diff --git a/scripts/smart-install.js b/scripts/smart-install.js
index 74d6e7c1..eb93aa8c 100644
--- a/scripts/smart-install.js
+++ b/scripts/smart-install.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
  * Ensures Bun runtime and uv (Python package manager) are installed
  * (auto-installs if missing) and handles dependency installation when needed.
  */
-import { existsSync, readFileSync, writeFileSync } from 'fs';
+import { existsSync, readFileSync, writeFileSync, rmSync } from 'fs';
 import { execSync, spawnSync } from 'child_process';
 import { join } from 'path';
 import { homedir } from 'os';
@@ -260,6 +260,15 @@ function installDeps() {
 
   console.error('📦 Installing dependencies with Bun...');
 
+  // Clear stale native module cache (sharp/libvips) to prevent broken dylib references.
+  // Bun's cache can retain native binaries that reference companion libraries at
+  // broken relative paths after version upgrades.
+  const bunCacheImgDir = join(homedir(), '.bun', 'install', 'cache', '@img');
+  if (existsSync(bunCacheImgDir)) {
+    console.error('   Clearing stale native module cache (@img/sharp)...');
+    rmSync(bunCacheImgDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  }
+
   // Quote path for Windows paths with spaces
   const bunCmd = IS_WINDOWS && bunPath.includes(' ') ? `"${bunPath}"` : bunPath;
 
diff --git a/scripts/sync-marketplace.cjs b/scripts/sync-marketplace.cjs
index 229ba0f3..923073c0 100644
--- a/scripts/sync-marketplace.cjs
+++ b/scripts/sync-marketplace.cjs
@@ -29,6 +29,18 @@ function getCurrentBranch() {
   }
 }
 
+function getGitignoreExcludes(basePath) {
+  const gitignorePath = path.join(basePath, '.gitignore');
+  if (!existsSync(gitignorePath)) return '';
+
+  const lines = readFileSync(gitignorePath, 'utf-8').split('\n');
+  return lines
+    .map(line => line.trim())
+    .filter(line => line && !line.startsWith('#') && !line.startsWith('!'))
+    .map(pattern => `--exclude=${JSON.stringify(pattern)}`)
+    .join(' ');
+}
+
 const branch = getCurrentBranch();
 const isForce = process.argv.includes('--force');
 
@@ -60,13 +72,16 @@ function getPluginVersion() {
 // Normal rsync for main branch or fresh install
 console.log('Syncing to marketplace...');
 try {
+  const rootDir = path.join(__dirname, '..');
+  const gitignoreExcludes = getGitignoreExcludes(rootDir);
+
   execSync(
-    'rsync -av --delete --exclude=.git --exclude=/.mcp.json --exclude=bun.lock --exclude=package-lock.json ./ ~/.claude/plugins/marketplaces/thedotmack/',
+    `rsync -av --delete --exclude=.git --exclude=/.mcp.json --exclude=bun.lock --exclude=package-lock.json ${gitignoreExcludes} ./ ~/.claude/plugins/marketplaces/thedotmack/`,
     { stdio: 'inherit' }
   );
 
   // Remove stale lockfiles before install — they pin old native dep versions
-  const { unlinkSync } = require('fs');
+  const { unlinkSync, rmSync } = require('fs');
   for (const lockfile of ['package-lock.json', 'bun.lock']) {
     const lockpath = path.join(INSTALLED_PATH, lockfile);
     if (existsSync(lockpath)) {
@@ -75,6 +90,14 @@ try {
     }
   }
 
+  // Clear stale native module cache (sharp/libvips) — Bun's cache can retain
+  // native binaries that reference companion libraries at broken relative paths
+  const bunCacheImgDir = path.join(os.homedir(), '.bun', 'install', 'cache', '@img');
+  if (existsSync(bunCacheImgDir)) {
+    rmSync(bunCacheImgDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    console.log('Cleared stale native module cache (@img/sharp)');
+  }
+
   console.log('Running npm install in marketplace...');
   execSync(
     'cd ~/.claude/plugins/marketplaces/thedotmack/ && npm install',
@@ -85,9 +108,12 @@ try {
   const version = getPluginVersion();
   const CACHE_VERSION_PATH = path.join(CACHE_BASE_PATH, version);
 
