diff --git a/packages/cli/src/cli.ts b/packages/cli/src/cli.ts
index 949bcf02..933d2875 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/cli.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/cli.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ type ProfileCliOptions = {
 
 type WebCliOptions = {
   command: "start" | "ui" | "web";
+  daemon: boolean;
   daemonChild: boolean;
   ensureGatewayRunning: boolean;
   help: boolean;
@@ -101,6 +102,13 @@ async function main(): Promise<void> {
       printWebHelp(0);
       return;
     }
+    if (options.daemon) {
+      await startService({
+        ...options,
+        command: "start"
+      });
+      return;
+    }
     await runWebServer(options);
     return;
   }
@@ -130,6 +138,7 @@ async function main(): Promise<void> {
   if (profile.agent === "codex" && resolvedSurface === "app" && profileOptions.agentArgs.length === 0) {
     const state = await startService({
       command: "start",
+      daemon: false,
       daemonChild: false,
       ensureGatewayRunning: true,
       help: false,
@@ -158,6 +167,7 @@ async function main(): Promise<void> {
       profileGatewayLease ??= createProfileGatewayLease();
       await startService({
         command: "start",
+        daemon: false,
         daemonChild: false,
         ensureGatewayRunning: true,
         help: false,
@@ -313,6 +323,7 @@ function parseStopArgs(args: string[]): StopCliOptions {
 function parseWebArgs(args: string[], command: WebCliOptions["command"], defaultOpen = false): WebCliOptions {
   const options: WebCliOptions = {
     command,
+    daemon: false,
     daemonChild: false,
     ensureGatewayRunning: false,
     help: false,
@@ -342,8 +353,12 @@ function parseWebArgs(args: string[], command: WebCliOptions["command"], default
       options.startGateway = false;
       continue;
     }
-    if (arg === "--daemon-child") {
-      options.daemonChild = true;
+    if (arg === "--daemon" || arg === "--daemon-child") {
+      if (arg === "--daemon") {
+        options.daemon = true;
+      } else {
+        options.daemonChild = true;
+      }
       continue;
     }
     if (arg === "--profile-managed") {
@@ -569,9 +584,9 @@ function printHelp(exitCode: number): void {
   const command = cliCommandName();
   const output = [
     "Usage:",
-    `  ${command} start [--host <host>] [--port <port>] [--open|--no-open] [--gateway|--no-gateway]`,
-    `  ${command} ui [--host <host>] [--port <port>] [--open|--no-open] [--gateway|--no-gateway]`,
-    `  ${command} serve [--host <host>] [--port <port>] [--open|--no-open] [--gateway|--no-gateway]`,
+    `  ${command} start [--daemon] [--host <host>] [--port <port>] [--open|--no-open] [--gateway|--no-gateway]`,
+    `  ${command} ui [--daemon] [--host <host>] [--port <port>] [--open|--no-open] [--gateway|--no-gateway]`,
+    `  ${command} serve [--daemon] [--host <host>] [--port <port>] [--open|--no-open] [--gateway|--no-gateway]`,
     `  ${command} stop`,
     `  ${command} <profile-name-or-id> [cli|app] [-- <agent args>]`,
     "",
@@ -598,9 +613,10 @@ function printStartHelp(exitCode: number): void {
   const command = cliCommandName();
   const output = [
     "Usage:",
-    `  ${command} start [--host <host>] [--port <port>] [--open|--no-open] [--gateway|--no-gateway]`,
+    `  ${command} start [--daemon] [--host <host>] [--port <port>] [--open|--no-open] [--gateway|--no-gateway]`,
     "",
     "Options:",
+    "  --daemon         Run the management server in the background (default for start).",
     "  --host <host>    Management server host. Defaults to CCR_WEB_HOST or 127.0.0.1.",
     "  --port <port>    Management server port. Defaults to CCR_WEB_PORT or 3458.",
     "  --open           Open the management page in the default browser.",
@@ -622,11 +638,12 @@ function printUiHelp(exitCode: number): void {
   const command = cliCommandName();
   const output = [
     "Usage:",
-    `  ${command} ui [--host <host>] [--port <port>] [--open|--no-open] [--gateway|--no-gateway]`,
+    `  ${command} ui [--daemon] [--host <host>] [--port <port>] [--open|--no-open] [--gateway|--no-gateway]`,
     "",
     "Starts the background CCR service if needed and opens the management UI in the default browser.",
     "",
     "Options:",
+    "  --daemon         Run the management server in the background (default for ui).",
     "  --host <host>    Management server host. Defaults to CCR_WEB_HOST or 127.0.0.1.",
     "  --port <port>    Management server port. Defaults to CCR_WEB_PORT or 3458.",
     "  --open           Open the management page (default).",
@@ -661,11 +678,12 @@ function printWebHelp(exitCode: number): void {
   const command = cliCommandName();
   const output = [
     "Usage:",
-    `  ${command} serve [--host <host>] [--port <port>] [--open|--no-open] [--gateway|--no-gateway]`,
+    `  ${command} serve [--daemon] [--host <host>] [--port <port>] [--open|--no-open] [--gateway|--no-gateway]`,
     "",
-    `Runs in the foreground. ${command} web is an alias.`,
+    `Runs in the foreground by default. ${command} web is an alias.`,
     "",
     "Options:",
+    "  --daemon         Start the management server in the background instead of the foreground.",
     "  --host <host>    Management server host. Defaults to CCR_WEB_HOST or 127.0.0.1.",
     "  --port <port>    Management server port. Defaults to CCR_WEB_PORT or 3458.",
     "  --open           Open the management page in the default browser.",
diff --git a/packages/cli/test/integration/cli-help.test.mjs b/packages/cli/test/integration/cli-help.test.mjs
index e8a330bb..5d9bdea2 100644
--- a/packages/cli/test/integration/cli-help.test.mjs
+++ b/packages/cli/test/integration/cli-help.test.mjs
@@ -34,6 +34,18 @@ test("every service command exposes its package-owned command help", () => {
   }
 });
 
+test("built CLI accepts --daemon on service commands", () => {
+  for (const args of [
+    ["start", "--daemon", "--help"],
+    ["ui", "--daemon", "--help"],
+    ["serve", "--daemon", "--help"]
+  ]) {
+    const result = runCli(args);
+    assert.equal(result.status, 0, `${args.join(" ")}: ${result.stderr}`);
+    assert.match(result.stdout, /--daemon/, args.join(" "));
+  }
+});
+
 test("built CLI rejects missing, out-of-range, and unknown service options", () => {
   const cases = [
     [["serve", "--host"], /--host requires a value/],