diff --git a/.claude/scripts/check-ksteen-smartbadge.sh b/.claude/scripts/check-ksteen-smartbadge.sh
index 12e9427..bc3f66b 100644
--- a/.claude/scripts/check-ksteen-smartbadge.sh
+++ b/.claude/scripts/check-ksteen-smartbadge.sh
@@ -55,12 +55,26 @@ CID=$(curl -s -X POST "$RMM/api/agents/$KSTEEN/command" -H "Authorization: Beare
   -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d "$PAYLOAD" | jq -r '.command_id // empty')
 [ -z "$CID" ] && fail_exit "command dispatch failed"
 
-for i in $(seq 1 20); do
-  ST=$(curl -s "$RMM/api/commands/$CID" -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN" | jq -r '.status')
-  case "$ST" in completed|failed|cancelled|interrupted) break;; esac
+FINAL_ST=""
+for i in $(seq 1 30); do
+  FINAL_ST=$(curl -s "$RMM/api/commands/$CID" -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN" | jq -r '.status')
+  case "$FINAL_ST" in completed|failed|cancelled|interrupted) break;; esac
   sleep 4
 done
-OUT=$(curl -s "$RMM/api/commands/$CID" -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN" | jq -r '.stdout')
+
+CMD_JSON=$(curl -s "$RMM/api/commands/$CID" -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN")
+OUT=$(printf '%s' "$CMD_JSON" | jq -r '.stdout // empty')
+ERR=$(printf '%s' "$CMD_JSON" | jq -r '.stderr // empty')
+EXIT_CODE=$(printf '%s' "$CMD_JSON" | jq -r '.exit_code // empty')
+
+# If the command never completed, treat as a transient infrastructure error (not drift)
+if [[ "$FINAL_ST" != "completed" && "$FINAL_ST" != "failed" ]]; then
+  INFRA_REASON="command status=$FINAL_ST after poll window (exit_code=${EXIT_CODE:-?})"
+  echo "$(ts) INFRA-ERROR | $INFRA_REASON" >> "$LOG"
+  alert "[SMARTBADGE-WATCH] INFRA-ERROR KSTEENBB2025 | $INFRA_REASON - NOT counted as drift"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
 RESULT=$(printf '%s' "$OUT" | grep -m1 'RESULT:')
 
 if printf '%s' "$RESULT" | grep -q 'RESULT: PASS'; then
@@ -68,10 +82,17 @@ if printf '%s' "$RESULT" | grep -q 'RESULT: PASS'; then
   alert "[SMARTBADGE-WATCH] KSTEENBB2025 PASS - Datto Workplace v10 + SmartBadge _CC add-in aligned"
 else
   REASON=$(printf '%s' "$RESULT" | sed 's/^RESULT: //')
-  [ -z "$REASON" ] && REASON="no RESULT line returned: ${OUT:0:200}"
+  if [ -z "$REASON" ]; then
+    # stdout was null/empty - use stderr or command status as diagnostic
+    if [ -n "$ERR" ]; then
+      REASON="no RESULT line; status=$FINAL_ST exit_code=${EXIT_CODE:-?}; stderr: ${ERR:0:300}"
+    else
+      REASON="no RESULT line; status=$FINAL_ST exit_code=${EXIT_CODE:-?}; stdout: ${OUT:0:200}"
+    fi
+  fi
   echo "$(ts) FAIL | $REASON" >> "$LOG"
-  alert "[SMARTBADGE-WATCH] *** DRIFT *** KSTEENBB2025 FAIL | $REASON"
+  alert "[SMARTBADGE-WATCH]  DRIFT  KSTEENBB2025 FAIL | $REASON"
   curl -s -X POST "$COORD/messages" -H "Content-Type: application/json" --data-binary @- <<JSON >/dev/null 2>&1
-{"from_session":"GURU-5070/smartbadge-watch","to_user":"mike","subject":"KSTEENBB2025 SmartBadge drift detected","body":"Daily watch found drift on Kristin Steen's machine: $REASON. Re-run the SmartBadge remediation (.claude/scripts ksteen-smartbadge-verify.ps1 + datto-fix.ps1).","priority":"high"}
+{"from_session":"GURU-5070/smartbadge-watch","to_user":"mike","subject":"KSTEENBB2025 SmartBadge drift detected","body":"Daily watch found drift on Kristin Steen's machine: $REASON. Re-run the SmartBadge remediation (.claude/scripts/ksteen-smartbadge-verify.ps1 + ksteen-smartbadge-fix.ps1).","priority":"high"}
 JSON
 fi