diff --git a/frontend-nuxt/composables/useMapUpdates.ts b/frontend-nuxt/composables/useMapUpdates.ts
index 89480b9..de179d4 100644
--- a/frontend-nuxt/composables/useMapUpdates.ts
+++ b/frontend-nuxt/composables/useMapUpdates.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ export interface UseMapUpdatesReturn {
 
 const RECONNECT_INITIAL_MS = 1000
 const RECONNECT_MAX_MS = 30000
+/** If no SSE message received for this long, treat connection as stale and reconnect. */
+const STALE_CONNECTION_MS = 65000
+const STALE_CHECK_INTERVAL_MS = 30000
 
 export function startMapUpdates(options: UseMapUpdatesOptions): UseMapUpdatesReturn {
   const { backendBase, layer, overlayLayer, map, getCurrentMapId, onMerge, connectionStateRef } = options
@@ -50,6 +53,8 @@ export function startMapUpdates(options: UseMapUpdatesOptions): UseMapUpdatesRet
   let batchScheduled = false
   let source: EventSource | null = null
   let reconnectTimeoutId: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null
+  let staleCheckIntervalId: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null = null
+  let lastMessageTime = 0
   let reconnectDelayMs = RECONNECT_INITIAL_MS
   let destroyed = false
 
@@ -79,15 +84,22 @@ export function startMapUpdates(options: UseMapUpdatesOptions): UseMapUpdatesRet
       overlayLayer.cache[key] = u.T
     }
     const visible = getVisibleTileBounds()
+    // u.Z is backend storage zoom (0..5); visible.zoom is map zoom (1..6). With zoomReverse, current backend Z = maxZoom - mapZoom.
+    const currentBackendZ = visible ? layer.options.maxZoom - visible.zoom : null
+    let needRedraw = false
     for (const u of updates) {
-      if (visible && u.Z !== visible.zoom) continue
+      if (visible && currentBackendZ != null && u.Z !== currentBackendZ) continue
       if (
         visible &&
         (u.X < visible.minX || u.X > visible.maxX || u.Y < visible.minY || u.Y > visible.maxY)
       )
         continue
-      if (layer.map === u.M) layer.refresh(u.X, u.Y, u.Z)
-      if (overlayLayer.map === u.M) overlayLayer.refresh(u.X, u.Y, u.Z)
+      if (layer.map === u.M && !layer.refresh(u.X, u.Y, u.Z)) needRedraw = true
+      if (overlayLayer.map === u.M && !overlayLayer.refresh(u.X, u.Y, u.Z)) needRedraw = true
+    }
+    if (needRedraw) {
+      layer.redraw()
+      overlayLayer.redraw()
     }
   }
 
@@ -99,12 +111,30 @@ export function startMapUpdates(options: UseMapUpdatesOptions): UseMapUpdatesRet
 
   function connect() {
     if (destroyed || !import.meta.client) return
+    if (staleCheckIntervalId != null) {
+      clearInterval(staleCheckIntervalId)
+      staleCheckIntervalId = null
+    }
     source = new EventSource(updatesUrl)
     if (connectionStateRef) connectionStateRef.value = 'connecting'
 
     source.onopen = () => {
       if (connectionStateRef) connectionStateRef.value = 'open'
+      lastMessageTime = Date.now()
       reconnectDelayMs = RECONNECT_INITIAL_MS
+      staleCheckIntervalId = setInterval(() => {
+        if (destroyed || !source) return
+        if (Date.now() - lastMessageTime > STALE_CONNECTION_MS) {
+          if (staleCheckIntervalId != null) {
+            clearInterval(staleCheckIntervalId)
+            staleCheckIntervalId = null
+          }
+          source.close()
+          source = null
+          if (connectionStateRef) connectionStateRef.value = 'error'
+          connect()
+        }
+      }, STALE_CHECK_INTERVAL_MS)
     }
 
     source.onerror = () => {
@@ -121,6 +151,7 @@ export function startMapUpdates(options: UseMapUpdatesOptions): UseMapUpdatesRet
     }
 
     source.onmessage = (event: MessageEvent) => {
+      lastMessageTime = Date.now()
       if (connectionStateRef) connectionStateRef.value = 'open'
       try {
         const raw: unknown = event?.data
@@ -157,6 +188,10 @@ export function startMapUpdates(options: UseMapUpdatesOptions): UseMapUpdatesRet
 
   function cleanup() {
     destroyed = true
+    if (staleCheckIntervalId != null) {
+      clearInterval(staleCheckIntervalId)
+      staleCheckIntervalId = null
+    }
     if (reconnectTimeoutId != null) {
       clearTimeout(reconnectTimeoutId)
       reconnectTimeoutId = null
diff --git a/frontend-nuxt/lib/SmartTileLayer.ts b/frontend-nuxt/lib/SmartTileLayer.ts
index cdaaf15..e2f7c5c 100644
--- a/frontend-nuxt/lib/SmartTileLayer.ts
+++ b/frontend-nuxt/lib/SmartTileLayer.ts
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ export const SmartTileLayer = L.TileLayer.extend({
     return Util.template(this._url, Util.extend(data, this.options))
   },
 
