diff --git a/src/commands/bar/launch-subcommand.ts b/src/commands/bar/launch-subcommand.ts
index 8476c753..ff43d943 100644
--- a/src/commands/bar/launch-subcommand.ts
+++ b/src/commands/bar/launch-subcommand.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@
  *   { baseUrl: string, port: number, authMode: "loopback" }
  *
  * authMode is always "loopback" for v1 (auth-enabled unsupported until v1.1).
+ *
+ * Reuse-first behavior: before starting a new server, launch probes the candidate
+ * ports (bar.json port first, then 3000, 3001, 3002, 8000, 8080) for a live CCS
+ * server at GET /api/bar/summary. A 200 response means the server is already
+ * running; launch reuses it without attempting to bind a new one.
  */
 
 import * as fs from 'fs';
@@ -28,6 +33,12 @@ export interface DashboardInfo {
 }
 
 export interface LaunchDeps {
+  /**
+   * Probe candidate ports for a running CCS server.
+   * Returns { port, baseUrl } of the first live server found, or null if none.
+   * Never throws — any error is treated as "not found".
+   */
+  findRunningServer: () => Promise<DashboardInfo | null>;
   /**
    * Ensure the CCS web-server / dashboard is running.
    * Returns { port, baseUrl } of the running server.
@@ -65,13 +76,52 @@ export function resolveBarPort(ccsDir: string): number | null {
 // Default production dependencies
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+/**
+ * Probe candidate ports for a running CCS server on 127.0.0.1.
+ * The bar.json port (if present) is checked first so a previously-used port
+ * gets priority. Short timeouts prevent hanging the launch flow.
+ */
+export async function defaultFindRunningServer(ccsDir: string): Promise<DashboardInfo | null> {
+  const { request } = await import('undici');
+
+  const barJsonPort = resolveBarPort(ccsDir);
+  const base = [3000, 3001, 3002, 8000, 8080];
+  const candidates: number[] =
+    barJsonPort !== null ? [barJsonPort, ...base.filter((p) => p !== barJsonPort)] : base;
+
+  for (const port of candidates) {
+    try {
+      const url = `http://127.0.0.1:${port}/api/bar/summary`;
+      const { statusCode, body } = await request(url, {
+        method: 'GET',
+        headersTimeout: 1500,
+        bodyTimeout: 1500,
+      });
+      // Drain the body to avoid hanging sockets regardless of status.
+      // body.dump() is not available in Bun's undici shim; body.text() works
+      // cross-runtime and fully consumes the response stream.
+      await body.text();
+      if (statusCode === 200) {
+        return { port, baseUrl: `http://127.0.0.1:${port}` };
+      }
+    } catch {
+      // Connection refused, timeout, or any other error → try next candidate.
+    }
+  }
+  return null;
+}
+
 async function defaultEnsureDashboard(): Promise<DashboardInfo> {
   // Reuse the same startup path as `ccs config`:
   // find a free port then start the web-server via startServer().
   const getPort = (await import('get-port')).default;
   const { startServer } = await import('../../web-server');
 
-  const port = await getPort({ port: [3000, 3001, 3002, 8000, 8080] });
+  // Pass host: '127.0.0.1' so getPort probes the same address that startServer
+  // will bind. On macOS, a wildcard bind and a specific 127.0.0.1 bind are
+  // independent: getPort without a host can return 3000 "free" while a live
+  // CCS server already holds 127.0.0.1:3000, causing EADDRINUSE on startServer.
+  const port = await getPort({ port: [3000, 3001, 3002, 8000, 8080], host: '127.0.0.1' });
   // Bind IPv4 loopback explicitly. Without a host, startServer defaults to
   // 'localhost', which on macOS resolves to ::1 (IPv6) — but bar.json's baseUrl
   // (and the Swift app) use 127.0.0.1, so the app could not reach its own server.
@@ -112,15 +162,33 @@ export async function handleBarLaunch(
   const ccsDir = (deps.getCcsDir ?? defaultGetCcsDir)();
   const appInstallPath = deps.appInstallPath ?? DEFAULT_APP_INSTALL_PATH;
 
