diff --git a/notes_access.py b/notes_access.py
index 1d4c06fb..426c4a43 100644
--- a/notes_access.py
+++ b/notes_access.py
@@ -33,19 +33,42 @@ async def _run_notes_script(script: str, timeout: float = 10) -> str:
 
 
 async def get_recent_notes(count: int = 10) -> list[dict]:
-    """Get most recent notes (title + creation date)."""
+    """Get most recent notes (title + creation date).
+
+    Individual notes are read defensively, because an unguarded property
+    access aborts the entire script and one unreadable note would otherwise
+    cost every note.
+
+    "folder" is best-effort and is currently empty in practice: on recent
+    macOS, `name of container of note` fails with -1728 for every note (the
+    container resolves, but as a bare `item` whose name is not exposed). Real
+    folder names are only reachable by walking `every note of folder`, which
+    means scanning the whole library on every call — not worth it while no
+    caller reads the field. Guarding the lookup rather than dropping it keeps
+    this self-healing if Apple restores the property.
+    """
+    # Bound the scan so a run of unreadable notes can't walk a whole library.
+    scan_limit = count + 50
     script = f'''
 tell application "Notes"
     set output to ""
     set allNotes to every note
-    set limit to count of allNotes
-    if limit > {count} then set limit to {count}
-    repeat with i from 1 to limit
-        set n to item i of allNotes
-        set nName to name of n
-        set nDate to creation date of n as string
-        set nFolder to name of container of n
-        set output to output & nName & "|||" & nDate & "|||" & nFolder & linefeed
+    set scanCount to count of allNotes
+    if scanCount > {scan_limit} then set scanCount to {scan_limit}
+    set collected to 0
+    repeat with i from 1 to scanCount
+        if collected >= {count} then exit repeat
+        try
+            set n to item i of allNotes
+            set nName to name of n
+            set nDate to creation date of n as string
+            set nFolder to ""
+            try
+                set nFolder to name of container of n
+            end try
+            set output to output & nName & "|||" & nDate & "|||" & nFolder & linefeed
+            set collected to collected + 1
+        end try
     end repeat
     return output
 end tell
diff --git a/server.py b/server.py
index f08e7370..358e4b78 100644
--- a/server.py
+++ b/server.py
@@ -42,14 +42,14 @@
 from actions import execute_action, monitor_build, open_terminal, open_browser, open_claude_in_project, _generate_project_name, prompt_existing_terminal, applescript_escape
 from work_mode import WorkSession, is_casual_question
 from screen import get_active_windows, take_screenshot, describe_screen, format_windows_for_context
-from calendar_access import get_todays_events, get_upcoming_events, get_next_event, format_events_for_context, format_schedule_summary, refresh_cache as refresh_calendar_cache
+from calendar_access import get_todays_events, get_upcoming_events, get_next_event, get_calendar_names, format_events_for_context, format_schedule_summary, refresh_cache as refresh_calendar_cache
 from mail_access import get_unread_count, get_unread_messages, get_recent_messages, search_mail, read_message, format_unread_summary, format_messages_for_context, format_messages_for_voice
 from memory import (
     remember, recall, get_open_tasks, create_task, complete_task, search_tasks,
     create_note, search_notes, get_tasks_for_date, build_memory_context,
     format_tasks_for_voice, extract_memories, get_important_memories,
 )
-from notes_access import get_recent_notes, read_note, search_notes_apple, create_apple_note
+from notes_access import get_recent_notes, get_note_folders, read_note, search_notes_apple, create_apple_note
 from dispatch_registry import DispatchRegistry
 from planner import TaskPlanner, detect_planning_mode, BYPASS_PHRASES
 
@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@
 USER_NAME = os.getenv("USER_NAME", "sir")
 PROJECT_DIR = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
 _SKIP_PERMISSIONS = os.getenv("JARVIS_SKIP_PERMISSIONS", "true").lower() not in ("0", "false", "no")
+# Per-integration ceiling for the /api/settings/status probes, so the settings
+# panel stays responsive when Calendar/Mail/Notes are slow or unauthorized.
+_SETTINGS_PROBE_TIMEOUT = 8.0
 
 DESKTOP_PATH = Path.home() / "Desktop"
 
@@ -2530,18 +2533,40 @@ async def api_test_fish(body: KeyTest):
     except Exception as e:
         return {"valid": False, "error": str(e)[:200]}
 
+async def _probe_integration(coro, ok=lambda _: True, timeout: float = _SETTINGS_PROBE_TIMEOUT) -> bool:
+    """Return whether a macOS integration answered within the time budget.
+
+    Individual osascript calls are already bounded, but the totals are not, and
+    before the user grants TCC permission they block on a system dialog. The
+    settings panel only needs a reachable/unreachable flag, so cap the wait and
+    report a slow integration the same as a broken one.
+    """
+    try:
+        return bool(ok(await asyncio.wait_for(coro, timeout=timeout)))
+    except Exception:
+        return False
+
+
 @app.get("/api/settings/status")
 async def api_settings_status():
     import shutil as _shutil
     _, env_dict = _read_env()
     claude_installed = _shutil.which("claude") is not None
-    calendar_ok = mail_ok = notes_ok = False
-    try: await get_todays_events(); calendar_ok = True
-    except Exception: pass
-    try: await get_unread_count(); mail_ok = True
-    except Exception: pass
-    try: await get_recent_notes(count=1); notes_ok = True
-    except Exception: pass
+    # Probed concurrently — they touch three separate apps and don't depend on
+    # each other, so the endpoint costs one budget rather than three.
+    #
+    # Calendar and Notes are probed by listing containers, and their empty
+    # result is read as a failure. Both modules answer an unreachable app with
+    # the same empty value they use for "nothing found", so a probe that only
+    # checked for a raised exception would report an app as healthy while it
+    # was in fact failing. Listing also avoids the expensive paths: fetching
+    # today's events fans a cold cache out over every calendar in batches of
+    # two, which alone outruns the budget on a well-populated account.
+    calendar_ok, mail_ok, notes_ok = await asyncio.gather(
+        _probe_integration(get_calendar_names(), ok=bool),
+        _probe_integration(get_unread_count()),
+        _probe_integration(get_note_folders(), ok=bool),
+    )
     memory_count = task_count = 0
     try: memory_count = len(get_important_memories(limit=9999))
     except Exception: pass