diff --git a/cmd/streamdeck/main.go b/cmd/streamdeck/main.go
index 8d62e21..c571662 100644
--- a/cmd/streamdeck/main.go
+++ b/cmd/streamdeck/main.go
@@ -172,6 +172,7 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, sd *device.StreamDeck, cfg *config.Config, reg *mo
 
 	for keyIdx, keyCfg := range cfg.Keys {
 		// Resolve module-based commands to shell strings before any other logic.
+		// keyCfg is a copy from the map, so we must write it back after modification.
 		if keyCfg.Module != "" {
 			resolved, err := reg.Resolve(keyCfg.Module, keyCfg.Function, keyCfg.Params)
 			if err != nil {
@@ -179,6 +180,7 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, sd *device.StreamDeck, cfg *config.Config, reg *mo
 				continue
 			}
 			keyCfg.Command = resolved
+			cfg.Keys[keyIdx] = keyCfg
 		}
 		if keyCfg.Poll != nil && keyCfg.Poll.Module != "" {
 			resolved, err := reg.Resolve(keyCfg.Poll.Module, keyCfg.Poll.Function, keyCfg.Poll.Params)
@@ -187,6 +189,7 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, sd *device.StreamDeck, cfg *config.Config, reg *mo
 				continue
 			}
 			keyCfg.Poll.Command = resolved
+			cfg.Keys[keyIdx] = keyCfg
 		}
 
 		// Toggle/status key: managed by a polling goroutine.
@@ -414,7 +417,14 @@ func mustConnect(vendorID, productID uint16) *device.StreamDeck {
 }
 
 // animateKey cycles pre-encoded GIF frames on a key until ctx is cancelled.
+//
+// Transient HID write errors (USB bus contention, especially with multiple
+// concurrent GIFs) are suppressed after the first occurrence to avoid log spam.
+// A summary is logged when errors stop or when they become persistent enough
+// to indicate a real device problem.
 func animateKey(ctx context.Context, sd *device.StreamDeck, keyIdx int, frames [][]byte, delays []time.Duration) {
+	var writeErrors int // consecutive HID write failures
+
 	for {
 		for i, frame := range frames {
 			select {
@@ -423,7 +433,20 @@ func animateKey(ctx context.Context, sd *device.StreamDeck, keyIdx int, frames [
 			default:
 			}
 			if err := sd.SetKeyFrame(keyIdx, frame); err != nil {
-				log.Printf("key %d: animate frame %d: %v", keyIdx, i, err)
+				writeErrors++
+				if writeErrors == 1 {
+					// Log the first error so the user knows something happened.
+					log.Printf("key %d: frame write error: %v", keyIdx, err)
+				} else if writeErrors == 50 {
+					// Persistent errors — likely a real device issue, not transient.
+					log.Printf("key %d: %d consecutive frame write errors — device may be unhealthy", keyIdx, writeErrors)
+				}
+			} else if writeErrors > 0 {
+				// Recovered — log a summary if we suppressed errors.
+				if writeErrors > 1 {
+					log.Printf("key %d: recovered after %d frame write errors", keyIdx, writeErrors)
+				}
+				writeErrors = 0
 			}
 			select {
 			case <-ctx.Done():
diff --git a/internal/defaults/modules.example.yaml b/internal/defaults/modules.example.yaml
index 9d13b65..39df2f8 100644
--- a/internal/defaults/modules.example.yaml
+++ b/internal/defaults/modules.example.yaml
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ modules:
         curl -s -X POST https://slack.com/api/users.profile.set \
           -H "Authorization: Bearer {{env "SLACK_TOKEN"}}" \
           -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-          -d '{"profile":{"status_emoji":"","status_text":"","status_expiration":0}}'
+          -d '{"profile":{"status_emoji":":dumpsterfire:","status_text":"Offline","status_expiration":0}}'
 
     end_snooze:
       exec: |
diff --git a/modules.example.yaml b/modules.example.yaml
index 9d13b65..39df2f8 100644
--- a/modules.example.yaml
+++ b/modules.example.yaml
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ modules:
         curl -s -X POST https://slack.com/api/users.profile.set \
           -H "Authorization: Bearer {{env "SLACK_TOKEN"}}" \
           -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-          -d '{"profile":{"status_emoji":"","status_text":"","status_expiration":0}}'
+          -d '{"profile":{"status_emoji":":dumpsterfire:","status_text":"Offline","status_expiration":0}}'
 
     end_snooze:
       exec: |