diff --git a/extension/background-notify.test.js b/extension/background-notify.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eae8094
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extension/background-notify.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+'use strict';
+
+const test = require('node:test');
+const assert = require('node:assert/strict');
+const path = require('node:path');
+
+const BACKGROUND_PATH = path.join(__dirname, 'background.js');
+
+// background.js registers listeners at top level and caches its module, so we
+// flush the cache and re-evaluate it for each scenario.
+function loadBackground(chrome) {
+  global.chrome = chrome;
+  delete require.cache[require.resolve(BACKGROUND_PATH)];
+  require(BACKGROUND_PATH);
+}
+
+function buildChrome() {
+  const captured = {};
+  const state = {
+    sendMessageCalls: [],
+    warnCalls: [],
+  };
+
+  const chrome = {
+    runtime: {
+      id: 'test-ext-id',
+      getURL: (p) => `chrome-extension://test-ext-id/${p}`,
+      onInstalled: { addListener: () => {} },
+      onStartup: { addListener: () => {} },
+      sendMessage: async () => {},
+    },
+    action: {
+      setBadgeText: async () => {},
+    },
+    tabs: {
+      query: async () => [],
+      remove: async () => {},
+      onCreated: { addListener: (cb) => { captured.onCreated = cb; } },
+      onRemoved: { addListener: (cb) => { captured.onRemoved = cb; } },
+      onUpdated: { addListener: (cb) => { captured.onUpdated = cb; } },
+    },
+    storage: {
+      local: { get: async () => ({}) },
+    },
+  };
+
+  return { chrome, captured, state };
+}
+
+test('tab events broadcast via chrome.runtime.sendMessage, not content-script channel', async () => {
+  const { chrome, captured, state } = buildChrome();
+  chrome.runtime.sendMessage = async (msg) => {
+    state.sendMessageCalls.push(msg);
+  };
+  loadBackground(chrome);
+  assert.ok(captured.onCreated, 'background should register a tabs.onCreated listener');
+
+  await captured.onCreated({ id: 99 });
+
+  assert.strictEqual(state.sendMessageCalls.length, 1);
+  assert.deepStrictEqual(state.sendMessageCalls[0], {
+    action: 'tabs-changed',
+    source: 'tabs.onCreated',
+    triggerTabId: 99,
+  });
+
+  await captured.onRemoved(42);
+  const last = state.sendMessageCalls[state.sendMessageCalls.length - 1];
+  assert.deepStrictEqual(last, {
+    action: 'tabs-changed',
+    source: 'tabs.onRemoved',
+    triggerTabId: 42,
+  });
+});
+
+test('"Receiving end does not exist" rejection is swallowed silently', async () => {
+  const { chrome, captured, state } = buildChrome();
+  chrome.runtime.sendMessage = async () => {
+    throw new Error('Could not establish connection. Receiving end does not exist.');
+  };
+
+  const originalWarn = console.warn;
+  console.warn = (...args) => { state.warnCalls.push(args); };
+  try {
+    loadBackground(chrome);
+    await captured.onCreated({ id: 7 });
+  } finally {
+    console.warn = originalWarn;
+  }
+
+  assert.strictEqual(state.warnCalls.length, 0);
+});
+
+test('non-connection errors from sendMessage are surfaced via console.warn', async () => {
+  const { chrome, captured, state } = buildChrome();
+  chrome.runtime.sendMessage = async () => {
+    throw new Error('unexpected broadcast failure');
+  };
+
+  const originalWarn = console.warn;
+  console.warn = (...args) => { state.warnCalls.push(args); };
+  try {
+    loadBackground(chrome);
+    await captured.onCreated({ id: 7 });
+  } finally {
+    console.warn = originalWarn;
+  }
+
+  assert.strictEqual(state.warnCalls.length, 1);
+  assert.match(state.warnCalls[0].join(' '), /unexpected broadcast failure/);
+});
diff --git a/extension/background.js b/extension/background.js
index 5583249..69e0300 100644
--- a/extension/background.js
+++ b/extension/background.js
@@ -6,114 +6,97 @@
  */
 
 const TAB_HARBOR_BG_DEBUG = false;
-if (TAB_HARBOR_BG_DEBUG) console.log('[tab-harbor bg] Service worker loaded, registering event listeners...');
+if (TAB_HARBOR_BG_DEBUG)
+  console.log(
+    "[tab-harbor bg] Service worker loaded, registering event listeners...",
+  );
 
