diff --git a/src/routes/journals/ae_comp__journal_entry_obj_id_view.svelte b/src/routes/journals/ae_comp__journal_entry_obj_id_view.svelte
index 8a68421a..bec4f5d0 100644
--- a/src/routes/journals/ae_comp__journal_entry_obj_id_view.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/journals/ae_comp__journal_entry_obj_id_view.svelte
@@ -58,16 +58,20 @@
     // *** Derived
     let has_unsaved_changes = $derived.by(() => {
         if (!tmp_entry_obj || !orig_entry_obj || is_processing) return false;
-        return (
-            (tmp_entry_obj.content ?? null) !== (orig_entry_obj.content ?? null) ||
-            (tmp_entry_obj.name ?? null) !== (orig_entry_obj.name ?? null) ||
+        
+        // Use normalization to avoid loop on whitespace/null differences
+        const normalize = (val: any) => (val === null || val === undefined) ? '' : String(val).trim();
+        
+        const content_changed = normalize(tmp_entry_obj.content) !== normalize(orig_entry_obj.content);
+        const name_changed = normalize(tmp_entry_obj.name) !== normalize(orig_entry_obj.name);
+        const private_changed = (tmp_entry_obj.private ?? false) !== (orig_entry_obj.private ?? false);
+        
+        return content_changed || name_changed || private_changed ||
             (tmp_entry_obj.tags ?? null) !== (orig_entry_obj.tags ?? null) ||
             (tmp_entry_obj.category_code ?? null) !== (orig_entry_obj.category_code ?? null) ||
-            (tmp_entry_obj.private ?? false) !== (orig_entry_obj.private ?? false) ||
             (tmp_entry_obj.public ?? false) !== (orig_entry_obj.public ?? false) ||
             (tmp_entry_obj.personal ?? false) !== (orig_entry_obj.personal ?? false) ||
-            (tmp_entry_obj.professional ?? false) !== (orig_entry_obj.professional ?? false)
-        );
+            (tmp_entry_obj.professional ?? false) !== (orig_entry_obj.professional ?? false);
     });
 
     // *** Effects
@@ -77,21 +81,24 @@
         const entry = $lq__journal_entry_obj;
         const journal = $lq__journal_obj;
         if (entry && (entry.updated_on || entry.created_on)) {
-            // Determine if we are in a decrypted state for this journal
-            const session_kv = $journals_sess?.journal_kv[journal?.id];
-            const is_decrypted = session_kv?.journal_passcode_decrypted === true;
+            
+            // ISOLATE Store checks to avoid re-triggering this effect when stores change
+            const is_decrypted = untrack(() => {
+                const session_kv = $journals_sess?.journal_kv[journal?.id];
+                return session_kv?.journal_passcode_decrypted === true;
+            });
 
-            console.log(`ae_view: Effect[Sync] trigger. Entry updated_on: ${entry.updated_on}. Decrypted in session: ${is_decrypted}`);
+            console.log(`ae_view: Effect[Sync] trigger. Decrypted: ${is_decrypted}. Status: ${save_status}`);
 
             // Only sync if saved and not currently processing/editing
             if (save_status === 'saved' && !has_unsaved_changes && !is_processing) {
-                // If the journal is already decrypted, we MUST NOT overwrite the decrypted content with null from DB
+                // If decrypted, don't let DB's null content overwrite local recovered text
                 if (is_decrypted && tmp_entry_obj.content && !entry.content) {
-                    console.log('ae_view: Effect[Sync] SKIPPED to preserve decrypted content.');
+                    console.log('ae_view: Effect[Sync] preserving decrypted content.');
                     return;
                 }
 
-                console.log('ae_view: Effect[Sync] PROCEEDING. Updating local state from DB.');
+                console.log('ae_view: Effect[Sync] update local state.');
                 const base = {
                     ...entry,
                     content: entry.content ?? null,
@@ -99,23 +106,25 @@
                 };
                 orig_entry_obj = { ...base };
                 tmp_entry_obj = { ...base };
-            } else {
-                console.log(`ae_view: Effect[Sync] BLOCKED. status: ${save_status}, has_changes: ${has_unsaved_changes}, processing: ${is_processing}`);
             }
         }
     });
 
