diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 85907443ea35f8..9b97c99b0c3566 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -2598,8 +2598,8 @@ dependencies = [
  "exec",
  "fork",
  "ipc-channel",
+ "only_instance",
  "parking_lot",
- "paths",
  "plist",
  "release_channel",
  "serde",
@@ -8752,6 +8752,17 @@ version = "1.20.3"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "945462a4b81e43c4e3ba96bd7b49d834c6f61198356aa858733bc4acf3cbe62e"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "only_instance"
+version = "0.1.0"
+dependencies = [
+ "log",
+ "paths",
+ "release_channel",
+ "sysinfo",
+ "windows 0.58.0",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "oo7"
 version = "0.4.0"
@@ -16736,6 +16747,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "nix",
  "node_runtime",
  "notifications",
+ "only_instance",
  "outline",
  "outline_panel",
  "parking_lot",
@@ -16765,7 +16777,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "snippet_provider",
  "snippets_ui",
  "supermaven",
- "sysinfo",
  "tab_switcher",
  "task",
  "tasks_ui",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 448f653a519ef1..502985002fac11 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ members = [
     "crates/node_runtime",
     "crates/notifications",
     "crates/ollama",
+    "crates/only_instance",
     "crates/open_ai",
     "crates/outline",
     "crates/outline_panel",
@@ -291,6 +292,7 @@ multi_buffer = { path = "crates/multi_buffer" }
 node_runtime = { path = "crates/node_runtime" }
 notifications = { path = "crates/notifications" }
 ollama = { path = "crates/ollama" }
+only_instance = { path = "crates/only_instance" }
 open_ai = { path = "crates/open_ai" }
 outline = { path = "crates/outline" }
 outline_panel = { path = "crates/outline_panel" }
@@ -366,7 +368,7 @@ zeta = { path = "crates/zeta" }
 #
 
 aho-corasick = "1.1"
-alacritty_terminal = { git = "https://github.com/zed-industries/alacritty.git", rev = "03c2907b44b4189aac5fdeaea331f5aab5c7072e"}
+alacritty_terminal = { git = "https://github.com/zed-industries/alacritty.git", rev = "03c2907b44b4189aac5fdeaea331f5aab5c7072e" }
 any_vec = "0.14"
 anyhow = "1.0.86"
 arrayvec = { version = "0.7.4", features = ["serde"] }
@@ -535,7 +537,7 @@ tree-sitter-cpp = "0.23"
 tree-sitter-css = "0.23"
 tree-sitter-elixir = "0.3"
 tree-sitter-embedded-template = "0.23.0"
-tree-sitter-gitcommit = {git  = "https://github.com/zed-industries/tree-sitter-git-commit", rev = "88309716a69dd13ab83443721ba6e0b491d37ee9"}
+tree-sitter-gitcommit = { git = "https://github.com/zed-industries/tree-sitter-git-commit", rev = "88309716a69dd13ab83443721ba6e0b491d37ee9" }
 tree-sitter-go = "0.23"
 tree-sitter-go-mod = { git = "https://github.com/camdencheek/tree-sitter-go-mod", rev = "6efb59652d30e0e9cd5f3b3a669afd6f1a926d3c", package = "tree-sitter-gomod" }
 tree-sitter-gowork = { git = "https://github.com/zed-industries/tree-sitter-go-work", rev = "acb0617bf7f4fda02c6217676cc64acb89536dc7" }
@@ -630,7 +632,7 @@ features = [
 # TODO livekit https://github.com/RustAudio/cpal/pull/891
 [patch.crates-io]
 cpal = { git = "https://github.com/zed-industries/cpal", rev = "fd8bc2fd39f1f5fdee5a0690656caff9a26d9d50" }
-real-async-tls = { git = "https://github.com/zed-industries/async-tls", rev = "1e759a4b5e370f87dc15e40756ac4f8815b61d9d", package = "async-tls"}
+real-async-tls = { git = "https://github.com/zed-industries/async-tls", rev = "1e759a4b5e370f87dc15e40756ac4f8815b61d9d", package = "async-tls" }
 
