diff --git a/docs/src/config/index.md b/docs/src/config/index.md
index d8c64a30..6b5bfb36 100644
--- a/docs/src/config/index.md
+++ b/docs/src/config/index.md
@@ -269,11 +269,26 @@ You can customize this behavior using the following options.
   "base": "/nested_path"
   ```
 
+### devServerConnectionCheck
+
+- **Default:** `false`
+- **Env Var:** `VITE_RUBY_DEV_SERVER_CONNECTION_CHECK`
+
+  By default the dev server is detected by reading `tmp/vite-ruby.json`, a
+  metadata file the Vite plugin writes with the dev server URL when it starts,
+  and removes when it stops.
+
+  Enable this to detect the dev server by opening a TCP connection to the
+  configured `host` and `port` instead. Useful if the metadata file can become
+  stale, for example when the Vite process is force-killed (`SIGKILL`) and has no
+  chance to remove it.
+
 ### devServerConnectTimeout
 
 - **Default:** `0.01` (seconds)
 
-  Timeout when attempting to connect to the dev server (in seconds).
+  Timeout when attempting to connect to the dev server (in seconds), used only
+  when [`devServerConnectionCheck`](#devserverconnectioncheck) is enabled.
 
   You can increase this timeout if the fallback compilation is being triggered
   even though the dev server is running.
diff --git a/docs/src/guide/troubleshooting.md b/docs/src/guide/troubleshooting.md
index f7ad38b5..cdf9a842 100644
--- a/docs/src/guide/troubleshooting.md
+++ b/docs/src/guide/troubleshooting.md
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 [watchAdditionalPaths]: /config/#watchadditionalpaths
 [entrypointsDir]: /config/#entrypointsDir
 [devServerConnectTimeout]: /config/#devserverconnecttimeout
+[devServerConnectionCheck]: /config/#devserverconnectioncheck
 [host]: /config/#host
 [port]: /config/#port
 [vite]: https://vitejs.dev/
@@ -164,7 +165,10 @@ First, verify that the dev server is reachable by starting a new console session
 > ViteRuby.instance.dev_server_running?
 ```
 
-If it returns `false`, try increasing the <kbd>[devServerConnectTimeout]</kbd>, restart the console and retry.
+By default this reads `tmp/vite-ruby.json`, written by the Vite plugin while the dev server runs.
+If it returns `false` while the dev server is running, make sure you are on a recent [vite-plugin-ruby] that writes this file, and that `tmp/` is writable.
+
+If you have enabled <kbd>[devServerConnectionCheck]</kbd>, try increasing the <kbd>[devServerConnectTimeout]</kbd>, restart the console and retry.
 In systems with constrained resources the [default timeout][devServerConnectTimeout] might not be enough.
 
 If that doesn't work, verify that the [host] and [port] configuration is correct.
diff --git a/test/dev_server_test.rb b/test/dev_server_test.rb
index 1cb51c2a..e04b81e0 100644
--- a/test/dev_server_test.rb
+++ b/test/dev_server_test.rb
@@ -3,26 +3,67 @@
 require "test_helper"
 
 class DevServerTest < ViteRuby::Test
-  def test_not_running
+  def test_not_running_without_meta_file
+    refresh_config(mode: "development")
+    remove_meta_file
+
     refute_predicate ViteRuby.instance, :dev_server_running?
+  end
 
+  def test_running_with_meta_file
     refresh_config(mode: "development")
+    write_meta_file(url: "http://localhost:3036", host: "localhost", port: 3036, https: false, pid: 1234)
 
-    refute_predicate ViteRuby.instance, :dev_server_running?
+    assert_predicate ViteRuby.instance, :dev_server_running?
+    assert_equal "http://localhost:3036", ViteRuby.instance.send(:dev_server_meta)["url"]
+  ensure
+    remove_meta_file
+  end
 
-    running_checked_at = ViteRuby.instance.instance_variable_get(:@running_checked_at)
+  def test_not_running_in_production
+    refresh_config(mode: "production")
+    write_meta_file(url: "http://localhost:3036")
 
-    assert_in_delta(Time.now.to_f, running_checked_at.to_f, 0.01)
+    refute_predicate ViteRuby.instance, :dev_server_running?
+  ensure
+    remove_meta_file
   end
 
-  def test_running
-    refresh_config(mode: "development")
-    ViteRuby.instance.instance_variable_set(:@running, true)
-    ViteRuby.instance.instance_variable_set(:@running_checked_at, Time.now)
+  def test_connection_check_ignores_meta_file_when_socket_refused
+    refresh_config(mode: "development", dev_server_connection_check: true)
+    write_meta_file(url: "http://localhost:3036")
 
