diff --git a/config/tmux/tmux.conf.local b/config/tmux/tmux.conf.local
index f458b9a..659059a 100644
--- a/config/tmux/tmux.conf.local
+++ b/config/tmux/tmux.conf.local
@@ -455,6 +455,8 @@ set -g allow-passthrough on
 # Enable truecolor for compatible terminals
 set -gs terminal-features ',rxvt-unicode-256color:clipboard'
 
+set-option -g socket-path /tmp/tmux-shared/dev-socket
+
 # -- custom variables ----------------------------------------------------------
 
 # to define a custom #{foo} variable, define a POSIX shell function between the
diff --git a/ssh_router.sh b/ssh_router.sh
index 32aecf8..6b55977 100755
--- a/ssh_router.sh
+++ b/ssh_router.sh
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@ IMAGE="analytics-backend-workspace" # change to match your setup
 TMUX_SESSION="analytics-backend"
 DEV_USER="devuser"
 
-TMUX_CMD=(tmux -S /tmp/tmux-shared/dev-socket)
-
 log() {
   echo "[$(date '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')] $*"
 }
@@ -40,7 +38,7 @@ start_container_if_needed() {
 # After devuser exits...
 check_devuser_attached() {
   # Get list of clients
-  client_users=$(podman exec "$CONTAINER" "${TMUX_CMD[@]}" list-clients -t "$TMUX_SESSION" -F "#{client_user}" 2>/dev/null)
+  client_users=$(podman exec "$CONTAINER" tmux list-clients -t "$TMUX_SESSION" -F "#{client_user}" 2>/dev/null)
 
   if echo "$client_users" | grep -q "$DEV_USER"; then
     log "💡 devuser still attached — container stays running"
@@ -58,17 +56,17 @@ case "$MODE" in
 rw)
   start_container_if_needed
 
-  # Run $TMUX_CMD session inside the container
-  if ! podman exec -it --user "$DEV_USER" "$CONTAINER" "${TMUX_CMD[@]}" has-session -t "$TMUX_SESSION" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-    if ! podman exec -it --user "$DEV_USER" "$CONTAINER" "${TMUX_CMD[@]}" new-session -d -s "$TMUX_SESSION" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-      log "❌ Could not create new ${TMUX_CMD[*]} session. Please contact admin or try again later."
+  # Run tmux session inside the container
+  if ! podman exec -it --user "$DEV_USER" "$CONTAINER" tmux has-session -t "$TMUX_SESSION" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    if ! podman exec -it --user "$DEV_USER" "$CONTAINER" tmux new-session -d -s "$TMUX_SESSION" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+      log "❌ Could not create new tmux session. Please contact admin or try again later."
       exit 1
     fi
   fi
 
   log "⚡ $PERSON is working on $CONTAINER"
-  if ! podman exec -it --user "$DEV_USER" "$CONTAINER" "${TMUX_CMD[@]}" attach -t "$TMUX_SESSION"; then
-    log "❌ Could not attach to ${TMUX_CMD[*]} session. Please contact admin or try again later."
+  if ! podman exec -it --user "$DEV_USER" "$CONTAINER" tmux attach -t "$TMUX_SESSION"; then
+    log "❌ Could not attach to tmux session. Please contact admin or try again later."
     exit 1
   fi
   log "⚡ $PERSON finished working on $CONTAINER"
@@ -79,8 +77,8 @@ rw)
 ro)
   if (podman container exists "$CONTAINER" && podman inspect -f '{{.State.Running}}' "$CONTAINER" | grep -q true) >/dev/null 2>&1; then
     log "📜 $PERSON is viewing $CONTAINER"
-    if ! podman exec -it --user "$DEV_USER" "$CONTAINER" "${TMUX_CMD[@]}" attach -r -t "$TMUX_SESSION"; then
-      log "❌ Could not attach to ${TMUX_CMD[*]} session. Please contact admin or try again later."
+    if ! podman exec -it --user "$DEV_USER" "$CONTAINER" tmux attach -r -t "$TMUX_SESSION"; then
+      log "❌ Could not attach to tmux session. Please contact admin or try again later."
       exit 1
     fi
     log "🏃 $PERSON stopped viewing $CONTAINER"
diff --git a/start.sh b/start.sh
index 39e7225..471f73f 100644
--- a/start.sh
+++ b/start.sh
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 #!/bin/bash
-tmux -S /tmp/tmux-shared/dev-socket new-session -s analytics-backend
+tmux new-session -s analytics-backend