diff --git a/crates/spaceshd/src/lifecycle.rs b/crates/spaceshd/src/lifecycle.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5ed2da6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/spaceshd/src/lifecycle.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+use anyhow::{Context, Result};
+
+/// `~/.spacesh` directory, created if missing.
+pub fn spacesh_dir() -> Result<PathBuf> {
+    let home = dirs::home_dir().context("no home dir")?;
+    let dir = home.join(".spacesh");
+    std::fs::create_dir_all(&dir)?;
+    Ok(dir)
+}
+
+pub fn socket_path() -> Result<PathBuf> {
+    Ok(spacesh_dir()?.join("sock"))
+}
+
+pub fn lock_path() -> Result<PathBuf> {
+    Ok(spacesh_dir()?.join("daemon.lock"))
+}
+
+/// Hold the single-instance lock for the lifetime of the daemon.
+pub struct InstanceLock {
+    _file: std::fs::File,
+}
+
+/// Acquire the exclusive daemon lock. Returns `Ok(None)` if another live daemon holds it.
+pub fn acquire_instance_lock() -> Result<Option<InstanceLock>> {
+    use fs2::FileExt;
+    let file = std::fs::OpenOptions::new()
+        .create(true)
+        .write(true)
+        .open(lock_path()?)?;
+    match file.try_lock_exclusive() {
+        Ok(()) => Ok(Some(InstanceLock { _file: file })),
+        Err(_) => Ok(None),
+    }
+}
+
+/// If a stale socket file exists but no daemon answers, remove it so we can bind.
+pub fn clear_stale_socket() -> Result<()> {
+    let path = socket_path()?;
+    if path.exists() {
+        // We hold the instance lock, so any existing socket is stale.
+        std::fs::remove_file(&path)?;
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn paths_live_under_spacesh_dir() {
+        let dir = spacesh_dir().unwrap();
+        assert!(socket_path().unwrap().starts_with(&dir));
+        assert!(lock_path().unwrap().starts_with(&dir));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn lock_is_exclusive_within_process() {
+        let first = acquire_instance_lock().unwrap();
+        assert!(first.is_some(), "first acquire should succeed");
+        // A second attempt from the same process on the same fd path:
+        // fs2 advisory locks are per-handle; opening a new handle and locking
+        // should fail while `first` is held.
+        let second = acquire_instance_lock().unwrap();
+        assert!(second.is_none(), "second acquire should be blocked");
+        drop(first);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/spaceshd/src/main.rs b/crates/spaceshd/src/main.rs
index 83ba4c1..cdb9fd3 100644
--- a/crates/spaceshd/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/spaceshd/src/main.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+mod lifecycle;
+
 fn main() {
     println!("spaceshd skeleton");
 }