-    assert_predicate ViteRuby.instance, :dev_server_running?
+    Socket.stub(:tcp, ->(*) { raise Errno::ECONNREFUSED }) do
+      refute_predicate ViteRuby.instance, :dev_server_running?
+    end
   ensure
-    ViteRuby.instance.remove_instance_variable(:@running)
-    ViteRuby.instance.remove_instance_variable(:@running_checked_at)
+    remove_meta_file
+  end
+
+  def test_connection_check_reports_running_when_socket_connects
+    refresh_config(mode: "development", dev_server_connection_check: true)
+    remove_meta_file
+
+    Socket.stub(:tcp, ->(*) { FakeSocket.new }) do
+      assert_predicate ViteRuby.instance, :dev_server_running?
+    end
+  end
+
+private
+
+  def write_meta_file(**meta)
+    path = ViteRuby.config.dev_server_meta_path
+    path.dirname.mkpath
+    path.write(JSON.generate(meta))
+  end
+
+  def remove_meta_file
+    path = ViteRuby.config.dev_server_meta_path
+    path.delete if path.exist?
+  end
+
+  class FakeSocket
+    def close
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/vite-plugin-ruby/default.vite.json b/vite-plugin-ruby/default.vite.json
index 947206f2..52aea8b3 100644
--- a/vite-plugin-ruby/default.vite.json
+++ b/vite-plugin-ruby/default.vite.json
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
   "buildCacheDir": "tmp/cache/vite",
   "publicOutputDir": "vite",
   "configPath": "config/vite.json",
+  "devServerConnectionCheck": false,
   "devServerConnectTimeout": 0.01,
   "packageManager": null,
   "publicDir": "public",
diff --git a/vite-plugin-ruby/src/constants.ts b/vite-plugin-ruby/src/constants.ts
index 49b8b438..5de158cd 100644
--- a/vite-plugin-ruby/src/constants.ts
+++ b/vite-plugin-ruby/src/constants.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ export const ENV_PREFIX = 'VITE_RUBY'
 // Internal: Key of the vite.json file that is applied to all environments.
 export const ALL_ENVS_KEY = 'all'
 
+// Internal: Path, relative to the project root, of the dev server metadata file.
+export const DEV_SERVER_META_FILE = 'tmp/vite-ruby.json'
+
 // Internal: Extensions of CSS files or known precompilers.
 export const KNOWN_CSS_EXTENSIONS = [
   'css',
diff --git a/vite-plugin-ruby/src/dev-server.ts b/vite-plugin-ruby/src/dev-server.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ac01306c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vite-plugin-ruby/src/dev-server.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+import { mkdirSync, readFileSync, rmSync, writeFileSync } from 'fs'
+import { dirname } from 'path'
+import type { AddressInfo } from 'net'
+import type { ResolvedConfig } from 'vite'
+
+// Internal: Metadata written to disk so Ruby can detect the running dev server.
+export interface DevServerMeta {
+  url: string
+  host: string
+  port: number
+  https: boolean
+  pid: number
+}
+
+// Internal: Hosts that a browser can not connect to and must be replaced.
+const WILDCARD_HOSTS = new Set(['', '0.0.0.0', '::', '::1'])
+
+let exitHandlersBound = false
+let ownedMetaPath: string | null = null
+
+// Internal: Returns true when the address is a resolved TCP address.
+function isAddressInfo (address: string | AddressInfo | null | undefined): address is AddressInfo {
+  return Boolean(address) && typeof address === 'object'
+}
+
+// Internal: Resolves the address a browser should use to reach the dev server.
+export function resolveDevServerMeta (address: string | AddressInfo | null | undefined, config: ResolvedConfig): DevServerMeta {
+  const https = Boolean(config.server.https)
+  const protocol = https ? 'https' : 'http'
+  const bound = isAddressInfo(address) ? address : undefined
+
+  let host = typeof config.server.host === 'string' ? config.server.host : ''
+  if (WILDCARD_HOSTS.has(host)) host = 'localhost'
+
+  const port = bound?.port ?? config.server.port ?? 0
+  const url = `${protocol}://${host.includes(':') ? `[${host}]` : host}:${port}`
+
+  return { url, host, port, https, pid: process.pid }
+}
+
+// Internal: Writes the dev server metadata file, creating the directory if needed.
+export function writeDevServerMeta (path: string, meta: DevServerMeta): void {
+  mkdirSync(dirname(path), { recursive: true })
+  writeFileSync(path, JSON.stringify(meta))
+}
+
+// Internal: Removes the metadata file only when this process owns it.
+export function removeOwnedMeta (path: string, pid: number = process.pid): void {
+  let ownerPid: unknown
+  try {
+    ownerPid = JSON.parse(readFileSync(path, 'utf8')).pid
+  }
+  catch {
+    return
+  }
+  if (ownerPid === pid) rmSync(path, { force: true })
+}
+
+// Internal: Ensures the metadata file is removed when the dev server stops.
+export function bindDevServerCleanup (path: string): void {
+  ownedMetaPath = path
+  if (exitHandlersBound) return
+
+  exitHandlersBound = true
+  const cleanup = () => { if (ownedMetaPath) removeOwnedMeta(ownedMetaPath) }
+  process.on('exit', cleanup)
+  process.on('SIGINT', () => process.exit())
+  process.on('SIGTERM', () => process.exit())
+  process.on('SIGHUP', () => process.exit())
+  process.on('uncaughtException', (error) => {
+    cleanup()
+    throw error
+  })
+}
diff --git a/vite-plugin-ruby/src/index.ts b/vite-plugin-ruby/src/index.ts
index 4a370d2f..8faa71aa 100644
--- a/vite-plugin-ruby/src/index.ts
+++ b/vite-plugin-ruby/src/index.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import { createDebug } from 'obug'
 import { cleanConfig, configOptionFromEnv } from './utils'
 import { filterEntrypointsForRollup, loadConfiguration, resolveGlobs } from './config'
 import { assetsManifestPlugin } from './manifest'
+import { bindDevServerCleanup, resolveDevServerMeta, writeDevServerMeta } from './dev-server'
+import { DEV_SERVER_META_FILE } from './constants'
 
