diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 818676f..e447763 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -34,3 +34,9 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Build
         run: npm run build
+
+      - name: Build native cursor overlay helper
+        run: npm run native:build-overlay
+
+      - name: Smoke native cursor overlay helper
+        run: npm run native:smoke-overlay
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index ecbd197..672016b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -85,6 +85,9 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build native cursor overlay helper
         run: npm run native:build-overlay
 
+      - name: Smoke native cursor overlay helper
+        run: npm run native:smoke-overlay
+
       - name: Package Windows installer
         run: npm run package:win
 
diff --git a/native/cursor-overlay-helper/Program.cs b/native/cursor-overlay-helper/Program.cs
index b11d5c6..bbf801c 100644
--- a/native/cursor-overlay-helper/Program.cs
+++ b/native/cursor-overlay-helper/Program.cs
@@ -78,9 +78,9 @@ private static void HandleCommandLine(OverlayForm overlayForm, SynchronizationCo
         switch (command.Type)
         {
             case "show":
-                if (command.Event is not ("move" or "click"))
+                if (command.Event is not ("move" or "click" or "drag"))
                 {
-                    WriteError("invalid_command", "Show command event must be move or click.");
+                    WriteError("invalid_command", "Show command event must be move, click, or drag.");
                     return;
                 }
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 412d3d6..b9b01c1 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
     "build": "electron-vite build",
     "native:build": "node scripts/build-cursor-overlay-helper.cjs",
     "native:build-overlay": "npm run native:build",
+    "native:smoke-overlay": "node scripts/smoke-cursor-overlay-helper.cjs",
     "package:win": "npm run build && npm run native:build && electron-builder --win --x64 --publish never && node scripts/sign-win-artifacts.cjs --update-latest-yml",
     "package:win:verify-uiaccess": "node scripts/verify-win-uiaccess-package.cjs",
     "signing:create-dev-cert": "node scripts/create-dev-signing-cert.cjs",
diff --git a/scripts/smoke-cursor-overlay-helper.cjs b/scripts/smoke-cursor-overlay-helper.cjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2915867
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/smoke-cursor-overlay-helper.cjs
@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+const { spawn } = require('node:child_process');
+const { existsSync } = require('node:fs');
+const { join, resolve } = require('node:path');
+
+const projectRoot = resolve(__dirname, '..');
+const helperPath = join(
+  projectRoot,
+  'build',
+  'native',
+  'cursor-overlay-helper',
+  'win-x64',
+  'SwitchifyCursorOverlay.exe'
+);
+
+const timeoutMs = 5_000;
+let stdoutBuffer = '';
+let stderrBuffer = '';
+let settled = false;
+let sawReady = false;
+let shutdownSent = false;
+let timeout = null;
+let helper = null;
+
+if (!existsSync(helperPath)) {
+  fail(`Cursor overlay helper was not found: ${helperPath}`);
+}
+
+helper = spawn(helperPath, [], {
+  stdio: ['pipe', 'pipe', 'pipe'],
+  windowsHide: true
+});
+
+timeout = setTimeout(() => {
+  fail(`Cursor overlay helper smoke test timed out.${stderrBuffer ? ` stderr: ${stderrBuffer.trim()}` : ''}`);
+}, timeoutMs);
+
+helper.once('error', (error) => {
+  fail(`Cursor overlay helper failed to start: ${error.message}`);
+});
+
+helper.once('exit', (code, signal) => {
+  if (!settled && !shutdownSent) {
+    fail(`Cursor overlay helper exited before shutdown: ${signal ?? code ?? 'unknown'}`);
+  }
+});
+
+helper.stdout.on('data', (chunk) => {
+  stdoutBuffer += String(chunk);
+  readStdoutLines();
+});
+
+helper.stderr.on('data', (chunk) => {
+  stderrBuffer += String(chunk);
+});
+
+function readStdoutLines() {
+  while (stdoutBuffer.includes('\n')) {
+    const newlineIndex = stdoutBuffer.indexOf('\n');
+    const line = stdoutBuffer.slice(0, newlineIndex).trim();
+    stdoutBuffer = stdoutBuffer.slice(newlineIndex + 1);
+    if (line) {
+      handleMessage(line);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+function handleMessage(line) {
+  let message;
+  try {
+    message = JSON.parse(line);
+  } catch (error) {
+    fail(`Cursor overlay helper returned malformed output: ${line}`);
+    return;
+  }
+
+  if (message.type === 'error') {
+    fail(`Cursor overlay helper reported ${message.code ?? 'error'}: ${message.message ?? 'unknown error'}`);
+    return;
+  }
+
+  if (message.type === 'ready' && !sawReady) {
+    sawReady = true;
+    smokeEvents();
+  }
+}
+
+function smokeEvents() {
+  for (const event of ['move', 'click', 'drag']) {
+    writeCommand({
+      type: 'show',
+      event,
+      x: 100,
+      y: 100,
+      size: 96,
+      durationMs: 50,
+      crosshairs: false,
+      persistent: false,
+      color: {
+        red: 211,
+        green: 47,
+        blue: 47
+      }
+    });
+  }
+
+  setTimeout(() => {
+    shutdownSent = true;
+    writeCommand({ type: 'shutdown' });
+    helper.stdin.end();
+    clearTimeout(timeout);
+    settled = true;
+    console.log('Cursor overlay helper smoke test passed.');
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      if (helper && !helper.killed) {
+        helper.kill();
+      }
+    }, 1_000).unref();
+  }, 100);
+}
+
+function writeCommand(command) {
+  helper.stdin.write(`${JSON.stringify(command)}\n`);
+}
+
+function fail(message) {
+  if (settled) return;
+  settled = true;
+  if (timeout) {
+    clearTimeout(timeout);
+  }
+  if (helper && !helper.killed) {
+    helper.kill();
+  }
+  console.error(message);
+  process.exitCode = 1;
+}