diff --git a/backend/app/routes/channels.py b/backend/app/routes/channels.py
index 270f303..38b5dff 100644
--- a/backend/app/routes/channels.py
+++ b/backend/app/routes/channels.py
@@ -185,7 +185,11 @@ def discover_channels(
             with quota.attribute(user.id, quota.QuotaAction.CHANNELS_DISCOVER), YouTubeClient(db, user) as yt:
                 apply_channel_details(db, yt.get_channels(need))
             db.commit()
-            rows = sorted(rows, key=lambda r: (-int(r[1]), (r[0].title or "").lower()))
+            # Match _discovery_rows' ORDER BY exactly: video-count DESC, then title (NULLs LAST,
+            # as Postgres orders them — coercing NULL→"" would wrongly float untitled channels up).
+            rows = sorted(
+                rows, key=lambda r: (-int(r[1]), r[0].title is None, (r[0].title or "").lower())
+            )
         except YouTubeError as exc:
             log.warning("discovery: channel enrich failed (user %s): %s", user.id, exc)
             db.rollback()
diff --git a/backend/app/routes/messages.py b/backend/app/routes/messages.py
index 3d85884..de41d13 100644
--- a/backend/app/routes/messages.py
+++ b/backend/app/routes/messages.py
@@ -319,15 +319,10 @@ def get_thread(
                 changed = True
         if changed:
             db.commit()
-            # MB3: tell this user's OTHER tabs/devices their unread dropped so the badge updates
-            # live instead of waiting for the next 20s poll. Carries the fresh total so the client
-            # needs no extra fetch.
-            n = db.scalar(
-                select(func.count())
-                .select_from(Message)
-                .where(Message.recipient_id == user.id, Message.read_at.is_(None))
-            )
-            manager.push(user.id, {"type": "unread", "count": int(n or 0)})
+            # MB3: ping this user's OTHER tabs/devices that their unread dropped so the badge
+            # refreshes live instead of waiting for the next 20s poll. The client re-fetches the
+            # count on this signal, so no number is carried here.
+            manager.push(user.id, {"type": "unread"})
     return {"partner": partner, "items": [_serialize_msg(m) for m in msgs]}
 
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/AdminUsers.tsx b/frontend/src/components/AdminUsers.tsx
index d112173..9c56ba2 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/AdminUsers.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/AdminUsers.tsx
@@ -52,25 +52,32 @@ function UsersRoles({ me }: { me: Me }) {
   const qc = useQueryClient();
   const confirm = useConfirm();
   const q = useQuery({ queryKey: ["admin-users"], queryFn: api.adminUsers });
-  // Which row currently has an action in flight, so we disable ONLY that row's button (mutations
-  // are single-flight, so one id suffices) rather than greying every row (SC1).
-  const [pendingId, setPendingId] = useState<number | null>(null);
+  // Which rows have an action in flight, so we disable ONLY those rows' buttons (SC1) — a Set, since
+  // with per-row disabling the admin can now start actions on several rows concurrently.
+  const [pendingIds, setPendingIds] = useState<Set<number>>(new Set());
+  const startPending = (id: number) => setPendingIds((s) => new Set(s).add(id));
+  const endPending = (id: number) =>
+    setPendingIds((s) => {
+      const n = new Set(s);
+      n.delete(id);
+      return n;
+    });
   const setRole = useMutation({
     mutationFn: ({ id, role }: { id: number; role: "user" | "admin"; email: string }) =>
       api.setUserRole(id, role),
-    onMutate: (vars) => setPendingId(vars.id),
+    onMutate: (vars) => startPending(vars.id),
     onSuccess: (_d, vars) => {
       qc.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ["admin-users"] });
       notify({ level: "success", message: t("users.roles.updated", { email: vars.email }) });
     },
-    onSettled: () => setPendingId(null),
+    onSettled: (_d, _e, vars) => endPending(vars.id),
     // Errors (e.g. last-admin / self) surface via the global error dialog with the server's detail.
   });
 