-  refresh(x: number, y: number, z: number) {
+  refresh(x: number, y: number, z: number): boolean {
     let zoom = z
     const maxZoom = this.options.maxZoom
     const zoomReverse = this.options.zoomReverse
@@ -71,19 +71,20 @@ export const SmartTileLayer = L.TileLayer.extend({
 
     const key = `${x}:${y}:${zoom}`
     const tile = this._tiles[key]
-    if (!tile?.el) return
+    if (!tile?.el) return false
     const newUrl = this.getTrueTileUrl({ x, y }, z)
-    if (tile.el.dataset.tileUrl === newUrl) return
+    if (tile.el.dataset.tileUrl === newUrl) return true
     tile.el.dataset.tileUrl = newUrl
     tile.el.src = newUrl
     tile.el.classList.add('tile-fresh')
     const el = tile.el
     setTimeout(() => el.classList.remove('tile-fresh'), 400)
+    return true
   },
 }) as unknown as new (urlTemplate: string, options?: L.TileLayerOptions) => L.TileLayer & {
   cache: SmartTileLayerCache
   invalidTile: string
   map: number
   getTrueTileUrl: (coords: { x: number; y: number }, zoom: number) => string
-  refresh: (x: number, y: number, z: number) => void
+  refresh: (x: number, y: number, z: number) => boolean
 }
diff --git a/internal/app/app.go b/internal/app/app.go
index 998c06c..1868dcb 100644
--- a/internal/app/app.go
+++ b/internal/app/app.go
@@ -26,9 +26,10 @@ const (
 	MultipartMaxMemory  = 100 << 20     // 100 MB
 	MergeMaxMemory      = 500 << 20     // 500 MB
 	ClientVersion       = "4"
-	SSETickInterval     = 5 * time.Second
-	SSETileChannelSize  = 1000
-	SSEMergeChannelSize = 5
+	SSETickInterval      = 1 * time.Second
+	SSEKeepaliveInterval = 30 * time.Second
+	SSETileChannelSize   = 2000
+	SSEMergeChannelSize  = 5
 )
 
 // App is the main application (map server) state.
diff --git a/internal/app/app_test.go b/internal/app/app_test.go
index cea99e1..632d91a 100644
--- a/internal/app/app_test.go
+++ b/internal/app/app_test.go
@@ -93,16 +93,41 @@ func TestTopicClose(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestTopicDropsSlowSubscriber(t *testing.T) {
+func TestTopicSkipsFullChannel(t *testing.T) {
 	topic := &app.Topic[int]{}
-	slow := make(chan *int) // unbuffered, will block
+	slow := make(chan *int) // unbuffered, so Send will skip this subscriber
+	fast := make(chan *int, 10)
 	topic.Watch(slow)
+	topic.Watch(fast)
 
 	val := 42
-	topic.Send(&val) // should drop the slow subscriber
+	topic.Send(&val) // slow is full (unbuffered), message dropped for slow only; fast receives
+	topic.Send(&val)
 
+	// Fast subscriber got both messages
+	for i := 0; i < 2; i++ {
+		select {
+		case got := <-fast:
+			if *got != 42 {
+				t.Fatalf("fast got %d", *got)
+			}
+		default:
+			t.Fatalf("expected fast to have message %d", i+1)
+		}
+	}
+	// Slow subscriber was skipped (channel full), not closed - channel still open and empty
+	select {
+	case _, ok := <-slow:
+		if !ok {
+			t.Fatal("slow channel should not be closed when subscriber is skipped")
+		}
+		t.Fatal("slow should have received no message")
+	default:
+		// slow is open and empty, which is correct
+	}
+	topic.Close()
 	_, ok := <-slow
 	if ok {
-		t.Fatal("expected slow subscriber channel to be closed")
+		t.Fatal("expected slow channel closed after topic.Close()")
 	}
 }
diff --git a/internal/app/handlers/tile.go b/internal/app/handlers/tile.go
index da7b1a4..cd555cf 100644
--- a/internal/app/handlers/tile.go
+++ b/internal/app/handlers/tile.go
@@ -61,8 +61,17 @@ func (h *Handlers) WatchGridUpdates(rw http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
 
 	ticker := time.NewTicker(app.SSETickInterval)
 	defer ticker.Stop()
+	keepaliveTicker := time.NewTicker(app.SSEKeepaliveInterval)
+	defer keepaliveTicker.Stop()
 	for {
 		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return
+		case <-keepaliveTicker.C:
+			if _, err := fmt.Fprint(rw, ": keepalive\n\n"); err != nil {
+				return
+			}
+			flusher.Flush()
 		case e, ok := <-c:
 			if !ok {
 				return
@@ -99,7 +108,9 @@ func (h *Handlers) WatchGridUpdates(rw http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
 		case <-ticker.C:
 			raw, _ := json.Marshal(tileCache)
 			fmt.Fprint(rw, "data: ")
-			_, _ = rw.Write(raw)
+			if _, err := rw.Write(raw); err != nil {
+				return
+			}
 			fmt.Fprint(rw, "\n\n")
 			tileCache = tileCache[:0]
 			flusher.Flush()
diff --git a/internal/app/topic.go b/internal/app/topic.go
index 0a3f42e..8e33e18 100644
--- a/internal/app/topic.go
+++ b/internal/app/topic.go
@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@ func (t *Topic[T]) Watch(c chan *T) {
 	t.c = append(t.c, c)
 }
 
-// Send broadcasts to all subscribers.
+// Send broadcasts to all subscribers. If a subscriber's channel is full,
+// the message is dropped for that subscriber only; the subscriber is not
+// removed, so the connection stays alive and later updates are still delivered.
 func (t *Topic[T]) Send(b *T) {
 	t.mu.Lock()
 	defer t.mu.Unlock()
@@ -23,9 +25,7 @@ func (t *Topic[T]) Send(b *T) {
 		select {
 		case t.c[i] <- b:
 		default:
-			close(t.c[i])
-			t.c[i] = t.c[len(t.c)-1]
-			t.c = t.c[:len(t.c)-1]
+			// Channel full: drop this message for this subscriber, keep them subscribed
 		}
 	}
 }