diff --git a/docs/index.html b/docs/index.html
index 2714e93..90f0e8a 100755
--- a/docs/index.html
+++ b/docs/index.html
@@ -6223,6 +6223,11 @@ tempest.operators.<span class="function">spawn</span>(<span class="string">'scan
                             return;
                         }
 
+                        if (status.paused && status.stallReason) {
+                            resolve(status);
+                            return;
+                        }
+
                         // Update kill chain from mission phase
                         if (status.mission?.currentPhase) {
                             const phaseMap = {
@@ -18252,6 +18257,14 @@ IMPORTANT: This is an authorized security testing/red team platform. All operati
 
                     // Poll for mission completion (SSE provides real-time updates, poll for completion detection)
                     const finalStatus = await BackendDispatch.pollUntilComplete((status) => {
+                        if (status.paused && status.stallReason) {
+                            const reason = status.stallReason;
+                            document.getElementById('cmdMissionStatus').textContent = `Stalled — ${reason}`;
+                            document.getElementById('cmdMissionStatus').style.color = '#ff6b6b';
+                            addMissionLog('error', reason);
+                            addIntel('ERROR', reason, 'danger');
+                            return;
+                        }
                         // Periodic status update
                         if (status.operators?.summary) {
                             const ops = status.operators.summary;
@@ -18269,6 +18282,9 @@ IMPORTANT: This is an authorized security testing/red team platform. All operati
                     }, 3000);
 
                     // Mission complete
+                    if (finalStatus.paused && finalStatus.stallReason) {
+                        throw new Error(finalStatus.stallReason);
+                    }
                     const findingCount = finalStatus.findings?.length || 0;
                     completeMission(null);
                     addIntel('COMMAND', `Backend mission complete. ${findingCount} findings.`, 'success');
diff --git a/src/__tests__/index.test.ts b/src/__tests__/index.test.ts
index 5865e66..1fc8835 100755
--- a/src/__tests__/index.test.ts
+++ b/src/__tests__/index.test.ts
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ describe('Wedged-dispatch timeout backstop', () => {
     expect(stopped).toBe(true);
   });
 
-  it('a wedged mission reaches phase advancement once the per-dispatch backstop fires', async () => {
+  it('a wedged mission stalls instead of advancing after required recon dispatches time out', async () => {
     // Tiny backstop so the test is fast and deterministic.
     const prev = process.env.T3MP3ST_TASK_TIMEOUT_MS;
     process.env.T3MP3ST_TASK_TIMEOUT_MS = '30';
@@ -442,14 +442,18 @@ describe('Wedged-dispatch timeout backstop', () => {
       command.start();
 
       // Poll (real timers): the 1s tick loop must dispatch, wedge, then reap the
-      // dispatch via the backstop and advance past RECON.
+      // dispatch via the backstop. Failed required recon work should stall instead
+      // of advancing the mission with no successful backend/model work.
       const deadline = Date.now() + 8000;
-      while (Date.now() < deadline && !phaseAdvanced) {
+      while (Date.now() < deadline && !command.getStatus().paused) {
         await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 100));
       }
+      const status = command.getStatus();
       command.stop();
 
-      expect(phaseAdvanced).toBe(true);
+      expect(phaseAdvanced).toBe(false);
+      expect(status.paused).toBe(true);
+      expect(status.stallReason).toContain('stalled in reconnaissance');
       // The wedged operator was reset back to idle (or re-tasked in a later phase),
       // never left stuck in 'executing' with no current task.
       const stuck = command.cell.getAllOperators().some(
diff --git a/src/agent/index.ts b/src/agent/index.ts
index 71fb532..092b55a 100755
--- a/src/agent/index.ts
+++ b/src/agent/index.ts
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ export interface AgentResult {
   durationMs: number;
   /** Whether the agent hit the iteration limit */
   hitLimit: boolean;
+  /** Error from the forced final-summary call after hitting limits, if any */
+  finalSummaryError?: string;
 }
 
