diff --git a/kick.c b/kick.c
index ecd244e..9e7d3a7 100644
--- a/kick.c
+++ b/kick.c
@@ -8706,8 +8706,14 @@ static void standalone_overlay_damage(void) {
        to re-damage that whole region; restore the z-order immediately so the
        always-enabled transparent rect never intercepts pointer hit-testing. */
     wlr_scene_node_raise_to_top(&r->node);
-    wlr_scene_rect_set_size(r, r->width, r->height - 1);
-    wlr_scene_rect_set_size(r, r->width, r->height);
+    /* Snapshot the size: set_size updates the struct in place, so re-reading
+       r->height for the restore would keep the decremented value and shrink
+       the rect one pixel per call -- after output_height calls the height
+       reaches zero and the next bump aborts in wlr_scene_rect_set_size.
+       Every pointer motion calls here, so any real session got there. */
+    int w = r->width, h = r->height;
+    wlr_scene_rect_set_size(r, w, h > 0 ? h - 1 : h);
+    wlr_scene_rect_set_size(r, w, h);
     wlr_scene_node_lower_to_bottom(&r->node);
 }
 
@@ -10945,8 +10951,15 @@ static bool host_init(void) {
         return true;
     }
 
-    host.width = 1280;
-    host.height = 800;
+    /* An eager host (kick-in-kick) may have configured the window inside
+       the startup roundtrip already; keep that real size.  Otherwise install
+       the default until the first (async) configure overwrites it.
+       Resetting unconditionally desyncs the swapchain (sized from the
+       configure) from the host size and trips wlroots' build_state assert. */
+    if (!host.configured) {
+        host.width = 1280;
+        host.height = 800;
+    }
     host.egl_window = wl_egl_window_create(host.surface, host.width, host.height);
     host.egl_surface = eglCreateWindowSurface(host.egl_display, host.egl_config,
                                               (EGLNativeWindowType)host.egl_window, NULL);
@@ -12709,6 +12722,14 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         return 1;
     }
 
+    /* The tab/MRU lists must exist before host_init(): a host that sends
+       its first configure synchronously inside the startup roundtrip drives
+       the resize path (which walks server.tabs) before any tab exists. */
+    wl_list_init(&server.tabs);
+    wl_list_init(&server.mru);
+    server.mru_alt_anchor = NULL;
+    server.mru_alt_navigated = false;
+
     /* Standalone mode presents onto the native output directly; nested mode
        connects to the host compositor and presents inside it. */
     if (!server.standalone && !host_init()) {
@@ -12723,12 +12744,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
        order, each carrying a still-black pending window the command's client
        claims when it connects (the process-group match in
        handle_new_toplevel puts each client on its own slot no matter which
-       connects first). */
-    wl_list_init(&server.tabs);
-    wl_list_init(&server.mru);
-    server.mru_alt_anchor = NULL;
-    server.mru_alt_navigated = false;
-
+       connects first).  The lists themselves were initialized before
+       host_init above. */
     int focus_idx = start_cmd_index >= 0 ? start_cmd_index : total_apps - 1;
     struct kick_tab *focus_tab = NULL;
     for (int i = 0; i < total_apps; i++) {
diff --git a/tests/test_smoke.py b/tests/test_smoke.py
index a4cfcf7..66ceb97 100644
--- a/tests/test_smoke.py
+++ b/tests/test_smoke.py
@@ -836,6 +836,32 @@ def test_standalone_headless_overlay_clears_on_alt_release(standalone_session):
     _assert_alive(s)
 
 
+def test_standalone_overlay_damage_survives_motion_burst(tmp_path):
+    """The overlay damage sentinel's bump must not shrink the rect: it used
+    to re-read its own height for the restore call, shaving one pixel per
+    invocation until the height hit zero and the next bump aborted in
+    wlr_scene_rect_set_size (width/height >= 0).  Every pointer motion calls
+    it, so ~one output height's worth of motions (800 here) killed any
+    session that moved the mouse enough.  Needs a cursor theme: without one
+    the motion listener never attaches and nothing bumps."""
+    if not os.path.exists("/usr/share/icons/Adwaita/cursors"):
+        pytest.skip("needs a cursor theme so the motion listener attaches")
+    with _run_standalone({"XCURSOR_THEME": "Adwaita"},
+                         f"{WL} '{RED}'", wait="any_frame") as s:
+        # In chunks with a frame wait between them: libwayland dispatches
+        # every queued event before rendering, so each wait proves its
+        # chunk's motions were processed (a single trailing wait would let
+        # teardown reap the session with most of the burst still queued).
+        for chunk in range(12):
+            for i in range(100):
+                j = chunk * 100 + i
+                s.warp(100 if j % 2 == 0 else 1100,
+                       100 if j % 2 == 0 else 700)
+            s.wait_active_frame()
+        _assert_alive(s, "compositor died under motion burst "
+                         "(sentinel rect shrank to zero)")
+
+
 def test_standalone_headless_overlay_title_chip_grey(standalone_session):
     """Every overlay title sits on its own dark-grey chip (0.22/0.22/0.25,
     i.e. RGB ~56/56/64 -- distinct from the box interior ~18/18/23, the box