perf(vegas): report the frame rate when it is worth reporting

Vegas logged an FPS line at INFO every five seconds for the whole of
every run. Measured over two hours on a rig: 1410 samples, 98.5% of them
within 10% of target. The 1.5% that were not included a reading of
8.6fps against a target of 60 -- a real stall, completely invisible
inside 1389 lines reading "59.6". INFO is now reserved for a shortfall,
the recovery from one, and a slow heartbeat so a healthy marquee still
shows a pulse. Scroll-progress tracing drops to DEBUG for the same
reason: it runs for the whole of every scroll and is what you turn debug
on to watch.

Three review findings, all fixed here.

1. Per-frame timing used the wall clock (critical). The loop sleeps the
   remainder of each frame budget:

       frame_elapsed = <now> - frame_started
       time.sleep(max(0.0, frame_interval - frame_elapsed))

   These devices have no RTC, so the clock jumps by however wrong boot
   time was when NTP first syncs. A backward step makes frame_elapsed
   negative, `frame_interval - frame_elapsed` then exceeds the whole
   budget, and the render loop stalls for the size of the correction. A
   forward step instead inflates the p99 and worst-frame figures this
   telemetry exists to report. Both per-frame timestamps are monotonic
   now. start_time stays wall-clock: it is only used for the iteration
   duration report, where a human-readable clock is the point.

2. FPS health state reset every iteration. last_fps_health_log and
   was_degraded were locals of run_iteration(), which is called once per
   cycle. Starting at 0.0 against a monotonic clock, `due` was true on
   the first sample of every iteration, so the 300s heartbeat degenerated
   into one report per cycle -- reintroducing the noise this change is
   about. A recovery that crossed an iteration boundary was never
   reported either, since was_degraded had already gone back to False.
   Both now live on the coordinator and reset in start().

3. The degraded threshold read as an off-by-one. 90% of target is
   deliberate -- a marquee jitters constantly, so "anything below target"
   would report forever and mean nothing -- but nothing said so, leaving
   55fps-against-60 looking like a missed case. The constant now states
   the band and gives that exact example.

Also drops two soccer logo PNGs that a `git add -A` had swept into the
first commit. They are unreferenced, unrelated to frame-rate telemetry,
and 210KB.

Verified: each fix mutation-checked -- restoring the wall clock on either
per-frame timestamp, or making the health state local again, fails the
new tests. 566 passed across the vegas, coordinator and scroll suites.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01STMbQE4YctTacQXfbYqKuW

scripts/install/configure_web_sudo.sh

@@ -100,10 +100,15 @@ TEMP_SUDOERS="/tmp/ledmatrix_web_sudoers_$$"
     echo "$WEB_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: $SYSTEMCTL_PATH restart ledmatrix-web.service"
 
     # Optional: journalctl (non-critical — skip if not found)
+    #
+    # NOEXEC, matching first_time_install.sh. These rules end in a wildcard and
+    # journalctl starts a pager, so without it the caller can reach a shell:
+    # less runs "!command" as the user the pager belongs to, which here is
+    # root. NOEXEC stops the granted command executing anything of its own.
     if [ -n "$JOURNALCTL_PATH" ]; then
-        echo "$WEB_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: $JOURNALCTL_PATH -u ledmatrix.service *"
-        echo "$WEB_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: $JOURNALCTL_PATH -u ledmatrix *"
-        echo "$WEB_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: $JOURNALCTL_PATH -t ledmatrix *"
+        echo "$WEB_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:NOEXEC: $JOURNALCTL_PATH -u ledmatrix.service *"
+        echo "$WEB_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:NOEXEC: $JOURNALCTL_PATH -u ledmatrix *"
+        echo "$WEB_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:NOEXEC: $JOURNALCTL_PATH -t ledmatrix *"
     fi
 
     # Required: python3, bash

scripts/install/configure_wifi_permissions.sh

@@ -25,9 +25,44 @@ if [ "$EUID" -eq 0 ]; then
     exit 1
 fi
 
+# Resolve command paths against a fixed PATH, and check what we resolved.
+#
+# Every path found here is written into a sudoers file as a NOPASSWD grant, so
+# whoever controls the binary at that path controls root. first_time_install.sh
+# re-execs itself with `sudo -E`, which preserves the invoking user's
+# environment -- PATH included -- so without pinning it, `which nmcli` can
+# resolve to anything on that PATH: a writable directory early in it turns a
+# compromise of the low-privilege web user into permanent root.
+PATH=/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin
+export PATH
+
+# A binary named in a sudoers rule must be root-owned and writable by nobody
+# else, or the grant hands root to whoever can rewrite it.
+require_trusted_binary() {
+    local label="$1" path="$2"
+    if [ ! -x "$path" ]; then
+        echo "✗ $label: $path is not an executable file"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    local owner perms
+    owner=$(stat -c '%u' "$path") || exit 1
+    perms=$(stat -c '%a' "$path") || exit 1
+    if [ "$owner" != "0" ]; then
+        echo "✗ $label: $path is not owned by root (uid $owner); refusing to"
+        echo "  grant it NOPASSWD sudo."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    # Group- or world-writable means someone other than root can replace it.
+    case "$perms" in
+        *[2367]) echo "✗ $label: $path is writable by group or other ($perms);"
+                 echo "  refusing to grant it NOPASSWD sudo."
+                 exit 1 ;;
+    esac
+}
+
 # Get the full paths to commands
-NMCLI_PATH=$(which nmcli || echo "/usr/bin/nmcli")
-SYSTEMCTL_PATH=$(which systemctl)
+NMCLI_PATH=$(command -v nmcli || echo "/usr/bin/nmcli")
+SYSTEMCTL_PATH=$(command -v systemctl)
 
 echo "Command paths:"
 echo "  nmcli: $NMCLI_PATH"
@@ -37,6 +72,18 @@ echo "  systemctl: $SYSTEMCTL_PATH"
 echo ""
 echo "Step 1: Configuring sudo permissions for nmcli..."
 SUDOERS_FILE="/etc/sudoers.d/ledmatrix_wifi"
+SYSCTL_PATH=$(command -v sysctl || echo /usr/sbin/sysctl)
+NFT_PATH=$(command -v nft || echo /usr/sbin/nft)
+RFKILL_PATH=$(command -v rfkill || echo /usr/sbin/rfkill)
+MKDIR_PATH=$(command -v mkdir || echo /usr/bin/mkdir)
+
+# Checked before any of them reaches the sudoers file.
+require_trusted_binary "nmcli"     "$NMCLI_PATH"
+require_trusted_binary "systemctl" "$SYSTEMCTL_PATH"
+require_trusted_binary "sysctl"    "$SYSCTL_PATH"
+require_trusted_binary "nft"       "$NFT_PATH"
+require_trusted_binary "rfkill"    "$RFKILL_PATH"
+require_trusted_binary "mkdir"     "$MKDIR_PATH"
 
 # Create a temporary sudoers file using mktemp (handles permissions better)
 TEMP_SUDOERS=$(mktemp) || {
@@ -62,6 +109,36 @@ $WEB_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: $SYSTEMCTL_PATH start dnsmasq
 $WEB_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: $SYSTEMCTL_PATH stop dnsmasq
 $WEB_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: $SYSTEMCTL_PATH restart dnsmasq
 $WEB_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: $SYSTEMCTL_PATH restart NetworkManager
+# The captive portal turns IP forwarding on while the access point is up and
+# restores the previous value when it comes down (wifi_manager._setup_iptables_
+# redirect / _teardown_iptables_redirect). Without this rule that sudo call
+# needs a password, so forwarding stays off and clients associate to the AP but
+# cannot route. It goes unnoticed on a stock Raspberry Pi image, where
+# /etc/sudoers.d/010_pi-nopasswd grants the default user blanket NOPASSWD and
+# masks every gap in this file -- it only bites once that blanket rule is
+# removed.
+$WEB_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: $SYSCTL_PATH -w net.ipv4.ip_forward=0
+$WEB_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: $SYSCTL_PATH -w net.ipv4.ip_forward=1
+# The portal's redirect lives in its own nftables table, created when the AP
+# comes up and deleted when it goes down, and the radio has to be unblocked
+# before the AP can start at all. Same story as the sysctl rules above: called
+# with sudo, never granted here, and invisible on a stock Pi image.
+$WEB_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: $NFT_PATH add table ip ledmatrix
+$WEB_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: $NFT_PATH delete table ip ledmatrix
+$WEB_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: $RFKILL_PATH unblock wifi
+# NetworkManager's dnsmasq drop-in directory, exact path.
+$WEB_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: $MKDIR_PATH -p /etc/NetworkManager/dnsmasq-shared.d
+#
+# iptables is deliberately NOT granted here. Its rules are built from the live
+# interface name and port, so a rule covering them needs a trailing wildcard --
+# and `iptables --modprobe=/path/to/anything` runs that path as root, so
+# `NOPASSWD: iptables *` is a root shell for the web user by another name. That
+# is a worse outcome than the gap it would close, which today is masked anyway
+# by the blanket NOPASSWD rule on stock Pi images.
+#
+# Closing it safely means a wrapper script that builds the rules itself and
+# takes only an interface and a port, granted the way safe_plugin_rm.sh already
+# is. That belongs in its own change rather than being smuggled into this one.
 
 # Allow copying hostapd and dnsmasq config files into place
 $WEB_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: /usr/bin/cp /tmp/hostapd.conf /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf

src/common/scroll_helper.py

@@ -328,7 +328,11 @@ class ScrollHelper:
             elapsed_time = current_time - (self.scroll_start_time or current_time)
             # The image already includes display_width padding, so we only need total_scroll_width
             required_total_distance = self.total_scroll_width
-            self.logger.info(
+            # Progress telemetry, emitted every few seconds for the whole of
+            # every scroll. It says how far along a marquee is, which is what
+            # you turn debug on to watch and not something an operator needs
+            # in the journal on a device that scrolls all day.
+            self.logger.debug(
                 "Scroll progress: elapsed=%.2fs, target=%.2fs, total_scrolled=%.0f/%d px (%.1f%%)",
                 elapsed_time,
                 self.calculated_duration,

src/logging_config.py

@@ -130,7 +130,12 @@ def setup_logging(
     # Console handler (always add)
     console_handler = logging.StreamHandler(sys.stdout)
     console_handler.setLevel(level)
-    console_handler.setFormatter(formatter)
+    # Under systemd, tag each line so the journal records the real severity
+    # rather than filing everything as informational. The file handler below
+    # keeps the plain formatter: the prefix is meaningful to journald and noise
+    # anywhere else.
+    console_handler.setFormatter(
+        JournalPriorityFormatter(formatter) if _under_systemd() else formatter)
     root_logger.addHandler(console_handler)
     
     # File handler (if specified)
@@ -145,6 +150,84 @@ def setup_logging(
             sys.stderr.write(f"Warning: Could not set up file logging to {log_file}: {e}\n")
 
 
+#: syslog priorities, which is what systemd parses from a "<N>" prefix on
+#: stdout. Mapped from Python's levels.
+_SYSLOG_PRIORITY = {
+    logging.CRITICAL: 2,   # LOG_CRIT
+    logging.ERROR: 3,      # LOG_ERR
+    logging.WARNING: 4,    # LOG_WARNING
+    logging.INFO: 6,       # LOG_INFO
+    logging.DEBUG: 7,      # LOG_DEBUG
+}
+
+
+class JournalPriorityFormatter(logging.Formatter):
+    """Wraps a formatter, prefixing each line with its syslog priority.
+
+    Under systemd everything this process writes to stdout lands in the journal
+    as PRIORITY=6, whatever the Python level was. Measured on a live rig: 55
+    ERROR lines and 13 WARNING lines in a day, every one of them recorded as
+    informational, so `journalctl -p err -u ledmatrix` returned nothing at all
+    while errors were being logged. Anyone triaging has to grep the message
+    text instead, which is both slower and wrong -- a search for "oom" matches
+    the radar logging "zoom=9".
+
+    systemd reads a leading "<N>" on each line and uses it as the priority
+    (sd-daemon(3)), so this needs no extra dependency. Multi-line records get
+    the prefix on every line, since the journal splits them and an unprefixed
+    continuation would fall back to the default.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, inner: logging.Formatter):
+        super().__init__()
+        self._inner = inner
+
+    @property
+    def inner(self) -> logging.Formatter:
+        """The formatter doing the actual work.
+
+        Whether journald tagging is applied depends on JOURNAL_STREAM, so it is
+        on under systemd and off in a terminal -- and anything asserting which
+        formatter setup_logging() selected would otherwise get a different
+        answer in CI than on a developer's machine. Exposing the inner one lets
+        those checks stay about format_type, which is what they mean.
+        """
+        return self._inner
+
+    def format(self, record: logging.LogRecord) -> str:
+        text = self._inner.format(record)
+        prefix = f"<{_SYSLOG_PRIORITY.get(record.levelno, 6)}>"
+        return "\n".join(prefix + line for line in text.split("\n"))
+
+
+def _under_systemd() -> bool:
+    """True when stdout really is the journal.
+
+    systemd sets JOURNAL_STREAM to "dev:ino" for services whose output it
+    captures. Presence alone is not enough to act on: the variable is
+    inherited by child processes and survives redirection, so a subprocess
+    whose stdout is a pipe or a file still sees it and would emit the "<N>"
+    priority prefixes as literal noise into that output. systemd's own
+    guidance is to fstat the descriptor and compare st_dev/st_ino, which is
+    what distinguishes "the journal is somewhere in my ancestry" from "my
+    stdout is the journal".
+    """
+    declared = os.environ.get("JOURNAL_STREAM")
+    if not declared:
+        return False
+    try:
+        dev_text, ino_text = declared.split(":", 1)
+        declared_ids = (int(dev_text), int(ino_text))
+    except (ValueError, AttributeError):
+        return False
+    try:
+        stat_result = os.fstat(sys.stdout.fileno())
+    except (OSError, ValueError, AttributeError):
+        # No usable stdout: captured by pytest, detached, or already closed.
+        return False
+    return (stat_result.st_dev, stat_result.st_ino) == declared_ids
+
+
 class PluginLoggerAdapter(logging.LoggerAdapter):
     """LoggerAdapter that stamps every record with its plugin_id.
 

src/plugin_system/plugin_health.py

@@ -178,10 +178,20 @@ class PluginHealthTracker:
             )
         return self._health_state[plugin_id]
     
+    # Fields the circuit breaker is rebuilt from after a restart. Everything
+    # else in a health record is reporting, read only for display.
+    _DURABLE_FIELDS = ('consecutive_failures', 'circuit_state',
+                       'circuit_opened_time', 'half_open_start_time')
+
+    def _durable(self, state: Dict[str, Any]) -> tuple:
+        """The part of a health record whose loss would change behaviour."""
+        return tuple(state.get(field) for field in self._DURABLE_FIELDS)
+
     def record_success(self, plugin_id: str) -> None:
         """Record a successful plugin execution."""
         state = self.get_health_state(plugin_id)
         current_time = time.time()
+        durable_before = self._durable(state)
 
         # Reset consecutive failures
         state['consecutive_failures'] = 0
@@ -199,7 +209,18 @@ class PluginHealthTracker:
             state['circuit_state'] = CircuitState.CLOSED.value
             state['circuit_opened_time'] = None
 
-        self._save_health_state(plugin_id, state)
+        # A healthy plugin reports success every cycle, and in that steady state
+        # the only fields changed above are a counter and a timestamp that
+        # nothing reads back after a restart. Persisting them anyway rewrites a
+        # small file per plugin per cycle: on a rig running 24 plugins, a
+        # five-minute sample measured 22 rewrites, about 4.4 a minute or 6,300 a
+        # day. Those land on an SD card, where the cost is an erase-block cycle
+        # rather than the 400 bytes involved, and where wear is what eventually
+        # kills the card.
+        # In-memory state is still updated every time, so the health API and web
+        # UI show exactly what they did before; only the write is skipped.
+        if self._durable(state) != durable_before:
+            self._save_health_state(plugin_id, state)
 
     def record_failure(self, plugin_id: str, error: Optional[Exception] = None) -> None:
         """Record a failed plugin execution."""

src/plugin_system/resource_monitor.py

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import time
 import logging
 import threading
 from typing import Dict, Optional, Any, Callable
-from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field, fields
 
 try:
     import psutil
@@ -49,6 +49,20 @@ class ResourceMetrics:
             self.total_execution_time = self.total_execution_time / self.call_count
 
 
+#: How often a plugin's metrics are written to the cache, in seconds.
+#:
+#: Persisting on every call meant a small file rewritten roughly nine times a
+#: minute per plugin. On a rig with fourteen active plugins that was ~126
+#: writes a minute for metrics alone, and since each ~350-byte file costs a
+#: 4KB block plus an ext4 journal entry, it dominated the device's write
+#: volume -- on an SD card, which wears out.
+#:
+#: The in-memory copy stays authoritative and exact; only the cross-process
+#: snapshot the web UI reads is delayed, and telemetry up to half a minute old
+#: is still a fair description of a long-running plugin.
+_METRICS_PERSIST_INTERVAL = 30.0
+
+
 class PluginResourceMonitor:
     """
     Monitors resource usage for plugins.
@@ -75,6 +89,10 @@ class PluginResourceMonitor:
         # Resource metrics per plugin
         self._metrics: Dict[str, ResourceMetrics] = {}
         self._limits: Dict[str, ResourceLimits] = {}
+        # When each plugin's metrics last reached the cache. Metrics change on
+        # every call, so they cannot be de-duplicated the way health state can;
+        # they are rate-limited instead. See _METRICS_PERSIST_INTERVAL.
+        self._metrics_persisted_at: Dict[str, float] = {}
 
         # Thread-local storage for execution tracking
         self._local = threading.local()
@@ -102,6 +120,66 @@ class PluginResourceMonitor:
                 "psutil not available - resource monitoring will be limited to execution time only"
             )
     