-  // 1. Ensure the web-server/dashboard is running.
-  let dashboardInfo: DashboardInfo;
+  // Wire findRunningServer after ccsDir is resolved so the default impl can
+  // read bar.json from the correct directory.
+  const findRunningServer = deps.findRunningServer ?? (() => defaultFindRunningServer(ccsDir));
+
+  // 1. Try to reuse an already-running CCS server; fall back to starting one.
+  // Probe errors are treated as "not found" — they never abort the launch flow.
+  let running: DashboardInfo | null = null;
   try {
-    dashboardInfo = await ensureDashboard();
-  } catch (err) {
-    const msg = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
-    console.error(`[X] Could not start CCS web-server: ${msg}`);
-    console.error('[i] Run `ccs config` to start the dashboard manually.');
-    return;
+    running = await findRunningServer();
+  } catch {
+    // Any probe error counts as null; ensureDashboard() is the fallback.
+  }
+
+  let dashboardInfo: DashboardInfo;
+  let reused = false;
+  if (running !== null) {
+    dashboardInfo = running;
+    reused = true;
+  } else {
+    try {
+      dashboardInfo = await ensureDashboard();
+    } catch (err) {
+      const msg = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
+      console.error(`[X] Could not start CCS web-server: ${msg}`);
+      console.error('[i] Run `ccs config` to start the dashboard manually.');
+      return;
+    }
   }
 
   // 2. Write bar.json — this is the single source of discovery for the Swift app.
@@ -139,7 +207,11 @@ export async function handleBarLaunch(
     return;
   }
 
-  console.log(`[OK] CCS web-server running at ${dashboardInfo.baseUrl}`);
+  if (reused) {
+    console.log(`[OK] Reusing running CCS web-server at ${dashboardInfo.baseUrl}`);
+  } else {
+    console.log(`[OK] CCS web-server running at ${dashboardInfo.baseUrl}`);
+  }
   console.log(`[i]  Discovery file written: ${path.join(ccsDir, 'bar.json')}`);
 
   // 3. Open the app.
diff --git a/tests/unit/commands/bar-command.test.ts b/tests/unit/commands/bar-command.test.ts
index 227cf1e8..4f270bf4 100644
--- a/tests/unit/commands/bar-command.test.ts
+++ b/tests/unit/commands/bar-command.test.ts
@@ -276,6 +276,7 @@ describe('bar.json contract (launch subcommand)', () => {
     const { handleBarLaunch } = await loadLaunchSubcommand();
 
     await handleBarLaunch([], {
+      findRunningServer: async () => null,
       ensureDashboard: mockEnsureDashboard,
       openApp: mockOpenApp,
       getCcsDir: mockGetCcsDir,
@@ -300,6 +301,7 @@ describe('bar.json contract (launch subcommand)', () => {
     const { handleBarLaunch } = await loadLaunchSubcommand();
 
     await handleBarLaunch([], {
+      findRunningServer: async () => null,
       ensureDashboard: async () => ({ port: 9000, baseUrl: 'http://127.0.0.1:9000' }),
       openApp: async () => {
         /* noop */
@@ -324,6 +326,7 @@ describe('bar.json contract (launch subcommand)', () => {
     const nonExistentApp = path.join(tempHome, 'Applications', 'CCS Bar.app');
 
     await handleBarLaunch([], {
+      findRunningServer: async () => null,
       ensureDashboard: async () => ({ port: 3000, baseUrl: 'http://127.0.0.1:3000' }),
       openApp: async () => {
         throw new Error('App not found');
@@ -344,6 +347,7 @@ describe('bar.json contract (launch subcommand)', () => {
     const { handleBarLaunch } = await loadLaunchSubcommand();
 
     await handleBarLaunch([], {
+      findRunningServer: async () => null,
       ensureDashboard: async () => ({ port: 3001, baseUrl: 'http://127.0.0.1:3001' }),
       openApp: async () => {
         throw new Error('open failed');
@@ -364,6 +368,7 @@ describe('bar.json contract (launch subcommand)', () => {
     const { handleBarLaunch } = await loadLaunchSubcommand();
 
     await handleBarLaunch([], {
+      findRunningServer: async () => null,
       ensureDashboard: async () => {
         throw new Error('port busy');
       },
@@ -1499,6 +1504,242 @@ describe('bar command dispatcher: --help anywhere in args (Fix 2)', () => {
   });
 });
 
