diff --git a/cfg.c b/cfg.c
index a4ba07061..926da951a 100644
--- a/cfg.c
+++ b/cfg.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $OpenBSD: cfg.c,v 1.91 2026/08/03 13:38:42 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $OpenBSD: cfg.c,v 1.92 2026/10/02 12:28:07 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2008 Nicholas Marriott <nicholas.marriott@gmail.com>
@@ -32,14 +32,17 @@ int			  cfg_finished;
 static char		**cfg_causes;
 static u_int		  cfg_ncauses;
 static struct cmdq_item	 *cfg_item;
+static int		  cfg_started;
 
 int                       cfg_quiet = 1;
 char                    **cfg_files;
 u_int                     cfg_nfiles;
 
 static enum cmd_retval
-cfg_client_done(__unused struct cmdq_item *item, __unused void *data)
+cfg_client_done(struct cmdq_item *item, __unused void *data)
 {
+	if (cmdq_get_client(item)->flags & CLIENT_DEAD)
+		return (CMD_RETURN_NORMAL);
 	if (!cfg_finished)
 		return (CMD_RETURN_WAIT);
 	return (CMD_RETURN_NORMAL);
@@ -54,14 +57,28 @@ cfg_done(__unused struct cmdq_item *item, __unused void *data)
 
 	cfg_show_causes(NULL);
 
-	if (cfg_item != NULL)
+	if (cfg_item != NULL) {
 		cmdq_continue(cfg_item);
+		cfg_item = NULL;
+	}
 
 	prompt_load_history();
 
 	return (CMD_RETURN_NORMAL);
 }
 
+void
+cfg_client_lost(struct client *c)
+{
+	if (c != cfg_client)
+		return;
+	cfg_client = NULL;
+	if (cfg_item != NULL) {
+		cmdq_continue(cfg_item);
+		cfg_item = NULL;
+	}
+}
+
 void
 start_cfg(void)
 {
@@ -78,12 +95,19 @@ start_cfg(void)
 	 * Because start_cfg() is called so early, we can be sure the client's
 	 * command queue is currently empty and our callback will be at the
 	 * front - we need to get in before MSG_COMMAND.
+	 *
+	 * If the initial client is lost before the configuration finishes, the
+	 * next client to identify is first in the list and ends up here. Block
+	 * it instead, but do not load the files again.
 	 */
 	cfg_client = c = TAILQ_FIRST(&clients);
 	if (c != NULL) {
 		cfg_item = cmdq_get_callback(cfg_client_done, NULL);
 		cmdq_append(c, cfg_item);
 	}
+	if (cfg_started)
+		return;
+	cfg_started = 1;
 
 	if (cfg_quiet)
 		flags = CMD_PARSE_QUIET;
diff --git a/server-client.c b/server-client.c
index 6fad12673..051b6de9b 100644
--- a/server-client.c
+++ b/server-client.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $OpenBSD: server-client.c,v 1.515 2026/09/28 11:25:51 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $OpenBSD: server-client.c,v 1.516 2026/10/02 12:28:07 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2009 Nicholas Marriott <nicholas.marriott@gmail.com>
@@ -374,8 +374,7 @@ server_client_lost(struct client *c)
 {
 	struct client_file	*cf, *cf1;
 
-	if (cfg_client == c)
-		cfg_client = NULL;
+	cfg_client_lost(c);
 	c->flags |= CLIENT_DEAD;
 
 	status_prompt_clear(c);
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 9fac8a2ec..01191a823 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $OpenBSD: tmux.h,v 1.1449 2026/09/28 10:10:16 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $OpenBSD: tmux.h,v 1.1450 2026/10/02 12:28:07 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicholas.marriott@gmail.com>
@@ -2570,6 +2570,7 @@ extern char **cfg_files;
 extern u_int cfg_nfiles;
 extern int cfg_quiet;
 void	start_cfg(void);
+void	cfg_client_lost(struct client *);
 int	load_cfg(const char *, struct client *, struct cmdq_item *,
             struct cmd_find_state *, int, struct cmdq_item **);
 int	load_cfg_from_buffer(const void *, size_t, const char *,