diff --git a/src/Console/Commands/StartServer.php b/src/Console/Commands/StartServer.php
index 75b1b7c..9ec36e2 100644
--- a/src/Console/Commands/StartServer.php
+++ b/src/Console/Commands/StartServer.php
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ class StartServer extends Command
     protected $signature = 'websockets:serve
         {--host=0.0.0.0}
         {--port=6001}
-        {--cache-driver=file : The cache driver to use for the server. Redis will not work due to concurrency issues.}
+        {--cache-driver= : Override cache driver (defaults to app config, typically redis). File driver available as fallback.}
         {--disable-statistics=true : Disable the statistics tracking.}
         {--statistics-interval= : The amount of seconds to tick between statistics saving.}
         {--debug : Forces the loggers to be enabled and thereby overriding the APP_DEBUG setting.}
@@ -116,9 +116,13 @@ class StartServer extends Command
                 define('LARAVEL_IS_WEBSOCKET', true);
             }
 
-            // Fixes redis concurrency issues
-            config(['cache.default' => $this->option('cache-driver', 'file')]);
-            \Log::channel('websocket')->debug('Cache driver configured', ['driver' => $this->option('cache-driver', 'file')]);
+            // Use app's configured cache driver (typically redis) unless explicitly overridden
+            // Previously forced to 'file' due to Redis concurrency issues after fork(),
+            // but now safe because: (1) cache() is only called in parent process,
+            // (2) child processes purge inherited Redis connections and get fresh ones
+            $cacheDriver = $this->option('cache-driver') ?: config('cache.default');
+            config(['cache.default' => $cacheDriver]);
+            \Log::channel('websocket')->debug('Cache driver configured', ['driver' => $cacheDriver]);
 
             WebsocketService::resetAllTracking();
             \Log::channel('websocket')->debug('WebsocketService tracking reset');
diff --git a/src/Services/WebsocketService.php b/src/Services/WebsocketService.php
index ac2d265..a3cf0d2 100644
--- a/src/Services/WebsocketService.php
+++ b/src/Services/WebsocketService.php
@@ -161,15 +161,12 @@ class WebsocketService
 
     public static function resetAllTracking()
     {
-        $previousCache = config('cache.default');
-        config(['cache.default' => 'file']);
         cache()->forget('ws_active_channels');
         cache()->forget('ws_socket_auth');
         cache()->forget('ws_socket_auth_users');
         cache()->forget('ws_socket_authed_users');
         cache()->forget('ws_channel_connections');
         cache()->forget('ws_connection');
-        config(['cache.default' => $previousCache]);
 
         return true;
     }
@@ -177,47 +174,27 @@ class WebsocketService
 
     public static function getAuth(string $socketId)
     {
-        $previousCache = config('cache.default');
-        config(['cache.default' => 'file']);
-        $r = cache()->get('ws_socket_auth_' . str()->slug($socketId));
-        config(['cache.default' => $previousCache]);
-        return $r;
+        return cache()->get('ws_socket_auth_' . str()->slug($socketId));
     }
 
     public static function getChannelConnections(string $channelName): array
     {
-        $previousCache = config('cache.default');
-        config(['cache.default' => 'file']);
-        $r = cache()->get('ws_channel_connections_' . $channelName) ?? [];
-        config(['cache.default' => $previousCache]);
-        return $r;
+        return cache()->get('ws_channel_connections_' . $channelName) ?? [];
     }
 
     public static function getActiveChannels(): array
     {
-        $previousCache = config('cache.default');
-        config(['cache.default' => 'file']);
-        $r = cache()->get('ws_active_channels') ?? [];
-        config(['cache.default' => $previousCache]);
-        return $r;
+        return cache()->get('ws_active_channels') ?? [];
     }
 
     public static function getConnection(string $socketId)
     {
-        $previousCache = config('cache.default');
-        config(['cache.default' => 'file']);
-        $r = cache()->get('ws_connection_' . str()->slug($socketId));
-        config(['cache.default' => $previousCache]);
-        return $r;
+        return cache()->get('ws_connection_' . str()->slug($socketId));
     }
 
     public static function getAuthedUsers(): array
     {
-        $previousCache = config('cache.default');
-        config(['cache.default' => 'file']);
-        $r = cache()->get('ws_socket_authed_users') ?? [];
-        config(['cache.default' => $previousCache]);
-        return $r;
+        return cache()->get('ws_socket_authed_users') ?? [];
     }
 
     public static function isUserConnected($userId)
@@ -243,11 +220,8 @@ class WebsocketService
         $authed_users = static::getAuthedUsers();
         $authed_users[$socketId] = $user->id;
 