     // 2. Auto-Save Debounce
     $effect(() => {
+        // Explicitly depend on content but DO NOT react to other tmp_entry_obj properties here
         const _trigger = tmp_entry_obj.content; 
+        const _trigger_priv = tmp_entry_obj.private;
+
         if (has_unsaved_changes && !is_processing) {
-            console.log('ae_view: Effect[AutoSave] trigger. Changes detected.');
+            console.log('ae_view: Effect[AutoSave] trigger.');
             if (save_status !== 'saving') save_status = 'unsaved';
-            if ($journals_loc.entry.auto_save) {
+            
+            const auto_save_enabled = untrack(() => $journals_loc.entry.auto_save);
+            if (auto_save_enabled) {
                 clearTimeout(auto_save_timer);
                 auto_save_timer = setTimeout(() => {
-                    if (untrack(() => has_unsaved_changes)) {
-                        console.log('ae_view: Effect[AutoSave] Timer fired. Updating...');
+                    if (untrack(() => has_unsaved_changes && save_status !== 'saving')) {
                         update_journal_entry();
                     }
                 }, 2000);
@@ -135,10 +144,8 @@
         const decrypted_status = session?.journal_passcode_decrypted;
         const has_encrypted_content = !!$lq__journal_entry_obj?.content_encrypted;
 
-        console.log(`ae_view: Effect[Decryption] check. Encrypted: ${has_encrypted_content}, Verified: ${is_verified}, Status: ${decrypted_status}`);
-        
         if (has_encrypted_content && is_verified && decrypted_status !== true && decrypted_status !== 'processing') {
-            console.log('ae_view: Effect[Decryption] PROCEEDING to run workflow.');
+            console.log('ae_view: Effect[Decryption] auto-running.');
             run_decryption_workflow();
         }
     });
@@ -147,7 +154,7 @@
 
     async function run_decryption_workflow() {
         const journal = $lq__journal_obj;
-        if (!journal?.id) return;
+        if (!journal?.id || is_processing) return;
 
         let journal_key = $journals_sess.journal_kv[journal.id]?.typed_journal_passcode;
         
@@ -174,16 +181,17 @@
         }
 
         // SUCCESS
-        console.log(`ae_view: Decryption SUCCESS. Updating state.`);
-        tmp_entry_obj.content = result.content;
-        tmp_entry_obj.content_md_html = handle_marked(result.content || '');
+        console.log(`ae_view: Decryption SUCCESS.`);
         
-        // CRITICAL: Clear encrypted fields in local state so UI doesn't think it's still locked
+        // Update both to prevent "unsaved changes" loop
+        const content = result.content || '';
+        tmp_entry_obj.content = content;
+        tmp_entry_obj.content_md_html = handle_marked(content);
         tmp_entry_obj.content_encrypted = null;
         tmp_entry_obj.history_encrypted = null;
 
         if (orig_entry_obj) {
-            orig_entry_obj.content = result.content;
+            orig_entry_obj.content = content;
             orig_entry_obj.content_encrypted = null;
             orig_entry_obj.history_encrypted = null;
         }
@@ -201,7 +209,7 @@
     }
 
     async function update_journal_entry() {
-        if (!$ae_loc.trusted_access) return;
+        if (!$ae_loc.trusted_access || save_status === 'saving') return;
         save_status = 'saving';
 
         // Reference Standard: Explicit whitelist of editable fields
@@ -251,7 +259,8 @@
                 data_kv: data_kv,
                 log_lvl: 1
             });
-            orig_entry_obj = { ...tmp_entry_obj };
+            // CRITICAL: Sync ORIG after save to clear unsaved changes
+            orig_entry_obj = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(tmp_entry_obj));
             save_status = 'saved';
         } catch (error) {
             console.error('Update failed:', error);