diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2a1f172..71ebaef 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ dosh HOST                # connect
 dosh HOST COMMAND        # connect and run a command
 dosh update              # update Dosh
 dosh status HOST         # show remote tmux sessions and Dosh service status
+dosh restart HOST        # restart dosh-server and show service status
 dosh doctor HOST         # check config and connectivity
 dosh recover HOST        # clear cached attach state and re-check
 ```
diff --git a/src/bin/dosh-client.rs b/src/bin/dosh-client.rs
index c3ad8b5..d0678ee 100644
--- a/src/bin/dosh-client.rs
+++ b/src/bin/dosh-client.rs
@@ -216,6 +216,9 @@ async fn main() -> Result<()> {
     if matches!(args.server.as_deref(), Some("status" | "sessions")) {
         return run_status_command(&config, &args);
     }
+    if args.server.as_deref() == Some("restart") {
+        return run_restart_command(&config, &args);
+    }
     if args.server.as_deref() == Some("forward") {
         args = rewrite_forward_command(args)?;
     }
@@ -751,6 +754,29 @@ fn run_status_command(config: &dosh::config::ClientConfig, args: &Args) -> Resul
     )
 }
 
+fn run_restart_command(config: &dosh::config::ClientConfig, args: &Args) -> Result<()> {
+    if args.command.len() != 1 {
+        return Err(anyhow!("usage: dosh restart <host>"));
+    }
+    let requested = args.command[0].clone();
+    let hosts = load_hosts_config(None).unwrap_or_default();
+    let host_config = hosts.hosts.get(&requested).cloned().unwrap_or_default();
+    let server = status_ssh_target(&requested, &host_config);
+    let ssh_port = args.ssh_port.or(host_config.ssh_port).or(config.ssh_port);
+    println!("Restarting Dosh server for {requested}");
+    if is_local_status_target(&server) {
+        return run_local_script(RESTART_STATUS_SCRIPT, "restart local Dosh server");
+    }
+    run_remote_script(
+        &server,
+        ssh_port,
+        args.ssh_key.as_deref(),
+        args.ssh_known_hosts.as_deref(),
+        RESTART_STATUS_SCRIPT,
+        "restart remote Dosh server",
+    )
+}
+
 fn status_ssh_target(requested: &str, host_config: &dosh::config::HostConfig) -> String {
     let raw_server = host_config
         .ssh
@@ -766,14 +792,20 @@ fn is_local_status_target(server: &str) -> bool {
 
 const SESSIONS_STATUS_SCRIPT: &str = r#"printf 'tmux sessions:\n'; tmux ls 2>/dev/null || printf '  none\n'; printf '\nDosh service:\n'; systemctl --user --no-pager --plain status dosh-server.service 2>/dev/null | sed -n '1,8p' || pgrep -af dosh-server || printf '  not running\n'"#;
 
+const RESTART_STATUS_SCRIPT: &str = r#"if command -v systemctl >/dev/null 2>&1 && systemctl --user list-unit-files dosh-server.service >/dev/null 2>&1; then systemctl --user restart dosh-server.service; else pkill -f 'dosh-server serve' 2>/dev/null || true; nohup "$HOME/.local/bin/dosh-server" serve >/tmp/dosh-server.log 2>&1 & fi; sleep 1; systemctl --user --no-pager --plain status dosh-server.service 2>/dev/null | sed -n '1,8p' || pgrep -af dosh-server || printf '  not running\n'"#;
+
 fn run_local_sessions_command() -> Result<()> {
+    run_local_script(SESSIONS_STATUS_SCRIPT, "run local status command")
+}
+
+fn run_local_script(script: &str, context: &str) -> Result<()> {
     let status = Command::new("sh")
         .arg("-c")
-        .arg(SESSIONS_STATUS_SCRIPT)
+        .arg(script)
         .status()
-        .context("run local status command")?;
+        .with_context(|| context.to_string())?;
     if !status.success() {
-        return Err(anyhow!("local status command failed with status {status}"));
+        return Err(anyhow!("{context} failed with status {status}"));
     }
     Ok(())
 }
@@ -1365,6 +1397,24 @@ fn run_sessions_command(
     ssh_port: Option<u16>,
     ssh_key: Option<&std::path::Path>,
