diff --git a/.github/workflows/deploy-test.yml b/.github/workflows/deploy-test.yml
index 270c150..a1ec405 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deploy-test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deploy-test.yml
@@ -6,12 +6,17 @@ on:
       - main
       - 'feature/**'
   workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      branch:
+        description: "Branch to deploy"
+        required: true
+        default: main
 
 jobs:
   deploy:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     env:
-      BRANCH_NAME: ${{ github.ref_name }}
+      BRANCH_NAME: ${{ github.event.inputs.branch || github.head_ref || github.ref_name }}
       
     steps:
       - name: Set up SSH agent
@@ -26,8 +31,8 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Deploy ${{ env.BRANCH_NAME }} to test server
         run: |
-          echo "➡️ Starting remote deployment of branch '${BRANCH_NAME}'"
+          echo "➡️ Starting remote deployment of branch $BRANCH_NAME"
           ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no \
             ${{ secrets.TEST_SERVER_USER }}@${{ secrets.TEST_SERVER_HOST }} \
-            "bash ~/deploy_recapp_to_test.sh \"${BRANCH_NAME}\""
-          echo "✅ Remote deployment of branch '${BRANCH_NAME}' succeeded"
+            "export BRANCH_NAME='${BRANCH_NAME}'; bash ~/deploy_recapp_to_test.sh '${BRANCH_NAME}'"
+          echo "✅ Remote deployment of branch $BRANCH_NAME succeeded"
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 4fe1125..1a86eb2 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-# recapp 1.6.2
+# recapp 1.6.3
 
diff --git a/packages/backend/package.json b/packages/backend/package.json
index 71182c2..b1c3403 100644
--- a/packages/backend/package.json
+++ b/packages/backend/package.json
@@ -48,5 +48,5 @@
 		"start": "ts-node ./src/index.ts",
 		"test": "npm test"
 	},
-	"version": "1.0.0"
+	"version": "1.0.1"
 }
diff --git a/packages/frontend/package.json b/packages/frontend/package.json
index 844d8fb..ee10955 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/package.json
+++ b/packages/frontend/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
 	"name": "@recapp/frontend",
 	"private": true,
-	"version": "1.6.2",
+	"version": "1.6.3",
 	"type": "module",
 	"scripts": {
 		"dev": "vite",
diff --git a/packages/frontend/src/components/navigation/Root.tsx b/packages/frontend/src/components/navigation/Root.tsx
index 9bca1ce..234ac56 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/src/components/navigation/Root.tsx
+++ b/packages/frontend/src/components/navigation/Root.tsx
@@ -2,17 +2,18 @@
 
 import React, { useEffect, useState } from "react";
 import { Outlet, useNavigate } from "react-router-dom";
-import { i18n } from "@lingui/core";             // keep if you use programmatic i18n APIs
-import { Trans } from "@lingui/react";            // keep if you’re using <Trans> anywhere
+import { i18n } from "@lingui/core";
+import { Trans } from "@lingui/react";
 import { Layout } from "../../layout/Layout";
 import { SystemContext } from "ts-actors-react";
-import { Button, Modal } from "react-bootstrap";
+import { Button, Modal, Spinner } from "react-bootstrap";
 import { cookie } from "../../utils";
 import { system } from "../../system";
 import { ActorSystem } from "ts-actors";
 import { Try, fromError, fromValue } from "tsmonads";
 
 export const Root: React.FC = () => {
+  // 1) Keep the monadic Try<ActorSystem> so it matches your context type
   const [init, setInit] = useState<Try<ActorSystem>>(fromError(new Error()));
   const [rpcError, setRpcError] = useState<string>("");
   const navigate = useNavigate();
@@ -22,57 +23,80 @@ export const Root: React.FC = () => {
     document.location.href = `${import.meta.env.VITE_BACKEND_URI}/auth/logout`;
   };
 
-  // 1) Initialize the actor system once on mount
+  // 2) Bootstrap the actor system just once
   useEffect(() => {
-    const run = async () => {
-      try {
-        const s: ActorSystem = await system;
-        setInit(fromValue(s));
-      } catch (e) {
-        setInit(fromError(e as Error));
-      }
-    };
-    run();
+    system
+      .then(s => setInit(fromValue(s)))
+      .catch(err => setInit(fromError(err)));
   }, []);
 
-  // 2) After initialization, check the bearer cookie and redirect if missing
+  // 3) After a successful init, check for the bearer cookie and redirect if missing
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (init.isValue) {
-      if (!cookie("bearer")) {
-        navigate("/", { replace: true });
+    init.match(
+      // onSuccess
+      () => {
+        if (!cookie("bearer")) {
+          navigate("/", { replace: true });
+        }
+      },
+      // onFailure
+      () => {
+        /* do nothing on failure; modal handle below */
       }
-    }
+    );
   }, [init, navigate]);
 
-  // 3) Handle any RPC‐level errors in a modal
-  if (rpcError !== "") {
+  // 4) If we hit an RPC error, show the modal
+  if (rpcError) {
     return (
       <Modal show onHide={() => setRpcError("")}>
         <Modal.Header closeButton>
-          <Modal.Title><Trans>Communication Error</Trans></Modal.Title>
+          <Modal.Title>
+            <Trans id="communication.error" message="Communication Error" />
+          </Modal.Title>
         </Modal.Header>
         <Modal.Body>
-          <Trans>There was a problem communicating with the backend.</Trans>
+          <Trans
+            id="communication.problem"
+            message="There was a problem communicating with the backend."
+          />
           <br />
-          <Trans>Please try again or contact support.</Trans>
+          <Trans
+            id="communication.retry"
+            message="Please try again or contact support."
+          />
         </Modal.Body>
         <Modal.Footer>
           <Button variant="secondary" onClick={onRpcError}>
-            <Trans>Log Out</Trans>
+            <Trans id="communication.logout" message="Log Out" />
           </Button>
         </Modal.Footer>
       </Modal>
     );
   }
 
-  // 4) While the actor system is initializing, render nothing (or a spinner)
-  if (!init.isValue) {
-    return null;
+  // 5) While initializing, show a centered spinner
+  const ready = init.match(() => true, () => false);
+  if (!ready) {
+    return (
+      <div style={{
+        display: "flex",
+        alignItems: "center",
+        justifyContent: "center",
+        height: "100vh"
+      }}>
+        <Spinner animation="border" role="status">
+          <span className="visually-hidden">
+            <Trans id="loading" message="Loading..." />
+          </span>
+        </Spinner>
+      </div>
+    );
   }
 
-  // 5) Once ready and authenticated, render the layout and child routes
+  // 6) Everything’s good: render your app
   return (
-    <SystemContext.Provider value={init.value}>
+    <SystemContext.Provider value={init}>
       <Layout>
         <Outlet />
       </Layout>