diff --git a/.app.pid b/.app.pid
index ba62ac8..d6929ee 100644
--- a/.app.pid
+++ b/.app.pid
@@ -1 +1 @@
-274566
+275088
diff --git a/server.ts b/server.ts
index a5826de..0638c2d 100644
--- a/server.ts
+++ b/server.ts
@@ -221,7 +221,8 @@ Extract the following fields accurately and output JSON:
     };
 
     const { text, providerUsed } = await generateTextWithLLMFallback(prompt, schema, llmConfig);
-    const parsedData = JSON.parse(text || "{}");
+    const cleanJson = (text || "{}").replace(/```json/gi, '').replace(/```/g, '').trim();
+    const parsedData = JSON.parse(cleanJson || "{}");
     res.json({ success: true, data: parsedData, providerUsed });
   } catch (error: any) {
     console.error("Error parsing job URL:", error);
@@ -455,8 +456,8 @@ Candidate Criteria:
 - Excluded Companies: ${excludedCompanies.join(", ")}
 
 Candidate Profile:
-- Skills: ${userProfile.skills?.join(", ")}
-- Summary: ${userProfile.summary}
+- Skills: ${userProfile?.skills?.join(", ") || "Cybersecurity, Python, Incident Response"}
+- Summary: ${userProfile?.summary || "Cybersecurity & IT Specialist"}
 
 List of Jobs to Evaluate:
 ${JSON.stringify(jobFeeds)}
@@ -943,8 +944,11 @@ app.post("/api/local/data", (req, res) => {
       try { store = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(DATA_FILE, "utf-8") || "{}"); } catch (e) {}
     }
     if (key) {
-      if (items !== undefined) store[key] = { items };
-      if (profile !== undefined) store[key] = { profile };
+      store[key] = {
+        ...(store[key] || {}),
+        ...(items !== undefined && { items }),
+        ...(profile !== undefined && { profile })
+      };
     }
     fs.writeFileSync(DATA_FILE, JSON.stringify(store, null, 2));
     res.json({ success: true });
diff --git a/src/App.tsx b/src/App.tsx
index e79a57c..9749ede 100644
--- a/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/App.tsx
@@ -90,30 +90,42 @@ export default function App() {
 
   // Handlers
   const handleUpdateStatus = async (id: string, newStatus: ApplicationStatus, note?: string) => {
+    const previousApps = [...applications];
     setApplications(prev => prev.map(a => a.id === id ? { ...a, status: newStatus } : a));
-    await updateApplicationStatus(id, newStatus, note);
+    try {
+      await updateApplicationStatus(id, newStatus, note);
 
-    // Send email alert for important status updates
-    if (['Interviewing', 'Offer', 'Screening'].includes(newStatus)) {
-      const app = applications.find(a => a.id === id);
-      if (app) {
-        const notif = await saveNotificationLog({
-          timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
-          type: 'STATUS_CHANGE',
-          recipient: userProfile.email,
-          subject: `Application Status Alert: ${app.company} — ${newStatus}`,
-          body: `Your job application for ${app.role} at ${app.company} has moved to ${newStatus}.`,
-          status: 'SENT',
-          platform: 'Gmail'
-        });
-        setNotifications(prev => [notif, ...prev]);
+      // Send email alert for important status updates
+      if (['Interviewing', 'Offer', 'Screening'].includes(newStatus)) {
+        const app = previousApps.find(a => a.id === id);
+        if (app) {
+          const notif = await saveNotificationLog({
+            timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
+            type: 'STATUS_CHANGE',
+            recipient: userProfile.email,
+            subject: `Application Status Alert: ${app.company} — ${newStatus}`,
+            body: `Your job application for ${app.role} at ${app.company} has moved to ${newStatus}.`,
+            status: 'SENT',
+            platform: 'Gmail'
+          });
+          setNotifications(prev => [notif, ...prev]);
+        }
       }
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.error('Failed to persist status update, rolling back:', err);
+      setApplications(previousApps);
     }
   };
 