     ssh_known_hosts: Option<&std::path::Path>,
+) -> Result<()> {
+    run_remote_script(
+        server,
+        ssh_port,
+        ssh_key,
+        ssh_known_hosts,
+        SESSIONS_STATUS_SCRIPT,
+        "run remote status command",
+    )
+}
+
+fn run_remote_script(
+    server: &str,
+    ssh_port: Option<u16>,
+    ssh_key: Option<&std::path::Path>,
+    ssh_known_hosts: Option<&std::path::Path>,
+    script: &str,
+    context: &str,
 ) -> Result<()> {
     let mut command = Command::new("ssh");
     if let Some(ssh_port) = ssh_port {
@@ -1379,14 +1429,14 @@ fn run_sessions_command(
             .arg("-o")
             .arg(format!("UserKnownHostsFile={}", known_hosts.display()));
     }
-    let remote_command = format!("sh -c {}", shell_word(SESSIONS_STATUS_SCRIPT));
+    let remote_command = format!("sh -c {}", shell_word(script));
     let status = command
         .arg(server)
         .arg(remote_command)
         .status()
-        .context("run remote sessions command")?;
+        .with_context(|| context.to_string())?;
     if !status.success() {
-        return Err(anyhow!("sessions command failed with status {status}"));
+        return Err(anyhow!("{context} failed with status {status}"));
     }
     Ok(())
 }
@@ -5044,15 +5094,16 @@ const TERMINAL_CLEANUP: &[u8] = concat!(
 mod tests {
     use super::{
         DisconnectStatus, DynamicForward, FrameBuffer, LocalForward, MAX_PENDING_USER_INPUT_BYTES,
-        PredictMode, Predictor, RemoteForward, SshConfig, StatusAction, auth_allows, cache_key,
-        cache_server_prefix, clear_cached_credentials, ensure_tui_safe_status_overlay,
-        input_matches_escape, is_local_status_target, latest_release_download_url,
-        load_first_native_identity_with_prompt, parse_dynamic_forward, parse_escape_key,
-        parse_local_forward, parse_remote_forward, parse_ssh_config, queue_pending_user_input,
-        raw_contains_host_table, recv_response_until, render_status_clear, render_status_overlay,
-        requested_env, resolved_startup_command, rewrite_forward_command, selected_predict_mode,
-        selected_udp_host, ssh_destination_host, ssh_username, ssh_with_user, startup_command,
-        status_ssh_target, toml_bare_key_or_quoted, update_check_requested, valid_forward_host,
+        PredictMode, Predictor, RESTART_STATUS_SCRIPT, RemoteForward, SshConfig, StatusAction,
+        auth_allows, cache_key, cache_server_prefix, clear_cached_credentials,
+        ensure_tui_safe_status_overlay, input_matches_escape, is_local_status_target,
+        latest_release_download_url, load_first_native_identity_with_prompt, parse_dynamic_forward,
+        parse_escape_key, parse_local_forward, parse_remote_forward, parse_ssh_config,
+        queue_pending_user_input, raw_contains_host_table, recv_response_until,
+        render_status_clear, render_status_overlay, requested_env, resolved_startup_command,
+        rewrite_forward_command, selected_predict_mode, selected_udp_host, ssh_destination_host,
+        ssh_username, ssh_with_user, startup_command, status_ssh_target, toml_bare_key_or_quoted,
+        update_check_requested, valid_forward_host,
     };
     use dosh::config::{ClientConfig, CommandExtension, HostConfig};
     use dosh::native::EnvVar;
@@ -5734,6 +5785,13 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(!is_local_status_target("server.example.com"));
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn restart_script_has_systemd_and_nohup_fallback() {
+        assert!(RESTART_STATUS_SCRIPT.contains("systemctl --user restart dosh-server.service"));
+        assert!(RESTART_STATUS_SCRIPT.contains("nohup"));
+        assert!(RESTART_STATUS_SCRIPT.contains("dosh-server"));
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn release_download_url_uses_latest_release_asset() {
         assert_eq!(