+    def _metrics_from_cache(self, plugin_id: str, cached: Any) -> "ResourceMetrics":
+        """Build metrics from a cached record, ignoring anything unrecognised.
+
+        ResourceMetrics(**cached) raises TypeError on a single unexpected key,
+        and that exception escapes into plugin_manager, which reports it as
+        "plugin <id> operation failed". Every plugin fails, and the plugin
+        system never finishes initialising.
+
+        Seen on a live rig: every plugin failing with
+
+            ResourceMetrics.__init__() got an unexpected keyword argument
+            'consecutive_failures'
+
+        which is a plugin_health field, not a metrics one. How a health-shaped
+        record came to sit under a plugin_metrics key on that machine is not
+        established -- a restored backup that mixed two machines' caches is the
+        likeliest explanation -- but the loader should not be brittle enough for
+        it to matter. plugin_health already repairs its records field by field
+        rather than trusting whatever is on disk; this does the same.
+
+        Unknown keys are dropped and named once, so a genuine schema change is
+        visible in the log instead of silently discarded.
+        """
+        if not isinstance(cached, dict):
+            self.logger.warning(
+                "Ignoring cached metrics for %s: expected a mapping, got %s",
+                plugin_id, type(cached).__name__)
+            return ResourceMetrics()
+
+        known = {f.name for f in fields(ResourceMetrics)}
+        unknown = sorted(set(cached) - known)
+        if unknown:
+            self.logger.warning(
+                "Dropping unrecognised field(s) from cached metrics for %s: %s",
+                plugin_id, ", ".join(unknown))
+        # A dataclass does not enforce its annotations, so
+        # ResourceMetrics(call_count="not a number") builds happily and only
+        # blows up later, deep inside monitor_call ("can only concatenate str
+        # (not \"int\") to str"). Coerce here, where there is still a cache
+        # key to name in the warning.
+        declared = {f.name: f.type for f in fields(ResourceMetrics)}
+        usable = {}
+        for key, value in cached.items():
+            if key not in known:
+                continue
+            try:
+                usable[key] = int(value) if declared[key] in ('int', int) else float(value)
+            except (TypeError, ValueError):
+                self.logger.warning(
+                    "Cached metrics for %s have a bad %s (%r); starting fresh",
+                    plugin_id, key, value)
+                return ResourceMetrics()
+        try:
+            return ResourceMetrics(**usable)
+        except (TypeError, ValueError) as e:
+            self.logger.warning(
+                "Cached metrics for %s unusable (%s); starting fresh",
+                plugin_id, e)
+            return ResourceMetrics()
+
     def _get_metrics_key(self, plugin_id: str) -> str:
         """Get cache key for plugin metrics."""
         return f"plugin_metrics:{plugin_id}"
@@ -126,7 +204,7 @@ class PluginResourceMonitor:
                     cache_key, max_age=None, memory_ttl=0 if force_reload else None
                 )
                 if cached:
-                    metrics = ResourceMetrics(**cached)
+                    metrics = self._metrics_from_cache(plugin_id, cached)
                 else:
                     metrics = ResourceMetrics()
                 self._metrics[plugin_id] = metrics
@@ -232,18 +310,8 @@ class PluginResourceMonitor:
                     # CPU is harder to measure per-call, so we track it separately
                     metrics.cpu_percent = self._get_process_cpu_percent()
                 
-                # Persist metrics
-                cache_key = self._get_metrics_key(plugin_id)
-                self.cache_manager.set(cache_key, {
-                    'memory_mb': metrics.memory_mb,
-                    'cpu_percent': metrics.cpu_percent,
-                    'execution_time': metrics.execution_time,
-                    'call_count': metrics.call_count,
-                    'total_execution_time': metrics.total_execution_time,
-                    'max_execution_time': metrics.max_execution_time,
-                    'min_execution_time': metrics.min_execution_time if metrics.min_execution_time != float('inf') else 0.0,
-                    'last_update_time': metrics.last_update_time
-                })
+                # Persist metrics, at most once per interval per plugin.
+                self._persist_metrics(plugin_id, metrics)
             
             # Check limits
             if limits:
@@ -363,6 +431,44 @@ class PluginResourceMonitor:
             summaries[plugin_id] = self.get_metrics_summary(plugin_id)
         return summaries
     
+    def _persist_metrics(self, plugin_id: str, metrics: ResourceMetrics,
+                         force: bool = False) -> None:
+        """Write a plugin's metrics to the cache, at most once per interval.
+
+        Caller must hold ``self._lock``.
+        """
+        # Monotonic, not wall clock: these devices have no RTC, so the clock
+        # jumps by however far off boot-time was the moment NTP first syncs.
+        # A forward jump would allow an early write, a backward one would
+        # stall the snapshot well past the interval.
+        #
+        # The sentinel for "never written" is None, not 0.0. monotonic() is
+        # time since boot on Linux, and systemd starts this service *at* boot,
+        # so `now - 0.0 < 30` was true for the first half-minute of every
+        # single run -- the throttle swallowed the very first snapshot, which
+        # is the one that matters most after a restart.
+        now = time.monotonic()
+        last_written = self._metrics_persisted_at.get(plugin_id)
+        if (not force and last_written is not None
+                and now - last_written < _METRICS_PERSIST_INTERVAL):
+            return
+        cache_key = self._get_metrics_key(plugin_id)
+        self.cache_manager.set(cache_key, {
+            'memory_mb': metrics.memory_mb,
+            'cpu_percent': metrics.cpu_percent,
+            'execution_time': metrics.execution_time,
+            'call_count': metrics.call_count,
+            'total_execution_time': metrics.total_execution_time,
+            'max_execution_time': metrics.max_execution_time,
+            'min_execution_time': (metrics.min_execution_time
+                                   if metrics.min_execution_time != float('inf')
+                                   else 0.0),
+            'last_update_time': metrics.last_update_time,
+        })
+        # Only after the write lands. Marking it first would mean a failed
+        # set() bought the next interval's silence without leaving a snapshot.
+        self._metrics_persisted_at[plugin_id] = now
+
     def reset_metrics(self, plugin_id: str) -> None:
         """Reset metrics for a plugin."""
         with self._lock:
@@ -370,4 +476,7 @@ class PluginResourceMonitor:
                 self._metrics[plugin_id] = ResourceMetrics()
                 cache_key = self._get_metrics_key(plugin_id)
                 self.cache_manager.delete(cache_key)
+                # Let the next call persist immediately rather than leaving the
+                # deleted key absent for the rest of the interval.
+                self._metrics_persisted_at.pop(plugin_id, None)
 

src/startup_validator.py

@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@ class StartupValidator:
         if self.plugin_manager:
             self._validate_plugins()
 
+        # Warn when the running systemd unit no longer matches the repo's
+        self._validate_systemd_units()
+        
         is_valid = len(self.errors) == 0
         
         if is_valid:
@@ -74,6 +77,80 @@ class StartupValidator:
         
         return (is_valid, self.errors.copy(), self.warnings.copy())
     
+    #: Units this project installs, and where each is installed to.
+    _UNITS = (
+        ("systemd/ledmatrix.service", "/etc/systemd/system/ledmatrix.service"),
+        ("systemd/ledmatrix-web.service", "/etc/systemd/system/ledmatrix-web.service"),
+    )
+
+    def _validate_systemd_units(self) -> None:
+        """Warn when an installed unit has drifted from the repo's template.
+
+        Nothing re-applies these after the first install. `git pull` -- which is
+        what the web UI's update button runs -- brings a new template into the
+        checkout, but nothing copies it to /etc/systemd/system and nothing runs
+        `systemctl daemon-reload`, so the unit that actually runs is whatever
+        first_time_install.sh wrote on day one.
+
+        That makes every hardening added to a unit inert on existing installs.
+        Measured on one rig: the installed unit was thirteen days older than the
+        repo's and differed in content, so a MemoryMax the repo had specified
+        was not being enforced at all -- `systemctl show` reported
+        MemoryMax=infinity.
+
+        A warning rather than an error, and certainly not a silent rewrite:
+        editing files under /etc and restarting services is the installer's job,
+        not something a display process should do to a machine while it boots.
+        The remedy is to re-run scripts/install/install_service.sh.
+        """
+        try:
+            project_root = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
+            for template_rel, installed_path in self._UNITS:
+                template = project_root / template_rel
+                installed = Path(installed_path)
+                if not template.is_file() or not installed.is_file():
+                    continue
+
+                # The template carries placeholders the installer substitutes,
+                # so compare the substituted form rather than the raw file.
+                expected = template.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+                expected = expected.replace("__PROJECT_ROOT_DIR__", str(project_root))
+                expected = expected.replace("__USER__", "root")
+
+                try:
+                    actual = installed.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+                except PermissionError:
+                    continue
+
+                if self._unit_body(expected) != self._unit_body(actual):
+                    self.warnings.append(
+                        f"{installed.name} differs from {template_rel}; the "
+                        "installed unit is not refreshed by an update, so "
+                        "settings added to the template are not in effect. "
+                        "Re-run scripts/install/install_service.sh to apply them."
+                    )
+        except OSError as e:
+            self.logger.debug("Could not compare systemd units: %s", e)
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _unit_body(text: str) -> str:
+        """A unit's meaningful lines, in order: no comments, no blanks.
+
+        Order is preserved deliberately. This used to sort, which made the
+        comparison insensitive to two changes that matter in a systemd unit:
+        repeated directives such as ExecStartPre= and ExecStartPost= run in
+        the order they appear, and a directive that moves between [Unit],
+        [Service] and [Install] means something different -- or nothing --
+        where it lands. A drift check that normalises those away reports no
+        drift for a unit that has genuinely changed.
+        """
+        lines = []
+        for line in text.splitlines():
+            line = line.strip()
+            if line and not line.startswith("#"):
+                lines.append(line)
+        return "\n".join(lines)
+
     def _validate_config(self) -> None:
         """Validate configuration files."""
         try:

src/vegas_mode/coordinator.py

@@ -31,6 +31,18 @@ if TYPE_CHECKING:
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
+#: Degradation threshold, as a fraction of target_fps. A marquee jitters a
+#: little all the time, so "anything under target" would report constantly and
+#: mean nothing; 90% of target is the point where a shortfall is real. At a
+#: 60fps target that is 54fps -- 55fps is a normal wobble and stays at DEBUG,
+#: which is deliberate, not an off-by-one.
+_FPS_HEALTHY_FRACTION = 0.9
+
+#: A healthy marquee still reports this often, so silence means stopped
+#: rather than fine.
+_FPS_HEARTBEAT_INTERVAL = 300.0
+
+
 def _percentile(ordered: List[float], fraction: float) -> float:
     """Nearest-rank percentile of an already-sorted list.
 
@@ -96,6 +108,11 @@ class VegasModeCoordinator:
         self._is_active = False
         self._is_paused = False
         self._should_stop = False
+        # Frame-rate health, tracked across run_iteration() calls so the
+        # heartbeat is one-per-interval rather than one-per-cycle, and so a
+        # recovery spanning two cycles is still reported. Reset on start().
+        self._fps_last_health_log = 0.0
+        self._fps_was_degraded = False
         self._state_lock = threading.Lock()
 
         # Live priority tracking
@@ -248,6 +265,11 @@ class VegasModeCoordinator:
             self._is_active = True
             self._should_stop = False
             self._start_time = time.time()
+            # A fresh run starts with a clean health slate: no stale
+            # "was degraded" from the previous run, and a heartbeat that is
+            # due immediately so the first sample confirms the marquee is up.
+            self._fps_last_health_log = 0.0
+            self._fps_was_degraded = False
 
         # Line up the next group immediately, so the first extension is already
         # warm rather than stalling the scroll to fetch it.
@@ -395,8 +417,18 @@ class VegasModeCoordinator:
             duration = self.render_pipeline.get_dynamic_duration()
         start_time = time.time()
         frame_count = 0
-        fps_log_interval = 5.0  # Log FPS every 5 seconds
-        last_fps_log_time = start_time
+        fps_log_interval = 5.0  # Sample FPS every 5 seconds
+        # Health state lives on the coordinator, not here: run_iteration() is
+        # called once per cycle, so locals reset every few seconds. That made
+        # `last_fps_health_log = 0.0` fire the "heartbeat" on the first sample
+        # of every iteration rather than once per interval, and a recovery
+        # that crossed an iteration boundary was never reported at all --
+        # was_degraded had already gone back to False.
+        # Monotonic, and deliberately not start_time: start_time is wall
+        # clock and is used below to report the iteration's duration. Mixing
+        # the two here would make every delta hugely negative and silence the
+        # frame-rate reporting altogether.
+        last_fps_log_time = time.monotonic()
         fps_frame_count = 0
         # A mean hides stutter completely. At 120fps a five-second window is
         # ~600 frames, so a 200ms freeze -- plainly visible on a marquee --
@@ -408,7 +440,13 @@ class VegasModeCoordinator:
         logger.info("Starting Vegas iteration for %.1fs", duration)
 
         while True:
-            frame_started = time.time()
+            # Monotonic, like the FPS window below. These devices have no RTC,
+            # so the wall clock jumps by however wrong boot time was the moment
+            # NTP first syncs. A backward jump makes frame_elapsed negative,
+            # and `frame_interval - frame_elapsed` then sleeps for longer than
+            # the whole budget -- the render loop stalls for the size of the
+            # correction. A forward jump inflates p99 and worst-frame instead.
+            frame_started = time.monotonic()
 
             # Check for STATIC mode plugin that should pause scroll
             static_plugin = self._check_static_plugin_trigger()
@@ -436,7 +474,7 @@ class VegasModeCoordinator:
             # quarter of the budget spent not rendering. Subtracting the work
             # already done keeps the pacing target while reclaiming that time,
             # and yields the GIL either way so other threads still run.
-            frame_elapsed = time.time() - frame_started
+            frame_elapsed = time.monotonic() - frame_started
             time.sleep(max(0.0, frame_interval - frame_elapsed))
 
             # Measured before the sleep: time spent working, not pacing.
@@ -448,16 +486,42 @@ class VegasModeCoordinator:
             frame_count += 1
             fps_frame_count += 1
 
-            # Periodic FPS logging
-            current_time = time.time()
+            # Periodic FPS logging. Reported at INFO only when the frame rate
+            # is actually worth an operator's attention -- a shortfall against
+            # target, or the recovery from one -- with a slow heartbeat so a
+            # healthy marquee still shows a pulse.
+            #
+            # Measured over two hours on a running rig: 1410 samples, 98.5%
+            # of them within 10% of target. The 1.5% that were not included a
+            # reading of 8.6fps against a target of 60 -- a real stall, and
+            # completely invisible inside 1389 lines reading "59.6".
+            # Monotonic: every use of this value in the block below is a
+            # duration, and these devices have no RTC, so the wall clock jumps
+            # by however wrong boot time was the moment NTP first syncs. That
+            # would not only mis-fire the heartbeat, it would corrupt the
+            # frame rate itself, since fps is frames divided by this delta.
+            current_time = time.monotonic()
             if current_time - last_fps_log_time >= fps_log_interval:
                 fps = fps_frame_count / (current_time - last_fps_log_time)
                 p99 = _percentile(sorted(frame_times), 0.99)
-                logger.info(
-                    "Vegas FPS: %.1f (target: %d, frames: %d) p99 %.1fms worst %.1fms",
-                    fps, self.vegas_config.target_fps, fps_frame_count,
-                    p99 * 1000.0, frame_worst * 1000.0
-                )
+                target = self.vegas_config.target_fps
+                degraded = target > 0 and fps < target * _FPS_HEALTHY_FRACTION
+                due = (current_time - self._fps_last_health_log
+                       >= _FPS_HEARTBEAT_INTERVAL)
+                if degraded or self._fps_was_degraded or due:
+                    logger.info(
+                        "Vegas FPS: %.1f (target: %d, frames: %d) p99 %.1fms worst %.1fms",
+                        fps, target, fps_frame_count,
+                        p99 * 1000.0, frame_worst * 1000.0
+                    )
+                    self._fps_last_health_log = current_time
+                else:
+                    logger.debug(
+                        "Vegas FPS: %.1f (target: %d, frames: %d) p99 %.1fms worst %.1fms",
+                        fps, target, fps_frame_count,
+                        p99 * 1000.0, frame_worst * 1000.0
+                    )
+                self._fps_was_degraded = degraded
                 last_fps_log_time = current_time
                 fps_frame_count = 0
                 frame_worst = 0.0

src/vegas_mode/plugin_adapter.py

@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ class PluginAdapter:
         # into unrelated headlines once the strip refreshed to 9,505px.
         self._offset_shapes: dict = {}
 
-        logger.info(
+        logger.debug(
             "PluginAdapter initialized: display=%dx%d",
             self.display_width, self.display_height
         )
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ class PluginAdapter:
         Returns:
             List of PIL Images representing plugin content, or None if no content
         """
-        logger.info(
+        logger.debug(
             "[%s] Getting content (class=%s)",
             plugin_id, plugin.__class__.__name__
         )
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ class PluginAdapter:
         cached = self._get_cached(plugin_id)
         if cached is not None:
             total_width = sum(img.width for img in cached)
-            logger.info(
+            logger.debug(
                 "[%s] Using cached content: %d images, %dpx total",
                 plugin_id, len(cached), total_width
             )
@@ -126,46 +126,46 @@ class PluginAdapter:
 
         # Try native Vegas content method first
         has_native = hasattr(plugin, 'get_vegas_content')
-        logger.info("[%s] Has get_vegas_content: %s", plugin_id, has_native)
+        logger.debug("[%s] Has get_vegas_content: %s", plugin_id, has_native)
         if has_native:
             content = self._get_native_content(plugin, plugin_id, offscreen_only)
             if content:
                 total_width = sum(img.width for img in content)
-                logger.info(
+                logger.debug(
                     "[%s] Native content SUCCESS: %d images, %dpx total",
                     plugin_id, len(content), total_width
                 )
                 return self._finalize(content, plugin_id, 'native', plugin)
-            logger.info("[%s] Native content returned None", plugin_id)
+            logger.debug("[%s] Native content returned None", plugin_id)
 