   const handleDeleteApplication = async (id: string) => {
+    const previousApps = [...applications];
     setApplications(prev => prev.filter(a => a.id !== id));
-    await deleteApplicationRecord(id);
+    try {
+      await deleteApplicationRecord(id);
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.error('Failed to delete application, rolling back:', err);
+      setApplications(previousApps);
+    }
   };
 
   const handleSaveApplicationRecord = async (appData: Omit<JobApplication, 'id'>) => {
diff --git a/src/components/ApplicationsTracker.tsx b/src/components/ApplicationsTracker.tsx
index 3ce17cb..17ddc76 100644
--- a/src/components/ApplicationsTracker.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ApplicationsTracker.tsx
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ export const ApplicationsTracker: React.FC<ApplicationsTrackerProps> = ({
                           <div className="font-semibold text-white group-hover:text-indigo-300 transition-colors flex items-center gap-1.5">
                             {app.role}
                             {app.autoApplied && (
-                              <span className="inline-flex items-center gap-0.5 px-1.5 py-0.2 rounded text-[10px] font-bold bg-indigo-500/20 text-indigo-300 border border-indigo-500/30" title="Autonomous AI Applied">
+                              <span className="inline-flex items-center gap-0.5 px-1.5 py-0.5 rounded text-[10px] font-bold bg-indigo-500/20 text-indigo-300 border border-indigo-500/30" title="Autonomous AI Applied">
                                 <Bot className="w-2.5 h-2.5" /> AI
                               </span>
                             )}
diff --git a/src/components/WalkthroughTailor.tsx b/src/components/WalkthroughTailor.tsx
index 2380e35..d38b03f 100644
--- a/src/components/WalkthroughTailor.tsx
+++ b/src/components/WalkthroughTailor.tsx
@@ -77,6 +77,23 @@ export const WalkthroughTailor: React.FC<WalkthroughTailorProps> = ({
     customCoverLetterText: ''
   });
 
+  // Keep surfingFormData reactively synchronized with userProfile and tailorResult updates
+  React.useEffect(() => {
+    setSurfingFormData(prev => ({
+      ...prev,
+      fullName: userProfile.fullName || prev.fullName,
+      email: userProfile.email || prev.email,
+      phone: userProfile.phone || prev.phone,
+      linkedin: userProfile.linkedinUrl || prev.linkedin,
+      workAuthorization: userProfile.eeoDeclarations?.workAuthorization || prev.workAuthorization,
+      veteranStatus: userProfile.eeoDeclarations?.veteranStatus === 'PROTECTED_VETERAN' ? 'Protected Veteran' : 'Not a Veteran',
+      disabilityStatus: userProfile.eeoDeclarations?.disabilityStatus === 'YES_DISABILITY' ? 'Yes, Disability' : 'No Disability',
+      clearanceLevel: userProfile.eeoDeclarations?.clearanceLevel || prev.clearanceLevel,
+      tailoredBulletsText: tailorResult?.tailoredBullets?.join('\n• ') || prev.tailoredBulletsText,
+      customCoverLetterText: tailorResult?.coverLetter || prev.customCoverLetterText
+    }));
+  }, [userProfile, tailorResult]);
+
   // Step 1: Parse Job posting details using Gemini
   const handleParsePosting = async () => {
     if (!jobUrl && !jobDescriptionText) return;
diff --git a/src/lib/googleAuth.ts b/src/lib/googleAuth.ts
index d5b8191..ac8be3a 100644
--- a/src/lib/googleAuth.ts
+++ b/src/lib/googleAuth.ts
@@ -65,8 +65,16 @@ export const googleWorkspaceSignIn = async (silentMode: boolean = false): Promis
         throw new Error('Popup window was blocked by your browser. Please allow popups for http://localhost:3000.');
       }
 
+      const startTime = Date.now();
       const interval = setInterval(async () => {
         try {
+          if (Date.now() - startTime > 60000) {
+            clearInterval(interval);
+            try { popup.close(); } catch (e) {}
+            reject(new Error('Sign-in process timed out after 60 seconds.'));
+            return;
+          }
+
           if (popup.closed) {
             clearInterval(interval);
             if (!cachedAccessToken) {