diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..54f695d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client.go
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"net"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// Client communicates with the vmux daemon over a Unix socket.
+type Client struct {
+	sockPath string
+}
+
+// NewClient creates a client targeting the given socket path.
+func NewClient(sockPath string) *Client {
+	return &Client{sockPath: sockPath}
+}
+
+// Send transmits a Request to the daemon and returns the Response.
+func (c *Client) Send(req Request) (*Response, error) {
+	conn, err := net.DialTimeout("unix", c.sockPath, 2*time.Second)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("dial daemon: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer conn.Close()
+
+	conn.SetDeadline(time.Now().Add(5 * time.Second))
+
+	if err := json.NewEncoder(conn).Encode(req); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("send request: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	var resp Response
+	if err := json.NewDecoder(conn).Decode(&resp); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("read response: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return &resp, nil
+}
+
+// EnsureDaemon checks if a daemon is already running on sockPath.
+// If not, it spawns one in the background and waits until it's reachable.
+func EnsureDaemon(sockPath string) error {
+	// Already running?
+	conn, err := net.DialTimeout("unix", sockPath, 200*time.Millisecond)
+	if err == nil {
+		conn.Close()
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// Spawn daemon in background
+	exe, err := os.Executable()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("resolve executable: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	cmd := exec.Command(exe, "daemon")
+	cmd.SysProcAttr = newSysProcAttr()
+	cmd.Stdout = nil
+	cmd.Stderr = nil
+	cmd.Stdin = nil
+
+	if err := cmd.Start(); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("start daemon: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Detach: don't wait for the child
+	go cmd.Wait()
+
+	// Retry until daemon is reachable (50ms x 20 = 1s max)
+	for i := 0; i < 20; i++ {
+		time.Sleep(50 * time.Millisecond)
+		conn, err := net.DialTimeout("unix", sockPath, 200*time.Millisecond)
+		if err == nil {
+			conn.Close()
+			return nil
+		}
+	}
+
+	return fmt.Errorf("daemon did not start within 1s")
+}
diff --git a/client_test.go b/client_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..94c00cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,207 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"net"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	i3 "go.i3wm.org/i3/v4"
+)
+
+func TestClientSendReceive(t *testing.T) {
+	d := newTestDaemon(t)
+
+	if err := d.Start(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("start: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer d.Stop()
+
+	// Populate a session
+	d.registry.Update(SessionInfo{
+		PID:       42,
+		SessionID: "test-sess",
+		State:     "Working",
+		Cwd:       "/tmp/test",
+	})
+
+	client := NewClient(d.sockPath)
+	resp, err := client.Send(Request{Action: "list"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("send: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !resp.OK {
+		t.Fatalf("resp.OK = false, error = %q", resp.Error)
+	}
+	if len(resp.Sessions) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("sessions len = %d, want 1", len(resp.Sessions))
+	}
+	if resp.Sessions[0].SessionID != "test-sess" {
+		t.Errorf("session_id = %q, want %q", resp.Sessions[0].SessionID, "test-sess")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestEnsureDaemonAlreadyRunning(t *testing.T) {
+	d := newTestDaemon(t)
+
+	if err := d.Start(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("start: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer d.Stop()
+
+	// EnsureDaemon should return nil immediately since daemon is already listening
+	err := EnsureDaemon(d.sockPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("EnsureDaemon should succeed when daemon is running: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestEnsureDaemonNoSocket(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	sockPath := filepath.Join(dir, "nonexistent.sock")
+
+	// EnsureDaemon with no real daemon and a fake executable will fail,
+	// but we can verify it doesn't panic and returns an error
+	err := EnsureDaemon(sockPath)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Error("EnsureDaemon should fail when no daemon can be started")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestClientSendSwitchNoMatch(t *testing.T) {
+	d := newTestDaemon(t)
+
+	if err := d.Start(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("start: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer d.Stop()
+
+	client := NewClient(d.sockPath)
+	args := mustMarshalJSON(t, SwitchArgs{Query: "nonexistent"})
+	resp, err := client.Send(Request{Action: "switch", Args: args})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("send: %v", err)
+	}
+	if resp.OK {
+		t.Error("expected OK=false for no matching session")
+	}
+	if resp.Error == "" {
+		t.Error("expected error message")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestClientSendSwitchNoWorkspace(t *testing.T) {
+	d := newTestDaemon(t)
+
+	if err := d.Start(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("start: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer d.Stop()
+
+	d.registry.Update(SessionInfo{
+		PID:       42,
+		SessionID: "sess-1",
+		State:     "Working",
+		Cwd:       "/tmp/test",
+		GitBranch: "feat-auth",
+		Workspace: "", // no workspace
+	})
+
+	client := NewClient(d.sockPath)
+	args := mustMarshalJSON(t, SwitchArgs{Query: "auth"})
+	resp, err := client.Send(Request{Action: "switch", Args: args})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("send: %v", err)
+	}
+	if resp.OK {
+		t.Error("expected OK=false when session has no workspace")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestClientConnectionRefused(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	sockPath := filepath.Join(dir, "dead.sock")
+
+	client := NewClient(sockPath)
+	_, err := client.Send(Request{Action: "list"})
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Error("expected error when daemon is not running")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestClientSendSwitchWithMockI3(t *testing.T) {
+	d := newTestDaemon(t)
+	d.i3commander = &mockI3Commander{results: []i3.CommandResult{{Success: true}}}
+
+	if err := d.Start(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("start: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer d.Stop()
+
+	d.registry.Update(SessionInfo{
+		PID:       42,
+		SessionID: "sess-1",
+		State:     "Working",
+		Cwd:       "/tmp/vmux-project",
+		GitBranch: "feat-auth",
+		Workspace: "3",
+	})
+
+	client := NewClient(d.sockPath)
+	args := mustMarshalJSON(t, SwitchArgs{Query: "auth"})
+	resp, err := client.Send(Request{Action: "switch", Args: args})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("send: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !resp.OK {
+		t.Errorf("expected OK=true, got error: %q", resp.Error)
+	}
+
+	// Verify workspace was switched (SwitchToWorkspace sends "workspace number 3")
+	mock := d.i3commander.(*mockI3Commander)
+	want := "workspace number 3"
+	if mock.lastCommand != want {
+		t.Errorf("lastCommand = %q, want %q", mock.lastCommand, want)
+	}
+}
+
+// mockI3Commander is defined in i3bridge_test.go (same package).
