diff --git a/ui/src/App.tsx b/ui/src/App.tsx
index 4f2f2d7..1d8c73d 100644
--- a/ui/src/App.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/App.tsx
@@ -113,30 +113,72 @@ export function App() {
   }, []);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    const wsUrl = `${window.location.protocol === "https:" ? "wss" : "ws"}://${window.location.host}/api/v1/control/alerts/ws`;
-    const ws = new WebSocket(wsUrl);
+    let socket: WebSocket | null = null;
+    let disposed = false;
+    let attempt = 0;
+    let openedAt = 0;
+    let wsGeneration = 0;
+    let reconnectTimer: number | undefined;
 
-    ws.onmessage = (evt) => {
-      try {
-        const payload = JSON.parse(String(evt.data)) as {
-          alerts?: Alert[];
-          recent_transitions?: AlertTransition[];
-        };
-        if (payload.alerts) setAlerts(payload.alerts);
-        if (payload.recent_transitions) setHistory(payload.recent_transitions);
-      } catch {
-        // Ignore malformed stream payloads and keep current UI state.
-      }
+    const resync = () => {
+      const generation = wsGeneration;
+      void Promise.all([fetchAlerts(), fetchAlertHistory(20)])
+        .then(([nextAlerts, nextHistory]) => {
+          // A WS snapshot delivered while this request was in flight is newer.
+          if (generation !== wsGeneration) return;
+          setAlerts(nextAlerts);
+          setHistory(nextHistory);
+        })
+        .catch(() => undefined);
     };
 
-    ws.onerror = () => {
-      const id = window.setInterval(() => {
-        void refreshAlertsAndHistory().catch(() => undefined);
-      }, 8000);
-      ws.onclose = () => window.clearInterval(id);
+    const connect = () => {
+      if (disposed) return;
+      const wsUrl = `${window.location.protocol === "https:" ? "wss" : "ws"}://${window.location.host}/api/v1/control/alerts/ws`;
+      socket = new WebSocket(wsUrl);
+
+      socket.onopen = () => {
+        openedAt = Date.now();
+        // Pull anything missed while the stream was down.
+        resync();
+      };
+
+      socket.onmessage = (evt) => {
+        wsGeneration += 1;
+        try {
+          const payload = JSON.parse(String(evt.data)) as {
+            alerts?: Alert[];
+            recent_transitions?: AlertTransition[];
+          };
+          if (payload.alerts) setAlerts(payload.alerts);
+          if (payload.recent_transitions)
+            setHistory(payload.recent_transitions);
+        } catch {
+          // Ignore malformed stream payloads and keep current UI state.
+        }
+      };
+
+      socket.onclose = () => {
+        socket = null;
+        if (disposed) return;
+        // Only a connection that stayed up proves the stream is healthy; an
+        // accept-then-close server must not pin us to the first backoff step.
+        if (openedAt && Date.now() - openedAt > 10_000) attempt = 0;
+        // Browsers never reconnect a WebSocket on their own.
+        const delay =
+          Math.min(30_000, 1000 * 2 ** attempt) + Math.random() * 1000;
+        attempt += 1;
+        reconnectTimer = window.setTimeout(connect, delay);
+      };
     };
 
-    return () => ws.close();
+    connect();
+
+    return () => {
+      disposed = true;
+      if (reconnectTimer !== undefined) window.clearTimeout(reconnectTimer);
+      socket?.close();
+    };
   }, []);
 
   return (
diff --git a/ui/src/pages/DevicesPage.tsx b/ui/src/pages/DevicesPage.tsx
index 7ae9425..eaf1d8b 100644
--- a/ui/src/pages/DevicesPage.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/pages/DevicesPage.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useEffect, useMemo, useState } from "react";
+import { useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { Inbox, MoreHorizontal, RefreshCw, Search, Zap } from "lucide-react";
 import { toast } from "sonner";
 
@@ -69,8 +69,12 @@ export function DevicesPage({ agents, onAfterWake, onRefresh }: Props) {
   const [refreshing, setRefreshing] = useState(false);
   const [wakeBusyKey, setWakeBusyKey] = useState("");
   const [details, setDetails] = useState<FleetDevice | null>(null);
+  const loadSeqRef = useRef(0);
 
   async function loadFleet() {
+    // Latest request wins: filter changes and debounced searches overlap, and
+    // an older response must never overwrite fresher state.
+    const seq = ++loadSeqRef.current;
     setLoading(true);
     try {
       const [nextDevices, nextKnownDevices] = await Promise.all([
@@ -84,12 +88,14 @@ export function DevicesPage({ agents, onAfterWake, onRefresh }: Props) {
         }),
         fetchKnownDevices(),
       ]);
+      if (seq !== loadSeqRef.current) return;
       setDevices(nextDevices);
       setKnownDevices(nextKnownDevices);
     } catch (err) {
+      if (seq !== loadSeqRef.current) return;
       toast.error("Failed to load fleet", { description: String(err) });
     } finally {
-      setLoading(false);
+      if (seq === loadSeqRef.current) setLoading(false);
     }
   }
 
