diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/MyMesh.cpp b/examples/companion_radio/MyMesh.cpp
index e7386fef..4a03b313 100644
--- a/examples/companion_radio/MyMesh.cpp
+++ b/examples/companion_radio/MyMesh.cpp
@@ -1307,8 +1307,20 @@ bool MyMesh::onContactPathRecv(ContactInfo& contact, uint8_t* in_path, uint8_t i
   // auto-discovery overwrite it.  Skip the base class call entirely — ACKs
   // embedded in path responses will still be delivered via separate ACK packets.
   if (contact.flags & CONTACT_FLAG_CUSTOM_PATH) {
+#if defined(MECK_TWATCH)
+    // Watch: keep the manually set path (don't let discovery overwrite it), but
+    // STILL deliver an embedded login/response reply riding on this path packet
+    // -- otherwise logins to custom-path contacts silently time out. Gated to
+    // the watch so other builds' admin flow is unchanged.
+    MESH_DEBUG_PRINTLN("onContactPathRecv: custom-path %s, keeping path, delivering response (type=%d len=%d)", contact.name, extra_type, extra_len);
+    if (extra_type == PAYLOAD_TYPE_RESPONSE && extra_len > 0) {
+      onContactResponse(contact, extra, extra_len);
+    }
+    return false;
+#else
     MESH_DEBUG_PRINTLN("onContactPathRecv: skipping path update for custom-path contact %s", contact.name);
     return false;
+#endif
   }
   return BaseChatMesh::onContactPathRecv(contact, in_path, in_path_len, out_path, out_path_len, extra_type, extra, extra_len);
 }
diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/PathEditorScreen.h b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/PathEditorScreen.h
index 4824a4ed..23e13f24 100644
--- a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/PathEditorScreen.h
+++ b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/PathEditorScreen.h
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@ private:
 
   bool _dirty;                 // Path has been modified
   bool _wantExit;              // Set by Save & Exit — caller should navigate back
+#if defined(MECK_TWATCH)
+  bool _wantKeyboard = false;  // Set by Add hop -- caller opens the path keyboard
+#endif
   bool _directLocked;          // True = path is explicitly set to direct (0 hops, locked)
 
   // --- helpers ---
@@ -189,6 +192,9 @@ public:
     _repScroll = 0;
     _dirty = false;
     _wantExit = false;
+#if defined(MECK_TWATCH)
+    _wantKeyboard = false;
+#endif
     _directLocked = false;
 
     // Load contact info
@@ -489,6 +495,61 @@ public:
     return 5000;
   }
 
+#if defined(MECK_TWATCH)
+  // Watch: replace the whole path from a typed string of comma-separated hex
+  // hops. Each hop is _bytesPerHop bytes (2*_bytesPerHop hex chars), matching
+  // the current mode toggle -- e.g. 1B "36,21,dd", 2B "3601,2198,dddd", 3B
+  // "360184,2198a7,dddddd". Returns NULL on success, or an error message (the
+  // existing path is left unchanged on any error). UITask is only forward
+  // declared here, so the caller shows the alert rather than this method.
+  const char* applyComposedPath(const char* str) {
+    if (str == nullptr) return "Empty path";
+    const int expectChars = _bytesPerHop * 2;
+    uint8_t tmp[MAX_PATH_SIZE];
+    int nbytes = 0, hops = 0;
+    const char* p = str;
+    while (*p) {
+      char tok[16];
+      int tlen = 0;
+      while (*p && *p != ',') {
+        if (*p != ' ') {
+          if (tlen >= (int)sizeof(tok) - 1) return "Hop too long";
+          tok[tlen++] = *p;
+        }
+        p++;
+      }
+      if (*p == ',') p++;
+      if (tlen == 0) continue;                       // tolerate stray/trailing commas
+      if (tlen != expectChars) return "Wrong hop length";
+      if (hops >= 8) return "Max 8 hops";
+      for (int b = 0; b < _bytesPerHop; b++) {
+        int hi = hexNibble(tok[b * 2]);
+        int lo = hexNibble(tok[b * 2 + 1]);
+        if (hi < 0 || lo < 0) return "Bad hex";
+        if (nbytes >= MAX_PATH_SIZE) return "Path too long";
+        tmp[nbytes++] = (uint8_t)((hi << 4) | lo);
+      }
+      hops++;
+    }
+    if (hops == 0) return "Empty path";
+    memset(_pathBuf, 0, sizeof(_pathBuf));
+    memcpy(_pathBuf, tmp, nbytes);
+    _hopCount = hops;
+    _pathLen = encodePath();
+    _directLocked = false;
+    _dirty = true;
+    _menuCount = buildMenuCount();
+    _menuSel = 0;
+    return nullptr;
+  }
+  static int hexNibble(char c) {
+    if (c >= '0' && c <= '9') return c - '0';
+    if (c >= 'a' && c <= 'f') return c - 'a' + 10;
+    if (c >= 'A' && c <= 'F') return c - 'A' + 10;
+    return -1;
+  }
+#endif
+
   bool handleInput(char c) override {
     if (_state == STATE_PICK_HOP) {
       return handlePickerInput(c);
@@ -551,12 +612,19 @@ public:
           return true;
 
