diff --git a/libs/config/hook.rs b/libs/config/hook.rs
index 51c5544..dba3539 100644
--- a/libs/config/hook.rs
+++ b/libs/config/hook.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct PoolConfig {
+    /// Intended concurrency (used by K8s operator/HPA, not the worker itself).
+    /// The worker is single-threaded by design; K8s replicas provide parallelism.
     pub max_concurrent: usize,
     pub cpu_threshold: f32,
     /// Hash-tag-prefixed Redis key prefix for hook task queues.
diff --git a/libs/git/hook/pool/redis.rs b/libs/git/hook/pool/redis.rs
index 87c3859..796ffc0 100644
--- a/libs/git/hook/pool/redis.rs
+++ b/libs/git/hook/pool/redis.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ use crate::error::GitError;
 use crate::hook::pool::types::HookTask;
 use deadpool_redis::cluster::Connection as RedisConn;
 use slog::Logger;
+use std::time::Duration;
 
 /// Redis List consumer using BLMOVE for atomic move-from-queue-to-work pattern.
 pub struct RedisConsumer {
@@ -12,6 +13,8 @@ pub struct RedisConsumer {
     logger: Logger,
 }
 
+const POOL_GET_TIMEOUT: Duration = Duration::from_secs(5);
+
 impl RedisConsumer {
     pub fn new(
         pool: deadpool_redis::cluster::Pool,
@@ -36,10 +39,9 @@ impl RedisConsumer {
         let queue_key = format!("{}:{}", self.prefix, task_type);
         let work_key = format!("{}:{}:work", self.prefix, task_type);
 
-        let redis = self
-            .pool
-            .get()
+        let redis = tokio::time::timeout(POOL_GET_TIMEOUT, self.pool.get())
             .await
+            .map_err(|_| GitError::Internal("redis pool get timed out".into()))?
             .map_err(|e| GitError::Internal(format!("redis pool get failed: {}", e)))?;
 
         let mut conn: RedisConn = redis;
@@ -90,10 +92,9 @@ impl RedisConsumer {
     }
 
     async fn ack_raw(&self, work_key: &str, task_json: &str) -> Result<(), GitError> {
-        let redis = self
-            .pool
-            .get()
+        let redis = tokio::time::timeout(POOL_GET_TIMEOUT, self.pool.get())
             .await
+            .map_err(|_| GitError::Internal("redis pool get timed out".into()))?
             .map_err(|e| GitError::Internal(format!("redis pool get failed: {}", e)))?;
 
         let mut conn: RedisConn = redis;
@@ -129,10 +130,9 @@ impl RedisConsumer {
         old_task_json: &str,
         new_task_json: &str,
     ) -> Result<(), GitError> {
-        let redis = self
-            .pool
-            .get()
+        let redis = tokio::time::timeout(POOL_GET_TIMEOUT, self.pool.get())
             .await
+            .map_err(|_| GitError::Internal("redis pool get timed out".into()))?
             .map_err(|e| GitError::Internal(format!("redis pool get failed: {}", e)))?;
 
         let mut conn: RedisConn = redis;
diff --git a/libs/git/hook/pool/worker.rs b/libs/git/hook/pool/worker.rs
index 6b96171..f89e648 100644
--- a/libs/git/hook/pool/worker.rs
+++ b/libs/git/hook/pool/worker.rs
@@ -44,26 +44,30 @@ impl HookWorker {
         slog::info!(self.logger, "hook worker started");
 
         let task_types = [TaskType::Sync, TaskType::Fsck, TaskType::Gc];
-        let poll_interval = Duration::from_millis(500);
+        let mut redis_backoff_ms: u64 = 1000;
 
         loop {
-            tokio::select! {
-                _ = cancel.cancelled() => {
-                    slog::info!(self.logger, "hook worker shutdown signal received");
-                    break;
-                }
-                _ = tokio::time::sleep(poll_interval) => {}
+            // Check cancellation at top of loop to avoid unnecessary work
+            if cancel.is_cancelled() {
+                slog::info!(self.logger, "hook worker shutdown signal received");
+                break;
             }
 
             for task_type in &task_types {
                 let result = self.consumer.next(&task_type.to_string()).await;
 
