diff --git a/cmd-queue.c b/cmd-queue.c
index a9ce469bc..e84c265f7 100644
--- a/cmd-queue.c
+++ b/cmd-queue.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $OpenBSD: cmd-queue.c,v 1.123 2026/08/24 20:34:26 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $OpenBSD: cmd-queue.c,v 1.124 2026/09/22 06:46:50 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2013 Nicholas Marriott <nicholas.marriott@gmail.com>
@@ -580,6 +580,9 @@ cmdq_fire_command(struct cmdq_item *item)
 	int			 flags, quiet = 0;
 	char			*tmp;
 
+	if (item->client != NULL && (item->client->flags & CLIENT_DEAD))
+		return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
+
 	if (cfg_finished)
 		cmdq_add_message(item);
 	if (log_get_level() > 1) {
diff --git a/cmd-wait-for.c b/cmd-wait-for.c
index 0e4130fcd..7326c7519 100644
--- a/cmd-wait-for.c
+++ b/cmd-wait-for.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $OpenBSD: cmd-wait-for.c,v 1.23 2026/07/10 13:38:45 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $OpenBSD: cmd-wait-for.c,v 1.24 2026/09/22 06:46:50 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2013 Nicholas Marriott <nicholas.marriott@gmail.com>
@@ -480,6 +480,40 @@ cmd_wait_for_unlock(struct cmdq_item *item, const char *name,
 	return (CMD_RETURN_NORMAL);
 }
 
+void
+cmd_wait_for_client_lost(struct client *c)
+{
+	struct wait_channel	*wc, *wc1;
+	struct wait_item	*wi, *wi1;
+	struct wait_event_item	*wei, *wei1;
+
+	TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(wei, &wait_event_items, entry, wei1) {
+		if (cmdq_get_client(wei->item) == c) {
+			TAILQ_REMOVE(&wait_event_items, wei, entry);
+			cmdq_continue(wei->item);
+			cmd_wait_for_event_free(wei);
+		}
+	}
+
+	RB_FOREACH_SAFE(wc, wait_channels, &wait_channels, wc1) {
+		TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(wi, &wc->waiters, entry, wi1) {
+			if (cmdq_get_client(wi->item) == c) {
+				cmdq_continue(wi->item);
+				TAILQ_REMOVE(&wc->waiters, wi, entry);
+				free(wi);
+			}
+		}
+		TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(wi, &wc->lockers, entry, wi1) {
+			if (cmdq_get_client(wi->item) == c) {
+				cmdq_continue(wi->item);
+				TAILQ_REMOVE(&wc->lockers, wi, entry);
+				free(wi);
+			}
+		}
+		cmd_wait_for_remove_empty(wc);
+	}
+}
+
 void
 cmd_wait_for_flush(void)
 {
diff --git a/server-client.c b/server-client.c
index 6aa0b562b..369e6d223 100644
--- a/server-client.c
+++ b/server-client.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $OpenBSD: server-client.c,v 1.512 2026/09/10 11:02:18 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $OpenBSD: server-client.c,v 1.514 2026/09/22 06:46:50 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2009 Nicholas Marriott <nicholas.marriott@gmail.com>
@@ -502,6 +502,9 @@ server_client_lost(struct client *c)
 	TAILQ_REMOVE(&clients, c, entry);
 	log_debug("lost client %p", c);
 
+	cmd_wait_for_client_lost(c);
+	cmdq_next(c);
+
 	if (c->flags & CLIENT_ATTACHED) {
 		server_client_attached_lost(c);
 		events_fire_client("client-detached", c);
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index e9dffc814..21262af2f 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $OpenBSD: tmux.h,v 1.1443 2026/09/21 10:33:16 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $OpenBSD: tmux.h,v 1.1445 2026/09/22 06:46:50 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicholas.marriott@gmail.com>
@@ -3227,6 +3227,7 @@ void 		 cmdq_print_data(struct cmdq_item *, struct evbuffer *);
 void printflike(2, 3) cmdq_error(struct cmdq_item *, const char *, ...);
 
 /* cmd-wait-for.c */
+void	cmd_wait_for_client_lost(struct client *);
 void	cmd_wait_for_flush(void);
 
 /* client.c */