diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 45c2767..e6fee5f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,14 @@
 
 All notable changes to Claude Matrix are documented here.
 
+## [2.3.1] - 2026-03-02
+
+### Fixed
+- **Dashboard port conflict crashes plugin** - `Bun.serve()` threw a fatal error when the configured port was in use, taking down the entire MCP server. Now falls back to an OS-assigned random port.
+- **Dashboard server lingers after Claude Code exits** - Added `stdin` end/close listeners to trigger clean shutdown when the parent process disconnects.
+
+---
+
 ## [2.3.0] - 2026-03-02
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/src/http/server.ts b/src/http/server.ts
index a80bd36..3ca6d76 100644
--- a/src/http/server.ts
+++ b/src/http/server.ts
@@ -26,20 +26,33 @@ export function startDashboard(): ReturnType<typeof Bun.serve> | null {
   const config = getConfig();
   if (!config.dashboard?.enabled) return null;
 
-  const { port, host } = config.dashboard;
-
-  const server = Bun.serve({
-    port,
-    hostname: host,
-    fetch: handleRequest,
-    error(err: Error) {
-      console.error('[Dashboard] HTTP error:', err.message);
-      return new Response('Internal Server Error', { status: 500 });
-    },
-  });
+  const host = config.dashboard.host;
+  const preferredPort = config.dashboard.port;
+
+  // Try preferred port first, then fall back to OS-assigned port
+  for (const tryPort of [preferredPort, 0]) {
+    try {
+      const server = Bun.serve({
+        port: tryPort,
+        hostname: host,
+        fetch: handleRequest,
+        error(err: Error) {
+          console.error('[Dashboard] HTTP error:', err.message);
+          return new Response('Internal Server Error', { status: 500 });
+        },
+      });
+
+      console.error(`[Matrix] Dashboard → http://${host}:${server.port}`);
+      return server;
+    } catch {
+      if (tryPort !== 0) {
+        console.error(`[Matrix] Port ${tryPort} in use, trying random port…`);
+      }
+    }
+  }
 
-  console.error(`[Matrix] Dashboard → http://${host}:${port}`);
-  return server;
+  console.error('[Matrix] Dashboard failed to start — no available port');
+  return null;
 }
 
 // ── Request dispatcher ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index 5d3ae9a..c3d0592 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -175,6 +175,10 @@ async function main(): Promise<void> {
 
   process.on('SIGINT', shutdown);
   process.on('SIGTERM', shutdown);
+
+  // When Claude Code exits, stdin closes — shut down cleanly instead of lingering
+  process.stdin.on('end', shutdown);
+  process.stdin.on('close', shutdown);
 }
 
 main().catch((error) => {