diff --git a/src/gui_2.py b/src/gui_2.py
index 4c17ec1f..c1b03a46 100644
--- a/src/gui_2.py
+++ b/src/gui_2.py
@@ -1671,71 +1671,71 @@ def render_log_management(app: App) -> None:
  if app.perf_profiling_enabled: app.perf_monitor.start_component("_render_log_management")
  with imscope.window("Log Management", app.show_windows["Log Management"]) as (exp, opened):
   app.show_windows["Log Management"] = bool(opened)
-  if exp:
-   if app._log_registry is None: app._log_registry = log_registry.LogRegistry(str(paths.get_logs_dir() / "log_registry.toml"))
-   else:
-    if imgui.button("Refresh Registry"):
-     if app._log_registry is not None: app._log_registry.load_registry()
-    imgui.same_line()
-   if imgui.button("Load Log"): app.cb_load_prior_log()
-   imgui.same_line()
-   if imgui.button("Force Prune Logs"): app.controller.event_queue.put("gui_task", {"action": "click", "item": "btn_prune_logs"})
+  if app._log_registry is None:
+   app._log_registry = log_registry.LogRegistry(str(paths.get_logs_dir() / "log_registry.toml"))
+   app._log_registry.load_registry()
+  if imgui.button("Refresh Registry"):
+   if app._log_registry is not None: app._log_registry.load_registry()
+  imgui.same_line()
+  if imgui.button("Load Log"): app.cb_load_prior_log()
+  imgui.same_line()
+  if imgui.button("Force Prune Logs"): app.controller.event_queue.put("gui_task", {"action": "click", "item": "btn_prune_logs"})
   
-   registry = app._log_registry
-   sessions = registry.data
-   if imgui.begin_table("sessions_table", 7, imgui.TableFlags_.borders | imgui.TableFlags_.row_bg | imgui.TableFlags_.resizable):
-    imgui.table_setup_column("Session ID")
-    imgui.table_setup_column("Start Time")
-    imgui.table_setup_column("Star")
-    imgui.table_setup_column("Reason")
-    imgui.table_setup_column("Size (KB)")
-    imgui.table_setup_column("Msgs")
-    imgui.table_setup_column("Actions")
-    imgui.table_headers_row()
-    for session_id, s_data in sessions.items():
-     imgui.table_next_row()
-     imgui.table_next_column()
-     imgui.text(session_id)
-     imgui.table_next_column()
-     imgui.text(s_data.get("start_time", ""))
-     imgui.table_next_column()
-     whitelisted = s_data.get("whitelisted", False)
-     if whitelisted:
-      imgui.text_colored(vec4(255, 215, 0), "YES")
-     else:
-      imgui.text("NO")
-     metadata = s_data.get("metadata") or {}
-     imgui.table_next_column()
-     imgui.text(metadata.get("reason", ""))
-     imgui.table_next_column()
-     imgui.text(str(metadata.get("size_kb", "")))
-     imgui.table_next_column()
-     imgui.text(str(metadata.get("message_count", "")))
-     imgui.table_next_column()
-     if imgui.button(f"Load##{session_id}"):
-      app.cb_load_prior_log(s_data.get("path"))
-     imgui.same_line()
-     if whitelisted:
-      if imgui.button(f"Unstar##{session_id}"):
-       registry.update_session_metadata(
-        session_id,
-        message_count=int(metadata.get("message_count") or 0),
-        errors=int(metadata.get("errors") or 0),
-        size_kb=int(metadata.get("size_kb") or 0),
-        whitelisted=False,
-        reason=str(metadata.get("reason") or "")
-       )
-     else:
-      if imgui.button(f"Star##{session_id}"):
-       registry.update_session_metadata(
-        session_id,
-        message_count=int(metadata.get("message_count") or 0),
-        errors=int(metadata.get("errors") or 0),
-        size_kb=int(metadata.get("size_kb") or 0),
-        whitelisted=True,
-        reason="Manually whitelisted"
-       )
-    imgui.end_table()
+  registry = app._log_registry
+  sessions = registry.data
+  if imgui.begin_table("sessions_table", 7, imgui.TableFlags_.borders | imgui.TableFlags_.row_bg | imgui.TableFlags_.resizable):
+   imgui.table_setup_column("Session ID")
+   imgui.table_setup_column("Start Time")
+   imgui.table_setup_column("Star")
+   imgui.table_setup_column("Reason")
+   imgui.table_setup_column("Size (KB)")
+   imgui.table_setup_column("Msgs")
+   imgui.table_setup_column("Actions")
+   imgui.table_headers_row()
+   for session_id, s_data in sessions.items():
+    imgui.table_next_row()
+    imgui.table_next_column()
+    imgui.text(session_id)
+    imgui.table_next_column()
+    imgui.text(s_data.get("start_time", ""))
+    imgui.table_next_column()
+    whitelisted = s_data.get("whitelisted", False)
+    if whitelisted:
+     imgui.text_colored(vec4(255, 215, 0), "YES")
+    else:
+     imgui.text("NO")
+    metadata = s_data.get("metadata") or {}
+    imgui.table_next_column()
+    imgui.text(metadata.get("reason", ""))
+    imgui.table_next_column()
+    imgui.text(str(metadata.get("size_kb", "")))
+    imgui.table_next_column()
+    imgui.text(str(metadata.get("message_count", "")))
+    imgui.table_next_column()
+    if imgui.button(f"Load##{session_id}"):
+     app.cb_load_prior_log(s_data.get("path"))
+    imgui.same_line()
+    if whitelisted:
+     if imgui.button(f"Unstar##{session_id}"):
+      registry.update_session_metadata(
+       session_id,
+       message_count=int(metadata.get("message_count") or 0),
+       errors=int(metadata.get("errors") or 0),
+       size_kb=int(metadata.get("size_kb") or 0),
+       whitelisted=False,
+       reason=str(metadata.get("reason") or "")
+      )
+    else:
+     if imgui.button(f"Star##{session_id}"):
+      registry.update_session_metadata(
+       session_id,
+       message_count=int(metadata.get("message_count") or 0),
+       errors=int(metadata.get("errors") or 0),
+       size_kb=int(metadata.get("size_kb") or 0),
+       whitelisted=True,
+       reason="Manually whitelisted"
+      )
+   imgui.end_table()
 