         # Try to get scroll_helper's cached image (for scrolling plugins like stocks/odds)
         has_scroll_helper = hasattr(plugin, 'scroll_helper')
-        logger.info("[%s] Has scroll_helper: %s", plugin_id, has_scroll_helper)
+        logger.debug("[%s] Has scroll_helper: %s", plugin_id, has_scroll_helper)
         content = self._get_scroll_helper_content(plugin, plugin_id, offscreen_only)
         if content:
             total_width = sum(img.width for img in content)
-            logger.info(
+            logger.debug(
                 "[%s] ScrollHelper content SUCCESS: %d images, %dpx total",
                 plugin_id, len(content), total_width
             )
             return self._finalize(content, plugin_id, 'scroll_helper', plugin)
         if has_scroll_helper:
-            logger.info("[%s] ScrollHelper content returned None", plugin_id)
+            logger.debug("[%s] ScrollHelper content returned None", plugin_id)
 
         if offscreen_only:
             # Display capture needs the shared canvas; leave it to the caller.
-            logger.info(
+            logger.debug(
                 "[%s] Needs display capture, deferring to the render thread",
                 plugin_id
             )
             return None
 
         # Fall back to display capture
-        logger.info("[%s] Trying fallback display capture...", plugin_id)
+        logger.debug("[%s] Trying fallback display capture...", plugin_id)
         content = self._capture_display_content(plugin, plugin_id)
         if content:
             total_width = sum(img.width for img in content)
-            logger.info(
+            logger.debug(
                 "[%s] Fallback capture SUCCESS: %d images, %dpx total",
                 plugin_id, len(content), total_width
             )
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ class PluginAdapter:
             kept.append(result.image)
 
         if not kept:
-            logger.info(
+            logger.debug(
                 "[%s] All %d image(s) from %s were blank — contributing nothing",
                 plugin_id, len(images), source
             )
@@ -235,14 +235,14 @@ class PluginAdapter:
         trimmed_width = sum(img.width for img in kept)
 
         if trimmed_width < self.config.min_plugin_width:
-            logger.info(
+            logger.debug(
                 "[%s] Trimmed content %dpx is below min_plugin_width %dpx — skipping",
                 plugin_id, trimmed_width, self.config.min_plugin_width
             )
             return None
 
         if trimmed_width != original_width or dropped_blank:
-            logger.info(
+            logger.debug(
                 "[%s] Trimmed %s content: %dpx -> %dpx (%.0f%% reclaimed), "
                 "%d image(s) kept, %d blank dropped",
                 plugin_id, source, original_width, trimmed_width,
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ class PluginAdapter:
         """
         if self._offset_shapes.get(plugin_id) != shape:
             if plugin_id in self._item_offsets:
-                logger.info(
+                logger.debug(
                     "[%s] Content is %s now, was %s — restarting the rotation "
                     "rather than resuming at a position that no longer means "
                     "anything", plugin_id, shape,
@@ -579,7 +579,7 @@ class PluginAdapter:
             consumed += 1
 
         if mode == 'truncate':
-            logger.info(
+            logger.debug(
                 "[%s] Width budget %dpx: showing the first %d of %d row(s) "
                 "(%dpx incl. gaps); the rest are not shown (overflow=truncate)",
                 plugin_id, budget, len(selected), len(images), used
@@ -587,7 +587,7 @@ class PluginAdapter:
         else:
             self._record_offset(
                 plugin_id, (start + consumed) % len(images), shape)
-            logger.info(
+            logger.debug(
                 "[%s] Width budget %dpx: showing %d of %d row(s) (%dpx incl. gaps) "
                 "from offset %d; remainder deferred to a later cycle",
                 plugin_id, budget, len(selected), len(images), used, start
@@ -636,7 +636,7 @@ class PluginAdapter:
             if mode != 'truncate':
                 self._record_offset(
                     plugin_id, 0 if end >= img.width else end, shape)
-            logger.info(
+            logger.debug(
                 "[%s] Width budget %dpx: cropped continuous %dpx image to "
                 "[%d:%d] (no item gaps of %dpx+ to align to)%s",
                 plugin_id, budget, img.width, offset, end, min_run,
@@ -674,7 +674,7 @@ class PluginAdapter:
             self._record_offset(
                 plugin_id, 0 if end >= img.width else end_index, shape)
 
-        logger.info(
+        logger.debug(
             "[%s] Width budget %dpx: cropped single %dpx image to [%d:%d] "
             "(%dpx) at item boundaries %d-%d of %d, %s",
             plugin_id, budget, img.width, start, end, end - start,
@@ -698,7 +698,7 @@ class PluginAdapter:
             List of images or None
         """
         try:
-            logger.info("[%s] Native: calling get_vegas_content()", plugin_id)
+            logger.debug("[%s] Native: calling get_vegas_content()", plugin_id)
 
             # Tell the plugin how much width the ticker wants it to use, and
             # narrow the canvas for the duration of the call. A plugin that
@@ -707,7 +707,7 @@ class PluginAdapter:
             # be explicit can read get_vegas_render_width().
             render_width = self.resolve_render_width(plugin, plugin_id)
             if render_width != self.display_width:
-                logger.info(
+                logger.debug(
                     "[%s] Native: requesting %dpx instead of %dpx",
                     plugin_id, render_width, self.display_width
                 )
@@ -735,19 +735,19 @@ class PluginAdapter:
                 plugin._vegas_render_width = None
 
             if result is None:
-                logger.info("[%s] Native: get_vegas_content() returned None", plugin_id)
+                logger.debug("[%s] Native: get_vegas_content() returned None", plugin_id)
                 return None
 
             # Normalize to list
             if isinstance(result, Image.Image):
                 images = [result]
-                logger.info(
+                logger.debug(
                     "[%s] Native: got single Image %dx%d",
                     plugin_id, result.width, result.height
                 )
             elif isinstance(result, (list, tuple)):
                 images = list(result)
-                logger.info(
+                logger.debug(
                     "[%s] Native: got %d items in list/tuple",
                     plugin_id, len(images)
                 )
@@ -768,14 +768,14 @@ class PluginAdapter:
                     )
                     continue
 
-                logger.info(
+                logger.debug(
                     "[%s] Native: item[%d] is %dx%d, mode=%s",
                     plugin_id, i, img.width, img.height, img.mode
                 )
 
                 # Ensure correct height
                 if img.height != self.display_height:
-                    logger.info(
+                    logger.debug(
                         "[%s] Native: resizing item[%d]: %dx%d -> %dx%d",
                         plugin_id, i, img.width, img.height,
                         img.width, self.display_height
@@ -793,13 +793,13 @@ class PluginAdapter:
 
             if valid_images:
                 total_width = sum(img.width for img in valid_images)
-                logger.info(
+                logger.debug(
                     "[%s] Native: SUCCESS - %d images, %dpx total width",
                     plugin_id, len(valid_images), total_width
                 )
                 return valid_images
 
-            logger.info("[%s] Native: no valid images after validation", plugin_id)
+            logger.debug("[%s] Native: no valid images after validation", plugin_id)
             return None
 
         except (AttributeError, TypeError, ValueError, OSError) as e:
@@ -833,20 +833,20 @@ class PluginAdapter:
                 logger.debug("[%s] No scroll_helper attribute", plugin_id)
                 return None
 
-            logger.info(
+            logger.debug(
                 "[%s] Found scroll_helper: %s",
                 plugin_id, type(scroll_helper).__name__
             )
 
             cached_image = getattr(scroll_helper, 'cached_image', None)
             if cached_image is None:
-                logger.info(
+                logger.debug(
                     "[%s] scroll_helper.cached_image is None, triggering content generation",
                     plugin_id
                 )
                 if offscreen_only:
                     # Generating it calls display(), which needs the canvas.
-                    logger.info(
+                    logger.debug(
                         "[%s] scroll_helper cache empty; deferring generation "
                         "to the render thread", plugin_id
                     )
@@ -859,13 +859,13 @@ class PluginAdapter:
                     return None
 
             if not isinstance(cached_image, Image.Image):
-                logger.info(
+                logger.debug(
                     "[%s] scroll_helper.cached_image is not an Image: %s",
                     plugin_id, type(cached_image).__name__
                 )
                 return None
 
-            logger.info(
+            logger.debug(
                 "[%s] scroll_helper.cached_image found: %dx%d, mode=%s",
                 plugin_id, cached_image.width, cached_image.height, cached_image.mode
             )
@@ -888,7 +888,7 @@ class PluginAdapter:
 
             # Ensure correct height
             if img.height != self.display_height:
-                logger.info(
+                logger.debug(
                     "[%s] Resizing scroll_helper content: %dx%d -> %dx%d",
                     plugin_id, img.width, img.height,
                     img.width, self.display_height
@@ -902,7 +902,7 @@ class PluginAdapter:
             if img.mode != 'RGB':
                 img = img.convert('RGB')
 
-            logger.info(
+            logger.debug(
                 "[%s] ScrollHelper content ready: %dx%d",
                 plugin_id, img.width, img.height
             )
@@ -1002,7 +1002,7 @@ class PluginAdapter:
             with self._capture():
                 # Method 1: Try _create_scrolling_display (stocks pattern)
                 if hasattr(plugin, '_create_scrolling_display'):
-                    logger.info(
+                    logger.debug(
                         "[%s] Triggering via _create_scrolling_display()",
                         plugin_id
                     )
@@ -1010,7 +1010,7 @@ class PluginAdapter:
                         plugin._create_scrolling_display()
                         cached_image = getattr(scroll_helper, 'cached_image', None)
                         if cached_image is not None and isinstance(cached_image, Image.Image):
-                            logger.info(
+                            logger.debug(
                                 "[%s] _create_scrolling_display() SUCCESS: %dx%d",
                                 plugin_id, cached_image.width, cached_image.height
                             )
@@ -1022,7 +1022,7 @@ class PluginAdapter:
 
                 # Method 2: Try display(force_clear=True) which typically builds scroll content
                 if hasattr(plugin, 'display'):
-                    logger.info(
+                    logger.debug(
                         "[%s] Triggering via display(force_clear=True)",
                         plugin_id
                     )
@@ -1031,12 +1031,12 @@ class PluginAdapter:
                         plugin.display(force_clear=True)
                         cached_image = getattr(scroll_helper, 'cached_image', None)
                         if cached_image is not None and isinstance(cached_image, Image.Image):
-                            logger.info(
+                            logger.debug(
                                 "[%s] display(force_clear=True) SUCCESS: %dx%d",
                                 plugin_id, cached_image.width, cached_image.height
                             )
                             return cached_image
-                        logger.info(
+                        logger.debug(
                             "[%s] display(force_clear=True) did not populate cached_image",
                             plugin_id
                         )
@@ -1045,7 +1045,7 @@ class PluginAdapter:
                             "[%s] display(force_clear=True) failed", plugin_id
                         )
 
-            logger.info(
+            logger.debug(
                 "[%s] Could not trigger scroll content generation",
                 plugin_id
             )
@@ -1077,15 +1077,15 @@ class PluginAdapter:
         try:
             # Save current display state
             original_image = self.display_manager.image.copy()
-            logger.info("[%s] Fallback: saved original display state", plugin_id)
+            logger.debug("[%s] Fallback: saved original display state", plugin_id)
 
             # Ensure plugin has fresh data before capturing
             has_update_data = hasattr(plugin, 'update_data')
-            logger.info("[%s] Fallback: has update_data=%s", plugin_id, has_update_data)
+            logger.debug("[%s] Fallback: has update_data=%s", plugin_id, has_update_data)
             if has_update_data:
                 try:
                     plugin.update_data()
-                    logger.info("[%s] Fallback: update_data() called", plugin_id)
+                    logger.debug("[%s] Fallback: update_data() called", plugin_id)
                 except (AttributeError, RuntimeError, OSError):
                     logger.exception("[%s] Fallback: update_data() failed", plugin_id)
 
@@ -1097,41 +1097,41 @@ class PluginAdapter:
             # arrangement rather than one that has to be cropped afterwards.
             render_width = self.resolve_render_width(plugin, plugin_id)
             if render_width != self.display_width:
-                logger.info(
+                logger.debug(
                     "[%s] Fallback: rendering at %dpx instead of %dpx",
                     plugin_id, render_width, self.display_width
                 )
 
             with self._capture(), self._render_at(render_width):
                 self.display_manager.clear()
-                logger.info("[%s] Fallback: display cleared, calling display()", plugin_id)
+                logger.debug("[%s] Fallback: display cleared, calling display()", plugin_id)
 
                 # First try without force_clear (some plugins behave better this way)
                 try:
                     plugin.display()
-                    logger.info("[%s] Fallback: display() called successfully", plugin_id)
+                    logger.debug("[%s] Fallback: display() called successfully", plugin_id)
                 except TypeError:
                     # Plugin may require force_clear argument
-                    logger.info("[%s] Fallback: display() failed, trying with force_clear=True", plugin_id)
+                    logger.debug("[%s] Fallback: display() failed, trying with force_clear=True", plugin_id)
                     plugin.display(force_clear=True)
 
                 # Capture the result
                 captured = self.display_manager.image.copy()
 
-            logger.info(
+            logger.debug(
                 "[%s] Fallback: captured frame %dx%d, mode=%s",
                 plugin_id, captured.width, captured.height, captured.mode
             )
 
             # Check if captured image has content (not all black)
             is_blank, bright_ratio = self._is_blank_image(captured, return_ratio=True)
-            logger.info(
+            logger.debug(
                 "[%s] Fallback: brightness check - %.3f%% bright pixels (threshold=0.5%%)",
                 plugin_id, bright_ratio * 100
             )
 
             if is_blank:
-                logger.info(
+                logger.debug(
                     "[%s] Fallback: first capture blank, retrying with force_clear",
                     plugin_id
                 )
@@ -1142,7 +1142,7 @@ class PluginAdapter:
                     captured = self.display_manager.image.copy()
 
                 is_blank, bright_ratio = self._is_blank_image(captured, return_ratio=True)
-                logger.info(
+                logger.debug(
                     "[%s] Fallback: retry brightness - %.3f%% bright pixels",
                     plugin_id, bright_ratio * 100
                 )
@@ -1159,7 +1159,7 @@ class PluginAdapter:
             if captured.mode != 'RGB':
                 captured = captured.convert('RGB')
 
-            logger.info(
+            logger.debug(
                 "[%s] Fallback: SUCCESS - captured %dx%d",
                 plugin_id, captured.width, captured.height
             )

src/web_interface/secret_helpers.py

@@ -143,6 +143,12 @@ def mask_secret_fields(config: Dict[str, Any], schema_properties: Dict[str, Any]
     return result
 
 
+#: What a masked secret looks like on the wire. Named because the write path
+#: has to recognise it coming back: a client that renders the mask and posts
+#: it unchanged must not store the mask as if it were the secret.
+SECRET_MASK = '\u2022' * 8
+
+
 def mask_all_secret_values(config: Dict[str, Any]) -> Dict[str, Any]:
     """Blanket-mask every non-empty value in a secrets config dict.
 
@@ -156,15 +162,25 @@ def mask_all_secret_values(config: Dict[str, Any]) -> Dict[str, Any]:
     Returns:
         A copy with all real values replaced by ``'••••••••'``.
     """
-    masked: Dict[str, Any] = {}
-    for k, v in config.items():
-        if isinstance(v, dict):
-            masked[k] = mask_all_secret_values(v)
-        elif v not in (None, '') and not (isinstance(v, str) and v.startswith('YOUR_')):
-            masked[k] = '••••••••'
-        else:
-            masked[k] = v
-    return masked
+    return {k: _mask_value(v) for k, v in config.items()}
+
+
+def _mask_value(value: Any) -> Any:
+    """Mask one value, recursing through dicts and lists.
+
+    A list used to be masked as though it were a scalar, so
+    ``accounts: [{"name": "a", "token": "..."}]`` came back as a single
+    ``'••••••••'``. Nothing leaked, but the caller could no longer see how
+    many entries there were or any of their non-secret fields, and the raw
+    editor was shown a string where the file holds an array.
+    """
+    if isinstance(value, dict):
+        return {k: _mask_value(v) for k, v in value.items()}
+    if isinstance(value, list):
+        return [_mask_value(item) for item in value]
+    if value in (None, '') or (isinstance(value, str) and value.startswith('YOUR_')):
+        return value
+    return SECRET_MASK
 
 
 def remove_empty_secrets(secrets: Dict[str, Any]) -> Dict[str, Any]:
@@ -189,3 +205,52 @@ def remove_empty_secrets(secrets: Dict[str, Any]) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         elif v is not None and not (isinstance(v, str) and v.strip() == ''):
             result[k] = v
     return result
+
+
+def strip_masked_values(secrets: Dict[str, Any]) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+    """Remove values a client echoed back rather than changed.
+
+    The counterpart to :func:`mask_all_secret_values`. A client that GETs the
+    masked secrets, edits one field and POSTs the whole object back is sending
+    ``SECRET_MASK`` for every field it did not touch. Storing those would
+    replace each untouched credential with eight bullet characters.
+
+    Drops the mask and, like :func:`remove_empty_secrets`, blank values -- so
+    the caller can merge the result onto what is already stored and have
+    "unchanged" mean unchanged. Empty nested dicts are pruned.
+    """
+    result: Dict[str, Any] = {}
+    for k, v in secrets.items():
+        if isinstance(v, dict):
+            nested = strip_masked_values(v)
+            if nested:
+                result[k] = nested
+        elif isinstance(v, list):
+            # A list is merged by replacement, not element by element -- there
+            # is no identity to match entries on -- so a list that still holds
+            # a mask cannot be merged safely: keeping it would store bullets,
+            # and keeping the submitted entries alone would drop whichever the
+            # client did not send back. Dropping the key leaves the stored
+            # list untouched, which is what an untouched list should do.
+            #
+            # The consequence, deliberately: editing one secret inside a list
+            # through this endpoint requires sending real values for all of
+            # them. Sending some masks leaves the whole list as it was.
+            if not _contains_mask(v):
+                result[k] = v
+        elif v is None:
+            continue
+        elif isinstance(v, str) and (v.strip() == '' or v == SECRET_MASK):
+            continue
+        else:
+            result[k] = v
+    return result
+
+
+def _contains_mask(value: Any) -> bool:
+    """True when a mask sentinel survives anywhere inside ``value``."""
+    if isinstance(value, dict):
+        return any(_contains_mask(v) for v in value.values())
+    if isinstance(value, list):
+        return any(_contains_mask(item) for item in value)
+    return value == SECRET_MASK

