diff --git a/artemis/core/diagnostics/adb_keys.py b/artemis/core/diagnostics/adb_keys.py
index 46eca7a..b3a2d03 100644
--- a/artemis/core/diagnostics/adb_keys.py
+++ b/artemis/core/diagnostics/adb_keys.py
@@ -211,17 +211,21 @@ def heal_adb_keys(adb_path: str | None = None, force: bool = False) -> dict[str,
 
     # Restart ADB server to trigger key generation
     try:
+        clean_env = os.environ.copy()
+        clean_env.pop("ADB_SERVER_SOCKET", None)
         subprocess.run(
             [resolved_adb, "kill-server"],
             stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL,
             stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL,
             timeout=5,
+            env=clean_env,
         )
         subprocess.run(
             [resolved_adb, "start-server"],
             stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL,
             stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL,
             timeout=5,
+            env=clean_env,
         )
         # Execute adb devices to trigger initial handshake & key material generation if needed
         subprocess.run(
@@ -229,6 +233,7 @@ def heal_adb_keys(adb_path: str | None = None, force: bool = False) -> dict[str,
             stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL,
             stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL,
             timeout=5,
+            env=clean_env,
         )
     except Exception as e:
         logger.error(f"Error restarting ADB server during key healing: {e}")
diff --git a/artemis/core/diagnostics/engine.py b/artemis/core/diagnostics/engine.py
index c5a9a43..f09bcf4 100644
--- a/artemis/core/diagnostics/engine.py
+++ b/artemis/core/diagnostics/engine.py
@@ -246,17 +246,21 @@ class ReadinessEngine:
                 return heal_adb_keys(adb_path=adb_path)
 
             try:
+                clean_env = os.environ.copy()
+                clean_env.pop("ADB_SERVER_SOCKET", None)
                 subprocess.run(
                     [adb_path, "kill-server"],
                     stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL,
                     stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL,
                     timeout=5,
+                    env=clean_env,
                 )
                 res = subprocess.run(
                     [adb_path, "start-server"],
                     stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL,
                     stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL,
                     timeout=5,
+                    env=clean_env,
                 )
                 success = res.returncode == 0
                 return {
diff --git a/artemis/runtime/device_pool.py b/artemis/runtime/device_pool.py
index d585a24..e6f3338 100644
--- a/artemis/runtime/device_pool.py
+++ b/artemis/runtime/device_pool.py
@@ -247,11 +247,14 @@ class DevicePool:
             return
         proc = None
         try:
+            clean_env = os.environ.copy()
+            clean_env.pop("ADB_SERVER_SOCKET", None)
             proc = await asyncio.create_subprocess_exec(
                 adb,
                 "start-server",
                 stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
                 stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+                env=clean_env,
             )
             await asyncio.wait_for(proc.communicate(), timeout=timeout)
         except Exception as exc:
diff --git a/scripts/install_deps.ps1 b/scripts/install_deps.ps1
index 11e519d..beb8912 100644
--- a/scripts/install_deps.ps1
+++ b/scripts/install_deps.ps1
@@ -39,7 +39,9 @@ function Update-EnvironmentPath {
     $standardDirs = @(
         "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Microsoft\WinGet\Links",
         "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Android\Sdk\platform-tools",
+        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Android\android-sdk\platform-tools",
         "$env:ProgramFiles\Android\platform-tools",
+        "${env:ProgramFiles(x86)}\Android\android-sdk\platform-tools",
         "$env:ProgramFiles\nodejs",
         "${env:ProgramFiles(x86)}\nodejs",
         "$env:APPDATA\npm",
@@ -47,16 +49,34 @@ function Update-EnvironmentPath {
         "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Programs\node",
         "$env:USERPROFILE\.local\share\platform-tools",
         "$env:USERPROFILE\.local\share\node",
+        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\nvm",
+        "$env:ProgramData\nvm",
         "C:\ProgramData\chocolatey\bin",
         "$env:USERPROFILE\scoop\shims",
         "$env:USERPROFILE\.local\bin",
         "$env:USERPROFILE\.cargo\bin"
     )
+    if ($env:ANDROID_HOME) { $standardDirs += "$env:ANDROID_HOME\platform-tools" }
+    if ($env:ANDROID_SDK_ROOT) { $standardDirs += "$env:ANDROID_SDK_ROOT\platform-tools" }
+    if ($env:NVM_HOME) { $standardDirs += $env:NVM_HOME }
+    if ($env:NVM_SYMLINK) { $standardDirs += $env:NVM_SYMLINK }
+
     $regPath = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("Path", "User") + ";" + [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("Path", "Machine")
     $currentPaths = ($env:PATH -split ";") + ($regPath -split ";") + $standardDirs | Where-Object { [string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_) -eq $false -and (Test-Path $_) } | Select-Object -Unique
     $env:PATH = $currentPaths -join ";"
 }
 
