diff --git a/packages/valory/connections/polymarket_client/connection.py b/packages/valory/connections/polymarket_client/connection.py
index 0b18e3cd22..d9f8da06c8 100644
--- a/packages/valory/connections/polymarket_client/connection.py
+++ b/packages/valory/connections/polymarket_client/connection.py
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@
     "international",
 ]
 MARKETS_LIMIT = 300
-EVENTS_LIMIT = 200
+EVENTS_LIMIT = 200`nMAX_PAGES = 100  # Safety cap on the keyset cursor loop (issue #936)
 MARKETS_TIME_WINDOW_DAYS = 4
 API_REQUEST_TIMEOUT = 10
 MAX_API_RETRIES = 3
@@ -858,7 +858,7 @@ def _fetch_markets_by_tag_slug(
         after_cursor: Optional[str] = None
         all_markets: list = []
 
-        while True:
+        for _ in range(MAX_PAGES):
             params: Dict[str, Any] = {
                 "tag_slug": tag_slug,
                 "end_date_max": end_date_max,
@@ -875,6 +875,18 @@ def _fetch_markets_by_tag_slug(
             if error:
                 return None, error
 
+            # _request_with_retries can return a non-dict payload (JSON null, a
+            # stray list, or a string from a misbehaving edge proxy). Calling
+            # .get() on it would raise AttributeError and bubble up to
+            # fetch_markets' blanket except Exception, dropping the whole
+            # category. Degrade gracefully instead. (See issue 936.)
+            if not isinstance(response, dict):
+                self.logger.warning(
+                    f"fetch_markets: non-dict response from keyset API "
+                    f"(type={type(response).__name__}); breaking pagination"
+                )
+                break
+
             events_data = response.get("events") or []
 
             markets_this_page = 0
@@ -895,6 +907,14 @@ def _fetch_markets_by_tag_slug(
             after_cursor = response.get("next_cursor")
             if not after_cursor:
                 break
+        else:
+            # Hit MAX_PAGES without exhausting next_cursor -- upstream may be
+            # returning the same cursor (server bug, cache poisoning, partial
+            # outage). Warn so the next refresh can re-attempt. (See issue 936.)
+            self.logger.warning(
+                f"fetch_markets: hit MAX_PAGES={MAX_PAGES} cap with non-empty "
+                f"next_cursor; truncating market list at {len(all_markets)}"
+            )
 
         return all_markets, None
 
diff --git a/packages/valory/skills/decision_maker_abci/behaviours/polymarket_reedem.py b/packages/valory/skills/decision_maker_abci/behaviours/polymarket_reedem.py
index 5245c262ba..f9d73d7686 100644
--- a/packages/valory/skills/decision_maker_abci/behaviours/polymarket_reedem.py
+++ b/packages/valory/skills/decision_maker_abci/behaviours/polymarket_reedem.py
@@ -73,6 +73,14 @@ def _update_policy_for_redeemable_positions(
 
         :param redeemable_positions: list of position dicts from the Polymarket API.
         """
+        # See issue #970: degrade gracefully on non-list payload.
+        if not isinstance(redeemable_positions, list):
+            self.context.logger.error(
+                f"Expected list of redeemable positions, got "
+                f"{type(redeemable_positions).__name__}: {redeemable_positions!r}"
+            )
+            return
+
         for position in redeemable_positions:
             condition_id = position.get("conditionId")
             if condition_id is None:
@@ -262,8 +270,23 @@ def _redeem_via_builder(
         current_utilized_tools: Optional[str] = None,
     ) -> Generator:
         """Redeem positions via builder flow (connection request)."""
+        # See issue #970: degrade gracefully on non-list payload.
+        if not isinstance(redeemable_positions, list):
+            self.context.logger.error(
+                f"Expected list of redeemable positions, got "
+                f"{type(redeemable_positions).__name__}: {redeemable_positions!r}"
+            )
+            return None
 
         # Redeem each position
+        # See issue #970: degrade gracefully on non-list payload.
+        if not isinstance(redeemable_positions, list):
+            self.context.logger.error(
+                f"Expected list of redeemable positions, got "
+                f"{type(redeemable_positions).__name__}: {redeemable_positions!r}"
+            )
+            return None
+
         for position in redeemable_positions:
             condition_id = position.get("conditionId")
             outcome_index = position.get("outcomeIndex")
@@ -312,6 +335,14 @@ def _prepare_redeem_tx(
             return ""
 
         # Build redemption transactions and add to multisend_batches
+        # See issue #970: degrade gracefully on non-list payload.
+        if not isinstance(redeemable_positions, list):
+            self.context.logger.error(
+                f"Expected list of redeemable positions, got "
+                f"{type(redeemable_positions).__name__}: {redeemable_positions!r}"
+            )
+            return ""
+
         for position in redeemable_positions:
             condition_id = position.get("conditionId")
             outcome_index = position.get("outcomeIndex")
diff --git a/packages/valory/skills/market_manager_abci/behaviours/base.py b/packages/valory/skills/market_manager_abci/behaviours/base.py
index 303cea4774..a80676e1a4 100644
--- a/packages/valory/skills/market_manager_abci/behaviours/base.py
+++ b/packages/valory/skills/market_manager_abci/behaviours/base.py
@@ -120,6 +120,17 @@ def send_polymarket_connection_request(
             self.context.logger.warning("No response from the Polymarket connection.")
             return None
 
+        # _request_with_retries can return a non-dict payload (JSON null, a
+        # list, or a string from a misbehaving edge proxy). Calling
+        # .get() on it would raise AttributeError and bubble up to
+        # fetch_markets' blanket except Exception, dropping the whole
+        # category. Degrade gracefully instead. (See issue #970.)
+        if response.error:
+            self.context.logger.warning(
+                f"Polymarket connection error: {response.error}"
+            )
+            return None
+
         response_json = json.loads(response.payload)
 
         return response_json