 // ─── Auto-close duplicate new tabs ───────────────────────────────────────────
 
 function getNewTabUrls() {
   return new Set([
-    chrome.runtime.getURL('index.html'),
-    chrome.runtime.getURL('extension/index.html'),
+    chrome.runtime.getURL("index.html"),
+    chrome.runtime.getURL("extension/index.html"),
   ]);
 }
 
 function isNewTabBlank(tab, newTabUrls) {
-  const knownNewTabUrls = newTabUrls instanceof Set
-    ? newTabUrls
-    : new Set(Array.isArray(newTabUrls) ? newTabUrls : [newTabUrls]);
-  const url = tab?.url || '';
-  const pendingUrl = tab?.pendingUrl || '';
-  if (pendingUrl && !knownNewTabUrls.has(pendingUrl) && pendingUrl !== 'chrome://newtab/') {
+  const knownNewTabUrls =
+    newTabUrls instanceof Set
+      ? newTabUrls
+      : new Set(Array.isArray(newTabUrls) ? newTabUrls : [newTabUrls]);
+  const url = tab?.url || "";
+  const pendingUrl = tab?.pendingUrl || "";
+  if (
+    pendingUrl &&
+    !knownNewTabUrls.has(pendingUrl) &&
+    pendingUrl !== "chrome://newtab/"
+  ) {
     return false;
   }
   return (
-    url === 'chrome://newtab/' ||
+    url === "chrome://newtab/" ||
     knownNewTabUrls.has(url) ||
-    pendingUrl === 'chrome://newtab/' ||
+    pendingUrl === "chrome://newtab/" ||
     knownNewTabUrls.has(pendingUrl) ||
-    url === '' ||
-    (tab.status === 'loading' && !url)
+    url === "" ||
+    (tab.status === "loading" && !url)
   );
 }
 
 async function closeDuplicateNewTabs() {
   try {
-    const stored = await chrome.storage.local.get('themePreferences');
+    const stored = await chrome.storage.local.get("themePreferences");
     const prefs = stored.themePreferences || {};
     if (prefs.closeDuplicateNewTabsEnabled !== true) return;
 
     const newTabUrls = getNewTabUrls();
     const allTabs = await chrome.tabs.query({});
-    const blankTabs = allTabs.filter(tab => isNewTabBlank(tab, newTabUrls));
+    const blankTabs = allTabs.filter((tab) => isNewTabBlank(tab, newTabUrls));
 
     if (blankTabs.length <= 1) return;
 
     // Keep the active tab; if none is active, keep the one with the largest id (newest)
-    const activeTab = blankTabs.find(tab => tab.active);
-    const toKeep = activeTab || blankTabs.reduce((a, b) => (a.id > b.id ? a : b));
-    const toClose = blankTabs.filter(tab => tab.id !== toKeep.id).map(tab => tab.id);
+    const activeTab = blankTabs.find((tab) => tab.active);
+    const toKeep =
+      activeTab || blankTabs.reduce((a, b) => (a.id > b.id ? a : b));
+    const toClose = blankTabs
+      .filter((tab) => tab.id !== toKeep.id)
+      .map((tab) => tab.id);
 
     if (toClose.length > 0) await chrome.tabs.remove(toClose);
   } catch (err) {
-    console.warn('[tab-harbor bg] closeDuplicateNewTabs error:', err.message);
+    console.warn("[tab-harbor bg] closeDuplicateNewTabs error:", err.message);
   }
 }
 
 async function updateBadge() {
   try {
-    await chrome.action.setBadgeText({ text: '' });
+    await chrome.action.setBadgeText({ text: "" });
   } catch {
-    chrome.action.setBadgeText({ text: '' });
+    chrome.action.setBadgeText({ text: "" });
   }
 }
 
