diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index 7fb471a..8712116 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@
           inherit version src;
           hostRelease = tribes.packages.${system}.tribesRelease;
           hostSource = tribes;
-          mixFodDepsHash = "sha256-IlAyZ2ED01ktTA4QP8L/FkaxJm8tmuwW9nV6C+tNKcw=";
+          mixFodDepsHash = "sha256-XcX20Q8KN6PTIlLt3nLDx5/XrWew9BYep73HFBhIScg=";
           assets = senderAssets;
           nativeBuildInputs = [pkgs.gcc pkgs.gnumake];
           meta.description = "RTMP ingest and HLS streaming plugin for Tribes";
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@
           inherit version src;
           hostRelease = tribes.packages.${system}.tribesReleaseE2E;
           hostSource = tribes;
-          mixFodDepsHash = "sha256-IlAyZ2ED01ktTA4QP8L/FkaxJm8tmuwW9nV6C+tNKcw=";
+          mixFodDepsHash = "sha256-XcX20Q8KN6PTIlLt3nLDx5/XrWew9BYep73HFBhIScg=";
           assets = senderAssets;
           nativeBuildInputs = [pkgs.gcc pkgs.gnumake];
           meta.description = "RTMP ingest and HLS streaming plugin for Tribes";
diff --git a/lib/sender/edge_session_reconciler.ex b/lib/sender/edge_session_reconciler.ex
index edab98d..9ccfe8f 100644
--- a/lib/sender/edge_session_reconciler.ex
+++ b/lib/sender/edge_session_reconciler.ex
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ defmodule Sender.EdgeSessionReconciler do
 
   @impl true
   def handle_info(:reconcile, state) do
-    case reconcile_once(state.opts) do
+    case safe_reconcile_once(state.opts) do
       {:ok, %{started: started, errors: errors}} ->
         if started > 0 do
           Logger.info("Sender restarted #{started} HLS edge session(s) from persisted topology.")
@@ -79,6 +79,16 @@ defmodule Sender.EdgeSessionReconciler do
     {:noreply, state}
   end
 
+  defp safe_reconcile_once(opts) do
+    reconcile_once(opts)
+  rescue
+    exception ->
+      {:error, {exception.__struct__, Exception.message(exception)}}
+  catch
+    kind, reason ->
+      {:error, {kind, reason}}
+  end
+
   defp reconcile_endpoint(endpoint, generations, ash_opts, opts, acc) do
     case source_endpoint(endpoint, ash_opts) do
       {:ok, source_endpoint} ->
diff --git a/scripts/sender_e2e_runner.exs b/scripts/sender_e2e_runner.exs
index 4d800b1..1e1a580 100644
--- a/scripts/sender_e2e_runner.exs
+++ b/scripts/sender_e2e_runner.exs
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ defmodule Sender.E2ERunner do
     {:ok, %{"endpoint" => origin_endpoint}} =
       sender(@origin, "media_endpoints.upsert", %{
         "type" => "tribes_origin",
-        "node_pubkey" => origin_info["pubkey"],
+        "node_pubkey" => node_pubkey(origin_info),
         "display_name" => "Origin",
         "hls_base_url" => @origin_hls_base,
         "rtmp_ingest_url" => "rtmp://sender-origin:1935/live/source"
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ defmodule Sender.E2ERunner do
       sender(@edge, "media_endpoints.upsert", %{
         "id" => origin_endpoint["id"],
         "type" => "tribes_origin",
-        "node_pubkey" => origin_info["pubkey"],
+        "node_pubkey" => node_pubkey(origin_info),
         "display_name" => "Origin",
         "hls_base_url" => @origin_hls_base,
         "rtmp_ingest_url" => "rtmp://sender-origin:1935/live/source"
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ defmodule Sender.E2ERunner do
     {:ok, %{"endpoint" => edge_endpoint}} =
       sender(@edge, "media_endpoints.upsert", %{
         "type" => "tribes_edge",
-        "node_pubkey" => edge_info["pubkey"],
+        "node_pubkey" => node_pubkey(edge_info),
         "source_endpoint_id" => origin_endpoint["id"],
         "display_name" => "Edge"
       })
@@ -429,13 +429,19 @@ defmodule Sender.E2ERunner do
 
   defp upsert_cluster_node(base_url, node_info) do
     admin(base_url, "cluster_nodes.upsert", %{
-      "pubkey" => node_info["pubkey"],
+      "pubkey" => node_pubkey(node_info),
       "transport_address" => node_info["sync_url"],
       "scope" => "all",
       "status" => "active"
     })
   end
 
+  defp node_pubkey(%{"node_pubkey" => pubkey}) when is_binary(pubkey) and pubkey != "",
+    do: pubkey
+
+  defp node_pubkey(%{"pubkey" => pubkey}) when is_binary(pubkey) and pubkey != "",
+    do: pubkey
+
   defp admin(base_url, method, params) do
     url = base_url <> "/api/admin/management"
     body = JSON.encode!(%{"method" => method, "params" => params})
diff --git a/test/sender/management_test.exs b/test/sender/management_test.exs
index ca0a1b2..91f153b 100644
--- a/test/sender/management_test.exs
+++ b/test/sender/management_test.exs
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 defmodule Sender.ManagementTest do
   use Sender.DataCase, async: false
 
+  import ExUnit.CaptureLog
+
   alias Sender.{EdgeSessionReconciler, MediaSession}
   alias Sender.Management
   alias Sender.Management.{EndpointSnapshots, Stream, StreamKey, StreamLifecycle, Topology}
@@ -95,6 +97,36 @@ defmodule Sender.ManagementTest do
     assert metrics["hls_log_parse_errors"].stat == "sum"
   end
 
+  test "edge session reconciler logs startup-time errors instead of crashing" do
+    previous_trap_exit = Process.flag(:trap_exit, true)
+
+    try do
+      name = :"sender_edge_reconciler_#{System.unique_integer([:positive])}"
+
+      assert {:ok, pid} =
+               EdgeSessionReconciler.start_link(
+                 name: name,
+                 initial_delay_ms: 60_000,
+                 interval_ms: 60_000,
+                 node_pubkey_fun: fn -> raise RuntimeError, "repo unavailable" end
+               )
+
+      log =
+        capture_log(fn ->
+          send(pid, :reconcile)
+          Process.sleep(50)
+        end)
+
+      assert Process.alive?(pid)
+      assert log =~ "Sender edge session reconciliation failed"
+      assert log =~ "repo unavailable"
+
+      GenServer.stop(pid)
+    after
+      Process.flag(:trap_exit, previous_trap_exit)
+    end
+  end
+
   test "default stream methods use a singleton product surface" do
     assert {:ok, %{"stream" => created}} =
              Stream.ensure_default(@context, %{