diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 2304849..5a7c823 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/roadrunner-server/goridge/v4 v4.0.0-beta.2
 	github.com/shirou/gopsutil v3.21.11+incompatible
 	github.com/stretchr/testify v1.11.1
-	golang.org/x/sync v0.20.0
+	golang.org/x/sync v0.21.0
 )
 
 require (
@@ -20,6 +20,6 @@ require (
 	github.com/tklauser/go-sysconf v0.4.0 // indirect
 	github.com/tklauser/numcpus v0.12.0 // indirect
 	github.com/yusufpapurcu/wmi v1.2.4 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/sys v0.45.0 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/sys v0.46.0 // indirect
 	gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1 // indirect
 )
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 82fc72a..c05f1c4 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -32,10 +32,14 @@ github.com/yusufpapurcu/wmi v1.2.4 h1:zFUKzehAFReQwLys1b/iSMl+JQGSCSjtVqQn9bBrPo
 github.com/yusufpapurcu/wmi v1.2.4/go.mod h1:SBZ9tNy3G9/m5Oi98Zks0QjeHVDvuK0qfxQmPyzfmi0=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.20.0 h1:e0PTpb7pjO8GAtTs2dQ6jYa5BWYlMuX047Dco/pItO4=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.20.0/go.mod h1:9xrNwdLfx4jkKbNva9FpL6vEN7evnE43NNNJQ2LF3+0=
+golang.org/x/sync v0.21.0 h1:HLII4xRRTtCRkxYp4HNFF0Js/Og6q2i++KXbg0gHCwM=
+golang.org/x/sync v0.21.0/go.mod h1:9xrNwdLfx4jkKbNva9FpL6vEN7evnE43NNNJQ2LF3+0=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20190916202348-b4ddaad3f8a3/go.mod h1:h1NjWce9XRLGQEsW7wpKNCjG9DtNlClVuFLEZdDNbEs=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.1.0/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.45.0 h1:dO4czNzziLiiXplLQgBCEpCvXQ3dnkn0SdaZSYdQ+FY=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.45.0/go.mod h1:4GL1E5IUh+htKOUEOaiffhrAeqysfVGipDYzABqnCmw=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.46.0 h1:noSf2Fq6F8DBgS+LysIkx7rIExoNHJsxOAtPp4rthXw=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.46.0/go.mod h1:4GL1E5IUh+htKOUEOaiffhrAeqysfVGipDYzABqnCmw=
 gopkg.in/check.v1 v0.0.0-20161208181325-20d25e280405/go.mod h1:Co6ibVJAznAaIkqp8huTwlJQCZ016jof/cbN4VW5Yz0=
 gopkg.in/check.v1 v1.0.0-20190902080502-41f04d3bba15 h1:YR8cESwS4TdDjEe65xsg0ogRM/Nc3DYOhEAlW+xobZo=
 gopkg.in/check.v1 v1.0.0-20190902080502-41f04d3bba15/go.mod h1:Co6ibVJAznAaIkqp8huTwlJQCZ016jof/cbN4VW5Yz0=
diff --git a/internal/protocol.go b/internal/protocol.go
index bbc5186..6f66b87 100755
--- a/internal/protocol.go
+++ b/internal/protocol.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package internal
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"sync"
 
@@ -56,6 +57,13 @@ func SendControl(rl relay.Relay, payload any) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// legacyHint annotates a failed pid exchange with its two likely causes — the
+// worker crashed on startup, or it speaks the legacy goridge v3 protocol — so
+// operators get an actionable message instead of a bare "Network: EOF".
+func legacyHint(err error) error {
+	return fmt.Errorf("worker pid handshake failed: %w; the worker exited or replied with an unrecognized frame — check the worker logs for startup errors, and if the worker uses an SDK speaking the legacy goridge v3 protocol (e.g. spiral/roadrunner-worker v3.x for PHP), upgrade it to a goridge v4-compatible release", err)
+}
+
 func Pid(rl relay.Relay) (int64, error) {
 	err := SendControl(rl, pidCommand{Pid: os.Getpid()})
 	if err != nil {
@@ -67,7 +75,7 @@ func Pid(rl relay.Relay) (int64, error) {
 
 	err = rl.Receive(fr)
 	if err != nil {
-		return 0, err
+		return 0, legacyHint(err)
 	}
 
 	if fr == nil {
@@ -77,13 +85,13 @@ func Pid(rl relay.Relay) (int64, error) {
 	flags := fr.ReadFlags()
 
 	if flags&frame.CONTROL == 0 {
-		return 0, errors.Str("unexpected response, header is missing, no CONTROL flag")
+		return 0, legacyHint(errors.Str("unexpected response, header is missing, no CONTROL flag"))
 	}
 
 	link := &pidCommand{}
 	err = json.Unmarshal(fr.Payload(), link)
 	if err != nil {
-		return 0, err
+		return 0, legacyHint(err)
 	}
 
 	if link.Pid <= 0 {
diff --git a/internal/protocol_test.go b/internal/protocol_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5b1b7b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/protocol_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+package internal
+
+import (
+	"io"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/roadrunner-server/goridge/v4/pkg/frame"
+)
+
+// eofRelay accepts the outgoing control frame and then fails the read,
+// mimicking a worker that exited on an unparseable (legacy-protocol) frame.
+type eofRelay struct{}
+
+func (eofRelay) Send(*frame.Frame) error    { return nil }
+func (eofRelay) Receive(*frame.Frame) error { return io.EOF }
+func (eofRelay) Close() error               { return nil }
+
+func TestPidHandshakeHintsLegacyWorker(t *testing.T) {
+	_, err := Pid(eofRelay{})
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected the pid handshake to fail")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "goridge v3") {
+		t.Fatalf("handshake error should hint at the legacy protocol, got: %v", err)
+	}
+}