@@ -152,7 +158,13 @@ export function DevicesPage({ agents, onAfterWake, onRefresh }: Props) {
     // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
   }, [presence, known, agentId]);
 
+  // The filter effect above already loads on mount; only react to query edits.
+  const mountedRef = useRef(false);
   useEffect(() => {
+    if (!mountedRef.current) {
+      mountedRef.current = true;
+      return;
+    }
     const timer = window.setTimeout(() => void loadFleet(), 220);
     return () => window.clearTimeout(timer);
     // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
diff --git a/ui/src/pages/TerminalPage.tsx b/ui/src/pages/TerminalPage.tsx
index 0f6e889..29182c2 100644
--- a/ui/src/pages/TerminalPage.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/pages/TerminalPage.tsx
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ export function TerminalPage({
   const modifiersRef = useRef<TerminalModifiers>(NO_TERMINAL_MODIFIERS);
   const terminalTouchRef = useRef<TerminalTouch | null>(null);
   const terminalInputFocusedBeforeAccessoryRef = useRef(false);
+  const refreshSessionsRef = useRef<() => void>(() => {});
   const [sessions, setSessions] = useState<TerminalSession[]>([]);
   const [session, setSession] = useState<TerminalSession | null>(null);
   const [connection, setConnection] = useState<TerminalConnectionState>("idle");
@@ -348,6 +349,7 @@ export function TerminalPage({
           };
           if (control.type === "ready") {
             setConnection("ready");
+            refreshSessionsRef.current();
             window.requestAnimationFrame(() => {
               fitRef.current?.fit();
               lastTerminalSizeRef.current = { rows: 0, cols: 0 };
@@ -387,6 +389,8 @@ export function TerminalPage({
           if (current === "exited") return current;
           return "disconnected";
         });
+        // The agent may have reaped or reported sessions while we were away.
+        refreshSessionsRef.current();
       };
     },
     [detachTransport, operatorId, sendResize],
@@ -572,7 +576,7 @@ export function TerminalPage({
     });
     resizeObserver.observe(hostRef.current);
     void restoreTerminalSession();
-    const sessionRefresh = window.setInterval(() => {
+    const refreshSessions = () => {
       void listTerminals()
         .then((listed) => {
           if (!cancelled) {
@@ -585,15 +589,20 @@ export function TerminalPage({
           // The attached terminal transport remains authoritative while a
           // background list refresh is temporarily unavailable.
         });
-    }, 5000);
+    };
+    refreshSessionsRef.current = refreshSessions;
+    // Session lifecycle only changes at connect/disconnect moments or when the
+    // operator returns to the tab; refresh on those instead of polling.
+    window.addEventListener("focus", refreshSessions);
 
     return () => {
       cancelled = true;
       input.dispose();
       titleChange.dispose();
       resizeObserver.disconnect();
+      window.removeEventListener("focus", refreshSessions);
+      refreshSessionsRef.current = () => {};
       window.cancelAnimationFrame(resizeFrame);
-      window.clearInterval(sessionRefresh);
       detachTransport();
       terminal.dispose();
       terminalRef.current = null;
diff --git a/ui/src/pages/terminal/TerminalSessionTabs.tsx b/ui/src/pages/terminal/TerminalSessionTabs.tsx
index 9a2f8cd..9cc54b7 100644
--- a/ui/src/pages/terminal/TerminalSessionTabs.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/pages/terminal/TerminalSessionTabs.tsx
@@ -150,10 +150,14 @@ export function TerminalSessionTabs({
                 <button
                   type="button"
                   className="terminal-tab-close"
-                  disabled={locked}
+                  disabled={locked || connection === "connecting"}
                   aria-label={`Close ${agentLabel} terminal session`}
                   title={
-                    locked ? "Attached in another browser" : "Close session"
+                    locked
+                      ? "Attached in another browser"
+                      : connection === "connecting"
+                        ? "Connecting — wait before closing"
+                        : "Close session"
                   }
                   onClick={() => onClose(item)}
                 >
diff --git a/wakey-agent/src/terminal.rs b/wakey-agent/src/terminal.rs
index 445abd7..df2802d 100644
--- a/wakey-agent/src/terminal.rs
+++ b/wakey-agent/src/terminal.rs
@@ -109,6 +109,10 @@ impl RelayOutputBuffer {
             self.snapshot_pending = false;
         }
     }
+
+    fn live_sender(&self) -> Option<mpsc::Sender<Message>> {
+        self.sender.clone()
+    }
 }
 
