diff --git a/apps/worker/src/core/approval.test.ts b/apps/worker/src/core/approval.test.ts
index 1917f8e..1799852 100644
--- a/apps/worker/src/core/approval.test.ts
+++ b/apps/worker/src/core/approval.test.ts
@@ -76,6 +76,29 @@ describe('handleStarReaction', () => {
     expect(await handleStarReaction(makeReaction(), adminJids, prisma)).toBeNull();
   });
 
+  it('returns null on double-approval race (updateMany returns count=0)', async () => {
+    const prisma = {
+      message: {
+        findUnique: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue({
+          id: 'msg_1',
+          status: 'PENDING',
+          approval: null,
+          content: 'hello',
+          senderName: 'Alice',
+          sourceGroup: { name: 'UP Parivar Dallas', syncRoutesFrom: [] },
+        }),
+      },
+      $transaction: jest.fn().mockImplementation(async (fn: any) => fn({
+        message: { updateMany: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue({ count: 0 }) },
+        approval: { create: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue({}) },
+      })),
+    } as any;
+
+    const result = await handleStarReaction(makeReaction(), adminJids, prisma);
+    expect(result).toBeNull();
+    expect(prisma.$transaction).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
   it('approves message and returns empty array when no sync routes', async () => {
     const prisma = {
       message: {
diff --git a/apps/worker/src/core/approval.ts b/apps/worker/src/core/approval.ts
index 578a7f0..6502433 100644
--- a/apps/worker/src/core/approval.ts
+++ b/apps/worker/src/core/approval.ts
@@ -30,12 +30,14 @@ export async function handleStarReaction(
   if (message.status !== 'PENDING') return null;
   if (message.approval) return null;
 
+  let approved = false;
   await prisma.$transaction(async (tx: any) => {
     const updated = await tx.message.updateMany({
       where: { id: message.id, status: 'PENDING' },
       data: { status: 'APPROVED' },
     });
     if (updated.count === 0) return; // another admin approved first — idempotent
+    approved = true;
     await tx.approval.create({
       data: {
         messageId: message.id,
@@ -45,6 +47,8 @@ export async function handleStarReaction(
     });
   });
 
+  if (!approved) return null;
+
   const jobs: ForwardJobData[] = message.sourceGroup.syncRoutesFrom
     .filter((route: any) => route.targetGroup != null)
     .map((route: any) => ({
diff --git a/apps/worker/src/main.ts b/apps/worker/src/main.ts
index 11ccf2b..6bfa1b4 100644
--- a/apps/worker/src/main.ts
+++ b/apps/worker/src/main.ts
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ async function bootstrap() {
   for (const account of accounts) {
     groupMaps.set(account.id, new Map());
 
+    try {
     await pool.add(
       account.id,
       account.sessionPath,
@@ -55,7 +56,11 @@ async function bootstrap() {
         const tags = detectTags(msg.content, msg.senderJid, adminJids);
         if (!isFlagged(tags)) return;
 
-        const groupMap = groupMaps.get(accountId) ?? new Map();
+        const groupMap = groupMaps.get(accountId);
+        if (!groupMap) {
+          logger.error({ accountId }, 'No group map for account — message dropped');
+          return;
+        }
         const sourceGroupId = groupMap.get(msg.sourceGroupJid);
         if (!sourceGroupId) {
           logger.warn({ jid: msg.sourceGroupJid, accountId }, 'Unknown group — skipping message');
@@ -101,12 +106,16 @@ async function bootstrap() {
         groupMaps.set(accountId, map);
       },
     );
+    } catch (err) {
+      logger.error({ accountId: account.id, err }, 'Failed to start session — skipping account');
+    }
   }
 
   logger.info({ accountCount: accounts.length }, 'Tower worker ready');
 
   const shutdown = async () => {
     logger.info('Shutting down...');
+    await pool.closeAll();
     await ingestWorker.close();
     await forwardWorker.close();
     await ingestQueue.close();
diff --git a/apps/worker/src/whatsapp/session-pool.test.ts b/apps/worker/src/whatsapp/session-pool.test.ts
index 3daeb4d..3695bdc 100644
--- a/apps/worker/src/whatsapp/session-pool.test.ts
+++ b/apps/worker/src/whatsapp/session-pool.test.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ jest.mock('./session', () => ({
   createWhatsAppSession: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue({
     sendMessage: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue({}),
     logout: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue({}),
+    end: jest.fn(),
   }),
 }));
 