         case MENU_ADD_HOP:
-          // Enter picker mode — adding a hop clears direct lock
           _directLocked = false;
+#if defined(MECK_TWATCH)
+          // Watch: request the on-screen keyboard to type the whole path as
+          // comma-separated hex hops. main loop polls wantsKeyboard() and opens
+          // it (UITask is only forward declared here, so we can't call it).
+          _wantKeyboard = true;
+#else
+          // Enter picker mode -- adding a hop clears direct lock
           buildRepeaterList();
           _repSel = 0;
           _repScroll = 0;
           _state = STATE_PICK_HOP;
+#endif
           return true;
 
         case MENU_SET_DIRECT:
@@ -706,6 +774,11 @@ public:
   EditorState getState() const { return _state; }
   bool isDirty() const { return _dirty; }
   bool wantsExit() const { return _wantExit; }
+#if defined(MECK_TWATCH)
+  bool wantsKeyboard() const { return _wantKeyboard; }
+  void clearWantKeyboard() { _wantKeyboard = false; }
+  int getContactIdx() const { return _contactIdx; }
+#endif
 
 private:
   void switchMode(int newBytesPerHop) {
diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.cpp b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.cpp
index 0034878d..7db11bdc 100644
--- a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.cpp
+++ b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.cpp
@@ -2592,6 +2592,13 @@ if (curr) curr->poll();
           gotoHomeScreen();
         }
         showAlert(dmSuccess ? "DM sent!" : "DM failed!", 1500);
+      } else if (purpose == TWatchKeyboardScreen::TWKB_PATH) {
+        PathEditorScreen* pe = (PathEditorScreen*)getPathEditorScreen();
+        const char* perr = pe ? pe->applyComposedPath(sendText) : "No editor";
+        kb->clearOutBuf();
+        if (path_editor) setCurrScreen(path_editor);
+        else gotoHomeScreen();
+        if (perr) showAlert(perr, 1500);
       } else {  // TWKB_ADMIN_PASSWORD or TWKB_ADMIN_CLI
         RepeaterAdminScreen* admin = (RepeaterAdminScreen*)getRepeaterAdminScreen();
         if (admin) {
@@ -2604,6 +2611,13 @@ if (curr) curr->poll();
       }
     }
   }
+  else if (curr == path_editor && path_editor != nullptr) {
+    PathEditorScreen* pe = (PathEditorScreen*)path_editor;
+    if (pe->wantsKeyboard()) {
+      pe->clearWantKeyboard();
+      openTWatchKeyboard(TWatchKeyboardScreen::TWKB_PATH, pe->getContactIdx());
+    }
+  }
 #endif
 
   if (_display != NULL && _display->isOn()) {
diff --git a/variants/lilygo_twatch_s3/DRV2605Haptic.h b/variants/lilygo_twatch_s3/DRV2605Haptic.h
index 0219397d..037edf8e 100644
--- a/variants/lilygo_twatch_s3/DRV2605Haptic.h
+++ b/variants/lilygo_twatch_s3/DRV2605Haptic.h
@@ -51,6 +51,12 @@ public:
     writeReg(REG_GO, 1);
   }
 