systemd/ledmatrix.service

@@ -8,6 +8,18 @@ Type=simple
 User=root
 WorkingDirectory=__PROJECT_ROOT_DIR__
 Environment=PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE=1
+# glibc gives each allocating thread its own malloc arena, up to 8 x CPU count,
+# and an arena that has grown is never handed back to the OS. This process runs
+# 9 threads on a 3-core Pi, so the ceiling is 24 arenas -- and a rig measured at
+# 1030 MB resident held 23 large anonymous mappings on 64 MB-aligned addresses,
+# 920 MB of them, while the live data it was actually holding (widest scroll
+# strip seen: 35,746 x 64) accounts for roughly 15 MB. That gap is arena bloat,
+# not leaked objects: RSS was flat across repeated sampling, not climbing.
+#
+# Capping the arenas trades a little allocator concurrency for a large amount of
+# resident memory on a device that has neither to spare. 2 is the usual value;
+# raise it if frame times regress.
+Environment=MALLOC_ARENA_MAX=2
 ExecStart=/usr/bin/python3 __PROJECT_ROOT_DIR__/run.py
 # Restart=always, not on-failure: run.py exiting 0 (a clean shutdown path taken
 # for a reason that no longer applies, e.g. a config reload) would otherwise leave

test/test_config_main_redacts_secrets.py

@@ -0,0 +1,143 @@
+"""GET /config/main must not hand out credentials.
+
+The endpoint returned the raw config to anyone who could reach the port, and
+this web interface has no authentication of any kind. Measured against a live
+rig, an unauthenticated request returned:
+
+    github.api_token                40 chars
+    incoming-packages.ha_token     183 chars
+    jellyfin-now-playing.api_key    32 chars
+    ledmatrix-weather.api_key       32 chars
+    on-air.mqtt_password             8 chars
+    youtube.api_key                 20 chars
+    youtube-stats.api_key           39 chars
+
+A GitHub token and a Home Assistant long-lived token among them.
+
+The x-secret masking the plugin config endpoints use does not apply here: this
+endpoint never consults a schema, and core keys such as github.api_token have
+no schema to carry the marker. Several of those fields *are* tagged x-secret in
+their plugin's schema and were still returned in full, which is what makes the
+schema route the wrong one to rely on for this endpoint.
+
+Matching on field name is blunt. For a whole-config dump it is the right
+default: anything named like a credential should not leave the process, and a
+new plugin that adds a differently-shaped secret is covered without anyone
+remembering to tag it.
+"""
+import pytest
+
+from web_interface.blueprints.api_v3 import (
+    _looks_like_a_credential,
+    _redact_credentials,
+)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("name", [
+    "password", "mqtt_password", "opensky_password", "passwd",
+    "api_key", "apikey", "API_KEY", "flightaware_api_key",
+    "token", "ha_token", "api_token", "access_token",
+    "secret", "client_secret", "spotify_client_secret",
+    "access_key", "private_key",
+])
+def test_credential_names_are_recognised(name):
+    assert _looks_like_a_credential(name)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("name", [
+    "timezone", "city", "brightness", "enabled", "update_interval",
+    "favorite_teams", "display_duration", "keyword",
+])
+def test_ordinary_names_are_left_alone(name):
+    assert not _looks_like_a_credential(name)
+
+
+def test_the_measured_leak_is_closed():
+    """The exact shape taken off the rig."""
+    config = {
+        "github": {"api_token": "ghp_" + "x" * 36},
+        "incoming-packages": {"ha_token": "y" * 183, "enabled": True},
+        "jellyfin-now-playing": {"api_key": "z" * 32},
+        "on-air": {"mqtt_password": "hunter22"},
+        "youtube": {"api_key": "k" * 20},
+        "timezone": "America/New_York",
+    }
+    out = _redact_credentials(config)
+    assert out["github"]["api_token"] == ""
+    assert out["incoming-packages"]["ha_token"] == ""
+    assert out["jellyfin-now-playing"]["api_key"] == ""
+    assert out["on-air"]["mqtt_password"] == ""
+    assert out["youtube"]["api_key"] == ""
+    # Everything else survives, or the config editor breaks.
+    assert out["timezone"] == "America/New_York"
+    assert out["incoming-packages"]["enabled"] is True
+
+
+def test_nested_and_listed_credentials_are_reached():
+    config = {"a": {"b": {"c": {"password": "p"}}},
+              "feeds": [{"name": "x", "api_key": "k"}, {"name": "y"}]}
+    out = _redact_credentials(config)
+    assert out["a"]["b"]["c"]["password"] == ""
+    assert out["feeds"][0]["api_key"] == ""
+    assert out["feeds"][0]["name"] == "x"
+
+
+def test_the_original_is_not_mutated():
+    """The caller holds the live config; redaction must not edit it in place."""
+    config = {"github": {"api_token": "keepme"}}
+    _redact_credentials(config)
+    assert config["github"]["api_token"] == "keepme"
+
+
+def test_a_credential_shaped_container_is_still_walked():
+    """`secrets: {...}` is a section name, not a value to blank."""
+    config = {"secrets": {"api_key": "k", "note": "keep"}}
+    out = _redact_credentials(config)
+    assert out["secrets"]["api_key"] == ""
+    assert out["secrets"]["note"] == "keep"
+
+
+def test_non_dict_input_passes_through():
+    assert _redact_credentials("plain") == "plain"
+    assert _redact_credentials(7) == 7
+    assert _redact_credentials(None) is None
+
+
+def test_the_endpoint_itself_redacts():
+    """Through the view function, not the helper.
+
+    The helper tests above all passed with the route still returning
+    `config` -- reverting the one line that calls the redactor changed
+    nothing, because nothing exercised the route. A property asserted on a
+    helper is not a property asserted on the endpoint, and it is the endpoint
+    that is exposed to the network.
+    """
+    import json as _json
+    from unittest.mock import MagicMock
+
+    import flask
+
+    from web_interface.blueprints import api_v3 as mod
+
+    raw = {"github": {"api_token": "ghp_secret_value"},
+           "timezone": "America/New_York"}
+
+    manager = MagicMock()
+    manager.load_config.return_value = raw
+    previous = getattr(mod.api_v3, "config_manager", None)
+    mod.api_v3.config_manager = manager
+
+    app = flask.Flask(__name__)
+    try:
+        with app.test_request_context("/config/main"):
+            response = mod.get_main_config()
+        payload = response.get_json() if hasattr(response, "get_json") else _json.loads(response[0].data)
+    finally:
+        mod.api_v3.config_manager = previous
+
+    data = payload["data"]
+    assert data["github"]["api_token"] == "", (
+        "the endpoint returned the token; the redactor is not wired in")
+    assert data["timezone"] == "America/New_York"
+    # And the config the manager handed over is untouched.
+    assert raw["github"]["api_token"] == "ghp_secret_value"

test/test_git_pull_resolution.py

@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ def repos(tmp_path):
 def test_branch_with_upstream_uses_a_plain_pull(repos):
     args, note, error = resolve_pull_command(str(repos))
     assert error is None
-    assert args == ['git', 'pull', '--rebase']
+    assert args == ['git', 'pull', '--rebase', '--autostash']
     assert note == ''
 
 
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ def test_branch_without_upstream_falls_back_to_origin_branch(repos):
 
     args, note, error = resolve_pull_command(str(repos))
     assert error is None
-    assert args == ['git', 'pull', '--rebase', 'origin', 'audit']
+    assert args == ['git', 'pull', '--rebase', '--autostash', 'origin', 'audit']
     assert 'audit' in note
 
 
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ def test_switching_attaches_tracking_so_pull_needs_no_fallback(repos):
 
     args, note, error = resolve_pull_command(str(repos))
     assert error is None
-    assert args == ['git', 'pull', '--rebase']
+    assert args == ['git', 'pull', '--rebase', '--autostash']
     assert note == ''
 
 
@@ -200,3 +200,44 @@ def test_stash_option_lets_the_switch_through_and_keeps_the_work(repos):
     assert _git('branch', '--show-current', cwd=repos).stdout.strip() == 'other'
     # The edit is not lost — it is on the stash.
     assert 'switch to other' in _git('stash', 'list', cwd=repos).stdout
+
+
+class TestInstallerDoesNotBlockTheUpdateButton:
+    """first_time_install.sh chmods scripts that git tracked as 644.
+
+    With core.fileMode true -- the default on Linux -- that leaves five
+    permanently modified tracked files on every machine that ran the
+    installer, and `git pull --rebase` refuses to start:
+
+        error: cannot pull with rebase: You have unstaged changes.
+
+    Tracking them as executable makes the installer's chmod a no-op.
+    """
+
+    CHMODDED = [
+        'first_time_install.sh',
+        'start_display.sh',
+        'stop_display.sh',
+        'scripts/install/install_service.sh',
+        'scripts/install/install_web_service.sh',
+    ]
+
+    def test_scripts_the_installer_chmods_are_tracked_executable(self):
+        import subprocess
+        from pathlib import Path
+        root = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
+        out = subprocess.run(['git', 'ls-files', '-s', *self.CHMODDED],
+                             capture_output=True, text=True, cwd=str(root)).stdout
+        modes = {line.split()[3]: line.split()[0] for line in out.strip().split('\n') if line}
+        # git ls-files says nothing about a path it does not track, so a
+        # renamed or deleted script would simply be absent here and the mode
+        # check below would pass over it silently.
+        untracked = sorted(set(self.CHMODDED) - set(modes))
+        assert not untracked, (
+            f"{untracked} are chmodded by the installer but not tracked by "
+            "git, so their mode cannot be asserted at all")
+        non_exec = sorted(f for f, m in modes.items() if m != '100755')
+        assert not non_exec, (
+            f"{non_exec} are chmodded by the installer but tracked non-executable, "
+            "so every install leaves the working tree dirty and the update "
+            "button cannot pull")

test/test_health_write_churn.py

@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+"""A healthy plugin must not rewrite its health record every cycle.
+
+Every successful plugin update called record_success(), which persisted the
+record unconditionally. In steady state the only fields that had changed were
+total_successes and last_success_time -- a counter and a timestamp that
+health_monitor reads for display and that nothing reads back after a restart.
+
+Measured on a rig running 24 plugins: about 17 health-file rewrites a minute,
+roughly 25,000 a day. Each is ~400 bytes, but they land on an SD card where
+the unit of cost is an erase-block cycle, not the byte count, and where wear is
+what eventually kills the card.
+
+The circuit breaker still needs its own state to survive a restart, so the
+write is kept for exactly the fields it is rebuilt from -- and a failure, a
+circuit opening, or a recovery must still be written the moment it happens.
+"""
+import time
+
+import copy
+
+import pytest
+
+from src.plugin_system.plugin_health import PluginHealthTracker, CircuitState
+
+
+class _Cache:
+    """Counts writes; serves back whatever was last written.
+
+    Both directions deep-copy, so this behaves like a real cache that
+    serialises through a file. Storing by reference let the tracker keep
+    mutating the object already in the store, so a record could appear to
+    have been persisted when no write ever happened -- which is precisely
+    what test_durable_state_survives_a_restart is supposed to detect.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.store = {}
+        self.writes = 0
+
+    def set(self, key, data, ttl=None, **kwargs):
+        self.writes += 1
+        self.store[key] = copy.deepcopy(data)
+
+    def get(self, key, max_age=None, memory_ttl=None, **kwargs):
+        return copy.deepcopy(self.store.get(key))
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def tracker():
+    cache = _Cache()
+    t = PluginHealthTracker(cache_manager=cache)
+    return t, cache
+
+
+def test_steady_state_success_stops_writing(tracker):
+    """The regression: 100 healthy cycles used to be 100 SD writes."""
+    t, cache = tracker
+    t.record_success("weather")
+    first = cache.writes
+    for _ in range(100):
+        t.record_success("weather")
+    assert cache.writes == first, (
+        f"{cache.writes - first} redundant writes across 100 healthy cycles"
+    )
+
+
+def test_the_counters_are_still_accurate_in_memory(tracker):
+    """Skipping the write must not skip the bookkeeping."""
+    t, _ = tracker
+    for _ in range(10):
+        t.record_success("weather")
+    state = t.get_health_state("weather")
+    assert state["total_successes"] == 10
+    assert state["last_success_time"] is not None
+    assert state["last_success_time"] <= time.time()
+
+
+def test_a_failure_is_written_immediately(tracker):
+    t, cache = tracker
+    t.record_success("weather")
+    before = cache.writes
+    t.record_failure("weather", RuntimeError("boom"))
+    assert cache.writes > before, "a failure must reach disk"
+
+
+def test_recovery_after_failure_is_written(tracker):
+    """consecutive_failures returning to 0 is durable state changing."""
+    t, cache = tracker
+    t.record_failure("weather", RuntimeError("boom"))
+    before = cache.writes
+    t.record_success("weather")
+    assert cache.writes > before, "recovery must reach disk"
+    assert t.get_health_state("weather")["consecutive_failures"] == 0
+
+
+def test_a_closing_circuit_is_written(tracker):
+    """Success in half-open closes the circuit -- that must survive a restart."""
+    t, cache = tracker
+    state = t.get_health_state("weather")
+    state["circuit_state"] = CircuitState.HALF_OPEN.value
+    state["half_open_start_time"] = time.time()
+    before = cache.writes
+    t.record_success("weather")
+    assert cache.writes > before, "a circuit transition must reach disk"
+    assert t.get_health_state("weather")["circuit_state"] == CircuitState.CLOSED.value
+
+
+def test_durable_state_survives_a_restart(tracker):
+    """What is skipped must genuinely not matter to the breaker."""
+    t, cache = tracker
+    for _ in range(3):
+        t.record_failure("weather", RuntimeError("boom"))
+    for _ in range(50):
+        t.record_success("weather")
+
+    revived = PluginHealthTracker(cache_manager=cache)
+    state = revived.get_health_state("weather")
+    assert state["consecutive_failures"] == 0
+    assert state["circuit_state"] == CircuitState.CLOSED.value

test/test_journald_log_priority.py

@@ -0,0 +1,137 @@
+"""Log lines must reach the journal with their real severity.
+
+Everything this process writes to stdout lands in the journal as PRIORITY=6,
+whatever the Python level was, because journald has no other signal. Measured
+on a live rig over 24 hours: 55 lines containing " - ERROR - " and 13
+containing " - WARNING - ", every one of them recorded as informational. So
+
+    journalctl -p err -u ledmatrix
+
+returned nothing while errors were being logged, and anyone triaging has to
+grep the message text instead. That is slower and it is wrong: a search for
+"oom" also matches the radar logging "zoom=9", which is exactly the false
+positive it produced during this audit.
+
+systemd reads a leading "<N>" on each stdout line and uses it as the priority
+(sd-daemon(3)), so this needs no extra dependency -- and it must only be
+applied when systemd is actually reading, or the prefixes become literal noise
+in a terminal, the emulator, and test output.
+"""
+import logging
+import os
+import sys
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+import pytest
+
+from src.logging_config import JournalPriorityFormatter, _SYSLOG_PRIORITY, _under_systemd
+
+
+class _Plain(logging.Formatter):
+    def format(self, record):
+        return record.getMessage()
+
+
+def _record(level, msg="hello"):
+    return logging.LogRecord("t", level, "f.py", 1, msg, None, None)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("level,expected", [
+    (logging.CRITICAL, 2),
+    (logging.ERROR, 3),
+    (logging.WARNING, 4),
+    (logging.INFO, 6),
+    (logging.DEBUG, 7),
+])
+def test_each_level_maps_to_its_syslog_priority(level, expected):
+    out = JournalPriorityFormatter(_Plain()).format(_record(level))
+    assert out.startswith(f"<{expected}>"), out
+    assert _SYSLOG_PRIORITY[level] == expected
+
+
+def test_error_and_info_are_distinguishable():
+    """The whole point: journalctl -p err must be able to tell them apart."""
+    fmt = JournalPriorityFormatter(_Plain())
+    assert fmt.format(_record(logging.ERROR))[:3] != fmt.format(_record(logging.INFO))[:3]
+
+
+def test_every_line_of_a_multiline_record_is_tagged():
+    """The journal splits them, and an untagged continuation loses its level.
+
+    A traceback is the case that matters -- it is the most important thing in
+    the log and the longest.
+    """
+    out = JournalPriorityFormatter(_Plain()).format(
+        _record(logging.ERROR, "Traceback:\nline one\nline two"))
+    lines = out.split("\n")
+    assert len(lines) == 3
+    assert all(line.startswith("<3>") for line in lines), lines
+
+
+def test_the_message_survives_intact():
+    out = JournalPriorityFormatter(_Plain()).format(_record(logging.WARNING, "disk full"))
+    assert out == "<4>disk full"
+
+
+def test_an_unknown_level_falls_back_to_info():
+    out = JournalPriorityFormatter(_Plain()).format(_record(25))
+    assert out.startswith("<6>")
+
+
+def _stdout_ids():
+    """The dev:ino systemd would publish for this process's stdout."""
+    st = os.fstat(sys.stdout.fileno())
+    return f"{st.st_dev}:{st.st_ino}"
+
+
+def test_prefixing_is_off_outside_systemd():
+    """Otherwise a terminal run, the emulator and pytest all show `<6>`."""
+    with patch.dict(os.environ, {}, clear=True):
+        assert not _under_systemd()
+    with patch.dict(os.environ, {"JOURNAL_STREAM": _stdout_ids()}):
+        assert _under_systemd()
+
+
+def test_an_inherited_journal_stream_does_not_count():
+    """The variable outlives the descriptor it describes.
+
+    systemd sets JOURNAL_STREAM for the service, and every child inherits it
+    -- including one whose stdout has been redirected to a pipe or a file.
+    Trusting the variable alone put literal "<6>" prefixes into that captured
+    output. Only a descriptor whose dev:ino actually matches is the journal.
+    """
+    with patch.dict(os.environ, {"JOURNAL_STREAM": "8:12345"}):
+        assert not _under_systemd(), \
+            "a stale inherited JOURNAL_STREAM was treated as the journal"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("value", ["", "not-a-pair", "8", "8:", ":12345",
+                                   "eight:12345", "8:12345:9"])
+def test_a_malformed_journal_stream_is_not_the_journal(value):
+    with patch.dict(os.environ, {"JOURNAL_STREAM": value}):
+        assert not _under_systemd()
+
+
+def test_a_closed_stdout_is_not_the_journal():
+    """os.fstat raises rather than answers; that must not propagate."""
+    with patch.dict(os.environ, {"JOURNAL_STREAM": "8:12345"}), \
+            patch("src.logging_config.sys.stdout") as fake_stdout:
+        fake_stdout.fileno.side_effect = ValueError("I/O operation on closed file")
+        assert not _under_systemd()
+
+
+def test_setup_uses_the_wrapper_only_under_systemd():
+    from src.logging_config import setup_logging
+
+    for env, expect_wrapped in (({}, False),
+                                ({"JOURNAL_STREAM": _stdout_ids()}, True)):
+        with patch.dict(os.environ, env, clear=True):
+            setup_logging()
+            handlers = [h for h in logging.getLogger().handlers
+                        if isinstance(h, logging.StreamHandler)]
+            assert handlers, "no stream handler installed"
+            wrapped = any(isinstance(h.formatter, JournalPriorityFormatter)
+                          for h in handlers)
+            assert wrapped is expect_wrapped, (
+                f"JOURNAL_STREAM={env}: wrapped={wrapped}, expected {expect_wrapped}")
+    logging.getLogger().handlers.clear()

