diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 4b6891b6..dba5d8f9 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,21 @@
 
 All notable changes to cmux are documented here.
 
+## [0.53.0] - 2026-02-18
+
+### Changed
+- CLI commands are now workspace-relative: commands use `CMUX_WORKSPACE_ID` environment variable so background agents target their own workspace instead of the user's focused workspace
+- Remove all index-based CLI APIs in favor of short ID refs (`surface:1`, `pane:2`, `workspace:3`)
+- CLI `send` and `send-key` support `--workspace` and `--surface` flags for explicit targeting
+- CLI escape sequences (`\n`, `\r`, `\t`) in `send` payloads are now handled correctly
+- `--id-format` flag is respected in text output for all list commands
+
+### Fixed
+- Fix background agents sending input to the wrong workspace
+- Fix `close-surface` rejecting cross-workspace surface refs
+- Fix malformed surface/pane/workspace/window handles passing through without error
+- Fix `--window` flag being overridden by `CMUX_WORKSPACE_ID` environment variable
+
 ## [0.52.0] - 2026-02-18
 
 ### Changed
diff --git a/GhosttyTabs.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj b/GhosttyTabs.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
index 3e3ffb6e..c72f0b4b 100644
--- a/GhosttyTabs.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
+++ b/GhosttyTabs.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
@@ -686,7 +686,7 @@
 				CODE_SIGN_ENTITLEMENTS = "";
 				CODE_SIGN_STYLE = Automatic;
 				COMBINE_HIDPI_IMAGES = YES;
-				CURRENT_PROJECT_VERSION = 64;
+				CURRENT_PROJECT_VERSION = 65;
 				DEVELOPMENT_TEAM = "";
 				ENABLE_HARDENED_RUNTIME = NO;
 				GENERATE_INFOPLIST_FILE = NO;
@@ -695,7 +695,7 @@
 					"$(inherited)",
 					"@executable_path/../Frameworks",
 				);
-				MARKETING_VERSION = 0.52.0;
+				MARKETING_VERSION = 0.53.0;
 				OTHER_LDFLAGS = (
 					"-lc++",
 					"-framework",
@@ -725,7 +725,7 @@
 				CODE_SIGN_ENTITLEMENTS = "";
 				CODE_SIGN_STYLE = Automatic;
 				COMBINE_HIDPI_IMAGES = YES;
-				CURRENT_PROJECT_VERSION = 64;
+				CURRENT_PROJECT_VERSION = 65;
 				DEVELOPMENT_TEAM = "";
 				ENABLE_HARDENED_RUNTIME = NO;
 				GENERATE_INFOPLIST_FILE = NO;
@@ -734,7 +734,7 @@
 					"$(inherited)",
 					"@executable_path/../Frameworks",
 				);
-				MARKETING_VERSION = 0.52.0;
+				MARKETING_VERSION = 0.53.0;
 				OTHER_LDFLAGS = (
 					"-lc++",
 					"-framework",
@@ -788,10 +788,10 @@
 			isa = XCBuildConfiguration;
 			buildSettings = {
 				CODE_SIGN_STYLE = Automatic;
-				CURRENT_PROJECT_VERSION = 64;
+				CURRENT_PROJECT_VERSION = 65;
 				GENERATE_INFOPLIST_FILE = YES;
 				MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET = 14.0;
-				MARKETING_VERSION = 0.52.0;
+				MARKETING_VERSION = 0.53.0;
 				ONLY_ACTIVE_ARCH = YES;
 				PRODUCT_BUNDLE_IDENTIFIER = com.cmuxterm.appuitests;
 				PRODUCT_NAME = "$(TARGET_NAME)";
@@ -805,10 +805,10 @@
 			isa = XCBuildConfiguration;
 			buildSettings = {
 				CODE_SIGN_STYLE = Automatic;
-				CURRENT_PROJECT_VERSION = 64;
+				CURRENT_PROJECT_VERSION = 65;
 				GENERATE_INFOPLIST_FILE = YES;
 				MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET = 14.0;
-				MARKETING_VERSION = 0.52.0;
+				MARKETING_VERSION = 0.53.0;
 				ONLY_ACTIVE_ARCH = YES;
 				PRODUCT_BUNDLE_IDENTIFIER = com.cmuxterm.appuitests;
 				PRODUCT_NAME = "$(TARGET_NAME)";
@@ -822,10 +822,10 @@
 			buildSettings = {
 				BUNDLE_LOADER = "$(TEST_HOST)";
 				CODE_SIGN_STYLE = Automatic;
-				CURRENT_PROJECT_VERSION = 64;
+				CURRENT_PROJECT_VERSION = 65;
 				GENERATE_INFOPLIST_FILE = YES;
 				MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET = 14.0;
-				MARKETING_VERSION = 0.52.0;
+				MARKETING_VERSION = 0.53.0;
 				ONLY_ACTIVE_ARCH = YES;
 				PRODUCT_BUNDLE_IDENTIFIER = com.cmuxterm.apptests;
 				PRODUCT_NAME = "$(TARGET_NAME)";
@@ -841,10 +841,10 @@
 			buildSettings = {
 				BUNDLE_LOADER = "$(TEST_HOST)";
 				CODE_SIGN_STYLE = Automatic;
-				CURRENT_PROJECT_VERSION = 64;
+				CURRENT_PROJECT_VERSION = 65;
 				GENERATE_INFOPLIST_FILE = YES;
 				MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET = 14.0;
-				MARKETING_VERSION = 0.52.0;
+				MARKETING_VERSION = 0.53.0;
 				ONLY_ACTIVE_ARCH = YES;
 				PRODUCT_BUNDLE_IDENTIFIER = com.cmuxterm.apptests;
 				PRODUCT_NAME = "$(TARGET_NAME)";