diff --git a/packages/vscode/src/opencode.ts b/packages/vscode/src/opencode.ts
index c1f60f73..d694abbd 100644
--- a/packages/vscode/src/opencode.ts
+++ b/packages/vscode/src/opencode.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,17 @@ import { registerManagedProcess, unregisterManagedProcess, reapOrphanedProcesses
 const t = vscode.l10n.t;
 
 const READY_CHECK_TIMEOUT_MS = 30000;
+
+// Reuse a single output channel across restarts instead of creating (and
+// leaking) a new one on every waitForReady call.
+let managerOutputChannel: vscode.OutputChannel | null = null;
+
+function getManagerOutputChannel(): vscode.OutputChannel {
+  if (!managerOutputChannel) {
+    managerOutputChannel = vscode.window.createOutputChannel('OpenChamberManager');
+  }
+  return managerOutputChannel;
+}
 const WINDOWS_EXECUTABLE_EXTENSIONS = (process.env.PATHEXT || '.EXE;.CMD;.BAT;.COM')
   .split(';')
   .map((ext) => ext.trim().toLowerCase())
@@ -612,7 +623,6 @@ async function waitForReady(
   timeoutMs = 15000,
   authHeaders: Record<string, string> = {}
 ): Promise<ReadyResult> {
-  const outputChannel = vscode.window.createOutputChannel('OpenChamberManager');
   const start = Date.now();
   const candidates = getCandidateBaseUrls(serverUrl);
   let attempts = 0;
@@ -640,7 +650,7 @@ async function waitForReady(
         }
 
         clearTimeout(timeout);
-        outputChannel?.appendLine(
+        getManagerOutputChannel().appendLine(
           `Health check to ${url.toString()} returned ${res.status} with body: ${JSON.stringify(body)}`
         );