 export * from './types'
 
@@ -103,6 +105,12 @@ function config (userConfig: UserConfig, env: ConfigEnv): UserConfig {
 function configureServer (server: ViteDevServer) {
   server.watcher.add(watchAdditionalPaths)
 
+  const devServerMetaPath = resolve(projectRoot, DEV_SERVER_META_FILE)
+  server.httpServer?.once('listening', () => {
+    writeDevServerMeta(devServerMetaPath, resolveDevServerMeta(server.httpServer?.address(), server.config))
+    bindDevServerCleanup(devServerMetaPath)
+  })
+
   return () => server.middlewares.use((req, res, next) => {
     if (req.url === '/index.html' && !existsSync(resolve(server.config.root, 'index.html'))) {
       res.statusCode = 404
diff --git a/vite-plugin-ruby/tests/dev-server.spec.ts b/vite-plugin-ruby/tests/dev-server.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..69f9fde8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vite-plugin-ruby/tests/dev-server.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+import { existsSync, mkdtempSync } from 'fs'
+import { tmpdir } from 'os'
+import { join } from 'path'
+import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest'
+
+import { removeOwnedMeta, resolveDevServerMeta, writeDevServerMeta } from '../src/dev-server'
+
+const withServer = (server: Record<string, unknown>) => ({ server }) as any
+
+describe('resolveDevServerMeta', () => {
+  it('uses the bound port and the configured host', () => {
+    const meta = resolveDevServerMeta({ address: '127.0.0.1', family: 'IPv4', port: 5273 } as any, withServer({ host: 'localhost', https: false, port: 3036 }))
+
+    expect(meta.url).toBe('http://localhost:5273')
+    expect(meta).toMatchObject({ host: 'localhost', port: 5273, https: false })
+  })
+
+  it('replaces wildcard hosts with localhost and honors https', () => {
+    const meta = resolveDevServerMeta({ port: 3036 } as any, withServer({ host: '0.0.0.0', https: {}, port: 3036 }))
+
+    expect(meta.url).toBe('https://localhost:3036')
+    expect(meta.https).toBe(true)
+  })
+})
+
+describe('removeOwnedMeta', () => {
+  it('only removes the file when the pid matches', () => {
+    const path = join(mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'vpr-')), 'vite-ruby.json')
+    writeDevServerMeta(path, { url: 'x', host: 'h', port: 1, https: false, pid: 4242 })
+
+    removeOwnedMeta(path, 9999)
+    expect(existsSync(path)).toBe(true)
+
+    removeOwnedMeta(path, 4242)
+    expect(existsSync(path)).toBe(false)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/vite_ruby/default.vite.json b/vite_ruby/default.vite.json
index 947206f2..52aea8b3 100644
--- a/vite_ruby/default.vite.json
+++ b/vite_ruby/default.vite.json
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
   "buildCacheDir": "tmp/cache/vite",
   "publicOutputDir": "vite",
   "configPath": "config/vite.json",
+  "devServerConnectionCheck": false,
   "devServerConnectTimeout": 0.01,
   "packageManager": null,
   "publicDir": "public",
diff --git a/vite_ruby/lib/vite_ruby.rb b/vite_ruby/lib/vite_ruby.rb
index 9c16e02a..71a59ae8 100644
--- a/vite_ruby/lib/vite_ruby.rb
+++ b/vite_ruby/lib/vite_ruby.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
+require "json"
 require "logger"
 require "forwardable"
 require "pathname"
@@ -82,19 +83,11 @@ def digest
   end
 
