diff --git a/IdleSpectator/ActivityLog.cs b/IdleSpectator/ActivityLog.cs
index 9e92441..f617f9e 100644
--- a/IdleSpectator/ActivityLog.cs
+++ b/IdleSpectator/ActivityLog.cs
@@ -849,7 +849,7 @@ public static class ActivityLog
     private static bool ShouldSuppressSameVerb(long subjectId, string key)
     {
         string verb = ResolveVerbKey(key);
-        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(verb))
+        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(verb) || ActivityVerbMap.IsSameVerbCooldownExempt(verb))
         {
             return false;
         }
diff --git a/IdleSpectator/ActivityVerbMap.cs b/IdleSpectator/ActivityVerbMap.cs
index f7d2e10..f45d941 100644
--- a/IdleSpectator/ActivityVerbMap.cs
+++ b/IdleSpectator/ActivityVerbMap.cs
@@ -128,6 +128,39 @@ public static class ActivityVerbMap
         return !string.IsNullOrEmpty(Resolve(key));
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// High-signal verbs skip the ActivityLog same-verb cooldown (combat, danger, romance, etc.).
+    /// Spammy verbs like play/move/work still dedupe.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static bool IsSameVerbCooldownExempt(string verb)
+    {
+        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(verb))
+        {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        switch (verb)
+        {
+            case "fight":
+            case "hunt":
+            case "flee":
+            case "lover":
+            case "steal":
+            case "loot":
+            case "heal":
+            case "ignite":
+            case "extinguish":
+            case "fire":
+            case "harvest_life":
+            case "possessed":
+            case "confused":
+            case "strange_urge":
+                return true;
+            default:
+                return false;
+        }
+    }
+
     public static List<string> EnumerateLiveTaskIds()
     {
         return ActivityAssetCatalog.EnumerateLiveTaskIds();
diff --git a/IdleSpectator/AgentHarness.cs b/IdleSpectator/AgentHarness.cs
index a678391..b0617d9 100644
--- a/IdleSpectator/AgentHarness.cs
+++ b/IdleSpectator/AgentHarness.cs
@@ -2006,15 +2006,20 @@ public static class AgentHarness
             }
             case "dossier_task_refresh":
             {
-                // Stale focus snapshot must recover: blank chip, then sync from live AI.
+                // Stale focus snapshot must recover: blank dossier TaskText, then sync from live AI.
+                // Empty live AI is ok - chip may keep a sticky prior label (never cleared on gaps).
                 Actor focus = MoveCamera.hasFocusUnit() ? MoveCamera._focus_unit : null;
                 string live = UnitDossier.ReadLiveTask(focus);
                 string after = WatchCaption.HarnessBlankAndRefreshTask();
                 string chip = WatchCaption.ShownTaskChipText;
-                bool chipMatches = string.IsNullOrEmpty(live)
-                    ? string.IsNullOrEmpty(chip)
-                    : !string.IsNullOrEmpty(chip);
-                pass = after == live && chipMatches;
+                if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(live))
+                {
+                    pass = string.IsNullOrEmpty(after);
+                    detail = $"live_empty dossier='{after}' sticky_chip='{chip}'";
+                    break;
+                }
+
+                pass = after == live && !string.IsNullOrEmpty(chip);
                 detail = $"live='{live}' dossier='{after}' chip='{chip}'";
                 break;
             }
@@ -2292,6 +2297,32 @@ public static class AgentHarness
                     $"added={added} want_added=1 suppressed={suppressed} want_suppressed>={keys.Length - 1} keys={keys.Length}";
                 break;
             }
+            case "activity_verb_exempt":
+            {
+                // Combat / high-signal verbs skip same-verb cooldown.
+                Actor focus = MoveCamera.hasFocusUnit() ? MoveCamera._focus_unit : null;
+                if (focus == null || !focus.isAlive())
+                {
+                    pass = false;
+                    detail = "no_live_focus";
+                    break;
+                }
+
+                ActivityLog.ResetSampleCounters();
+                string[] keys =
+                {
+                    "task_attack",
+                    "punch_a_building",
+                    "tantrum",
+                    "task_unit_attack"
+                };
+                int added = ActivityLog.HarnessSpamSameVerb(focus, keys);
+                int suppressed = ActivityLog.VerbSuppressedSinceClear;
+                pass = added == keys.Length && suppressed == 0;
+                detail =
+                    $"added={added} want_added={keys.Length} suppressed={suppressed} want_suppressed=0";
+                break;
+            }
             case "activity_prose_sentence":
             {
                 // Ensure mood/task labels become sentences, not "{name} laughing".
diff --git a/IdleSpectator/HarnessScenarios.cs b/IdleSpectator/HarnessScenarios.cs
index 1d0a726..6aef175 100644
--- a/IdleSpectator/HarnessScenarios.cs
+++ b/IdleSpectator/HarnessScenarios.cs
@@ -614,6 +614,7 @@ internal static class HarnessScenarios
             Step("act13f", "assert", expect: "activity_taxonomy_audit"),
             Step("act13g", "assert", expect: "activity_status_audit"),
             Step("act13h", "assert", expect: "activity_verb_dedupe"),
+            Step("act13h2", "assert", expect: "activity_verb_exempt"),
             Step("act13i", "assert", expect: "dossier_task_refresh"),
             Step("act14", "activity_force", asset: "laughing", label: "Laughing", count: 1, value: "angle"),
             Step("act14b", "assert", expect: "activity_log_contains", value: "celestial"),
diff --git a/IdleSpectator/WatchCaption.cs b/IdleSpectator/WatchCaption.cs
index 4bd7397..2785c6a 100644
--- a/IdleSpectator/WatchCaption.cs
+++ b/IdleSpectator/WatchCaption.cs
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ public static class WatchCaption
     private const float SexSize = 14f;
     private const float LiveMax = 44f;
     private const float ChipIcon = 12f;
+    /// <summary>Fixed nametag task label slot so text swaps do not autofit-tick the header.</summary>
+    private const float TaskLabelW = 72f;
     private const float TraitIcon = 12f;
     private const float HistoryIcon = 10f;
     private const float HistoryColMinW = 118f;
@@ -623,6 +625,7 @@ public static class WatchCaption
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Keep the nametag task chip in sync with live AI (focus snapshot can miss brief no-task gaps).
+    /// Never clears the chip on empty AI gaps - only replaces text when a new task is present.
     /// </summary>
     private static void RefreshLiveTask()
     {
@@ -638,19 +641,30 @@ public static class WatchCaption
         }
 
