diff --git a/src/four-opencode-brain.ts b/src/four-opencode-brain.ts
index 9d3ce19..73e9380 100644
--- a/src/four-opencode-brain.ts
+++ b/src/four-opencode-brain.ts
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ function calculateIngestTimeout(fileCount: number): number {
 }
 
 /** Unified status updates — see src/status.ts */
-import { updateStatus, initStatus, initVersion } from "./status";
+import { updateStatus, initStatus, initVersion, stopStatusServer } from "./status";
 
 
 
@@ -738,6 +738,9 @@ const _serverPlugin = async (input: PluginInput) => {
       brain_kb_search,
       brain_kb_stats,
     },
+    dispose: async () => {
+      stopStatusServer();
+    },
   };
 };
 
diff --git a/src/shared.ts b/src/shared.ts
index b6a1d82..e958834 100644
--- a/src/shared.ts
+++ b/src/shared.ts
@@ -1,8 +1 @@
-import { createHash } from "crypto";
-import { homedir } from "os";
-import { join } from "path";
-
-export function getBrainStatusFile(directory: string): string {
-  const hash = createHash("md5").update(directory).digest("hex").slice(0, 12);
-  return join(homedir(), ".cache", "opencode", "brain", `status-${hash}.json`);
-}
+// shared.ts — utilities extracted; HTTP status endpoint replaces file-based communication
diff --git a/src/status.ts b/src/status.ts
index 1514354..94e9dfd 100644
--- a/src/status.ts
+++ b/src/status.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 import { writeFileSync, mkdirSync, existsSync } from "fs";
+import { createHash } from "crypto";
+import { homedir } from "os";
+import { join } from "path";
 import type { PluginInput } from "@opencode-ai/plugin";
 import { brainBus, type BrainStatusEvent } from "./event-bus";
-import { getBrainStatusFile } from "./shared";
 
 export type StatusState = "busy" | "success" | "warning" | "error" | "ready";
 
@@ -26,7 +28,8 @@ let currentStatus: Record<string, unknown> = { phase: "init", version: "" };
 let _version = "";
 
 let _client: PluginInput["client"] | null = null;
-let _statusFile = "";
+let _server: ReturnType<typeof Bun.serve> | null = null;
+let _port = 0;
 
 /** Initialize with client for toast support */
 export function initVersion(v: string): void {
@@ -36,20 +39,55 @@ export function initVersion(v: string): void {
 
 export function initStatus(client: PluginInput["client"], directory: string): void {
   _client = client;
-  _statusFile = getBrainStatusFile(directory);
+  startStatusServer(directory);
+}
+
+export function startStatusServer(directory: string): void {
+  if (_server) return;
+  
+  try {
+    _server = Bun.serve({
+      port: 0, // OS assigns free port — no collision possible
+      fetch(req) {
+        const url = new URL(req.url);
+        if (url.pathname === "/status") {
+          const payload = { ...currentStatus, version: _version, updated: Date.now() };
+          return new Response(JSON.stringify(payload), {
+            headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+          });
+        }
+        return new Response("Not Found", { status: 404 });
+      },
+    });
+  } catch (err) {
+    // Fallback: if Bun.serve fails (e.g., out of FDs), TUI will use default state
+    console.error("[brain] Failed to start status server:", err);
+    return;
+  }
+  
+  _port = _server.port;
+  
+  // Write port to session-scoped discovery file
+  try {
+    const hash = createHash("md5").update(directory).digest("hex").slice(0, 12);
+    const portFile = join(homedir(), ".cache", "opencode", "brain", `status-port-${hash}.json`);
+    const dir = portFile.replace(/\/[^/]+$/, "");
+    if (!existsSync(dir)) mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true });
+    writeFileSync(portFile, JSON.stringify({ port: _port }));
+  } catch { /* silently ignore */ }
+}
+
+export function stopStatusServer(): void {
+  if (_server) {
+    _server.stop();
+    _server = null;
+    _port = 0;
+  }
 }
 
 function write(data: Record<string, unknown>): void {
   currentStatus = { ...currentStatus, ...data };
-  const payload = { ...currentStatus, version: _version, updated: Date.now() };
-  brainBus.emit("status", payload as BrainStatusEvent);
-  try {
-    if (_statusFile) {
-      const dir = _statusFile.replace(/\/[^/]+$/, "");
-      if (!existsSync(dir)) mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true });
-      writeFileSync(_statusFile, JSON.stringify(payload));
-    }
-  } catch { /* never crash on status file failure */ }
+  brainBus.emit("status", { ...currentStatus, version: _version } as BrainStatusEvent);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/tui.tsx b/src/tui.tsx
index e30e1cb..90c1dee 100644
--- a/src/tui.tsx
+++ b/src/tui.tsx
@@ -4,8 +4,10 @@ import { createSignal, onMount, onCleanup } from "solid-js";
 import type { TuiPlugin, TuiPluginApi } from "@opencode-ai/plugin/tui";
 import type { RGBA } from "@opentui/core";
 import { brainBus, type BrainStatusEvent } from "./event-bus";
-import { getBrainStatusFile } from "./shared";
 import { Spinner } from "./spinner";
+import { createHash } from "crypto";
+import { homedir } from "os";
+import { join } from "path";
 
 function BrainStatusBar(props: { centered?: boolean; api: TuiPluginApi }) {
   const [indicator, setIndicator] = createSignal("•");
@@ -81,15 +83,36 @@ function BrainStatusBar(props: { centered?: boolean; api: TuiPluginApi }) {
 
   onMount(() => {
     const unsub = brainBus.on("status", handleStatus);
-    const poll = async () => {
+
+    // Resolve port from discovery file, then poll HTTP endpoint
+    let statusUrl = "";
+    const hash = createHash("md5").update(props.api.state.path.directory).digest("hex").slice(0, 12);
+    const portFile = join(homedir(), ".cache", "opencode", "brain", `status-port-${hash}.json`);
+
+    const resolvePort = async () => {
       try {
-        const statusFile = getBrainStatusFile(props.api.state.path.directory);
-        const file = Bun.file(statusFile);
+        const file = Bun.file(portFile);
         if (!(await file.exists())) return;
         const data = await file.json();
+        if (data.port) {
+          statusUrl = `http://127.0.0.1:${data.port}/status`;
+        }
+      } catch { /* port file not ready yet */ }
+    };
+
+    const poll = async () => {
+      if (!statusUrl) {
+        await resolvePort();
+        if (!statusUrl) return;
+      }
+      try {
+        const res = await fetch(statusUrl);
+        if (!res.ok) return;
+        const data = await res.json();
         handleStatus(data as BrainStatusEvent);
-      } catch { /* silent */ }
+      } catch { /* server not ready */ }
     };
+
     poll();
     const timer = setInterval(poll, 200);
     onCleanup(() => { unsub(); clearInterval(timer); });