diff --git a/bin/crc b/bin/crc
index 457740a..64dc725 100755
--- a/bin/crc
+++ b/bin/crc
@@ -110,20 +110,29 @@ else
     esac
 fi
 
-# tmux session name: stable, derived from the dir. tmux forbids '.' and ':'.
-slug=$(printf %s "$slug_src" | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]' | sed -e 's#[^a-z0-9]\{1,\}#-#g' -e 's#^-##' -e 's#-$##')
-[ -n "$slug" ] || slug='home'
-session="claude-rc-${slug}"
+# tmux session name: a --session override (sanitized — tmux forbids '.' and
+# ':'), else stable and derived from the dir.
+if [ -n "$session_override" ]; then
+    session=$(printf %s "$session_override" | tr '.:' '--')
+else
+    slug=$(printf %s "$slug_src" | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]' | sed -e 's#[^a-z0-9]\{1,\}#-#g' -e 's#^-##' -e 's#-$##')
+    [ -n "$slug" ] || slug='home'
+    session="claude-rc-${slug}"
+fi
 
 # --- build the remote bootstrap (base64'd to survive all quoting layers) ----
-# Decoded and run by `sh` on the far side. Computes DIR, validates it, then
-# exec's tmux new-session -A (attach-or-create) running `claude rc` under a
-# login shell so ~/.local/bin (where claude lives) is on PATH.
+# Decoded and run by `sh` on the far side. Resolves DIR, validates it, then
+# starts `claude rc` in a tmux session under a login shell (so ~/.local/bin,
+# where claude lives, is on PATH). tmux -c sets the session start-dir, avoiding
+# a fragile inner `cd "$DIR"`. ENSURE=1 → start detached if absent, no attach.
+# RESPAWN=1 → wrap claude rc in a restart loop so crashes self-heal.
 boot=$(cat <<BOOT
 REL=$(printf %q "$rel")
 ABS=$(printf %q "$abs")
 RC_ARGS=$(printf %q "$rc_args")
 SESS=$(printf %q "$session")
+ENSURE=$ensure
+RESPAWN=$respawn
 if [ "\$ABS" = "~" ]; then DIR=\$HOME
 elif [ -n "\$ABS" ] && [ "\${ABS#~/}" != "\$ABS" ]; then DIR="\$HOME/\${ABS#~/}"
 elif [ -n "\$ABS" ]; then DIR=\$ABS
@@ -133,7 +142,21 @@ if ! cd "\$DIR" 2>/dev/null; then
     echo "crc: directory not found on host: \$DIR" >&2
     exit 1
 fi
-exec tmux new-session -A -s "\$SESS" "\${SHELL:-/bin/sh} -lc 'cd \"\$DIR\" && exec claude rc \$RC_ARGS'"
+SH=\${SHELL:-/bin/sh}
+if [ "\$RESPAWN" = 1 ]; then
+    CMD="\$SH -lc 'while true; do claude rc \$RC_ARGS; sleep 3; done'"
+else
+    CMD="\$SH -lc 'exec claude rc \$RC_ARGS'"
+fi
+if [ "\$ENSURE" = 1 ]; then
+    if tmux has-session -t "\$SESS" 2>/dev/null; then
+        echo "crc: \$SESS already running" >&2
+    else
+        tmux new-session -d -c "\$DIR" -s "\$SESS" "\$CMD" && echo "crc: started detached \$SESS" >&2
+    fi
+else
+    exec tmux new-session -A -c "\$DIR" -s "\$SESS" "\$CMD"
+fi
 BOOT
 )
 boot_b64=$(printf %s "$boot" | base64 | tr -d '\n')
@@ -141,7 +164,7 @@ boot_b64=$(printf %s "$boot" | base64 | tr -d '\n')
 run_remote="printf %s '${boot_b64}' | base64 -d | sh"
 
 echo "crc: ${session} → claude rc in ${abs:-\$HOME/${rel}} on ${host}" >&2
-echo "crc: detach with Ctrl-b d (server keeps running); reattach by re-running this command." >&2
+[ "$ensure" -eq 0 ] && echo "crc: detach with Ctrl-b d (server keeps running); reattach by re-running this command." >&2
 
 if [ "$dry_run" -eq 1 ]; then
     echo "--- remote script ($host) ---" >&2
@@ -156,6 +179,7 @@ case "$host" in
         eval "$run_remote"
         ;;
     *)
-        exec ssh -t "$host" "$run_remote"
+        if [ "$ensure" -eq 1 ]; then exec ssh "$host" "$run_remote"
+        else exec ssh -t "$host" "$run_remote"; fi
         ;;
 esac