diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 6d509fc..89fcd86 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -31,9 +31,11 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: macos-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Install tmux
+        run: brew install tmux
       - name: Test with system Bash 3.2
         env:
-          PATH: /usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin
+          PATH: /usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/opt/homebrew/bin:/usr/local/bin
         run: |
           /bin/bash --version
           /bin/bash -n nowplaying.tmux scripts/*.sh
diff --git a/nowplaying.tmux b/nowplaying.tmux
index 555324d..f80fca3 100755
--- a/nowplaying.tmux
+++ b/nowplaying.tmux
@@ -10,9 +10,6 @@ else
     exit 1
 fi
 
-# Default options (only set if not already defined)
-set_nowplaying_default_options
-
 # Create the interpolation function
 nowplaying_interpolation() {
     local string="$1"
diff --git a/scripts/helpers.sh b/scripts/helpers.sh
index 53b3d2a..29a1ea3 100644
--- a/scripts/helpers.sh
+++ b/scripts/helpers.sh
@@ -7,14 +7,13 @@ get_tmux_option() {
     local option="$1"
     local default_value="$2"
     local option_value
-    option_value="$(tmux show-option -qv "$option")"
-    if [ -z "$option_value" ]; then
-        option_value="$(tmux show-option -gqv "$option")"
-    fi
-    if [ -z "$option_value" ]; then
-        echo "$default_value"
+
+    if option_value="$(tmux show-option -v "$option" 2>/dev/null)"; then
+        printf '%s\n' "$option_value"
+    elif option_value="$(tmux show-option -gv "$option" 2>/dev/null)"; then
+        printf '%s\n' "$option_value"
     else
-        echo "$option_value"
+        printf '%s\n' "$default_value"
     fi
 }
 
@@ -34,26 +33,6 @@ get_nowplaying_default_option() {
     esac
 }
 
-# Set every nowplaying tmux option default without overriding user values.
-set_nowplaying_default_options() {
-    local option
-    for option in \
-        "@nowplaying_playing_icon" \
-        "@nowplaying_paused_icon" \
-        "@nowplaying_stopped_icon" \
-        "@nowplaying_scrolling_enabled" \
-        "@nowplaying_scrollable_threshold" \
-        "@nowplaying_scroll_speed" \
-        "@nowplaying_scroll_padding" \
-        "@nowplaying_auto_interval" \
-        "@nowplaying_playing_interval"
-    do
-        if [ -z "$(tmux show-option -gqv "$option")" ]; then
-            tmux set-option -g "$option" "$(get_nowplaying_default_option "$option")"
-        fi
-    done
-}
-
 # Get a nowplaying tmux option with its built-in default.
 get_nowplaying_option() {
     local option="$1"
diff --git a/scripts/test.sh b/scripts/test.sh
index 77eadf0..bf20e7d 100755
--- a/scripts/test.sh
+++ b/scripts/test.sh
@@ -3,7 +3,16 @@ set -euo pipefail
 
 ROOT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd)"
 TMP_DIR="$(mktemp -d)"
-trap 'rm -rf "${TMP_DIR}"' EXIT
+REAL_TMUX=""
+TMUX_TEST_SERVER=""
+
+cleanup() {
+    if [[ -n "$REAL_TMUX" && -n "$TMUX_TEST_SERVER" ]]; then
+        "$REAL_TMUX" -L "$TMUX_TEST_SERVER" kill-server 2>/dev/null || true
+    fi
+    rm -rf "$TMP_DIR"
+}
+trap cleanup EXIT
 
 fail() {
     printf 'not ok - %s\n' "$1" >&2
@@ -28,19 +37,32 @@ write_tmux_mock() {
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 if [[ "$1" == "show-option" ]]; then
     option="${@: -1}"
-    case "$option" in
-        @nowplaying_playing_icon) printf '♪ ' ;;
-        @nowplaying_paused_icon) printf '⏸ ' ;;
-        @nowplaying_stopped_icon) printf '⏹ ' ;;
-        @nowplaying_scrolling_enabled) printf 'no' ;;
-        @nowplaying_scrollable_threshold) printf '50' ;;
-        @nowplaying_scroll_speed) printf '1' ;;
-        @nowplaying_scroll_padding) printf '   ' ;;
-        @nowplaying_auto_interval) printf 'no' ;;
-        @nowplaying_playing_interval) printf '1' ;;
-        @bad_integer) printf 'abc' ;;
-        @high_integer) printf '99' ;;
-        @low_integer) printf '0' ;;
+    scope="local"
+    if [[ " $* " == *" -gv "* || " $* " == *" -gqv "* ]]; then
+        scope="global"
+    fi
+
+    case "$scope:$option" in
+        global:@nowplaying_playing_icon) printf '♪ ' ;;
+        global:@nowplaying_paused_icon) printf '⏸ ' ;;
+        global:@nowplaying_stopped_icon) printf '⏹ ' ;;
+        global:@nowplaying_scrolling_enabled) printf 'no' ;;
+        global:@nowplaying_scrollable_threshold) printf '50' ;;
+        global:@nowplaying_scroll_speed) printf '1' ;;
+        global:@nowplaying_scroll_padding) printf '   ' ;;
+        global:@nowplaying_auto_interval) printf 'no' ;;
+        global:@nowplaying_playing_interval) printf '1' ;;
+        global:@bad_integer) printf 'abc' ;;
+        global:@empty_integer) printf '' ;;
+        global:@high_integer) printf '99' ;;
+        global:@low_integer) printf '0' ;;
+        global:@test_global_empty) printf '' ;;
+        global:@test_local_empty) printf 'global value' ;;
+        local:@test_local_empty) printf '' ;;
+        global:@test_precedence) printf 'global value' ;;
+        local:@test_precedence) printf 'local value' ;;
+        global:@test_trailing_spaces) printf 'value  ' ;;
+        *) exit 1 ;;
     esac
 elif [[ "$1 $2" == "set-option -g" || "$1 $2" == "set-option -gq" ]]; then
     :
@@ -127,13 +149,115 @@ run_with_mocks() {
     PATH="${TMP_DIR}:${PATH}" "$@"
 }
 
