diff --git a/bin/baudbot b/bin/baudbot
index c87061a..81c11f4 100755
--- a/bin/baudbot
+++ b/bin/baudbot
@@ -369,6 +369,7 @@ print_broker_connection_status() {
   local health_summary=""
   local connection_state=""
   local components_line=""
+  local bridge_running=0
 
   if ! broker_mode_configured "$agent_user"; then
     echo -e "${BOLD}broker connection:${RESET} not configured"
@@ -376,20 +377,23 @@ print_broker_connection_status() {
   fi
 
   if [ "$(id -u)" -eq 0 ]; then
-    sudo -u "$agent_user" tmux has-session -t slack-bridge 2>/dev/null || {
-      echo -e "${BOLD}broker connection:${RESET} disconnected (bridge tmux session not running)"
-      return 0
-    }
+    if pgrep -u "$agent_user" -f "node broker-bridge.mjs" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+      bridge_running=1
+    fi
   elif [ "$(id -un)" = "$agent_user" ]; then
-    tmux has-session -t slack-bridge 2>/dev/null || {
-      echo -e "${BOLD}broker connection:${RESET} disconnected (bridge tmux session not running)"
-      return 0
-    }
+    if pgrep -u "$agent_user" -f "node broker-bridge.mjs" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+      bridge_running=1
+    fi
   else
     echo -e "${BOLD}broker connection:${RESET} configured (run with sudo for runtime status)"
     return 0
   fi
 
+  if [ "$bridge_running" -ne 1 ]; then
+    echo -e "${BOLD}broker connection:${RESET} disconnected (broker bridge process not running)"
+    return 0
+  fi
+
   if [ ! -r "$health_file" ]; then
     echo -e "${BOLD}broker connection:${RESET} starting"
     echo -e "${BOLD}broker health:${RESET} unavailable (waiting for bridge health file)"
diff --git a/bin/doctor.sh b/bin/doctor.sh
index 6356e7b..6b15840 100755
--- a/bin/doctor.sh
+++ b/bin/doctor.sh
@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@ fi
 
 if command -v varlock &>/dev/null || [ -x "$BAUDBOT_HOME/.varlock/bin/varlock" ]; then
   pass "varlock is installed"
+  if [ -f "$BAUDBOT_HOME/.varlock/config.json" ] && grep -q '"anonymousId"' "$BAUDBOT_HOME/.varlock/config.json"; then
+    warn "$BAUDBOT_HOME/.varlock/config.json includes anonymousId (export VARLOCK_TELEMETRY_DISABLED=1 or remove this field)"
+  fi
 else
   fail "varlock not found"
 fi
diff --git a/start.sh b/start.sh
index 97ed3f7..c47289c 100755
--- a/start.sh
+++ b/start.sh
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@ cd ~
 # Set PATH
 export PATH="$HOME/.varlock/bin:$HOME/opt/node-v22.14.0-linux-x64/bin:$PATH"
 
+# Work around varlock telemetry config crash by opting out at runtime.
+# This avoids loading anonymousId from user config and keeps startup deterministic.
+export VARLOCK_TELEMETRY_DISABLED=1
+
 # Validate and load secrets via varlock
 varlock load --path ~/.config/ || {
   echo "❌ Environment validation failed — check ~/.config/.env against .env.schema"