  if app.perf_profiling_enabled: app.perf_monitor.end_component("_render_log_management")
 
@@ -3463,6 +3463,7 @@ def render_discussion_entry(app: App, entry: dict, index: int) -> None:
    imgui.same_line()
    if imgui.button("Del"):
     if entry in app.disc_entries: app.disc_entries.remove(entry)
+    imgui.end_group()
     draw_list.channels_merge()
     return
    imgui.same_line()
diff --git a/src/markdown_helper.py b/src/markdown_helper.py
index c37c3284..75ca5aee 100644
--- a/src/markdown_helper.py
+++ b/src/markdown_helper.py
@@ -117,30 +117,71 @@ class MarkdownRenderer:
 
   from src.markdown_table import parse_tables, render_table
   blocks = parse_tables(text)
-  sentinel = "\x00TBL{}\x00"
-  masked = text
-  for idx, block in enumerate(blocks):
-   start, end = block.span
-   original_block = "\n".join(masked.splitlines()[start:end])
-   masked = masked.replace(original_block, sentinel.format(idx), 1)
+  lines = text.splitlines(keepends=True)
+  if not lines:
+   return
 
-  parts = re.split(r"(```[\s\S]*?```)", masked)
+  table_at_line: dict[int, int] = {b.span[0]: i for i, b in enumerate(blocks)}
+  table_end: dict[int, int] = {b.span[0]: b.span[1] for i, b in enumerate(blocks)}
 
+  md_buf: list[str] = []
+  code_buf: list[str] = []
   block_idx = 0
-  for part in parts:
-   if part.startswith("```") and part.endswith("```"):
-    self._render_code_block(part, context_id, block_idx)
-    block_idx += 1
-   elif part.strip():
-    sub_parts = re.split(r"(\x00TBL\d+\x00)", part)
-    for sp in sub_parts:
-     if sp.startswith("\x00TBL") and sp.endswith("\x00"):
-      tbl_idx = int(sp[4:-1])
-      try: render_table(blocks[tbl_idx])
-      except Exception: imgui.text(sp)
-     else:
-      if sp.strip(): imgui_md.render(sp)
+  in_fence = False
+  fence_marker = ""
 
