diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 91ab07f..f470016 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -5,12 +5,13 @@ go 1.24.2
 require (
 	github.com/Trojan2021/BEAN v0.0.0-20241210230804-8f294833b514
 	github.com/charmbracelet/glamour v0.7.0
-	github.com/rwinkhart/libmutton v0.3.2-0.20250504220509-826d94bc4397
-	github.com/rwinkhart/rcw v0.0.0-20250504183741-f176d57b6ba5
+	github.com/rwinkhart/libmutton v0.3.2-0.20250504234931-3404fc74823c
+	github.com/rwinkhart/rcw v0.0.0-20250504233845-9314852f061b
 	golang.org/x/term v0.31.0
 )
 
 require (
+	github.com/Microsoft/go-winio v0.6.2 // indirect
 	github.com/alecthomas/chroma/v2 v2.16.0 // indirect
 	github.com/aymanbagabas/go-osc52/v2 v2.0.1 // indirect
 	github.com/aymerick/douceur v0.2.0 // indirect
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/pquerna/otp v1.4.1-0.20231130234153-3357de7c0481 // indirect
 	github.com/rivo/uniseg v0.4.7 // indirect
 	github.com/rwinkhart/convertroman v0.2.0 // indirect
+	github.com/rwinkhart/peercred-mini v0.0.0-20250407033241-c09add2eceea // indirect
 	github.com/stretchr/testify v1.8.4 // indirect
 	github.com/yuin/goldmark v1.7.10 // indirect
 	github.com/yuin/goldmark-emoji v1.0.6 // indirect
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index fbf89b2..dd44ffd 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -59,10 +59,14 @@ github.com/rivo/uniseg v0.4.7 h1:WUdvkW8uEhrYfLC4ZzdpI2ztxP1I582+49Oc5Mq64VQ=
 github.com/rivo/uniseg v0.4.7/go.mod h1:FN3SvrM+Zdj16jyLfmOkMNblXMcoc8DfTHruCPUcx88=
 github.com/rwinkhart/convertroman v0.2.0 h1:otUm939eXT77q/Lr31mJtMwVWEw0RjEUB71gO65h9OM=
 github.com/rwinkhart/convertroman v0.2.0/go.mod h1:Af6HqvX0EIM4Y3HcnNXbbRey1dLasGB7WU0+3Cowgmw=
-github.com/rwinkhart/libmutton v0.3.2-0.20250504220509-826d94bc4397 h1:+Zlv62ZB7QTIFDNltMj6rm+7huo05N99BBWhoyVVJQc=
-github.com/rwinkhart/libmutton v0.3.2-0.20250504220509-826d94bc4397/go.mod h1:9a4EYsPTLVI4Je7ql3jsMz7B9JP4PaRZSuTR/BctBIU=
-github.com/rwinkhart/rcw v0.0.0-20250504183741-f176d57b6ba5 h1:BX31d76TLGZqeukYECLFPkLD+SS/CAV12Lkdlc6UuGM=
-github.com/rwinkhart/rcw v0.0.0-20250504183741-f176d57b6ba5/go.mod h1:giXrq9o5a7bwMSuMvz+5bb2+qbM+zV4pXaG/SceXfLM=
+github.com/rwinkhart/go-winio-easy-pipe-handles v0.0.0-20250407031321-96994a0e8410 h1:NhHwFM3Pgm6zRUfFKvi0p5ndjfFbVWsRwmmhyFlG4PE=
+github.com/rwinkhart/go-winio-easy-pipe-handles v0.0.0-20250407031321-96994a0e8410/go.mod h1:yd8OoFMLzJbo9gZq8j5qaps8bJ9aShtEA8Ipt1oGCvU=
+github.com/rwinkhart/libmutton v0.3.2-0.20250504234931-3404fc74823c h1:DzLYC9xNqoJnoFe8rg+/n9XMNX7HOBoUUzlSDqIZZx0=
+github.com/rwinkhart/libmutton v0.3.2-0.20250504234931-3404fc74823c/go.mod h1:XsXDBz9SQ8QHLkjdzviCcoI/cr7pUnISst+03MB+c8M=
+github.com/rwinkhart/peercred-mini v0.0.0-20250407033241-c09add2eceea h1:VE2ti/AE4Y3kgnyK+J5c5hpddE+dKHpsFch3K2R6puQ=
+github.com/rwinkhart/peercred-mini v0.0.0-20250407033241-c09add2eceea/go.mod h1:t+YkvAdnTKTrg4d469tw3K+GCUzX/Bja4h8yKjSIsGs=
+github.com/rwinkhart/rcw v0.0.0-20250504233845-9314852f061b h1:eWN9ogSzNE8KcFcoIBgrdgMCOUhxnV7m+SJ9Z3SCnPU=
+github.com/rwinkhart/rcw v0.0.0-20250504233845-9314852f061b/go.mod h1:giXrq9o5a7bwMSuMvz+5bb2+qbM+zV4pXaG/SceXfLM=
 github.com/rwinkhart/sys-freebsd-13-xucred v0.32.0 h1:KRbqimv9Eexf3VB2FrRAQ4v2fGGu7gt3ayMgdT0FNao=
 github.com/rwinkhart/sys-freebsd-13-xucred v0.32.0/go.mod h1:BJP2sWEmIv4KK5OTEluFJCKSidICx8ciO85XgH3Ak8k=
 github.com/stretchr/objx v0.1.0/go.mod h1:HFkY916IF+rwdDfMAkV7OtwuqBVzrE8GR6GFx+wExME=
diff --git a/mutn.go b/mutn.go
index d42f235..5309cdd 100644
--- a/mutn.go
+++ b/mutn.go
@@ -158,6 +158,8 @@ func main() {
 			switch args[1] {
 			case "clipclear":
 				core.ClipClearArgument()
+			case "startrcwd":
+				core.RCWDArgument()
 			case "sync":
 				cli.RunJobWrapper(true)
 			case "init":
diff --git a/src/cli/utilitiesMisc.go b/src/cli/utilitiesMisc.go
index 000244e..afb4a4c 100644
--- a/src/cli/utilitiesMisc.go
+++ b/src/cli/utilitiesMisc.go
@@ -8,22 +8,33 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/rwinkhart/libmutton/core"
 	"github.com/rwinkhart/libmutton/sync"
+	"github.com/rwinkhart/rcw/daemon"
 	"github.com/rwinkhart/rcw/wrappers"
 	"golang.org/x/term"
 )
 