-        $previousCache = config('cache.default');
-        config(['cache.default' => 'file']);
         cache()->forever('ws_socket_authed_users', $authed_users);
         cache()->forever('ws_socket_auth_' . str()->slug($socketId), $user);
-        config(['cache.default' => $previousCache]);
 
         return static::getAuthedUsers();
     }
@@ -257,11 +231,8 @@ class WebsocketService
         $authed_users = static::getAuthedUsers();
         unset($authed_users[$socketId]);
 
-        $previousCache = config('cache.default');
-        config(['cache.default' => 'file']);
         cache()->forever('ws_socket_authed_users', $authed_users);
         cache()->forget('ws_socket_auth_' . str()->slug($socketId));
-        config(['cache.default' => $previousCache]);
 
         return static::getAuthedUsers();
     }
diff --git a/src/Websocket/ConnectionSession.php b/src/Websocket/ConnectionSession.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f6bc3f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Websocket/ConnectionSession.php
@@ -0,0 +1,180 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace BlaxSoftware\LaravelWebSockets\Websocket;
+
+/**
+ * Per-connection session storage backed by Redis cache.
+ *
+ * Provides key-value storage scoped to a WebSocket connection.
+ * Data persists across forked child processes (each child loads
+ * from Redis, modifies, saves back — next child sees changes).
+ *
+ * Usage in controllers:
+ *   wsSession()->put('key', $value);
+ *   wsSession()->get('key', 'default');
+ *   wsSession()->forget('key');
+ *   wsSession()->all();
+ *
+ * Lifecycle:
+ *   - Created on connection open (empty)
+ *   - Loaded from Redis in each child process
+ *   - Auto-saved before child exits (or explicitly via save())
+ *   - Flushed on connection close
+ */
+class ConnectionSession
+{
+    private string $cacheKey;
+    private array $data = [];
+    private bool $loaded = false;
+    private bool $dirty = false;
+
+    /** @var int TTL in seconds (24 hours — safety net if onClose cleanup misses) */
+    private const TTL = 86400;
+
+    public function __construct(
+        private readonly string $socketId
+    ) {
+        $this->cacheKey = 'ws_session_' . $socketId;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Lazy-load session data from Redis on first access.
+     */
+    private function load(): void
+    {
+        if ($this->loaded) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        $this->data = cache()->get($this->cacheKey) ?? [];
+        $this->loaded = true;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get a value from the session.
+     */
+    public function get(string $key, mixed $default = null): mixed
+    {
+        $this->load();
+        return $this->data[$key] ?? $default;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Store a value in the session.
+     */
+    public function put(string $key, mixed $value): static
+    {
+        $this->load();
+        $this->data[$key] = $value;
+        $this->dirty = true;
+        return $this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Check if a key exists in the session.
+     */
+    public function has(string $key): bool
+    {
+        $this->load();
+        return array_key_exists($key, $this->data);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Remove a key from the session.
+     */
+    public function forget(string $key): static
+    {
+        $this->load();
+        if (array_key_exists($key, $this->data)) {
+            unset($this->data[$key]);
+            $this->dirty = true;
+        }
+        return $this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get all session data.
+     */
+    public function all(): array
+    {
+        $this->load();
+        return $this->data;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Replace all session data.
+     */
+    public function replace(array $data): static
+    {
+        $this->load();
+        $this->data = $data;
+        $this->dirty = true;
+        return $this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Increment a numeric value.
+     */
+    public function increment(string $key, int $amount = 1): int
+    {
+        $value = (int) $this->get($key, 0) + $amount;
+        $this->put($key, $value);
+        return $value;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Save session data to Redis (only if modified).
+     */
+    public function save(): void
+    {
+        if (!$this->dirty) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        if (empty($this->data)) {
+            cache()->forget($this->cacheKey);
+        } else {
+            cache()->put($this->cacheKey, $this->data, self::TTL);
+        }
+
+        $this->dirty = false;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Flush all session data and remove from Redis.
+     */
+    public function flush(): void
+    {
+        $this->data = [];
+        $this->dirty = false;
+        $this->loaded = true;
+        cache()->forget($this->cacheKey);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Check if session has unsaved changes.
+     */
+    public function isDirty(): bool
+    {
+        return $this->dirty;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Check if session is empty.
+     */
+    public function isEmpty(): bool
+    {
+        $this->load();
+        return empty($this->data);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get the socket ID this session belongs to.
+     */
+    public function getSocketId(): string
+    {
+        return $this->socketId;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/Websocket/Handler.php b/src/Websocket/Handler.php
index 34a81d5..4121195 100644
--- a/src/Websocket/Handler.php
+++ b/src/Websocket/Handler.php
@@ -270,6 +270,9 @@ class Handler implements MessageComponentInterface
 
