diff --git a/studio/backend/core/inference/diffusion_device.py b/studio/backend/core/inference/diffusion_device.py
index 0c874e4b66..2d2cc11343 100644
--- a/studio/backend/core/inference/diffusion_device.py
+++ b/studio/backend/core/inference/diffusion_device.py
@@ -59,8 +59,24 @@ def resolve_diffusion_device_target() -> DiffusionDeviceTarget:
     (CUDA -> XPU -> MPS -> CPU). On Apple Silicon Studio reports MLX/CPU when its
     product backend is gated on the ``mlx`` package, but diffusers runs on
     PyTorch's MPS backend, so those cases still fall through to the MPS probe.
+
+    Torch is optional here: on a CPU-only install without PyTorch the native
+    stable-diffusion.cpp engine still runs (it shells out to sd-cli), so a missing
+    torch reports a torch-free CPU target instead of crashing the whole
+    ``/images/load`` before the engine router can select the native backend.
     """
-    import torch
+    try:
+        import torch
+    except Exception:
+        return DiffusionDeviceTarget(
+            device = "cpu",
+            dtype = None,
+            backend = "cpu",
+            vendor = None,
+            supports_model_cpu_offload = False,
+            supports_default_torch_compile = False,
+            supports_pinned_transfer = False,
+        )
 
     try:
         from utils.hardware import DeviceType, get_device
diff --git a/studio/backend/core/inference/diffusion_engine_router.py b/studio/backend/core/inference/diffusion_engine_router.py
index 96407a66b5..c8db7f81d2 100644
--- a/studio/backend/core/inference/diffusion_engine_router.py
+++ b/studio/backend/core/inference/diffusion_engine_router.py
@@ -30,7 +30,12 @@ from typing import Any, Optional
 from core.inference.diffusion_device import resolve_diffusion_device_target
 from core.inference.diffusion_families import DiffusionFamily, family_sd_cpp_supported
 from core.inference.sd_cpp_backend import _install_allowed, ensure_sd_cpp_binary
-from core.inference.sd_cpp_engine import ENGINE_DIFFUSERS, ENGINE_SD_CPP, select_diffusion_engine
+from core.inference.sd_cpp_engine import (
+    ENGINE_DIFFUSERS,
+    ENGINE_SD_CPP,
+    SdCppEngine,
+    select_diffusion_engine,
+)
 from loggers import get_logger
 
 logger = get_logger(__name__)
@@ -68,17 +73,25 @@ def active_engine_name() -> str:
 
 def _activate(name: str, reason: Optional[str]) -> Any:
     global _active_engine_name, _fallback_reason
+    # Switching engines: unload the one being deactivated first, or its model
+    # stays resident but unreachable (the arbiter evictor only targets the active
+    # engine), leaking 10+ GB and defeating the chat<->diffusion handoff. The unload
+    # itself (freeing 10+ GB / syncing CUDA) is slow, so resolve the engine under the
+    # lock but run unload() OUTSIDE it -- holding _lock across a slow unload would
+    # block every other selection caller.
+    engine_to_unload = None
+    old_name = None
     with _lock:
-        # Switching engines: unload the one being deactivated first, or its model
-        # stays resident but unreachable (the arbiter evictor only targets the active
-        # engine), leaking 10+ GB and defeating the chat<->diffusion handoff.
         if name != _active_engine_name:
-            try:
-                get_active_diffusion_engine().unload()
-            except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001 -- best-effort; never block the switch
-                logger.warning("failed to unload previous engine %s: %s", _active_engine_name, exc)
+            engine_to_unload = get_active_diffusion_engine()
+            old_name = _active_engine_name
         _active_engine_name = name
         _fallback_reason = reason if name == ENGINE_DIFFUSERS else None
+    if engine_to_unload is not None:
+        try:
+            engine_to_unload.unload()
+        except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001 -- best-effort; never block the switch
+            logger.warning("failed to unload previous engine %s: %s", old_name, exc)
     if name == ENGINE_SD_CPP:
         logger.info("diffusion engine: sd_cpp")
     else:
@@ -113,6 +126,13 @@ def select_and_activate_engine(fam: DiffusionFamily, *, hf_token: Optional[str]
     binary = None
     if policy_eligible and fam_ok:
         binary = ensure_sd_cpp_binary(allow_install = _install_allowed())
+        # Probe runnability here, before committing the route to native: a present but
+        # non-runnable binary (wrong arch, missing shared libs, no execute bit) would
+        # otherwise pass as available and only fail inside the background load, instead
+        # of falling back to diffusers now.
+        if binary and SdCppEngine(binary = binary).version() is None:
+            logger.warning("sd-cli at %s is present but not runnable; using diffusers", binary)
+            binary = None
 
