diff --git a/__init__.py b/__init__.py
index ad2960a..56c8aaf 100644
--- a/__init__.py
+++ b/__init__.py
@@ -88,8 +88,26 @@ def _run_sshx(tool_ctx):
     threading.Thread(target=_reader, daemon=True).start()
 
 
+def _auto_install_sshx():
+    if shutil.which("sshx"):
+        logger.info("sshx already installed at %s", shutil.which("sshx"))
+        return
+    logger.info("Auto-installing sshx...")
+    try:
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            ["sh", "-c", "curl -sSf https://sshx.io/get | sh"],
+            capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=60,
+        )
+        if result.returncode == 0 and shutil.which("sshx"):
+            logger.info("sshx installed successfully")
+        else:
+            logger.error("sshx install failed: %s", result.stderr)
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.error("sshx auto-install error: %s", e)
+
+
 def register(ctx):
-    """Register the sshx_start tool."""
+    threading.Thread(target=_auto_install_sshx, daemon=True).start()
     ctx.register_tool(
         name="sshx_start",
         toolset="sshx-link",
diff --git a/dashboard/dist/index.js b/dashboard/dist/index.js
index 0cf1fd7..40e2381 100644
--- a/dashboard/dist/index.js
+++ b/dashboard/dist/index.js
@@ -8,8 +8,16 @@
 
   const fetchJSON = SDK.fetchJSON;
 
+  async function safeFetchJSON(path, opts) {
+    const res = await fetch(path, opts || {});
+    const text = await res.text();
+    try { return JSON.parse(text); } catch (_) {
+      throw new Error("Server returned non-JSON (status " + res.status + ")");
+    }
+  }
+
   async function apiPost(path) {
-    const res = await fetchJSON(path, { method: "POST" });
+    const res = await safeFetchJSON(path, { method: "POST" });
     return res;
   }
 
@@ -22,7 +30,12 @@
       setStatus("loading");
       setError(null);
       try {
-        const res = await fetchJSON("/api/plugins/sshx-link/start");
+        var res = await safeFetchJSON("/api/plugins/sshx-link/status");
+        if (res.status === "installing") {
+          setStatus("installing");
+          return;
+        }
+        res = await safeFetchJSON("/api/plugins/sshx-link/start");
         if (res.link) {
           setLink(res.link);
           setStatus("running");
@@ -38,7 +51,7 @@
 
     const stopSSHX = useCallback(async function () {
       try {
-        await apiPost("/api/plugins/sshx-link/stop");
+        await safeFetchJSON("/api/plugins/sshx-link/stop", { method: "POST" });
         setLink(null);
         setStatus("idle");
       } catch (err) {
@@ -48,10 +61,12 @@
 
     const checkStatus = useCallback(async function () {
       try {
-        const res = await fetchJSON("/api/plugins/sshx-link/status");
+        const res = await safeFetchJSON("/api/plugins/sshx-link/status");
         if (res.status === "running" && res.link) {
           setLink(res.link);
           setStatus("running");
+        } else if (res.status === "installing") {
+          setStatus("installing");
         }
       } catch (_) {}
     }, []);
@@ -60,6 +75,28 @@
       checkStatus();
     }, [checkStatus]);
 
+    useEffect(function () {
+      if (status !== "installing") return;
+      var timer = setInterval(function () {
+        checkStatus();
+      }, 2000);
+      return function () { clearInterval(timer); };
+    }, [status, checkStatus]);
+
+    if (status === "installing") {
+      return React.createElement(Card, null,
+        React.createElement(CardHeader, null,
+          React.createElement(CardTitle, null, "SSHX Shared Terminal")
+        ),
+        React.createElement(CardContent, null,
+          React.createElement("p", {
+            className: "text-sm text-yellow-500",
+            style: { fontWeight: 600 }
+          }, "Installing sshx...")
+        )
+      );
+    }
+
     if (status === "running" && link) {
       return React.createElement(Card, null,
         React.createElement(CardHeader, null,
diff --git a/dashboard/plugin_api.py b/dashboard/plugin_api.py
index 5a0d085..91ca367 100644
--- a/dashboard/plugin_api.py
+++ b/dashboard/plugin_api.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import shutil
 import logging
 import time
 from typing import Optional
-from fastapi import APIRouter
+from fastapi import APIRouter, BackgroundTasks
 from fastapi.responses import JSONResponse
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -14,28 +14,58 @@ router = APIRouter()
 
 _sshx_link = None
 _sshx_pid = None
+_sshx_installing = False
 _sshx_log = "/tmp/sshx_link.log"
 _sshx_pid_file = "/tmp/sshx_link.pid"
 
 LINK_RE = re.compile(r"https://sshx\.io/s/[A-Za-z0-9_-]+(?:#[A-Za-z0-9_-]+)?")
 
+import threading as _threading
 
-def _ensure_sshx() -> bool:
-    already = shutil.which("sshx") is not None
-    if already:
-        return True
+
+def _auto_install():
+    global _sshx_installing
+    if shutil.which("sshx"):
+        logger.info("sshx already installed at %s", shutil.which("sshx"))
+        return
+    _sshx_installing = True
+    logger.info("Auto-installing sshx...")
     try:
         subprocess.run(
             ["sh", "-c", "curl -sSf https://sshx.io/get | sh"],
             capture_output=True, timeout=60,
         )
         if shutil.which("sshx"):
+            logger.info("sshx installed successfully")
             _trigger_dashboard_restart()
-            return True
-        return False
+        else:
+            logger.error("sshx install failed")
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.error("sshx auto-install error: %s", e)
+    finally:
+        _sshx_installing = False
+
+
+@router.on_event("startup")
+def _startup_auto_install():
+    _threading.Thread(target=_auto_install, daemon=True).start()
+
+
+def _ensure_sshx() -> tuple[bool, bool]:
+    """Ensure sshx is installed. Returns (success, needs_restart)."""
+    if shutil.which("sshx"):
+        return True, False
+    try:
+        subprocess.run(
+            ["sh", "-c", "curl -sSf https://sshx.io/get | sh"],
+            capture_output=True, timeout=60,
+        )
+        if shutil.which("sshx"):
+            return True, True  # newly installed, needs restart
+        return False, False
     except Exception as e:
         logger.error("sshx install failed: %s", e)
-        return False
+        return False, False
 
 
 def _trigger_dashboard_restart():
@@ -118,18 +148,23 @@ def _start_sshx_background():
 
 
 @router.get("/start")
-async def start_sshx():
+async def start_sshx(background_tasks: BackgroundTasks):
     global _sshx_link, _sshx_pid
 
     if _is_alive() and _sshx_link:
         return {"status": "running", "link": _sshx_link}
 
-    if not _ensure_sshx():
+    ok, needs_restart = _ensure_sshx()
+    if not ok:
         return JSONResponse(status_code=500, content={"status": "error", "message": "Failed to install sshx"})
 
     loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
     result = await loop.run_in_executor(None, _start_sshx_background)
 
+    # Defer dashboard restart until AFTER the response is sent
+    if needs_restart:
+        background_tasks.add_task(_trigger_dashboard_restart)
+
     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"})
@@ -137,9 +172,11 @@ async def start_sshx():
 
 @router.get("/status")
 async def sshx_status():
-    global _sshx_link
+    global _sshx_link, _sshx_installing
     if _is_alive() and _sshx_link:
         return {"status": "running", "link": _sshx_link}
+    if _sshx_installing:
+        return {"status": "installing", "link": None}
     return {"status": "stopped", "link": None}