diff --git a/apps/cli/src/cli-client.ts b/apps/cli/src/cli-client.ts
index 7354add..7297232 100644
--- a/apps/cli/src/cli-client.ts
+++ b/apps/cli/src/cli-client.ts
@@ -31,24 +31,35 @@ function requestConnection(handshake: CliHandshake, timeoutMs: number): Promise<
       fn();
     };
 
-    sock.setEncoding("utf8");
-    sock.setTimeout(timeoutMs, () =>
-      settle(() => reject(new Error("Timed out waiting for the app to accept the connection"))),
-    );
-    sock.on("connect", () => sock.end(JSON.stringify(handshake)));
-    sock.on("data", (chunk) => {
-      buf += chunk;
-    });
-    sock.on("end", () => {
+    const settleReply = (raw: string) => {
       let reply: CliHandshakeReply;
       try {
-        reply = JSON.parse(buf) as CliHandshakeReply;
+        reply = JSON.parse(raw) as CliHandshakeReply;
       } catch (e) {
         settle(() => reject(e instanceof Error ? e : new Error(String(e))));
         return;
       }
       if (reply.ok) settle(resolve);
       else settle(() => reject(new Error(reply.error)));
+    };
+
+    sock.setEncoding("utf8");
+    sock.setTimeout(timeoutMs, () =>
+      settle(() => reject(new Error("Timed out waiting for the app to accept the connection"))),
+    );
+    // Windows named pipes do not support half-open: an `end()` here tears the
+    // pipe down before the app can reply. Frame the handshake with a newline
+    // instead and keep the socket open until the (newline-framed) reply lands.
+    sock.on("connect", () => sock.write(JSON.stringify(handshake) + "\n"));
+    sock.on("data", (chunk) => {
+      buf += chunk;
+      const nl = buf.indexOf("\n");
+      if (nl !== -1) settleReply(buf.slice(0, nl));
+    });
+    sock.on("end", () => {
+      // Unix servers may still close without a trailing newline.
+      if (buf.length > 0) settleReply(buf);
+      else settle(() => reject(new Error("App closed the handshake socket without replying")));
     });
     sock.on("error", (err) => settle(() => reject(err)));
   });
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/cli-server.ts b/apps/desktop/src/cli-server.ts
index c78cf30..6290648 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/cli-server.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/cli-server.ts
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ async function deliverHandshake(handshake: CliHandshake, sock: Socket): Promise<
   } catch (err) {
     reply = { ok: false, error: (err as Error).message };
   }
-  if (!sock.destroyed) sock.end(JSON.stringify(reply));
+  if (!sock.destroyed) sock.end(JSON.stringify(reply) + "\n");
 }
 
 export function startCliServer() {
@@ -107,24 +107,35 @@ export function startCliServer() {
   cliServer = createServer({ allowHalfOpen: true }, (sock: Socket) => {
     enableHeadless();
     let buf = "";
-    sock.setEncoding("utf8");
-    sock.setTimeout(60000, () => sock.destroy());
-    sock.on("data", (chunk) => {
-      buf += chunk;
-    });
-    sock.on("end", async () => {
+    let handled = false;
+    const handle = async (raw: string) => {
+      if (handled) return;
+      handled = true;
       sock.setTimeout(0);
       let handshake: CliHandshake;
       try {
-        handshake = JSON.parse(buf) as CliHandshake;
+        handshake = JSON.parse(raw) as CliHandshake;
         if (typeof handshake.port !== "number" || typeof handshake.token !== "string") {
           throw new Error("Malformed handshake");
         }
       } catch {
-        sock.end(JSON.stringify({ ok: false, error: "Invalid handshake" }));
+        sock.end(JSON.stringify({ ok: false, error: "Invalid handshake" }) + "\n");
         return;
       }
       await deliverHandshake(handshake, sock);
+    };
+    sock.setEncoding("utf8");
+    sock.setTimeout(60000, () => sock.destroy());
+    // Newline-framed clients (required on Windows, where named pipes cannot
+    // half-open) are answered as soon as the first line arrives; legacy
+    // clients that frame by half-closing are handled on "end".
+    sock.on("data", (chunk) => {
+      buf += chunk;
+      const nl = buf.indexOf("\n");
+      if (nl !== -1) void handle(buf.slice(0, nl));
+    });
+    sock.on("end", () => {
+      void handle(buf);
     });
     sock.on("error", () => {
       // Client hung up; nothing to do.