diff --git a/nostr/commit-signatures.jsonl b/nostr/commit-signatures.jsonl
index 702a8f1..2f5601d 100644
--- a/nostr/commit-signatures.jsonl
+++ b/nostr/commit-signatures.jsonl
@@ -125,3 +125,4 @@
 {"kind":1640,"pubkey":"573634b648634cbad10f2451776089ea21090d9407f715e83c577b4611ae6edc","created_at":1772296288,"tags":[["author","Silberengel","silberengel7@protonmail.com"],["message","administer the repos"]],"content":"Signed commit: administer the repos","id":"8825fb9bd01e099c1369f0c9ea1429dedd0a0116d103b4a640752c0a830fbc61","sig":"676f0817f817204ad910a70540399f71743a54453ae209535dcb30356d042b049138d9cfdeec08c4b7da03bb6bb51c71477bbf8d2f58bd4b602b9f69af4b3405"}
 {"kind":1640,"pubkey":"573634b648634cbad10f2451776089ea21090d9407f715e83c577b4611ae6edc","created_at":1772298906,"tags":[["author","Silberengel","silberengel7@protonmail.com"],["message","bug-fixes"]],"content":"Signed commit: bug-fixes","id":"6aa4dcd1b3d8a933710a6eb43321aa4faaba56598c735a634069c882c83b4f03","sig":"80ce253e890e8e84c8138e004bc2aaea402379d9aa67f62793ac7a4b344de6a7223f46fc733b240215a983a3a9b574ea8d0858a184f06df58ee66212ba58ee53"}
 {"kind":1640,"pubkey":"573634b648634cbad10f2451776089ea21090d9407f715e83c577b4611ae6edc","created_at":1772299137,"tags":[["author","Silberengel","silberengel7@protonmail.com"],["message","more-muted replyt-to"]],"content":"Signed commit: more-muted replyt-to","id":"fc0a91b526083b640d8116592fcac064fcf3cec9625b48dbd41c3877b2fe5444","sig":"998273d70d827ffbb939b4c149ff88e11c9f3aae3c5ddee78d860710f7fbff42c5ceed9433367b530bdc2869f9d382eb449537f813cf745c49f1a87a36926502"}
+{"kind":1640,"pubkey":"573634b648634cbad10f2451776089ea21090d9407f715e83c577b4611ae6edc","created_at":1772299733,"tags":[["author","Silberengel","silberengel7@protonmail.com"],["message","make relay timeouts more efficient\nsuppress diff on initial commit"]],"content":"Signed commit: make relay timeouts more efficient\nsuppress diff on initial commit","id":"5fbc2dfb13acab011df5a394a022267e69bbe908e696c4389e0c07ba83d58a0d","sig":"daf46d563c413e2481be2cbd2b00d3015cf601e19fe0a191ffbb18c2c07508b17e34ebda5c903a1391914f991cecd7a7a4e809fcba45e1f14ebab674117eb53c"}
diff --git a/src/routes/api/repos/[npub]/[repo]/clone/+server.ts b/src/routes/api/repos/[npub]/[repo]/clone/+server.ts
index 42684fc..fe6ec67 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/repos/[npub]/[repo]/clone/+server.ts
+++ b/src/routes/api/repos/[npub]/[repo]/clone/+server.ts
@@ -303,10 +303,22 @@ export const POST: RequestHandler = async (event) => {
     }, 'Repository announcement clone URLs');
 
     // Attempt to clone the repository
+    logger.debug({ npub, repo, preferredDefaultBranch, hasAnnouncement: !!announcementEvent }, 'Calling fetchRepoOnDemand');
     const result = await repoManager.fetchRepoOnDemand(npub, repo, announcementEvent, preferredDefaultBranch);
+    
+    logger.debug({ 
+      npub, 
+      repo, 
+      success: result.success, 
+      error: result.error,
+      needsAnnouncement: result.needsAnnouncement,
+      cloneUrls: result.cloneUrls?.length || 0,
+      remoteUrls: result.remoteUrls?.length || 0
+    }, 'fetchRepoOnDemand result');
 
     if (!result.success) {
       if (result.needsAnnouncement) {
+        logger.error({ npub, repo }, 'Clone failed: Repository announcement is required');
         throw handleValidationError(
           'Repository announcement is required. Please provide an announcement event or create one.',
           { operation: 'cloneRepo', npub, repo }
@@ -323,16 +335,18 @@ export const POST: RequestHandler = async (event) => {
       } else if (result.remoteUrls && result.remoteUrls.length === 0) {
         errorMessage += ' No accessible remote clone URLs found.';
       } else if (result.cloneUrls && result.cloneUrls.length > 0) {
-        errorMessage += ` Attempted to clone from: ${result.cloneUrls.join(', ')}`;
+        errorMessage += ` Attempted to clone from: ${result.cloneUrls.slice(0, 3).join(', ')}${result.cloneUrls.length > 3 ? '...' : ''}`;
       }
       
