diff --git a/src/routes/+layout.svelte b/src/routes/+layout.svelte
index ca1cf020..f853289b 100644
--- a/src/routes/+layout.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/+layout.svelte
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ let flag_clear_idb: boolean = $state(false);
 let flag_clear_local: boolean = $state(false);
 let flag_clear_sess: boolean = $state(false);
 let flag_reload: boolean = $state(false);
+let flag_hard_reload: boolean = $state(false);
 
 let flag_new_ver: boolean = $state(false);
 let flag_expired: boolean = $state(false);
@@ -72,6 +73,7 @@ let api_error_msg = $derived($ae_loc?.account_name || 'API Server Unreachable');
 let show_connection_details = $state(true);
 
 let last_reload_time = 0;
+let sw_heal_in_flight = false;
 
 // Shallow equality guard — avoids triggering Svelte store updates when the merged
 // object is functionally identical to the current one. Comparing JSON.stringify on
@@ -139,8 +141,11 @@ $effect(() => {
         // B. Version & Sanity Check
         if (new_loc.ver && $ae_sess.ver && new_loc.ver !== $ae_sess.ver) {
             if (!flag_new_ver) {
-                console.log('ROOT: Version mismatch detected');
+                console.log(
+                    'ROOT: Version mismatch detected; clearing stale service workers and caches before reload'
+                );
                 flag_new_ver = true;
+                flag_hard_reload = true;
                 flag_reload = true;
             }
         }
@@ -189,6 +194,15 @@ $effect(() => {
             if (flag_clear_local) clear_local();
             if (flag_clear_sess) clear_sess();
 
+            if (flag_hard_reload) {
+                flag_hard_reload = false;
+                console.log('ROOT: Executing hard reload after service worker heal');
+                void clear_stale_service_worker_state().finally(() => {
+                    location.reload();
+                });
+                return;
+            }
+
             console.log('ROOT: Executing throttled reload');
             invalidateAll();
         });
@@ -252,6 +266,35 @@ function clear_sess() {
     sessionStorage.clear();
 }
 
+async function clear_stale_service_worker_state() {
+    if (!browser || sw_heal_in_flight) return;
+    sw_heal_in_flight = true;
+
+    try {
+        if ('serviceWorker' in navigator) {
+            const registrations = await navigator.serviceWorker.getRegistrations();
+            for (const registration of registrations) {
+                await registration.unregister();
+            }
+        }
+    } catch (err) {
+        console.warn('ROOT: Service worker unregister failed during heal:', err);
+    }
+
+    try {
+        if ('caches' in window) {
+            const cache_keys = await caches.keys();
+            for (const cache_key of cache_keys) {
+                await caches.delete(cache_key);
+            }
+        }
+    } catch (err) {
+        console.warn('ROOT: Cache cleanup failed during heal:', err);
+    } finally {
+        sw_heal_in_flight = false;
+    }
+}
+
 // 4. EXTERNAL INTERFACES EFFECT
 $effect(() => {
     if (!browser) return;