diff --git a/mote/go.mod b/mote/go.mod
index 446e8f4..48f7b70 100644
--- a/mote/go.mod
+++ b/mote/go.mod
@@ -6,10 +6,10 @@ go 1.27.1
 
 require (
 	github.com/creack/pty v1.1.24
-	github.com/tailscale/tailcat v0.6.0
-	golang.org/x/crypto v0.55.0
-	golang.org/x/term v0.45.0
-	tailscale.com v1.103.0-pre.0.20260904030409-31d8badb3bfb
+	github.com/tailscale/tailcat v0.7.1-0.20260926210541-7d80847ede15
+	golang.org/x/crypto v0.57.0
+	golang.org/x/term v0.46.0
+	tailscale.com v1.103.0-pre.0.20260916030321-a2263542f260
 )
 
 require (
@@ -47,19 +47,19 @@ require (
 	github.com/tailscale/hujson v0.0.0-20260302212456-ecc657c15afd // indirect
 	github.com/tailscale/peercred v0.0.0-20250107143737-35a0c7bd7edc // indirect
 	github.com/tailscale/web-client-prebuilt v0.0.0-20250124233751-d4cd19a26976 // indirect
-	github.com/tailscale/wireguard-go v0.0.0-20260904023712-e855235c55a2 // indirect
+	github.com/tailscale/wireguard-go v0.0.0-20260911194433-e3222a3340cd // indirect
 	github.com/u-root/u-root v0.14.0 // indirect
 	github.com/x448/float16 v0.8.4 // indirect
 	go4.org/mem v0.0.0-20240501181205-ae6ca9944745 // indirect
 	go4.org/netipx v0.0.0-20260823151212-3075585bcbeb // indirect
 	golang.org/x/exp v0.0.0-20260410095643-746e56fc9e2f // indirect
-	golang.org/x/net v0.58.0 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/net v0.59.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/oauth2 v0.36.0 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/sync v0.22.0 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/sys v0.47.0 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/text v0.41.0 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/sync v0.23.0 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/sys v0.48.0 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/text v0.42.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/time v0.15.0 // indirect
 	golang.zx2c4.com/wintun v0.0.0-20230126152724-0fa3db229ce2 // indirect
 	golang.zx2c4.com/wireguard/windows v0.5.3 // indirect
-	gvisor.dev/gvisor v0.0.0-20260224225140-573d5e7127a8 // indirect
+	gvisor.dev/gvisor v0.0.0-20260915211658-a6f909f08a72 // indirect
 )
diff --git a/mote/go.sum b/mote/go.sum
index 39345e1..8f8087d 100644
--- a/mote/go.sum
+++ b/mote/go.sum
@@ -181,14 +181,14 @@ github.com/tailscale/netlink v1.1.1-0.20240822203006-4d49adab4de7 h1:uFsXVBE9Qr4
 github.com/tailscale/netlink v1.1.1-0.20240822203006-4d49adab4de7/go.mod h1:NzVQi3Mleb+qzq8VmcWpSkcSYxXIg0DkI6XDzpVkhJ0=