+resolve_with_mock() {
+    PATH="${TMP_DIR}:${PATH}" bash -c 'source "$1"; get_tmux_option "$2" "$3"' \
+        _ "${ROOT_DIR}/scripts/helpers.sh" "$1" "$2"
+}
+
+run_real_tmux_tests() {
+    local real_bin="${TMP_DIR}/real-tmux-bin"
+    local session="nowplaying-test"
+    local actual
+    local global_options
+
+    REAL_TMUX="$(command -v tmux || true)"
+    if [[ -z "$REAL_TMUX" ]]; then
+        fail "tmux is required for isolated integration tests"
+    fi
+
+    TMUX_TEST_SERVER="nowplaying-test-$$-${RANDOM}"
+    "$REAL_TMUX" -L "$TMUX_TEST_SERVER" -f /dev/null new-session -d -s "$session"
+
+    mkdir -p "$real_bin"
+    export NOWPLAYING_TEST_REAL_TMUX="$REAL_TMUX"
+    export NOWPLAYING_TEST_SERVER="$TMUX_TEST_SERVER"
+    export NOWPLAYING_TEST_SESSION="$session"
+    cat > "${real_bin}/tmux" <<'WRAPPER'
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+if [[ "$1" == "show-option" || "$1" == "set-option" ]]; then
+    command="$1"
+    shift
+    exec "$NOWPLAYING_TEST_REAL_TMUX" -L "$NOWPLAYING_TEST_SERVER" "$command" -t "$NOWPLAYING_TEST_SESSION" "$@"
+fi
+exec "$NOWPLAYING_TEST_REAL_TMUX" -L "$NOWPLAYING_TEST_SERVER" "$@"
+WRAPPER
+    chmod +x "${real_bin}/tmux"
+
+    real_resolve() {
+        PATH="${real_bin}:${PATH}" bash -c 'source "$1"; get_tmux_option "$2" "$3"' \
+            _ "${ROOT_DIR}/scripts/helpers.sh" "$1" "$2"
+    }
+    real_nowplaying_option() {
+        PATH="${real_bin}:${PATH}" bash -c 'source "$1"; get_nowplaying_option "$2"' \
+            _ "${ROOT_DIR}/scripts/helpers.sh" "$1"
+    }
+
+    assert_eq "fallback" "$(real_resolve @test fallback)" "real tmux absent option uses fallback"
+
+    "$REAL_TMUX" -L "$TMUX_TEST_SERVER" set-option -g @test ""
+    assert_eq "" "$(real_resolve @test fallback)" "real tmux empty global option wins"
+    if ! "$REAL_TMUX" -L "$TMUX_TEST_SERVER" show-option -g @test >/dev/null; then
+        fail "real tmux empty global option remains present"
+    fi
+    printf 'ok - real tmux empty global option remains present\n'
+
+    "$REAL_TMUX" -L "$TMUX_TEST_SERVER" set-option -g @test "global value"
+    assert_eq "global value" "$(real_resolve @test fallback)" "real tmux global option resolves exactly"
+
+    "$REAL_TMUX" -L "$TMUX_TEST_SERVER" set-option -t "$session" @test "local value"
+    assert_eq "local value" "$(real_resolve @test fallback)" "real tmux local option wins"
+
+    "$REAL_TMUX" -L "$TMUX_TEST_SERVER" set-option -t "$session" @test ""
+    assert_eq "" "$(real_resolve @test fallback)" "real tmux empty local option wins over global"
+
+    "$REAL_TMUX" -L "$TMUX_TEST_SERVER" set-option -g -u @nowplaying_playing_icon 2>/dev/null || true
+    "$REAL_TMUX" -L "$TMUX_TEST_SERVER" set-option -t "$session" -u @nowplaying_playing_icon 2>/dev/null || true
+    assert_eq "♪ " "$(real_nowplaying_option @nowplaying_playing_icon)" "real tmux playing icon fallback preserves trailing space"
+
+    "$REAL_TMUX" -L "$TMUX_TEST_SERVER" set-option -g @nowplaying_playing_icon ""
+    assert_eq "" "$(real_nowplaying_option @nowplaying_playing_icon)" "real tmux empty playing icon wins"
+
+    "$REAL_TMUX" -L "$TMUX_TEST_SERVER" set-option -g @nowplaying_scroll_padding ""
+    assert_eq "" "$(real_nowplaying_option @nowplaying_scroll_padding)" "real tmux empty scroll padding wins"
+
+    "$REAL_TMUX" -L "$TMUX_TEST_SERVER" set-option -g -u @nowplaying_playing_icon
+    "$REAL_TMUX" -L "$TMUX_TEST_SERVER" set-option -g -u @nowplaying_scroll_padding
+    "$REAL_TMUX" -L "$TMUX_TEST_SERVER" set-option -g status-right 'before#{nowplaying}after'
+    PATH="${real_bin}:${PATH}" bash "${ROOT_DIR}/nowplaying.tmux"
+
+    global_options="$("$REAL_TMUX" -L "$TMUX_TEST_SERVER" show-options -g)"
+    if [[ "$global_options" == *"@nowplaying_"* ]]; then
+        fail "plugin load created nowplaying default options"
+    fi
+    printf 'ok - plugin load does not create nowplaying default options\n'
+
+    actual="$("$REAL_TMUX" -L "$TMUX_TEST_SERVER" show-option -gqv status-right)"
+    assert_eq "before#(${ROOT_DIR}/scripts/nowplaying.sh)after" "$actual" "status interpolation remains active"
+
+    "$REAL_TMUX" -L "$TMUX_TEST_SERVER" set-option -g @nowplaying_playing_icon ""
+    "$REAL_TMUX" -L "$TMUX_TEST_SERVER" set-option -g @nowplaying_scroll_padding "pad  "
+    PATH="${real_bin}:${PATH}" bash "${ROOT_DIR}/nowplaying.tmux"
+
+    if ! "$REAL_TMUX" -L "$TMUX_TEST_SERVER" show-option -g @nowplaying_playing_icon >/dev/null; then
+        fail "plugin load removed empty override"
+    fi
+    assert_eq "" "$("$REAL_TMUX" -L "$TMUX_TEST_SERVER" show-option -gqv @nowplaying_playing_icon)" "plugin load preserves empty override"
+    assert_eq "pad  " "$("$REAL_TMUX" -L "$TMUX_TEST_SERVER" show-option -gqv @nowplaying_scroll_padding)" "plugin load preserves non-empty override exactly"
+}
+
 bash -n "${ROOT_DIR}/nowplaying.tmux" "${ROOT_DIR}"/scripts/*.sh
 printf 'ok - bash syntax\n'
 