-function getTabHarborDashboardUrls() {
-  const extensionId = chrome.runtime.id;
-  return new Set([
-    `chrome-extension://${extensionId}/index.html`,
-    `chrome-extension://${extensionId}/extension/index.html`,
-  ]);
-}
-
 // ─── Event listeners ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 // Notify Tab Harbor pages when tabs change so they can refresh
 async function notifyTabHarborPages(eventMeta = {}) {
-  try {
-    // Find all Tab Harbor dashboard pages
-    const dashboardUrls = getTabHarborDashboardUrls();
+  const message = {
+    action: "tabs-changed",
+    source: eventMeta.source || "tabs.changed",
+    triggerTabId: eventMeta.triggerTabId ?? null,
+  };
 
-    // Query all tabs and filter manually for more reliable matching
-    const allTabs = await chrome.tabs.query({});
-
-    const dashboardTabs = allTabs.filter(tab => {
-      if (!tab.url) return false;
-      // Tab Harbor can appear as either:
-      // 1. chrome-extension://EXTENSION_ID/index.html (direct access)
-      // 2. chrome-extension://EXTENSION_ID/extension/index.html (root manifest entry)
-      // 3. chrome://newtab/ with title "Tab Harbor" (new tab override)
-      return (
-        dashboardUrls.has(tab.url) ||
-        (tab.url === 'chrome://newtab/' && tab.title === 'Tab Harbor')
+  try {
+    await chrome.runtime.sendMessage(message);
+  } catch (err) {
+    if (err?.message && !err.message.includes("Receiving end does not exist")) {
+      console.warn(
+        "[tab-harbor bg] Error notifying Tab Harbor pages:",
+        err.message,
       );
-    });
-
-    if (dashboardTabs.length === 0) return;
-
-    for (const tab of dashboardTabs) {
-      try {
-        await chrome.tabs.sendMessage(tab.id, {
-          action: 'tabs-changed',
-          source: eventMeta.source || 'tabs.changed',
-          triggerTabId: eventMeta.triggerTabId ?? null,
-        });
-      } catch (err) {
-        // Tab might be closed or not ready, ignore
-        console.warn(`[tab-harbor bg] Failed to notify tab ${tab.id}:`, err.message);
-      }
     }
-  } catch (err) {
-    console.warn('[tab-harbor bg] Error in notifyTabHarborPages:', err);
   }
 }
 
@@ -130,20 +113,20 @@ chrome.runtime.onStartup.addListener(() => {
 // Update badge and notify Tab Harbor pages whenever a tab is opened
 chrome.tabs.onCreated.addListener((tab) => {
   updateBadge();
-  notifyTabHarborPages({ source: 'tabs.onCreated', triggerTabId: tab?.id });
+  notifyTabHarborPages({ source: "tabs.onCreated", triggerTabId: tab?.id });
   closeDuplicateNewTabs();
 });
 
 // Update badge and notify Tab Harbor pages whenever a tab is closed
 chrome.tabs.onRemoved.addListener((tabId) => {
   updateBadge();
-  notifyTabHarborPages({ source: 'tabs.onRemoved', triggerTabId: tabId });
+  notifyTabHarborPages({ source: "tabs.onRemoved", triggerTabId: tabId });
 });
 
