diff --git a/winnow/cli.py b/winnow/cli.py
index 379be13..55391a0 100644
--- a/winnow/cli.py
+++ b/winnow/cli.py
@@ -131,10 +131,15 @@ def _handle_duplicate_people(people: list[dict]) -> list[dict]:
     if merged_any:
         rprint("  [dim]Re-fetching people after merge...[/dim]")
         fresh = get_people()
+        if not fresh:
+            # Retry once: get_people() returns [] for both transient failures and
+            # auth errors (401); a second empty result strongly suggests a real failure.
+            fresh = get_people()
         if not fresh:
             logger.warning(
-                "Re-fetch after merge returned no people"
-                " — possible transient error; proceeding with pre-merge list"
+                "Re-fetch after merge returned no people (tried twice)"
+                " — possible transient error or expired API key;"
+                " proceeding with pre-merge list. Check IMMICH_API_KEY if this recurs."
             )
             return [p for p in people if p["id"] not in skip_ids]
         # Filter out the smaller duplicate from any group whose merge failed — those
diff --git a/winnow/diversity.py b/winnow/diversity.py
index 5f85f7a..3c6ad8d 100644
--- a/winnow/diversity.py
+++ b/winnow/diversity.py
@@ -556,10 +556,11 @@ def _cluster_aware_selection(
     for idx in selected:
         min_dists[idx] = -np.inf
 
+    # Hard example weighting: boost distance for low-confidence candidates.
+    # conf_array is constant after this point, so compute once outside the loop.
+    hard_weight = np.where(conf_array < 0.85, 1.0 + (0.85 - conf_array) * 2.0, 1.0)
+
     while len(selected) < target:
-        # Hard example weighting: boost distance for low-confidence candidates
-        # Confidence < 0.85 gets up to 1.5× distance boost
-        hard_weight = np.where(conf_array < 0.85, 1.0 + (0.85 - conf_array) * 2.0, 1.0)
         weighted_dists = min_dists * hard_weight
 
         best_idx = int(np.argmax(weighted_dists))
diff --git a/winnow/executor.py b/winnow/executor.py
index f2d138e..07b72b6 100644
--- a/winnow/executor.py
+++ b/winnow/executor.py
@@ -363,6 +363,11 @@ def upload_to_frigate(jobs: list[dict]) -> None:
                 progress.console.print(
                     f"  [dim]{name}: first run — Frigate diversity scoring will apply from the next run[/dim]"
                 )
+            # Snapshot whether Frigate has a model before the upload loop starts.
+            # effective_count is incremented inside the loop on each successful upload,
+            # so using the live value would incorrectly trigger recognize_face calls
+            # mid-batch on the first run (after the first upload sets it to 1).
+            has_frigate_model = effective_count > 0
             actually_uploaded: list[tuple[str, str | None]] = []
             failed_deletes: set[str] = set()
             min_quality_score_for_slot: float | None = None
@@ -392,7 +397,7 @@ def upload_to_frigate(jobs: list[dict]) -> None:
                     # Pre-upload Frigate score — clean measurement (image not yet in training set).
                     # Called for all below-cap uploads (seeds frigate_scores for future at-cap
                     # replacement) and for at-cap uploads when scores already exist. Skipped on
-                    # skipped when effective_count == 0 since Frigate has no model yet.
+                    # skipped when has_frigate_model is False (effective_count was 0 before the loop).
                     # recognize_face returns (face_name, score); we only use the score when the
                     # best match is for the correct person. Mismatches (or "unknown") are treated
                     # as None so a wrong-person score never drives a ceiling skip or replacement.
@@ -408,7 +413,7 @@ def upload_to_frigate(jobs: list[dict]) -> None:
                     # rebuild-complete signal, poll it between recognize calls during replacement
                     # sequences rather than accepting stale/None scores.
                     pre_fscore: float | None = None
-                    if Config.ENABLE_FRIGATE_SCORES and effective_count > 0:
+                    if Config.ENABLE_FRIGATE_SCORES and has_frigate_model:
                         if not at_cap or person_has_fscores:
                             _result = recognize_face(fpath)
                             if _result is not None and (_result[0] or "").casefold() == name.casefold():
diff --git a/winnow/jobs.py b/winnow/jobs.py
index 2145879..396fc7a 100644
--- a/winnow/jobs.py
+++ b/winnow/jobs.py
@@ -301,10 +301,12 @@ def auto_configure(people: list[dict]) -> list[dict]:
         # decides per-image whether to swap; any candidate could be an improvement).
         if not quality_replacement_only:
             if limit == "auto":
-                # Switch from open-ended auto to a fixed budget at remaining capacity
-                # so the diversity selector itself stops at the right count instead of
-                # selecting more than MAX_AUTO_IMAGES and overflowing the cap.
-                limit = capacity
+                if already_uploaded > 0:
+                    # Switch from open-ended auto to a fixed budget at remaining capacity
+                    # so the diversity selector stops at the right count instead of
+                    # selecting more than MAX_AUTO_IMAGES and overflowing the cap.
+                    # First runs keep limit="auto" so FPS adaptive early-stop can fire.
+                    limit = capacity
             else:
                 limit = min(limit, capacity)