diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 223f993e..311f92e9 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ test:
 	@$(ROOT)/macos/Tests/run-qemu-ssh-contract.test.sh
 	@$(ROOT)/macos/Tests/qemu-memory-contract.test.sh
 	@$(ROOT)/macos/Tests/qemu-power-actions.test.sh
+	@$(ROOT)/macos/Tests/qemu-monitor-ready.test.sh
 	@$(ROOT)/macos/Tests/qemu-persistent-storage.test.sh
 	@PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE=1 python3 "$(ROOT)/macos/Tests/resize-vm-disk.test.py"
 
diff --git a/macos/Tests/qemu-memory-contract.test.sh b/macos/Tests/qemu-memory-contract.test.sh
index f14debec..2e15e4c1 100755
--- a/macos/Tests/qemu-memory-contract.test.sh
+++ b/macos/Tests/qemu-memory-contract.test.sh
@@ -44,8 +44,10 @@ mkdir -p \
 /bin/cp "$macos_dir/run-qemu-gpu.sh" "$resources/scripts/run-qemu-gpu.sh"
 /bin/cp "$macos_dir/qemu-port-forwarding.sh" "$resources/scripts/qemu-port-forwarding.sh"
 /bin/cp "$macos_dir/qemu-networking.sh" "$resources/scripts/qemu-networking.sh"
+/bin/cp "$macos_dir/qemu-monitor-ready.sh" "$resources/scripts/qemu-monitor-ready.sh"
 chmod 755 "$resources/scripts/run-qemu-gpu.sh"
 chmod 644 "$resources/scripts/qemu-port-forwarding.sh"
+chmod 644 "$resources/scripts/qemu-monitor-ready.sh"
 
 cat >"$contents/MacOS/omarchy-vm-helper" <<'SH'
 #!/bin/bash
@@ -104,10 +106,16 @@ import os
 from pathlib import Path
 import socket
 import sys
+import threading
 import time
 
 arguments = sys.argv[1:]
 Path(os.environ["FAKE_QEMU_LOG"]).write_text("\n".join(arguments) + "\n")
+qmp_paths = {
+    arguments[index + 1][5:].split(",", 1)[0]
+    for index, argument in enumerate(arguments[:-1])
+    if argument == "-qmp" and arguments[index + 1].startswith("unix:")
+}
 socket_paths = []
 for argument in arguments:
     if argument.startswith("unix:"):
@@ -128,6 +136,21 @@ if os.environ.get("FAKE_QEMU_SKIP_SOCKETS") != "1":
         server.bind(path)
         server.listen(1)
         servers.append(server)
+        # Like QEMU, answer the QMP monitor with a greeting; the launcher
+        # waits for that before declaring the VM ready.
+        if path in qmp_paths:
+            def greet(server=server):
+                while True:
+                    try:
+                        client, _ = server.accept()
+                    except OSError:
+                        return
+                    try:
+                        client.sendall(b'{"QMP": {"version": {}, "capabilities": []}}\r\n')
+                    except OSError:
+                        pass
+                    client.close()
+            threading.Thread(target=greet, daemon=True).start()
 
