diff --git a/.config/mise/tasks/dev/desktop b/.config/mise/tasks/dev/desktop
new file mode 100755
index 000000000000..ceda44372e3c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.config/mise/tasks/dev/desktop
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+#MISE description="Install, build the resource monitor, then start the desktop dev runner"
+#MISE depends=["ensure:resource-monitor"]
+set -euo pipefail
+cd "$MISE_PROJECT_ROOT"
+vp run dev:desktop "$@"
diff --git a/.config/mise/tasks/ensure/resource-monitor b/.config/mise/tasks/ensure/resource-monitor
new file mode 100755
index 000000000000..9d5047c633f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.config/mise/tasks/ensure/resource-monitor
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+#MISE description="Build the native resource monitor sidecar the server loads in dev"
+#MISE depends=["install"]
+set -euo pipefail
+cd "$MISE_PROJECT_ROOT"
+vp run build:resource-monitor
diff --git a/.config/mise/tasks/install b/.config/mise/tasks/install
new file mode 100755
index 000000000000..5b0adcd0fbcc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.config/mise/tasks/install
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+#MISE description="Install workspace dependencies"
+set -euo pipefail
+cd "$MISE_PROJECT_ROOT"
+vp i
diff --git a/docs/operations/development.md b/docs/operations/development.md
index bbda9d5badba..bc4c0a58416b 100644
--- a/docs/operations/development.md
+++ b/docs/operations/development.md
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ Use `vp run dev` for server and web, or `vp run dev:desktop` for the Electron cl
 `dev:server` and `dev:web` start those processes separately.
 See the [mobile README](../../apps/mobile/README.md) for native builds and Metro.
 
+The server also loads the native resource monitor, which a fresh checkout has not built, so
+`mise run dev:desktop` installs dependencies, builds `native/resource-monitor`, and then starts
+`vp run dev:desktop`. The tasks live in `.config/mise/tasks`.
+
 Flags go directly after the task name, for example `vp run dev --home-dir /tmp/t3code-dev`.
 Add `--browser` to open a browser automatically.