                 let (task, task_json) = match result {
-                    Ok(Some(pair)) => pair,
+                    Ok(Some(pair)) => {
+                        // Reset backoff on successful dequeue
+                        redis_backoff_ms = 1000;
+                        pair
+                    }
                     Ok(None) => continue,
                     Err(e) => {
                         slog::warn!(self.logger, "failed to dequeue task: {}", e);
-                        tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_secs(1)).await;
+                        tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(redis_backoff_ms)).await;
+                        // Exponential backoff, cap at 32s
+                        redis_backoff_ms = (redis_backoff_ms * 2).min(32_000);
                         break;
                     }
                 };
@@ -338,20 +342,8 @@ impl HookWorker {
         let db = self.db.clone();
         let cache = self.cache.clone();
         let logger = self.logger.clone();
-
-        tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || {
-            let result = tokio::runtime::Handle::current().block_on(async {
-                let sync = HookMetaDataSync::new(db.clone(), cache.clone(), repo.clone(), logger.clone())?;
-                sync.fsck_only().await
-            });
-            match result {
-                Ok(()) => Ok::<(), GitError>(()),
-                Err(e) => Err(GitError::Internal(e.to_string())),
-            }
-        })
-        .await
-        .map_err(|e| GitError::Internal(format!("spawn_blocking join error: {}", e)))?
-        .map_err(GitError::from)?;
+        let sync = HookMetaDataSync::new(db, cache, repo, logger)?;
+        sync.fsck_only().await?;
 
         Ok(())
     }
@@ -376,20 +368,8 @@ impl HookWorker {
         let db = self.db.clone();
         let cache = self.cache.clone();
         let logger = self.logger.clone();
-
-        tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || {
-            let result = tokio::runtime::Handle::current().block_on(async {
-                let sync = HookMetaDataSync::new(db.clone(), cache.clone(), repo.clone(), logger.clone())?;
-                sync.gc_only().await
-            });
-            match result {
-                Ok(()) => Ok::<(), GitError>(()),
-                Err(e) => Err(GitError::Internal(e.to_string())),
-            }
-        })
-        .await
-        .map_err(|e| GitError::Internal(format!("spawn_blocking join error: {}", e)))?
-        .map_err(GitError::from)?;
+        let sync = HookMetaDataSync::new(db, cache, repo, logger)?;
+        sync.gc_only().await?;
 
         Ok(())
     }
diff --git a/libs/git/hook/sync/gc.rs b/libs/git/hook/sync/gc.rs
index 963bd8f..6b45663 100644
--- a/libs/git/hook/sync/gc.rs
+++ b/libs/git/hook/sync/gc.rs
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ impl HookMetaDataSync {
                 .map_err(|e| GitError::IoError(format!("git gc failed: {}", e)))?;
 
             if !status.success() {
+                // git gc --auto exits non-zero when there's nothing to collect,
+                // or when another gc is already running — both are benign.
                 slog::warn!(logger, "git gc exited with {:?}", status.code());
             }
 
diff --git a/libs/git/hook/sync/mod.rs b/libs/git/hook/sync/mod.rs
index dcefe9a..4cac9b4 100644
--- a/libs/git/hook/sync/mod.rs
+++ b/libs/git/hook/sync/mod.rs
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ impl HookMetaDataSync {
         let project_uid = self.repo.project;
 
         let repo_root = match self.domain.repo().workdir() {
-            Some(p) => p,
+            Some(p) => p.to_path_buf(),
             None => return,
         };
 
@@ -296,12 +296,21 @@ impl HookMetaDataSync {
             .map(|oid| oid.to_string())
             .unwrap_or_default();
 
-        let discovered = match scan_skills_from_dir(repo_root, &self.repo.id, &commit_sha) {
-            Ok(d) => d,
-            Err(e) => {
+        let repo_id = self.repo.id;
+        let discovered = match tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || {
+            scan_skills_from_dir(&repo_root, &repo_id, &commit_sha)
+        })
+        .await
+        {
+            Ok(Ok(d)) => d,
+            Ok(Err(e)) => {
                 slog::warn!(self.logger, "failed to scan skills directory: {}", e);
                 return;
             }
+            Err(e) => {
+                slog::warn!(self.logger, "spawn_blocking join error: {}", e);
+                return;
+            }
         };
 
         if discovered.is_empty() {
diff --git a/libs/git/hook/webhook_dispatch.rs b/libs/git/hook/webhook_dispatch.rs
index e8f62fa..78986e4 100644
--- a/libs/git/hook/webhook_dispatch.rs
+++ b/libs/git/hook/webhook_dispatch.rs
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ pub async fn dispatch_repo_webhooks(
     {
         Ok(ws) => ws,
         Err(e) => {
-            slog::error!(logs, "{}", format!("failed to query webhooks repo={} error={}", repo_uuid, e));
+            slog::error!(logs, "failed to query webhooks repo={} error={}", repo_uuid, e);
             return;
         }
     };
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ pub async fn dispatch_repo_webhooks(
                 let body = match serde_json::to_vec(&payload) {
                     Ok(b) => b,
                     Err(e) => {
-                        slog::error!(logs, "{}", format!("failed to serialize push payload error={}", e));
+                        slog::error!(logs, "failed to serialize push payload error={}", e);
                         continue;
                     }
                 };
@@ -310,15 +310,15 @@ pub async fn dispatch_repo_webhooks(
                 .await
                 {
                     Ok(Ok(())) => {
-                        slog::info!(logs, "{}", format!("push webhook delivered webhook_id={} url={}", webhook_id, url));
+                        slog::info!(logs, "push webhook delivered webhook_id={} url={}", webhook_id, url);
                         let _ = touch_webhook(db, webhook_id, true, logs).await;
                     }
                     Ok(Err(e)) => {
-                        slog::warn!(logs, "{}", format!("push webhook delivery failed webhook_id={} url={} error={}", webhook_id, url, e));
+                        slog::warn!(logs, "push webhook delivery failed webhook_id={} url={} error={}", webhook_id, url, e);
                         let _ = touch_webhook(db, webhook_id, false, logs).await;
                     }
                     Err(_) => {
-                        slog::warn!(logs, "{}", format!("push webhook timed out webhook_id={} url={}", webhook_id, url));
+                        slog::warn!(logs, "push webhook timed out webhook_id={} url={}", webhook_id, url);
                         let _ = touch_webhook(db, webhook_id, false, logs).await;
                     }
                 }
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ pub async fn dispatch_repo_webhooks(
                 let body = match serde_json::to_vec(&payload) {
                     Ok(b) => b,
                     Err(e) => {
-                        slog::error!(logs, "{}", format!("failed to serialize tag payload error={}", e));
+                        slog::error!(logs, "failed to serialize tag payload error={}", e);
                         continue;
                     }
                 };
@@ -364,15 +364,15 @@ pub async fn dispatch_repo_webhooks(
                 .await
                 {
                     Ok(Ok(())) => {
-                        slog::info!(logs, "{}", format!("tag webhook delivered webhook_id={} url={}", webhook_id, url));
+                        slog::info!(logs, "tag webhook delivered webhook_id={} url={}", webhook_id, url);
                         let _ = touch_webhook(db, webhook_id, true, logs).await;
                     }
                     Ok(Err(e)) => {
-                        slog::warn!(logs, "{}", format!("tag webhook delivery failed webhook_id={} url={} error={}", webhook_id, url, e));
+                        slog::warn!(logs, "tag webhook delivery failed webhook_id={} url={} error={}", webhook_id, url, e);
                         let _ = touch_webhook(db, webhook_id, false, logs).await;
                     }
                     Err(_) => {
-                        slog::warn!(logs, "{}", format!("tag webhook timed out webhook_id={} url={}", webhook_id, url));
+                        slog::warn!(logs, "tag webhook timed out webhook_id={} url={}", webhook_id, url);
                         let _ = touch_webhook(db, webhook_id, false, logs).await;
                     }
                 }
@@ -405,6 +405,6 @@ async fn touch_webhook(db: &AppDatabase, webhook_id: i64, success: bool, logs: &
     };
 
     if let Err(e) = result {
-        slog::warn!(logs, "{}", format!("failed to update webhook touch error={}", e));
+        slog::warn!(logs, "failed to update webhook touch error={}", e);
     }
 }