diff --git a/.claude-plugin/plugin.json b/.claude-plugin/plugin.json
index aa2db53364..dfec6f0242 100644
--- a/.claude-plugin/plugin.json
+++ b/.claude-plugin/plugin.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "hyperframes",
   "description": "HyperFrames by HeyGen. Write HTML, render video. Compositions, GSAP and runtime adapter animations, captions, voiceovers, audio-reactive visuals, and website capture for HyperFrames.",
-  "version": "0.8.47",
+  "version": "0.8.48",
   "author": {
     "name": "HeyGen",
     "email": "hyperframes@heygen.com",
diff --git a/.codex-plugin/plugin.json b/.codex-plugin/plugin.json
index d06ec9523c..5844c977e4 100644
--- a/.codex-plugin/plugin.json
+++ b/.codex-plugin/plugin.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "hyperframes",
   "description": "Write HTML, render video. Compositions, Tailwind v4 styles, GSAP and runtime adapter animations, captions, voiceovers, audio-reactive visuals, and website capture for HyperFrames.",
-  "version": "0.8.47",
+  "version": "0.8.48",
   "author": {
     "name": "HeyGen",
     "email": "hyperframes@heygen.com",
diff --git a/.cursor-plugin/plugin.json b/.cursor-plugin/plugin.json
index 9f49948ae8..926f922607 100644
--- a/.cursor-plugin/plugin.json
+++ b/.cursor-plugin/plugin.json
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   "name": "hyperframes",
   "displayName": "HyperFrames by HeyGen",
   "description": "Write HTML, render video. Compositions, Tailwind v4 styles, GSAP and runtime adapter animations, captions, voiceovers, audio-reactive visuals, and website capture for HyperFrames.",
-  "version": "0.8.47",
+  "version": "0.8.48",
   "author": {
     "name": "HeyGen",
     "email": "hyperframes@heygen.com"
diff --git a/docs/changelog.mdx b/docs/changelog.mdx
index 82c3c98400..6296b3a23a 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.mdx
+++ b/docs/changelog.mdx
@@ -8,6 +8,44 @@ Recent HyperFrames releases, including user-facing features, fixes, and migratio
 
 {/* New release entries are prepended by `bun run changelog:draft <version> --write`. */}
 
+<Update
+  label="HyperFrames v0.8.48"
+  description="Released - 2026-09-18"
+  tags={["Release", "CLI", "Studio", "Registry"]}
+>
+Studio's main track now snaps clips together and closes gaps on delete, and host apps can open the ask-agent flow straight from a picked element. The rest is CLI and editor stability fixes, plus one catalog timing tweak.
+
+## Features
+
+- **Studio:** Operators get a magnetic main track that closes gaps on delete ([8fe480c0a](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/8fe480c0a0a4796ebc4b12f05f45ac1329707bb9), [#4069](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4069)).
+- **Studio:** The segment ease control is discoverable at rest ([5ef5419a9](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/5ef5419a9e9be11855f76f7dc4b6b947fdccd6f2), [#4074](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4074)).
+- **Studio:** Host apps can open the ask-agent flow from a picked element ([e174b1715](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/e174b1715b6ef0897693a0d278c72343d11f2a1d), [#4075](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4075)).
+- **Studio:** Open a project's root composition automatically on load ([b0e4316a2](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/b0e4316a2042f22f7df757d50840997edbf4bb55), [#4057](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4057)).
+
+## Fixes
+
+- **CLI:** Stop the cancellable-process test reading a pid file mid-write ([2a9912ec9](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/2a9912ec995d84efdd48f78c10ce4b02c4afc6cd), [#4080](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4080)).
+- **Studio:** Keep the volume slider editable while automation owns the level ([3306dbcdc](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/3306dbcdc0201d636d3fa4b5715c76907540e932), [#4066](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4066)).
+- **CLI:** Stop the preflight cancel test reading a pid file mid-write ([a7cc1d2cf](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/a7cc1d2cffc9bd31fcb0f19c4b30e95dadacf55d), [#4077](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4077)).
+- **CLI:** Detect a missing or stale studio build before it crashes ([de9206e0f](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/de9206e0f8512ea6fca539c981c1688db6771045), [#4076](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4076)).
+- **Studio:** Keep clips on their row through group, ungroup, and composition recovery ([a8d44b259](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/a8d44b25963bb92ddb7f07da5e0fc30641922573), [#4068](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4068)).