 // Update badge and notify Tab Harbor pages when a tab's URL changes (e.g. navigating to/from chrome://)
 chrome.tabs.onUpdated.addListener((tabId) => {
   updateBadge();
-  notifyTabHarborPages({ source: 'tabs.onUpdated', triggerTabId: tabId });
+  notifyTabHarborPages({ source: "tabs.onUpdated", triggerTabId: tabId });
 });
 
 // ─── Initial run ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
diff --git a/extension/dashboard-runtime.js b/extension/dashboard-runtime.js
index 07abf5a..3fc866b 100644
--- a/extension/dashboard-runtime.js
+++ b/extension/dashboard-runtime.js
@@ -3234,7 +3234,6 @@ async function buildDomainGroups(realTabs = getRealTabs()) {
   }
 
   if (landingTabs.length > 0) {
-    groupMap.__landing_pages__ = undefined;
     groupMap['__landing-pages__'] = { domain: '__landing-pages__', tabs: landingTabs };
   }
 
diff --git a/extension/manifest.json b/extension/manifest.json
index bf6a807..6efc2d2 100644
--- a/extension/manifest.json
+++ b/extension/manifest.json
@@ -1,9 +1,16 @@
 {
   "manifest_version": 3,
   "name": "Tab Harbor",
-  "version": "1.1.1",
+  "version": "1.1.2",
   "description": "A new tab dashboard for organizing open tabs, quick links, todos, and saved tab sessions in one calm workspace.",
-  "permissions": ["tabs", "storage", "search", "clipboardRead", "tabGroups", "favicon"],
+  "permissions": [
+    "tabs",
+    "storage",
+    "search",
+    "clipboardRead",
+    "tabGroups",
+    "favicon"
+  ],
   "chrome_url_overrides": { "newtab": "index.html" },
   "background": { "service_worker": "background.js" },
   "action": {
diff --git a/extension/ui-regression.test.js b/extension/ui-regression.test.js
index 7a70d54..0308a54 100644
--- a/extension/ui-regression.test.js
+++ b/extension/ui-regression.test.js
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ test('optional local config is loaded safely before app mount', () => {
 });
 
 test('background keeps the toolbar badge empty', () => {
-  assert.match(backgroundJs, /await chrome\.action\.setBadgeText\(\{\s*text:\s*''\s*\}\)/);
+  assert.match(backgroundJs, /await chrome\.action\.setBadgeText\(\{\s*text:\s*["']{2}\s*\}\)/);
   assert.doesNotMatch(backgroundJs, /String\(count\)/);
 });
 
@@ -1056,13 +1056,16 @@ test('dynamic animation styles are generated by JavaScript instead of hardcoded
 test('dashboard auto-refreshes when tabs change via background message', () => {
   const bgJs = fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, 'background.js'), 'utf8');
   
-  // Background should notify Tab Harbor pages
+  // Background should broadcast tab changes via chrome.runtime.sendMessage
+  // (the dashboard is an extension page, NOT a content script — sendMessage
+  // to a content script would always fail with "Receiving end does not exist").
   assert.match(bgJs, /notifyTabHarborPages/);
-  assert.match(bgJs, /chrome\.tabs\.sendMessage/);
-  assert.match(bgJs, /action:\s*'tabs-changed'/);
+  assert.match(bgJs, /chrome\.runtime\.sendMessage/);
+  assert.doesNotMatch(bgJs, /chrome\.tabs\.sendMessage/);
+  assert.match(bgJs, /action:\s*["']tabs-changed["']/);
   assert.match(bgJs, /triggerTabId/);
-  assert.match(bgJs, /source:\s*'tabs\.onCreated'/);
-  assert.match(bgJs, /source:\s*'tabs\.onUpdated'/);
+  assert.match(bgJs, /source:\s*["']tabs\.onCreated["']/);
+  assert.match(bgJs, /source:\s*["']tabs\.onUpdated["']/);
   assert.match(bgJs, /chrome\.tabs\.onCreated\.addListener/);
   assert.match(bgJs, /chrome\.tabs\.onRemoved\.addListener/);