test/test_logging_config.py

@@ -183,15 +183,27 @@ class TestSetupLogging:
         setup_logging()
         assert len(logging.getLogger().handlers) == 1
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _selected_formatter():
+        """The formatter setup_logging() chose, past any journald wrapper.
+
+        Under systemd the console handler's formatter is wrapped so each line
+        carries its syslog priority. That wrapper is applied only when
+        JOURNAL_STREAM is set, which is true in CI and false in a terminal, so
+        asserting on the handler's formatter directly passes locally and fails
+        on the runner. These tests are about which formatter format_type
+        selects, so they look through the wrapper.
+        """
+        formatter = logging.getLogger().handlers[0].formatter
+        return getattr(formatter, "inner", formatter)
+
     def test_json_format_selects_structured_formatter(self):
         setup_logging(format_type="json")
-        assert isinstance(
-            logging.getLogger().handlers[0].formatter, StructuredFormatter)
+        assert isinstance(self._selected_formatter(), StructuredFormatter)
 
     def test_readable_format_selects_contextual_formatter(self):
         setup_logging(format_type="readable")
-        assert isinstance(
-            logging.getLogger().handlers[0].formatter, ContextualFormatter)
+        assert isinstance(self._selected_formatter(), ContextualFormatter)
 
     def test_log_file_adds_file_handler(self, tmp_path):
         log_file = tmp_path / "test.log"

test/test_metrics_cache_unknown_fields.py

@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+"""A malformed metrics cache entry must not take every plugin down with it.
+
+`ResourceMetrics(**cached)` raises TypeError on a single unexpected key, and
+that exception escapes into plugin_manager, which reports it per plugin as
+"plugin <id> operation failed". Every plugin fails and the plugin system never
+finishes initialising -- the health endpoint reports
+`plugin_system: not_initialized` while the display itself keeps running.
+
+Seen on a live rig, once per plugin, continuously:
+
+    ERROR - src.plugin_system.plugin_manager - plugin geochron operation failed:
+    ResourceMetrics.__init__() got an unexpected keyword argument
+    'consecutive_failures'
+
+`consecutive_failures` belongs to plugin_health, not to metrics. How a
+health-shaped record came to sit under a plugin_metrics key on that machine is
+not established -- a restored backup that mixed two machines' caches is the
+likeliest explanation, and the same rig had one restored onto it -- but a
+loader that turns one bad cache entry into a total outage is the part worth
+fixing. plugin_health already repairs its own records field by field rather
+than trusting what is on disk.
+"""
+import logging
+from dataclasses import fields
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock
+
+import pytest
+
+from src.plugin_system.resource_monitor import PluginResourceMonitor, ResourceMetrics
+
+
+class _Cache:
+    def __init__(self, payload=None):
+        self.payload = payload
+
+    def get(self, key, max_age=None, memory_ttl=None, **kwargs):
+        return self.payload
+
+    def set(self, key, data, ttl=None, **kwargs):
+        pass
+
+
+def _monitor(payload):
+    m = PluginResourceMonitor(cache_manager=_Cache(payload))
+    m.logger = logging.getLogger("test")
+    return m
+
+
+#: What the rig actually had under the metrics key.
+HEALTH_SHAPED = {
+    "consecutive_failures": 0, "circuit_state": "closed",
+    "circuit_opened_time": None, "half_open_start_time": None,
+    "last_error": None, "last_failure_time": None,
+    "last_success_time": 1_700_000_000.0, "total_failures": 0,
+    "total_successes": 42,
+}
+
+
+def test_a_health_record_under_the_metrics_key_does_not_raise():
+    """The exact failure: it must degrade, not take the plugin system down."""
+    monitor = _monitor(HEALTH_SHAPED)
+    metrics = monitor.get_metrics(" plugin-a".strip())
+    assert isinstance(metrics, ResourceMetrics)
+
+
+def test_recognised_fields_in_a_mixed_record_are_kept():
+    """Dropping the record wholesale would lose real history unnecessarily."""
+    mixed = dict(HEALTH_SHAPED, call_count=7, memory_mb=12.5)
+    metrics = _monitor(mixed).get_metrics("plugin-b")
+    assert metrics.call_count == 7
+    assert metrics.memory_mb == 12.5
+
+
+def test_a_clean_record_still_loads_unchanged():
+    clean = {f.name: 3 for f in fields(ResourceMetrics)}
+    metrics = _monitor(clean).get_metrics("plugin-c")
+    for name in (f.name for f in fields(ResourceMetrics)):
+        assert getattr(metrics, name) == 3
+
+
+def test_unknown_fields_are_named_in_the_log(caplog):
+    """Silently discarding them would hide a real schema change."""
+    with caplog.at_level(logging.WARNING):
+        _monitor(HEALTH_SHAPED).get_metrics("plugin-d")
+    # getMessage(), not .message: the latter is only populated once a handler
+    # formats the record, so the obvious spelling silently never matches.
+    assert any("consecutive_failures" in r.getMessage() for r in caplog.records), \
+        caplog.text
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("payload", ["a string", 42, ["a", "list"]])
+def test_a_non_mapping_cache_entry_does_not_raise(payload):
+    metrics = _monitor(payload).get_metrics("plugin-e")
+    assert isinstance(metrics, ResourceMetrics)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("bad", [
+    {"call_count": "not a number"},
+    {"memory_mb": None},
+    {"execution_time": {"nested": "junk"}},
+    {"min_execution_time": ["a", "list"]},
+])
+def test_values_of_the_wrong_type_fall_back_to_usable_defaults(bad):
+    """isinstance() alone was not enough.
+
+    A dataclass does not enforce its annotations, so the bad value was simply
+    stored and the old assertion passed -- then monitor_call() raised
+    "can only concatenate str (not \"int\") to str" on the next call. The
+    metrics must come back *usable*, not merely constructed.
+    """
+    monitor = _monitor(bad)
+    metrics = monitor.get_metrics("plugin-f")
+    assert isinstance(metrics, ResourceMetrics)
+
+    field_name = next(iter(bad))
+    assert isinstance(getattr(metrics, field_name), (int, float)), \
+        f"{field_name} came back as {getattr(metrics, field_name)!r}"
+
+    # The real proof: arithmetic on the loaded metrics must not explode.
+    metrics.call_count += 1
+    metrics.total_execution_time += 0.5
+    metrics.update_average_execution_time()
+
+
+def test_a_numeric_string_is_accepted_rather_than_discarded():
+    """JSON round-trips can widen an int to a string; that is recoverable."""
+    metrics = _monitor({"call_count": "7"}).get_metrics("plugin-g")
+    assert metrics.call_count == 7

test/test_resource_monitor.py

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ Focus areas:
 import time
 
 import pytest
-from unittest.mock import MagicMock
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
 
 from src.plugin_system.resource_monitor import (
     PluginResourceMonitor,
@@ -127,3 +127,87 @@ class TestForceReload:
         fresh = mon.get_metrics_summary("p", force_reload=True)
         assert fresh["call_count"] == 7
         assert any(c.kwargs.get("memory_ttl") == 0 for c in cache.get.call_args_list)
+
+
+class TestMetricsPersistenceChurn:
+    """Metrics are telemetry; writing them on every call wore the SD card.
+
+    Each write is a ~350-byte file, which on ext4 costs a 4KB block plus a
+    journal entry. At roughly nine calls a minute per plugin across fourteen
+    plugins it dominated the device's write volume.
+    """
+
+    def test_the_first_snapshot_is_written_even_seconds_after_boot(self):
+        """The throttle must key off "have we written?", not process uptime.
+
+        time.monotonic() is time since boot on Linux, and systemd starts this
+        service at boot. With 0.0 as the missing-timestamp default,
+        `now - 0.0 < 30` was true for the first half-minute of every run, so
+        the very first metrics write -- the one that matters most after a
+        restart -- was silently skipped.
+        """
+        import src.plugin_system.resource_monitor as rm
+        cache = _cache()
+        mon = PluginResourceMonitor(cache, enable_monitoring=False)
+        # 12 seconds after boot: inside the interval, but nothing written yet.
+        with patch.object(rm.time, "monotonic", return_value=12.0):
+            mon.monitor_call("p", lambda: None)
+        writes = [c for c in cache.set.call_args_list
+                  if "plugin_metrics:" in str(c)]
+        assert writes, \
+            "the first snapshot was dropped because the process was young"
+
+    def test_repeated_calls_persist_once_per_interval(self):
+        cache = _cache()
+        mon = PluginResourceMonitor(cache, enable_monitoring=False)
+        for _ in range(50):
+            mon.monitor_call("p", lambda: None)
+        writes = [c for c in cache.set.call_args_list
+                  if c.args and str(c.args[0]).startswith("plugin_metrics:")]
+        assert len(writes) == 1, (
+            f"50 calls produced {len(writes)} metric writes; expected 1")
+
+    def test_the_interval_elapsing_allows_the_next_write(self, monkeypatch):
+        import src.plugin_system.resource_monitor as rm
+        cache = _cache()
+        mon = PluginResourceMonitor(cache, enable_monitoring=False)
+        mon.monitor_call("p", lambda: None)
+        # pretend the interval has passed
+        mon._metrics_persisted_at["p"] -= rm._METRICS_PERSIST_INTERVAL + 1
+        mon.monitor_call("p", lambda: None)
+        writes = [c for c in cache.set.call_args_list
+                  if c.args and str(c.args[0]).startswith("plugin_metrics:")]
+        assert len(writes) == 2
+
+    def test_in_memory_metrics_stay_exact_while_writes_are_skipped(self):
+        mon = PluginResourceMonitor(_cache(), enable_monitoring=False)
+        for _ in range(20):
+            mon.monitor_call("p", lambda: None)
+        assert mon.get_metrics("p").call_count == 20
+
+    def test_reset_lets_the_next_call_persist_immediately(self):
+        cache = _cache()
+        mon = PluginResourceMonitor(cache, enable_monitoring=False)
+        mon.monitor_call("p", lambda: None)
+        mon.reset_metrics("p")
+        mon.monitor_call("p", lambda: None)
+        writes = [c for c in cache.set.call_args_list
+                  if c.args and str(c.args[0]).startswith("plugin_metrics:")]
+        assert len(writes) == 2, "reset should clear the throttle timestamp"
+
+    def test_a_failed_write_does_not_buy_the_next_interval_of_silence(self):
+        """A set() that raises must not count as having persisted.
+
+        Marking the timestamp before the write would leave no snapshot in the
+        cache and still suppress the next 30 seconds of attempts.
+        """
+        cache = _cache()
+        cache.set.side_effect = [OSError("disk full"), None]
+        mon = PluginResourceMonitor(cache, enable_monitoring=False)
+        with pytest.raises(OSError):
+            mon.monitor_call("p", lambda: None)
+        # the very next call must try again rather than skip the interval
+        mon.monitor_call("p", lambda: None)
+        writes = [c for c in cache.set.call_args_list
+                  if c.args and str(c.args[0]).startswith("plugin_metrics:")]
+        assert len(writes) == 2, "a failed write should be retried, not skipped"

test/test_sudo_allowlist_covers_calls.py

@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+"""The captive portal's fixed-argument sudo calls must be granted.
+
+The installers write two allow-lists, /etc/sudoers.d/ledmatrix_web and
+ledmatrix_wifi. A sudo call absent from both needs a password, which a service
+cannot supply, so it fails.
+
+Four such calls were ungranted, all of them captive-portal teardown/setup:
+
+    sysctl -w net.ipv4.ip_forward=0|1     wifi_manager.py:788, 883
+    nft add|delete table ip ledmatrix     wifi_manager.py:835, 895
+    rfkill unblock wifi                   wifi_manager.py:1811
+    mkdir -p .../dnsmasq-shared.d         wifi_manager.py:922
+
+It goes unnoticed because a stock Raspberry Pi image ships
+/etc/sudoers.d/010_pi-nopasswd granting the default user
+`ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: ALL`, which satisfies every gap in both files. It only
+bites once that blanket rule is removed or the service runs as another user.
+
+Scope, deliberately narrow: this pins the four commands above, each of which
+can be written out literally. The portal makes further sudo calls whose
+arguments are built at runtime -- iptables and nft rules carrying an interface
+name and a port, `ip addr`, `ip link` -- and those cannot be granted safely
+here. A rule covering them needs a trailing wildcard, and
+`iptables --modprobe=/path/to/anything` runs that path as root, so
+`NOPASSWD: iptables *` is a root shell for the web user by another name.
+Closing that half needs a privileged helper that builds the rules itself and
+takes only an interface and a port, granted the way safe_plugin_rm.sh already
+is. That is a design decision, not a one-line grant, and belongs in its own
+change.
+"""
+import re
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
+INSTALLERS = (
+    ROOT / "first_time_install.sh",
+    ROOT / "scripts" / "install" / "configure_wifi_permissions.sh",
+)
+
+#: Commands this change grants, each fully literal in the source.
+REQUIRED = (
+    ("sysctl", "-w", "net.ipv4.ip_forward=0"),
+    ("sysctl", "-w", "net.ipv4.ip_forward=1"),
+    ("nft", "add", "table", "ip", "ledmatrix"),
+    ("nft", "delete", "table", "ip", "ledmatrix"),
+    ("rfkill", "unblock", "wifi"),
+    ("mkdir", "-p", "/etc/NetworkManager/dnsmasq-shared.d"),
+)
+
+#: Tools with an option that executes a program of the caller's choosing.
+#: A trailing wildcard on any of these is a privilege escalation.
+EXEC_CAPABLE = ("iptables", "ip6tables", "nft", "tcpdump", "find", "awk",
+                "sed", "perl", "python", "python3", "env")
+
+
+def _grant_lines():
+    lines = []
+    for installer in INSTALLERS:
+        if not installer.is_file():
+            continue
+        for line in installer.read_text(encoding="utf-8", errors="replace").splitlines():
+            if "NOPASSWD:" in line:
+                lines.append(line.split("NOPASSWD:", 1)[1])
+    return lines
+
+
+def _normalise(rule):
+    """One rule with binary-path variables reduced to bare tool names.
+
+    Rules are written as `$SYSCTL_PATH -w ...` or `${NFT_PATH} ...`, so
+    matching the literal "sysctl" finds nothing and every rule looks absent --
+    which is exactly how an earlier version of this test reported six gaps
+    that did not exist. Both spellings are handled: shell expands them
+    identically, and a check that understood only one silently skipped the
+    other.
+    """
+    rule = re.sub(r"\$\{?([A-Z][A-Z0-9_]*)_PATH\}?",
+                  lambda m: m.group(1).lower(), rule)
+    return re.sub(r"/usr/(?:s?bin)/", "", rule)
+
+
+def _granted_commands():
+    """The command each NOPASSWD rule actually grants, normalised.
+
+    _grant_lines() already returns everything after "NOPASSWD:", so what
+    arrives here is the command, possibly preceded by the NOEXEC tag and
+    possibly still carrying the closing quote of an `echo "..."` that wrote
+    it. Both are stripped so the result is comparable to a plain command.
+    """
+    commands = []
+    for rule in _grant_lines():
+        command = _normalise(rule).strip()
+        command = re.sub(r"^NOEXEC:\s*", "", command)
+        command = command.rstrip('"').rstrip("'").strip()
+        if command:
+            commands.append(" ".join(command.split()))
+    return commands
+
+
+def test_the_installers_are_present():
+    missing = [str(p.relative_to(ROOT)) for p in INSTALLERS if not p.is_file()]
+    assert not missing, f"installer(s) missing: {missing}"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("command", REQUIRED, ids=lambda c: " ".join(c))
+def test_the_command_is_granted(command):
+    """Whole command, not just the binary.
+
+    Checking only the binary made this far weaker than it looked: with
+    `sysctl` present anywhere, deleting the ip_forward=0 grant still passed,
+    and the portal would then be unable to restore forwarding on teardown.
+    """
+    wanted = " ".join(command)
+    granted = _granted_commands()
+    # Exact match, not a prefix. A substring search was satisfied by
+    # `sysctl -w net.ipv4.ip_forward=0 *`, and that trailing wildcard lets the
+    # caller append whatever they like to a command running as root -- a far
+    # wider grant than the one this test is meant to be confirming.
+    assert wanted in granted, (
+        f"no installer grants exactly `{wanted}`; closest matches: "
+        + str([g for g in granted if g.startswith(command[0])])[:200])
+
+
+def test_no_wildcard_on_a_tool_that_can_exec():
+    """`NOPASSWD: iptables *` hands the web user root.
+
+    iptables --modprobe=/path runs that path as root. This caught a grant added
+    in this very change, which is why it is here.
+    """
+    offenders = []
+    for rule in _grant_lines():
+        rule = rule.strip()
+        if not rule.endswith("*"):
+            continue
+        # Normalised the same way as everything else: `${NFT_PATH} *` left a
+        # brace before the tool name, and the word-boundary check below does
+        # not treat "{" as a boundary, so that spelling slipped through.
+        haystack = _normalise(rule).lower()
+        for tool in EXEC_CAPABLE:
+            if re.search(rf"(^|/|\s|\$){tool}(\s|$)", haystack):
+                offenders.append(rule)
+                break
+    assert not offenders, (
+        "wildcard grant on a tool that can execute another program:\n  "
+        + "\n  ".join(offenders))

test/test_sudoers_noexec_on_pagers.py

@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@ ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
 INSTALLERS = (
     ROOT / "first_time_install.sh",
     ROOT / "scripts" / "install" / "configure_wifi_permissions.sh",
+    # Writes the same journalctl grants as first_time_install.sh. It was
+    # missing here, and because of that this suite passed while three
+    # ungranted wildcard rules sat in it.
+    ROOT / "scripts" / "install" / "configure_web_sudo.sh",
 )
 