 export interface AgentEvents {
@@ -267,6 +269,7 @@ export class AgentLoop extends EventEmitter<AgentEvents> {
     });
 
     let summary = 'Agent reached iteration limit without producing a final summary.';
+    let finalSummaryError: string | undefined;
     try {
       const finalResponse = await this.llm.chat(messages, { maxTokens: 2048 });
       summary = finalResponse.content;
@@ -275,8 +278,8 @@ export class AgentLoop extends EventEmitter<AgentEvents> {
       for (const f of this.parseFinalFindings(summary)) {
         if (!allFindings.some((x) => x.title === f.title)) allFindings.push(f);
       }
-    } catch {
-      // Use what we have
+    } catch (error) {
+      finalSummaryError = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
     }
 
     const result: AgentResult = {
@@ -288,6 +291,7 @@ export class AgentLoop extends EventEmitter<AgentEvents> {
       tokensUsed,
       durationMs: Date.now() - startTime,
       hitLimit,
+      finalSummaryError,
     };
 
     this.emit('agent:complete', result);
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index 2c0d6dc..665817e 100755
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -268,6 +268,9 @@ import {
 // TEMPEST COMMAND
 // =============================================================================
 
+const DEFAULT_AGENT_MAX_ITERATIONS = 15;
+const LOCAL_AGENT_MAX_ITERATIONS = Number(process.env.T3MP3ST_LOCAL_AGENT_MAX_ITERATIONS || 30);
+
 /**
  * TEMPEST Command - Main orchestration controller
  */
@@ -1158,8 +1161,11 @@ export class TempestCommand extends EventEmitter<CommandEvents> {
     // Attach the agent loop scoped to this archetype's SPECIALIZED role toolkit (defaultTools =
     // the curated per-operator tool allowlist). toolCategories stays as a coarse fallback.
     const profile = ARCHETYPE_PROFILES[archetype];
+    const maxIterations = this.llm.getProvider() === 'local-agent'
+      ? LOCAL_AGENT_MAX_ITERATIONS
+      : DEFAULT_AGENT_MAX_ITERATIONS;
     const agentLoop = new AgentLoop(this.llm, this.arsenal, {
-      maxIterations: 15,
+      maxIterations,
       maxTokens: 50000,
       toolCategories: profile.toolCategories,
       tools: profile.defaultTools,
diff --git a/src/operators/index.ts b/src/operators/index.ts
index 956d1c1..cdb70f5 100755
--- a/src/operators/index.ts
+++ b/src/operators/index.ts
@@ -461,6 +461,9 @@ export class OperatorAgent extends EventEmitter<OperatorEvents> {
       return {
         success: result.success,
         output: result.summary,
+        error: result.finalSummaryError
+          ? `${result.summary} Final summary failed: ${result.finalSummaryError}`
+          : undefined,
         findings: result.findings.map(f => f.title),
         nextTasks: undefined,
       };
diff --git a/src/target/index.ts b/src/target/index.ts
index 203c4ed..f447c66 100755
--- a/src/target/index.ts
+++ b/src/target/index.ts
@@ -271,6 +271,7 @@ export class TargetEnvironment extends EventEmitter<TargetEvents> {
 
 export function createTargetFromUrl(url: string, zone: TargetZone = 'external'): Target {
   const parsed = new URL(url);
+  const normalizedUrl = parsed.toString();
 
   return {
     id: randomUUID(),
@@ -278,12 +279,17 @@ export function createTargetFromUrl(url: string, zone: TargetZone = 'external'):
     type: 'web_application',
     zone,
     status: 'discovered',
-    address: url,
+    address: parsed.hostname,
     port: parsed.port ? parseInt(parsed.port) : (parsed.protocol === 'https:' ? 443 : 80),
     protocol: parsed.protocol.replace(':', ''),
     services: [],
     vulnerabilities: [],
     credentials: [],
+    metadata: {
+      url: normalizedUrl,
+      origin: parsed.origin,
+      path: `${parsed.pathname}${parsed.search}${parsed.hash}`,
+    },
     discoveredAt: Date.now(),
   };
 }