diff --git a/core/artwork/e2e/e2e_suite_test.go b/core/artwork/e2e/e2e_suite_test.go
index 8881da3a6..390be14a7 100644
--- a/core/artwork/e2e/e2e_suite_test.go
+++ b/core/artwork/e2e/e2e_suite_test.go
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ func runWorkerUntil(ctx context.Context, worker *artwork.Worker, until func() bo
 	runCtx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
 	done := make(chan error, 1)
 	go func() { done <- worker.Run(runCtx) }()
-	Eventually(until, 5*time.Second, 10*time.Millisecond).Should(BeTrue())
+	// Long enough for one retry (3-7s backoff, 5s poll tick).
+	Eventually(until, 15*time.Second, 10*time.Millisecond).Should(BeTrue())
 	cancel()
 	Eventually(done, 2*time.Second).Should(Receive(BeNil()))
 }
diff --git a/persistence/folder_repository.go b/persistence/folder_repository.go
index a4b73d9d6..a1136ad8d 100644
--- a/persistence/folder_repository.go
+++ b/persistence/folder_repository.go
@@ -27,6 +27,14 @@ type dbFolder struct {
 	ImageFiles    string `structs:"-" json:"-"`
 }
 
+// String guards the promoted Folder.String(), which would dereference a nil Folder.
+func (f dbFolder) String() string {
+	if f.Folder == nil {
+		return "<nil>"
+	}
+	return f.Folder.String()
+}
+
 func (f *dbFolder) PostScan() error {
 	var err error
 	if f.ImageFiles != "" {
diff --git a/persistence/folder_repository_test.go b/persistence/folder_repository_test.go
index 545d8ad49..b7bc52751 100644
--- a/persistence/folder_repository_test.go
+++ b/persistence/folder_repository_test.go
@@ -310,6 +310,13 @@ var _ = Describe("FolderRepository", func() {
 		})
 	})
 
+	Describe("dbFolder.String", func() {
+		It("does not dereference a nil Folder", func() {
+			Expect(fmt.Sprint(dbFolder{})).To(Equal("<nil>"))
+			Expect(fmt.Sprint(&dbFolder{})).To(Equal("<nil>"))
+		})
+	})
+
 	Describe("wrapFolderCursor", func() {
 		It("does not panic when the cursor yields a dbFolder with nil Folder", func() {
 			// Simulate what queryWithStableResults does on the rows.Err() path:
diff --git a/persistence/mediafile_repository.go b/persistence/mediafile_repository.go
index 935a64bb9..835c39b1e 100644
--- a/persistence/mediafile_repository.go
+++ b/persistence/mediafile_repository.go
@@ -38,6 +38,14 @@ type dbMediaFile struct {
 	RgTrackPeak *float64 `structs:"-" json:"-"`
 }
 
+// String guards the promoted MediaFile.String(), which would dereference a nil MediaFile.
+func (m dbMediaFile) String() string {
+	if m.MediaFile == nil {
+		return "<nil>"
+	}
+	return m.MediaFile.String()
+}
+
 func (m *dbMediaFile) PostScan() error {
 	m.RGTrackGain = m.RgTrackGain
 	m.RGTrackPeak = m.RgTrackPeak
diff --git a/persistence/mediafile_repository_test.go b/persistence/mediafile_repository_test.go
index 1fb939415..d81b5e9ee 100644
--- a/persistence/mediafile_repository_test.go
+++ b/persistence/mediafile_repository_test.go
@@ -1203,6 +1203,13 @@ var _ = Describe("MediaRepository", func() {
 		})
 	})
 
+	Describe("dbMediaFile.String", func() {
+		It("does not dereference a nil MediaFile", func() {
+			Expect(fmt.Sprint(dbMediaFile{})).To(Equal("<nil>"))
+			Expect(fmt.Sprint(&dbMediaFile{})).To(Equal("<nil>"))
+		})
+	})
+
 	Describe("wrapMediaFileCursor", func() {
 		It("does not panic when the cursor yields a dbMediaFile with nil MediaFile", func() {
 			// Simulate what queryWithStableResults does on the rows.Err() path:
diff --git a/persistence/sql_base_repository.go b/persistence/sql_base_repository.go
index 9248f2a26..bc841db03 100644
--- a/persistence/sql_base_repository.go
+++ b/persistence/sql_base_repository.go
@@ -378,8 +378,9 @@ func wrapCursor[D, T any](cursor iter.Seq2[D, error], toModel func(D) *T) iter.S
 		for row, err := range cursor {
 			m := toModel(row)
 			if m == nil {
+				// Don't format row: its String() derefs the nil model (golang/go#81238).
 				var zero T
-				yield(zero, fmt.Errorf("unexpected nil %T (%v): %w", zero, row, err))
+				yield(zero, fmt.Errorf("unexpected nil %T: %w", zero, err))
 				return
 			}
 			if !yield(*m, err) || err != nil {
diff --git a/plugins/host_taskqueue_test.go b/plugins/host_taskqueue_test.go
index 72fb4cccd..993ddc7f6 100644
--- a/plugins/host_taskqueue_test.go
+++ b/plugins/host_taskqueue_test.go
@@ -689,11 +689,12 @@ var _ = Describe("TaskQueueService", func() {
 			copy(times, dispatchTimes)
 			mu.Unlock()
 
-			// Consecutive dispatches should have at least ~160ms gap (80% of 200ms)
+			// Wake-up latency varies per worker, so check offsets from the first dispatch, not gaps.
 			for i := 1; i < len(times); i++ {
-				gap := times[i].Sub(times[i-1])
-				Expect(gap).To(BeNumerically(">=", 160*time.Millisecond),
-					fmt.Sprintf("gap between dispatch %d and %d was %v, expected >= 160ms", i-1, i, gap))
+				offset := times[i].Sub(times[0])
+				minOffset := time.Duration(i)*200*time.Millisecond - 50*time.Millisecond
+				Expect(offset).To(BeNumerically(">=", minOffset),
+					fmt.Sprintf("dispatch %d ran %v after the first, expected >= %v", i, offset, minOffset))
 			}
 		})
 	})