diff --git a/src/app/api/user/hardcover-shelves/[id]/route.ts b/src/app/api/user/hardcover-shelves/[id]/route.ts
index 438cbcb..b0a7916 100644
--- a/src/app/api/user/hardcover-shelves/[id]/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/user/hardcover-shelves/[id]/route.ts
@@ -106,13 +106,16 @@ export async function PATCH(
       // Validate token/listId by fetching the list before saving
       if (cleanedToken || newListId) {
         const encryptionService = getEncryptionService();
-        const tokenToTest = cleanedToken || (() => {
+        let tokenToTest = cleanedToken || shelf.apiToken;
+        if (!cleanedToken) {
           try {
-            return encryptionService.isEncryptedFormat(shelf.apiToken)
-              ? encryptionService.decrypt(shelf.apiToken)
-              : shelf.apiToken;
-          } catch { return shelf.apiToken; }
-        })();
+            if (encryptionService.isEncryptedFormat(shelf.apiToken)) {
+              tokenToTest = encryptionService.decrypt(shelf.apiToken);
+            }
+          } catch {
+            // Decryption failed, fall back to raw token
+          }
+        }
         const listIdToTest = newListId || shelf.listId;
 
         try {
diff --git a/src/components/ui/AddShelfModal.tsx b/src/components/ui/AddShelfModal.tsx
index 11cab78..537235f 100644
--- a/src/components/ui/AddShelfModal.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ui/AddShelfModal.tsx
@@ -77,11 +77,7 @@ export function AddShelfModal({ isOpen, onClose }: AddShelfModalProps) {
         setRssUrl('');
       } else {
         const finalId = listType === 'status' ? `status-${statusId}` : customListId.trim();
-        let cleanedToken = apiToken.trim();
-        if (cleanedToken.toLowerCase().startsWith('bearer ')) {
-          cleanedToken = cleanedToken.slice(7).trim();
-        }
-        const shelf = await addHardcover(cleanedToken, finalId);
+        const shelf = await addHardcover(apiToken.trim(), finalId);
         setSuccessMessage(`Added list "${shelf.name}" successfully!`);
         setApiToken('');
         setCustomListId('');
diff --git a/src/components/ui/ManageShelfModal.tsx b/src/components/ui/ManageShelfModal.tsx
index 5799907..3f58745 100644
--- a/src/components/ui/ManageShelfModal.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ui/ManageShelfModal.tsx
@@ -26,14 +26,14 @@ export function ManageShelfModal({ shelf, isOpen, onClose }: ManageShelfModalPro
   const { updateShelf: updateGoodreads, isLoading: isUpdatingGoodreads, error: goodreadsError } = useUpdateGoodreadsShelf();
   const { updateShelf: updateHardcover, isLoading: isUpdatingHardcover, error: hardcoverError } = useUpdateHardcoverShelf();
 
-  // Reset form when shelf changes
+  // Reset form when shelf changes (use shelf?.id for stable reference)
   React.useEffect(() => {
     if (shelf) {
       setRssUrl(shelf.type === 'goodreads' ? shelf.sourceId : '');
       setListId(shelf.type === 'hardcover' ? shelf.sourceId : '');
       setApiToken('');
     }
-  }, [shelf]);
+  }, [shelf?.id]);
 
   if (!shelf) return null;
 
diff --git a/src/components/ui/Modal.tsx b/src/components/ui/Modal.tsx
index 449e25d..baecde5 100644
--- a/src/components/ui/Modal.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ui/Modal.tsx
@@ -5,8 +5,7 @@
 
 'use client';
 
-import React, { useEffect, useRef, useCallback, useState } from 'react';
-import { createPortal } from 'react-dom';
+import React, { useEffect, useRef, useCallback } from 'react';
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils/cn';
 
 interface ModalProps {
@@ -26,12 +25,6 @@ export function Modal({
   size = 'md',
   showCloseButton = true,
 }: ModalProps) {
-  const [mounted, setMounted] = useState(false);
-
-  useEffect(() => {
-    setMounted(true);
-  }, []);
-
   // Use ref to avoid re-running effect when onClose changes
   const onCloseRef = useRef(onClose);
   onCloseRef.current = onClose;
@@ -60,7 +53,7 @@ export function Modal({
     };
   }, [isOpen, handleClose]);
 
-  if (!isOpen || !mounted) return null;
+  if (!isOpen) return null;
 
   const sizeClasses = {
     sm: 'max-w-md',
@@ -70,8 +63,8 @@ export function Modal({
     full: 'max-w-[95vw]',
   };
 
-  const content = (
-    <div className="fixed inset-0 z-[100] overflow-y-auto">
+  return (
+    <div className="fixed inset-0 z-50 overflow-y-auto">
       {/* Backdrop */}
       <div
         className="fixed inset-0 bg-black bg-opacity-50 transition-opacity"
@@ -84,7 +77,7 @@ export function Modal({
           className={cn(
             'relative w-full bg-white dark:bg-gray-800 rounded-lg shadow-xl',
             'transform transition-all',
-            sizeClasses[size],
+            sizeClasses[size]
           )}
           onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
         >
@@ -123,6 +116,4 @@ export function Modal({
       </div>
     </div>
   );
-
-  return createPortal(content, document.body);
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/services/hardcover-api.service.ts b/src/lib/services/hardcover-api.service.ts
index a0441da..1c568a3 100644
--- a/src/lib/services/hardcover-api.service.ts
+++ b/src/lib/services/hardcover-api.service.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@
  */
 
 import axios from 'axios';
+import { RMABLogger } from '@/lib/utils/logger';
 
+const logger = RMABLogger.create('HardcoverAPI');
 const HARDCOVER_API_URL = 'https://api.hardcover.app/v1/graphql';
 
 export interface HardcoverApiBook {
@@ -33,6 +35,7 @@ interface HardcoverListData {
 }
 
 const PAGE_SIZE = 100;
+const MAX_PAGES = 50;
 
 /** Extract HardcoverApiBook[] from an array of book-containing items */
 function extractBooks(items: Array<{ book?: HardcoverBookNode }>): HardcoverApiBook[] {
@@ -106,9 +109,10 @@ export async function fetchHardcoverList(
 
     const allBooks: HardcoverApiBook[] = [];
     let offset = 0;
+    let page = 0;
 
     // Paginate until fewer results than PAGE_SIZE are returned
-    while (true) {
+    while (++page <= MAX_PAGES) {
       const response = await axios.post(
         HARDCOVER_API_URL,
         { query, variables: { statusId, limit: PAGE_SIZE, offset } },
@@ -274,8 +278,9 @@ export async function fetchHardcoverList(
     // Paginate if first page was full
     if (firstPageItems.length >= PAGE_SIZE) {
       let offset = PAGE_SIZE;
+      let page = 1; // first page already fetched
 
-      while (true) {
+      while (++page <= MAX_PAGES) {
         const pageResponse = await axios.post(
           HARDCOVER_API_URL,
           {
@@ -291,7 +296,13 @@ export async function fetchHardcoverList(
           },
         );
 
-        if (pageResponse.data?.errors) break;
+        if (pageResponse.data?.errors) {
+          logger.warn('Hardcover pagination interrupted by API error', {
+            errors: pageResponse.data.errors,
+            offset,
+          });
+          break;
+        }
 
         let pageListsData: HardcoverListData[];
         if (isIntId) {