+
+func mustMarshalJSON(t *testing.T, v any) []byte {
+	t.Helper()
+	data, err := json.Marshal(v)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("marshal: %v", err)
+	}
+	return data
+}
+
+// Verify Client respects timeouts on dead connections
+func TestClientTimeout(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	sockPath := filepath.Join(dir, "slow.sock")
+
+	// Create a listener that accepts but never responds
+	ln, err := net.Listen("unix", sockPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("listen: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer ln.Close()
+
+	go func() {
+		conn, err := ln.Accept()
+		if err != nil {
+			return
+		}
+		// Hold the connection open without responding
+		time.Sleep(10 * time.Second)
+		conn.Close()
+	}()
+
+	client := NewClient(sockPath)
+	_, err = client.Send(Request{Action: "list"})
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Error("expected timeout error")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/daemon.go b/daemon.go
index 78c1c17..9698799 100644
--- a/daemon.go
+++ b/daemon.go
@@ -151,6 +151,7 @@ type Daemon struct {
 	procDir           string
 	claudeDir         string
 	workspaceResolver func(claudePID int) string // nil = no workspace resolution
+	i3commander       I3Commander
 	pollInterval      time.Duration
 	stopCh            chan struct{}
 	listener          net.Listener
@@ -169,6 +170,21 @@ func NewDaemon(sockPath, procDir, claudeDir string, labels *LabelStore) *Daemon
 	}
 }
 
+// InitWorkspaceResolver sets up i3+X11 workspace resolution.
+// If i3 or X11 is unavailable, logs a warning and continues without workspace info.
+func (d *Daemon) InitWorkspaceResolver(treeProvider I3TreeProvider, x11 X11PIDResolver) {
+	if treeProvider == nil || x11 == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	d.workspaceResolver = func(claudePID int) string {
+		termMap, err := BuildTerminalWorkspaceMap(treeProvider, x11)
+		if err != nil {
+			return ""
+		}
+		return ResolveWorkspace(d.procDir, claudePID, termMap)
+	}
+}
+
 // Start runs the daemon: initial scan, then listens on the Unix socket
 // and polls for sessions in the background.
 func (d *Daemon) Start() error {
@@ -329,6 +345,32 @@ func (d *Daemon) handleConnection(conn net.Conn) {
 		d.registry.mu.Unlock()
 		writeResponse(conn, Response{OK: true})
 
+	case "switch":
+		var args SwitchArgs
+		if err := json.Unmarshal(req.Args, &args); err != nil {
+			writeResponse(conn, Response{Error: "invalid switch args: " + err.Error()})
+			return
+		}
+		sessions := d.registry.List()
+		match := FuzzyMatch(args.Query, sessions)
+		if match == nil {
+			writeResponse(conn, Response{Error: "no session matching: " + args.Query})
+			return
+		}
+		if match.Workspace == "" {
+			writeResponse(conn, Response{Error: "no workspace for session " + match.SessionID})
+			return
+		}
+		if d.i3commander == nil {
+			writeResponse(conn, Response{Error: "i3 commander not available"})
+			return
+		}
+		if err := SwitchToWorkspace(d.i3commander, match.Workspace); err != nil {
+			writeResponse(conn, Response{Error: "switch workspace: " + err.Error()})
+			return
+		}
+		writeResponse(conn, Response{OK: true})
+
 	case "stop":
 		writeResponse(conn, Response{OK: true})
 		d.Stop()
diff --git a/sysattr_linux.go b/sysattr_linux.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1168635
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sysattr_linux.go
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+package main
+
+import "syscall"
+
+func newSysProcAttr() *syscall.SysProcAttr {
+	return &syscall.SysProcAttr{Setsid: true}
+}