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// GH-1500 — findRunningServer reuse-first behavior
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+describe('launch: findRunningServer reuse-first (GH-1500)', () => {
+  it('reuses a running server: ensureDashboard NOT called; bar.json has reused port/baseUrl', async () => {
+    const ccsDir = path.join(tempHome, '.ccs');
+    fs.mkdirSync(ccsDir, { recursive: true });
+
+    let ensureCalled = false;
+    const { handleBarLaunch } = await loadLaunchSubcommand();
+
+    await handleBarLaunch([], {
+      findRunningServer: async () => ({ port: 3000, baseUrl: 'http://127.0.0.1:3000' }),
+      ensureDashboard: async () => {
+        ensureCalled = true;
+        return { port: 9999, baseUrl: 'http://127.0.0.1:9999' };
+      },
+      openApp: async () => {
+        /* noop */
+      },
+      getCcsDir: () => ccsDir,
+      appInstallPath: path.join(tempHome, 'Applications', 'CCS Bar.app'),
+    });
+
+    expect(ensureCalled).toBe(false);
+
+    const barJson = JSON.parse(
+      fs.readFileSync(path.join(ccsDir, 'bar.json'), 'utf8')
+    ) as { port: number; baseUrl: string };
+    expect(barJson.port).toBe(3000);
+    expect(barJson.baseUrl).toBe('http://127.0.0.1:3000');
+
+    const allOutput = consoleOutput.join('\n');
+    expect(allOutput).toMatch(/Reusing/);
+  });
+
+  it('starts a new server when findRunningServer returns null', async () => {
+    const ccsDir = path.join(tempHome, '.ccs');
+    fs.mkdirSync(ccsDir, { recursive: true });
+
+    let ensureCalled = false;
+    const { handleBarLaunch } = await loadLaunchSubcommand();
+
+    await handleBarLaunch([], {
+      findRunningServer: async () => null,
+      ensureDashboard: async () => {
+        ensureCalled = true;
+        return { port: 4242, baseUrl: 'http://127.0.0.1:4242' };
+      },
+      openApp: async () => {
+        /* noop */
+      },
+      getCcsDir: () => ccsDir,
+      appInstallPath: path.join(tempHome, 'Applications', 'CCS Bar.app'),
+    });
+
+    expect(ensureCalled).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('treats findRunningServer throw as null: ensureDashboard called; no crash', async () => {
+    const ccsDir = path.join(tempHome, '.ccs');
+    fs.mkdirSync(ccsDir, { recursive: true });
+
+    let ensureCalled = false;
+    const { handleBarLaunch } = await loadLaunchSubcommand();
+
+    await handleBarLaunch([], {
+      findRunningServer: async () => {
+        throw new Error('probe exploded');
+      },
+      ensureDashboard: async () => {
+        ensureCalled = true;
+        return { port: 4242, baseUrl: 'http://127.0.0.1:4242' };
+      },
+      openApp: async () => {
+        /* noop */
+      },
+      getCcsDir: () => ccsDir,
+      appInstallPath: path.join(tempHome, 'Applications', 'CCS Bar.app'),
+    });
+
+    expect(ensureCalled).toBe(true);
+    // Should not have printed any bind error
+    const allOutput = consoleOutput.join('\n');
+    expect(allOutput).not.toMatch(/Could not start/);
+  });
+});
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// GH-1500 — existing launch tests: inject findRunningServer: null for determinism
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+describe('launch: bar.json contract (deterministic — GH-1500 null probe)', () => {
+  it('writes correct bar.json shape on start path with explicit null probe', async () => {
+    const ccsDir = path.join(tempHome, '.ccs');
+    fs.mkdirSync(ccsDir, { recursive: true });
+
+    const { handleBarLaunch } = await loadLaunchSubcommand();
+
+    await handleBarLaunch([], {
+      findRunningServer: async () => null,
+      ensureDashboard: async () => ({ port: 4242, baseUrl: 'http://127.0.0.1:4242' }),
+      openApp: async (_appPath: string) => {
+        calls.push(`open:${_appPath}`);
+      },
+      getCcsDir: () => ccsDir,
+      appInstallPath: path.join(tempHome, 'Applications', 'CCS Bar.app'),
+    });
+
+    const barJson = JSON.parse(
+      fs.readFileSync(path.join(ccsDir, 'bar.json'), 'utf8')
+    ) as unknown;
+    expect(barJson).toMatchObject({
+      baseUrl: 'http://127.0.0.1:4242',
+      port: 4242,
+      authMode: 'loopback',
+    });
+  });
+});
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// GH-1500 — defaultFindRunningServer integration-style tests
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+describe('defaultFindRunningServer (GH-1500)', () => {
+  it('detects a real HTTP server responding 200 on /api/bar/summary', async () => {
+    const http = await import('http');
+
+    // Start an ephemeral server that responds 200 to /api/bar/summary.
+    const server = http.createServer((_req, res) => {
+      res.writeHead(200, { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' });
+      res.end('{}');
+    });
+    await new Promise<void>((resolve) => server.listen(0, '127.0.0.1', resolve));
+    const addr = server.address() as { port: number };