+  const pluginDir = path.join(rootDir, 'plugin');
+  const pluginGitignoreExcludes = getGitignoreExcludes(pluginDir);
+
   console.log(`Syncing to cache folder (version ${version})...`);
   execSync(
-    `rsync -av --delete --exclude=.git plugin/ "${CACHE_VERSION_PATH}/"`,
+    `rsync -av --delete --exclude=.git ${pluginGitignoreExcludes} plugin/ "${CACHE_VERSION_PATH}/"`,
     { stdio: 'inherit' }
   );
 
@@ -121,4 +147,4 @@ try {
 } catch (error) {
   console.error('\x1b[31m%s\x1b[0m', 'Sync failed:', error.message);
   process.exit(1);
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/services/sqlite/PendingMessageStore.ts b/src/services/sqlite/PendingMessageStore.ts
index 8bf19b35..618e1154 100644
--- a/src/services/sqlite/PendingMessageStore.ts
+++ b/src/services/sqlite/PendingMessageStore.ts
@@ -133,16 +133,27 @@ export class PendingMessageStore {
    * @param thresholdMs Messages processing longer than this are considered stale (default: 5 minutes)
    * @returns Number of messages reset
    */
-  resetStaleProcessingMessages(thresholdMs: number = 5 * 60 * 1000): number {
+  resetStaleProcessingMessages(thresholdMs: number = 5 * 60 * 1000, sessionDbId?: number): number {
     const cutoff = Date.now() - thresholdMs;
-    const stmt = this.db.prepare(`
-      UPDATE pending_messages
-      SET status = 'pending', started_processing_at_epoch = NULL
-      WHERE status = 'processing' AND started_processing_at_epoch < ?
-    `);
-    const result = stmt.run(cutoff);
+    let stmt;
+    let result;
+    if (sessionDbId !== undefined) {
+      stmt = this.db.prepare(`
+        UPDATE pending_messages
+        SET status = 'pending', started_processing_at_epoch = NULL
+        WHERE status = 'processing' AND started_processing_at_epoch < ? AND session_db_id = ?
+      `);
+      result = stmt.run(cutoff, sessionDbId);
+    } else {
+      stmt = this.db.prepare(`
+        UPDATE pending_messages
+        SET status = 'pending', started_processing_at_epoch = NULL
+        WHERE status = 'processing' AND started_processing_at_epoch < ?
+      `);
+      result = stmt.run(cutoff);
+    }
     if (result.changes > 0) {
-      logger.info('QUEUE', `RESET_STALE | count=${result.changes} | thresholdMs=${thresholdMs}`);
+      logger.info('QUEUE', `RESET_STALE | count=${result.changes} | thresholdMs=${thresholdMs}${sessionDbId !== undefined ? ` | sessionDbId=${sessionDbId}` : ''}`);
     }
     return result.changes;
   }
diff --git a/src/services/worker-service.ts b/src/services/worker-service.ts
index a94b5833..6b0b1baf 100644
--- a/src/services/worker-service.ts
+++ b/src/services/worker-service.ts
@@ -604,6 +604,20 @@ export class WorkerService {
           return;
         }
 