 github.com/tailscale/peercred v0.0.0-20250107143737-35a0c7bd7edc h1:24heQPtnFR+yfntqhI3oAu9i27nEojcQ4NuBQOo5ZFA=
 github.com/tailscale/peercred v0.0.0-20250107143737-35a0c7bd7edc/go.mod h1:f93CXfllFsO9ZQVq+Zocb1Gp4G5Fz0b0rXHLOzt/Djc=
-github.com/tailscale/tailcat v0.6.0 h1:q81gzzZpmitF9D87GHDqb36nLXSmwYO5gm/97+b2xMM=
-github.com/tailscale/tailcat v0.6.0/go.mod h1:QDtlF/V4jhC/EcZIB7nc8NaHelAN2BnllV9d/pQHyM8=
+github.com/tailscale/tailcat v0.7.1-0.20260926210541-7d80847ede15 h1:jRXRGxEaIrfopCWFPzNAi0AE5BfTrA7rWVomxWATk90=
+github.com/tailscale/tailcat v0.7.1-0.20260926210541-7d80847ede15/go.mod h1:QBULTwLeE2gMtjdyZLEPS9ZNeFneGotyG5fSbd2kxtg=
 github.com/tailscale/web-client-prebuilt v0.0.0-20250124233751-d4cd19a26976 h1:UBPHPtv8+nEAy2PD8RyAhOYvau1ek0HDJqLS/Pysi14=
 github.com/tailscale/web-client-prebuilt v0.0.0-20250124233751-d4cd19a26976/go.mod h1:agQPE6y6ldqCOui2gkIh7ZMztTkIQKH049tv8siLuNQ=
 github.com/tailscale/wf v0.0.0-20240214030419-6fbb0a674ee6 h1:l10Gi6w9jxvinoiq15g8OToDdASBni4CyJOdHY1Hr8M=
 github.com/tailscale/wf v0.0.0-20240214030419-6fbb0a674ee6/go.mod h1:ZXRML051h7o4OcI0d3AaILDIad/Xw0IkXaHM17dic1Y=
-github.com/tailscale/wireguard-go v0.0.0-20260904023712-e855235c55a2 h1:nRCnARSGqRvSAK9S+vbH87dMykfv2vWwx6kb8rw9Ayk=
-github.com/tailscale/wireguard-go v0.0.0-20260904023712-e855235c55a2/go.mod h1:rUelGmuK4UnSJYM5gl5Mknp6YbwwcL8+VAPMhNYe+jg=
+github.com/tailscale/wireguard-go v0.0.0-20260911194433-e3222a3340cd h1:7l7Aru/QMwjoWvfvnTEiX3gG+ixhN5WAFENxHcA9NlI=
+github.com/tailscale/wireguard-go v0.0.0-20260911194433-e3222a3340cd/go.mod h1:rUelGmuK4UnSJYM5gl5Mknp6YbwwcL8+VAPMhNYe+jg=
 github.com/tailscale/xnet v0.0.0-20240729143630-8497ac4dab2e h1:zOGKqN5D5hHhiYUp091JqK7DPCqSARyUfduhGUY8Bek=
 github.com/tailscale/xnet v0.0.0-20240729143630-8497ac4dab2e/go.mod h1:orPd6JZXXRyuDusYilywte7k094d7dycXXU5YnWsrwg=
 github.com/tc-hib/winres v0.2.1 h1:YDE0FiP0VmtRaDn7+aaChp1KiF4owBiJa5l964l5ujA=
@@ -211,8 +211,8 @@ go4.org/netipx v0.0.0-20260823151212-3075585bcbeb/go.mod h1:PLyyIXexvUFg3Owu6p/W
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20190308221718-c2843e01d9a2/go.mod h1:djNgcEr1/C05ACkg1iLfiJU5Ep61QUkGW8qpdssI0+w=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20210921155107-089bfa567519/go.mod h1:GvvjBRRGRdwPK5ydBHafDWAxML/pGHZbMvKqRZ5+Abc=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.1.0/go.mod h1:RecgLatLF4+eUMCP1PoPZQb+cVrJcOPbHkTkbkB9sbw=
-golang.org/x/crypto v0.55.0 h1:+KWHjbgOaAQ66dh/YlkZKHlz9ZUlq61AFirAR9ntP8M=