+    const livePort = addr.port;
+
+    // Seed bar.json with the live port so it is checked first.
+    const ccsDir = path.join(tempHome, '.ccs');
+    fs.mkdirSync(ccsDir, { recursive: true });
+    fs.writeFileSync(
+      path.join(ccsDir, 'bar.json'),
+      JSON.stringify({ port: livePort, baseUrl: `http://127.0.0.1:${livePort}`, authMode: 'loopback' })
+    );
+
+    moduleSeq++;
+    const mod = await import(
+      `../../../src/commands/bar/launch-subcommand?test=${Date.now()}-${moduleSeq}`
+    );
+    const { defaultFindRunningServer } = mod as {
+      defaultFindRunningServer: (ccsDir: string) => Promise<{ port: number; baseUrl: string } | null>;
+    };
+
+    let result: { port: number; baseUrl: string } | null = null;
+    try {
+      result = await defaultFindRunningServer(ccsDir);
+    } finally {
+      await new Promise<void>((resolve) => server.close(() => resolve()));
+    }
+
+    expect(result).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(result?.port).toBe(livePort);
+    expect(result?.baseUrl).toBe(`http://127.0.0.1:${livePort}`);
+  });
+
+  it('returns null when no server is listening on the seeded port (port outside default candidates)', async () => {
+    const net = await import('net');
+
+    // We need a port that:
+    // 1. Is NOT in the default candidate list (3000, 3001, 3002, 8000, 8080) — otherwise a
+    //    live server on one of those ports would be detected instead of "null".
+    // 2. Has nothing listening on it after we close it.
+    // Strategy: bind on a high ephemeral port (>= 50000), record it, close it, seed bar.json.
+    // defaultFindRunningServer dedupes bar.json port into the candidate list, but the default
+    // ports 3000/3001/3002/8000/8080 will also be probed. To guarantee null we need ALL
+    // candidates closed. We can't control the default ports if a live CCS server is running.
+    //
+    // Instead, use a port that's definitely not 3000/3001/3002/8000/8080 AND is closed,
+    // then wrap defaultFindRunningServer with a test-local variant that uses only bar.json's port.
+    // Since defaultFindRunningServer is not parameterizable, we test the null path by ensuring
+    // a server that was listening has been closed before the probe, using a high port that
+    // is unlikely to collide with any service on the test machine.
+    const closedPort = await new Promise<number>((resolve, reject) => {
+      const srv = net.createServer();
+      // High port range to avoid colliding with default candidates or live CCS server.
+      srv.listen(0, '127.0.0.1', () => {
+        const p = (srv.address() as { port: number }).port;
+        srv.close((err) => (err ? reject(err) : resolve(p)));
+      });
+    });
+
+    // Ephemeral ports are >= 49152 on macOS; they won't be in our default candidate list.
+    // If the port happens to be one of the defaults, skip — practically impossible but safe.
+    if ([3000, 3001, 3002, 8000, 8080].includes(closedPort)) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const ccsDir = path.join(tempHome, '.ccs');
+    fs.mkdirSync(ccsDir, { recursive: true });
+    // Seed bar.json with ONLY the closed port. The probe will check this port first.
+    // The function also probes defaults (3000 etc.) — but we can't know if a live server
+    // is there. So we override: write bar.json with a port that ALSO appears as the sole
+    // candidate by replacing all defaults. Since we can't parameterize candidates, we test
+    // the "nothing on closed port" by using a port where connection is immediately refused
+    // and asserting the function either returns null or finds a real server on a default port.
+    // The definitive assertion is: the closed port itself is not returned.
+    fs.writeFileSync(
+      path.join(ccsDir, 'bar.json'),
+      JSON.stringify({
+        port: closedPort,
+        baseUrl: `http://127.0.0.1:${closedPort}`,
+        authMode: 'loopback',
+      })
+    );
+
+    moduleSeq++;
+    const mod = await import(
+      `../../../src/commands/bar/launch-subcommand?test=${Date.now()}-${moduleSeq}`
+    );
+    const { defaultFindRunningServer } = mod as {
+      defaultFindRunningServer: (ccsDir: string) => Promise<{ port: number; baseUrl: string } | null>;
+    };
+
+    const result = await defaultFindRunningServer(ccsDir);
+    // The closed port must NOT be returned (ECONNREFUSED for that port is handled).
+    // If a live CCS server exists on one of the default ports the function returns that
+    // instead of null — this is correct behavior. We assert the closed port is not the result.
+    if (result !== null) {
+      expect(result.port).not.toBe(closedPort);
+    } else {
+      expect(result).toBeNull();
+    }
+  });
+});
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Fix 3 — defaultReadAppBundleVersion: whitespace-only plist value → null
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------