 #: Commands that will start another program of their own accord -- a pager, an
@@ -44,8 +48,14 @@ def _grant_lines():
             continue
         for line in installer.read_text(encoding="utf-8", errors="replace").splitlines():
             stripped = line.strip()
-            if "NOPASSWD" in stripped and not stripped.startswith("#"):
-                lines.append(stripped)
+            if "NOPASSWD" not in stripped or stripped.startswith("#"):
+                continue
+            # Installers emit rules two ways: written literally into a heredoc,
+            # or echoed into a file. An echoed rule ends in a quote, so the
+            # trailing-wildcard check below would skip it and the rule would
+            # never be examined at all.
+            echoed = re.fullmatch(r"""echo\s+(['"])(.*)\1""", stripped)
+            lines.append(echoed.group(2) if echoed else stripped)
     return lines
 
 
@@ -78,10 +88,12 @@ def test_journalctl_is_granted_at_all():
         "no journalctl grant remains; the web interface reads logs through it")
 
 
-@pytest.mark.parametrize("unit", ["ledmatrix.service", "ledmatrix"])
-def test_each_journalctl_rule_is_tagged(unit):
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("selector", ["-u ledmatrix.service", "-u ledmatrix",
+                                      "-t ledmatrix"])
+def test_each_journalctl_rule_is_tagged(selector):
+    """Every selector, so removing one cannot pass by the others' presence."""
     matching = [r for r in _grant_lines()
-                if "JOURNALCTL_PATH" in r and f"-u {unit} " in r]
-    assert matching, f"no journalctl rule for -u {unit}"
+                if "JOURNALCTL_PATH" in r and f"{selector} " in r]
+    assert matching, f"no journalctl rule for {selector}"
     untagged = [r for r in matching if "NOEXEC" not in r]
     assert not untagged, f"untagged journalctl rule(s): {untagged}"

test/test_systemd_malloc_arenas.py

@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+"""The display unit must cap glibc's malloc arenas.
+
+glibc hands each allocating thread its own malloc arena, up to 8 x CPU count,
+and an arena that has grown is never returned to the OS. This process runs
+threads for the render loop, the update workers and the background fetchers, so
+on a 3-core Pi the ceiling is 24 arenas.
+
+Measured on a live rig, 2.5 hours in:
+
+    RSS                 1030 MB
+    Private_Dirty        988 MB
+    anonymous mappings > 10 MB     23     (ceiling is 8 x 3 = 24)
+    largest few          104, 79, 66, 63, 63 MB, on 64 MB-aligned addresses
+
+against live data that accounts for perhaps 15 MB -- the widest scroll strip
+observed was 35,746 x 64, about 7 MB as RGB and the same again for its numpy
+mirror. Repeated sampling showed RSS flat between 990 and 1030 MB rather than
+climbing, so this is arena bloat rather than a leak: memory Python has freed
+but glibc is holding per-arena.
+
+The device had 59 MB free at the time.
+
+Capping the arena count trades a little allocator concurrency for that resident
+memory. The render loop is latency-sensitive, so if p99 frame time regresses the
+right response is to raise this rather than remove it.
+"""
+import re
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+UNIT = (Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent / "systemd" / "ledmatrix.service")
+
+#: The value the unit is expected to carry. 2 is the usual choice for a
+#: threaded Python process; 1-4 all keep some of the saving, but only one of
+#: them is what this project ships.
+EXPECTED_ARENA_MAX = 2
+
+
+def _environment(unit_text):
+    return dict(
+        line.split("=", 2)[1:3] if line.count("=") >= 2 else (line.split("=", 1)[1], "")
+        for line in unit_text.splitlines()
+        if line.startswith("Environment=")
+    )
+
+
+def test_the_unit_exists():
+    assert UNIT.is_file(), f"{UNIT} is missing"
+
+
+def test_malloc_arena_max_is_capped():
+    env = _environment(UNIT.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+    assert "MALLOC_ARENA_MAX" in env, (
+        "the display unit does not cap glibc arenas; on a 3-core Pi the default "
+        "ceiling is 24 and a measured rig held 23 of them, 920 MB"
+    )
+    value = int(env["MALLOC_ARENA_MAX"])
+    # Pinned, not a range. A range let a change to 4 -- which hands most of the
+    # saving back -- pass unnoticed, which was the point of the finding that
+    # prompted this. Raising it is a legitimate response to a frame-time
+    # regression, but it should be a visible edit here rather than a silent
+    # drift, so the number lives in one place and changing it shows up in
+    # review.
+    assert value == EXPECTED_ARENA_MAX, (
+        f"MALLOC_ARENA_MAX={value}, expected {EXPECTED_ARENA_MAX}. If this was "
+        "raised deliberately because frame times regressed, update "
+        "EXPECTED_ARENA_MAX here and say so in the commit."
+    )
+
+
+def test_the_reason_is_recorded_next_to_it():
+    """A bare tuning knob invites removal by whoever meets it next."""
+    text = UNIT.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    index = text.index("Environment=MALLOC_ARENA_MAX")
+    preamble = text[:index].splitlines()[-12:]
+    comment = "\n".join(line for line in preamble if line.startswith("#"))
+    assert "arena" in comment.lower(), "no explanation precedes the setting"
+    assert re.search(r"\d", comment), (
+        "the explanation cites no measurement, so a reader cannot tell whether "
+        "it still applies to their hardware"
+    )
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("unit", ["ledmatrix.service"])
+def test_the_unit_still_parses_as_ini(unit):
+    """systemd will refuse a malformed unit, and the panel stays dark."""
+    import configparser
+
+    path = UNIT.parent / unit
+    parser = configparser.ConfigParser(strict=False)
+    # systemd allows repeated keys; ConfigParser needs them merged, not rejected.
+    parser.read_string(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+    assert parser.has_section("Service")
+    assert parser.has_option("Service", "ExecStart")

test/test_systemd_unit_drift.py

@@ -0,0 +1,152 @@
+"""An installed unit that no longer matches the repo's must be reported.
+
+Nothing re-applies systemd units after the first install. `git pull` -- what
+the web UI's update button runs -- brings a new template into the checkout, but
+no code in web_interface/ or src/ copies it to /etc/systemd/system or runs
+`systemctl daemon-reload`. The unit that actually runs is whatever
+first_time_install.sh wrote on day one.
+
+So every hardening added to a unit is inert on existing installs. Measured on a
+live rig: the installed unit was dated 2026-08-06 and the repo's 2026-08-19,
+and they differed -- with the result that a MemoryMax=85% present in the repo's
+template was not being enforced at all. `systemctl show` reported
+MemoryMax=infinity.
+
+This is a warning, not an error, and deliberately not a silent rewrite:
+editing files under /etc and restarting services is the installer's job, not
+something a display process should do to a machine while it boots.
+"""
+import logging
+from pathlib import Path
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock
+
+import pytest
+
+from src.startup_validator import StartupValidator
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def validator():
+    v = StartupValidator(config_manager=MagicMock())
+    v.logger = logging.getLogger("test")
+    v.warnings = []
+    v.errors = []
+    return v
+
+
+def test_a_matching_unit_produces_no_warning(validator, tmp_path):
+    """The installed unit, substituted exactly as the installer would."""
+    project_root = Path("src/startup_validator.py").resolve().parent.parent
+    template_rel = "systemd/ledmatrix.service"
+    template = project_root / template_rel
+    if not template.is_file():
+        pytest.skip("repo unit template not present")
+
+    installed = tmp_path / "ledmatrix.service"
+    installed.write_text(
+        template.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        .replace("__PROJECT_ROOT_DIR__", str(project_root))
+        .replace("__USER__", "root"),
+        encoding="utf-8")
+
+    validator._UNITS = ((template_rel, str(installed)),)
+    validator._validate_systemd_units()
+    assert not validator.warnings, f"a matching unit warned: {validator.warnings}"
+    assert not validator.errors
+
+
+def test_comments_and_blank_lines_are_not_drift():
+    """Otherwise every comment the repo adds would look like a changed unit."""
+    a = "[Service]\n# explains a setting\nExecStart=/x\nRestart=always\n"
+    b = "[Service]\nExecStart=/x\n\nRestart=always\n"
+    assert StartupValidator._unit_body(a) == StartupValidator._unit_body(b)
+
+
+def test_a_changed_directive_is_drift():
+    a = "[Service]\nExecStart=/x\nMemoryMax=85%\n"
+    b = "[Service]\nExecStart=/x\n"
+    assert StartupValidator._unit_body(a) != StartupValidator._unit_body(b)
+
+
+def test_reordered_directives_are_drift():
+    """Order is not noise in a systemd unit.
+
+    Repeated directives -- ExecStartPre=, ExecStartPost= -- run in the order
+    they appear, and a directive that moves between [Unit], [Service] and
+    [Install] means something different, or nothing, where it lands. This
+    check used to sort the lines before comparing, which reported no drift for
+    a unit that had genuinely changed.
+    """
+    a = "[Service]\nExecStartPre=/first\nExecStartPre=/second\n"
+    b = "[Service]\nExecStartPre=/second\nExecStartPre=/first\n"
+    assert StartupValidator._unit_body(a) != StartupValidator._unit_body(b), (
+        "swapping two ExecStartPre= lines changes what runs first, and was "
+        "being normalised away")
+
+
+def test_a_directive_moved_between_sections_is_drift():
+    a = "[Unit]\nDescription=x\n[Service]\nExecStart=/x\n"
+    b = "[Unit]\nDescription=x\nExecStart=/x\n[Service]\n"
+    assert StartupValidator._unit_body(a) != StartupValidator._unit_body(b), (
+        "ExecStart= in [Unit] is not the same unit, and sorting hid it")
+
+
+def test_cosmetic_differences_do_not_warn(validator, tmp_path):
+    """Through the real comparison, not the helper.
+
+    The repo's template carries explanatory comments the installed copy may not
+    have, and the installer does not preserve ordering or blank lines. If those
+    counted as drift, every boot would warn and the warning would be ignored.
+    Asserting this on _unit_body alone would not catch a comparison that stopped
+    calling it -- which is exactly what a careless edit does.
+    """
+    project_root = Path("src/startup_validator.py").resolve().parent.parent
+    template_rel = "systemd/ledmatrix.service"
+    template = project_root / template_rel
+    if not template.is_file():
+        pytest.skip("repo unit template not present")
+
+    substituted = (template.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+                   .replace("__PROJECT_ROOT_DIR__", str(project_root))
+                   .replace("__USER__", "root"))
+    # Cosmetic means comments, blank lines and stray indentation -- the things
+    # the installer really does drop. Not reordering: that changes the unit,
+    # and is asserted as drift above.
+    directives = [line.strip() for line in substituted.splitlines()
+                  if line.strip() and not line.strip().startswith("#")]
+    installed = tmp_path / "ledmatrix.service"
+    installed.write_text(
+        "\n\n".join("   " + d for d in directives) + "\n", encoding="utf-8")
+
+    validator._UNITS = ((template_rel, str(installed)),)
+    validator._validate_systemd_units()
+    assert not validator.warnings, (
+        f"cosmetic-only difference reported as drift: {validator.warnings}")
+
+
+def test_drift_is_reported_as_a_warning(validator, tmp_path):
+    """The whole point: a real difference must surface, and only as a warning."""
+    installed = tmp_path / "ledmatrix.service"
+    installed.write_text("[Service]\nExecStart=/usr/bin/python3 /x/run.py\n")
+
+    project_root = Path("src/startup_validator.py").resolve().parent.parent
+    template_rel = "systemd/ledmatrix.service"
+    template = project_root / template_rel
+    if not template.is_file():
+        pytest.skip("repo unit template not present")
+
+    validator._UNITS = ((template_rel, str(installed)),)
+    validator._validate_systemd_units()
+
+    assert validator.warnings, "a differing unit produced no warning"
+    assert "install_service.sh" in validator.warnings[0], (
+        "the warning does not tell the user how to fix it")
+    assert not validator.errors, "drift must not be fatal at startup"
+
+
+def test_a_missing_installed_unit_is_silent(validator, tmp_path):
+    """Development checkouts have no /etc/systemd unit; that is not drift."""
+    validator._UNITS = (("systemd/ledmatrix.service", str(tmp_path / "absent.service")),)
+    validator._validate_systemd_units()
+    assert not validator.warnings
+    assert not validator.errors

test/test_update_check_reports_failure.py

@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+"""A check that could not run must not be reported as "up to date".
+
+check-update returned update_available=False whenever git failed. The banner
+is the only route to the update button, so a checkout git refuses to touch
+looked exactly like a current one -- permanently, and with nothing for the
+user to act on. The usual cause is an install performed as root, after which
+every git command fails with "detected dubious ownership".
+"""
+import subprocess
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+import pytest
+from flask import Flask
+
+sys.path.insert(0, str(Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent))
+
+from web_interface.blueprints import api_v3 as mod  # noqa: E402
+from web_interface.blueprints.api_v3 import api_v3  # noqa: E402
+
+DUBIOUS = ("fatal: detected dubious ownership in repository at "
+           "'/home/pi/LEDMatrix'\nTo add an exception for this directory, call:\n"
+           "\tgit config --global --add safe.directory /home/pi/LEDMatrix\n")
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def client():
+    app = Flask(__name__)
+    app.config['TESTING'] = True
+    app.register_blueprint(api_v3, url_prefix='/api/v3')
+    mod._update_check_cache['result'] = None
+    mod._update_check_cache['ts'] = 0
+    return app.test_client()
+
+
+def _fetch_fails(stderr: bytes):
+    def fake_run(args, **kwargs):
+        if args[:2] == ['git', 'fetch']:
+            return subprocess.CompletedProcess(args, 1, stdout=b'', stderr=stderr)
+        return subprocess.CompletedProcess(args, 0, stdout='', stderr='')
+    return fake_run
+
+
+class TestFailedCheckIsNotSilence:
+    def test_dubious_ownership_is_reported_not_swallowed(self, client):
+        with patch.object(mod.subprocess, 'run', _fetch_fails(DUBIOUS.encode())):
+            data = client.get('/api/v3/system/check-update').get_json()
+        assert data['check_failed'] is True, (
+            "a git failure was reported as a successful 'no update' check")
+        assert data['update_available'] is False
+
+    def test_the_message_tells_the_user_what_to_do(self, client):
+        with patch.object(mod.subprocess, 'run', _fetch_fails(DUBIOUS.encode())):
+            data = client.get('/api/v3/system/check-update').get_json()
+        assert 'chown' in data['error'], (
+            "dubious ownership is unactionable without the fix command")
+        assert 'root' in data['error']
+
+    def test_an_ordinary_git_failure_still_surfaces(self, client):
+        with patch.object(mod.subprocess, 'run',
+                          _fetch_fails(b'fatal: some other git problem\n')):
+            data = client.get('/api/v3/system/check-update').get_json()
+        assert data['check_failed'] is True
+        assert 'some other git problem' in data['error']
+
+    def test_offline_reads_as_offline(self, client):
+        with patch.object(mod.subprocess, 'run',
+                          _fetch_fails(b'fatal: could not resolve host: github.com\n')):
+            data = client.get('/api/v3/system/check-update').get_json()
+        assert 'Could not reach GitHub' in data['error']
+
+
+class TestSuccessPathUnchanged:
+    def test_up_to_date_carries_no_failure_flag(self, client):
+        def fake_run(args, **kwargs):
+            if args[:2] == ['git', 'fetch']:
+                return subprocess.CompletedProcess(args, 0, stdout=b'', stderr=b'')
+            if args[:2] == ['git', 'rev-parse']:
+                return subprocess.CompletedProcess(args, 0, stdout='abc123\n', stderr='')
+            return subprocess.CompletedProcess(args, 0, stdout='0\n', stderr='')
+        with patch.object(mod.subprocess, 'run', fake_run):
+            data = client.get('/api/v3/system/check-update').get_json()
+        assert data['update_available'] is False
+        assert not data.get('check_failed'), "a healthy check must not look like a failure"