-golang.org/x/crypto v0.55.0/go.mod h1:uq0V9dE/fzQuJtbnL+2EhWOE63vo164FY8xqEnV9xis=
+golang.org/x/crypto v0.57.0 h1:3ZVCjf8Ggz7zneR/EHRVx68Ctf+2pmIMP2UFhh9cC6M=
+golang.org/x/crypto v0.57.0/go.mod h1:Fdz0i5U6CoizGwLda9DttjSk6qlZo25zYNtR+ycvuZA=
 golang.org/x/exp v0.0.0-20260410095643-746e56fc9e2f h1:W3F4c+6OLc6H2lb//N1q4WpJkhzJCK5J6kUi1NTVXfM=
 golang.org/x/exp v0.0.0-20260410095643-746e56fc9e2f/go.mod h1:J1xhfL/vlindoeF/aINzNzt2Bket5bjo9sdOYzOsU80=
 golang.org/x/exp/typeparams v0.0.0-20260209203927-2842357ff358 h1:qWFG1Dj7TBjOjOvhEOkmyGPVoquqUKnIU0lEVLp8xyk=
@@ -220,21 +220,21 @@ golang.org/x/exp/typeparams v0.0.0-20260209203927-2842357ff358/go.mod h1:4Mzdyp/
 golang.org/x/image v0.41.0 h1:8wS72eGJMJaBxK6okTzd4WaXumUlTVlb753MlsSvTCo=
 golang.org/x/image v0.41.0/go.mod h1:uIc348UZMSvS5Z65CVZ7iDPaNobNFEPeJ4kbqTOszmA=
 golang.org/x/mod v0.6.0-dev.0.20220419223038-86c51ed26bb4/go.mod h1:jJ57K6gSWd91VN4djpZkiMVwK6gcyfeH4XE8wZrZaV4=
-golang.org/x/mod v0.38.0 h1:MECBjubtXD7yj4HrhIUcywNaGeNVUdfVnxmPajOk4yk=
-golang.org/x/mod v0.38.0/go.mod h1:V6Xz0pq8TQ3dGqVQ1FVHuelZpAL0uNhSkk9ogYP3c40=
+golang.org/x/mod v0.41.0 h1:qJmnOUb4YB+FsEuM3HcWucdZASCPGhsX6uljO6pog0c=
+golang.org/x/mod v0.41.0/go.mod h1:Ek9pY8RKWXwsWvd3rQiHYtMqkjSUV+s1Rj7j4H5Ur6o=
 golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20190620200207-3b0461eec859/go.mod h1:z5CRVTTTmAJ677TzLLGU+0bjPO0LkuOLi4/5GtJWs/s=
 golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20210226172049-e18ecbb05110/go.mod h1:m0MpNAwzfU5UDzcl9v0D8zg8gWTRqZa9RBIspLL5mdg=
 golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20220722155237-a158d28d115b/go.mod h1:XRhObCWvk6IyKnWLug+ECip1KBveYUHfp+8e9klMJ9c=
 golang.org/x/net v0.1.0/go.mod h1:Cx3nUiGt4eDBEyega/BKRp+/AlGL8hYe7U9odMt2Cco=
-golang.org/x/net v0.58.0 h1:ynWG7rqYi4ccpTEuPZ2QGWHktVEM9DMCj9yzDE0Q7To=
-golang.org/x/net v0.58.0/go.mod h1:YwCddHnFlT7eLQqVprV19OnhLGtc5xOKgE0RyqgfWAU=
+golang.org/x/net v0.59.0 h1:5zfYln+w5XCxwrnMMJPufRgNoXEaGxl0wo5GqPXyues=
+golang.org/x/net v0.59.0/go.mod h1:2DA/G1UfVbCpQPeWTmMPGY7Cs2PkBkwu743bVX5PIVg=
 golang.org/x/oauth2 v0.36.0 h1:peZ/1z27fi9hUOFCAZaHyrpWG5lwe0RJEEEeH0ThlIs=
 golang.org/x/oauth2 v0.36.0/go.mod h1:YDBUJMTkDnJS+A4BP4eZBjCqtokkg1hODuPjwiGPO7Q=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20190423024810-112230192c58/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJTE5uejpjVlOe/izrB70Jof72aM=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20210220032951-036812b2e83c/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJTE5uejpjVlOe/izrB70Jof72aM=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20220722155255-886fb9371eb4/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJTE5uejpjVlOe/izrB70Jof72aM=