         $this->cleanupChannelConnections($connection);
         $this->finalizeConnectionClose($connection);
+
+        // Clean up per-connection session from Redis
+        cache()->forget('ws_session_' . $connection->socketId);
     }
 
 
@@ -492,8 +495,20 @@ class Handler implements MessageComponentInterface
                 // This saves ~5-15ms for methods that don't use the database
                 DB::disconnect();
 
+                // Purge inherited Redis/cache connections from parent process.
+                // After fork(), child inherits parent's Redis socket fd — using it
+                // would corrupt parent's protocol state. Purging forces fresh
+                // connections on next cache() call (predis connects lazily).
+                app()->forgetInstance('cache');
+                app()->forgetInstance('cache.store');
+                app()->forgetInstance('redis');
+
                 $this->setRequest($message, $connection);
 
+                // Set up per-connection session (backed by Redis)
+                $session = new ConnectionSession($connection->socketId);
+                app()->instance('ws.session', $session);
+
                 // Create mock that sends via socket pair
                 $mock = new MockConnectionSocketPair($connection, $ipc);
 
@@ -507,6 +522,9 @@ class Handler implements MessageComponentInterface
                 \Illuminate\Container\Container::getInstance()
                     ->make(\Illuminate\Support\Defer\DeferredCallbackCollection::class)
                     ->invokeWhen(fn($callback) => true);
+
+                // Persist session changes to Redis before exit
+                $session->save();
             } catch (Exception $e) {
                 // Send error via socket pair
                 $ipc->sendToParent(json_encode([
diff --git a/src/helpers_global.php b/src/helpers_global.php
index b7ddcdf..b57dad8 100644
--- a/src/helpers_global.php
+++ b/src/helpers_global.php
@@ -100,3 +100,36 @@ if (!function_exists('ws_available')) {
         return BroadcastClient::instance()->isAvailable();
     }
 }
+
+if (!function_exists('wsSession')) {
+    /**
+     * Get the current WebSocket connection's session.
+     *
+     * Returns a per-connection key-value store backed by Redis.
+     * Available in child processes during message handling.
+     * Data persists across messages for the same connection.
+     *
+     * @return \BlaxSoftware\LaravelWebSockets\Websocket\ConnectionSession|null
+     *
+     * @example
+     * // Store data
+     * wsSession()->put('last_action', 'transmitted');
+     * wsSession()->put('transmit_count', 0);
+     *
+     * // Retrieve data (persists across messages)
+     * $count = wsSession()->get('transmit_count', 0);
+     * wsSession()->put('transmit_count', $count + 1);
+     *
+     * // Or use increment helper
+     * wsSession()->increment('transmit_count');
+     *
+     * // Check & remove
+     * if (wsSession()->has('pending_action')) {
+     *     wsSession()->forget('pending_action');
+     * }
+     */
+    function wsSession(): ?\BlaxSoftware\LaravelWebSockets\Websocket\ConnectionSession
+    {
+        return app()->bound('ws.session') ? app('ws.session') : null;
+    }
+}