diff --git a/agent/context_compressor.py b/agent/context_compressor.py
index d4441a1c7ec2..e9a9ff7a5ddc 100644
--- a/agent/context_compressor.py
+++ b/agent/context_compressor.py
@@ -940,6 +940,37 @@ def _sanitize_tool_pairs(self, messages: List[Dict[str, Any]]) -> List[Dict[str,
             if not self.quiet_mode:
                 logger.info("Compression sanitizer: added %d stub tool result(s)", len(missing_results))
 
+        # 3. Remove tool messages at the start of the list (or after a non-assistant
+        #    message) that have no preceding assistant with tool_calls.  This handles
+        #    the boundary case where compress_end lands on a tool message whose parent
+        #    assistant was in the summarised region.  The orphan removal in step 1
+        #    catches tool results whose call_id no longer matches any surviving
+        #    assistant, but some providers (DeepSeek, etc.) additionally require that
+        #    every ``tool`` message is *immediately* preceded by the ``assistant``
+        #    message that issued the corresponding ``tool_calls``.
+        filtered: List[Dict[str, Any]] = []
+        last_assistant_had_calls = False
+        removed_boundary = 0
+        for msg in messages:
+            if msg.get("role") == "tool":
+                # Valid only if immediately preceded by an assistant with tool_calls
+                # or another tool message from the same group
+                if not last_assistant_had_calls and not (
+                    filtered and filtered[-1].get("role") == "tool"
+                ):
+                    removed_boundary += 1
+                    continue
+            filtered.append(msg)
+            last_assistant_had_calls = (
+                msg.get("role") == "assistant" and bool(msg.get("tool_calls"))
+            )
+        if removed_boundary and not self.quiet_mode:
+            logger.info(
+                "Compression sanitizer: removed %d tool message(s) at invalid boundary",
+                removed_boundary,
+            )
+        messages = filtered
+
         return messages
 