 time.sleep(float(os.environ.get("FAKE_QEMU_LIFETIME", "0.20")))
 for server in servers:
diff --git a/macos/Tests/qemu-monitor-ready.test.sh b/macos/Tests/qemu-monitor-ready.test.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..815d0d4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/macos/Tests/qemu-monitor-ready.test.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# The launcher's "Ready. QMP:" line is a contract: the helper connects to that
+# socket and tears the VM down if the monitor does not answer. QEMU creates the
+# socket file early in its initialisation but only accepts connections once its
+# main loop runs, with a listen backlog of one, so a client that connects too
+# early and gives up leaves every later connect refused until the loop starts.
+# Ready must therefore mean "the monitor answered", not "the file exists".
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+test_dir=$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd -P)
+macos_dir=$(cd "$test_dir/.." && pwd -P)
+library="$macos_dir/qemu-monitor-ready.sh"
+launcher="$macos_dir/run-qemu-gpu.sh"
+
+fail() {
+  printf 'qemu-monitor-ready.test: %s\n' "$*" >&2
+  exit 1
+}
+
+[[ -f $library ]] || fail "missing library: $library"
+# shellcheck source=../qemu-monitor-ready.sh
+source "$library"
+declare -F qemu_wait_for_qmp_monitor >/dev/null || \
+  fail 'library must define qemu_wait_for_qmp_monitor'
+
+scratch=$(mktemp -d "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/qemu-monitor-ready.XXXXXX")
+cleanup() {
+  [[ -z ${server_pid:-} ]] || kill "$server_pid" 2>/dev/null || true
+  [[ -z ${sleeper_pid:-} ]] || kill "$sleeper_pid" 2>/dev/null || true
+  rm -rf "$scratch"
+}
+trap cleanup EXIT
+
+# A stand-in for QEMU: binds and listens (backlog 1) immediately, like the
+# chardev does during init, but only starts accepting after ACCEPT_DELAY
+# seconds, like the main loop. Each accepted client gets a QMP greeting.
+fake_qemu() {
+  python3 - "$1" "$2" <<'PY' &
+import socket, sys, time
+path, delay = sys.argv[1], float(sys.argv[2])
+server = socket.socket(socket.AF_UNIX, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
+server.bind(path)
+server.listen(1)
+time.sleep(delay)
+while True:
+    client, _ = server.accept()
+    # A probe that gave up during the delay is still queued here; like QEMU,
+    # shrug off the peer having gone away.
+    try:
+        client.sendall(b'{"QMP": {"version": {}, "capabilities": []}}\r\n')
+    except OSError:
+        pass
+    client.close()
+PY
+  server_pid=$!
+}
+
+# Something with a live pid to stand in for the QEMU process.
+sleep 300 &
+sleeper_pid=$!
+
+# 1. Slow init: the monitor answers only after 1.5 s. Ready must wait for it.
+socket_path="$scratch/slow.sock"
+fake_qemu "$socket_path" 1.5
+until [[ -S $socket_path ]]; do sleep 0.02; done
+start=$(python3 -c 'import time; print(time.monotonic())')
+qemu_wait_for_qmp_monitor "$socket_path" "$sleeper_pid" || \
+  fail 'a monitor that answers after a slow init must count as ready'
+elapsed=$(python3 -c "import time; print(time.monotonic() - $start)")
+python3 -c "import sys; sys.exit(0 if $elapsed >= 1.4 else 1)" || \
+  fail "ready was declared after ${elapsed}s, before the monitor could answer"
+kill "$server_pid"; wait "$server_pid" 2>/dev/null || true; unset server_pid
+
+# 2. Fast init: an immediately answering monitor must not be held up.
+socket_path="$scratch/fast.sock"
+fake_qemu "$socket_path" 0
+until [[ -S $socket_path ]]; do sleep 0.02; done
+start=$(python3 -c 'import time; print(time.monotonic())')
+qemu_wait_for_qmp_monitor "$socket_path" "$sleeper_pid" || \
+  fail 'an answering monitor must count as ready'
+elapsed=$(python3 -c "import time; print(time.monotonic() - $start)")
+python3 -c "import sys; sys.exit(0 if $elapsed < 1.0 else 1)" || \
+  fail "an answering monitor took ${elapsed}s to be declared ready"
+kill "$server_pid"; wait "$server_pid" 2>/dev/null || true; unset server_pid
+
+# 3. QEMU gone: a socket file with no process behind it must fail promptly
+#    rather than wait out the whole deadline.
+socket_path="$scratch/dead.sock"
+python3 -c 'import socket, sys; s = socket.socket(socket.AF_UNIX); s.bind(sys.argv[1])' "$socket_path"
+kill "$sleeper_pid"; wait "$sleeper_pid" 2>/dev/null || true
+dead_pid=$sleeper_pid; unset sleeper_pid
+start=$(python3 -c 'import time; print(time.monotonic())')
+if qemu_wait_for_qmp_monitor "$socket_path" "$dead_pid" 2>/dev/null; then
+  fail 'a monitor whose QEMU has exited must not count as ready'
+fi
+elapsed=$(python3 -c "import time; print(time.monotonic() - $start)")
+python3 -c "import sys; sys.exit(0 if $elapsed < 3.0 else 1)" || \
+  fail "a dead QEMU took ${elapsed}s to be reported"
+
+# 4. The launcher must consult the monitor before announcing Ready.
+wait_line=$(grep -n 'qemu_wait_for_qmp_monitor "$qmp_socket" "$qemu_pid"' "$launcher" | cut -d: -f1 | head -1)
+ready_line=$(grep -n '^echo "\[qemu-gpu\] Ready. QMP: \$qmp_socket" >&2$' "$launcher" | cut -d: -f1 | head -1)
+[[ -n $wait_line && -n $ready_line ]] || \
+  fail 'launcher must wait for the QMP monitor and print the Ready line'
+(( wait_line < ready_line )) || \
+  fail 'launcher must wait for the QMP monitor before printing Ready'
+
+echo 'qemu-monitor-ready.test: PASS'
diff --git a/macos/Tests/run-qemu-ssh-contract.test.sh b/macos/Tests/run-qemu-ssh-contract.test.sh
index f3f7a7f7..4a89fd24 100755
--- a/macos/Tests/run-qemu-ssh-contract.test.sh
+++ b/macos/Tests/run-qemu-ssh-contract.test.sh
@@ -49,8 +49,10 @@ mkdir -p \
 /bin/cp "$macos_dir/run-qemu-gpu.sh" "$resources/scripts/run-qemu-gpu.sh"
 /bin/cp "$macos_dir/qemu-port-forwarding.sh" "$resources/scripts/qemu-port-forwarding.sh"
 /bin/cp "$macos_dir/qemu-networking.sh" "$resources/scripts/qemu-networking.sh"
+/bin/cp "$macos_dir/qemu-monitor-ready.sh" "$resources/scripts/qemu-monitor-ready.sh"
 chmod 755 "$resources/scripts/run-qemu-gpu.sh"
 chmod 644 "$resources/scripts/qemu-port-forwarding.sh"
+chmod 644 "$resources/scripts/qemu-monitor-ready.sh"
 
