diff --git a/src/tmux-manager.ts b/src/tmux-manager.ts
index d9ba90a9..e30c2592 100644
--- a/src/tmux-manager.ts
+++ b/src/tmux-manager.ts
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ const GRACEFUL_SHUTDOWN_WAIT_MS = 100;
 /** Default stats collection interval (2 seconds) */
 const DEFAULT_STATS_INTERVAL_MS = 2000;
 
+/** Stable cwd for tmux server/pane launch; actual session cwd is reached inside the pane. */
+const TMUX_LAUNCH_CWD = '/tmp';
+
 /** Claude Code native macOS recommendation for avoiding low nofile startup failures. */
 export const CLAUDE_CODE_NOFILE_LIMIT = 2147483646;
 
@@ -679,8 +682,10 @@ export class TmuxManager extends EventEmitter implements TerminalMultiplexer {
       // (Production uses systemd which has a clean env, but dev/test may be nested.)
       const cleanEnv = { ...process.env };
       delete cleanEnv.TMUX;
-      execSync(`${this.tmux()} new-session -ds "${muxName}" -c "${workingDir}"`, {
-        cwd: workingDir,
+      // Start the tmux server from a stable local cwd so FUSE/rclone workspace
+      // blips do not poison tmux's long-lived getcwd state.
+      execSync(`${this.tmux()} new-session -ds "${muxName}" -c ${TMUX_LAUNCH_CWD}`, {
+        cwd: TMUX_LAUNCH_CWD,
         timeout: EXEC_TIMEOUT_MS,
         stdio: 'ignore',
         env: cleanEnv,
@@ -706,11 +711,16 @@ export class TmuxManager extends EventEmitter implements TerminalMultiplexer {
       // so secret values stay off the bash command line. Must run before respawn-pane.
       this.applyEnvOverrides(muxName, envOverrides);
 
-      // Replace the shell with the actual command (no echo in terminal)
-      execSync(`${this.tmux()} respawn-pane -k -t "${muxName}" bash -c ${JSON.stringify(fullCmd)}`, {
-        timeout: EXEC_TIMEOUT_MS,
-        stdio: 'ignore',
-      });
+      // Replace the shell with the actual command (no echo in terminal). Keep
+      // pane launch in /tmp, then cd inside bash against the current mount table.
+      const launchCmd = `cd ${JSON.stringify(workingDir)} && ${fullCmd}`;
+      execSync(
+        `${this.tmux()} respawn-pane -k -c ${TMUX_LAUNCH_CWD} -t "${muxName}" bash -c ${JSON.stringify(launchCmd)}`,
+        {
+          timeout: EXEC_TIMEOUT_MS,
+          stdio: 'ignore',
+        }
+      );
 
       // Wait for tmux session to be queryable
       await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, TMUX_CREATION_WAIT_MS));
@@ -890,9 +900,13 @@ export class TmuxManager extends EventEmitter implements TerminalMultiplexer {
       // Re-apply user env overrides before respawn so the new shell inherits them.
       this.applyEnvOverrides(muxName, envOverrides);
 
-      await execAsync(`${this.tmux()} respawn-pane -k -t "${muxName}" bash -c ${JSON.stringify(fullCmd)}`, {
-        timeout: EXEC_TIMEOUT_MS,
-      });
+      const launchCmd = `cd ${JSON.stringify(workingDir)} && ${fullCmd}`;
+      await execAsync(
+        `${this.tmux()} respawn-pane -k -c ${TMUX_LAUNCH_CWD} -t "${muxName}" bash -c ${JSON.stringify(launchCmd)}`,
+        {
+          timeout: EXEC_TIMEOUT_MS,
+        }
+      );
       // Wait for the respawned process to start
       await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, TMUX_CREATION_WAIT_MS));
       const pid = this.getPanePid(muxName);
diff --git a/test/tmux-manager.test.ts b/test/tmux-manager.test.ts
index b8f840f5..d1559b96 100644
--- a/test/tmux-manager.test.ts
+++ b/test/tmux-manager.test.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,17 @@ vi.mock('node:child_process', async () => {
   const actual = await vi.importActual('node:child_process');
   return {
     ...actual,
+    exec: vi.fn((_cmd: string, optionsOrCallback?: unknown, maybeCallback?: unknown) => {
+      const callback = typeof optionsOrCallback === 'function' ? optionsOrCallback : maybeCallback;
+      if (typeof callback === 'function') {
+        setImmediate(() => callback(null, '', ''));
+      }
+      return {
+        on: vi.fn(),
+        kill: vi.fn(),
+        pid: 12345,
+      };
+    }),
     execSync: vi.fn(),
     spawn: vi.fn(() => ({
       unref: vi.fn(),
@@ -41,6 +52,15 @@ vi.mock('node:fs', async () => {
   };
 });
 