 [profile.dev]
 split-debuginfo = "unpacked"
diff --git a/crates/cli/Cargo.toml b/crates/cli/Cargo.toml
index 94e79bd389c674..91b0788b8e25df 100644
--- a/crates/cli/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/cli/Cargo.toml
@@ -25,15 +25,15 @@ anyhow.workspace = true
 clap.workspace = true
 collections.workspace = true
 ipc-channel = "0.19"
+only_instance.workspace = true
 parking_lot.workspace = true
-paths.workspace = true
 release_channel.workspace = true
 serde.workspace = true
 util.workspace = true
 tempfile.workspace = true
 
 [target.'cfg(any(target_os = "linux", target_os = "freebsd"))'.dependencies]
-exec.workspace =  true
+exec.workspace = true
 fork.workspace = true
 
 [target.'cfg(target_os = "macos")'.dependencies]
diff --git a/crates/cli/src/main.rs b/crates/cli/src/main.rs
index a8568360254346..67d3e482d03859 100644
--- a/crates/cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/cli/src/main.rs
@@ -355,12 +355,11 @@ mod linux {
         }
 
         fn launch(&self, ipc_url: String) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-            let sock_path = paths::support_dir().join(format!("zed-{}.sock", *RELEASE_CHANNEL));
-            let sock = UnixDatagram::unbound()?;
-            if sock.connect(&sock_path).is_err() {
-                self.boot_background(ipc_url)?;
-            } else {
+            if let Ok(sock) = only_instance::other_instance_running() {
+                // There is already an instance running
                 sock.send(ipc_url.as_bytes())?;
+            } else {
+                self.boot_background(ipc_url)?;
             }
             Ok(())
         }
@@ -535,7 +534,14 @@ mod windows {
             unimplemented!()
         }
         fn launch(&self, _ipc_url: String) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-            unimplemented!()
+            if only_instance::ensure_only_instance() {
+                // start a new instance
+                // send ipc_url to the new instance
+            } else {
+                // There is already an instance running
+                // send ipc_url to the existing instance
+            }
+            Ok(())
         }
         fn run_foreground(&self, _ipc_url: String) -> io::Result<ExitStatus> {
             unimplemented!()
diff --git a/crates/only_instance/Cargo.toml b/crates/only_instance/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..3a9aa6f9df7dfd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/only_instance/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+[package]
+name = "only_instance"
+version = "0.1.0"
+edition.workspace = true
+publish.workspace = true
+license = "GPL-3.0-or-later"
+
+[lints]
+workspace = true
+
+[lib]
+path = "src/only_instance.rs"
+
+[dependencies]
+release_channel.workspace = true
+
+[target.'cfg(target_os = "macos")'.dependencies]
+sysinfo.workspace = true
+log.workspace = true
+
+[target.'cfg(target_os = "linux")'.dependencies]
+paths.workspace = true
+
+[target.'cfg(target_os = "windows")'.dependencies]
+windows.workspace = true
diff --git a/crates/only_instance/src/linux.rs b/crates/only_instance/src/linux.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..73525e781be030
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/only_instance/src/linux.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+use release_channel::RELEASE_CHANNEL_NAME;
+
+use std::io::Result;
+use std::os::unix::net::UnixDatagram;
+
+pub fn ensure_only_instance() -> Result<UnixDatagram> {
+    let sock_path = paths::support_dir().join(format!("zed-{}.sock", *RELEASE_CHANNEL_NAME));
+    // remove the socket if the process listening on it has died
+    if let Err(e) = UnixDatagram::unbound()?.connect(&sock_path) {
+        if e.kind() == std::io::ErrorKind::ConnectionRefused {
+            std::fs::remove_file(&sock_path)?;
+        }
+    }
+    UnixDatagram::bind(&sock_path)
+}
+
+pub fn other_instance_running() -> Result<UnixDatagram> {
+    let sock_path = paths::support_dir().join(format!("zed-{}.sock", *RELEASE_CHANNEL_NAME));
+    let sock = UnixDatagram::unbound()?;
+    sock.connect(&sock_path).and(Ok(sock))
+}
diff --git a/crates/zed/src/zed/mac_only_instance.rs b/crates/only_instance/src/macos.rs
similarity index 100%
rename from crates/zed/src/zed/mac_only_instance.rs
rename to crates/only_instance/src/macos.rs
diff --git a/crates/only_instance/src/only_instance.rs b/crates/only_instance/src/only_instance.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..048c5ef8ec6174
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/only_instance/src/only_instance.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#[cfg(any(target_os = "linux", target_os = "freebsd"))]
+pub mod linux;
+#[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+pub mod macos;
+#[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
+pub mod windows;
+
+#[cfg(any(target_os = "linux", target_os = "freebsd"))]
+pub use linux::*;
+#[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+pub use macos::*;
+#[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
+pub use windows::*;
diff --git a/crates/zed/src/zed/windows_only_instance.rs b/crates/only_instance/src/windows.rs
similarity index 95%
rename from crates/zed/src/zed/windows_only_instance.rs
rename to crates/only_instance/src/windows.rs
index 2645650bfae70e..2c1a05a2897e15 100644
--- a/crates/zed/src/zed/windows_only_instance.rs
+++ b/crates/only_instance/src/windows.rs
@@ -7,16 +7,7 @@ use windows::{
     },
 };
 
