diff --git a/pkg/agent/loop.go b/pkg/agent/loop.go
index 53f411452..ba0254076 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/loop.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/loop.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ package agent
 import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
@@ -585,15 +586,17 @@ func (al *AgentLoop) handleReasoning(ctx context.Context, reasoningContent, chan
 		ChatID:  channelID,
 		Content: reasoningContent,
 	}); err != nil {
-		// Only log unexpected errors; context deadline/cancel are expected when
-		// the bus is full under load and would be too noisy to warn about.
-		if ctx.Err() == nil {
-			logger.WarnCF("agent", "Failed to publish reasoning (best-effort)", map[string]any{
+		// Treat context.DeadlineExceeded / context.Canceled as expected
+		// (bus full under load, or parent cancelled).  Check the error
+		// itself rather than ctx.Err(), because pubCtx may time out
+		// (5 s) while the parent ctx is still active.
+		if errors.Is(err, context.DeadlineExceeded) || errors.Is(err, context.Canceled) {
+			logger.DebugCF("agent", "Reasoning publish skipped (timeout/cancel)", map[string]any{
 				"channel": channelName,
 				"error":   err.Error(),
 			})
 		} else {
-			logger.DebugCF("agent", "Reasoning publish skipped (context done)", map[string]any{
+			logger.WarnCF("agent", "Failed to publish reasoning (best-effort)", map[string]any{
 				"channel": channelName,
 				"error":   err.Error(),
 			})
diff --git a/pkg/agent/loop_test.go b/pkg/agent/loop_test.go
index 29293477e..801b6a46e 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/loop_test.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/loop_test.go
@@ -801,16 +801,20 @@ func TestHandleReasoning(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("returns promptly when bus is full", func(t *testing.T) {
 		al, msgBus := newLoop(t)
 
-		// Fill the outbound bus buffer (default size is 64) so that the
-		// next PublishOutbound will block until the context deadline.
-		for i := 0; i < 64; i++ {
-			err := msgBus.PublishOutbound(context.Background(), bus.OutboundMessage{
+		// Fill the outbound bus buffer until a publish would block.
+		// Use a short timeout to detect when the buffer is full,
+		// rather than hardcoding the buffer size.
+		for i := 0; ; i++ {
+			fillCtx, fillCancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 50*time.Millisecond)
+			err := msgBus.PublishOutbound(fillCtx, bus.OutboundMessage{
 				Channel: "filler",
 				ChatID:  "filler",
 				Content: fmt.Sprintf("filler-%d", i),
 			})
+			fillCancel()
 			if err != nil {
-				t.Fatalf("failed to fill bus: %v", err)
+				// Buffer is full (timed out trying to send).
+				break
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/pkg/channels/whatsapp_native/whatsapp_native.go b/pkg/channels/whatsapp_native/whatsapp_native.go
index 748ee29d7..6b8ddbffd 100644
--- a/pkg/channels/whatsapp_native/whatsapp_native.go
+++ b/pkg/channels/whatsapp_native/whatsapp_native.go
@@ -384,6 +384,12 @@ func (c *WhatsAppNativeChannel) Send(ctx context.Context, msg bus.OutboundMessag
 		return fmt.Errorf("whatsapp connection not established: %w", channels.ErrTemporary)
 	}
 
+	// Detect unpaired state: the client is connected (to WhatsApp servers)
+	// but has not completed QR-login yet, so sending would fail.
+	if client.Store.ID == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("whatsapp not yet paired (QR login pending): %w", channels.ErrTemporary)
+	}
+
 	to, err := parseJID(msg.ChatID)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("invalid chat id %q: %w", msg.ChatID, err)