+  // Return the DRV2605 to standby (~1.8uA). begin() must be run again before the
+  // next buzz -- a GO in standby is ignored -- so callers reset their ready flag.
+  void standby() {
+    writeReg(REG_MODE, 0x40);        // STANDBY = 1, internal trigger
+  }
+
 private:
   static const uint8_t REG_MODE       = 0x01;
   static const uint8_t REG_RTPIN      = 0x02;
@@ -83,4 +89,4 @@ private:
     _wire->requestFrom(_addr, (uint8_t)1);
     return _wire->available() ? _wire->read() : 0;
   }
-};
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/variants/lilygo_twatch_s3/TWatchComposeScreens.h b/variants/lilygo_twatch_s3/TWatchComposeScreens.h
index 2c8029c4..294a5dec 100644
--- a/variants/lilygo_twatch_s3/TWatchComposeScreens.h
+++ b/variants/lilygo_twatch_s3/TWatchComposeScreens.h
@@ -91,17 +91,6 @@ class TWatchChannelPicker : public UIScreen {
     _highlighted = (uint8_t)((_highlighted + 1) % _numChannels);
     ensureVisible();
   }
-  // Map a draw-space y coordinate to a channel index, or -1 if the tap is
-  // above the list or on an empty row. getTouch() returns coords already
-  // divided by UI_ZOOM, so _downY is directly comparable to the row layout.
-  int rowAtY(int y) const {
-    if (y < HEADER_H) return -1;
-    int i = (y - HEADER_H) / ROW_H;
-    if (i < 0 || i >= visibleRows()) return -1;
-    int ci = _scrollTop + i;
-    if (ci >= _numChannels) return -1;
-    return ci;
-  }
 
 public:
   TWatchChannelPicker(DisplayDriver* display)
@@ -148,11 +137,11 @@ public:
       _touchDown = false;
       unsigned long held = millis() - _downAt;
       if (_downX < 20 && _downY < HEADER_H) { _wantsExit = true; return; }   // back arrow
-      int row = rowAtY(_downY);
-      if (row < 0) return;                          // tap outside the channel list
-      _highlighted = (uint8_t)row;                  // single tap selects the tapped row
-      ensureVisible();
-      if (held >= TW_LONG_PRESS_MS) _confirmed = true;   // long press opens it
+      if (held >= TW_LONG_PRESS_MS) {
+        if (_numChannels > 0) _confirmed = true;                             // select highlighted
+      } else {
+        if (_downY < _display->height() / 2) moveUp(); else moveDown();      // tap zones
+      }
     }
   }
 
@@ -417,7 +406,7 @@ class TWatchKeyboardScreen : public UIScreen {
   uint8_t  _channelIdx;
 
 public:
-  enum Purpose { TWKB_CHANNEL, TWKB_DM, TWKB_ADMIN_PASSWORD, TWKB_ADMIN_CLI };
+  enum Purpose { TWKB_CHANNEL, TWKB_DM, TWKB_ADMIN_PASSWORD, TWKB_ADMIN_CLI, TWKB_PATH };
 
 private:
   Purpose  _purpose;
diff --git a/variants/lilygo_twatch_s3/WatchAlarmScreen.h b/variants/lilygo_twatch_s3/WatchAlarmScreen.h
index a7f19602..7a4d8d69 100644
--- a/variants/lilygo_twatch_s3/WatchAlarmScreen.h
+++ b/variants/lilygo_twatch_s3/WatchAlarmScreen.h
@@ -227,6 +227,10 @@ public:
   }
 
   void dismiss() {
+    if (_hapticReady) {
+      _haptic.standby();      // drop DRV2605 back to ~1.8uA once the alarm ends
+      _hapticReady = false;   // force begin() (exit standby) on the next alarm
+    }
     _mode     = LIST;
     _ringSlot = -1;
   }
@@ -423,4 +427,4 @@ private:
     save();
     _mode = LIST;
   }
-};
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/variants/lilygo_twatch_s3_plus/TWatchComposeScreens.h b/variants/lilygo_twatch_s3_plus/TWatchComposeScreens.h
index ade7eceb..294a5dec 100644
--- a/variants/lilygo_twatch_s3_plus/TWatchComposeScreens.h
+++ b/variants/lilygo_twatch_s3_plus/TWatchComposeScreens.h
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ class TWatchKeyboardScreen : public UIScreen {
   uint8_t  _channelIdx;
 
 public:
-  enum Purpose { TWKB_CHANNEL, TWKB_DM, TWKB_ADMIN_PASSWORD, TWKB_ADMIN_CLI };
+  enum Purpose { TWKB_CHANNEL, TWKB_DM, TWKB_ADMIN_PASSWORD, TWKB_ADMIN_CLI, TWKB_PATH };
 
 private:
   Purpose  _purpose;