diff --git a/BrowserExtension/manifest.json b/BrowserExtension/manifest.json
index 26679e4..ab3e6ef 100644
--- a/BrowserExtension/manifest.json
+++ b/BrowserExtension/manifest.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   "manifest_version": 3,
   "name": "VoxClaw",
   "description": "Pauses YouTube and ducks Spotify when VoxClaw speaks, restores when it finishes.",
-  "version": "1.1.0",
+  "version": "1.1.1",
   "icons": {
     "16": "icons/icon16.png",
     "32": "icons/icon32.png",
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@
   "permissions": [
     "tabs",
     "scripting",
-    "storage"
+    "storage",
+    "alarms"
   ],
   "host_permissions": [
     "http://localhost:4140/*",
diff --git a/BrowserExtension/service_worker.js b/BrowserExtension/service_worker.js
index fc3c1eb..76619d7 100644
--- a/BrowserExtension/service_worker.js
+++ b/BrowserExtension/service_worker.js
@@ -57,6 +57,13 @@ async function pollStatus() {
 
     wasReading = isReading;
   } catch {
+    // This chrome.* call is load-bearing beyond the title it sets: extension API
+    // activity is what resets the service worker's idle timer. The success path
+    // above calls chrome.action every second, but without a call here the worker
+    // goes idle while VoxClaw is unreachable and is torn down — taking the poll
+    // interval with it, so ducking never resumes once VoxClaw comes back.
+    chrome.action.setTitle({ title: "VoxClaw (not running)" });
+
     if (wasReading) {
       wasReading = false;
       if (pausedTabs.length > 0) {
@@ -224,6 +231,23 @@ function stopPolling() {
   log("Polling stopped");
 }
 
+// A service worker is torn down after ~30s without extension API activity.
+// While VoxClaw is unreachable pollStatus takes its catch path, which makes no
+// chrome.* calls, so the worker dies — and setInterval dies with it. Nothing
+// would restart it, because startPolling only runs on install/startup, so a
+// single VoxClaw restart used to disable the extension until the browser was
+// restarted. This alarm wakes the worker back up and restarts the loop.
+const WATCHDOG_ALARM = "voxclaw-poll-watchdog";
+// 30s is the shortest period Chrome honors for alarms.
+chrome.alarms.create(WATCHDOG_ALARM, { periodInMinutes: 0.5 });
+
+chrome.alarms.onAlarm.addListener((alarm) => {
+  if (alarm.name !== WATCHDOG_ALARM) return;
+  chrome.storage.local.get("enabled", ({ enabled }) => {
+    if (enabled !== false) startPolling();
+  });
+});
+
 chrome.storage.local.get("enabled", ({ enabled }) => {
   if (enabled !== false) startPolling();
 });