     def _align_boundary_forward(self, messages: List[Dict[str, Any]], idx: int) -> int:
diff --git a/gateway/platforms/whatsapp.py b/gateway/platforms/whatsapp.py
index a82417a6015c..7a163c71dee0 100644
--- a/gateway/platforms/whatsapp.py
+++ b/gateway/platforms/whatsapp.py
@@ -379,12 +379,15 @@ async def connect(self) -> bool:
             if not (bridge_dir / "node_modules").exists():
                 print(f"[{self.name}] Installing WhatsApp bridge dependencies...")
                 try:
+                    # Read timeout from environment variable, default to 300 seconds (5 minutes)
+                    # to accommodate slower systems like Unraid NAS
+                    npm_install_timeout = int(os.environ.get("WHATSAPP_NPM_INSTALL_TIMEOUT", "300"))
                     install_result = subprocess.run(
                         ["npm", "install", "--silent"],
                         cwd=str(bridge_dir),
                         capture_output=True,
                         text=True,
-                        timeout=60,
+                        timeout=npm_install_timeout,
                     )
                     if install_result.returncode != 0:
                         print(f"[{self.name}] npm install failed: {install_result.stderr}")
diff --git a/tests/agent/test_context_compressor.py b/tests/agent/test_context_compressor.py
index 8072a58d98f7..50c1f7d750cb 100644
--- a/tests/agent/test_context_compressor.py
+++ b/tests/agent/test_context_compressor.py
@@ -969,3 +969,93 @@ def test_pass3_emits_valid_json_for_downstream_provider(self):
         parsed = _json.loads(shrunk)
         assert parsed["path"] == "~/.hermes/skills/shopping/browser-setup-notes.md"
         assert parsed["content"].endswith("...[truncated]")
+
+
+class TestSanitizeToolPairsBoundary:
+    """Regression: tool messages at compression boundary cause HTTP 400.
+
+    After compression, the first message in the tail may be a ``tool``
+    message whose parent ``assistant`` was summarised away.  Some providers
+    (DeepSeek, etc.) require every ``tool`` message to be *immediately*
+    preceded by the ``assistant`` that issued the corresponding
+    ``tool_calls``.  The sanitizer must strip such boundary orphans.
+    """
+
+    def test_tool_message_at_start_is_removed(self, compressor):
+        """A tool message at position 0 (no preceding assistant) is removed."""
+        messages = [
+            {"role": "tool", "tool_call_id": "tc_orphan", "content": "result"},
+            {"role": "user", "content": "hello"},
+            {"role": "assistant", "content": "hi"},
+        ]
+        result = compressor._sanitize_tool_pairs(messages)
+        assert len(result) == 2
+        assert result[0]["role"] == "user"
+
+    def test_tool_message_after_summary_is_removed(self, compressor):
+        """A tool message after a summary (non-assistant-with-calls) is removed.
+
+        Simulates the post-compression layout: [...head..., summary, tool, ...tail].
+        """
+        messages = [
+            {"role": "system", "content": "sys"},
+            {"role": "user", "content": "question"},
+            {"role": "assistant", "content": "summary of earlier turns"},
+            {"role": "tool", "tool_call_id": "tc_old", "content": "old result"},
+            {"role": "user", "content": "follow up"},
+            {"role": "assistant", "content": "answer"},
+        ]
+        result = compressor._sanitize_tool_pairs(messages)
+        # The orphaned tool(tc_old) should be removed — its parent assistant
+        # was summarised and no longer has matching tool_calls.
+        tool_msgs = [m for m in result if m.get("role") == "tool"]
+        assert len(tool_msgs) == 0
+
+    def test_valid_tool_group_preserved(self, compressor):
+        """A valid assistant→tool group is NOT affected by the boundary check."""
+        messages = [
+            {"role": "user", "content": "question"},
+            {"role": "assistant", "content": None, "tool_calls": [
+                {"id": "tc_1", "type": "function",
+                 "function": {"name": "read_file", "arguments": "{}"}},
+            ]},
+            {"role": "tool", "tool_call_id": "tc_1", "content": "file contents"},
+            {"role": "user", "content": "thanks"},
+        ]
+        result = compressor._sanitize_tool_pairs(messages)
+        assert len(result) == 4
+        tool_msgs = [m for m in result if m.get("role") == "tool"]
+        assert len(tool_msgs) == 1
+
+    def test_consecutive_orphaned_tools_at_boundary(self, compressor):
+        """Multiple consecutive orphaned tool messages at the boundary are all removed."""
+        messages = [
+            {"role": "assistant", "content": "summary"},
+            {"role": "tool", "tool_call_id": "tc_a", "content": "a"},
+            {"role": "tool", "tool_call_id": "tc_b", "content": "b"},
+            {"role": "user", "content": "next"},
+        ]
+        result = compressor._sanitize_tool_pairs(messages)
+        assert len(result) == 2
+        assert result[0]["role"] == "assistant"
+        assert result[1]["role"] == "user"
+
+    def test_mixed_valid_and_orphaned_tools(self, compressor):
+        """Valid tool group preserved; orphaned tools after it removed."""
+        messages = [
+            {"role": "user", "content": "q1"},
+            {"role": "assistant", "content": None, "tool_calls": [
+                {"id": "tc_good", "type": "function",
+                 "function": {"name": "foo", "arguments": "{}"}},
+            ]},
+            {"role": "tool", "tool_call_id": "tc_good", "content": "ok"},
+            {"role": "assistant", "content": "summary"},
+            {"role": "tool", "tool_call_id": "tc_bad", "content": "orphan"},
+            {"role": "user", "content": "q2"},
+        ]
+        result = compressor._sanitize_tool_pairs(messages)
+        # tc_good is valid (preceded by assistant with tool_calls)
+        # tc_bad is orphaned (preceded by assistant without tool_calls)
+        tool_msgs = [m for m in result if m.get("role") == "tool"]
+        assert len(tool_msgs) == 1
+        assert tool_msgs[0]["tool_call_id"] == "tc_good"
diff --git a/tests/tools/test_file_tools.py b/tests/tools/test_file_tools.py
index 5a215df14a0e..979d309b09da 100644
--- a/tests/tools/test_file_tools.py
+++ b/tests/tools/test_file_tools.py
@@ -323,4 +323,41 @@ def test_truncated_hint_with_nonzero_offset(self, mock_get):
         assert "offset=100" in raw
 