 cat >"$contents/MacOS/omarchy-vm-helper" <<'SH'
 #!/bin/bash
@@ -114,6 +116,7 @@ import os
 from pathlib import Path
 import socket
 import sys
+import threading
 import time
 
 arguments = sys.argv[1:]
@@ -137,6 +140,11 @@ if is_recovery:
         'console=tty0 console=hvc0 loglevel=3"}}\n'
     )
     export_path.joinpath("complete").write_text("try-omarchy-boot-export-v1\n")
+qmp_paths = {
+    arguments[index + 1][5:].split(",", 1)[0]
+    for index, argument in enumerate(arguments[:-1])
+    if argument == "-qmp" and arguments[index + 1].startswith("unix:")
+}
 socket_paths = []
 for argument in arguments:
     if argument.startswith("unix:"):
@@ -157,6 +165,21 @@ if os.environ.get("FAKE_QEMU_SKIP_SOCKETS") != "1":
         server.bind(path)
         server.listen(1)
         servers.append(server)
+        # Like QEMU, answer the QMP monitor with a greeting; the launcher
+        # waits for that before declaring the VM ready.
+        if path in qmp_paths:
+            def greet(server=server):
+                while True:
+                    try:
+                        client, _ = server.accept()
+                    except OSError:
+                        return
+                    try:
+                        client.sendall(b'{"QMP": {"version": {}, "capabilities": []}}\r\n')
+                    except OSError:
+                        pass
+                    client.close()
+            threading.Thread(target=greet, daemon=True).start()
 
