diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
index 2d8fa6b..4cbed6a 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
@@ -29,4 +29,7 @@ jobs:
           git pull
           source .venv/bin/activate
           pip install -r requirements.txt
-          sudo systemctl restart tipibot
+          sudo systemctl restart tipibot_dev        # dev bot first, as canary
+          sleep 5
+          systemctl is-active --quiet tipibot_dev   # dev crashed on startup -> abort
+          sudo systemctl restart tipibot            # eco bot only if dev survived
diff --git a/bot.py b/bot.py
index 04a5682..b0f8a7e 100644
--- a/bot.py
+++ b/bot.py
@@ -373,7 +373,11 @@ async def _rotate_presence() -> None:
         except Exception as e:
             log.warning("Presence: failed to fetch economy count: %s", e)
     activity = _PRESENCES[_presence_index % len(_PRESENCES)](guild)
-    await bot.change_presence(status=discord.Status.online, activity=activity)
+    try:
+        await bot.change_presence(status=discord.Status.online, activity=activity)
+    except Exception as e:
+        # gateway may be mid-reconnect; skip this rotation instead of tracebacking
+        log.warning("Presence update skipped: %s", e)
     _presence_index += 1