         string live = UnitDossier.ReadLiveTask(actor);
+        // Hold the last shown label through brief no-task gaps so autofit does not collapse.
+        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(live))
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
         string prev = _current.TaskText ?? "";
         if (live == prev)
         {
             return;
         }
 
+        bool wasShowing = _taskText != null && _taskText.gameObject.activeSelf;
         _current.TaskText = live;
-        ApplyTaskChip(live);
+        ReplaceTaskChip(live);
+
+        // First appearance needs layout; later swaps only change text inside a fixed-width slot.
+        if (!wasShowing)
+        {
+            bool hasBody = _current.UnitId != 0;
+            bool hasReason = _reasonText != null && _reasonText.gameObject.activeSelf;
+            Relayout(hasBody, CountActiveTraitSlots(), hasTask: true, hasReason, CountActiveHistorySlots());
+        }
 
-        bool hasBody = _current.UnitId != 0;
-        bool hasTask = !string.IsNullOrEmpty(live);
-        bool hasReason = _reasonText != null && _reasonText.gameObject.activeSelf;
-        Relayout(hasBody, CountActiveTraitSlots(), hasTask, hasReason, CountActiveHistorySlots());
         BringHeaderFront();
     }
 
@@ -678,29 +692,61 @@ public static class WatchCaption
         return actor;
     }
 
