diff --git a/src/main.py b/src/main.py
index 0a136f5..1d3ef40 100644
--- a/src/main.py
+++ b/src/main.py
@@ -342,14 +342,33 @@ def main():
                     if rlist:
                         try:
                             conn, _ = _hermes_socket.accept()
+                            # select() only says a connection is PENDING — the
+                            # client's bytes may not have arrived yet. The accepted
+                            # socket inherits the listener's non-blocking mode, so
+                            # recv() raised BlockingIOError (WinError 10035), the
+                            # error was swallowed, and the caller saw a timeout.
+                            # That is the root of every "no response from bot
+                            # (socket timeout)" and of the retry loops built around
+                            # it — one of which paused the bot for 4h50m.
+                            conn.setblocking(True)
+                            conn.settimeout(2.0)
                             data = conn.recv(1024).decode().strip().lower()
                             _reply = handle_hermes_command(data, controllers)
                             if _reply is not None:
                                 conn.sendall(_reply.encode())
                             conn.close()
-                        except Exception:
-                            pass
-                except Exception:
+                        except Exception as e:
+                            # Never swallow this silently. A raising handler leaves
+                            # the connection in CLOSE_WAIT and every control command
+                            # times out, which reads exactly like "the bot is wedged"
+                            # and cost a long debugging detour on 2026-08-28.
+                            Logger.error(f"hermes command {data!r} failed: {type(e).__name__}: {e}")
+                            try:
+                                conn.close()
+                            except Exception:
+                                pass
+                except Exception as e:
+                    Logger.debug(f"hermes poll loop error: {type(e).__name__}: {e}")
                     time.sleep(0.5)
 
         if _hermes_socket is not None: