diff --git a/crates/xy/tests/lifecycle.rs b/crates/xy/tests/lifecycle.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4c1ab9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/xy/tests/lifecycle.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+mod common;
+use common::*;
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn auto_starts_on_boot_then_stop_and_start() {
+    let xy = xy_bin();
+    let sleeper = sleep_server_bin();
+    let mut h = Harness::new();
+    h.write_server("alpha", sleeper.to_str().unwrap(), 19_001, "always");
+    h.start_daemon(&xy).await;
+
+    let mut last_stdout = String::new();
+    for _ in 0..40 {
+        let (_c, out, _e) = h.run_cli(&xy, &["list"]).await;
+        last_stdout = out;
+        if last_stdout.contains("alpha") && last_stdout.contains("running") {
+            break;
+        }
+        tokio::time::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_millis(100)).await;
+    }
+    assert!(last_stdout.contains("alpha"), "stdout: {last_stdout}");
+    assert!(last_stdout.contains("running"), "stdout: {last_stdout}");
+
+    let (code, out, _e) = h.run_cli(&xy, &["stop", "alpha"]).await;
+    assert_eq!(code, 0);
+    assert!(out.contains("stopped: alpha"), "stdout: {out}");
+
+    let (code, out, _e) = h.run_cli(&xy, &["start", "alpha"]).await;
+    assert_eq!(code, 0);
+    assert!(out.contains("started: alpha"), "stdout: {out}");
+}