@@ -55,6 +56,21 @@ describe('WhatsAppSessionPool', () => {
     await expect(pool.remove('acc_unknown')).resolves.not.toThrow();
   });
 
+  it('closeAll() calls end() on all sessions and clears the pool', async () => {
+    await pool.add('acc_1', './sessions/1', jest.fn(), jest.fn(), jest.fn());
+    await pool.add('acc_2', './sessions/2', jest.fn(), jest.fn(), jest.fn());
+    expect(pool.getAll().size).toBe(2);
+
+    const sock1 = pool.get('acc_1')!;
+    const sock2 = pool.get('acc_2')!;
+
+    await pool.closeAll();
+
+    expect(sock1.end).toHaveBeenCalledWith(undefined);
+    expect(sock2.end).toHaveBeenCalledWith(undefined);
+    expect(pool.getAll().size).toBe(0);
+  });
+
   it('add() injects accountId into onMessage callback', async () => {
     const onMessage = jest.fn();
     const { createWhatsAppSession } = require('./session');
diff --git a/apps/worker/src/whatsapp/session-pool.ts b/apps/worker/src/whatsapp/session-pool.ts
index 0c8c24f..73c4fcf 100644
--- a/apps/worker/src/whatsapp/session-pool.ts
+++ b/apps/worker/src/whatsapp/session-pool.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ export class WhatsAppSessionPool {
       (msg) => onMessage(msg, accountId),
       (reaction) => onReaction(reaction, accountId),
       (groups) => onGroups(groups, accountId),
+      (newSocket) => {
+        logger.info({ accountId }, 'Session reconnected — updating pool');
+        this.sessions.set(accountId, newSocket);
+      },
     );
     this.sessions.set(accountId, sock);
   }
@@ -57,4 +61,17 @@ export class WhatsAppSessionPool {
       logger.info({ accountId }, 'Session removed');
     }
   }
+
+  async closeAll(): Promise<void> {
+    logger.info({ count: this.sessions.size }, 'Closing all WhatsApp sessions');
+    for (const [accountId, sock] of this.sessions) {
+      try {
+        sock.end(undefined);
+        logger.info({ accountId }, 'Session closed');
+      } catch (err) {
+        logger.error({ accountId, err }, 'Error closing session');
+      }
+    }
+    this.sessions.clear();
+  }
 }
diff --git a/apps/worker/src/whatsapp/session.ts b/apps/worker/src/whatsapp/session.ts
index e42a134..75c8888 100644
--- a/apps/worker/src/whatsapp/session.ts
+++ b/apps/worker/src/whatsapp/session.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ export async function createWhatsAppSession(
   onMessage: OnMessageCallback,
   onReaction: OnReactionCallback,
   onGroups: OnGroupsCallback,
+  onReconnect?: (newSocket: WASocket) => void,
 ): Promise<WASocket> {
   const { state, saveCreds } = await useMultiFileAuthState(sessionPath);
   const { version } = await fetchLatestBaileysVersion();
@@ -46,10 +47,17 @@ export async function createWhatsAppSession(
       logger.info({ reason, shouldReconnect }, 'Connection closed');
       if (shouldReconnect) {
         logger.info('Reconnecting in 5s...');
-        setTimeout(
-          () => createWhatsAppSession(accountId, sessionPath, onMessage, onReaction, onGroups),
-          5000,
-        );
+        setTimeout(async () => {
+          const newSocket = await createWhatsAppSession(
+            accountId,
+            sessionPath,
+            onMessage,
+            onReaction,
+            onGroups,
+            onReconnect,
+          );
+          onReconnect?.(newSocket);
+        }, 5000);
       }
     } else if (connection === 'open') {
       try {