       logger.error({ 
         npub, 
         repo, 
         error: result.error,
+        errorMessage,
         cloneUrls: result.cloneUrls,
-        remoteUrls: result.remoteUrls
-      }, 'Failed to clone repository');
+        remoteUrls: result.remoteUrls,
+        needsAnnouncement: result.needsAnnouncement
+      }, 'Failed to clone repository - fetchRepoOnDemand returned success: false');
       
       throw handleApiError(
         new Error(result.error || 'Failed to clone repository from remote URLs'),
diff --git a/src/routes/api/repos/list/+server.ts b/src/routes/api/repos/list/+server.ts
index c9c887f..4b3f314 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/repos/list/+server.ts
+++ b/src/routes/api/repos/list/+server.ts
@@ -15,10 +15,16 @@ import { extractRequestContext } from '$lib/utils/api-context.js';
 import logger from '$lib/services/logger.js';
 import type { NostrEvent } from '$lib/types/nostr.js';
 import type { RequestEvent } from '@sveltejs/kit';
+import { existsSync } from 'fs';
+import { join, resolve } from 'path';
 
 const nostrClient = new NostrClient(DEFAULT_NOSTR_RELAYS);
 const maintainerService = new MaintainerService(DEFAULT_NOSTR_RELAYS);
 
+const repoRoot = typeof process !== 'undefined' && process.env?.GIT_REPO_ROOT
+  ? resolve(process.env.GIT_REPO_ROOT)
+  : resolve('/repos');
+
 interface RepoListItem {
   event: NostrEvent;
   npub: string;
@@ -90,6 +96,14 @@ export const GET: RequestHandler = async (event) => {
         npub = nip19.npubEncode(event.pubkey);
       }
       
+      // Only include repos that actually exist locally on the server
+      // This ensures deleted repos don't show up in the list
+      const repoPath = join(repoRoot, npub, `${dTag}.git`);
+      if (!existsSync(repoPath)) {
+        logger.debug({ npub, repoName: dTag, repoPath }, 'Skipping repo - does not exist locally');
+        continue;
+      }
+      
       repos.push({
         event,
         npub,
diff --git a/src/routes/repos/[npub]/[repo]/+page.svelte b/src/routes/repos/[npub]/[repo]/+page.svelte
index c20699f..a702626 100644
--- a/src/routes/repos/[npub]/[repo]/+page.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/repos/[npub]/[repo]/+page.svelte
@@ -1410,24 +1410,6 @@
         </div>
       </div>
     {/if}
-    {#if state.error}
-      <div class="state.error">
-        <div class="state.error-message">
-          <strong>Error:</strong> {state.error}
-        </div>
-        {#if state.error.includes('not cloned locally') && hasUnlimitedAccess($userStore.userLevel)}
-          <div class="state.error-actions">
-            <button 
-              class="clone-button-inline"
-              onclick={cloneRepository}
-              disabled={state.clone.cloning || state.clone.checking}
-            >
-              {state.clone.cloning ? 'Cloning...' : (state.clone.checking ? 'Checking...' : 'Clone to Server')}
-            </button>
-          </div>
-        {/if}
-      </div>
-    {/if}
 
     <!-- Tabs - only show if we have repo data (header/clone section would be visible) -->
     {#if repoOwnerPubkeyDerived}
diff --git a/src/routes/repos/[npub]/[repo]/services/repo-operations.ts b/src/routes/repos/[npub]/[repo]/services/repo-operations.ts
index 25da9f1..54d3678 100644
--- a/src/routes/repos/[npub]/[repo]/services/repo-operations.ts
+++ b/src/routes/repos/[npub]/[repo]/services/repo-operations.ts
@@ -225,28 +225,78 @@ export async function cloneRepository(
     const cloneUrl = `/api/repos/${state.npub}/${state.repo}/clone`;
     logger.debug({ url: cloneUrl }, '[Clone] POST request URL');
     
-    const data = await apiPost<{ alreadyExists?: boolean }>(cloneUrl, requestBody);
+    const data = await apiPost<{ alreadyExists?: boolean; success?: boolean; message?: string }>(cloneUrl, requestBody);
     
     logger.debug({ data }, '[Clone] Clone request successful');
     
