diff --git a/src/attach.rs b/src/attach.rs
index 74f1725..6e5fa95 100644
--- a/src/attach.rs
+++ b/src/attach.rs
@@ -1475,9 +1475,23 @@ fn run_one_session(
     // overlay communicates state; handshake errors here are bubbled
     // up so the M5.8d loop can decide whether to retry.
     attach_debug("waiting for Hello from remote daemon bridge");
+    let hello_wait_done = Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(false));
+    if attach_debug_enabled() {
+        let done = Arc::clone(&hello_wait_done);
+        thread::spawn(move || {
+            thread::sleep(Duration::from_secs(5));
+            if !done.load(Ordering::SeqCst) {
+                eprintln!(
+                    "pmacs attach debug: still waiting for Hello after 5s; \
+                     remote bridge connected but no daemon bytes reached local stdout"
+                );
+            }
+        });
+    }
     let hello: Hello = match read_message(&mut child_stdout) {
         Ok(h) => h,
         Err(e) => {
+            hello_wait_done.store(true, Ordering::SeqCst);
             attach_debug(format!("failed reading Hello: {e}"));
             return Err(handshake_error_with_child(
                 child,
@@ -1487,6 +1501,7 @@ fn run_one_session(
             ));
         }
     };
+    hello_wait_done.store(true, Ordering::SeqCst);
     attach_debug(format!(
         "received Hello: protocol_version={}, assigned_frontend_id={}",
         hello.protocol_version, hello.assigned_frontend_id.0
diff --git a/src/daemon.rs b/src/daemon.rs
index fbddb51..3e21ae4 100644
--- a/src/daemon.rs
+++ b/src/daemon.rs
@@ -70,6 +70,21 @@ use crate::protocol::{
 use crate::socket_path::{SocketPathError, ensure_runtime_subdir};
 use crate::transport::{read_message, write_message};
 
+/// Shared debug switch with the SSH attach path. When set before
+/// daemon startup, emits stderr breadcrumbs for accept/handshake
+/// progress without changing the wire protocol.
+const PMACS_ATTACH_DEBUG: &str = "PMACS_ATTACH_DEBUG";
+
+fn daemon_debug_enabled() -> bool {
+    std::env::var_os(PMACS_ATTACH_DEBUG).is_some_and(|v| !v.is_empty() && v != "0")
+}
+
+fn daemon_debug(msg: impl AsRef<str>) {
+    if daemon_debug_enabled() {
+        eprintln!("pmacs daemon debug: {}", msg.as_ref());
+    }
+}
+
 /// T M10.8 — events the dispatcher thread processes.
 ///
 /// The dispatcher is the single thread that owns the editor; all
@@ -507,9 +522,11 @@ fn accept_loop(
     dispatcher_tx: mpsc::Sender<DispatcherEvent>,
     shutdown: &Arc<AtomicBool>,
 ) -> Result<(), DaemonError> {
+    daemon_debug("accept loop started");
     while !shutdown.load(Ordering::SeqCst) {
         match listener.accept() {
             Ok((stream, _)) => {
+                daemon_debug("accepted frontend socket; spawning per-attach thread");
                 let daemon_state = Arc::clone(daemon_state);
                 let tx = dispatcher_tx.clone();
                 thread::spawn(move || per_attach_thread(stream, daemon_state, tx));
@@ -601,7 +618,9 @@ fn per_attach_thread(
     daemon_state: Arc<DaemonState>,
     dispatcher_tx: mpsc::Sender<DispatcherEvent>,
 ) {
+    daemon_debug("per-attach thread started");
     let frontend_id = FrontendId(daemon_state.next_frontend_id.fetch_add(1, Ordering::SeqCst));
+    daemon_debug(format!("assigned {frontend_id:?}; preparing Hello"));
 
     // Send Hello immediately on accept. The instance capabilities
     // advertised here (and used for negotiation below) come from the
@@ -618,8 +637,10 @@ fn per_attach_thread(
         eprintln!("pmacs: send Hello failed: {e}");
         return;
     }
+    daemon_debug(format!("sent Hello to {frontend_id:?}"));
 
     // Read AttachRequest.
+    daemon_debug(format!("waiting for AttachRequest from {frontend_id:?}"));
     let req: AttachRequest = match read_message(&mut stream) {
         Ok(r) => r,
         Err(e) => {
@@ -627,6 +648,7 @@ fn per_attach_thread(
             return;
         }
     };
+    daemon_debug(format!("received AttachRequest from {frontend_id:?}"));
 
     // T M10.5 version check.
     if !crate::protocol::is_supported_protocol_version(req.protocol_version) {