   const suspend = useMutation({
     mutationFn: ({ id, suspended }: { id: number; suspended: boolean; email: string }) =>
       api.setUserSuspended(id, suspended),
-    onMutate: (vars) => setPendingId(vars.id),
+    onMutate: (vars) => startPending(vars.id),
     onSuccess: (_d, vars) => {
       qc.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ["admin-users"] });
       notify({
@@ -80,17 +87,17 @@ function UsersRoles({ me }: { me: Me }) {
         }),
       });
     },
-    onSettled: () => setPendingId(null),
+    onSettled: (_d, _e, vars) => endPending(vars.id),
     // Guards (demo / self / last admin) surface via the global error dialog.
   });
   const del = useMutation({
     mutationFn: ({ id }: { id: number; email: string }) => api.adminDeleteUser(id),
-    onMutate: (vars) => setPendingId(vars.id),
+    onMutate: (vars) => startPending(vars.id),
     onSuccess: (_d, vars) => {
       qc.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ["admin-users"] });
       notify({ level: "success", message: t("users.delete.done", { email: vars.email }) });
     },
-    onSettled: () => setPendingId(null),
+    onSettled: (_d, _e, vars) => endPending(vars.id),
   });
 
   const onToggle = async (u: AdminUserRow) => {
@@ -171,7 +178,7 @@ function UsersRoles({ me }: { me: Me }) {
                 >
                   <button
                     onClick={() => onToggle(u)}
-                    disabled={u.is_demo || self || pendingId === u.id}
+                    disabled={u.is_demo || self || pendingIds.has(u.id)}
                     className="shrink-0 glass-card glass-hover inline-flex items-center gap-1 px-2.5 py-1.5 rounded-lg text-xs disabled:opacity-40 transition"
                   >
                     <Shield className="w-3.5 h-3.5" />
@@ -191,7 +198,7 @@ function UsersRoles({ me }: { me: Me }) {
                 >
                   <button
                     onClick={() => onSuspend(u)}
-                    disabled={u.is_demo || self || pendingId === u.id}
+                    disabled={u.is_demo || self || pendingIds.has(u.id)}
                     aria-label={u.is_suspended ? t("users.suspend.undoAction") : t("users.suspend.action")}
                     className={`shrink-0 p-1.5 rounded-lg border disabled:opacity-40 transition ${
                       u.is_suspended
@@ -205,7 +212,7 @@ function UsersRoles({ me }: { me: Me }) {
                 <Tooltip hint={u.is_demo || self ? t("users.delete.locked") : t("users.delete.action")}>
                   <button
                     onClick={() => onDelete(u)}
-                    disabled={u.is_demo || self || pendingId === u.id}
+                    disabled={u.is_demo || self || pendingIds.has(u.id)}
                     aria-label={t("users.delete.action")}
                     className="shrink-0 p-1.5 rounded-lg border border-border text-muted hover:text-red-400 disabled:opacity-40 transition"
                   >
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ChatThread.tsx b/frontend/src/components/ChatThread.tsx
index c059e13..c577740 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/ChatThread.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ChatThread.tsx
@@ -68,8 +68,16 @@ export default function ChatThread({
   // refresh the badges — but ONLY when the incoming-message count actually changed, not on every
   // 20s poll (which would needlessly refetch /conversations + /unread_count each tick).
   const lastIncoming = useRef(-1);
+  const lastPartner = useRef(partnerId);
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!q.dataUpdatedAt) return;
+    // The Messages page reuses one ChatThread instance across conversation switches (not keyed by
+    // partnerId), so reset the counter when the partner changes — otherwise switching to a thread
+    // with the same incoming-count would skip the open-marks-read refresh.
+    if (lastPartner.current !== partnerId) {
+      lastPartner.current = partnerId;
+      lastIncoming.current = -1;
+    }
     const incoming = (q.data?.items ?? []).filter((m) => m.recipient_id === meId).length;
     if (incoming !== lastIncoming.current) {
       lastIncoming.current = incoming;
@@ -77,7 +85,7 @@ export default function ChatThread({
       qc.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ["message-unread"] });
     }
     // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
-  }, [q.dataUpdatedAt, meId, qc]);
+  }, [q.dataUpdatedAt, partnerId, meId, qc]);
 