+function Start-LocalAdbServer {
+    if (Test-CommandExists "adb") {
+        try {
+            $origSocket = $env:ADB_SERVER_SOCKET
+            Remove-Item Env:\ADB_SERVER_SOCKET -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
+            & adb start-server 2>$null | Out-Null
+            if ($origSocket) { $env:ADB_SERVER_SOCKET = $origSocket }
+        } catch {}
+    }
+}
+
 function Test-CommandExists {
     param([string]$Command)
     $res = Get-Command $Command -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
@@ -132,6 +152,7 @@ if (-not (Test-CommandExists "scrcpy")) { $missingTools += "scrcpy" }
 
 if ($missingTools.Count -eq 0) {
     Write-Host "   ✔ All system toolchains are already installed (ADB, FFmpeg, scrcpy)." -ForegroundColor Green
+    Start-LocalAdbServer
 } else {
     Write-Host "   ! Missing toolchains: $($missingTools -join ', ')" -ForegroundColor DarkYellow
     $useWinGet = $false
@@ -175,6 +196,9 @@ if ($missingTools.Count -eq 0) {
     if (-not (Test-CommandExists "adb")) {
         Install-PortablePlatformTools
     }
+
+    # Ensure local ADB daemon is warm & listening
+    Start-LocalAdbServer
 }
 
 # 2. Check and Install uv (Fast Python Package Manager)
@@ -285,6 +309,7 @@ Write-Host "   ✨ Artemis Environment Ready!                      " -Foreground
 Write-Host "======================================================" -ForegroundColor Cyan
 
 if ($Launch -or $Open) {
+    Start-LocalAdbServer
     Write-Host "🚀 Launching Showcase UI..." -ForegroundColor Green
     uv run artemis ui --open
 } else {
diff --git a/scripts/install_deps.sh b/scripts/install_deps.sh
index 354330d..9e0cd22 100755
--- a/scripts/install_deps.sh
+++ b/scripts/install_deps.sh
@@ -127,12 +127,31 @@ install_system_packages() {
     local need_ffmpeg=false
     local need_scrcpy=false
 
+    if ! has_cmd adb; then
+        for candidate in \
+            "${ANDROID_HOME:-}/platform-tools" \
+            "${ANDROID_SDK_ROOT:-}/platform-tools" \
+            "${HOME}/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools" \
+            "${HOME}/Android/Sdk/platform-tools" \
+            "${HOME}/.local/share/platform-tools" \
+            "/opt/homebrew/bin" \
+            "/usr/local/bin"; do
+            if [ -n "${candidate}" ] && [ -x "${candidate}/adb" ]; then
+                export PATH="${candidate}:${PATH}"
+                break
+            fi
+        done
+    fi
+
     if ! has_cmd adb; then need_adb=true; fi
     if ! has_cmd ffmpeg; then need_ffmpeg=true; fi
     if ! has_cmd scrcpy; then need_scrcpy=true; fi
 
     if [ "${need_adb}" = false ] && [ "${need_ffmpeg}" = false ] && [ "${need_scrcpy}" = false ]; then
         echo -e "   ${GREEN}✓ All core system tools are already installed.${NC}"
+        if has_cmd adb; then
+            (unset ADB_SERVER_SOCKET; adb start-server >/dev/null 2>&1 || true)
+        fi
         return 0
     fi
 
@@ -234,6 +253,11 @@ install_system_packages() {
             fi
         fi
     fi
+
+    # Ensure local ADB daemon is warm & listening
+    if has_cmd adb; then
+        (unset ADB_SERVER_SOCKET; adb start-server >/dev/null 2>&1 || true)
+    fi
 }
 
 # Function to ensure uv is installed and ready
diff --git a/scripts/start.ps1 b/scripts/start.ps1
index 39d2485..f5f75c8 100644
--- a/scripts/start.ps1
+++ b/scripts/start.ps1
@@ -34,7 +34,9 @@ function Update-EnvironmentPath {
     $standardDirs = @(
         "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Microsoft\WinGet\Links",
         "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Android\Sdk\platform-tools",
+        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Android\android-sdk\platform-tools",
         "$env:ProgramFiles\Android\platform-tools",
+        "${env:ProgramFiles(x86)}\Android\android-sdk\platform-tools",
         "$env:ProgramFiles\nodejs",
         "${env:ProgramFiles(x86)}\nodejs",
         "$env:APPDATA\npm",
@@ -42,16 +44,34 @@ function Update-EnvironmentPath {
         "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Programs\node",
         "$env:USERPROFILE\.local\share\platform-tools",
         "$env:USERPROFILE\.local\share\node",
+        "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\nvm",
+        "$env:ProgramData\nvm",
         "C:\ProgramData\chocolatey\bin",
         "$env:USERPROFILE\scoop\shims",
         "$env:USERPROFILE\.local\bin",
         "$env:USERPROFILE\.cargo\bin"
     )
+    if ($env:ANDROID_HOME) { $standardDirs += "$env:ANDROID_HOME\platform-tools" }
+    if ($env:ANDROID_SDK_ROOT) { $standardDirs += "$env:ANDROID_SDK_ROOT\platform-tools" }
+    if ($env:NVM_HOME) { $standardDirs += $env:NVM_HOME }
+    if ($env:NVM_SYMLINK) { $standardDirs += $env:NVM_SYMLINK }
+
     $regPath = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("Path", "User") + ";" + [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("Path", "Machine")
     $currentPaths = ($env:PATH -split ";") + ($regPath -split ";") + $standardDirs | Where-Object { [string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_) -eq $false -and (Test-Path $_) } | Select-Object -Unique
     $env:PATH = $currentPaths -join ";"
 }
 