-    private static void ApplyTaskChip(string taskText)
+    private static string TruncateTaskLabel(string taskText)
     {
-        bool hasTask = !string.IsNullOrEmpty(taskText);
+        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(taskText))
+        {
+            return "";
+        }
+
+        return taskText.Length > 14 ? taskText.Substring(0, 13) + "..." : taskText;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>Show or replace the task chip without ever blanking mid-update.</summary>
+    private static void ReplaceTaskChip(string taskText)
+    {
+        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(taskText))
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
         if (_taskIcon != null)
         {
-            HudIcons.Apply(_taskIcon, hasTask ? HudIcons.Task() : null);
-            _taskIcon.gameObject.SetActive(hasTask);
+            HudIcons.Apply(_taskIcon, HudIcons.Task());
+            _taskIcon.gameObject.SetActive(true);
         }
 
         if (_taskText != null)
         {
-            string task = hasTask ? taskText : "";
-            if (task.Length > 14)
-            {
-                task = task.Substring(0, 13) + "...";
-            }
-
-            _taskText.text = task;
-            _taskText.gameObject.SetActive(hasTask);
+            _taskText.text = TruncateTaskLabel(taskText);
+            _taskText.gameObject.SetActive(true);
         }
     }
 
-    /// <summary>Harness: blank the nametag task, then sync from live AI.</summary>
+    private static void ApplyTaskChip(string taskText)
+    {
+        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(taskText))
+        {
+            ReplaceTaskChip(taskText);
+            return;
+        }
+
+        if (_taskIcon != null)
+        {
+            HudIcons.Apply(_taskIcon, null);
+            _taskIcon.gameObject.SetActive(false);
+        }
+
+        if (_taskText != null)
+        {
+            _taskText.text = "";
+            _taskText.gameObject.SetActive(false);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Harness: simulate a stale empty snapshot, then sync from live AI (replace, never stay blank if live has a task).
+    /// </summary>
     public static string HarnessBlankAndRefreshTask()
     {
         if (_current != null)
@@ -708,7 +754,7 @@ public static class WatchCaption
             _current.TaskText = "";
         }
 
-        ApplyTaskChip("");
+        // Do not hide the chip here - RefreshLiveTask must replace in place when live task exists.
         RefreshLiveTask();
         return _current != null ? (_current.TaskText ?? "") : "";
     }
@@ -1465,9 +1511,8 @@ public static class WatchCaption
             _taskText.gameObject.SetActive(true);
             PlaceLeftChip(_taskIcon.rectTransform, x, yFromTop + 3f, ChipIcon, ChipIcon);
             x += ChipIcon + 1f;
-            float taskW = Mathf.Clamp(MeasureTextWidth(_taskText, 36f), 20f, 72f);
-            PlaceLeftChip(_taskText.rectTransform, x, yFromTop, taskW, HeaderH);
-            x += taskW + 4f;
+            PlaceLeftChip(_taskText.rectTransform, x, yFromTop, TaskLabelW, HeaderH);
+            x += TaskLabelW + 4f;
         }
         else
         {
@@ -1521,7 +1566,7 @@ public static class WatchCaption
         if (hasTask && _taskIcon != null && _taskText != null)
         {
             x += ChipIcon + 1f;
-            x += Mathf.Clamp(MeasureTextWidth(_taskText, 36f), 20f, 72f) + 4f;
+            x += TaskLabelW + 4f;
         }
 
         if (_sexIcon != null && _sexIcon.gameObject.activeSelf)
diff --git a/IdleSpectator/mod.json b/IdleSpectator/mod.json
index b274dd8..9ad5bc8 100644
--- a/IdleSpectator/mod.json
+++ b/IdleSpectator/mod.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "IdleSpectator",
   "author": "dazed",
-  "version": "0.12.100",
+  "version": "0.12.103",
   "description": "AFK Idle Spectator (I) + Lore (L). Detailed living activity prose by default.",
   "GUID": "com.dazed.idlespectator"
 }