diff --git a/internal/cli/doctor.go b/internal/cli/doctor.go
index a931d69..5d67363 100644
--- a/internal/cli/doctor.go
+++ b/internal/cli/doctor.go
@@ -7,11 +7,22 @@ import (
 	"runtime"
 
 	"github.com/CoreyRDean/intent/internal/config"
+	"github.com/CoreyRDean/intent/internal/daemon"
 	intentruntime "github.com/CoreyRDean/intent/internal/runtime"
 	"github.com/CoreyRDean/intent/internal/state"
 	"github.com/CoreyRDean/intent/internal/version"
 )
 
+type daemonStatusCaller interface {
+	Call(req daemon.Request) (*daemon.Response, error)
+}
+
+var newDaemonStatusClient = func(socket string) daemonStatusCaller {
+	return daemon.NewClient(socket)
+}
+
+var daemonServiceInstalled = daemon.IsInstalled
+
 func cmdDoctor(_ context.Context, _ []string) int {
 	ok := true
 	check := func(name, status string, good bool) {
@@ -36,18 +47,23 @@ func cmdDoctor(_ context.Context, _ []string) int {
 		check("cache directory", dirs.Cache, true)
 	}
 
-	cfg, _ := config.Load(dirs.ConfigPath())
-	if cfg != nil {
-		check("config", fmt.Sprintf("backend=%s model=%s", cfg.Backend, cfg.Model), true)
-	}
+	if err == nil {
+		cfg, _ := config.Load(dirs.ConfigPath())
+		if cfg != nil {
+			check("config", fmt.Sprintf("backend=%s model=%s", cfg.Backend, cfg.Model), true)
+		}
 
-	rt := intentruntime.New(dirs.Cache)
-	check("llamafile runtime",
-		fmt.Sprintf("expected at %s", rt.LlamafilePath()),
-		rt.HaveLlamafile())
+		rt := intentruntime.New(dirs.Cache)
+		check("llamafile runtime",
+			fmt.Sprintf("expected at %s", rt.LlamafilePath()),
+			rt.HaveLlamafile())
 
-	modelFile, modelStatus := resolveModelCheck(cfg)
-	check("model", fmt.Sprintf("%s — %s", modelStatus, rt.ModelPath(modelFile)), rt.HaveModel(modelFile))
+		modelFile, modelStatus := resolveModelCheck(cfg)
+		check("model", fmt.Sprintf("%s — %s", modelStatus, rt.ModelPath(modelFile)), rt.HaveModel(modelFile))
+
+		daemonStatus, daemonOK := doctorDaemonStatus(dirs)
+		check("daemon", daemonStatus, daemonOK)
+	}
 
 	// Sandbox tooling.
 	switch runtime.GOOS {
@@ -91,3 +107,26 @@ func okStr(err error) string {
 	}
 	return "missing"
 }
+
+func doctorDaemonStatus(dirs state.Dirs) (string, bool) {
+	installed := daemonServiceInstalled(daemonLabel)
+	resp, err := newDaemonStatusClient(dirs.SocketPath()).Call(daemon.Request{Op: daemon.OpStatus})
+	if err != nil {
+		if installed {
+			return "installed but not responding", false
+		}
+		return "not running (optional)", true
+	}
+	if !resp.OK {
+		return "unhealthy: " + resp.Error, false
+	}
+
+	serviceState := "no"
+	if installed {
+		serviceState = "yes"
+	}
+	if endpoint, _ := resp.Data["llamafile_endpoint"].(string); endpoint != "" {
+		return fmt.Sprintf("running (service installed: %s, endpoint: %s)", serviceState, endpoint), true
+	}
+	return fmt.Sprintf("running (service installed: %s)", serviceState), true
+}
diff --git a/internal/cli/doctor_test.go b/internal/cli/doctor_test.go
index c70dc46..80010f1 100644
--- a/internal/cli/doctor_test.go
+++ b/internal/cli/doctor_test.go
@@ -1,10 +1,15 @@
 package cli
 
 import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/CoreyRDean/intent/internal/config"
+	"github.com/CoreyRDean/intent/internal/daemon"
 	intentruntime "github.com/CoreyRDean/intent/internal/runtime"
+	"github.com/CoreyRDean/intent/internal/state"
 )
 
 func TestResolveModelCheck(t *testing.T) {
@@ -52,3 +57,101 @@ func TestResolveModelCheck(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+type stubDaemonStatusClient struct {
+	resp *daemon.Response
+	err  error
+}
+
+func (s stubDaemonStatusClient) Call(_ daemon.Request) (*daemon.Response, error) {
+	return s.resp, s.err
+}
+
+func TestDoctorDaemonStatus(t *testing.T) {
+	origNewClient := newDaemonStatusClient
+	origInstalled := daemonServiceInstalled
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		newDaemonStatusClient = origNewClient
+		daemonServiceInstalled = origInstalled
+	})
+
+	dirs := state.Dirs{State: t.TempDir()}
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name      string
+		installed bool
+		client    stubDaemonStatusClient
+		want      string
+		wantOK    bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name:      "missing optional daemon is informational",
+			installed: false,
+			client:    stubDaemonStatusClient{err: errors.New("dial unix: no such file or directory")},
+			want:      "not running (optional)",
+			wantOK:    true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:      "installed daemon that does not respond is unhealthy",
+			installed: true,
+			client:    stubDaemonStatusClient{err: errors.New("connection refused")},
+			want:      "installed but not responding",
+			wantOK:    false,
+		},
+		{
+			name:      "running daemon reports endpoint",
+			installed: false,
+			client: stubDaemonStatusClient{resp: &daemon.Response{
+				OK: true,
+				Data: map[string]any{
+					"llamafile_endpoint": "http://127.0.0.1:18080",
+				},
+			}},
+			want:   "running (service installed: no, endpoint: http://127.0.0.1:18080)",
+			wantOK: true,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			newDaemonStatusClient = func(string) daemonStatusCaller { return tt.client }
+			daemonServiceInstalled = func(string) bool { return tt.installed }
+
+			got, gotOK := doctorDaemonStatus(dirs)
+			if got != tt.want {
+				t.Fatalf("status = %q, want %q", got, tt.want)
+			}
+			if gotOK != tt.wantOK {
+				t.Fatalf("ok = %v, want %v", gotOK, tt.wantOK)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDoctorPrintsDaemonStatus(t *testing.T) {
+	origNewClient := newDaemonStatusClient
+	origInstalled := daemonServiceInstalled
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		newDaemonStatusClient = origNewClient
+		daemonServiceInstalled = origInstalled
+	})
+
+	t.Setenv("HOME", t.TempDir())
+	t.Setenv("INTENT_STATE_DIR", t.TempDir())
+	t.Setenv("INTENT_CACHE_DIR", t.TempDir())
+
+	newDaemonStatusClient = func(string) daemonStatusCaller {
+		return stubDaemonStatusClient{err: errors.New("dial unix: no such file or directory")}
+	}
+	daemonServiceInstalled = func(string) bool { return false }
+
+	out := captureStdout(func() {
+		_ = cmdDoctor(context.Background(), nil)
+	})
+	if !strings.Contains(out, "daemon") {
+		t.Fatalf("doctor output missing daemon line: %q", out)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(out, "not running (optional)") {
+		t.Fatalf("doctor output missing optional daemon status: %q", out)
+	}
+}