+function Start-LocalAdbServer {
+    if (Test-CommandExists "adb") {
+        try {
+            $origSocket = $env:ADB_SERVER_SOCKET
+            Remove-Item Env:\ADB_SERVER_SOCKET -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
+            & adb start-server 2>$null | Out-Null
+            if ($origSocket) { $env:ADB_SERVER_SOCKET = $origSocket }
+        } catch {}
+    }
+}
+
 function Test-CommandExists {
     param([string]$Command)
     $res = Get-Command $Command -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
@@ -164,6 +184,9 @@ if ($missingCore.Count -gt 0) {
     }
 }
 
+# Ensure local ADB daemon is warm & listening so probes do not hit 'Connection refused'
+Start-LocalAdbServer
+
 # 4. Check or initialize .env
 if (-not (Test-Path ".env")) {
     if (Test-Path ".env.example") {
@@ -259,6 +282,9 @@ if ($installMcp -match "^[Yy]") {
 Write-Host ""
 
 # 8. Launch unified Showcase UI & open browser
+# Ensure local ADB daemon is warm & listening
+Start-LocalAdbServer
+
 # Launch via `python -m artemis` (not the `artemis.exe` console-script shim) so the
 # long-running server never locks .venv\Scripts\artemis.exe against `uv sync` reinstalls.
 Write-Host "   [INFO] Launching Artemis Showcase UI & Admin Console..." -ForegroundColor Green
diff --git a/start.sh b/start.sh
index a96b589..40c12a1 100755
--- a/start.sh
+++ b/start.sh
@@ -102,6 +102,23 @@ if ! command -v uv >/dev/null 2>&1; then
 fi
 
 # 3. Check and auto-install missing system toolchains (ADB, FFmpeg, scrcpy)
+# Discover standard Android SDK / user-space locations if adb not in PATH
+if ! command -v adb >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    for candidate in \
+        "${ANDROID_HOME:-}/platform-tools" \
+        "${ANDROID_SDK_ROOT:-}/platform-tools" \
+        "${HOME}/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools" \
+        "${HOME}/Android/Sdk/platform-tools" \
+        "${HOME}/.local/share/platform-tools" \
+        "/opt/homebrew/bin" \
+        "/usr/local/bin"; do
+        if [ -n "${candidate}" ] && [ -x "${candidate}/adb" ]; then
+            export PATH="${candidate}:${PATH}"
+            break
+        fi
+    done
+fi
+
 MISSING_CORE=()
 if ! command -v adb >/dev/null 2>&1; then MISSING_CORE+=("adb"); fi
 if ! command -v ffmpeg >/dev/null 2>&1; then MISSING_CORE+=("ffmpeg"); fi
@@ -175,6 +192,11 @@ if [ ${#MISSING_CORE[@]} -gt 0 ]; then
     fi
 fi
 
+# Ensure local ADB daemon is warm & listening so probes do not hit 'Connection refused'
+if command -v adb >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    (unset ADB_SERVER_SOCKET; adb start-server >/dev/null 2>&1 || true)
+fi
+
 # 4. Check or initialize .env configuration file
 if [ ! -f ".env" ]; then
     if [ -f ".env.example" ]; then
@@ -314,6 +336,11 @@ if [ "${IS_REMOTE}" = true ]; then
     echo ""
 fi
 
+# Ensure local ADB daemon is active and listening before launching UI
+if command -v adb >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    (unset ADB_SERVER_SOCKET; adb start-server >/dev/null 2>&1 || true)
+fi
+
 # Launch via `python -m artemis` (not the `artemis` console-script shim) so the
 # long-running server never pins .venv/Scripts/artemis[.exe] against reinstalls.
 exec uv run python -m artemis ui "${OPEN_FLAG}" "$@"