRecordPath(config, env);
+  const directory = dirname(path);
+  fs.mkdirSync(directory, { recursive: true, mode: 0o700 });
+
+  const tempPath = `${path}.${process.pid}.${Date.now()}.tmp`;
+  fs.writeFileSync(tempPath, JSON.stringify(record), { mode: 0o600 });
+  fs.renameSync(tempPath, path);
+}
+
+/** Remove the persisted daemon identity if it still belongs to the same daemon instance. */
+export function clearDaemonRecord(
+  expected: Pick<HunkDaemonRecord, "pid" | "instanceId">,
+  config: ResolvedHunkMcpConfig = resolveHunkMcpConfig(),
+  env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env,
+) {
+  const path = resolveDaemonRecordPath(config, env);
+  const current = readDaemonRecord(config, env);
+  if (!current) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  if (current.pid !== expected.pid || current.instanceId !== expected.instanceId) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  try {
+    fs.unlinkSync(path);
+  } catch (error) {
+    if (!(error instanceof Error) || !("code" in error) || error.code !== "ENOENT") {
+      throw error;
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/mcp/server.ts b/src/mcp/server.ts
index b7bec51..32cd6ca 100644
--- a/src/mcp/server.ts
+++ b/src/mcp/server.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
+import { randomUUID } from "node:crypto";
 import { HUNK_SESSION_SOCKET_PATH, resolveHunkMcpConfig } from "./config";
+import { clearDaemonRecord, writeDaemonRecord } from "./daemonRecord";
 import { HunkDaemonState } from "./daemonState";
 import type { SessionClientMessage } from "./types";
 import {
@@ -158,6 +160,8 @@ export function serveHunkMcpServer() {
   const config = resolveHunkMcpConfig();
   const state = new HunkDaemonState();
   const startedAt = Date.now();
+  const startedAtIso = new Date(startedAt).toISOString();
+  const instanceId = randomUUID();
   let shuttingDown = false;
 
   const sweepTimer = setInterval(() => {
@@ -178,7 +182,8 @@ export function serveHunkMcpServer() {
           return Response.json({
             ok: true,
             pid: process.pid,
-            startedAt: new Date(startedAt).toISOString(),
+            startedAt: startedAtIso,
+            instanceId,
             uptimeMs: Date.now() - startedAt,
             sessionApi: `${config.httpOrigin}${HUNK_SESSION_API_PATH}`,
             sessionCapabilities: `${config.httpOrigin}${HUNK_SESSION_CAPABILITIES_PATH}`,
@@ -252,6 +257,15 @@ export function serveHunkMcpServer() {
     throw formatDaemonServeError(error, config.host, config.port);
   }
 
+  writeDaemonRecord(
+    {
+      pid: process.pid,
+      startedAt: startedAtIso,
+      instanceId,
+    },
+    config,
+  );
+
   const shutdown = () => {
     if (shuttingDown) {
       return;
@@ -262,6 +276,7 @@ export function serveHunkMcpServer() {
     process.off("SIGINT", shutdown);
     process.off("SIGTERM", shutdown);
 
+    clearDaemonRecord({ pid: process.pid, instanceId }, config);
     state.shutdown();
     server.stop(true);
   };
diff --git a/src/session/commands.ts b/src/session/commands.ts
index a90b014..8c69142 100644
--- a/src/session/commands.ts
+++ b/src/session/commands.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { readFileSync } from "node:fs";
 import { resolve } from "node:path";
 import type {
   SessionCommandInput,
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ import {
   waitForHunkDaemonHealth,
 } from "../mcp/daemonLauncher";
 import { resolveHunkMcpConfig } from "../mcp/config";
+import { readDaemonRecord } from "../mcp/daemonRecord";
 import type {
   AppliedCommentResult,
   ClearedCommentsResult,
@@ -214,6 +216,14 @@ class HttpHunkDaemonCliClient implements HunkDaemonCliClient {
   }
 }
 
+interface HunkDaemonHealth {
+  ok: boolean;
+  pid?: number;
+  startedAt?: string;
+  instanceId?: string;
+  sessions?: number;
+}
+
 async function readDaemonHealth() {
   const config = resolveHunkMcpConfig();
 
@@ -223,14 +233,52 @@ async function readDaemonHealth() {
       return null;
     }
 
-    return (await response.json()) as {
-      ok: boolean;
-      pid?: number;
-      sessions?: number;
-    };
+    return (await response.json()) as HunkDaemonHealth;
+  } catch {
+    return null;
+  }
+}
+
+function looksLikeHunkDaemonProcess(pid: number) {
+  try {
+    const tokens = readFileSync(`/proc/${pid}/cmdline`, "utf8").split("\0").filter(Boolean);
+    if (tokens.length < 2 || tokens.at(-2) !== "mcp" || tokens.at(-1) !== "serve") {
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    return tokens.some(
+      (token) =>
+        /(^|[\\/])hunk(?:\.[cm]?js)?$/i.test(token) || /(^|[\\/])src[\\/]main\.tsx$/i.test(token),
+    );
   } catch {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
+function isTrustedManagedDaemon(health: HunkDaemonHealth | null) {
+  if (!health || typeof health.pid !== "number") {
     return null;
   }
+
+  const record = readDaemonRecord();
+  if (
+    record &&
+    record.pid === health.pid &&
+    record.startedAt === health.startedAt &&
+    record.instanceId === health.instanceId
+  ) {
+    return record;
+  }
+
+  if (looksLikeHunkDaemonProcess(health.pid)) {
+    return {
+      pid: health.pid,
+      startedAt: health.startedAt ?? "",
+      instanceId: health.instanceId ?? "legacy-daemon",
+    };
+  }
+
+  return null;
 }
 