-golang.org/x/sync v0.22.0 h1:SZjpbeLmrCk4xhRSZFNZW5gFUeCeFgjekvI/+gfScek=
-golang.org/x/sync v0.22.0/go.mod h1:9xrNwdLfx4jkKbNva9FpL6vEN7evnE43NNNJQ2LF3+0=
+golang.org/x/sync v0.23.0 h1:KameEIfc1IkluZyXWLn39Wd4tURc6GbCiISGiZm2bQk=
+golang.org/x/sync v0.23.0/go.mod h1:sUUOizhqBxiL6pEWpqNLUiaJn1ShEbZ6BBqskPbjZm0=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20190215142949-d0b11bdaac8a/go.mod h1:STP8DvDyc/dI5b8T5hshtkjS+E42TnysNCUPdjciGhY=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20201119102817-f84b799fce68/go.mod h1:h1NjWce9XRLGQEsW7wpKNCjG9DtNlClVuFLEZdDNbEs=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20210615035016-665e8c7367d1/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
@@ -242,26 +242,26 @@ golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220520151302-bc2c85ada10a/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBc
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220722155257-8c9f86f7a55f/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.1.0/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.6.0/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.47.0 h1:o7XGOvZQCADBQQ4Y7VNq2dRWQR7JmOUW8Kxx4ZsNgWs=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.47.0/go.mod h1:4GL1E5IUh+htKOUEOaiffhrAeqysfVGipDYzABqnCmw=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.48.0 h1:bbX/i/6MgT9BVLM9RT1thmxL04yeTAhbEz4SyadbXoo=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.48.0/go.mod h1:hNLxWAXmnKAxqDtdwIYC4bM9oQPEecfsnNMuSxOs3og=
 golang.org/x/term v0.0.0-20201126162022-7de9c90e9dd1/go.mod h1:bj7SfCRtBDWHUb9snDiAeCFNEtKQo2Wmx5Cou7ajbmo=
 golang.org/x/term v0.0.0-20210927222741-03fcf44c2211/go.mod h1:jbD1KX2456YbFQfuXm/mYQcufACuNUgVhRMnK/tPxf8=
 golang.org/x/term v0.1.0/go.mod h1:jbD1KX2456YbFQfuXm/mYQcufACuNUgVhRMnK/tPxf8=
-golang.org/x/term v0.45.0 h1:NwWyBmoJCbfTHpxrWoZ9C6/VxOf7ic219I8xZZFdrf0=
-golang.org/x/term v0.45.0/go.mod h1:9aqxs0blBcrm/n0L9QW0aRVD+ktan8ssZromtqJC43w=
+golang.org/x/term v0.46.0 h1:3+OXuTbaKDgwk8jTi3aSLHRlmWqHEUDUtxnbFigO4YE=
+golang.org/x/term v0.46.0/go.mod h1:+K02xbkittuwc0Am4abfA3Fc+XRGXkvBXNO88NCXPoc=
 golang.org/x/text v0.3.0/go.mod h1:NqM8EUOU14njkJ3fqMW+pc6Ldnwhi/IjpwHt7yyuwOQ=
 golang.org/x/text v0.3.3/go.mod h1:5Zoc/QRtKVWzQhOtBMvqHzDpF6irO9z98xDceosuGiQ=