-fn retrieve_app_instance_event_identifier() -> &'static str {
-    match *release_channel::RELEASE_CHANNEL {
-        ReleaseChannel::Dev => "Local\\Zed-Editor-Dev-Instance-Event",
-        ReleaseChannel::Nightly => "Local\\Zed-Editor-Nightly-Instance-Event",
-        ReleaseChannel::Preview => "Local\\Zed-Editor-Preview-Instance-Event",
-        ReleaseChannel::Stable => "Local\\Zed-Editor-Stable-Instance-Event",
-    }
-}
-
-pub fn check_single_instance() -> bool {
+pub fn ensure_only_instance() -> bool {
     unsafe {
         CreateEventW(
             None,
@@ -29,3 +20,12 @@ pub fn check_single_instance() -> bool {
     let last_err = unsafe { GetLastError() };
     last_err != ERROR_ALREADY_EXISTS
 }
+
+fn retrieve_app_instance_event_identifier() -> &'static str {
+    match *release_channel::RELEASE_CHANNEL {
+        ReleaseChannel::Dev => "Local\\Zed-Editor-Dev-Instance-Event",
+        ReleaseChannel::Nightly => "Local\\Zed-Editor-Nightly-Instance-Event",
+        ReleaseChannel::Preview => "Local\\Zed-Editor-Preview-Instance-Event",
+        ReleaseChannel::Stable => "Local\\Zed-Editor-Stable-Instance-Event",
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/zed/Cargo.toml b/crates/zed/Cargo.toml
index 529c5f8b6bad55..18afea2c7dbfb9 100644
--- a/crates/zed/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/zed/Cargo.toml
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ mimalloc = { version = "0.1", optional = true }
 nix = { workspace = true, features = ["pthread", "signal"] }
 node_runtime.workspace = true
 notifications.workspace = true
+only_instance.workspace = true
 outline.workspace = true
 outline_panel.workspace = true
 parking_lot.workspace = true
@@ -110,7 +111,6 @@ smol.workspace = true
 snippet_provider.workspace = true
 snippets_ui.workspace = true
 supermaven.workspace = true
-sysinfo.workspace = true
 tab_switcher.workspace = true
 task.workspace = true
 tasks_ui.workspace = true
diff --git a/crates/zed/src/main.rs b/crates/zed/src/main.rs
index 6ec65acb40188a..46c792effe76d7 100644
--- a/crates/zed/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/zed/src/main.rs
@@ -202,26 +202,41 @@ fn main() {
 
     let (open_listener, mut open_rx) = OpenListener::new();
 
