diff --git a/Agent.md b/Agent.md
index 7aad290..dda4aed 100644
--- a/Agent.md
+++ b/Agent.md
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ EMRG is a self-evolving AI agent architecture experiment. Python implementation,
   - Streaming chat with delta rendering (16ms batching), markdown on done (marked + DOMPurify + local highlight.js subset), tool call status cards (2000-char truncation + expand)
   - Session list/switch/new/delete + right-click rename (context menu, #423) synced with daemon; own-stream busy lock (G65); broadcast streams from other clients tagged "来自其他客户端"
   - Disconnect/reconnect: red status dot, auto daemon respawn (stale-port detection), session resume, input bar restored on disconnect (no 30s fake-timeout)
-  - Unit tests `npm test` (111: 29 daemon_client + 22 app-commands + 32 renderer smoke + 15 i18n + 7 integration + 3 commands + 3 build-config); RESPONSE_TYPES mirror daemon protocol verified against `daemon.py`
+  - Unit tests `npm test` (113: 31 daemon_client + 22 app-commands + 32 renderer smoke + 15 i18n + 7 integration + 3 commands + 3 build-config); RESPONSE_TYPES mirror daemon protocol verified against `daemon.py`
 - **Auto project tracking** — Automatically detects and records working directories; project-scoped sessions
 - **Rant-driven evolution** — User feedback via `/rant` drives automatic self-improvement cycles
 - **Headless GitHub auth** — Non-interactive evolution auto-extracts `GH_TOKEN` from git credential store (osxkeychain / credential helper); PR comment/LGTM queries fall back to REST API (GraphQL needs `read:org` scope)
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ pkill -f "emrg.server"; rm -f ~/.emrg/emrgd.port; python -m emrg
 ```
 
 Python: `uv run pytest tests/ -v` (680) — import check: `uv run python -c "from emrg.client.app import run_client"`
-GUI: `cd emrg/gui && npm test` (111: 29 daemon_client + 22 app-commands + 32 renderer smoke + 15 i18n + 7 integration + 3 commands + 3 build-config) — syntax: `node --check main.js preload.js daemon_client.js renderer/js/*.js`
+GUI: `cd emrg/gui && npm test` (113: 31 daemon_client + 22 app-commands + 32 renderer smoke + 15 i18n + 7 integration + 3 commands + 3 build-config) — syntax: `node --check main.js preload.js daemon_client.js renderer/js/*.js`
 CI: `uv run pytest` + GUI tests + **actionlint workflow lint** (`rhysd/actionlint@v1.7.12` gate, #444 — workflow 解析错误在 PR CI 即失败，如 `if:` secrets 上下文)
 Re-trigger: `scripts/re-trigger-ci.sh [branch]` (workflow_dispatch, #527 — 替代空 commit 重触发：Actions outage 会整段丢弃 push 事件，dispatch 走 API 路径不受影响)
 
diff --git a/README.cn.md b/README.cn.md
index 8f7225d..6671882 100644
--- a/README.cn.md
+++ b/README.cn.md
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ uv run python -m emrg     # 启动 TUI
 cd emrg/gui
 npm ci               # 安装依赖（生产模式可 --omit=dev）
 npm start            # 启动 GUI（自动拉起 daemon）
-npm test             # 运行 Node 测试（111 项：29 daemon_client + 22 app-commands + 32 renderer smoke + 15 i18n + 7 integration + 3 commands + 3 build-config；集成测试在 CI 跑，本地可 npm run test:integration）
+npm test             # 运行 Node 测试（113 项：31 daemon_client + 22 app-commands + 32 renderer smoke + 15 i18n + 7 integration + 3 commands + 3 build-config；集成测试在 CI 跑，本地可 npm run test:integration）
 ```
 
 CI 通过 GitHub Actions 自动运行测试并检查冲突标记（`.github/workflows/test.yml`）。
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 909fc56..6585230 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ uv run python -m emrg     # launch TUI
 cd emrg/gui
 npm ci               # install deps (production: --omit=dev)
 npm start            # launch GUI (auto-starts daemon)
-npm test             # run Node tests (111: 29 daemon_client + 22 app-commands + 32 renderer smoke + 15 i18n + 7 integration + 3 commands + 3 build-config; integration runs in CI, local: npm run test:integration)
+npm test             # run Node tests (113: 31 daemon_client + 22 app-commands + 32 renderer smoke + 15 i18n + 7 integration + 3 commands + 3 build-config; integration runs in CI, local: npm run test:integration)
 ```
 
 CI runs tests and checks for conflict markers automatically via GitHub Actions (`.github/workflows/test.yml`).
