diff --git a/install/daw_vst_bridge.exe b/install/daw_vst_bridge.exe
index 5847f84..d0b4ed2 100644
Binary files a/install/daw_vst_bridge.exe and b/install/daw_vst_bridge.exe differ
diff --git a/native_bridge/src/main.cpp b/native_bridge/src/main.cpp
index 39450f5..7fc729d 100644
--- a/native_bridge/src/main.cpp
+++ b/native_bridge/src/main.cpp
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ static void disable_ime_contexts(HWND w) {
 
  // G1.3: bo pump gate cu (g_juceOwnerTids / g_ownerTid /
  // is_teardown_window): teardown (close/LOAD job) va message pump cung chay tren
- // 1 thread (UiThread) — job chay thi pump dung, job xong thi editor window da
+ // 1 thread (UiThread) � job chay thi pump dung, job xong thi editor window da
  // destroy nen USER32 tu huy message toi window chet. Khong con "2 thread trong
  // 1 DLL" khi teardown (multi-worker cu).
 
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ public:
                 for (int pumped = 0; pumped < 128; ++pumped) {
                     if (!PeekMessageW(&msg, nullptr, 0, 0, PM_REMOVE)) break;
                     hadMessages = true;
-                    // G1.3: bo pump gate cu — teardown (close/LOAD job)
+                    // G1.3: bo pump gate cu � teardown (close/LOAD job)
                     // va pump cung 1 thread (UiThread): job chay thi pump dung;
                     // het job thi editor window da destroy -> message chet bi
                     // USER32 huy tu dong. Khong can drop theo close_in_flight.
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ static bool close_in_flight(uint32_t ch) {
 
 
 
- // G1.3: 1 UiThread — editor windows tao trong attach job (UiThread), destroy
+ // G1.3: 1 UiThread � editor windows tao trong attach job (UiThread), destroy
  // chi goi tu UiThread job (close_editor_now / LOAD) -> ownerTid luon == current
  // tid -> destroy truc tiep. Neu owner khac thread (khong con xay ra) -> bo
  // (leak > crash): cross-thread DestroyWindow khong an toan.
@@ -1352,6 +1352,42 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
         }
 
 
+        // V8 bug 5 (stale-reload watchdog): a close/attach job can hang
+        // inside createInstance (Nexus, observed) — reloading_ stays true
+        // forever, the channel and its same-plugin siblings stay muted,
+        // heartbeat keeps ticking so the Rust watchdog never respawns us:
+        // permanent silence with no log. Scan once per second; a reload
+        // older than 20s with no close/attach job in flight, or older than
+        // 60s regardless, is stale — force-clear so the audio loop processes
+        // the instance again. Risk (2 threads in one DLL) is bounded: SEH
+        // SafeProcessChannel re-mutes on crash; a hard DLL deadlock stalls
+        // writeIndex and Rust respawns the bridge (which recovers sound —
+        // observed: restart fixed muted channels).
+        {
+            static bool reloadWasSet[16] = { false };
+            static std::chrono::steady_clock::time_point reloadSeen[16];
+            static auto lastScan = std::chrono::steady_clock::now();
+            auto nowScan = std::chrono::steady_clock::now();
+            if (std::chrono::duration_cast<std::chrono::milliseconds>(nowScan - lastScan).count() >= 1000) {
+                lastScan = nowScan;
+                for (uint32_t ch = 0; ch < 16; ++ch) {
+                    bool rl = instruments.isReloading(ch);
+                    if (!rl) { reloadWasSet[ch] = false; continue; }
+                    if (!reloadWasSet[ch]) { reloadWasSet[ch] = true; reloadSeen[ch] = nowScan; continue; }
+                    double sec = std::chrono::duration<double>(nowScan - reloadSeen[ch]).count();
+                    bool jobInFlight = shmIPC->attachInFlight != 0 || close_in_flight(ch);
+                    if (sec > 60.0 || (sec > 20.0 && !jobInFlight)) {
+                        std::cerr << "[NativeBridge] STALE-RELOAD watchdog ch=" << ch
+                                  << " reloading " << (int)sec << "s (attachInFlight="
+                                  << shmIPC->attachInFlight << " closeInFlight="
+                                  << close_in_flight(ch) << ") — force unmute" << std::endl;
+                        instruments.setReloading(ch, false);
+                        reloadWasSet[ch] = false;
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
         // B. Snapshot queued MIDI events (bounded copy, queue reset immediately)
         uint32_t nEvents = shmIPC->midiQueueCount > 64 ? 64 : shmIPC->midiQueueCount;
         SharedAudioBufferIPC::MidiEventIPC evts[64];