   // Scroll to the newest message when the count changes (open / new message) — NOT on `plain`,
   // which gets a fresh object on every poll's decrypt pass and would yank a scrolled-up reader
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/api.ts b/frontend/src/lib/api.ts
index 296d821..470c954 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/api.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/api.ts
@@ -299,6 +299,29 @@ const setupHeaders = (token: string) => ({
 const ACTIVE_ACCOUNT_HEADER = "X-Siftlode-Account";
 
 export const getActiveAccount = activeAccountId;
+
+// Fire-and-forget POST that survives page unload (keepalive) — shared by the resume-position
+// beacons (YT + Plex players). A normal fetch is cancelled on unload and React effect cleanup
+// doesn't run on a full reload, so without keepalive the last position (esp. right after a seek)
+// would be lost.
+function beacon(url: string, body: Record<string, unknown>): void {
+  const active = getActiveAccount();
+  try {
+    void fetch(url, {
+      method: "POST",
+      keepalive: true,
+      credentials: "include",
+      headers: {
+        "Content-Type": "application/json",
+        ...(active != null ? { [ACTIVE_ACCOUNT_HEADER]: String(active) } : {}),
+      },
+      body: JSON.stringify(body),
+    }).catch(() => {});
+  } catch {
+    /* ignore */
+  }
+}
+
 export function setActiveAccount(id: number): void {
   try {
     sessionStorage.setItem(ACTIVE_ACCOUNT_KEY, String(id));
@@ -1102,30 +1125,12 @@ export const api = {
       },
       { idempotent: true }
     ),
-  // Fire-and-forget YT progress save that survives page unload (F5/close/navigate) — mirrors
-  // plexProgressBeacon. A normal fetch is cancelled on unload and React effect cleanup doesn't run
-  // on a full reload, so the last position (esp. right after a seek) would be lost; keepalive lets
-  // it complete.
-  saveProgressBeacon: (id: string, positionSeconds: number, durationSeconds: number): void => {
-    const active = getActiveAccount();
-    try {
-      void fetch(`/api/videos/${encodeURIComponent(id)}/progress`, {
-        method: "POST",
-        keepalive: true,
-        credentials: "include",
-        headers: {
-          "Content-Type": "application/json",
-          ...(active != null ? { [ACTIVE_ACCOUNT_HEADER]: String(active) } : {}),
-        },
-        body: JSON.stringify({
-          position_seconds: Math.floor(positionSeconds),
-          duration_seconds: Math.floor(durationSeconds),
-        }),
-      }).catch(() => {});
-    } catch {
-      /* ignore */
-    }
-  },
+  // Fire-and-forget YT progress save that survives page unload (F5/close/navigate).
+  saveProgressBeacon: (id: string, positionSeconds: number, durationSeconds: number): void =>
+    beacon(`/api/videos/${encodeURIComponent(id)}/progress`, {
+      position_seconds: Math.floor(positionSeconds),
+      duration_seconds: Math.floor(durationSeconds),
+    }),
   videoDetail: (id: string): Promise<VideoDetail> => req(`/api/videos/${id}`),
   pauseSync: () => req("/api/sync/pause", { method: "POST" }),
   resumeSync: () => req("/api/sync/resume", { method: "POST" }),
@@ -1358,23 +1363,12 @@ export const api = {
     position_seconds: number,
     duration_seconds: number,
     final = false,
-  ): void => {
-    const active = getActiveAccount();
-    try {
-      void fetch(`/api/plex/item/${encodeURIComponent(id)}/progress`, {
-        method: "POST",
-        keepalive: true,
-        credentials: "include",
-        headers: {
-          "Content-Type": "application/json",
-          ...(active != null ? { [ACTIVE_ACCOUNT_HEADER]: String(active) } : {}),
-        },
-        body: JSON.stringify({ position_seconds, duration_seconds, final }),
-      }).catch(() => {});
-    } catch {
-      /* ignore */
-    }
-  },
+  ): void =>
+    beacon(`/api/plex/item/${encodeURIComponent(id)}/progress`, {
+      position_seconds,
+      duration_seconds,
+      final,
+    }),
   plexSetState: (id: string, status: "new" | "watched" | "hidden"): Promise<unknown> =>
     req(`/api/plex/item/${encodeURIComponent(id)}/state`, {
       method: "POST",