diff --git a/public/index.html b/public/index.html
index 57884be3..55f66d9b 100644
--- a/public/index.html
+++ b/public/index.html
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@
   <meta name="twitter:title" content="CoreScope">
   <meta name="twitter:description" content="Real-time MeshCore LoRa mesh network analyzer — live packet visualization, node tracking, channel decryption, and route analysis.">
   <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Kpa-clawbot/corescope/master/public/og-image.png">
-  <link rel="stylesheet" href="style.css?v=1775060497">
-  <link rel="stylesheet" href="home.css?v=1775060497">
-  <link rel="stylesheet" href="live.css?v=1775060497">
+  <link rel="stylesheet" href="style.css?v=1775062162">
+  <link rel="stylesheet" href="home.css?v=1775062162">
+  <link rel="stylesheet" href="live.css?v=1775062162">
   <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://unpkg.com/leaflet@1.9.4/dist/leaflet.css"
     integrity="sha256-p4NxAoJBhIIN+hmNHrzRCf9tD/miZyoHS5obTRR9BMY="
     crossorigin="anonymous">
@@ -85,30 +85,30 @@
   <main id="app" role="main"></main>
 
   <script src="vendor/qrcode.js"></script>
-  <script src="roles.js?v=1775060497"></script>
-  <script src="customize.js?v=1775060497" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
-  <script src="region-filter.js?v=1775060497"></script>
-  <script src="hop-resolver.js?v=1775060497"></script>
-  <script src="hop-display.js?v=1775060497"></script>
-  <script src="app.js?v=1775060497"></script>
-  <script src="home.js?v=1775060497"></script>
-  <script src="packet-filter.js?v=1775060497"></script>
-  <script src="packets.js?v=1775060497"></script>
-  <script src="geo-filter-overlay.js?v=1775060497"></script>
-  <script src="map.js?v=1775060497" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
-  <script src="channels.js?v=1775060497" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
-  <script src="nodes.js?v=1775060497" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
-  <script src="traces.js?v=1775060497" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
-  <script src="analytics.js?v=1775060497" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
-  <script src="audio.js?v=1775060497" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
-  <script src="audio-v1-constellation.js?v=1775060497" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
-  <script src="audio-v2-constellation.js?v=1775060497" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
-  <script src="audio-lab.js?v=1775060497" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
-  <script src="live.js?v=1775060497" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
-  <script src="observers.js?v=1775060497" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
-  <script src="observer-detail.js?v=1775060497" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
-  <script src="compare.js?v=1775060497" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
-  <script src="node-analytics.js?v=1775060497" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
-  <script src="perf.js?v=1775060497" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
+  <script src="roles.js?v=1775062162"></script>
+  <script src="customize.js?v=1775062162" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
+  <script src="region-filter.js?v=1775062162"></script>
+  <script src="hop-resolver.js?v=1775062162"></script>
+  <script src="hop-display.js?v=1775062162"></script>
+  <script src="app.js?v=1775062162"></script>
+  <script src="home.js?v=1775062162"></script>
+  <script src="packet-filter.js?v=1775062162"></script>
+  <script src="packets.js?v=1775062162"></script>
+  <script src="geo-filter-overlay.js?v=1775062162"></script>
+  <script src="map.js?v=1775062162" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
+  <script src="channels.js?v=1775062162" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
+  <script src="nodes.js?v=1775062162" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
+  <script src="traces.js?v=1775062162" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
+  <script src="analytics.js?v=1775062162" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
+  <script src="audio.js?v=1775062162" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
+  <script src="audio-v1-constellation.js?v=1775062162" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
+  <script src="audio-v2-constellation.js?v=1775062162" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
+  <script src="audio-lab.js?v=1775062162" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
+  <script src="live.js?v=1775062162" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
+  <script src="observers.js?v=1775062162" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
+  <script src="observer-detail.js?v=1775062162" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
+  <script src="compare.js?v=1775062162" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
+  <script src="node-analytics.js?v=1775062162" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
+  <script src="perf.js?v=1775062162" onerror="console.error('Failed to load:', this.src)"></script>
 </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/public/packets.js b/public/packets.js
index 40401834..d6cbe727 100644
--- a/public/packets.js
+++ b/public/packets.js
@@ -1080,7 +1080,7 @@
   function buildFlatRowHtml(p) {
     let decoded, pathHops = [];
     try { decoded = JSON.parse(p.decoded_json || '{}'); } catch {}
-    try { pathHops = JSON.parse(p.path_json || '[]'); } catch {}
+    try { pathHops = JSON.parse(p.path_json || '[]') || []; } catch {}
     const region = p.observer_id ? (observers.find(o => o.id === p.observer_id)?.iata || '') : '';
     const typeName = payloadTypeName(p.payload_type);
     const typeClass = payloadTypeColor(p.payload_type);
@@ -1420,7 +1420,7 @@
     let decoded;
     try { decoded = JSON.parse(pkt.decoded_json); } catch { decoded = {}; }
     let pathHops;
-    try { pathHops = JSON.parse(pkt.path_json || '[]'); } catch { pathHops = []; }
+    try { pathHops = JSON.parse(pkt.path_json || '[]') || []; } catch { pathHops = []; }
 
     // Resolve sender GPS — from packet directly, or from known node in DB
     let senderLat = decoded.lat != null ? decoded.lat : (decoded.latitude || null);
diff --git a/test-frontend-helpers.js b/test-frontend-helpers.js
index b72c16fb..6fb128d3 100644
--- a/test-frontend-helpers.js
+++ b/test-frontend-helpers.js
@@ -2668,6 +2668,22 @@ console.log('\n=== packets.js: savedTimeWindowMin defaults ===');
       'buildFlatRowHtml should have null-safe decoded_json fallback');
   });
 
+  test('pathHops null guard in buildFlatRowHtml (issue #451)', () => {
+    const flatBuilderMatch = packetsSource.match(/function buildFlatRowHtml[\s\S]*?(?=\n  function )/);
+    assert.ok(flatBuilderMatch, 'buildFlatRowHtml should exist');
+    // The JSON.parse result must be coalesced with || [] to handle literal null from path_json
+    assert.ok(flatBuilderMatch[0].includes("|| '[]') || []"),
+      'buildFlatRowHtml should coalesce parsed path_json with || [] to guard against null');
+  });
+
+  test('pathHops null guard in detail pane (issue #451)', () => {
+    // The detail pane (selectPacket / showPacketDetail) also parses path_json
+    const detailMatch = packetsSource.match(/let pathHops;\s*try \{[^}]+\} catch/);
+    assert.ok(detailMatch, 'detail pane pathHops parsing should exist');
+    assert.ok(detailMatch[0].includes("|| '[]') || []"),
+      'detail pane should coalesce parsed path_json with || [] to guard against null');
+  });
+
   test('destroy cleans up virtual scroll state', () => {
     assert.ok(packetsSource.includes('detachVScrollListener'),
       'destroy should detach virtual scroll listener');