+        // Idle timeout means no new work arrived for 3 minutes - don't restart
+        if (session.idleTimedOut) {
+          logger.info('SYSTEM', 'Generator exited due to idle timeout, not restarting', {
+            sessionId: session.sessionDbId
+          });
+          // Reset stale processing messages so they can be picked up later
+          const { PendingMessageStore: PendingMsgStore } = require('./sqlite/PendingMessageStore.js');
+          const idlePendingStore = new PendingMsgStore(this.dbManager.getSessionStore().db, 3);
+          idlePendingStore.resetStaleProcessingMessages(0, session.sessionDbId); // Reset this session's messages only
+          session.idleTimedOut = false; // Reset flag
+          this.broadcastProcessingStatus();
+          return;
+        }
+
         // Check if there's pending work that needs processing with a fresh AbortController
         const { PendingMessageStore } = require('./sqlite/PendingMessageStore.js');
         const pendingStore = new PendingMessageStore(this.dbManager.getSessionStore().db, 3);
diff --git a/src/services/worker-types.ts b/src/services/worker-types.ts
index f1098f5c..10b850af 100644
--- a/src/services/worker-types.ts
+++ b/src/services/worker-types.ts
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ export interface ActiveSession {
   currentProvider: 'claude' | 'gemini' | 'openrouter' | null;  // Track which provider is currently running
   consecutiveRestarts: number;  // Track consecutive restart attempts to prevent infinite loops
   forceInit?: boolean;  // Force fresh SDK session (skip resume)
+  idleTimedOut?: boolean;  // Set when session exits due to idle timeout (prevents restart loop)
   // CLAIM-CONFIRM FIX: Track IDs of messages currently being processed
   // These IDs will be confirmed (deleted) after successful storage
   processingMessageIds: number[];
diff --git a/src/services/worker/GeminiAgent.ts b/src/services/worker/GeminiAgent.ts
index 458f6f7a..8bb69dc4 100644
--- a/src/services/worker/GeminiAgent.ts
+++ b/src/services/worker/GeminiAgent.ts
@@ -238,17 +238,25 @@ export class GeminiAgent {
           }
 
           // Process response using shared ResponseProcessor
-          await processAgentResponse(
-            obsResponse.content || '',
-            session,
-            this.dbManager,
-            this.sessionManager,
-            worker,
-            tokensUsed,
-            originalTimestamp,
-            'Gemini',
-            lastCwd
-          );
+          if (obsResponse.content) {
+            await processAgentResponse(
+              obsResponse.content,
+              session,
+              this.dbManager,
+              this.sessionManager,
+              worker,
+              tokensUsed,
+              originalTimestamp,
+              'Gemini',
+              lastCwd
+            );
+          } else {
+            logger.warn('SDK', 'Empty Gemini observation response, skipping processing to preserve message', {
+              sessionId: session.sessionDbId,
+              messageId: session.processingMessageIds[session.processingMessageIds.length - 1]
+            });
+            // Don't confirm - leave message for stale recovery
+          }
 
         } else if (message.type === 'summarize') {
           // CRITICAL: Check memorySessionId BEFORE making expensive LLM call
@@ -280,17 +288,25 @@ export class GeminiAgent {
           }
 
           // Process response using shared ResponseProcessor
-          await processAgentResponse(
-            summaryResponse.content || '',
-            session,
-            this.dbManager,
-            this.sessionManager,
-            worker,
-            tokensUsed,
-            originalTimestamp,
-            'Gemini',
-            lastCwd
-          );
+          if (summaryResponse.content) {
+            await processAgentResponse(
+              summaryResponse.content,
+              session,
+              this.dbManager,
+              this.sessionManager,
+              worker,
+              tokensUsed,
+              originalTimestamp,
+              'Gemini',
+              lastCwd
+            );
+          } else {
+            logger.warn('SDK', 'Empty Gemini summary response, skipping processing to preserve message', {
+              sessionId: session.sessionDbId,
+              messageId: session.processingMessageIds[session.processingMessageIds.length - 1]
+            });
+            // Don't confirm - leave message for stale recovery
+          }
         }
       }
 
@@ -413,6 +429,7 @@ export class GeminiAgent {
       'gemini-2.5-pro',
       'gemini-2.0-flash',
       'gemini-2.0-flash-lite',
+      'gemini-3-flash',
       'gemini-3-flash-preview',
     ];
 
diff --git a/src/services/worker/SessionManager.ts b/src/services/worker/SessionManager.ts
index 030a266d..e6bc3986 100644
--- a/src/services/worker/SessionManager.ts
+++ b/src/services/worker/SessionManager.ts
@@ -423,6 +423,7 @@ export class SessionManager {
       signal: session.abortController.signal,
       onIdleTimeout: () => {
         logger.info('SESSION', 'Triggering abort due to idle timeout to kill subprocess', { sessionDbId });
+        session.idleTimedOut = true;
         session.abortController.abort();
       }
     })) {