diff --git a/src/client.ts b/src/client.ts
index d620884..b87a156 100644
--- a/src/client.ts
+++ b/src/client.ts
@@ -28,9 +28,6 @@ async function runClient(serverUrl: string, callbackPort: number, headers: Recor
   // Get the server URL hash for lockfile operations
   const serverUrlHash = getServerUrlHash(serverUrl)
 
-  // Coordinate authentication with other instances
-  const { server, waitForAuthCode, skipBrowserAuth } = await coordinateAuth(serverUrlHash, callbackPort, events)
-
   // Create the OAuth client provider
   const authProvider = new NodeOAuthClientProvider({
     serverUrl,
@@ -38,6 +35,10 @@ async function runClient(serverUrl: string, callbackPort: number, headers: Recor
     clientName: 'MCP CLI Client',
   })
 
+  // Coordinate authentication with other instances
+  const hasSavedTokens = !!(await authProvider.tokens())
+  const { server, waitForAuthCode, skipBrowserAuth } = await coordinateAuth(serverUrlHash, callbackPort, events, hasSavedTokens)
+
   // If auth was completed by another instance, just log that we'll use the auth from disk
   if (skipBrowserAuth) {
     log('Authentication was completed by another instance - will use tokens from disk...')
diff --git a/src/lib/coordination.ts b/src/lib/coordination.ts
index ad1d2f6..da6355e 100644
--- a/src/lib/coordination.ts
+++ b/src/lib/coordination.ts
@@ -25,13 +25,6 @@ export async function isPidRunning(pid: number): Promise<boolean> {
  * @returns True if the lockfile is valid, false otherwise
  */
 export async function isLockValid(lockData: LockfileData): Promise<boolean> {
-  // Check if the lockfile is too old (over 30 minutes)
-  const MAX_LOCK_AGE = 30 * 60 * 1000 // 30 minutes
-  if (Date.now() - lockData.timestamp > MAX_LOCK_AGE) {
-    log('Lockfile is too old')
-    return false
-  }
-
   // Check if the process is still running
   if (!(await isPidRunning(lockData.pid))) {
     log('Process from lockfile is not running')
@@ -93,12 +86,14 @@ export async function waitForAuthentication(port: number): Promise<boolean> {
  * @param serverUrlHash The hash of the server URL
  * @param callbackPort The port to use for the callback server
  * @param events The event emitter to use for signaling
+ * @param hasSavedTokens Whether the client has saved tokens
  * @returns An object with the server, waitForAuthCode function, and a flag indicating if browser auth can be skipped
  */
 export async function coordinateAuth(
   serverUrlHash: string,
   callbackPort: number,
   events: EventEmitter,
+  hasSavedTokens: boolean,
 ): Promise<{ server: Server; waitForAuthCode: () => Promise<string>; skipBrowserAuth: boolean }> {
   // Check for a lockfile (disabled on Windows for the time being)
   const lockData = process.platform === 'win32' ? null : await checkLockfile(serverUrlHash)
@@ -109,7 +104,7 @@ export async function coordinateAuth(
 
     try {
       // Try to wait for the authentication to complete
-      const authCompleted = await waitForAuthentication(lockData.port)
+      const authCompleted = hasSavedTokens || (await waitForAuthentication(lockData.port))
       if (authCompleted) {
         log('Authentication completed by another instance')
 
diff --git a/src/proxy.ts b/src/proxy.ts
index 9fd87d1..227b91a 100644
--- a/src/proxy.ts
+++ b/src/proxy.ts
@@ -25,9 +25,6 @@ async function runProxy(serverUrl: string, callbackPort: number, headers: Record
   // Get the server URL hash for lockfile operations
   const serverUrlHash = getServerUrlHash(serverUrl)
 
-  // Coordinate authentication with other instances
-  const { server, waitForAuthCode, skipBrowserAuth } = await coordinateAuth(serverUrlHash, callbackPort, events)
-
   // Create the OAuth client provider
   const authProvider = new NodeOAuthClientProvider({
     serverUrl,
@@ -35,6 +32,10 @@ async function runProxy(serverUrl: string, callbackPort: number, headers: Record
     clientName: 'MCP CLI Proxy',
   })
 
+  // Coordinate authentication with other instances
+  const hasSavedTokens = !!(await authProvider.tokens())
+  const { server, waitForAuthCode, skipBrowserAuth } = await coordinateAuth(serverUrlHash, callbackPort, events, hasSavedTokens)
+
   // If auth was completed by another instance, just log that we'll use the auth from disk
   if (skipBrowserAuth) {
     log('Authentication was completed by another instance - will use tokens from disk')