diff --git a/plugin/moderator-presence.ts b/plugin/moderator-presence.ts
index 5f4e1e9..dfe311e 100644
--- a/plugin/moderator-presence.ts
+++ b/plugin/moderator-presence.ts
@@ -1,15 +1,20 @@
 /**
  * Minimal Discord Gateway connection to keep the moderator bot "online".
  * Uses Node.js built-in WebSocket (Node 22+).
+ *
+ * IMPORTANT: Only ONE instance should exist per bot token.
+ * Uses a singleton guard to prevent multiple connections.
  */
 
 let ws: WebSocket | null = null;
 let heartbeatInterval: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null = null;
+let heartbeatAcked = true;
 let lastSequence: number | null = null;
 let sessionId: string | null = null;
 let resumeUrl: string | null = null;
 let reconnectTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null;
 let destroyed = false;
+let started = false; // singleton guard
 
 type Logger = {
   info: (msg: string) => void;
@@ -17,6 +22,8 @@ type Logger = {
 };
 
 const GATEWAY_URL = "wss://gateway.discord.gg/?v=10&encoding=json";
+const MAX_RECONNECT_DELAY_MS = 60_000;
+let reconnectAttempts = 0;
 
 function sendPayload(data: Record<string, unknown>) {
   if (ws?.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) {
@@ -26,29 +33,79 @@ function sendPayload(data: Record<string, unknown>) {
 
 function startHeartbeat(intervalMs: number) {
   stopHeartbeat();
+  heartbeatAcked = true;
+
+  // First heartbeat after jitter
   const jitter = Math.floor(Math.random() * intervalMs);
-  setTimeout(() => {
+  const firstTimer = setTimeout(() => {
+    if (destroyed) return;
+    if (!heartbeatAcked) {
+      // Missed ACK — zombie connection, close and reconnect
+      ws?.close(4000, "missed heartbeat ack");
+      return;
+    }
+    heartbeatAcked = false;
     sendPayload({ op: 1, d: lastSequence });
+
     heartbeatInterval = setInterval(() => {
+      if (destroyed) return;
+      if (!heartbeatAcked) {
+        ws?.close(4000, "missed heartbeat ack");
+        return;
+      }
+      heartbeatAcked = false;
       sendPayload({ op: 1, d: lastSequence });
     }, intervalMs);
   }, jitter);
+
+  // Store the first timer so we can clear it
+  heartbeatInterval = firstTimer as unknown as ReturnType<typeof setInterval>;
 }
 
 function stopHeartbeat() {
   if (heartbeatInterval) {
     clearInterval(heartbeatInterval);
+    clearTimeout(heartbeatInterval as unknown as ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>);
     heartbeatInterval = null;
   }
 }
 
+function cleanup() {
+  stopHeartbeat();
+  if (ws) {
+    // Remove all handlers to avoid ghost callbacks
+    ws.onopen = null;
+    ws.onmessage = null;
+    ws.onclose = null;
+    ws.onerror = null;
+    try { ws.close(1000); } catch { /* ignore */ }
+    ws = null;
+  }
+}
+
 function connect(token: string, logger: Logger, isResume = false) {
   if (destroyed) return;
 
+  // Clean up any existing connection first
+  cleanup();
+
   const url = isResume && resumeUrl ? resumeUrl : GATEWAY_URL;
-  ws = new WebSocket(url);
+
+  try {
+    ws = new WebSocket(url);
+  } catch (err) {
+    logger.warn(`whispergate: moderator ws constructor failed: ${String(err)}`);
+    scheduleReconnect(token, logger, false);
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const currentWs = ws; // capture for closure
 
   ws.onopen = () => {
+    if (currentWs !== ws || destroyed) return; // stale
+
+    reconnectAttempts = 0; // reset on successful open
+
     if (isResume && sessionId) {
       sendPayload({
         op: 6,
@@ -75,17 +132,20 @@ function connect(token: string, logger: Logger, isResume = false) {
   };
 
   ws.onmessage = (evt: MessageEvent) => {
+    if (currentWs !== ws || destroyed) return;
+
     try {
       const msg = JSON.parse(typeof evt.data === "string" ? evt.data : String(evt.data));
       const { op, t, s, d } = msg;
 
