diff --git a/tests/daemon-client.test.ts b/tests/daemon-client.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2f287b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/daemon-client.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+import fs from 'node:fs/promises';
+import net from 'node:net';
+import os from 'node:os';
+import path from 'node:path';
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import { DaemonClient, resolveDaemonPaths } from '../src/daemon/client.js';
+
+describe('daemon client', () => {
+  it('keeps stdio sockets open until the daemon responds', async () => {
+    const tmpDir = await fs.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'mcporter-daemon-client-'));
+    const originalDir = process.env.MCPORTER_DAEMON_DIR;
+    process.env.MCPORTER_DAEMON_DIR = tmpDir;
+    const configPath = path.join(tmpDir, 'config.json');
+    const { socketPath } = resolveDaemonPaths(configPath);
+    await fs.mkdir(path.dirname(socketPath), { recursive: true });
+    try {
+      await fs.unlink(socketPath).catch(() => {});
+      let clientClosedBeforeResponse = false;
+      const server = net.createServer((socket) => {
+        let responded = false;
+        socket.on('data', () => {
+          setTimeout(() => {
+            responded = true;
+            socket.write(JSON.stringify({ id: 'status', ok: true, result: { pong: true } }), () => {
+              socket.end();
+            });
+          }, 20);
+        });
+        socket.on('end', () => {
+          if (!responded) {
+            clientClosedBeforeResponse = true;
+          }
+        });
+      });
+      await new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
+        server.once('error', reject);
+        server.listen(socketPath, () => {
+          server.off('error', reject);
+          resolve();
+        });
+      });
+      try {
+        const client = new DaemonClient({ configPath });
+        const result = await (
+          client as unknown as { sendRequest: (method: 'status', params: object) => Promise<unknown> }
+        ).sendRequest('status', {});
+        expect(result).toEqual({ pong: true });
+        expect(clientClosedBeforeResponse).toBe(false);
+      } finally {
+        await new Promise<void>((resolve) => server.close(() => resolve()));
+        await fs.unlink(socketPath).catch(() => {});
+      }
+    } finally {
+      if (originalDir) {
+        process.env.MCPORTER_DAEMON_DIR = originalDir;
+      } else {
+        delete process.env.MCPORTER_DAEMON_DIR;
+      }
+    }
+  });
+});