 
+class TestPatchSchema:
+    """Tests for PATCH_SCHEMA to ensure required parameters are properly declared."""
+    
+    def test_patch_schema_includes_all_required_params(self):
+        """PATCH_SCHEMA should include all parameters that are conditionally required."""
+        from tools.file_tools import PATCH_SCHEMA
+        
+        # Verify schema structure
+        assert "parameters" in PATCH_SCHEMA
+        assert "required" in PATCH_SCHEMA["parameters"]
+        
+        # All parameters that are mode-specific should be in required list
+        required = PATCH_SCHEMA["parameters"]["required"]
+        assert "mode" in required
+        assert "path" in required
+        assert "old_string" in required
+        assert "new_string" in required
+        assert "patch" in required
+        
+        # replace_all is optional (has default), so it should NOT be in required
+        assert "replace_all" not in required
+        
+    def test_patch_schema_description_mentions_mode_specific_requirements(self):
+        """PATCH_SCHEMA description should explain mode-specific requirements."""
+        from tools.file_tools import PATCH_SCHEMA
+        
+        description = PATCH_SCHEMA.get("description", "")
+        
+        # Description should mention mode-specific requirements
+        assert "mode-specific" in description.lower() or "IMPORTANT:" in description
+        
+        # Should mention both modes
+        assert "mode='replace'" in description
+        assert "mode='patch'" in description
+
+
+
 
diff --git a/tools/file_tools.py b/tools/file_tools.py
index 609506c05e1b..385a0146d778 100644
--- a/tools/file_tools.py
+++ b/tools/file_tools.py
@@ -908,18 +908,18 @@ def _check_file_reqs():
 
 PATCH_SCHEMA = {
     "name": "patch",
-    "description": "Targeted find-and-replace edits in files. Use this instead of sed/awk in terminal. Uses fuzzy matching (9 strategies) so minor whitespace/indentation differences won't break it. Returns a unified diff. Auto-runs syntax checks after editing.\n\nReplace mode (default): find a unique string and replace it.\nPatch mode: apply V4A multi-file patches for bulk changes.",
+    "description": "Targeted find-and-replace edits in files. Use this instead of sed/awk in terminal. Uses fuzzy matching (9 strategies) so minor whitespace/indentation differences won't break it. Returns a unified diff. Auto-runs syntax checks after editing.\n\nIMPORTANT: Parameters are mode-specific:\n- For mode='replace': provide path, old_string, new_string (optionally replace_all)\n- For mode='patch': provide patch content",
     "parameters": {
         "type": "object",
         "properties": {
             "mode": {"type": "string", "enum": ["replace", "patch"], "description": "Edit mode: 'replace' for targeted find-and-replace, 'patch' for V4A multi-file patches", "default": "replace"},
-            "path": {"type": "string", "description": "File path to edit (required for 'replace' mode)"},
-            "old_string": {"type": "string", "description": "Text to find in the file (required for 'replace' mode). Must be unique in the file unless replace_all=true. Include enough surrounding context to ensure uniqueness."},
-            "new_string": {"type": "string", "description": "Replacement text (required for 'replace' mode). Can be empty string to delete the matched text."},
+            "path": {"type": "string", "description": "File path to edit (required when mode='replace')"},
+            "old_string": {"type": "string", "description": "Text to find in file (required when mode='replace'). Must be unique in file unless replace_all=true. Include enough surrounding context to ensure uniqueness."},
+            "new_string": {"type": "string", "description": "Replacement text (required when mode='replace'). Can be empty string to delete the matched text."},
             "replace_all": {"type": "boolean", "description": "Replace all occurrences instead of requiring a unique match (default: false)", "default": False},
-            "patch": {"type": "string", "description": "V4A format patch content (required for 'patch' mode). Format:\n*** Begin Patch\n*** Update File: path/to/file\n@@ context hint @@\n context line\n-removed line\n+added line\n*** End Patch"}
+            "patch": {"type": "string", "description": "V4A format patch content (required when mode='patch'). Format:\n*** Begin Patch\n*** Update File: path/to/file\n@@ context hint @@\n context line\n-removed line\n+added line\n*** End Patch"}
         },
-        "required": ["mode"]
+        "required": ["mode", "path", "old_string", "new_string", "patch"]
     }
 }