diff --git a/src/vfs/_vfscommon.vfs/modules/shellfilter-0.2.3.tm b/src/vfs/_vfscommon.vfs/modules/shellfilter-0.2.4.tm
similarity index 99%
rename from src/vfs/_vfscommon.vfs/modules/shellfilter-0.2.3.tm
rename to src/vfs/_vfscommon.vfs/modules/shellfilter-0.2.4.tm
index 4f64e822..d060aced 100644
--- a/src/vfs/_vfscommon.vfs/modules/shellfilter-0.2.3.tm
+++ b/src/vfs/_vfscommon.vfs/modules/shellfilter-0.2.4.tm
@@ -2813,8 +2813,11 @@ namespace eval shellfilter {
         set syslog [dict get $opts -syslog]
         dict unset opts -syslog
         set runtag "shellfilter-run"
-        set tid [::shellfilter::log::open $runtag [list -syslog 127.0.0.1:514]]
-        #set tid [::shellfilter::log::open $runtag [list -syslog $syslog]]
+        #honor the -syslog option (default empty) - the previous hardcoded 127.0.0.1:514 was a
+        #debug leftover. With no -syslog and no -file the runtag log worker is a noop (no thread
+        #is created). Syslog remains supported when explicitly configured; see G-036 for the
+        #Tcl 9 console+udp worker wedge that the always-on syslog worker exposed on exit/quit.
+        set tid [::shellfilter::log::open $runtag [list -syslog $syslog]]
         log::info {::shellfilter::log::write $runtag " opts: $opts"}
         log::info {::shellfilter::log::write $runtag " commandlist:'$commandlist' listlen:$listlen strlen:[string length $commandlist]"}
 
@@ -3827,5 +3830,5 @@ namespace eval shellfilter {
 
 package provide shellfilter [namespace eval shellfilter {
     variable version
-    set version 0.2.3
+    set version 0.2.4
 }]
diff --git a/src/vfs/_vfscommon.vfs/modules/shellthread-1.6.2.tm b/src/vfs/_vfscommon.vfs/modules/shellthread-1.6.3.tm
similarity index 97%
rename from src/vfs/_vfscommon.vfs/modules/shellthread-1.6.2.tm
rename to src/vfs/_vfscommon.vfs/modules/shellthread-1.6.3.tm
index 79d12149..cd0c83c6 100644
--- a/src/vfs/_vfscommon.vfs/modules/shellthread-1.6.2.tm
+++ b/src/vfs/_vfscommon.vfs/modules/shellthread-1.6.3.tm
@@ -788,8 +788,12 @@ namespace eval shellthread::manager {
         foreach workertid $subscriberless_workers {
             if {$workertid ni $shuttingdown_workers} {
                 if {$workertid ni $free_threads && $workertid ne "noop"} {
-                    #JMN
-                    thread::send $workertid {set ::shellthread::worker::settings $::shellthread::worker::settings_defaults}
+                    #Must be async: unsubscribe is on the exit/quit teardown path and a worker whose
+                    #event loop has stopped servicing events (G-036: Tcl 9 console+udp worker wedge)
+                    #would block a synchronous send forever, freezing the shell. Async is safe -
+                    #sends to a thread are processed FIFO, so a later reuse via new_worker sees the
+                    #settings reset applied before anything it sends.
+                    thread::send -async $workertid {set ::shellthread::worker::settings $::shellthread::worker::settings_defaults}
                     #todo - log freeing up of thread
                     lappend free_threads $workertid
                 }
@@ -812,7 +816,10 @@ namespace eval shellthread::manager {
     }
 
     proc get_tag_config {tag} {
-        #review
+        #review - bare synchronous thread::send: blocks forever if the worker's event loop is
+        #wedged (G-036 hazard class). Reached from new_worker when a tag already has a live
+        #worker. Needs a result so can't simply go async - convert to async + vwait-with-timeout
+        #if this path shows up in a hang.
         variable workers
         if {![dict exists $workers $tag]} {
             error "shellthread::manager::get_tag_config error no existing tag $tag"
@@ -858,10 +865,13 @@ namespace eval shellthread::manager {
                     set timedout 1
                     break
                 } else {
-                    after cancel $timeout_timer
+                    #Do not cancel the timeout timer until all awaited workers have responded -
+                    #cancelling on the first response left later vwait iterations unbounded, so a
+                    #wedged worker (G-036) after a healthy one hung shutdown forever.
                     lappend ended $::shellthread::waitfor
                 }
             }
+            after cancel $timeout_timer
         }
         set free_threads [list]
         return [dict create existed $waiting_for ended $ended timedout $timedout allthreads [thread::names]]
@@ -963,7 +973,7 @@ namespace eval shellthread::manager {
 
 package provide shellthread [namespace eval shellthread {
   variable version
-  set version 1.6.2
+  set version 1.6.3
 }]