 async function waitForDaemonShutdown(timeoutMs = 3_000) {
@@ -290,16 +338,16 @@ async function restartDaemonForMissingAction(
   selector?: SessionSelectorInput,
 ) {
   const health = await readDaemonHealth();
-  const pid = health?.pid;
+  const trustedDaemon = isTrustedManagedDaemon(health);
   const hadSessions = (health?.sessions ?? 0) > 0;
-  if (!pid || pid === process.pid) {
+  if (!trustedDaemon || trustedDaemon.pid === process.pid) {
     throw new Error(
-      `The running Hunk session daemon is missing required support for ${action}. ` +
+      `The running Hunk session daemon is missing required support for ${action}, but Hunk could not verify that it owns the process on this port. ` +
         `Restart Hunk so it can launch a fresh daemon from the current source tree.`,
     );
   }
 
-  process.kill(pid, "SIGTERM");
+  process.kill(trustedDaemon.pid, "SIGTERM");
 
   const shutDown = await waitForDaemonShutdown();
   if (!shutDown) {
diff --git a/test/daemon-record.test.ts b/test/daemon-record.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8f4b9ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/daemon-record.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, test } from "bun:test";
+import { mkdtempSync, rmSync } from "node:fs";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import {
+  clearDaemonRecord,
+  readDaemonRecord,
+  resolveDaemonRecordPath,
+  writeDaemonRecord,
+} from "../src/mcp/daemonRecord";
+import type { ResolvedHunkMcpConfig } from "../src/mcp/config";
+
+const originalRuntimeDir = process.env.XDG_RUNTIME_DIR;
+
+const config: ResolvedHunkMcpConfig = {
+  host: "127.0.0.1",
+  port: 47657,
+  httpOrigin: "http://127.0.0.1:47657",
+  wsOrigin: "ws://127.0.0.1:47657",
+};
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  if (originalRuntimeDir === undefined) {
+    delete process.env.XDG_RUNTIME_DIR;
+  } else {
+    process.env.XDG_RUNTIME_DIR = originalRuntimeDir;
+  }
+});
+
+describe("daemon record", () => {
+  test("writes, reads, and clears one trusted daemon record", () => {
+    const runtimeDir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "hunk-daemon-record-"));
+    process.env.XDG_RUNTIME_DIR = runtimeDir;
+
+    const record = {
+      pid: 4242,
+      startedAt: "2026-03-23T00:00:00.000Z",
+      instanceId: "instance-1",
+    };
+
+    try {
+      expect(readDaemonRecord(config)).toBeNull();
+
+      writeDaemonRecord(record, config);
+      expect(readDaemonRecord(config)).toEqual(record);
+
+      clearDaemonRecord({ pid: 9999, instanceId: "other-instance" }, config);
+      expect(readDaemonRecord(config)).toEqual(record);
+
+      clearDaemonRecord({ pid: record.pid, instanceId: record.instanceId }, config);
+      expect(readDaemonRecord(config)).toBeNull();
+    } finally {
+      rmSync(runtimeDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
+  test("separates daemon records by host and port", () => {
+    const runtimeDir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "hunk-daemon-record-paths-"));
+    process.env.XDG_RUNTIME_DIR = runtimeDir;
+
+    try {
+      const first = resolveDaemonRecordPath(config);
+      const second = resolveDaemonRecordPath({
+        ...config,
+        host: "localhost",
+        port: 47658,
+        httpOrigin: "http://localhost:47658",
+        wsOrigin: "ws://localhost:47658",
+      });
+
+      expect(first).not.toBe(second);
+    } finally {
+      rmSync(runtimeDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+});
diff --git a/test/mcp-server.test.ts b/test/mcp-server.test.ts
index 05a3131..2ec9eee 100644
--- a/test/mcp-server.test.ts
+++ b/test/mcp-server.test.ts
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ describe("Hunk session daemon server", () => {
     }
   });
 
-  test("exposes session capabilities and rejects the old MCP tool endpoint", async () => {
+  test("exposes health + session capabilities and rejects the old MCP tool endpoint", async () => {
     const port = await reserveLoopbackPort();
     process.env.HUNK_MCP_HOST = "127.0.0.1";
     process.env.HUNK_MCP_PORT = String(port);
@@ -75,6 +75,15 @@ describe("Hunk session daemon server", () => {
     const server = serveHunkMcpServer();
 
     try {
+      const health = await fetch(`http://127.0.0.1:${port}/health`);
+      expect(health.status).toBe(200);
+      await expect(health.json()).resolves.toMatchObject({
+        ok: true,
+        pid: process.pid,
+        startedAt: expect.any(String),
+        instanceId: expect.any(String),
+      });
+
       const capabilities = await fetch(`http://127.0.0.1:${port}/session-api/capabilities`);
       expect(capabilities.status).toBe(200);
       await expect(capabilities.json()).resolves.toMatchObject({