 golang.org/x/text v0.3.7/go.mod h1:u+2+/6zg+i71rQMx5EYifcz6MCKuco9NR6JIITiCfzQ=
 golang.org/x/text v0.4.0/go.mod h1:mrYo+phRRbMaCq/xk9113O4dZlRixOauAjOtrjsXDZ8=
-golang.org/x/text v0.41.0 h1:vz/seA0lnX87Othu2f/0L24RcgrXD9/YFTSuGjj3rH8=
-golang.org/x/text v0.41.0/go.mod h1:jvf1O8ajNzZqhSrQBPbutR/EB83Cc0CFrezNQIwbb5M=
+golang.org/x/text v0.42.0 h1:JbOZXgfeCPU9gacVtYliJqOhD+zhrEqK4LfdpmlUZqI=
+golang.org/x/text v0.42.0/go.mod h1:ojzP1Z+2QtioaF8DTtO8K5q7JWVVYwZKenzujK0Zd0E=
 golang.org/x/time v0.15.0 h1:bbrp8t3bGUeFOx08pvsMYRTCVSMk89u4tKbNOZbp88U=
 golang.org/x/time v0.15.0/go.mod h1:Y4YMaQmXwGQZoFaVFk4YpCt4FLQMYKZe9oeV/f4MSno=
 golang.org/x/tools v0.0.0-20180917221912-90fa682c2a6e/go.mod h1:n7NCudcB/nEzxVGmLbDWY5pfWTLqBcC2KZ6jyYvM4mQ=
 golang.org/x/tools v0.0.0-20191119224855-298f0cb1881e/go.mod h1:b+2E5dAYhXwXZwtnZ6UAqBI28+e2cm9otk0dWdXHAEo=
 golang.org/x/tools v0.1.12/go.mod h1:hNGJHUnrk76NpqgfD5Aqm5Crs+Hm0VOH/i9J2+nxYbc=
-golang.org/x/tools v0.48.0 h1:3+hClM1aLL5mjMKm5ovokw9epgRXPuu2tILgismM6RE=
-golang.org/x/tools v0.48.0/go.mod h1:08xX0orndb/F7jJxGDicx061tyd5pcMto75YMAXr6lk=
+golang.org/x/tools v0.50.0 h1:c2ifzfcuY7L90lZ2aKd8S4K2NpASF08SZx9ZuJkHmSU=
+golang.org/x/tools v0.50.0/go.mod h1:7ulVMw3831Mwi5EZD6RomGyffr4VFjuNYXf2BbCEAV0=
 golang.org/x/xerrors v0.0.0-20190717185122-a985d3407aa7/go.mod h1:I/5z698sn9Ka8TeJc9MKroUUfqBBauWjQqLJ2OPfmY0=
 golang.zx2c4.com/wintun v0.0.0-20230126152724-0fa3db229ce2 h1:B82qJJgjvYKsXS9jeunTOisW56dUokqW/FOteYJJ/yg=
 golang.zx2c4.com/wintun v0.0.0-20230126152724-0fa3db229ce2/go.mod h1:deeaetjYA+DHMHg+sMSMI58GrEteJUUzzw7en6TJQcI=
@@ -275,13 +275,13 @@ gopkg.in/check.v1 v0.0.0-20161208181325-20d25e280405/go.mod h1:Co6ibVJAznAaIkqp8
 gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.0-20200313102051-9f266ea9e77c/go.mod h1:K4uyk7z7BCEPqu6E+C64Yfv1cQ7kz7rIZviUmN+EgEM=
 gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1 h1:fxVm/GzAzEWqLHuvctI91KS9hhNmmWOoWu0XTYJS7CA=
 gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1/go.mod h1:K4uyk7z7BCEPqu6E+C64Yfv1cQ7kz7rIZviUmN+EgEM=
-gvisor.dev/gvisor v0.0.0-20260224225140-573d5e7127a8 h1:Zy8IV/+FMLxy6j6p87vk/vQGKcdnbprwjTxc8UiUtsA=
-gvisor.dev/gvisor v0.0.0-20260224225140-573d5e7127a8/go.mod h1:QkHjoMIBaYtpVufgwv3keYAbln78mBoCuShZrPrer1Q=
+gvisor.dev/gvisor v0.0.0-20260915211658-a6f909f08a72 h1:EytKYr5WrVs+Aah/0xDO8ZAZZzS/iTEVC8ln4ipDbL0=
+gvisor.dev/gvisor v0.0.0-20260915211658-a6f909f08a72/go.mod h1:8aLQqUBHDH8fY5y60lzmwDpMMbQCcT3EBfoSwhfaGCY=
