diff --git a/internal/lsp/client.go b/internal/lsp/client.go
index 822916a..4b972ec 100644
--- a/internal/lsp/client.go
+++ b/internal/lsp/client.go
@@ -304,7 +304,12 @@ func (c *Client) send(msg interface{}) error {
 // On exit (for any reason), it drains all pending Call waiters with a
 // synthetic error so that goroutines blocked in Call are unblocked.
 func (c *Client) readLoop() {
+	// On exit (EOF/error from a crashed or closed server) mark the client not
+	// running so subsequent Calls fail fast — otherwise they pass the running
+	// guard, send to a dead stdin, and block until their own timeout. Then
+	// unblock any already-in-flight waiters. LIFO: setRunning(false) runs first.
 	defer c.drainPending()
+	defer c.setRunning(false)
 
 	reader := bufio.NewReader(c.stdout)
 
@@ -380,13 +385,19 @@ func (c *Client) drainPending() {
 	defer c.mu.Unlock()
 
 	for id, ch := range c.pending {
-		ch <- &Response{
+		// Non-blocking, matching the dispatch path: the channel is buffered(1)
+		// and read once, but a duplicate-id race could have already filled it —
+		// never block here while holding c.mu.
+		select {
+		case ch <- &Response{
 			JSONRPC: "2.0",
 			ID:      id,
 			Error: &ResponseError{
 				Code:    -32603, // InternalError
 				Message: "LSP client readLoop terminated",
 			},
+		}:
+		default:
 		}
 		delete(c.pending, id)
 	}
@@ -398,3 +409,10 @@ func (c *Client) IsRunning() bool {
 	defer c.runningMu.RUnlock()
 	return c.running
 }
+
+// setRunning sets the running flag under its lock.
+func (c *Client) setRunning(v bool) {
+	c.runningMu.Lock()
+	c.running = v
+	c.runningMu.Unlock()
+}
diff --git a/internal/lsp/client_test.go b/internal/lsp/client_test.go
index f5b8a1e..929807a 100644
--- a/internal/lsp/client_test.go
+++ b/internal/lsp/client_test.go
@@ -1,10 +1,48 @@
 package lsp
 
 import (
+	"context"
+	"os/exec"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 )
 
+// TestClientMarksNotRunningOnProcessExit verifies crash detection: when the
+// underlying server process exits (stdout EOF), readLoop must flip the client to
+// not-running so later Calls fail fast instead of blocking until their timeout.
+func TestClientMarksNotRunningOnProcessExit(t *testing.T) {
+	cmd := exec.Command("sh", "-c", "exit 0") // exits immediately, closing stdout
+	c, err := NewClient(cmd)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Skipf("cannot start helper process: %v", err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = c.Close() })
+
+	deadline := time.Now().Add(2 * time.Second)
+	for c.IsRunning() && time.Now().Before(deadline) {
+		time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
+	}
+	if c.IsRunning() {
+		t.Fatal("client should be marked not running after its process exits")
+	}
+
+	// A Call on the dead client must fail fast (the running guard), not hang.
+	done := make(chan error, 1)
+	go func() {
+		_, callErr := c.Call(context.Background(), "test/method", nil)
+		done <- callErr
+	}()
+	select {
+	case callErr := <-done:
+		if callErr == nil {
+			t.Error("Call on a dead client should return an error")
+		}
+	case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
+		t.Error("Call on a dead client hung instead of failing fast")
+	}
+}
+
 // drainStderr retains a bounded tail of server stderr for diagnostics; capture
 // must keep recent bytes and never grow past StderrCaptureMax.
 func TestClientStderrCapture(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/internal/lsp/manager.go b/internal/lsp/manager.go
index 4ded9d9..3da8ebd 100644
--- a/internal/lsp/manager.go
+++ b/internal/lsp/manager.go
@@ -128,7 +128,11 @@ func (m *Manager) GetServer(ctx context.Context, lang protocol.Language) (*Manag
 	srv, exists := m.servers[lang]
 	m.mu.RUnlock()
 
-	if exists && srv.ready {
+	// A cached server is only reusable if it is both initialized and still
+	// running — a crashed language server stays in the map with ready==true, so
+	// without the liveness check every later call would be routed to a dead
+	// process and block until timeout.
+	if exists && srv.ready && srv.client.IsRunning() {
 		// Update lastUsed with server's own lock to avoid race condition
 		srv.mu.Lock()
 		srv.lastUsed = time.Now()
@@ -141,13 +145,21 @@ func (m *Manager) GetServer(ctx context.Context, lang protocol.Language) (*Manag
 	defer m.mu.Unlock()
 
 	// Double-check after acquiring write lock
-	if srv, ok := m.servers[lang]; ok && srv.ready {
+	if srv, ok := m.servers[lang]; ok && srv.ready && srv.client.IsRunning() {
 		srv.mu.Lock()
 		srv.lastUsed = time.Now()
 		srv.mu.Unlock()
 		return srv, nil
 	}
 
+	// Evict a stale entry (crashed or never-ready) before spawning a replacement.
+	// Its process has already exited, so close it asynchronously to avoid holding
+	// m.mu on the (fast) cmd.Wait().
+	if stale, ok := m.servers[lang]; ok {
+		delete(m.servers, lang)
+		go func() { _ = stale.client.Close() }()
+	}
+
 	// Check if server config exists
 	config, ok := DefaultServerConfigs[lang]
 	if !ok {