-// GetRCWPassphrase retrieves the RCW passphrase from the user.
-// TODO attempt to retrieve from RCW daemon
+// GetRCWPassphrase retrieves the RCW passphrase from the most accessible source.
+// It first attempts to retrieve from the RCW daemon, then from user input.
+// If it does not find an RCW daemon, it launches one to cache the passphrase.
 func GetRCWPassphrase() []byte {
-	for {
-		passphrase := inputHidden("RCW Passphrase:")
-		err := wrappers.RunSanityCheck(core.ConfigDir+"/sanity.rcw", passphrase)
-		if err != nil {
-			fmt.Println(core.AnsiError + "Failed to encrypt - " + err.Error() + core.AnsiReset)
-			continue
+	// request passphrase from RCW daemon
+	passphrase := daemon.CallDaemonIfOpen()
+
+	// if no passphrase was retrieved, request it from the user
+	if passphrase == nil {
+		for {
+			passphrase = inputHidden("RCW Passphrase:")
+			err := wrappers.RunSanityCheck(core.ConfigDir+"/sanity.rcw", passphrase)
+			if err != nil {
+				fmt.Println(core.AnsiError + "Failed to encrypt - " + err.Error() + core.AnsiReset)
+				continue
+			}
+			break
 		}
-		return passphrase
+		// since no daemon was found earlier, start a new one
+		core.LaunchRCWDProcess(string(passphrase))
 	}
+	return passphrase
 }
 
 // input prompts the user for input and returns the input as a string.