diff --git a/apps/cli/src/cli.ts b/apps/cli/src/cli.ts
index b5cb93e3..969d10a7 100644
--- a/apps/cli/src/cli.ts
+++ b/apps/cli/src/cli.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import {
 } from '@openchatlab/core'
 import { getVersion } from './version'
 import { resolveCliPath } from './paths'
+import { isPortAvailable, formatPortInUseError } from './http/port'
 
 const program = new Command()
 
@@ -303,6 +304,12 @@ program
     const { startHttpServer } = await import('./http')
     const port = parseInt(options.port, 10)
 
+    // 启动前预检端口，快速失败，避免无谓的初始化后再报 EADDRINUSE
+    if (!(await isPortAvailable(port, options.host))) {
+      console.error(formatPortInUseError(port))
+      process.exit(1)
+    }
+
     let webRoot: string | undefined
     if (!options.headless) {
       const webDir = resolveCliPath('dist-web')
@@ -353,7 +360,8 @@ program
     } catch (err: unknown) {
       const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err)
       if (message.includes('EADDRINUSE')) {
-        console.error(`Error: port ${port} is already in use`)
+        // 极低概率的 TOCTOU 竞态（预检通过后端口被占），复用统一文案
+        console.error(formatPortInUseError(port))
       } else {
         console.error(`Startup failed: ${message}`)
       }
diff --git a/apps/cli/src/http/port.ts b/apps/cli/src/http/port.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..364e00fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/cli/src/http/port.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+/**
+ * 端口可用性检测与错误文案
+ */
+
+import * as net from 'net'
+
+/**
+ * 检测指定端口在给定 host 上是否可用。
+ * 使用 net.createServer() 试探性绑定，无副作用（成功后立即释放）。
+ */
+export function isPortAvailable(port: number, host: string): Promise<boolean> {
+  return new Promise((resolve) => {
+    const server = net.createServer()
+    server.once('error', () => resolve(false))
+    server.once('listening', () => server.close(() => resolve(true)))
+    server.listen(port, host)
+  })
+}
+
+/**
+ * 返回端口被占用时统一的友好报错文案。
+ */
+export function formatPortInUseError(port: number): string {
+  return [
+    ``,
+    `  ✖ Error: port ${port} is already in use.`,
+    ``,
+    `    Another process (possibly a ChatLab instance) is using this port. You can:`,
+    `    • Use another port:   chatlab start --port <port>`,
+    `    • Find the process:   lsof -iTCP:${port} -sTCP:LISTEN`,
+    ``,
+  ].join('\n')
+}