-      if (s) lastSequence = s;
+      if (s != null) lastSequence = s;
 
       switch (op) {
         case 10: // Hello
           startHeartbeat(d.heartbeat_interval);
           break;
         case 11: // Heartbeat ACK
+          heartbeatAcked = true;
           break;
         case 1: // Heartbeat request
           sendPayload({ op: 1, d: lastSequence });
@@ -100,36 +160,49 @@ function connect(token: string, logger: Logger, isResume = false) {
             logger.info("whispergate: moderator bot resumed");
           }
           break;
-        case 7: // Reconnect
-          logger.info("whispergate: moderator bot reconnect requested");
-          ws?.close(4000);
+        case 7: // Reconnect request
+          logger.info("whispergate: moderator bot reconnect requested by Discord");
+          cleanup();
+          scheduleReconnect(token, logger, true);
           break;
         case 9: // Invalid Session
           logger.warn(`whispergate: moderator bot invalid session, resumable=${d}`);
-          if (d) {
-            scheduleReconnect(token, logger, true);
-          } else {
-            sessionId = null;
-            scheduleReconnect(token, logger, false);
-          }
+          cleanup();
+          sessionId = d ? sessionId : null;
+          // Wait longer before re-identifying
+          setTimeout(() => {
+            if (!destroyed) connect(token, logger, !!d && !!sessionId);
+          }, 3000 + Math.random() * 2000);
           break;
       }
     } catch {
-      // ignore
+      // ignore parse errors
     }
   };
 
   ws.onclose = (evt: CloseEvent) => {
+    if (currentWs !== ws) return; // stale ws
     stopHeartbeat();
     if (destroyed) return;
+
     const code = evt.code;
+
+    // Non-recoverable codes — stop reconnecting
     if (code === 4004) {
-      logger.warn("whispergate: moderator bot token invalid, not reconnecting");
+      logger.warn("whispergate: moderator bot token invalid (4004), stopping");
+      started = false;
       return;
     }
-    logger.info(`whispergate: moderator bot disconnected (code=${code}), reconnecting...`);
-    const canResume = code !== 4010 && code !== 4011 && code !== 4012 && code !== 4013 && code !== 4014;
-    scheduleReconnect(token, logger, canResume && !!sessionId);
+    if (code === 4010 || code === 4011 || code === 4013 || code === 4014) {
+      logger.warn(`whispergate: moderator bot fatal close (${code}), re-identifying`);
+      sessionId = null;
+      scheduleReconnect(token, logger, false);
+      return;
+    }
+
+    logger.info(`whispergate: moderator bot disconnected (code=${code}), will reconnect`);
+    const canResume = !!sessionId && code !== 4012;
+    scheduleReconnect(token, logger, canResume);
   };
 
   ws.onerror = () => {
@@ -140,24 +213,45 @@ function connect(token: string, logger: Logger, isResume = false) {
 function scheduleReconnect(token: string, logger: Logger, resume: boolean) {
   if (destroyed) return;
   if (reconnectTimer) clearTimeout(reconnectTimer);
-  const delay = 2000 + Math.random() * 3000;
-  reconnectTimer = setTimeout(() => connect(token, logger, resume), delay);
+
+  // Exponential backoff with cap
+  reconnectAttempts++;
+  const baseDelay = Math.min(1000 * Math.pow(2, reconnectAttempts), MAX_RECONNECT_DELAY_MS);
+  const jitter = Math.random() * 1000;
+  const delay = baseDelay + jitter;
+
+  logger.info(`whispergate: moderator reconnect in ${Math.round(delay)}ms (attempt ${reconnectAttempts})`);
+
+  reconnectTimer = setTimeout(() => {
+    reconnectTimer = null;
+    connect(token, logger, resume);
+  }, delay);
 }
 
+/**
+ * Start the moderator bot's Discord Gateway connection.
+ * Singleton: calling multiple times with the same token is safe (no-op).
+ */
 export function startModeratorPresence(token: string, logger: Logger): void {
+  if (started) {
+    logger.info("whispergate: moderator presence already started, skipping");
+    return;
+  }
+  started = true;
   destroyed = false;
+  reconnectAttempts = 0;
   connect(token, logger);
 }
 
+/**
+ * Disconnect the moderator bot.
+ */
 export function stopModeratorPresence(): void {
   destroyed = true;
-  stopHeartbeat();
+  started = false;
   if (reconnectTimer) {
     clearTimeout(reconnectTimer);
     reconnectTimer = null;
   }
-  if (ws) {
-    ws.close(1000);
-    ws = null;
-  }
+  cleanup();
 }