diff --git a/extension/background.js b/extension/background.js
index f336257..0e99005 100644
--- a/extension/background.js
+++ b/extension/background.js
@@ -98,13 +98,21 @@ async function connect() {
     desired = false; // no token yet — wait for Auto-connect to fetch one.
     return;
   }
+  let sock;
   try {
-    ws = new WebSocket(serverUrl);
+    sock = new WebSocket(serverUrl);
   } catch (e) {
     lastError = "Bad server URL: " + String(e && e.message ? e.message : e);
     scheduleReconnect();
     return;
   }
+  ws = sock;
+  // Every handler below guards on `ws === sock`. Handlers are bound to this
+  // specific socket but mutate module-level state (`connected`, `lastError`);
+  // once a newer connect() has replaced the global `ws`, this socket is
+  // superseded and a late-firing event from it (especially onclose) must NOT
+  // clobber the live connection's state — that desync is what stranded the
+  // popup on "Reconnecting…" while the socket was actually up.
 
   // Connect-stall watchdog. When the extension lacks host access to the target
   // (e.g. 127.0.0.1 site access is off in edge://extensions), the WebSocket
@@ -113,21 +121,23 @@ async function connect() {
   if (connectTimer) clearTimeout(connectTimer);
   connectTimer = setTimeout(() => {
     connectTimer = null;
-    if (!connected && ws && ws.readyState !== WebSocket.OPEN) {
+    if (ws === sock && !connected && sock.readyState !== WebSocket.OPEN) {
       lastError =
         "Connection stalled (no response from " + serverUrl + "). " +
         "Most likely the extension lacks access to this host — open the extensions page › this extension › " +
         "Site access and allow 127.0.0.1 / localhost (set to 'On all sites'). Then reload the extension and Auto-connect again.";
-      try { ws.close(); } catch {}
+      try { sock.close(); } catch {}
     }
   }, CONNECT_TIMEOUT_MS);
 
-  ws.onopen = () => {
+  sock.onopen = () => {
+    if (ws !== sock) return;
     lastError = "";
-    ws.send(JSON.stringify({ type: "hello", token }));
+    sock.send(JSON.stringify({ type: "hello", token }));
   };
 
-  ws.onmessage = async (ev) => {
+  sock.onmessage = async (ev) => {
+    if (ws !== sock) return;
     let msg;
     try { msg = JSON.parse(ev.data); } catch { return; }
     if (msg.type === "welcome") {
@@ -150,21 +160,42 @@ async function connect() {
       stop(true);
       return;
     }
+    // Server keepalive: the inbound frame itself is what keeps this MV3 worker
+    // awake (Chrome resets the idle timer on any ws message); the pong lets the
+    // server confirm we're alive. Receiving a ping also proves we're connected,
+    // so self-heal the flag in case a stale event left it out of sync.
+    if (msg.type === "ping") {
+      if (!connected) { connected = true; chrome.action.setBadgeText({ text: "on" }); }
+      send({ type: "pong" });
+      return;
+    }
+    if (msg.type === "pong") { return; }
     await handleEnvelope(msg);
   };
 
-  ws.onclose = () => {
+  sock.onclose = () => {
+    if (ws !== sock) return; // superseded socket — leave the live one alone
     if (connectTimer) { clearTimeout(connectTimer); connectTimer = null; }
+    const wasConnected = connected;
     connected = false;
-    if (!lastError) {
+    chrome.action.setBadgeText({ text: "" });
+    // Dropping a live connection is routine (MV3 worker nap, jcode restart) —
+    // don't cry wolf. Reconnect quietly and let the badge/pill show "Reconnecting…".
+    // Only surface the hard "can't reach" error once a few attempts in a row
+    // have failed, i.e. the server really is gone or on a stale port.
+    if (wasConnected) {
+      lastError = "";
+      reconnectDelay = 1000;
+      attempts = 0;
+    } else if (!lastError && attempts >= 3) {
       lastError = "Could not reach the jcode server. Check that jcode is running and the URL/port is right.";
     }
-    chrome.action.setBadgeText({ text: "" });
     scheduleReconnect();
   };
-  ws.onerror = () => {
+  sock.onerror = () => {
+    if (ws !== sock) return;
     lastError = "WebSocket error connecting to " + serverUrl + " — is jcode running there, and does the extension have site access to it?";
-    try { ws.close(); } catch {}
+    try { sock.close(); } catch {}
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/extension/popup/popup.html b/extension/popup/popup.html
index 3f112da..a4026f4 100644
--- a/extension/popup/popup.html
+++ b/extension/popup/popup.html
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
     .msg { margin-top: 8px; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.4; padding: 7px 9px; border-radius: 7px; }
     .msg.err { background: #fdeceb; color: var(--red); }
     .msg.ok { background: #e6f6ec; color: var(--green); }
+    .msg.info { background: #f2f0ed; color: var(--ink2); }
   </style>
 </head>
 <body>
diff --git a/extension/popup/popup.js b/extension/popup/popup.js
index 7ba6c48..7292146 100644
--- a/extension/popup/popup.js
+++ b/extension/popup/popup.js
@@ -41,7 +41,12 @@ async function refresh() {
     pill.className = "pill off";
     pill.innerHTML = '<span class="dot off"></span>Reconnecting…';
     $("autoConnect").textContent = "Auto-connect to jcode";
-    showMsg((st.lastError ? st.lastError + " " : "") + "Click Disconnect to stop trying.", "err");
+    // Only go red on a real failure; a routine reconnect stays neutral.
+    if (st.lastError) {
+      showMsg(st.lastError + " Click Disconnect to stop trying.", "err");
+    } else {
+      showMsg("Reconnecting to jcode…", "info");
+    }
   } else {
     pill.className = "pill off";
     pill.innerHTML = '<span class="dot off"></span>Offline';
diff --git a/internal/browser/bridge.go b/internal/browser/bridge.go
index e9032e0..bd7bb79 100644
--- a/internal/browser/bridge.go
+++ b/internal/browser/bridge.go
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ func (b *Bridge) HandleWS(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	b.mu.Unlock()
 
 	config.Logger().Printf("[browser] extension connected")
+	go bc.keepAlive()
 	bc.readLoop()
 
 	b.mu.Lock()
@@ -135,6 +136,19 @@ type bridgeEnvelope struct {
 	URL    string          `json:"url,omitempty"`
 }
 