   # Public: Returns true if the Vite development server is currently running.
-  # NOTE: Checks only once every second since every lookup calls this method.
   def dev_server_running?
-    return false unless run_proxy?
-    return @running if defined?(@running) && Time.now - @running_checked_at < 1
+    return false unless dev_mode?
+    return dev_server_connected? if config.dev_server_connection_check
 
-    begin
-      Socket.tcp(config.host, config.port, connect_timeout: config.dev_server_connect_timeout).close
-      @running = true
-    rescue
-      @running = false
-    ensure
-      @running_checked_at = Time.now
-    end
+    !dev_server_meta.nil?
   end
 
   # Public: Additional environment variables to pass to Vite.
@@ -105,13 +98,15 @@ def env
     @env ||= ENV.select { |key, _| key.start_with?(ENV_PREFIX) }
   end
 
-  # Public: The proxy for assets should only run in development mode.
-  def run_proxy?
+  # Public: Whether we are in an environment that might run the Vite dev server.
+  def dev_mode?
     config.mode == "development" || (config.mode == "test" && !ENV["CI"])
   rescue => error
     logger.error("Failed to check mode for Vite: #{error.message}")
     false
   end
+  # Public: The proxy for assets should only run in development mode.
+  alias_method :run_proxy?, :dev_mode?
 
   # Internal: Executes the vite binary.
   def run(argv, **options)
@@ -147,6 +142,34 @@ def configure(**options)
   def manifest
     @manifest ||= ViteRuby::Manifest.new(self)
   end
+
+private
+
+  # Internal: Returns true if a TCP connection to the dev server can be opened.
+  def dev_server_connected?
+    return @running if defined?(@running) && Time.now - @running_checked_at < 1
+
+    begin
+      Socket.tcp(config.host, config.port, connect_timeout: config.dev_server_connect_timeout).close
+      @running = true
+    rescue
+      @running = false
+    ensure
+      @running_checked_at = Time.now
+    end
+  end
+
+  # Internal: Metadata written by the running Vite dev server, or nil when stopped.
+  def dev_server_meta
+    return @dev_server_meta if defined?(@dev_server_meta) && Time.now - @dev_server_meta_checked_at < 1
+
+    path = config.dev_server_meta_path
+    @dev_server_meta = (JSON.parse(path.read) if path.exist?)
+  rescue JSON::ParserError, SystemCallError
+    @dev_server_meta = nil
+  ensure
+    @dev_server_meta_checked_at = Time.now
+  end
 end
 
 require "vite_ruby/version"
diff --git a/vite_ruby/lib/vite_ruby/config.rb b/vite_ruby/lib/vite_ruby/config.rb
index 54cf940a..2f12085f 100644
--- a/vite_ruby/lib/vite_ruby/config.rb
+++ b/vite_ruby/lib/vite_ruby/config.rb
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@
 # Public: Allows to resolve configuration sourced from `config/vite.json` and
 # environment variables, combining them with the default options.
 class ViteRuby::Config
+  # Internal: Name of the metadata file written by the Vite dev server.
+  DEV_SERVER_META_FILENAME = "vite-ruby.json"
+
   def origin
     "#{protocol}://#{host_with_port}"
   end
@@ -38,6 +41,11 @@ def build_output_dir
     root.join(public_dir, public_output_dir)
   end
 
+  # Internal: Path to the metadata file written by the Vite dev server.
+  def dev_server_meta_path
+    root.join("tmp", DEV_SERVER_META_FILENAME)
+  end
+
   # Public: The directory where the entries are located.
   def resolved_entrypoints_dir
     vite_root_dir.join(entrypoints_dir)
@@ -96,7 +104,7 @@ def coerce_values(config)
     config["build_cache_dir"] = root.join(config["build_cache_dir"])
     config["ssr_output_dir"] = root.join(config["ssr_output_dir"])
     config["dev_server_connect_timeout"] = config["dev_server_connect_timeout"].to_f
-    coerce_booleans(config, "auto_build", "hide_build_console_output", "https", "skip_compatibility_check", "skip_proxy")
+    coerce_booleans(config, "auto_build", "dev_server_connection_check", "hide_build_console_output", "https", "skip_compatibility_check", "skip_proxy")
     config["package_manager"] ||= detect_package_manager(root)
   end