+    // Check if the response indicates success
+    if (data.success === false) {
+      const errorMsg = data.message || 'Failed to clone repository';
+      logger.error({ npub: state.npub, repo: state.repo, data }, '[Clone] Clone endpoint returned success: false');
+      alert(`Error: ${errorMsg}`);
+      throw new Error(errorMsg);
+    }
+    
     if (data.alreadyExists) {
       alert('Repository already exists locally.');
       // Force refresh clone status
       await callbacks.checkCloneStatus(true);
     } else {
-      alert('Repository cloned successfully! The repository is now available on this server.');
-      // Force refresh clone status
-      await callbacks.checkCloneStatus(true);
-      // Reset API fallback status since repo is now cloned
-      state.clone.apiFallbackAvailable = false;
-      // Reload data to use the cloned repo instead of API
-      await Promise.all([
-        callbacks.loadBranches(),
-        callbacks.loadFiles(state.files.currentPath),
-        callbacks.loadReadme(),
-        callbacks.loadTags(),
-        callbacks.loadCommitHistory()
-      ]);
+      alert('Repository clone initiated. Waiting for clone to complete...');
+      
+      // Start polling for clone status with a delay
+      // Clone operation may take time, so we poll every 2 seconds
+      const pollInterval = 2000; // 2 seconds
+      const maxAttempts = 30; // Maximum 60 seconds (30 * 2s)
+      let attempts = 0;
+      let pollTimer: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null = null;
+      
+      const pollCloneStatus = async () => {
+        attempts++;
+        logger.debug({ attempts, maxAttempts }, '[Clone] Polling clone status');
+        
+        // Check clone status
+        await callbacks.checkCloneStatus(true);
+        
+        // If repo is now cloned, stop polling and reload data
+        if (state.clone.isCloned === true) {
+          if (pollTimer) {
+            clearInterval(pollTimer);
+            pollTimer = null;
+          }
+          
+          logger.info({ attempts }, '[Clone] Repository confirmed cloned, reloading data');
+          
+          // Reset API fallback status since repo is now cloned
+          state.clone.apiFallbackAvailable = false;
+          
+          // Reload data to use the cloned repo instead of API
+          await Promise.all([
+            callbacks.loadBranches(),
+            callbacks.loadFiles(state.files.currentPath),
+            callbacks.loadReadme(),
+            callbacks.loadTags(),
+            callbacks.loadCommitHistory()
+          ]);
+          
+          logger.info('[Clone] Repository data reloaded successfully');
+        } else if (attempts >= maxAttempts) {
+          // Stop polling after max attempts
+          if (pollTimer) {
+            clearInterval(pollTimer);
+            pollTimer = null;
+          }
+          
+          logger.warn({ attempts }, '[Clone] Polling timeout - clone may still be in progress');
+          alert('Clone operation is taking longer than expected. The repository may still be cloning in the background. Please refresh the page in a moment.');
+        }
+      };
+      
+      // Start polling after initial delay of 2 seconds
+      setTimeout(() => {
+        pollCloneStatus(); // First check immediately after delay
+        pollTimer = setInterval(pollCloneStatus, pollInterval);
+      }, pollInterval);
     }
   } catch (err) {
     const errorMessage = err instanceof Error ? err.message : 'Failed to clone repository';
@@ -254,9 +304,26 @@ export async function cloneRepository(
       error: err, 
       npub: state.npub, 
       repo: state.repo,
-      errorMessage 
+      errorMessage,
+      errorStack: err instanceof Error ? err.stack : undefined
     }, '[Clone] Clone request failed');
-    alert(`Error: ${errorMessage}`);
+    
+    // Extract more detailed error message if available
+    let userFriendlyMessage = errorMessage;
+    if (err instanceof Error) {
+      // Check if it's a network error
+      if (errorMessage.includes('fetch') || errorMessage.includes('network') || errorMessage.includes('Failed to fetch')) {
+        userFriendlyMessage = 'Network error: Unable to connect to the server. Please check your connection and try again.';
+      } else if (errorMessage.includes('403') || errorMessage.includes('Forbidden')) {
+        userFriendlyMessage = 'Access denied: You do not have permission to clone this repository. Please verify you have unlimited access.';
+      } else if (errorMessage.includes('404') || errorMessage.includes('Not found')) {
+        userFriendlyMessage = 'Repository not found: The repository announcement may not exist or the repository name may be incorrect.';
+      } else if (errorMessage.includes('timeout') || errorMessage.includes('timed out')) {
+        userFriendlyMessage = 'Clone operation timed out. The repository may be too large or the remote server may be slow. Please try again.';
+      }
+    }
+    
+    alert(`Error cloning repository: ${userFriendlyMessage}`);
     console.error('Error cloning repository:', err);
   } finally {
     state.clone.cloning = false;