 write_tmux_mock
 
-helper_output="$(PATH="${TMP_DIR}:${PATH}" bash -c 'source "$1"; printf "%s %s %s\n" "$(get_tmux_integer_option @bad_integer 50 4)" "$(get_tmux_integer_option @low_integer 50 4)" "$(get_tmux_integer_option @high_integer 1 1 10)"' _ "${ROOT_DIR}/scripts/helpers.sh")"
-assert_eq "50 4 10" "$helper_output" "integer option validation"
+assert_eq "fallback" "$(resolve_with_mock @test_absent fallback)" "mock absent option uses fallback"
+assert_eq "" "$(resolve_with_mock @test_global_empty fallback)" "mock empty global option wins"
+assert_eq "" "$(resolve_with_mock @test_local_empty fallback)" "mock empty local option wins over global"
+assert_eq "local value" "$(resolve_with_mock @test_precedence fallback)" "mock local option wins over global"
+assert_eq "value  " "$(resolve_with_mock @test_trailing_spaces fallback)" "mock option preserves trailing spaces"
+
+helper_output="$(PATH="${TMP_DIR}:${PATH}" bash -c 'source "$1"; printf "%s %s %s %s\n" "$(get_tmux_integer_option @bad_integer 50 4)" "$(get_tmux_integer_option @empty_integer 50 4)" "$(get_tmux_integer_option @low_integer 50 4)" "$(get_tmux_integer_option @high_integer 1 1 10)"' _ "${ROOT_DIR}/scripts/helpers.sh")"
+assert_eq "50 50 4 10" "$helper_output" "integer option validation"
 
 parse_output="$(PATH="${TMP_DIR}:${PATH}" bash -c 'source "$1"; parse_nowplaying_adapter_output $'"'"'Paused\tArtist\tTitle'"'"'' _ "${ROOT_DIR}/scripts/helpers.sh")"
 assert_eq $'Paused\tArtist - Title' "$parse_output" "adapter output parsing"
@@ -153,4 +277,6 @@ assert_eq "⏹ Done - Song" "$(run_with_mocks "${ROOT_DIR}/scripts/nowplaying.sh
 write_playerctl_mock empty
 assert_eq "" "$(run_with_mocks "${ROOT_DIR}/scripts/nowplaying.sh")" "main renders empty output without metadata"
 
+run_real_tmux_tests
+
 printf 'all tests passed\n'