     native_available = bool(binary) and policy_eligible and fam_ok
     choice = select_diffusion_engine(
diff --git a/studio/backend/core/inference/sd_cpp_backend.py b/studio/backend/core/inference/sd_cpp_backend.py
index f82335e385..db36627b78 100644
--- a/studio/backend/core/inference/sd_cpp_backend.py
+++ b/studio/backend/core/inference/sd_cpp_backend.py
@@ -234,6 +234,10 @@ class SdCppDiffusionBackend:
         transformer_cache_threshold: Optional[float] = None,
     ) -> dict[str, Any]:
         """Validate, then fetch assets on a daemon thread. Returns at once."""
+        # An empty / whitespace token is "no token": passing "" verbatim to HfApi /
+        # hf_hub_download is treated as an explicit (invalid) credential and breaks the
+        # anonymous fallback for public repos.
+        hf_token = hf_token.strip() if hf_token and hf_token.strip() else None
         if not gguf_filename:
             raise ValueError(
                 "gguf_filename is required: the native engine loads single-file GGUF checkpoints only."
@@ -248,6 +252,11 @@ class SdCppDiffusionBackend:
         with self._lock:
             if self._loading is not None and self._loading.error is None:
                 raise RuntimeError("A diffusion load is already in progress.")
+            # A superseding load must stop any in-flight generation, or the old sd-cli
+            # keeps running against the previous model and can still return / persist an
+            # image after the new load has started (matches unload()'s cancel).
+            if self._active_generate_cancel is not None:
+                self._active_generate_cancel.set()
             self._load_token += 1
             token = self._load_token
             self._cancel_event.clear()
@@ -465,7 +474,12 @@ class SdCppDiffusionBackend:
                             raise RuntimeError("Diffusion generation was cancelled.")
                         # Distinct seed per batch image (sd-cli is one image/run here),
                         # so a batch is reproducible image-by-image from the base seed.
-                        seed_i = (seed + index) & ((1 << 53) - 1)
+                        # Mask to sd-cli's int64 range, NOT 53 bits: the request model and
+                        # the diffusers backend both accept large explicit seeds, so a tight
+                        # 2**53 mask would silently truncate them (2**53 -> 0) and collide
+                        # distinct requested seeds onto the same image. Randomly-drawn seeds
+                        # above are already 53-bit (JS-safe); explicit seeds pass through.
+                        seed_i = (seed + index) & ((1 << 63) - 1)
                         out_path = str(Path(tmpdir) / f"img_{index}.png")
                         params = SdCppGenParams(
                             prompt = prompt,
diff --git a/studio/backend/tests/test_diffusion_engine_router.py b/studio/backend/tests/test_diffusion_engine_router.py
index 2fe4b197bc..07d495757b 100644
--- a/studio/backend/tests/test_diffusion_engine_router.py
+++ b/studio/backend/tests/test_diffusion_engine_router.py
@@ -47,6 +47,12 @@ def _set_binary(monkeypatch, path):
     monkeypatch.setattr(r, "ensure_sd_cpp_binary", lambda **_: path)
 
 
+def _set_runnable(monkeypatch, version = "sd-cli v0"):
+    """Stub the runnability probe so a stubbed binary path is treated as executable
+    (the router now probes ``SdCppEngine(...).version()`` before committing to native)."""
+    monkeypatch.setattr(r, "SdCppEngine", lambda **_: SimpleNamespace(version = lambda: version))
+
+
 def _select(fam_name = "z-image"):
     """Activate the engine for a family and return which engine was chosen."""
     r.select_and_activate_engine(detect_family(fam_name))
@@ -59,10 +65,21 @@ def _select(fam_name = "z-image"):
 def test_cpu_with_binary_and_supported_family_picks_sd_cpp(monkeypatch):
     _set_device(monkeypatch, "cpu")
     _set_binary(monkeypatch, "/usr/bin/sd-cli")
+    _set_runnable(monkeypatch)
     assert _select() == ENGINE_SD_CPP
     assert r.active_engine_name() == ENGINE_SD_CPP
 
 
+def test_present_but_not_runnable_binary_falls_back(monkeypatch):
+    # A binary that exists but cannot run (version() -> None) must fall back to
+    # diffusers at selection, not commit native and fail inside the load.
+    _set_device(monkeypatch, "cpu")
+    _set_binary(monkeypatch, "/usr/bin/sd-cli")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(r, "SdCppEngine", lambda **_: SimpleNamespace(version = lambda: None))
+    assert _select() == ENGINE_DIFFUSERS
+    assert "binary unavailable" in (r.active_status()["fallback_reason"] or "")
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("gpu", ["cuda", "rocm", "xpu"])
 def test_gpu_backends_use_diffusers(monkeypatch, gpu):
     _set_device(monkeypatch, gpu)
@@ -90,6 +107,7 @@ def test_sd_cpp_disabled_uses_diffusers(monkeypatch):
 def test_mps_default_diffusers_but_optin_sd_cpp(monkeypatch):
     _set_device(monkeypatch, "mps")
     _set_binary(monkeypatch, "/usr/bin/sd-cli")
+    _set_runnable(monkeypatch)
     # Default: MPS is not native-eligible -> diffusers.
     assert _select() == ENGINE_DIFFUSERS
     # Opt in: MPS routes to sd.cpp.
@@ -115,6 +133,7 @@ def test_missing_binary_falls_back(monkeypatch):
 def test_force_sd_cpp_on_gpu_when_binary_present(monkeypatch):
     _set_device(monkeypatch, "cuda")
     _set_binary(monkeypatch, "/usr/bin/sd-cli")
+    _set_runnable(monkeypatch)
     monkeypatch.setenv("UNSLOTH_DIFFUSION_ENGINE", "sd_cpp")
     assert _select() == ENGINE_SD_CPP
 
diff --git a/studio/backend/tests/test_diffusion_routes.py b/studio/backend/tests/test_diffusion_routes.py
index 0569cf1385..d47ab6a876 100644
--- a/studio/backend/tests/test_diffusion_routes.py
+++ b/studio/backend/tests/test_diffusion_routes.py
@@ -468,6 +468,11 @@ def test_load_routes_to_sd_cpp_on_cpu(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
         lambda: SimpleNamespace(backend = "cpu", device = "cpu"),
     )
     monkeypatch.setattr(engine_router, "ensure_sd_cpp_binary", lambda **_: "/x/sd-cli")
+    # The router now probes runnability before committing to native; treat the stub
+    # binary as executable.
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        engine_router, "SdCppEngine", lambda **_: SimpleNamespace(version = lambda: "sd-cli v0")
+    )
     monkeypatch.setattr(engine_router, "_active_engine_name", "diffusers")
     monkeypatch.setattr(engine_router, "_fallback_reason", None)
     # The native backend the router will activate.