+  def flush_md() -> None:
+   if md_buf:
+    chunk = "".join(md_buf)
+    if chunk.strip():
+     imgui_md.render(chunk)
+    md_buf.clear()
+
+  def flush_code() -> None:
+   nonlocal block_idx
+   if code_buf:
+    chunk = "".join(code_buf)
+    self._render_code_block(chunk, context_id, block_idx)
+    block_idx += 1
+    code_buf.clear()
+
+  i = 0
+  while i < len(lines):
+   line = lines[i]
+   stripped = line.lstrip().rstrip("\r\n")
+   if stripped.startswith("```"):
+    if not in_fence:
+     in_fence = True
+     fence_marker = stripped[:3]
+     flush_md()
+     code_buf.append(line)
+     i += 1
+     continue
+    if fence_marker and stripped.startswith(fence_marker):
+     in_fence = False
+     code_buf.append(line)
+     flush_code()
+     fence_marker = ""
+     i += 1
+     continue
+    code_buf.append(line)
+    i += 1
+    continue
+   if in_fence:
+    code_buf.append(line)
+    i += 1
+    continue
+   if i in table_at_line:
+    flush_md()
+    try: render_table(blocks[table_at_line[i]])
+    except Exception: pass
+    i = table_end[i]
+    continue
+   md_buf.append(line)
+   i += 1
+
+  flush_md()
+  flush_code()
  def render_unindented(self, text: str) -> None:
   """Render Markdown text with automatic unindentation."""
   imgui_md.render_unindented(text)
diff --git a/tests/test_log_management_first_open.py b/tests/test_log_management_first_open.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8c07d9c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_log_management_first_open.py
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+import os, tempfile, tomli_w
+from unittest.mock import patch, MagicMock
+from src.gui_2 import render_log_management
+
+def test_log_management_populates_registry_on_first_open(app_instance):
+ with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
+  reg_path = os.path.join(tmp, "log_registry.toml")
+  tomli_w.dump({"s1": {"start_time": "2026-06-03T10:00:00", "path": "C:/x/s1", "whitelisted": False}}, open(reg_path, "wb"))
+  app_instance._log_registry = None
+  app_instance.show_windows = {"Log Management": True}
+  app_instance.perf_profiling_enabled = False
+  with patch("src.gui_2.paths") as mock_paths, \
+       patch("src.gui_2.imgui") as mock_imgui, \
+       patch("src.gui_2.imscope") as mock_imscope:
+   mock_paths.get_logs_dir.return_value = MagicMock()
+   mock_paths.get_logs_dir.return_value.__truediv__ = lambda self, x: reg_path
+   mock_imgui.collapsing_header = MagicMock(return_value=True)
+   mock_imgui.TableFlags_ = type("T", (), {"borders": 1, "row_bg": 2, "resizable": 4})()
+   mock_imgui.TableColumnFlags_ = type("C", (), {"width_fixed": 1, "width_stretch": 2})()
+   mock_imgui.begin_table.return_value = True
+   mock_imgui.button.return_value = False
+   mock_imgui.table_next_row = lambda: None
+   mock_imgui.table_next_column = lambda: None
+   mock_imgui.text = lambda *a, **k: None
+   mock_imgui.text_colored = lambda *a, **k: None
+   mock_imgui.text_disabled = lambda *a, **k: None
+   mock_imgui.end_table = lambda: None
+   mock_imscope.window.return_value.__enter__.return_value = (True, True)
+   app_instance.cb_load_prior_log = MagicMock()
+   render_log_management(app_instance)
+  assert app_instance._log_registry is not None
+  assert "s1" in app_instance._log_registry.data, f"Registry should be populated on first open. Got: {list(app_instance._log_registry.data.keys())}"
diff --git a/tests/test_markdown_render_robust.py b/tests/test_markdown_render_robust.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b6df6072
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_markdown_render_robust.py
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+from unittest.mock import patch
+from src.markdown_helper import MarkdownRenderer
+from src.markdown_table import parse_tables
+
+def _mock_table_calls(mock_imgui):
+ mock_imgui.TableFlags_ = type("T", (), {"borders": 1, "row_bg": 2, "resizable": 4})()
+ mock_imgui.begin_table.return_value = True
+ mock_imgui.table_next_column = lambda: None
+ mock_imgui.table_next_row = lambda: None
+ mock_imgui.table_headers_row = lambda: None
+ mock_imgui.text = lambda *a, **k: None
+ mock_imgui.end_table = lambda: None
+
+def test_tables_in_crlf_text_all_get_masked():
+ text = (
+  "# Title\r\n"
+  "\r\n"
+  "| A | B |\r\n"
+  "|---|---|\r\n"
+  "| 1 | 2 |\r\n"
+  "\r\n"
+  "Some prose.\r\n"
+  "\r\n"
+  "| X | Y |\r\n"
+  "|---|---|\r\n"
+  "| 3 | 4 |\r\n"
+ )
+ blocks = parse_tables(text)
+ assert len(blocks) == 2
+ with patch("src.markdown_helper.imgui_md") as mock_md, patch("src.markdown_helper.imgui") as mock_imgui, patch("src.markdown_table.imgui") as mock_table_imgui:
+  _mock_table_calls(mock_table_imgui)
+  MarkdownRenderer().render(text, context_id="t")
+  full = "".join(str(c) for c in mock_md.render.call_args_list)
+  for needle in ["| A | B |", "|---|", "| 1 | 2 |", "| X | Y |", "| 3 | 4 |"]:
+   assert needle not in full, f"Raw table text leaked to imgui_md: {needle!r} in calls: {full!r}"
+
+def test_duplicate_table_content_both_get_replaced():
+ text = (
+  "| A | B |\r\n"
+  "|---|---|\r\n"
+  "| 1 | 2 |\r\n"
+  "\r\n"
+  "Middle prose.\r\n"
+  "\r\n"
+  "| A | B |\r\n"
+  "|---|---|\r\n"
+  "| 1 | 2 |\r\n"
+ )
+ blocks = parse_tables(text)
+ assert len(blocks) == 2
+ with patch("src.markdown_helper.imgui_md") as mock_md, patch("src.markdown_helper.imgui") as mock_imgui, patch("src.markdown_table.imgui") as mock_table_imgui:
+  _mock_table_calls(mock_table_imgui)
+  MarkdownRenderer().render(text, context_id="dup")
+  full = "".join(str(c) for c in mock_md.render.call_args_list)
+  assert "| A | B |" not in full, f"Raw table text leaked on duplicate: {full!r}"
+