 honnef.co/go/tools v0.8.0-rc.1 h1:wqMm2kjcEXMOr+6yau+pdKqJKe6l2N1aKPkpini+Kzk=
 honnef.co/go/tools v0.8.0-rc.1/go.mod h1:XA+OnlRA9EDh/ukGvXMNSZNKGwFQJ+5dER0ioUkOxks=
 howett.net/plist v1.0.0 h1:7CrbWYbPPO/PyNy38b2EB/+gYbjCe2DXBxgtOOZbSQM=
 howett.net/plist v1.0.0/go.mod h1:lqaXoTrLY4hg8tnEzNru53gicrbv7rrk+2xJA/7hw9g=
 software.sslmate.com/src/go-pkcs12 v0.4.0 h1:H2g08FrTvSFKUj+D309j1DPfk5APnIdAQAB8aEykJ5k=
 software.sslmate.com/src/go-pkcs12 v0.4.0/go.mod h1:Qiz0EyvDRJjjxGyUQa2cCNZn/wMyzrRJ/qcDXOQazLI=
-tailscale.com v1.103.0-pre.0.20260904030409-31d8badb3bfb h1:leFXEBE/Kgu/+RA+Zlfk2rgCQKc+YOL2JTBwjdTQHx4=
-tailscale.com v1.103.0-pre.0.20260904030409-31d8badb3bfb/go.mod h1:kDCPNk+EmNrMykwEddg757aH43nuhiPv/w58IfUeSQM=
+tailscale.com v1.103.0-pre.0.20260916030321-a2263542f260 h1:OaZIMrBlm9YUcI6tS5EHCFT1VsayQk2yftUI9LxBV7E=
+tailscale.com v1.103.0-pre.0.20260916030321-a2263542f260/go.mod h1:VQOMvttDFq1pZkWMaSaFf+HUWfP5QlZUKLW3dCNzWmc=
diff --git a/mote/tailcat.go b/mote/tailcat.go
index 1f28f81..3a5a9a4 100644
--- a/mote/tailcat.go
+++ b/mote/tailcat.go
@@ -273,7 +273,6 @@ func startTailcat(k *tailcat.PrivateKey) (*tailcat.Server, net.Listener, error)
 		DisablePresharedKey: k.Public.PresharedKey.IsZero(),
 		RegionID:            k.Public.RegionID,
 		DERPMapCache:        derpMapCache{},
-		AllowedClients:      allowed,
 		ServedTCPPorts:      []filter.PortRange{{First: tailPort, Last: tailPort}},
 		Logf:                tailcatLogf(),
 		OnTCP: func(port uint16) func(net.Conn) {
@@ -283,6 +282,16 @@ func startTailcat(k *tailcat.PrivateKey) (*tailcat.Server, net.Listener, error)
 			return ln.handle
 		},
 	}
+	if len(allowed) > 0 {
+		// A nil AllowClient answers everyone; an empty allowed.txt
+		// means the same, so only install the set when it has keys.
+		var allow tailcat.KeySet
+		for _, k := range allowed {
+			allow.Add(k)
+		}
+		srv.AllowClient = allow.Contains
+		log.Printf("answering %d allowed client keys", len(allowed))
+	}
 	if len(k.Public.Region) > 0 {
 		// A key made for a particular relay (or for a test) names the
 		// region outright instead of referring to the DERP map.
@@ -310,9 +319,6 @@ func serveTailcat(rawURL string) {
 		log.Fatalf("tailcat: %v\n(if the DERP region is gone, remove %s to make a new key and address)", err, tailcatKeyFile())
 	}
 	defer srv.Close()
-	if n := len(srv.AllowedClients); n > 0 {
-		log.Printf("answering %d allowed client keys", n)
-	}
 	log.Printf("serving tailcat address %s", tailcatAddr(k))
 	log.Fatal(serveListener(ln, "", nil))
 }