diff --git a/src/renderer/src/app/App.tsx b/src/renderer/src/app/App.tsx
index 9b28536a..d2c00674 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/app/App.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/app/App.tsx
@@ -18,15 +18,21 @@ export function App() {
   const { snapshot, actions } = useSnapshot();
   const [route, setRoute] = useState<RouteId>("home");
   const avatarDirectory = useMemo(() => {
+    // Scope the directory to the active organization: names are only unique
+    // within one org, and a same-named principal in another org must not
+    // hijack the avatar shown here.
     const directory = new Map<string, AvatarLook>();
+    const orgId = snapshot?.activeOrgId ?? null;
     for (const agent of snapshot?.agents ?? []) {
+      if (agent.orgId !== orgId) continue;
       if (agent.avatarEmoji || agent.avatarColor) directory.set(agent.name, { emoji: agent.avatarEmoji, color: agent.avatarColor });
     }
     for (const employee of snapshot?.employees ?? []) {
+      if (employee.orgId !== orgId) continue;
       if (employee.avatarEmoji || employee.avatarColor) directory.set(employee.displayName, { emoji: employee.avatarEmoji, color: employee.avatarColor });
     }
     return directory;
-  }, [snapshot?.agents, snapshot?.employees]);
+  }, [snapshot?.agents, snapshot?.employees, snapshot?.activeOrgId]);
   const [creatingOrg, setCreatingOrg] = useState(false);
   // Keeps the wizard mounted through its post-bootstrap connectors step: the
   // organization exists from Launch onward, so the org-count check alone
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/app/useSnapshot.ts b/src/renderer/src/app/useSnapshot.ts
index 8f736466..de20e5f3 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/app/useSnapshot.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/app/useSnapshot.ts
@@ -31,7 +31,20 @@ export function useSnapshot(): {
   useEffect(() => {
     let disposed = false;
     let timer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null;
+    let retryTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null;
     let lastLoadAt = 0;
+    // A failed load must not strand the app on a blank shell: log it loudly
+    // and retry until the main process answers (IPC hiccups are transient).
+    const guardedLoad = () => {
+      load().catch((error) => {
+        console.error(`[snapshot] load failed, retrying: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}`);
+        if (disposed || retryTimer) return;
+        retryTimer = setTimeout(() => {
+          retryTimer = null;
+          guardedLoad();
+        }, 1_500);
+      });
+    };
     // Change events arrive in bursts while agents run; reload at most every
     // 800ms with a trailing load so the UI converges without render storms.
     const scheduleReload = () => {
@@ -40,12 +53,12 @@ export function useSnapshot(): {
       timer = setTimeout(() => {
         timer = null;
         lastLoadAt = Date.now();
-        void load();
+        guardedLoad();
       }, wait);
     };
     void Promise.resolve().then(() => {
       lastLoadAt = Date.now();
-      return load();
+      guardedLoad();
     });
     const unsubscribe = window.agentCompany.subscribe((event) => {
       if (event.type === "snapshot-changed") scheduleReload();
@@ -53,6 +66,7 @@ export function useSnapshot(): {
     return () => {
       disposed = true;
       if (timer) clearTimeout(timer);
+      if (retryTimer) clearTimeout(retryTimer);
       unsubscribe();
     };
   }, [load]);
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/i18n/zh.ts b/src/renderer/src/i18n/zh.ts
index 8f2e1e44..68911c59 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/i18n/zh.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/i18n/zh.ts
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ export const zh: Record<string, string> = {
   "Edit task": "编辑任务",
   "Edit {name}": "编辑 {name}",
   "Edit profile": "编辑个人资料",
+  "Former member": "已离职成员",
   "Whip": "鞭子",
   "Office tools": "办公室工具",
   "Crack the whip: slackers in the snack bar or restroom hustle back to their desks. Working or meeting agents are unaffected.": "挥动鞭子：在茶水间或洗手间摸鱼的成员会赶回工位；正在工作或开会的成员不受影响。",
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/pages/ChatPage.tsx b/src/renderer/src/pages/ChatPage.tsx
index 5e3a349e..c6d4fc53 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/pages/ChatPage.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/pages/ChatPage.tsx
@@ -61,6 +61,11 @@ export function ChatPage({ snapshot, actions }: PageProps) {
   const activeSpaceId = selectedSpaceId && spaces.some((space) => space.id === selectedSpaceId)
     ? selectedSpaceId
     : firstAvailableSpaceId;
+  // Pin the implicit default as soon as one exists (render-time state
+  // adjustment): the conversation list re-sorts by recency on every
+  // snapshot, and an unpinned default would follow it - yanking the view to
+  // whichever space just got a message and marking it read unseen.
+  if (!selectedSpaceId && firstAvailableSpaceId) setSelectedSpaceId(firstAvailableSpaceId);
   const activeSpace = spaces.find((space) => space.id === activeSpaceId) ?? null;
   const latestActiveMessageId = useMemo(() => {
     if (!activeSpaceId) return null;
@@ -181,6 +186,7 @@ export function ChatPage({ snapshot, actions }: PageProps) {
       />
 