-    let failed_single_instance_check =
-        if *db::ZED_STATELESS || *release_channel::RELEASE_CHANNEL == ReleaseChannel::Dev {
-            false
-        } else {
-            #[cfg(any(target_os = "linux", target_os = "freebsd"))]
-            {
-                crate::zed::listen_for_cli_connections(open_listener.clone()).is_err()
+    let failed_single_instance_check = if *db::ZED_STATELESS
+        || *release_channel::RELEASE_CHANNEL == ReleaseChannel::Dev
+    {
+        false
+    } else {
+        #[cfg(any(target_os = "linux", target_os = "freebsd"))]
+        {
+            if let Ok(sock) = only_instance::ensure_only_instance() {
+                // We are the only instance
+                std::thread::spawn({
+                    let opener = open_listener.clone();
+                    move || {
+                        let mut buf = [0u8; 1024];
+                        while let Ok(len) = sock.recv(&mut buf) {
+                            opener
+                                .open_urls(vec![String::from_utf8_lossy(&buf[..len]).to_string()]);
+                        }
+                    }
+                });
+                false
+            } else {
+                true
             }
+        }
 
-            #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
-            {
-                !crate::zed::windows_only_instance::check_single_instance()
-            }
+        #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
+        {
+            !only_instance::ensure_only_instance()
+        }
 
-            #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
-            {
-                use zed::mac_only_instance::*;
-                ensure_only_instance() != IsOnlyInstance::Yes
-            }
-        };
+        #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+        {
+            only_instance::ensure_only_instance() != only_instance::IsOnlyInstance::Yes
+        }
+    };
     if failed_single_instance_check {
         println!("zed is already running");
         return;
diff --git a/crates/zed/src/zed.rs b/crates/zed/src/zed.rs
index adb1d2b03f490d..6dad57f35705d3 100644
--- a/crates/zed/src/zed.rs
+++ b/crates/zed/src/zed.rs
@@ -2,13 +2,9 @@ mod app_menus;
 pub mod inline_completion_registry;
 #[cfg(any(target_os = "linux", target_os = "freebsd"))]
 pub(crate) mod linux_prompts;
-#[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
-pub(crate) mod mac_only_instance;
 mod migrate;
 mod open_listener;
 mod quick_action_bar;
-#[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
-pub(crate) mod windows_only_instance;
 
 use anyhow::Context as _;
 pub use app_menus::*;
diff --git a/crates/zed/src/zed/open_listener.rs b/crates/zed/src/zed/open_listener.rs
index 4fa22fed796f89..1c04160a7402dd 100644
--- a/crates/zed/src/zed/open_listener.rs
+++ b/crates/zed/src/zed/open_listener.rs
@@ -143,28 +143,6 @@ impl OpenListener {
     }
 }
 
-#[cfg(any(target_os = "linux", target_os = "freebsd"))]
-pub fn listen_for_cli_connections(opener: OpenListener) -> Result<()> {
-    use release_channel::RELEASE_CHANNEL_NAME;
-    use std::os::unix::net::UnixDatagram;
-
-    let sock_path = paths::support_dir().join(format!("zed-{}.sock", *RELEASE_CHANNEL_NAME));
-    // remove the socket if the process listening on it has died
-    if let Err(e) = UnixDatagram::unbound()?.connect(&sock_path) {
-        if e.kind() == std::io::ErrorKind::ConnectionRefused {
-            std::fs::remove_file(&sock_path)?;
-        }
-    }
-    let listener = UnixDatagram::bind(&sock_path)?;
-    thread::spawn(move || {
-        let mut buf = [0u8; 1024];
-        while let Ok(len) = listener.recv(&mut buf) {
-            opener.open_urls(vec![String::from_utf8_lossy(&buf[..len]).to_string()]);
-        }
-    });
-    Ok(())
-}
-
 fn connect_to_cli(
     server_name: &str,
 ) -> Result<(mpsc::Receiver<CliRequest>, IpcSender<CliResponse>)> {