+// Keepalive timing. Chrome/Edge kill an MV3 service worker after ~30s idle, and
+// an inbound websocket message resets that timer — so a steady server→extension
+// ping is what actually keeps the extension worker (and thus the whole bridge)
+// alive between browser commands. Without it the worker naps, the socket drops,
+// and the popup flaps to "Reconnecting…". keepAliveWait is the read side: if no
+// frame (pong, alarm ping, or command reply) arrives within two ping periods,
+// treat the extension as dead and tear the socket down.
+// vars, not consts, so tests can shrink them.
+var (
+	keepAlivePing = 15 * time.Second
+	keepAliveWait = 40 * time.Second
+)
+
 type bridgeConn struct {
 	ws      *websocket.Conn
 	writeMu sync.Mutex
@@ -147,6 +161,35 @@ type bridgeConn struct {
 	closeErr error
 }
 
+// writeJSON serializes all writes to the socket (gorilla forbids concurrent
+// writers) and bounds a stuck write so a wedged peer can't block a ping or a
+// command forever.
+func (c *bridgeConn) writeJSON(v any) error {
+	c.writeMu.Lock()
+	defer c.writeMu.Unlock()
+	_ = c.ws.SetWriteDeadline(time.Now().Add(10 * time.Second))
+	return c.ws.WriteJSON(v)
+}
+
+// keepAlive pings the extension on an interval so its service worker stays awake
+// and the socket stays up between commands. It exits when the read loop closes
+// the conn.
+func (c *bridgeConn) keepAlive() {
+	t := time.NewTicker(keepAlivePing)
+	defer t.Stop()
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-c.closed:
+			return
+		case <-t.C:
+			if err := c.writeJSON(bridgeEnvelope{Type: "ping"}); err != nil {
+				c.close() // wake the read loop so it tears the conn down
+				return
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func newBridgeConn(ws *websocket.Conn) *bridgeConn {
 	ws.SetReadLimit(256 << 20)
 	return &bridgeConn{
@@ -158,6 +201,7 @@ func newBridgeConn(ws *websocket.Conn) *bridgeConn {
 }
 
 func (c *bridgeConn) readLoop() {
+	_ = c.ws.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(keepAliveWait))
 	for {
 		var env bridgeEnvelope
 		if err := c.ws.ReadJSON(&env); err != nil {
@@ -171,7 +215,12 @@ func (c *bridgeConn) readLoop() {
 			close(c.closed)
 			return
 		}
+		// Any inbound frame proves the extension is alive; extend the window.
+		_ = c.ws.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(keepAliveWait))
 		switch env.Type {
+		case "ping", "pong":
+			// Keepalive traffic (the extension's own alarm ping, or a pong to
+			// ours) — nothing to route.
 		case "cdp.result", "cdp.error", "tabs.result", "tab.result":
 			c.mu.Lock()
 			ch := c.pending[env.ID]
@@ -204,9 +253,7 @@ func (c *bridgeConn) request(ctx context.Context, env bridgeEnvelope) (bridgeEnv
 	c.pending[id] = ch
 	c.mu.Unlock()
 
-	c.writeMu.Lock()
-	err := c.ws.WriteJSON(env)
-	c.writeMu.Unlock()
+	err := c.writeJSON(env)
 	if err != nil {
 		c.mu.Lock()
 		delete(c.pending, id)
diff --git a/internal/browser/bridge_test.go b/internal/browser/bridge_test.go
index b19fe06..8424700 100644
--- a/internal/browser/bridge_test.go
+++ b/internal/browser/bridge_test.go
@@ -144,6 +144,37 @@ func TestBridgeCDPForwarding(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestBridgeKeepAlivePing verifies the server proactively pings the extension so
+// its MV3 service worker can't nap the socket shut. A silent extension (no alarm
+// ping, no command traffic) must still receive server pings; and if it never
+// answers, the read watchdog must eventually drop it.
+func TestBridgeKeepAlivePing(t *testing.T) {
+	oldPing, oldWait := keepAlivePing, keepAliveWait
+	keepAlivePing, keepAliveWait = 20*time.Millisecond, 120*time.Millisecond
+	t.Cleanup(func() { keepAlivePing, keepAliveWait = oldPing, oldWait })
+
+	b, wsURL := bridgeServer(t)
+	token := b.IssueToken()
+	fe, ok := dialExtension(t, wsURL, map[string]any{"type": "hello", "token": token})
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal("token auth failed")
+	}
+
+	// Read the first frame the server sends after welcome; it must be a ping.
+	_ = fe.conn.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(2 * time.Second))
+	var env bridgeEnvelope
+	if err := fe.conn.ReadJSON(&env); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected a server ping, got read error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if env.Type != "ping" {
+		t.Fatalf("first server keepalive frame = %q, want \"ping\"", env.Type)
+	}
+
+	// A silent extension (we stop reading/answering) must be dropped by the read
+	// watchdog rather than lingering forever.
+	waitUntil(t, func() bool { return !b.Connected() })
+}
+
 func TestBridgeStableTokenIsStable(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Setenv("HOME", t.TempDir())
 	b := NewBridge()