       <ChatConversation
+        key={activeSpace?.id ?? "none"}
         space={activeSpace}
         participants={participants}
         messagesInSpace={messagesInSpace}
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/pages/chat/ChatMessageRow.tsx b/src/renderer/src/pages/chat/ChatMessageRow.tsx
index ff993b96..067dbd1f 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/pages/chat/ChatMessageRow.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/pages/chat/ChatMessageRow.tsx
@@ -166,19 +166,19 @@ function formatInline(text: string, keyPrefix: string): ReactNode[] {
 }
 
 function mentionLabel(mention: ChatMentionRecord, context: MessageContext): string {
+  // Degrade unresolvable targets to a placeholder instead of throwing: one
+  // stale mention row must not blank the entire timeline.
   if (mention.targetType === "employee") {
     const employee = context.employees.find((item) => item.id === mention.targetId);
-    if (!employee) throw new Error("Message mention employee target is missing.");
-    return employee.displayName;
+    return employee ? employee.displayName : t("Former member");
   }
   if (mention.targetType === "agent") {
     const agent = context.agents.find((item) => item.id === mention.targetId);
-    if (!agent) throw new Error("Message mention agent target is missing.");
-    return agent.name;
+    return agent ? agent.name : t("Former member");
   }
   if (mention.targetType === "board") return t("Board");
   if (mention.targetType === "org_group" && mention.targetId.endsWith(":oncall")) return t("OnCall");
-  throw new Error("Message mention target type is unsupported.");
+  return t("Former member");
 }
 
 function AttachmentCard({ file, handoff = false, onOpen }: { file: FileObjectRecord; handoff?: boolean; onOpen: (() => void) | null }) {
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/pages/chat/chat-helpers.ts b/src/renderer/src/pages/chat/chat-helpers.ts
index 0bf8cf50..84e68b58 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/pages/chat/chat-helpers.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/pages/chat/chat-helpers.ts
@@ -17,15 +17,16 @@ export interface MessageContext {
 }
 
 export function senderName(message: ChatMessageRecord, context: MessageContext): string {
+  // A message whose principal no longer resolves must degrade to a visible
+  // placeholder, not throw: one orphaned row would otherwise blank the whole
+  // Messages page mid-render.
   if (message.senderType === "employee") {
     const employee = context.employees.find((item) => item.id === message.senderId);
-    if (!employee) throw new Error("Message employee sender is missing.");
-    return employee.displayName;
+    return employee ? employee.displayName : t("Former member");
   }
   if (message.senderType === "agent") {
     const agent = context.agents.find((item) => item.id === message.senderId);
-    if (!agent) throw new Error("Message agent sender is missing.");
-    return agent.name;
+    return agent ? agent.name : t("Former member");
   }
   if (message.senderType === "board") return t("Board");
   return t("System");