diff --git a/changelog.md b/changelog.md
index 345e835..f7577ae 100644
--- a/changelog.md
+++ b/changelog.md
@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 2025-08-28 - 3.0.2 - fix(daemon)
+Ensure TSPM runtime dir exists and improve daemon startup/debug output
+
+- Create ~/.tspm directory before starting the daemon to avoid missing-directory errors
+- Start daemon child process with stdio inherited when TSPM_DEBUG=true to surface startup errors during debugging
+- Add warning and troubleshooting guidance when daemon process starts but does not respond (suggest checking socket file and using TSPM_DEBUG)
+- Bump package version to 3.0.1
+
 ## 2025-08-28 - 3.0.0 - BREAKING CHANGE(daemon)
 Refactor daemon and service management: remove IPC auto-spawn, add TspmServiceManager, tighten IPC/client/CLI behavior and tests
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index b69dd90..a741dc8 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@git.zone/tspm",
-  "version": "3.0.0",
+  "version": "3.0.1",
   "private": false,
   "description": "a no fuzz process manager",
   "main": "dist_ts/index.js",
diff --git a/ts/00_commitinfo_data.ts b/ts/00_commitinfo_data.ts
index dcaa09c..b6faf89 100644
--- a/ts/00_commitinfo_data.ts
+++ b/ts/00_commitinfo_data.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@
  */
 export const commitinfo = {
   name: '@git.zone/tspm',
-  version: '3.0.0',
+  version: '3.0.2',
   description: 'a no fuzz process manager'
 }
diff --git a/ts/classes.daemon.ts b/ts/classes.daemon.ts
index eec8be2..3402fcd 100644
--- a/ts/classes.daemon.ts
+++ b/ts/classes.daemon.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ export class TspmDaemon {
   public async start(): Promise<void> {
     console.log('Starting TSPM daemon...');
 
+    // Ensure the TSPM directory exists
+    const fs = await import('fs/promises');
+    await fs.mkdir(paths.tspmDir, { recursive: true });
+
     // Check if another daemon is already running
     if (await this.isDaemonRunning()) {
       throw new Error('Another TSPM daemon instance is already running');
diff --git a/ts/cli/commands/daemon/index.ts b/ts/cli/commands/daemon/index.ts
index 9966488..7766ef2 100644
--- a/ts/cli/commands/daemon/index.ts
+++ b/ts/cli/commands/daemon/index.ts
@@ -37,9 +37,10 @@ export function registerDaemonCommand(smartcli: plugins.smartcli.Smartcli) {
             );
 
             // Start daemon as a detached background process
+            // Use 'inherit' for stdio to see any startup errors when debugging
             const daemonProcess = spawn(process.execPath, [daemonScript], {
               detached: true,
-              stdio: 'ignore',
+              stdio: process.env.TSPM_DEBUG === 'true' ? 'inherit' : 'ignore',
               env: {
                 ...process.env,
                 TSPM_DAEMON_MODE: 'true',
@@ -62,6 +63,13 @@ export function registerDaemonCommand(smartcli: plugins.smartcli.Smartcli) {
                 '\nNote: This daemon will run until you stop it or logout.',
               );
               console.log('For automatic startup, use "tspm enable" instead.');
+            } else {
+              console.warn('\n⚠️  Warning: Daemon process started but is not responding.');
+              console.log('The daemon may have crashed on startup.');
+              console.log('\nTo debug, try:');
+              console.log('  TSPM_DEBUG=true tspm daemon start');
+              console.log('\nOr check if the socket file exists:');
+              console.log(`  ls -la ~/.tspm/tspm.sock`);
             }
 
             // Disconnect from the daemon after starting