diff --git a/backend/internal/client/client.go b/backend/internal/client/client.go
index d3c3509..0f4eee3 100644
--- a/backend/internal/client/client.go
+++ b/backend/internal/client/client.go
@@ -21,9 +21,14 @@ import (
 	"lodge/internal/protocol"
 )
 
-const requestTimeout = 15 * time.Second
+const (
+	requestTimeout = 15 * time.Second
+	sendPingAfter  = 15 * time.Second
+	pingTimeout    = 10 * time.Second
+)
 
 var (
+	httpClient     = &http.Client{Transport: newTransport()}
 	ErrNotLoggedIn = errors.New("not logged in: run the install command from the lodge admin page")
 	errConflict    = errors.New("server state changed")
 )
@@ -89,13 +94,19 @@ func writeFile(path string, data []byte, mode os.FileMode) error {
 	return os.Rename(temp, path)
 }
 
+func newTransport() *http.Transport {
+	transport := http.DefaultTransport.(*http.Transport).Clone()
+	transport.HTTP2 = &http.HTTP2Config{SendPingTimeout: sendPingAfter, PingTimeout: pingTimeout}
+	return transport
+}
+
 func (c *Client) request(ctx context.Context, method, path string, body []byte) (*http.Response, error) {
 	req, err := http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, method, c.URL+path, bytes.NewReader(body))
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	req.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+c.Token)
-	res, err := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)
+	res, err := httpClient.Do(req)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/backend/internal/client/daemon.go b/backend/internal/client/daemon.go
index df5d3e3..913de9f 100644
--- a/backend/internal/client/daemon.go
+++ b/backend/internal/client/daemon.go
@@ -4,11 +4,13 @@ import (
 	"bufio"
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"io/fs"
 	"log"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"slices"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
@@ -27,6 +29,12 @@ const (
 	headFile      = "HEAD"
 )
 
+type tree struct {
+	key    string
+	gitDir string
+	rules  Rules
+}
+
 type daemon struct {
 	client  *Client
 	watcher *fsnotify.Watcher
@@ -34,8 +42,7 @@ type daemon struct {
 
 	mu      sync.Mutex
 	owners  map[string]string
-	gitDirs map[string]bool
-	keys    map[string]string
+	trees   map[string]tree
 	pending map[string]*time.Timer
 }
 
@@ -56,8 +63,7 @@ func (c *Client) Daemon(ctx context.Context) error {
 		watcher: watcher,
 		queue:   make(chan string, 256),
 		owners:  map[string]string{},
-		gitDirs: map[string]bool{},
-		keys:    map[string]string{},
+		trees:   map[string]tree{},
 		pending: map[string]*time.Timer{},
 	}
 	go d.listen(ctx)
@@ -85,16 +91,32 @@ func (d *daemon) handle(event fsnotify.Event) {
 		d.syncAll()
 		return
 	}
-	dir := filepath.Dir(event.Name)
 	d.mu.Lock()
-	root, watched := d.owners[dir]
-	irrelevant := d.gitDirs[dir] && filepath.Base(event.Name) != headFile
+	if event.Has(fsnotify.Remove) || event.Has(fsnotify.Rename) {
+		delete(d.owners, event.Name)
+	}
+	root, watched := d.owners[filepath.Dir(event.Name)]
+	relevant := watched && d.trees[root].relevant(root, event.Name)
 	d.mu.Unlock()
-	if watched && !irrelevant && !strings.HasSuffix(event.Name, tempSuffix) {
+	if relevant {
 		d.schedule(root)
 	}
 }
 
+func (t tree) relevant(root, name string) bool {
+	if filepath.Dir(name) == t.gitDir {
+		return filepath.Base(name) == headFile
+	}
+	rel, err := filepath.Rel(root, name)
+	if err != nil || strings.HasSuffix(name, tempSuffix) {
+		return false
+	}
+	rel = filepath.ToSlash(rel)
+	return slices.ContainsFunc(t.rules, func(rule Rule) bool {
+		return within(rel, rule.Path) || within(rule.Path, rel)
+	})
+}
+
 func (d *daemon) schedule(root string) {
 	d.mu.Lock()
 	defer d.mu.Unlock()
@@ -112,10 +134,26 @@ func (d *daemon) schedule(root string) {
 
 func (d *daemon) syncAll() {
 	for _, root := range d.client.Worktrees() {
-		d.schedule(root)
+		if _, err := os.Stat(root); errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
+			d.forget(root)
+		} else {
+			d.schedule(root)
+		}
 	}
 }
 
