diff --git a/dashboard/plugin_api.py b/dashboard/plugin_api.py
index 9964f50..ee932ec 100644
--- a/dashboard/plugin_api.py
+++ b/dashboard/plugin_api.py
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 import asyncio
 import subprocess
 import re
+import os
 import shutil
 import logging
+import time
 import threading
 from typing import Optional
 from fastapi import APIRouter
@@ -11,8 +13,9 @@ from fastapi.responses import JSONResponse
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 router = APIRouter()
 
-_sshx_process = None
 _sshx_link = None
+_sshx_pid = None
+_sshx_log = "/tmp/sshx_link.log"
 
 LINK_RE = re.compile(r"https://sshx\.io/s/[A-Za-z0-9_-]+")
 
@@ -31,92 +34,90 @@ def _ensure_sshx() -> bool:
         return False
 
 
-def _start_reader(proc, future):
-    global _sshx_link
-
-    def _read():
+def _kill_sshx():
+    global _sshx_pid, _sshx_link
+    if _sshx_pid:
         try:
-            found = False
-            for line in proc.stdout:
-                line = line.strip()
-                if not found:
-                    m = LINK_RE.search(line)
-                    if m:
-                        _sshx_link = m.group(0)
-                        found = True
-                        if not future.done():
-                            future.set_result(_sshx_link)
-            if not found and not future.done():
-                future.set_exception(RuntimeError("sshx exited without link"))
-        except Exception as e:
-            if not future.done():
-                future.set_exception(e)
+            os.kill(_sshx_pid, 15)
+        except ProcessLookupError:
+            pass
+        _sshx_pid = None
+    _sshx_link = None
+    if os.path.exists(_sshx_log):
+        os.remove(_sshx_log)
 
-    t = threading.Thread(target=_read, daemon=True)
-    t.start()
-    return t
+
+def _is_alive() -> bool:
+    global _sshx_pid
+    if not _sshx_pid:
+        return False
+    try:
+        os.kill(_sshx_pid, 0)
+        return True
+    except ProcessLookupError:
+        return False
+
+
+def _start_sshx_background():
+    global _sshx_pid, _sshx_link
+    _kill_sshx()
+    _sshx_link = None
+
+    subprocess.Popen(
+        ["nohup", "sshx", "--quiet"],
+        stdout=open(_sshx_log, "w"),
+        stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+        stdin=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+        start_new_session=True,
+    )
+
+    for _ in range(30):
+        time.sleep(1)
+        if os.path.exists(_sshx_log) and os.path.getsize(_sshx_log) > 0:
+            with open(_sshx_log) as f:
+                content = f.read().strip()
+            m = LINK_RE.search(content)
+            if m:
+                _sshx_link = m.group(0)
+                try:
+                    with open("/tmp/sshx_pid") as pf:
+                        _sshx_pid = int(pf.read().strip())
+                except Exception:
+                    pass
+                return True
+    return False
 
 
 @router.get("/start")
 async def start_sshx():
-    global _sshx_process, _sshx_link
+    global _sshx_link, _sshx_pid
 
-    if _sshx_process and _sshx_process.poll() is None and _sshx_link:
+    if _is_alive() and _sshx_link:
         return {"status": "running", "link": _sshx_link}
 
     if not _ensure_sshx():
         return JSONResponse(status_code=500, content={"status": "error", "message": "Failed to install sshx"})
 
-    if _sshx_process and _sshx_process.poll() is None:
-        _sshx_process.terminate()
-        try:
-            _sshx_process.wait(timeout=5)
-        except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
-            _sshx_process.kill()
-
-    _sshx_process = subprocess.Popen(
-        ["sshx", "--quiet"],
-        stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
-        stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,
-        text=True,
-        bufsize=1,
-    )
-
-    _sshx_link = None
     loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
-    link_future = loop.create_future()
-    _start_reader(_sshx_process, link_future)
+    result = await loop.run_in_executor(None, _start_sshx_background)
 
-    try:
-        link = await asyncio.wait_for(link_future, timeout=30)
-        return {"status": "running", "link": link}
-    except asyncio.TimeoutError:
-        return JSONResponse(status_code=504, content={"status": "error", "message": "sshx did not return a link in time"})
-    except Exception as e:
-        return JSONResponse(status_code=500, content={"status": "error", "message": str(e)})
+    if result:
+        return {"status": "running", "link": _sshx_link}
+    return JSONResponse(status_code=504, content={"status": "error", "message": "sshx did not return a link in time"})
 
 
 @router.get("/status")
 async def sshx_status():
-    global _sshx_process, _sshx_link
-    if _sshx_process and _sshx_process.poll() is None and _sshx_link:
+    global _sshx_link
+    if _is_alive() and _sshx_link:
         return {"status": "running", "link": _sshx_link}
     return {"status": "stopped", "link": None}
 
 
 @router.post("/stop")
 async def stop_sshx():
-    global _sshx_process, _sshx_link
-    if _sshx_process and _sshx_process.poll() is None:
-        _sshx_process.terminate()
-        try:
-            _sshx_process.wait(timeout=5)
-        except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
-            _sshx_process.kill()
-        _sshx_process = None
-        _sshx_link = None
-        return {"status": "stopped"}
-    return {"status": "already_stopped"}
+    _kill_sshx()
+    return {"status": "stopped"}
 
 
 @router.post("/restart-dashboard")
@@ -125,6 +126,7 @@ async def restart_dashboard():
         subprocess.Popen(
             ["nohup", "bash", "-c", "sleep 1 && sudo systemctl restart hermes-dashboard"],
             stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL, stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+            start_new_session=True,
         )
         return {"status": "restarting"}
     except Exception as e: