diff --git a/backend/src/core/cfg.ts b/backend/src/core/cfg.ts
index 57baa63..01c9e7c 100644
--- a/backend/src/core/cfg.ts
+++ b/backend/src/core/cfg.ts
@@ -47,12 +47,9 @@ export const env = {
     openai_model: process.env.OM_OPENAI_MODEL,
     gemini_key:
         process.env.GEMINI_API_KEY || process.env.OM_GEMINI_API_KEY || "",
-    aws_model: str(
-        process.env.AWS_REGION,
-        process.env.AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID,
-        process.env.AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY
-    ),
-          
+    AWS_REGION: process.env.AWS_REGION || "",
+    AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID: process.env.AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID || "",
+    AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY: process.env.AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY || "",
     ollama_url: str(
         process.env.OLLAMA_URL || process.env.OM_OLLAMA_URL,
         "http://localhost:11434",
diff --git a/backend/src/memory/hsg.ts b/backend/src/memory/hsg.ts
index b04796f..216640a 100644
--- a/backend/src/memory/hsg.ts
+++ b/backend/src/memory/hsg.ts
@@ -520,7 +520,9 @@ export async function expand_via_waypoints(
         const neighs = await q.get_neighbors.all(cur.id);
         for (const neigh of neighs) {
             if (vis.has(neigh.dst_id)) continue;
-            const exp_wt = cur.weight * neigh.weight * 0.8;
+            // Clamp neighbor weight to valid range - protect against corrupted data
+            const neigh_wt = Math.min(1.0, Math.max(0, neigh.weight || 0));
+            const exp_wt = cur.weight * neigh_wt * 0.8;
             if (exp_wt < 0.1) continue;
             const exp_item = {
                 id: neigh.dst_id,
@@ -772,7 +774,8 @@ export async function hsg_query(
                 }
             }
             const em = exp.find((e: { id: string }) => e.id === mid);
-            const ww = em?.weight || 0;
+            // Clamp waypoint weight to valid range [0, 1] - protect against corrupted data
+            const ww = Math.min(1.0, Math.max(0, em?.weight || 0));
             const ds = (Date.now() - m.last_seen_at) / 86400000;
             const sal = calc_decay(m.primary_sector, m.salience, ds);
             const mtk = canonical_token_set(m.content);