 impl TerminalState {
@@ -465,12 +469,12 @@ async fn run_terminal(
         None => terminate_process_group(&mut child, process_group).await?,
     };
     if relay_output.is_connected() {
-        let control = TerminalControl::Exited {
+        let exit_frame = serde_json::to_string(&TerminalControl::Exited {
             exit_code: status.code(),
-        };
-        if let Ok(text) = serde_json::to_string(&control) {
-            relay_output.queue_frame(Message::Text(text.into()));
-        }
+        })
+        .ok()
+        .map(|text| Message::Text(text.into()));
+        flush_relay_output(&mut relay_output, exit_frame, PTY_EXIT_DRAIN_TIMEOUT).await;
     }
     info!(terminal_id = %terminal_id, exit_code = ?status.code(), requested_close, ttl_expired, "terminal worker exited");
     Ok(())
@@ -600,6 +604,43 @@ async fn reserve_relay_output(
     }
 }
 
+/// Flushes frames the select loop left pending, then sends the exit lifecycle
+/// frame behind them, bounded by `deadline`: a relay that stays saturated past
+/// it drops the backlog rather than holding worker shutdown open. Queuing the
+/// exit frame without this would drop it together with the pending buffer when
+/// the worker returns.
+async fn flush_relay_output(
+    relay_output: &mut RelayOutputBuffer,
+    exit_frame: Option<Message>,
+    deadline: Duration,
+) {
+    let _ = tokio::time::timeout(deadline, async {
+        while relay_output.has_pending() {
+            let sender = relay_output.pending_sender();
+            match reserve_relay_output(sender).await {
+                Ok(permit) => relay_output.send_reserved(permit),
+                Err(()) => {
+                    relay_output.disconnect();
+                    return;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        let Some(frame) = exit_frame else {
+            return;
+        };
+        let sender = relay_output
+            .pending_sender()
+            .or_else(|| relay_output.live_sender());
+        match reserve_relay_output(sender).await {
+            Ok(permit) => {
+                permit.send(frame);
+            }
+            Err(()) => relay_output.disconnect(),
+        }
+    })
+    .await;
+}
+
 #[cfg(not(unix))]
 async fn run_terminal(
     _config: &AgentConfig,
@@ -786,6 +827,50 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn exit_frame_is_delivered_after_saturated_relay_drains() {
+        let (tx, mut rx) = mpsc::channel(RELAY_OUTPUT_QUEUE);
+        let mut relay_output = RelayOutputBuffer::default();
+        relay_output.connect(tx);
+
+        let total = RELAY_OUTPUT_QUEUE * 2;
+        for i in 0..total {
+            relay_output.queue_frame(Message::Text(format!("out-{i}").into()));
+        }
+        assert!(relay_output.has_pending());
+
+        let collected = tokio::spawn(async move {
+            let mut frames = Vec::new();
+            while let Some(frame) = rx.recv().await {
+                frames.push(frame);
+            }
+            frames
+        });
+
+        let exit_frame = serde_json::to_string(&TerminalControl::Exited { exit_code: Some(0) })
+            .expect("exit frame encodes");
+        flush_relay_output(
+            &mut relay_output,
+            Some(Message::Text(exit_frame.clone().into())),
+            PTY_EXIT_DRAIN_TIMEOUT,
+        )
+        .await;
+        relay_output.disconnect();
+
+        let mut frames = collected.await.expect("relay reader completes");
+        assert_eq!(frames.len(), total + 1);
+        let Some(Message::Text(last)) = frames.pop() else {
+            panic!("last frame should be the exit control frame");
+        };
+        assert_eq!(last.as_str(), exit_frame);
+        for (i, frame) in frames.iter().enumerate() {
+            let Message::Text(payload) = frame else {
+                panic!("expected text frame at position {i}, got {frame:?}");
+            };
+            assert_eq!(payload.as_str(), format!("out-{i}"));
+        }
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn open_rejects_invalid_initial_size_before_spawning() {
         let mut config = crate::config::DEFAULT_CONFIG.clone();
diff --git a/wakey-control-plane/src/api/alerts.rs b/wakey-control-plane/src/api/alerts.rs
index 323cb40..cd04d7d 100644
--- a/wakey-control-plane/src/api/alerts.rs
+++ b/wakey-control-plane/src/api/alerts.rs
@@ -191,9 +191,10 @@ async fn alerts_stream_socket(state: AppState, mut socket: WebSocket) {
     let mut rx = state.alerts.subscribe();
 
     if let Some(encoded) = state.alerts.latest_payload().await
-        && socket.send(Message::Text(encoded.into())).await.is_err() {
-            return;
-        }
+        && socket.send(Message::Text(encoded.into())).await.is_err()
+    {
+        return;
+    }
 
     loop {
         match rx.recv().await {