+func (d *daemon) forget(root string) {
+	if err := d.client.Forget(root); err != nil {
+		log.Printf("%s: %v", root, err)
+		return
+	}
+	log.Printf("%s: gone, forgotten", root)
+	d.mu.Lock()
+	defer d.mu.Unlock()
+	delete(d.trees, root)
+	d.release(root, nil)
+}
+
 func (d *daemon) work(ctx context.Context) {
 	for {
 		select {
@@ -138,21 +176,11 @@ func (d *daemon) watch(root string) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}
-	dirs := []string{repo.GitDir}
-	for _, rule := range LoadRules(repo.Root) {
+	rules := LoadRules(repo.Root)
+	dirs := map[string]bool{repo.GitDir: true}
+	for _, rule := range rules {
 		target := filepath.Join(repo.Root, filepath.FromSlash(rule.Path))
-		info, err := os.Stat(target)
-		for err != nil && target != repo.Root {
-			target = filepath.Dir(target)
-			info, err = os.Stat(target)
-		}
-		if err != nil {
-			continue
-		}
-		if !info.IsDir() {
-			dirs = append(dirs, filepath.Dir(target))
-			continue
-		}
+		dirs[nearestDir(filepath.Dir(target), repo.Root)] = true
 		_ = filepath.WalkDir(target, func(path string, entry fs.DirEntry, err error) error {
 			if err != nil || !entry.IsDir() {
 				return nil
@@ -160,21 +188,42 @@ func (d *daemon) watch(root string) {
 			if entry.Name() == ".git" {
 				return filepath.SkipDir
 			}
-			dirs = append(dirs, path)
+			dirs[path] = true
 			return nil
 		})
 	}
 	d.mu.Lock()
 	defer d.mu.Unlock()
-	d.keys[repo.Root] = repo.Key
-	d.gitDirs[repo.GitDir] = true
-	for _, dir := range dirs {
-		if _, watching := d.owners[dir]; !watching && d.watcher.Add(dir) == nil {
+	d.trees[repo.Root] = tree{key: repo.Key, gitDir: repo.GitDir, rules: rules}
+	d.release(repo.Root, dirs)
+	for dir := range dirs {
+		if owner, taken := d.owners[dir]; taken && owner != repo.Root {
+			continue
+		}
+		if d.watcher.Add(dir) == nil {
 			d.owners[dir] = repo.Root
 		}
 	}
 }
 
+func (d *daemon) release(root string, keep map[string]bool) {
+	for dir, owner := range d.owners {
+		if owner == root && !keep[dir] {
+			_ = d.watcher.Remove(dir)
+			delete(d.owners, dir)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func nearestDir(path, root string) string {
+	for ; path != root; path = filepath.Dir(path) {
+		if info, err := os.Stat(path); err == nil && info.IsDir() {
+			return path
+		}
+	}
+	return root
+}
+
 func (d *daemon) listen(ctx context.Context) {
 	backoff := minBackoff
 	for ctx.Err() == nil {
@@ -208,8 +257,8 @@ func (d *daemon) stream(ctx context.Context) error {
 		}
 		d.mu.Lock()
 		var roots []string
-		for root, key := range d.keys {
-			if key == event.Repo {
+		for root, tree := range d.trees {
+			if tree.key == event.Repo {
 				roots = append(roots, root)
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/backend/internal/client/daemon_test.go b/backend/internal/client/daemon_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3f36814
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/internal/client/daemon_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+package client
+
+import (
+	"maps"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"slices"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify"
+)
+
+func TestDaemonWatchesOnlyRulePaths(t *testing.T) {
+	m, _ := setup(t)
+	watcher, err := fsnotify.NewWatcher()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { watcher.Close() })
+	d := &daemon{client: m.client, watcher: watcher, owners: map[string]string{}, trees: map[string]tree{}}
+	gitDir := filepath.Join(m.root, ".git")
+	expectWatched := func(want ...string) {
+		t.Helper()
+		slices.Sort(want)
+		if got := slices.Sorted(maps.Keys(d.owners)); !slices.Equal(got, want) {
+			t.Fatalf("watching %v, want %v", got, want)
+		}
+	}
+
+	write(t, m.root, "target/debug/deps/big.o", "build output")
+	write(t, m.root, "docs/agents/sub/note.md", "note")
+	d.watch(m.root)
+	expectWatched(m.root, gitDir, filepath.Join(m.root, "docs"), filepath.Join(m.root, "docs/agents"), filepath.Join(m.root, "docs/agents/sub"))
+
+	write(t, m.root, RulesFile, "shared notes/plans\n")
+	if err := os.RemoveAll(filepath.Join(m.root, "docs/agents/sub")); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	d.watch(m.root)
+	expectWatched(m.root, gitDir)
+
+	for name, want := range map[string]bool{
+		"notes":                   true,
+		"notes/plans/a.md":        true,
+		RulesFile:                 true,
+		".git/HEAD":               true,
+		".git/index":              false,
+		"notes/plans/a.lodge-tmp": false,
+		"docs/agents/x.md":        false,
+		"target/debug/deps/big.o": false,
+	} {
+		if got := d.trees[m.root].relevant(m.root, filepath.Join(m.root, name)); got != want {
+			t.Errorf("relevant(%s) = %v, want %v", name, got, want)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDaemonForgetsVanishedWorktrees(t *testing.T) {
+	c := &Client{DataDir: t.TempDir()}
+	if err := writeJSONFile(c.registryPath(), []string{filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "gone")}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	d := &daemon{client: c, owners: map[string]string{}, trees: map[string]tree{}}
+	d.syncAll()
+	if roots := c.Worktrees(); len(roots) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("registry still lists %v", roots)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/backend/internal/client/rules.go b/backend/internal/client/rules.go
index 24685d1..13bb4c8 100644
--- a/backend/internal/client/rules.go
+++ b/backend/internal/client/rules.go
@@ -61,14 +61,17 @@ func (rules Rules) paths() []string {
 func (rules Rules) covers(file string, shared bool) bool {
 	best := Rule{}
 	for _, rule := range rules {
-		matches := file == rule.Path || strings.HasPrefix(file, rule.Path+"/")
-		if matches && len(rule.Path) > len(best.Path) {
+		if within(file, rule.Path) && len(rule.Path) > len(best.Path) {
 			best = rule
 		}
 	}
 	return best.Path != "" && best.Shared == shared
 }
 
+func within(path, dir string) bool {
+	return path == dir || strings.HasPrefix(path, dir+"/")
+}
+
 func writeExclude(repo *gitrepo.Repo, rules Rules) error {
 	file := filepath.Join(repo.CommonDir, "info", "exclude")
 	current, _ := os.ReadFile(file)