 time.sleep(float(os.environ.get("FAKE_QEMU_LIFETIME", "0.20")))
 for server in servers:
diff --git a/macos/build-app.sh b/macos/build-app.sh
index 9b79531d..429af5b2 100755
--- a/macos/build-app.sh
+++ b/macos/build-app.sh
@@ -189,6 +189,8 @@ install -m 0644 "$macos_dir/qemu-persistent-storage.sh" \
 install -m 0644 "$macos_dir/qemu-port-forwarding.sh" \
   "$contents/Resources/scripts/qemu-port-forwarding.sh"
 install -m 0644 "$macos_dir/qemu-networking.sh" "$contents/Resources/scripts/qemu-networking.sh"
+install -m 0644 "$macos_dir/qemu-monitor-ready.sh" \
+  "$contents/Resources/scripts/qemu-monitor-ready.sh"
 for guest_resource in \
   LICENSE.omarchy \
   SHA256SUMS \
diff --git a/macos/qemu-monitor-ready.sh b/macos/qemu-monitor-ready.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..99b78ca5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/macos/qemu-monitor-ready.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+# Wait until QEMU's QMP monitor actually answers.
+#
+# QEMU creates its chardev socket files early in initialisation, but the
+# monitor only accepts connections once the main loop runs, and the socket
+# listens with a backlog of one. A client that connects during that gap and
+# gives up leaves its connection queued until QEMU accepts it, so every later
+# connect is refused until the main loop starts. Announcing the VM as ready on
+# the socket file alone therefore hands the helper a socket it may not be able
+# to use for seconds; the helper treats that as a broken monitor and tears the
+# VM down. Ready has to mean the monitor answered.
+#
+# Sourced by run-qemu-gpu.sh; expects `fail` to be defined by the caller.
+
+# qemu_wait_for_qmp_monitor SOCKET QEMU_PID
+#
+# Returns 0 once a connection to SOCKET receives a QMP greeting. Each probe
+# gives the monitor 250 ms to answer and then disconnects; a refused connect
+# or a silent monitor is retried after 100 ms. Both outcomes are expected
+# while QEMU is still initialising: a probe that gave up may itself occupy the
+# backlog, and the main loop drains it as its first act, so the next probe
+# gets through. Fails if QEMU exits, or after 60 s so a monitor that never
+# answers still fails startup instead of hanging it.
+qemu_wait_for_qmp_monitor() {
+  local socket_path=$1
+  local qemu_pid=$2
+  local deadline=$((SECONDS + 60))
+
+  while (( SECONDS < deadline )); do
+    if python3 - "$socket_path" <<'PY' 2>/dev/null
+import socket
+import sys
+
+client = socket.socket(socket.AF_UNIX, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
+client.settimeout(0.25)
+try:
+    client.connect(sys.argv[1])
+    greeting = client.recv(4096)
+except (OSError, socket.timeout):
+    raise SystemExit(1)
+finally:
+    client.close()
+raise SystemExit(0 if greeting.lstrip().startswith(b'{"QMP"') else 1)
+PY
+    then
+      return 0
+    fi
+    kill -0 "$qemu_pid" 2>/dev/null || {
+      echo 'qemu-monitor-ready: QEMU exited before its QMP monitor answered' >&2
+      return 1
+    }
+    sleep 0.1
+  done
+
+  echo 'qemu-monitor-ready: the QMP monitor did not answer within 60 seconds' >&2
+  return 1
+}
diff --git a/macos/run-qemu-gpu.sh b/macos/run-qemu-gpu.sh
index ae15ffd9..6c7701f1 100755
--- a/macos/run-qemu-gpu.sh
+++ b/macos/run-qemu-gpu.sh
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ qemu_bin="$resources_dir/runtime/bin/Try Omarchy"
 native_bridge="$contents_dir/MacOS/omarchy-vm-helper"
 storage_library="$script_dir/qemu-persistent-storage.sh"
 port_forwarding_library="$script_dir/qemu-port-forwarding.sh"
+monitor_ready_library="$script_dir/qemu-monitor-ready.sh"
 
 [[ $(uname -m) == arm64 ]] || fail "requires an ARM64 Mac"
 [[ $(uname -s) == Darwin ]] || fail "requires macOS"
@@ -931,6 +932,9 @@ fi
 [[ -f $port_forwarding_library && ! -L $port_forwarding_library ]] || {
   fail "port-forwarding library is missing or unsafe: $port_forwarding_library"
 }
+[[ -f $monitor_ready_library && ! -L $monitor_ready_library ]] || {
+  fail "monitor-readiness library is missing or unsafe: $monitor_ready_library"
+}
 
 # These libraries are sealed resources in normal app launches. The complete
 # app bundle was verified above before either file can execute. Inspect-only is
@@ -939,6 +943,8 @@ fi
 source "$storage_library"
 # shellcheck source=qemu-port-forwarding.sh
 source "$port_forwarding_library"
+# shellcheck source=qemu-monitor-ready.sh
+source "$monitor_ready_library"
 source "$script_dir/qemu-networking.sh"
 qemu_network_validate
 if [[ $QEMU_NETWORK_MODE == bridged ]]; then
@@ -1644,6 +1650,10 @@ done
 [[ -S $authentication_bridge_socket ]] || fail "QEMU did not create its private authentication bridge socket"
 [[ -S $camera_bridge_socket ]] || fail "QEMU did not create its private camera bridge socket"
 [[ -S $clipboard_bridge_socket ]] || fail "QEMU did not create its private clipboard bridge socket"
+# The socket file appears before QEMU's main loop accepts connections, and the
+# helper tears the VM down if the monitor behind this line does not answer.
+qemu_wait_for_qmp_monitor "$qmp_socket" "$qemu_pid" || \
+  fail "QEMU's QMP monitor did not become ready"
 echo "[qemu-gpu] Ready. QMP: $qmp_socket" >&2
 
 # FD 9 deliberately remains open only in QEMU. Letting the sibling audio