diff --git a/cmd/bdrive/helpers.go b/cmd/bdrive/helpers.go
index 81ee49d..d05df31 100644
--- a/cmd/bdrive/helpers.go
+++ b/cmd/bdrive/helpers.go
@@ -6,12 +6,20 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 
+	"github.com/mattn/go-isatty"
+
 	"github.com/runbear-io/beardrive/internal/config"
 	"github.com/runbear-io/beardrive/internal/remote"
 	"github.com/runbear-io/beardrive/internal/store"
 	"github.com/runbear-io/beardrive/internal/syncer"
 )
 
+// stdinIsTTY is the one answer to "is this an interactive shell?" — used both
+// to decide whether init may prompt and whether login can drive a browser.
+func stdinIsTTY() bool {
+	return isatty.IsTerminal(os.Stdin.Fd()) || isatty.IsCygwinTerminal(os.Stdin.Fd())
+}
+
 func absFolder(args []string) (string, error) {
 	arg := "."
 	if len(args) > 0 {
diff --git a/cmd/bdrive/init.go b/cmd/bdrive/init.go
index 678d403..d6bdd43 100644
--- a/cmd/bdrive/init.go
+++ b/cmd/bdrive/init.go
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/AlecAivazis/survey/v2"
-	"github.com/mattn/go-isatty"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 
 	"github.com/runbear-io/beardrive/internal/config"
@@ -97,7 +96,7 @@ the folder was renamed or moved.`,
 			}
 			server := settings.Server
 
-			interactive := isatty.IsTerminal(os.Stdin.Fd()) && !yes
+			interactive := stdinIsTTY() && !yes
 
 			// Which project?
 			var p serverProject
@@ -159,6 +158,9 @@ the folder was renamed or moved.`,
 			if err := startSync(cmd.Context(), folder, proj, foreground, 3*time.Second, 10*time.Second); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
+			if foreground {
+				return nil // daemon already ran and exited; "syncing automatically" would be false now
+			}
 			fmt.Printf(`
 done — the daemon now keeps this folder in sync automatically.
 
diff --git a/cmd/bdrive/login.go b/cmd/bdrive/login.go
index d8db396..a8f69ef 100644
--- a/cmd/bdrive/login.go
+++ b/cmd/bdrive/login.go
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/mattn/go-isatty"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 
 	"github.com/runbear-io/beardrive/internal/config"
@@ -167,7 +166,7 @@ func runLogin(server string, cfg serverConfig, useDevice bool) error {
 	// Headless shells (agents, CI, SSH) can't complete the loopback-callback
 	// flow — the browser would open nowhere and the CLI would hang. Fall back
 	// to the device-code flow automatically instead of waiting.
-	if !useDevice && !isatty.IsTerminal(os.Stdin.Fd()) && !isatty.IsCygwinTerminal(os.Stdin.Fd()) {
+	if !useDevice && !stdinIsTTY() {
 		fmt.Println("no interactive terminal detected — using the device-code sign-in flow")
 		useDevice = true
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/bdrive/main.go b/cmd/bdrive/main.go
index ea03a7e..caaccb8 100644
--- a/cmd/bdrive/main.go
+++ b/cmd/bdrive/main.go
@@ -79,7 +79,10 @@ func whoamiCmd() *cobra.Command {
 			}
 			fmt.Printf("device id:   %s\n", dev.ID)
 			fmt.Printf("device name: %s\n", dev.Name)
-			if settings, _ := config.LoadSettings(); settings.Email != "" {
+			settings, serr := config.LoadSettings()
+			if serr != nil {
+				fmt.Printf("account:     unknown — cannot read settings: %v\n", serr)
+			} else if settings.Email != "" {
 				who := settings.Email
 				if settings.Name != "" {
 					who = settings.Name + " <" + settings.Email + ">"
diff --git a/internal/daemon/daemon.go b/internal/daemon/daemon.go
index a9e28bc..e09397d 100644
--- a/internal/daemon/daemon.go
+++ b/internal/daemon/daemon.go
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ func Run(folder string, scanInterval, remoteInterval time.Duration) error {
 		}
 	}()
 	var lastRemote time.Time
+	var lastToken string
 
 	for {
 		// Re-read the project config each tick: picks up `bdrive remote set`
@@ -177,6 +178,21 @@ func Run(folder string, scanInterval, remoteInterval time.Duration) error {
 		}
 		proj = cur
 
+		// Re-read settings each tick too, so a login/logout/account switch
+		// after the daemon started is reflected in op authorship — otherwise
+		// a long-lived daemon stamps every change with a stale identity. The
+		// http backend captures its credential at open, so drop it when the
+		// token changes and reconnect with the new one.
+		settings, _ := config.LoadSettings()
+		if settings.Token != lastToken {
+			if be != nil {
+				be.Close()
+				be = nil
+			}
+			lastToken = settings.Token
+			lastRemote = time.Time{}
+		}
+
 		doRemote := proj.Remote != "" && time.Since(lastRemote) >= remoteInterval
 		if doRemote && be == nil {
 			b, err := remote.Open(ctx, proj.Remote)
@@ -189,10 +205,6 @@ func Run(folder string, scanInterval, remoteInterval time.Duration) error {
 			}
 		}
 
-		// Re-read settings each tick too, so a login/logout/account switch
-		// after the daemon started is reflected in op authorship — otherwise
-		// a long-lived daemon stamps every change with a stale identity.
-		settings, _ := config.LoadSettings()
 		sess := &syncer.Session{Folder: folder, MountID: proj.ID, Store: st, Device: dev, Account: settings}
 		if doRemote {
 			sess.Backend = be
diff --git a/web/docs/src/content/docs/manual/setup-by-hand.md b/web/docs/src/content/docs/manual/setup-by-hand.md
index 92c8af1..a24efaa 100644
--- a/web/docs/src/content/docs/manual/setup-by-hand.md
+++ b/web/docs/src/content/docs/manual/setup-by-hand.md
@@ -28,8 +28,9 @@ bdrive login https://your-hub
 ```
 
 This opens your browser, and the terminal finishes on its own. On a headless or
-SSH machine, `bdrive login --device` prints a short code you approve from any
-signed-in browser instead.
+SSH machine login falls back to the device-code flow automatically (no TTY, or
+no browser can open): it prints a short code you approve from any signed-in
+browser. `bdrive login --device` forces that flow.
 
 `bdrive login --status` shows the current server and account.
 
diff --git a/web/docs/src/content/docs/self-hosting/authentication.md b/web/docs/src/content/docs/self-hosting/authentication.md
index 6474405..5ad11ce 100644
--- a/web/docs/src/content/docs/self-hosting/authentication.md
+++ b/web/docs/src/content/docs/self-hosting/authentication.md
@@ -63,8 +63,9 @@ right there if needed. When the user signs in, the page bounces a one-time code
 to the CLI's loopback listener and the terminal finishes on its own, storing a
 long-lived per-device token that is revocable server-side.
 
-On headless or SSH machines, `bdrive login --device` prints a short code to
-approve from any signed-in browser instead.
+On headless or SSH machines login falls back to the device-code flow
+automatically (no TTY, or no browser can open): it prints a short code to
+approve from any signed-in browser. `bdrive login --device` forces that flow.
 
 Every sync and every `bdrive init` then authenticates with that token. The hub's
 device registry records per-device name, OS, account, and the IP the server