diff --git a/emrg/gui/daemon_client.js b/emrg/gui/daemon_client.js
index 017746b..18fc366 100644
--- a/emrg/gui/daemon_client.js
+++ b/emrg/gui/daemon_client.js
@@ -301,10 +301,12 @@ class DaemonClient {
     return pt;
   }
 
-  async ensureConnected() {
+  async ensureConnected({ skipStart = false } = {}) {
     // Rant 2026-08-09T18:47:37：1. 读 port 文件（projectDir → 规范 ~/.emrg 回退）→
     // 无则拉 daemon；spawn 失败先探测已有 daemon，活着直接复用，不再盲报
     // "failed to start after 3 attempts"。每步打结构化诊断日志（B1-B5）。
+    // P2 connManager（rant 2026-08-10T15:07:19）：skipStart=true 时 daemon 生命周期
+    // 由 connManager 独占管理——本实例只连接**已运行**的 daemon，绝不自行拉起。
     let port, token;
     const pt = this._readPortToken();
     if (pt) {
@@ -314,6 +316,11 @@ class DaemonClient {
         `[gui] ensureConnected: port_file_exists=true, port_file_content=${port}, source=${pt.source}`
       );
     } else {
+      if (skipStart) {
+        throw new Error(
+          `daemon not running (skipStart): no port file at ${PORT_FILE(this.projectDir)}`
+        );
+      }
       this.logger.info(`[gui] ensureConnected: port_file_exists=false — spawning daemon`);
       const r = await this._spawnOrProbe();
       port = r.port;
@@ -341,6 +348,13 @@ class DaemonClient {
         try { this.ws.close(); } catch { /* ignore */ }
         throw new Error(`daemon unreachable (pid alive): ${e.message}`);
       }
+      if (skipStart) {
+        this.logger.warn(
+          `[gui] ws connect failed: ${e.message} — stale port, daemon dead (skipStart: not respawning)`
+        );
+        try { this.ws.close(); } catch { /* ignore */ }
+        throw new Error(`daemon unreachable (skipStart): ${e.message}`);
+      }
       this.logger.warn(`[gui] ws connect failed: ${e.message} — stale port, respawning daemon`);
       try { this.ws.close(); } catch { /* ignore */ }
       try { fs.unlinkSync(PORT_FILE(this.projectDir)); } catch { /* ignore */ }
diff --git a/emrg/gui/test/daemon_client.test.js b/emrg/gui/test/daemon_client.test.js
index aa92490..e913f68 100644
--- a/emrg/gui/test/daemon_client.test.js
+++ b/emrg/gui/test/daemon_client.test.js
@@ -169,6 +169,43 @@ test("ensureConnected: port 文件缺失 → 拉起 daemon（spawn 参数正确
   assert.strictEqual(spawnCalls.projectDir, tmpHome);
 });
 
+test("P2 skipStart: port 文件缺失 → 抛错不拉起 daemon（connManager 独占 daemon 生命周期）", async () => {
+  fs.rmSync(PORT_FILE(tmpHome), { force: true });
+  const client = new DaemonClient({ projectDir: tmpHome });
+  let spawnCalls = 0;
+  client.startDaemon = async function () {
+    spawnCalls += 1;
+    throw new Error("startDaemon must not be called with skipStart");
+  };
+  await assert.rejects(
+    () => client.ensureConnected({ skipStart: true }),
+    /daemon not running \(skipStart\): no port file/
+  );
+  assert.strictEqual(spawnCalls, 0, "startDaemon must never be called");
+  assert.strictEqual(client.connected, false);
+});
+
+test("P2 skipStart: stale port + daemon 已死 → 抛错不重拉（不删文件不 spawn）", async () => {
+  // 预写 port 文件指向一个无人监听的端口（连接必然失败）
+  fs.writeFileSync(PORT_FILE(tmpHome), "1\nseekrit-token"); // 127.0.0.1:1 拒绝连接
+  const client = new DaemonClient({ projectDir: tmpHome });
+  // daemon 进程已死（无 pid 文件）→ 旧路径会删文件重拉；skipStart 必须拒绝
+  let spawnCalls = 0;
+  client.startDaemon = async function () {
+    spawnCalls += 1;
+    throw new Error("startDaemon must not be called with skipStart");
+  };
+  const p = client.ensureConnected({ skipStart: true });
+  await waitForWs();
+  const firstWs = currentMockWs;
+  firstWs.emit("error", new Error("connect ECONNREFUSED"));
+  await assert.rejects(p, /daemon unreachable \(skipStart\)/);
+  assert.strictEqual(spawnCalls, 0, "startDaemon must never be called");
+  // port 文件保留（connManager 重启恢复依赖它判断 daemon 状态）
+  assert.ok(fs.existsSync(PORT_FILE(tmpHome)), "port file must be kept");
+  assert.strictEqual(client.connected, false);
+});
+
 test("Phase4: _findDaemonExecutable 打包模式定位捆绑 emrgd（POSIX）", async () => {
   const client = new DaemonClient({ projectDir: tmpHome, isPackaged: true });
   const exe = client._findDaemonExecutable();