diff --git a/src/Router/__Libraries/StellaOps.Router.Transport.Messaging/Options/MessagingTransportOptions.cs b/src/Router/__Libraries/StellaOps.Router.Transport.Messaging/Options/MessagingTransportOptions.cs
index c2638b70a..b3c2bb00a 100644
--- a/src/Router/__Libraries/StellaOps.Router.Transport.Messaging/Options/MessagingTransportOptions.cs
+++ b/src/Router/__Libraries/StellaOps.Router.Transport.Messaging/Options/MessagingTransportOptions.cs
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ public class MessagingTransportOptions
     /// <summary>
     /// Gets or sets the timeout for RPC requests.
     /// </summary>
-    public TimeSpan RequestTimeout { get; set; } = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(30);
+    public TimeSpan RequestTimeout { get; set; } = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(55);
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Gets or sets the lease duration for message processing.
diff --git a/src/Workflow/__Libraries/StellaOps.Workflow.Renderer.Svg/WorkflowRenderSvgRenderer.cs b/src/Workflow/__Libraries/StellaOps.Workflow.Renderer.Svg/WorkflowRenderSvgRenderer.cs
index 571dbc50d..0706675d7 100644
--- a/src/Workflow/__Libraries/StellaOps.Workflow.Renderer.Svg/WorkflowRenderSvgRenderer.cs
+++ b/src/Workflow/__Libraries/StellaOps.Workflow.Renderer.Svg/WorkflowRenderSvgRenderer.cs
@@ -2044,7 +2044,9 @@ public sealed class WorkflowRenderSvgRenderer
 
         // Remove backtracks: when three consecutive points are on the same
         // axis (same X or same Y) and the middle one overshoots then returns,
-        // remove the overshoot point.
+        // remove the overshoot AND the return point (keep the pre-overshoot
+        // as the new endpoint). This prevents the path from bending inside
+        // the target node after the backtrack removal.
         for (var i = 1; i < mutablePoints.Count - 1; i++)
         {
             var prev = mutablePoints[i - 1];
@@ -2054,13 +2056,21 @@ public sealed class WorkflowRenderSvgRenderer
             var sameY = Math.Abs(prev.Y - curr.Y) < 2d && Math.Abs(curr.Y - next.Y) < 2d;
             if (sameX)
             {
-                // All three on same X. Check if curr overshoots: prev→curr goes
-                // one direction, curr→next goes the opposite.
                 var d1 = curr.Y - prev.Y;
                 var d2 = next.Y - curr.Y;
-                if (d1 * d2 < 0d) // opposite directions = backtrack
+                if (d1 * d2 < 0d)
                 {
-                    mutablePoints.RemoveAt(i);
+                    // Remove overshoot. If next is the last point (endpoint),
+                    // also remove it — prev becomes the new endpoint.
+                    if (i + 1 == mutablePoints.Count - 1)
+                    {
+                        mutablePoints.RemoveRange(i, 2);
+                    }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        mutablePoints.RemoveAt(i);
+                    }
+
                     i--;
                     continue;
                 }
@@ -2072,7 +2082,15 @@ public sealed class WorkflowRenderSvgRenderer
                 var d2 = next.X - curr.X;
                 if (d1 * d2 < 0d)
                 {
-                    mutablePoints.RemoveAt(i);
+                    if (i + 1 == mutablePoints.Count - 1)
+                    {
+                        mutablePoints.RemoveRange(i, 2);
+                    }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        mutablePoints.RemoveAt(i);
+                    }
+
                     i--;
                     continue;
                 }