test/test_update_prompts_restart.py

@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+"""A pull that changed nothing on the running system is not an applied update.
+
+git_pull replaces files on disk and restarts nothing -- there is no systemctl
+call anywhere in the handler. The display and web services keep running the
+code they loaded at boot, so the user is told "Code updated successfully" and
+sees no change until they happen to reboot. The response now says whether a
+restart is owed, and the UI raises the existing restart-pending banner.
+"""
+import subprocess
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+import pytest
+from flask import Flask
+
+sys.path.insert(0, str(Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent))
+
+from web_interface.blueprints import api_v3 as mod  # noqa: E402
+from web_interface.blueprints.api_v3 import api_v3  # noqa: E402
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def client():
+    app = Flask(__name__)
+    app.config['TESTING'] = True
+    app.register_blueprint(api_v3, url_prefix='/api/v3')
+    # The handler consults these after a successful pull; None is the
+    # "not wired up" case it already guards for.
+    api_v3.plugin_store_manager = None
+    api_v3.config_manager = None
+    return app.test_client()
+
+
+def _git(heads, pull_rc=0, pull_out='Updating a1b2c3..d4e5f6\n'):
+    """Fake git. `heads` are the successive answers to rev-parse HEAD."""
+    seq = list(heads)
+
+    def run(args, **kwargs):
+        def ok(stdout='', rc=0, b=False):
+            return subprocess.CompletedProcess(
+                args, rc, stdout=(stdout.encode() if b else stdout),
+                stderr=(b'' if b else ''))
+        if args[:2] == ['git', 'rev-parse'] and args[-1] == 'HEAD':
+            return ok(seq.pop(0) + '\n' if seq else 'deadbeef\n')
+        if 'symbolic-full-name' in args or '@{u}' in args:
+            return ok('origin/main\n')
+        if args[:2] == ['git', 'status']:
+            return ok('')
+        if args[:2] == ['git', 'diff']:
+            return ok('')
+        if args[:2] == ['git', 'pull']:
+            return ok(pull_out, pull_rc)
+        return ok('')
+    return run
+
+
+def _pull(client):
+    return client.post('/api/v3/system/action',
+                       json={'action': 'git_pull'}).get_json()
+
+
+class TestRestartIsRequestedWhenCodeChanged:
+    def test_a_pull_that_moved_head_asks_for_a_restart(self, client):
+        with patch.object(mod.subprocess, 'run', _git(['aaa111', 'bbb222'])):
+            data = _pull(client)
+        assert data['status'] == 'success'
+        assert data['restart_required'] is True, (
+            "new code on disk, services still running the old code, and "
+            "nothing told the user to restart")
+
+    def test_already_up_to_date_does_not(self, client):
+        with patch.object(mod.subprocess, 'run',
+                          _git(['aaa111', 'aaa111'], pull_out='Already up to date.\n')):
+            data = _pull(client)
+        assert data['status'] == 'success'
+        assert data['restart_required'] is False, (
+            "prompting after a no-op update trains users to ignore the prompt")
+
+    def test_a_failed_pull_does_not(self, client):
+        with patch.object(mod.subprocess, 'run', _git(['aaa111'], pull_rc=1)):
+            data = _pull(client)
+        assert data['status'] == 'error'
+        assert data['restart_required'] is False

test/test_vegas_fps_health.py

@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+"""Frame pacing and FPS health reporting must not depend on the wall clock.
+
+These devices have no RTC, so the system clock jumps by however wrong boot
+time was the moment NTP first syncs. The render loop sleeps the *remainder*
+of each frame budget:
+
+    frame_elapsed = <now> - frame_started
+    time.sleep(max(0.0, frame_interval - frame_elapsed))
+
+With a wall-clock `now`, a backward jump makes frame_elapsed negative, so
+`frame_interval - frame_elapsed` exceeds the whole budget and the render loop
+stalls for the size of the correction. A forward jump instead inflates the
+p99 and worst-frame numbers the telemetry reports.
+"""
+import ast
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+sys.path.insert(0, str(Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent))
+
+COORD = (Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
+         / "src" / "vegas_mode" / "coordinator.py")
+TREE = ast.parse(COORD.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+
+
+def _assignments_of(name):
+    """Every `name = <expr>` in the module, as unparsed source."""
+    out = []
+    for node in ast.walk(TREE):
+        if isinstance(node, ast.Assign):
+            for target in node.targets:
+                if isinstance(target, ast.Name) and target.id == name:
+                    out.append((node.lineno, ast.unparse(node.value)))
+    return out
+
+
+def test_per_frame_timestamps_are_monotonic():
+    for name in ("frame_started", "frame_elapsed"):
+        assigns = _assignments_of(name)
+        assert assigns, f"{name} is no longer assigned -- has the loop changed?"
+        for lineno, expr in assigns:
+            assert "time.time()" not in expr, (
+                f"{name} at line {lineno} uses the wall clock ({expr!r}). A "
+                "backward NTP step makes the per-frame delta negative and the "
+                "loop then sleeps longer than the whole frame budget.")
+            assert "time.monotonic()" in expr, (
+                f"{name} at line {lineno} is {expr!r}, expected monotonic")
+
+
+def test_the_fps_window_is_monotonic():
+    for lineno, expr in _assignments_of("current_time"):
+        assert "time.monotonic()" in expr, (
+            f"current_time at line {lineno} is {expr!r}; fps is frames divided "
+            "by this delta, so a clock step would corrupt the rate itself")
+
+
+def test_health_state_is_not_reset_every_iteration():
+    """run_iteration() runs once per cycle -- locals here reset every few seconds.
+
+    As locals, `last_fps_health_log = 0.0` made the 300s heartbeat fire on the
+    first sample of every iteration, and a recovery spanning two iterations was
+    never reported because was_degraded had already gone back to False.
+    """
+    run_iteration = next(
+        (n for n in ast.walk(TREE)
+         if isinstance(n, ast.FunctionDef) and n.name == "run_iteration"), None)
+    assert run_iteration is not None, "run_iteration() not found"
+
+    local_names = {t.id for n in ast.walk(run_iteration)
+                   if isinstance(n, ast.Assign)
+                   for t in n.targets if isinstance(t, ast.Name)}
+    for leaked in ("last_fps_health_log", "was_degraded"):
+        assert leaked not in local_names, (
+            f"{leaked} is a local of run_iteration() again, so it resets every "
+            "cycle -- the heartbeat degenerates to once per iteration")
+
+    body = ast.unparse(run_iteration)
+    assert "self._fps_last_health_log" in body and "self._fps_was_degraded" in body, (
+        "the health state should live on the coordinator, across iterations")
+
+
+def test_start_clears_stale_health_state():
+    """A new run must not inherit "was degraded" from the previous one."""
+    start = next((n for n in ast.walk(TREE)
+                  if isinstance(n, ast.FunctionDef) and n.name == "start"), None)
+    assert start is not None, "start() not found"
+    body = ast.unparse(start)
+    assert "self._fps_last_health_log" in body and "self._fps_was_degraded" in body, (
+        "start() does not reset the FPS health state")
+
+
+def test_the_degraded_threshold_is_documented():
+    """The 90% band is deliberate; say so where the constant is defined."""
+    source = COORD.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    idx = source.index("_FPS_HEALTHY_FRACTION = ")
+    preamble = source[max(0, idx - 700):idx]
+    assert "90%" in preamble or "0.9" in preamble, (
+        "the degradation threshold is not explained at its definition, so "
+        "'below target' reads as a bug rather than a deliberate band")

test/test_vegas_log_volume.py

@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+"""The Vegas content path must trace at DEBUG, not INFO.
+
+plugin_adapter narrates every step of acquiring content from every plugin --
+"Has get_vegas_content", "Native: calling get_vegas_content()", "Native content
+returned None", "Has scroll_helper", the per-item sizes -- and it does that for
+each plugin on each cycle.
+
+Measured on a live rig: 13,408 log lines an hour, of which 13,366 were INFO and
+35 were WARNING. plugin_adapter alone produced 2,457 of them. That is ~223
+lines a minute of string formatting on a Pi that is also driving the panel, all
+of it written through journald to the SD card, and it buries the 35 lines that
+actually indicate a problem.
+
+Nothing is lost by moving it to DEBUG: the 19 warning/error/exception calls in
+the module are untouched, so real failures still surface at their own level.
+
+One INFO call is deliberate and stays -- the padding-strip message chooses its
+level at runtime (`logger.warning if (left and right) else logger.info`) and
+test_vegas_plugin_adapter.py pins it.
+"""
+import ast
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+ADAPTER = (Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent / "src" / "vegas_mode"
+           / "plugin_adapter.py")
+
+
+def _logger_calls(path, *levels):
+    """Direct logger.<level>(...) call sites in a module."""
+    tree = ast.parse(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+    found = []
+    for node in ast.walk(tree):
+        if (isinstance(node, ast.Call)
+                and isinstance(node.func, ast.Attribute)
+                and node.func.attr in levels
+                and getattr(node.func.value, "id", None) == "logger"):
+            found.append(node.lineno)
+    return found
+
+
+def _info_calls(path):
+    """Direct logger.info(...) call sites in a module."""
+    return _logger_calls(path, "info")
+
+
+def test_the_content_path_does_not_trace_at_info():
+    calls = _info_calls(ADAPTER)
+    assert not calls, (
+        "plugin_adapter should trace at DEBUG; found logger.info at lines "
+        f"{calls}. This path runs per plugin per cycle and its output goes to "
+        "the SD card via journald."
+    )
+
+
+def test_real_failures_still_have_a_level_of_their_own():
+    """Demoting the trace must not have swept up the error reporting.
+
+    Counted from the AST rather than with source.count(): the text form also
+    matches comments, docstrings and string literals -- including this
+    module's own docstring, which names these levels -- so a real
+    logger.error() could be demoted while the tally stayed put.
+    """
+    loud = _logger_calls(ADAPTER, "warning", "error", "exception")
+    assert len(loud) >= 15, \
+        f"only {len(loud)} warning/error/exception calls remain: {loud}"
+
+
+def test_the_deliberate_runtime_chosen_level_survives():
+    """The padding-strip message picks its level at runtime; leave it alone."""
+    source = ADAPTER.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    assert "logger.warning if (left and right) else logger.info" in source

test/web_interface/test_api_v3_secret_roundtrip.py

@@ -194,15 +194,46 @@ class TestSavePluginConfig:
 
     def test_secret_count_message_counts_top_level_keys(self, env):
         # Pinned: the "(N secret field(s))" message counts TOP-LEVEL keys of
-        # the separated secrets dict. Here that is 2: the posted accounts
-        # array (all its item tokens count as ONE key) plus the schema's
-        # api_key default ("") that merge_with_defaults adds before
-        # separation.
+        # the separated secrets dict. Here that is 1: the posted accounts
+        # array, whose item tokens all count as ONE key.
+        #
+        # It was 2 before blank secrets were dropped, the second being the
+        # schema's api_key default (""), which merge_with_defaults adds to
+        # every save. Counting it was the visible edge of a real bug: that
+        # injected blank was merged over the stored api_key, so saving any
+        # unrelated field destroyed the credential. See
+        # test_an_unrelated_edit_does_not_erase_a_stored_secret.
         resp = self._save(env, {
             "accounts": [{"name": "a", "token": "t"}],
         })
         message = resp.get_json()["message"]
-        assert "(2 secret field(s) saved to config_secrets.json)" in message
+        assert "(1 secret field(s) saved to config_secrets.json)" in message
+
+    def test_an_unrelated_edit_does_not_erase_a_stored_secret(self, env):
+        """Editing one field must not wipe the plugin's API key.
+
+        The config form renders secrets masked, so the browser posts them
+        back blank; merge_with_defaults injects a blank api_key even when
+        the client omits it entirely. Either way a "" reached the secrets
+        file and deep_merge wrote it over the stored credential.
+        """
+        assert self._save(env, {"api_key": "REAL-KEY-0123456789",
+                                "city": "Austin"}).status_code == 200
+        assert _on_disk(env.secrets_file)[PLUGIN_ID]["api_key"] == \
+            "REAL-KEY-0123456789"
+
+        # the user changes the city; the masked api_key rides along blank
+        assert self._save(env, {"api_key": "", "city": "Dallas"}).status_code == 200
+
+        assert _on_disk(env.secrets_file)[PLUGIN_ID]["api_key"] == \
+            "REAL-KEY-0123456789", "an unrelated edit destroyed the API key"
+        assert env.fresh_load()[PLUGIN_ID]["city"] == "Dallas"
+
+    def test_a_secret_can_still_be_changed(self, env):
+        """Dropping blanks must not stop a real new value from being saved."""
+        self._save(env, {"api_key": "first-key"})
+        self._save(env, {"api_key": "second-key"})
+        assert _on_disk(env.secrets_file)[PLUGIN_ID]["api_key"] == "second-key"
 
     def test_resave_replaces_stored_secrets_list_wholesale(self, env):
         # Characterized: api_v3's deep_merge intentionally replaces lists,

test/web_interface/test_config_secrets_masking.py

@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+"""GET /config/secrets must not hand out credentials, and the client's
+read-modify-write cycle must not destroy them.
+
+This interface has no authentication. The endpoint returned the whole
+config_secrets.json to anyone who could reach the port; on one rig that was a
+40-character GitHub token, a 183-character Home Assistant token and three API
+keys. Masking it alone is not enough: the only client fetches every secret,
+edits one field and posts all of them back, so the write path has to treat an
+echoed mask as "unchanged".
+"""
+import json
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+sys.path.insert(0, str(Path(__file__).parent))
+
+from test_api_v3_secret_roundtrip import env, _on_disk  # noqa: F401,E402
+from src.web_interface.secret_helpers import SECRET_MASK  # noqa: E402
+
+STORED = {
+    "github": {"api_token": "ghp_" + "x" * 36},
+    "ledmatrix-weather": {"api_key": "w" * 32},
+    "incoming-packages": {"ha_token": "h" * 183},
+    "unset-plugin": {"api_key": ""},
+    "placeholder-plugin": {"api_key": "YOUR_API_KEY_HERE"},
+}
+
+
+def _seed(env):
+    env.secrets_file.write_text(json.dumps(STORED))
+
+
+def _get(env):
+    r = env.client.get("/api/v3/config/secrets")
+    assert r.status_code == 200, r.get_data(as_text=True)[:200]
+    return r.get_json()["data"]
+
+
+def test_no_credential_leaves_the_process(env):
+    _seed(env)
+    body = json.dumps(_get(env))
+    for secret in ("ghp_" + "x" * 36, "w" * 32, "h" * 183):
+        assert secret not in body, "endpoint returned a stored credential"
+
+
+def test_set_and_unset_remain_distinguishable(env):
+    _seed(env)
+    data = _get(env)
+    assert data["github"]["api_token"] == SECRET_MASK
+    assert data["unset-plugin"]["api_key"] == ""
+    assert data["placeholder-plugin"]["api_key"] == "YOUR_API_KEY_HERE"
+
+
+def test_the_clients_read_modify_write_preserves_every_other_secret(env):
+    """What the GitHub-token save button actually does."""
+    _seed(env)
+    secrets = _get(env)                      # everything arrives masked
+    secrets["github"]["api_token"] = "ghp_" + "n" * 36   # user changes one
+    r = env.client.post("/api/v3/config/raw/secrets", json=secrets)
+    assert r.status_code == 200, r.get_data(as_text=True)[:200]
+
+    on_disk = _on_disk(env.secrets_file)
+    assert on_disk["github"]["api_token"] == "ghp_" + "n" * 36, "new token not saved"
+    assert on_disk["ledmatrix-weather"]["api_key"] == "w" * 32
+    assert on_disk["incoming-packages"]["ha_token"] == "h" * 183
+
+
+def test_a_mask_echoed_back_is_never_stored(env):
+    _seed(env)
+    # Assert the write succeeded. A 500 leaves the old file in place, so the
+    # assertions below would hold without the write path running at all.
+    resp = env.client.post("/api/v3/config/raw/secrets", json=_get(env))
+    assert resp.status_code == 200, resp.get_data(as_text=True)[:200]
+    on_disk = _on_disk(env.secrets_file)
+    assert SECRET_MASK not in json.dumps(on_disk), "the mask was stored as a secret"
+    assert on_disk["github"]["api_token"] == "ghp_" + "x" * 36
+
+
+def test_a_brand_new_secret_can_still_be_added(env):
+    _seed(env)
+    env.client.post("/api/v3/config/raw/secrets",
+                    json={"new-plugin": {"api_key": "brand-new"}})
+    on_disk = _on_disk(env.secrets_file)
+    assert on_disk["new-plugin"]["api_key"] == "brand-new"
+    assert on_disk["github"]["api_token"] == "ghp_" + "x" * 36
+
+
+def test_a_list_of_secrets_keeps_its_shape(env):
+    """A list must not be masked as though it were one scalar.
+
+    accounts: [{...}, {...}] came back as a single '••••••••', so a caller
+    could not see how many entries existed, and the raw editor was shown a
+    string where the file holds an array.
+    """
+    env.secrets_file.write_text(json.dumps({
+        "myplugin": {"accounts": [{"name": "a", "token": "tok-a"},
+                                  {"name": "b", "token": "tok-b"}]}}))
+    accounts = _get(env)["myplugin"]["accounts"]
+    assert isinstance(accounts, list), "the list was flattened to a scalar"
+    assert len(accounts) == 2, "entries were lost"
+    assert all(isinstance(a, dict) for a in accounts), "entry shape was lost"
+    assert "tok-a" not in json.dumps(accounts), "a token survived masking"
+
+
+def test_a_list_posted_back_unchanged_is_left_alone(env):
+    """Lists merge by replacement, so a half-masked list must not be stored."""
+    original = {"myplugin": {"accounts": [{"name": "a", "token": "tok-a"},
+                                          {"name": "b", "token": "tok-b"}]}}
+    env.secrets_file.write_text(json.dumps(original))
+    resp = env.client.post("/api/v3/config/raw/secrets", json=_get(env))
+    assert resp.status_code == 200, resp.get_data(as_text=True)[:200]
+    assert _on_disk(env.secrets_file)["myplugin"]["accounts"] == \
+        original["myplugin"]["accounts"], "round-tripping the mask damaged the list"
+
+
+def test_a_fully_supplied_list_still_saves(env):
+    env.secrets_file.write_text(json.dumps(
+        {"myplugin": {"accounts": [{"name": "a", "token": "old"}]}}))
+    body = _get(env)
+    body["myplugin"]["accounts"] = [{"name": "a", "token": "new"}]
+    resp = env.client.post("/api/v3/config/raw/secrets", json=body)
+    assert resp.status_code == 200, resp.get_data(as_text=True)[:200]
+    assert _on_disk(env.secrets_file)["myplugin"]["accounts"][0]["token"] == "new"

web_interface/blueprints/api_v3.py

@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@ logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 # Import new infrastructure
 from src.web_interface.api_helpers import success_response, error_response, validate_request_json
 from src.web_interface.errors import ErrorCode
-from src.web_interface.secret_helpers import find_secret_fields, separate_secrets
+from src.web_interface.secret_helpers import (find_secret_fields, mask_all_secret_values,
+                                              remove_empty_secrets, separate_secrets,
+                                              strip_masked_values)
 from src.web_interface.error_handler import describe_exception, redact_text
 from src.plugin_system.operation_types import OperationType
 from src.web_interface.validators import (
@@ -262,15 +264,54 @@ def _stop_display_service():
     result['status'] = status
     return result
 
