diff --git a/dashboard/plugin_api.py b/dashboard/plugin_api.py
index 59eaece..9964f50 100644
--- a/dashboard/plugin_api.py
+++ b/dashboard/plugin_api.py
@@ -1,14 +1,9 @@
-"""
-sshx-link dashboard backend
-===========================
-FastAPI routes for starting sshx and returning the share link.
-"""
-
 import asyncio
 import subprocess
 import re
 import shutil
 import logging
+import threading
 from typing import Optional
 from fastapi import APIRouter
 from fastapi.responses import JSONResponse
@@ -16,26 +11,19 @@ from fastapi.responses import JSONResponse
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 router = APIRouter()
 
-# Keep track of running sshx process
 _sshx_process = None
 _sshx_link = None
 
-
-def _find_link(text: str) -> Optional[str]:
-    """Extract sshx link from output."""
-    match = re.search(r"https://sshx\.io/s/[A-Za-z0-9_-]+", text)
-    return match.group(0) if match else None
+LINK_RE = re.compile(r"https://sshx\.io/s/[A-Za-z0-9_-]+")
 
 
 def _ensure_sshx() -> bool:
-    """Install sshx if not present."""
     if shutil.which("sshx"):
         return True
     try:
         subprocess.run(
             ["sh", "-c", "curl -sSf https://sshx.io/get | sh"],
-            capture_output=True,
-            timeout=60,
+            capture_output=True, timeout=60,
         )
         return shutil.which("sshx") is not None
     except Exception as e:
@@ -43,28 +31,49 @@ def _ensure_sshx() -> bool:
         return False
 
 
+def _start_reader(proc, future):
+    global _sshx_link
+
+    def _read():
+        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)
+
+    t = threading.Thread(target=_read, daemon=True)
+    t.start()
+    return t
+
+
 @router.get("/start")
 async def start_sshx():
-    """Start sshx serve and return the share link."""
     global _sshx_process, _sshx_link
 
-    # Already running
     if _sshx_process and _sshx_process.poll() is None and _sshx_link:
         return {"status": "running", "link": _sshx_link}
 
-    # Install if needed
     if not _ensure_sshx():
-        return JSONResponse(
-            status_code=500,
-            content={"status": "error", "message": "Failed to install sshx"},
-        )
+        return JSONResponse(status_code=500, content={"status": "error", "message": "Failed to install sshx"})
 
-    # Kill old process if any
     if _sshx_process and _sshx_process.poll() is None:
         _sshx_process.terminate()
-        _sshx_process.wait(timeout=5)
+        try:
+            _sshx_process.wait(timeout=5)
+        except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
+            _sshx_process.kill()
 
-    # Start sshx serve
     _sshx_process = subprocess.Popen(
         ["sshx", "--quiet"],
         stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
@@ -74,47 +83,22 @@ async def start_sshx():
     )
 
     _sshx_link = None
-
-    # Read output in background thread, await link
     loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
     link_future = loop.create_future()
-
-    def _reader():
-        global _sshx_link
-        for line in _sshx_process.stdout:
-            line = line.strip()
-            link = _find_link(line)
-            if link:
-                _sshx_link = link
-                if not link_future.done():
-                    link_future.set_result(link)
-                return
-        if not link_future.done():
-            link_future.set_exception(RuntimeError("sshx exited without link"))
-
-    import threading
-    threading.Thread(target=_reader, daemon=True).start()
+    _start_reader(_sshx_process, link_future)
 
     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"},
-        )
+        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)},
-        )
+        return JSONResponse(status_code=500, content={"status": "error", "message": str(e)})
 
 
 @router.get("/status")
 async def sshx_status():
-    """Check if sshx is running and return the link."""
     global _sshx_process, _sshx_link
-
     if _sshx_process and _sshx_process.poll() is None and _sshx_link:
         return {"status": "running", "link": _sshx_link}
     return {"status": "stopped", "link": None}
@@ -122,9 +106,7 @@ async def sshx_status():
 
 @router.post("/stop")
 async def stop_sshx():
-    """Stop the running sshx process."""
     global _sshx_process, _sshx_link
-
     if _sshx_process and _sshx_process.poll() is None:
         _sshx_process.terminate()
         try:
@@ -135,3 +117,15 @@ async def stop_sshx():
         _sshx_link = None
         return {"status": "stopped"}
     return {"status": "already_stopped"}
+
+
+@router.post("/restart-dashboard")
+async def restart_dashboard():
+    try:
+        subprocess.Popen(
+            ["nohup", "bash", "-c", "sleep 1 && sudo systemctl restart hermes-dashboard"],
+            stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL, stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+        )
+        return {"status": "restarting"}
+    except Exception as e:
+        return JSONResponse(status_code=500, content={"status": "error", "message": str(e)})