diff --git a/src/display_manager.py b/src/display_manager.py
index 7ad48550..a212da13 100644
--- a/src/display_manager.py
+++ b/src/display_manager.py
@@ -394,12 +394,9 @@ class DisplayManager:
             
             # Draw the text
             if isinstance(current_font, freetype.Face):
-                # For BDF fonts, we need to adjust the y-coordinate.
-                # The passed 'y' is the top of the text, but our drawing function
-                # expects the baseline. The 'ascender' is the distance from the
-                # baseline to the top of the glyphs.
-                baseline_y = y + (current_font.size.ascender >> 6)
-                self._draw_bdf_text(text, x, baseline_y, color, current_font)
+                # For BDF fonts, _draw_bdf_text will compute the baseline from the
+                # provided top-left y using the font ascender. Do not adjust here.
+                self._draw_bdf_text(text, x, y, color, current_font)
             else:
                 # For TTF fonts, use PIL's text drawing which expects top-left.
                 self.draw.text((x, y), text, font=current_font, fill=color)
@@ -636,8 +633,14 @@ class DisplayManager:
             snapshot_dir = os.path.dirname(self._snapshot_path)
             if snapshot_dir and not os.path.exists(snapshot_dir):
                 os.makedirs(snapshot_dir, exist_ok=True)
-            # Write PNG snapshot
-            self.image.save(self._snapshot_path, format='PNG')
+            # Write atomically: temp then replace
+            tmp_path = f"{self._snapshot_path}.tmp"
+            self.image.save(tmp_path, format='PNG')
+            try:
+                os.replace(tmp_path, self._snapshot_path)
+            except Exception:
+                # Fallback to direct save if replace not supported
+                self.image.save(self._snapshot_path, format='PNG')
             self._last_snapshot_ts = now
         except Exception as e:
             # Snapshot failures should never break display; log at debug to avoid noise
diff --git a/templates/index_v2.html b/templates/index_v2.html
index 0d9c4b5c..a065835f 100644
--- a/templates/index_v2.html
+++ b/templates/index_v2.html
@@ -768,7 +768,7 @@
                             Show pixel grid
                         </label>
                         <label style="color:#333; background:#f3f3f3; padding:6px 10px; border-radius:8px; display:inline-flex; align-items:center; gap:8px;">
-                            <input type="checkbox" id="toggleLedDots">
+                            <input type="checkbox" id="toggleLedDots" checked>
                             LED dot mode
                         </label>
                         <label style="color:#333; background:#f3f3f3; padding:6px 10px; border-radius:8px; display:inline-flex; align-items:center; gap:8px;">
@@ -1411,6 +1411,7 @@
                     <h4>API Calls (24h window)</h4>
                     <div id="api-metrics" class="stat-card" style="text-align:left;">
                         <div>Loading API metrics...</div>
+                        <div style="margin-top:10px; font-size:12px; color:#666;">If empty, ensure the server is running and /api/metrics is reachable.</div>
                     </div>
                 </div>
 
@@ -1838,6 +1839,10 @@
             }
             if (toggleLedDots) {
                 toggleLedDots.addEventListener('change', renderLedDots);
+                // Ensure dot mode is rendered on load if enabled by default
+                if (toggleLedDots.checked) {
+                    setTimeout(renderLedDots, 200);
+                }
             }
             
             // Update stats every 30 seconds
diff --git a/web_interface_v2.py b/web_interface_v2.py
index 00d3b9db..72b2bfe6 100644
--- a/web_interface_v2.py
+++ b/web_interface_v2.py
@@ -62,8 +62,17 @@ class DisplayMonitor:
             try:
                 # Prefer service-provided snapshot if available (works when ledmatrix service is running)
                 if os.path.exists(snapshot_path):
-                    with open(snapshot_path, 'rb') as f:
-                        img_bytes = f.read()
+                    # Read atomically by reopening; ignore partials by retrying once
+                    img_bytes = None
+                    for _ in range(2):
+                        try:
+                            with open(snapshot_path, 'rb') as f:
+                                img_bytes = f.read()
+                            break
+                        except Exception:
+                            socketio.sleep(0.02)
+                    if not img_bytes:
+                        raise RuntimeError('Snapshot read failed')
                     img_str = base64.b64encode(img_bytes).decode()
                     # If we can infer dimensions from display_manager, include them; else leave 0
                     width = display_manager.width if display_manager else 0