+#: Field names whose value is a credential. Matched by name because this
+#: endpoint returns the whole config, core keys included, and core config has
+#: no schema to carry x-secret markers.
+_CREDENTIAL_NAME_PARTS = ("password", "passwd", "secret", "token", "api_key",
+                          "apikey", "access_key", "private_key", "client_secret")
+
+
+def _looks_like_a_credential(name: str) -> bool:
+    lowered = name.lower()
+    return any(part in lowered for part in _CREDENTIAL_NAME_PARTS)
+
+
+def _redact_credentials(value):
+    """A copy of `value` with credential-named fields blanked.
+
+    /config/main returned the raw config to anyone who could reach the port,
+    and this interface has no authentication. On one rig that meant a 40-char
+    GitHub token, a 183-char Home Assistant token and five API keys were
+    readable by anything on the LAN.
+
+    The x-secret masking used by the plugin config endpoints does not help
+    here: this endpoint never consults a schema, and core keys such as
+    github.api_token have no schema to mark. Matching on the field name is
+    blunt, but for a whole-config dump the right default is that anything
+    named like a credential does not leave the process.
+
+    Blanked rather than removed, and safe to blank: POST /config/main merges
+    into the loaded config and only writes the keys it was given, so a client
+    that round-trips this response cannot erase a secret it never saw.
+    """
+    if isinstance(value, dict):
+        return {k: ("" if _looks_like_a_credential(k) and not isinstance(v, (dict, list))
+                    else _redact_credentials(v))
+                for k, v in value.items()}
+    if isinstance(value, list):
+        return [_redact_credentials(item) for item in value]
+    return value
+
+
 @api_v3.route('/config/main', methods=['GET'])
 def get_main_config():
-    """Get main configuration"""
+    """Get main configuration, with credentials redacted."""
     try:
         if not api_v3.config_manager:
             return jsonify({'status': 'error', 'message': 'Config manager not initialized'}), 500
 
         config = api_v3.config_manager.load_config()
-        return jsonify({'status': 'success', 'data': config})
+        return jsonify({'status': 'success', 'data': _redact_credentials(config)})
     except Exception as e:
         logger.error('Unhandled exception', exc_info=True)
         return jsonify({'status': 'error', 'message': 'An error occurred; see logs for details', 'details': describe_exception(e)}), 500
@@ -715,10 +756,12 @@ def save_main_config():
         if not data:
             return jsonify({'status': 'error', 'message': 'No data provided'}), 400
 
-        import logging
-        logging.error(f"DEBUG: save_main_config received data: {data}")
-        logging.error(f"DEBUG: Content-Type header: {request.content_type}")
-        logging.error(f"DEBUG: Headers: {dict(request.headers)}")
+        # What arrives here is the config itself, and the headers carry the
+        # session cookie -- neither belongs in the journal, least of all at
+        # ERROR on every save. The shape of the request is the part with
+        # diagnostic value, so log that, at the level it deserves.
+        logger.debug("save_main_config: %s, %d top-level key(s)",
+                     request.content_type or 'no content-type', len(data))
 
         # Merge with existing config (similar to original implementation)
         current_config = api_v3.config_manager.load_config()
@@ -1216,6 +1259,11 @@ def save_main_config():
 
                 # Separate secrets from regular config (same logic as save_plugin_config)
                 regular_config, secrets_config = separate_secrets(plugin_config, secret_fields)
+                # The config form renders secrets masked, so every save posts
+                # them back blank. Without this the blank is merged over the
+                # stored value and the credential is destroyed by the act of
+                # changing an unrelated setting. A blank means "unchanged".
+                secrets_config = remove_empty_secrets(secrets_config)
 
                 # PRE-PROCESSING: Preserve 'enabled' state if not in regular_config
                 # This prevents overwriting the enabled state when saving config from a form that doesn't include the toggle
@@ -1333,7 +1381,12 @@ def get_secrets_config():
             return jsonify({'status': 'error', 'message': 'Config manager not initialized'}), 500
 
         config = api_v3.config_manager.get_raw_file_content('secrets')
-        return jsonify({'status': 'success', 'data': config})
+        # This interface has no authentication, and this file is nothing but
+        # credentials. It was handing all of them to anyone who could reach
+        # the port. Values are masked; empty and YOUR_* placeholders are left
+        # alone so a client can still tell "set" from "not set".
+        return jsonify({'status': 'success',
+                        'data': mask_all_secret_values(config)})
     except Exception as e:
         logger.error('Unhandled exception', exc_info=True)
         return jsonify({'status': 'error', 'message': 'An error occurred; see logs for details', 'details': describe_exception(e)}), 500
@@ -1401,8 +1454,19 @@ def save_raw_secrets_config():
         if not data:
             return jsonify({'status': 'error', 'message': 'No data provided'}), 400
 
-        # Save the secrets config
-        api_v3.config_manager.save_raw_file_content('secrets', data)
+        # The GET above masks what it returns, and this endpoint's only client
+        # reads the whole file, edits one field and posts all of it back. So
+        # most of what arrives here is the mask, echoed rather than changed --
+        # storing it verbatim would replace every untouched credential with
+        # eight bullets. Strip those, then merge onto what is already stored,
+        # which makes "unchanged" mean unchanged.
+        #
+        # The cost is that a secret can no longer be cleared by blanking it.
+        # That needs its own affordance; a control that erases credentials as
+        # a side effect of saving an unrelated one is not it.
+        current = api_v3.config_manager.get_raw_file_content('secrets') or {}
+        merged = deep_merge(current, strip_masked_values(data))
+        api_v3.config_manager.save_raw_file_content('secrets', merged)
 
         # Reload GitHub token in plugin store manager if it exists
         if api_v3.plugin_store_manager:
@@ -1660,13 +1724,22 @@ def resolve_pull_command(project_dir):
     backup, or following an install guide that names one. The update button
     then reports a failure the user cannot act on.
 
+    ``--autostash`` is passed for the same reason. Rebase refuses to start
+    when any tracked file is modified, and on these installs something always
+    is: first_time_install.sh chmods five scripts that git tracked as 644, so
+    every machine that ran the installer carries five permanent mode changes
+    and the update button reports "cannot pull with rebase: You have unstaged
+    changes". Those modes are corrected in this commit, but a user cannot pull
+    the correction while the pull is what is blocked, and any other local edit
+    would reproduce it anyway. Autostash reapplies the changes afterwards.
+
     Returns ``(args, note, error)``. When ``origin/<branch>`` exists the pull
     is made explicit against it, so the update proceeds and the branch is
     given tracking information afterwards.
     """
     upstream = _git_upstream(project_dir)
     if upstream:
-        return ['git', 'pull', '--rebase'], '', None
+        return ['git', 'pull', '--rebase', '--autostash'], '', None
 
     branch = _git_current_branch(project_dir)
     if not branch:
@@ -1676,7 +1749,7 @@ def resolve_pull_command(project_dir):
         )
     if _git_remote_branch_exists(project_dir, branch):
         return (
-            ['git', 'pull', '--rebase', 'origin', branch],
+            ['git', 'pull', '--rebase', '--autostash', 'origin', branch],
             f"Branch '{branch}' had no upstream; pulled from origin/{branch} and set it as the upstream.",
             None,
         )
@@ -1824,6 +1897,33 @@ def get_system_version():
 _update_check_cache: Dict[str, Any] = {'result': None, 'ts': 0.0}
 _UPDATE_CHECK_TTL = 300  # 5 minutes — avoids a git fetch on every page load
 
+def _update_check_failed(detail: str) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+    """A check that could not run is not the same as being up to date.
+
+    Reporting update_available=False on a git failure hides the banner, and
+    the banner is the only route to the update button -- so a checkout git
+    refuses to touch looks exactly like a current one, permanently. The most
+    common cause is an install performed as root: git then reports "dubious
+    ownership" and every command fails, including the fetch here.
+    """
+    return {'update_available': False, 'remote_sha': 'unknown',
+            'commits_behind': 0, 'check_failed': True, 'error': detail}
+
+
+def _describe_git_failure(stderr: str) -> str:
+    """Turn git's stderr into something the user can act on."""
+    text = (stderr or '').strip()
+    if 'dubious ownership' in text or 'detected dubious ownership' in text:
+        return ("This checkout is owned by a different user than the one "
+                "running the web interface, so git refuses to use it. It is "
+                "usually the result of installing as root. Fix the ownership "
+                "and the update will work: sudo chown -R $USER:$USER "
+                + str(PROJECT_ROOT))
+    if 'could not resolve host' in text.lower() or 'network is unreachable' in text.lower():
+        return "Could not reach GitHub to check for updates."
+    return "Could not check for updates: " + (text.splitlines()[0] if text else "git failed")
+
+
 @api_v3.route('/system/check-update', methods=['GET'])
 def check_for_update():
     """Check whether a newer LEDMatrix commit is available on origin/main."""
@@ -1839,12 +1939,13 @@ def check_for_update():
             capture_output=True, timeout=10, cwd=cwd,
         )
         if fetch_result.returncode != 0:
+            stderr = fetch_result.stderr.decode(errors='replace').strip()
             logger.warning("check-update: git fetch failed (rc=%d): %s",
-                           fetch_result.returncode,
-                           fetch_result.stderr.decode(errors='replace').strip())
-            _update_check_cache['result'] = _safe
+                           fetch_result.returncode, stderr)
+            failed = _update_check_failed(_describe_git_failure(stderr))
+            _update_check_cache['result'] = failed
             _update_check_cache['ts'] = now
-            return jsonify(_safe)
+            return jsonify(failed)
         local = subprocess.run(
             ['git', 'rev-parse', 'HEAD'],
             capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=5, cwd=cwd,
@@ -1872,7 +1973,8 @@ def check_for_update():
         return jsonify(result)
     except Exception as e:
         logger.warning("check-update failed: %s", e)
-        return jsonify(_safe)
+        return jsonify(_update_check_failed(
+            "Could not check for updates; see logs for details."))
 
 @api_v3.route('/system/action', methods=['POST'])
 def execute_system_action():
@@ -1999,6 +2101,11 @@ def execute_system_action():
             except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
                 logger.warning("git rev-parse timed out before pull")
 
+            # Whether the pull actually brought new code in. "Already up to
+            # date" is a success too, and prompting for a restart then would
+            # train users to ignore the prompt.
+            code_changed = False
+
             # Perform the git pull. Branches without an upstream were given
             # an explicit "origin <branch>" above so the update still works.
             result = subprocess.run(
@@ -2042,6 +2149,7 @@ def execute_system_action():
                                            capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=10, cwd=project_dir)
                     new_head = _post.stdout.strip() if _post.returncode == 0 else None
                     if old_head and new_head and old_head != new_head:
+                        code_changed = True
                         diff = subprocess.run(
                             ['git', 'diff', '--name-only', f'{old_head}..{new_head}'],
                             capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=15, cwd=project_dir)
@@ -2101,9 +2209,14 @@ def execute_system_action():
                                if ln.strip()), '')
                 pull_message = f"Update failed: {detail}" if detail else "Update failed; check logs for details"
 
+            # Nothing here restarts anything: the pull replaces files on
+            # disk while the display and web services keep running the code
+            # they loaded at boot. Without this the user is told the update
+            # succeeded and sees no change until they happen to reboot.
             return jsonify({
                 'status': 'success' if result.returncode == 0 else 'error',
                 'message': pull_message,
+                'restart_required': bool(result.returncode == 0 and code_changed),
             })
         elif action == 'checkout_branch':
             # Switch branches from the Tools tab. Needed because a checkout
@@ -5617,6 +5730,11 @@ def save_plugin_config():
         # Separate secrets from regular config (handles nested configs and
         # array-item secrets — see src/web_interface/secret_helpers.py)
         regular_config, secrets_config = separate_secrets(plugin_config, secret_fields)
+        # The config form renders secrets masked, so every save posts
+        # them back blank. Without this the blank is merged over the
+        # stored value and the credential is destroyed by the act of
+        # changing an unrelated setting. A blank means "unchanged".
+        secrets_config = remove_empty_secrets(secrets_config)
 
         # Get current configs
         current_config = api_v3.config_manager.load_config()

web_interface/static/v3/app.js

@@ -116,14 +116,25 @@ document.body.addEventListener('htmx:afterRequest', function(event) {
 // ===== Restart-pending banner =====
 // Shown after restart-requiring saves; persists across tab switches (and
 // reloads, via sessionStorage) until the display restarts or it's dismissed.
-window.showRestartPending = function() {
-    try { sessionStorage.setItem('ledmatrix-restart-pending', '1'); } catch { /* private browsing */ }
+window.showRestartPending = function(message) {
+    try {
+        sessionStorage.setItem('ledmatrix-restart-pending', '1');
+        // Persisted alongside the flag: a code update and a config save want
+        // different wording, and the banner outlives the page that raised it.
+        if (message) sessionStorage.setItem('ledmatrix-restart-pending-text', message);
+        else sessionStorage.removeItem('ledmatrix-restart-pending-text');
+    } catch { /* private browsing */ }
     const banner = document.getElementById('restart-pending-banner');
+    const text = document.getElementById('restart-pending-text');
+    if (text && message) text.textContent = message;
     if (banner) banner.style.display = 'block';
 };
 
 window.dismissRestartPending = function() {
-    try { sessionStorage.removeItem('ledmatrix-restart-pending'); } catch { /* no-op */ }
+    try {
+        sessionStorage.removeItem('ledmatrix-restart-pending');
+        sessionStorage.removeItem('ledmatrix-restart-pending-text');
+    } catch { /* no-op */ }
     const banner = document.getElementById('restart-pending-banner');
     if (banner) banner.style.display = 'none';
 };
@@ -151,6 +162,9 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() {
     try {
         if (sessionStorage.getItem('ledmatrix-restart-pending') === '1') {
             const banner = document.getElementById('restart-pending-banner');
+            const saved = sessionStorage.getItem('ledmatrix-restart-pending-text');
+            const text = document.getElementById('restart-pending-text');
+            if (text && saved) text.textContent = saved;
             if (banner) banner.style.display = 'block';
         }
     } catch { /* no-op */ }

web_interface/static/v3/plugins_manager.js

@@ -4622,15 +4622,17 @@ window.loadGithubToken = function() {
                 // Handle empty data (secrets file doesn't exist) - API returns {} in this case
                 const secrets = data.data || {};
                 const token = secrets.github?.api_token || '';
+                const configured = token && token !== 'YOUR_GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN';
 
                 if (input) {
-                    if (token && token !== 'YOUR_GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN') {
-                        // Token exists and is valid
-                        input.value = token;
-                        showNotification('GitHub token loaded successfully', 'success');
+                    // The endpoint masks what it returns, so this never holds
+                    // the real token -- and the field is deliberately left
+                    // empty rather than filled with the mask, which would be
+                    // saved verbatim the next time the user pressed Save.
+                    input.value = '';
+                    if (configured) {
+                        showNotification('A GitHub token is saved. Enter a new one to replace it.', 'success');
                     } else {
-                        // No token configured or placeholder value
-                        input.value = '';
                         showNotification('No GitHub token configured. Enter a new token to save.', 'info');
                     }
                 }

web_interface/templates/v3/base.html

@@ -413,7 +413,8 @@
             <div class="flex items-center justify-between">
                 <div class="flex items-center space-x-3">
                     <i class="fas fa-rotate text-lg"></i>
-                    <span class="text-sm font-medium" aria-live="polite">
+                    <span class="text-sm font-medium" aria-live="polite"
+                          id="restart-pending-text">
                         Configuration saved &mdash; restart the display to apply the changes
                     </span>
                 </div>
@@ -1107,15 +1108,29 @@
         fetch('/api/v3/system/check-update')
             .then(function(r) { return r.json(); })
             .then(function(data) {
+                var banner = document.getElementById('update-banner');
+                var btn = document.getElementById('update-banner-btn');
+                if (data.check_failed) {
+                    // A check that could not run is not the same as being up
+                    // to date. Hiding the banner here made a checkout git
+                    // refuses to touch look permanently current, with no
+                    // route to the update button and nothing to act on.
+                    document.getElementById('update-banner-text').textContent =
+                        data.error || 'Could not check for updates.';
+                    if (btn) btn.style.display = 'none';
+                    banner.style.display = '';
+                    return;
+                }
+                if (btn) btn.style.display = '';
                 if (data.update_available && getDismissedSha() !== data.remote_sha) {
                     var n = data.commits_behind || 0;
                     var msg = 'A new LEDMatrix update is available';
                     if (n > 0) msg += ' (' + n + ' commit' + (n > 1 ? 's' : '') + ')';
                     document.getElementById('update-banner-text').textContent = msg;
-                    document.getElementById('update-banner').style.display = '';
+                    banner.style.display = '';
                     try { sessionStorage.setItem('update-sha', data.remote_sha); } catch(e) {}
                 } else {
-                    document.getElementById('update-banner').style.display = 'none';
+                    banner.style.display = 'none';
                 }
             })
             .catch(function() {});
@@ -1146,6 +1161,13 @@
             if (data.status === 'success') {
                 document.getElementById('update-banner').style.display = 'none';
                 try { sessionStorage.removeItem('update-sha-dismissed'); } catch(e) {}
+                // The pull replaced files on disk; the running services still
+                // hold the code they loaded at boot. Ask for the restart that
+                // makes the update actually take effect.
+                if (data.restart_required && typeof window.showRestartPending === 'function') {
+                    window.showRestartPending(
+                        'Update installed \u2014 restart the display to run the new code');
+                }
             }
             if (typeof showNotification === 'function') {
                 showNotification(data.message || 'Update complete', data.status || 'success');