+vi.mock('node:fs/promises', async () => {
+  const actual = await vi.importActual('node:fs/promises');
+  return {
+    ...actual,
+    writeFile: vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve()),
+    rename: vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve()),
+  };
+});
+
 describe('TmuxManager (unit)', () => {
   let manager: TmuxManager;
   const mockedExecSync = vi.mocked(execSync);
@@ -369,6 +389,95 @@ describe('TmuxManager (unit)', () => {
       // No error thrown
     });
   });
+
+  describe('tmux launch cwd hardening', () => {
+    async function importWithTmuxCommandsEnabled(): Promise<typeof TmuxManager> {
+      const originalVitest = process.env.VITEST;
+      vi.resetModules();
+      delete process.env.VITEST;
+      const module = await import('../src/tmux-manager.js');
+      if (originalVitest === undefined) {
+        delete process.env.VITEST;
+      } else {
+        process.env.VITEST = originalVitest;
+      }
+      return module.TmuxManager;
+    }
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      mockedExecSync.mockImplementation((cmd: string) => {
+        if (typeof cmd === 'string' && cmd.includes('which tmux')) {
+          return '/usr/bin/tmux\n';
+        }
+        if (typeof cmd === 'string' && cmd.includes('display-message') && cmd.includes('#{pane_pid}')) {
+          return '4242\n';
+        }
+        return '';
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('starts new tmux sessions from /tmp and cd-bounces into the requested workspace', async () => {
+      const NonTestTmuxManager = await importWithTmuxCommandsEnabled();
+      const nonTestManager = new NonTestTmuxManager();
+
+      try {
+        const session = await nonTestManager.createSession({
+          sessionId: 'abc12345-1234-5678-90ab-cdef12345678',
+          workingDir: '/mnt/gdrive/project with spaces',
+          mode: 'shell',
+        });
+
+        expect(session.workingDir).toBe('/mnt/gdrive/project with spaces');
+        expect(session.pid).toBe(4242);
+
+        const newSessionCall = mockedExecSync.mock.calls.find(
+          ([cmd]) => typeof cmd === 'string' && cmd.includes(' new-session ')
+        );
+        expect(newSessionCall?.[0]).toBe(`tmux -L 'codeman' new-session -ds "codeman-abc12345" -c /tmp`);
+        expect(newSessionCall?.[1]).toEqual(expect.objectContaining({ cwd: '/tmp' }));
+
+        const respawnCall = mockedExecSync.mock.calls.find(
+          ([cmd]) => typeof cmd === 'string' && cmd.includes(' respawn-pane ')
+        );
+        expect(respawnCall?.[0]).toContain(`tmux -L 'codeman' respawn-pane -k -c /tmp -t "codeman-abc12345"`);
+        expect(respawnCall?.[0]).toContain('cd \\"/mnt/gdrive/project with spaces\\" &&');
+      } finally {
+        nonTestManager.destroy();
+      }
+    });
+
+    it('respawns existing panes from /tmp and cd-bounces into the requested workspace', async () => {
+      const NonTestTmuxManager = await importWithTmuxCommandsEnabled();
+      const nonTestManager = new NonTestTmuxManager();
+      nonTestManager.registerSession({
+        sessionId: 'respawn1234',
+        muxName: 'codeman-abcd1234',
+        pid: 1000,
+        createdAt: Date.now(),
+        workingDir: '/tmp',
+        mode: 'shell',
+        attached: false,
+      });
+
+      try {
+        const pid = await nonTestManager.respawnPane({
+          sessionId: 'respawn1234',
+          workingDir: '/mnt/gdrive/project',
+          mode: 'shell',
+        });
+
+        expect(pid).toBe(4242);
+        const { exec: currentExec } = await import('node:child_process');
+        const respawnCall = vi
+          .mocked(currentExec)
+          .mock.calls.find(([cmd]) => typeof cmd === 'string' && cmd.includes(' respawn-pane '));
+        expect(respawnCall?.[0]).toContain(`tmux -L 'codeman' respawn-pane -k -c /tmp -t "codeman-abcd1234"`);
+        expect(respawnCall?.[0]).toContain('cd \\"/mnt/gdrive/project\\" &&');
+      } finally {
+        nonTestManager.destroy();
+      }
+    });
+  });
 });
 
 // ============================================================================