diff --git a/include/columnlynx/client/client_session.hpp b/include/columnlynx/client/client_session.hpp
index 1cb3188..bd4db0f 100644
--- a/include/columnlynx/client/client_session.hpp
+++ b/include/columnlynx/client/client_session.hpp
@@ -87,6 +87,10 @@ namespace ColumnLynx {
 
             void incrementSendCount() {
                 std::unique_lock lock(mMutex);
+                if (mClientState->send_cnt == std::numeric_limits<uint64_t>::max()) {
+                    Utils::error("ClientSession: send counter overflow detected");
+                    return;
+                }
                 mClientState->send_cnt++;
             }
 
diff --git a/src/client/net/udp/udp_client.cpp b/src/client/net/udp/udp_client.cpp
index dc755f7..fb55162 100644
--- a/src/client/net/udp/udp_client.cpp
+++ b/src/client/net/udp/udp_client.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 // Distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License, either version 2 only or version 3. See LICENSES/ for details.
 
 #include <columnlynx/client/net/udp/udp_client.hpp>
+#include <thread>
+#include <chrono>
 
 namespace ColumnLynx::Net::UDP {
     void UDPClient::start() {
@@ -102,7 +104,12 @@ namespace ColumnLynx::Net::UDP {
                 if (ec) {
                     if (ec == asio::error::operation_aborted) return; // Socket closed
                     // Other recv error
-                    mStartReceive();
+                    Utils::warn("UDPClient receive error: " + ec.message());
+                    // Back off briefly before restarting receive to avoid busy error loops
+                    asio::post(mSocket.get_executor(), [this]() {
+                        std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(50));
+                        mStartReceive();
+                    });
                     return;
                 }
 
diff --git a/src/common/virtual_interface.cpp b/src/common/virtual_interface.cpp
index c18b2dd..6fb2ad7 100644
--- a/src/common/virtual_interface.cpp
+++ b/src/common/virtual_interface.cpp
@@ -213,8 +213,8 @@ static bool runCommand(const std::vector<std::string>& args) {
         pfd.fd = mFd;
         pfd.events = POLLIN;
 
-        // timeout in ms; keep it small so shutdown is responsive
-        int ret = poll(&pfd, 1, 200);
+        // timeout in ms; keep it small so shutdown is responsive. Reduced for lower latency.
+        int ret = poll(&pfd, 1, 50);
 
         if (ret == 0) {
             // No data yet
diff --git a/src/server/main.cpp b/src/server/main.cpp
index 441546c..4f20de6 100644
--- a/src/server/main.cpp
+++ b/src/server/main.cpp
@@ -213,8 +213,13 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
             // First, check if destination IP is a registered client (e.g., server responding to client or client-to-client)
             auto dstSession = SessionRegistry::getInstance().getByIP(dstIP);
             if (dstSession) {
-                // Destination is a registered client, forward to that client's session
-                udpServer->sendData(dstSession->sessionID, std::string(packet.begin(), packet.end()));
+                // Destination is a registered client, enforce MTU and forward to that client's session
+                const size_t MTU = 1420; // Enforce configured MTU; TODO: read from server config
+                if (packet.size() > MTU) {
+                    Utils::warn("TUN: Dropping oversized packet (" + std::to_string(packet.size()) + " > MTU " + std::to_string(MTU) + ")");
+                } else {
+                    udpServer->sendData(dstSession->sessionID, std::string(packet.begin(), packet.end()));
+                }
                 continue;
             }
 
diff --git a/src/server/net/udp/udp_server.cpp b/src/server/net/udp/udp_server.cpp
index d99ee1e..e786324 100644
--- a/src/server/net/udp/udp_server.cpp
+++ b/src/server/net/udp/udp_server.cpp
@@ -95,7 +95,23 @@ namespace ColumnLynx::Net::UDP {
         UDPPacketHeader hdr{};
         uint8_t nonce[12];
         uint32_t prefix = session->noncePrefix;
-        uint64_t sendCount = const_cast<SessionState*>(session.get())->send_ctr.fetch_add(1, std::memory_order_relaxed);
+            // Increment send counter with overflow protection
+            uint64_t sendCount = 0;
+            {
+                auto ptr = const_cast<SessionState*>(session.get());
+                uint64_t old = ptr->send_ctr.load(std::memory_order_relaxed);
+                for (;;) {
+                    if (old == std::numeric_limits<uint64_t>::max()) {
+                        Utils::error("UDP: send counter overflow for session " + std::to_string(sessionID));
+                        return;
+                    }
+                    if (ptr->send_ctr.compare_exchange_weak(old, old + 1, std::memory_order_relaxed)) {
+                        sendCount = old;
+                        break;
+                    }
+                    // old updated by compare_exchange_weak, loop
+                }
+            }
         memcpy(nonce, &prefix, sizeof(uint32_t)); // Prefix nonce
         memcpy(nonce + sizeof(uint32_t), &sendCount, sizeof(uint64_t)); // Use send count as nonce suffix to ensure uniqueness
         std::copy_n(nonce, 12, hdr.nonce.data());