diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1bd125c6..9a0c91c6 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 2.2.5 (2026-09-26)
+
+### Fixed
+
+- The daemon is only restarted when it runs an older version than the CLI. With two installs of different versions (global and project-local) they no longer restart each other on every command; the newer daemon stays
+
 ## 2.2.4 (2026-09-26)
 
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 90309e29..c3a068e8 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "figma-ds-cli",
-  "version": "2.2.4",
+  "version": "2.2.5",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "figma-ds-cli",
-      "version": "2.2.4",
+      "version": "2.2.5",
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "chalk": "^5.3.0",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index d79ed718..6a823c74 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "figma-ds-cli",
-  "version": "2.2.4",
+  "version": "2.2.5",
   "description": "CLI for managing Figma design systems. Create variables, components, and more. No API key required.",
   "author": {
     "name": "Sil Bormüller",
diff --git a/src/lib/cli-core.js b/src/lib/cli-core.js
index c84f3ded..efc57658 100644
--- a/src/lib/cli-core.js
+++ b/src/lib/cli-core.js
@@ -246,16 +246,26 @@ const DAEMON_HEALTH_TTL_MS = 2000;
 function invalidateDaemonHealthCache() { _daemonHealthCache = { time: 0, value: null }; }
 let _daemonHealthBody = null;
 
+// true when version a is older than b (plain x.y.z)
+function versionOlder(a, b) {
+  const p = v => String(v || '0').split('-')[0].split('.').map(n => parseInt(n, 10) || 0);
+  const x = p(a), y = p(b);
+  for (let i = 0; i < 3; i++) { if ((x[i] || 0) !== (y[i] || 0)) return (x[i] || 0) < (y[i] || 0); }
+  return false;
+}
+
 /**
- * True when the running daemon was started from different figma-cli code:
- * another version (after npm update) or another install path. render-batch and
- * eval run INSIDE the daemon, so a stale one silently serves old behaviour.
- * A daemon too old to report its version counts as stale.
+ * True when the running daemon runs OLDER figma-cli code than this CLI (after
+ * npm update). render-batch and eval run INSIDE the daemon, so a stale one
+ * silently serves old behaviour. A daemon too old to report its version counts
+ * as older. Only older, never merely different: with two installs of different
+ * versions (global and project-local) "restart on any mismatch" made them
+ * restart each other on every command; this way the newer one wins and stays.
  */
 function daemonCodeMismatch() {
   const h = _daemonHealthBody;
   if (!h || h.status === undefined) return false;
-  return h.version !== pkg.version || (h.root && h.root !== join(__dirname));
+  return !h.version || versionOlder(h.version, pkg.version);
 }
 
 // Check if daemon is running (returns object with details, or false)
@@ -991,6 +1001,7 @@ async function isInSafeMode() {
 }
 
 export {
+  versionOlder,
   CONFIG_DIR,
   CONFIG_FILE,
   DAEMON_PID_FILE,
diff --git a/tests/daemon-version.test.js b/tests/daemon-version.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6004c822
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/daemon-version.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import { test } from 'node:test';
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import { versionOlder } from '../src/lib/cli-core.js';
+
+test('only an older daemon counts as stale, so two installs never restart each other', () => {
+  assert.equal(versionOlder('2.2.3', '2.2.4'), true);
+  assert.equal(versionOlder('2.2.4', '2.2.4'), false);
+  assert.equal(versionOlder('2.3.0', '2.2.9'), false);
+  assert.equal(versionOlder('2.10.0', '2.9.0'), false);
+  assert.equal(versionOlder(undefined, '2.2.4'), true);
+});