+- **CLI:** Distinguish agent and execution harness telemetry ([2a559714e](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/2a559714ee5b455e9dbd21a399f01afb178d9265), [#4071](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4071)).
+- **Studio:** Dropped timeline assets land where you drop them ([bf39a7278](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/bf39a727876eb4529584c836e66a0c7cd571c399), [#4062](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4062)).
+- **CLI:** Collapse startup lint output to a one-line summary ([096459e76](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/096459e76d74d61e8ad7340d5e57672ef493b085), [#4052](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4052)).
+
+## Catalog
+
+- **Registry:** Corner brackets fade in on cue in north-korea-locked-down ([2679ebdd0](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/2679ebdd0d2c896273be333ec4504b0ea57ceaf1), [#4081](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4081)).
+
+## Internal
+
+- **Engine:** Time the bun --eval spawn in resolveHeadlessShellPath tests ([856ac34c5](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/856ac34c53d381ca8202c5918096e5ce0892383f), [#4078](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4078)).
+- **Studio:** Extract hotkey dispatch out of useAppHotkeys ([700b94834](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/700b94834de9689cd68ed10703d1143cc636de3f), [#4079](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4079)).
+- **CLI:** Time each native Sharp call in the flaky Windows contact-sheet test ([3867d8da5](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/3867d8da5d10804bb886bf50a9e9f4db3eecdaf9), [#4070](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4070)).
+
+[View the full commit range](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/compare/v0.8.47...v0.8.48).
+</Update>
+
 <Update
   label="HyperFrames v0.8.47"
   description="Released - 2026-09-18"
diff --git a/packages/aws-lambda/package.json b/packages/aws-lambda/package.json
index b5b3c4a9a2..58e94babc5 100644
--- a/packages/aws-lambda/package.json
+++ b/packages/aws-lambda/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@hyperframes/aws-lambda",
-  "version": "0.8.47",
+  "version": "0.8.48",
   "description": "AWS Lambda adapter for HyperFrames distributed rendering — handler, client-side SDK, and CDK construct.",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
diff --git a/packages/cli/package.json b/packages/cli/package.json
index 235b1e7cf1..0196766f3a 100644
--- a/packages/cli/package.json
+++ b/packages/cli/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@hyperframes/cli",
-  "version": "0.8.47",
+  "version": "0.8.48",
   "description": "HyperFrames CLI — create, preview, and render HTML video compositions",
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
   "repository": {
diff --git a/packages/core/package.json b/packages/core/package.json
index bb3ab8199f..3a9f2ff31d 100644
--- a/packages/core/package.json
+++ b/packages/core/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@hyperframes/core",
-  "version": "0.8.47",
+  "version": "0.8.48",
   "description": "",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
diff --git a/packages/engine/package.json b/packages/engine/package.json
index 9f931a0a5c..eb4677a337 100644
--- a/packages/engine/package.json
+++ b/packages/engine/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@hyperframes/engine",
-  "version": "0.8.47",
+  "version": "0.8.48",
   "description": "Seekable web page to video rendering engine (Puppeteer + FFmpeg)",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
diff --git a/packages/gcp-cloud-run/package.json b/packages/gcp-cloud-run/package.json
index 16f5be8202..24f39baa5b 100644
--- a/packages/gcp-cloud-run/package.json
+++ b/packages/gcp-cloud-run/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@hyperframes/gcp-cloud-run",
-  "version": "0.8.47",
+  "version": "0.8.48",
   "description": "Google Cloud Run + Workflows adapter for HyperFrames distributed rendering — request handler, client-side SDK, and Terraform module.",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
diff --git a/packages/lint/package.json b/packages/lint/package.json
index a4c36fda47..508c494b97 100644
--- a/packages/lint/package.json
+++ b/packages/lint/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@hyperframes/lint",
-  "version": "0.8.47",
+  "version": "0.8.48",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
     "url": "https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes",
diff --git a/packages/parsers/package.json b/packages/parsers/package.json
index 0d1ca7f6f0..22ba52c110 100644
--- a/packages/parsers/package.json
+++ b/packages/parsers/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@hyperframes/parsers",
-  "version": "0.8.47",
+  "version": "0.8.48",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
     "url": "https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes",
diff --git a/packages/player/package.json b/packages/player/package.json
index 51373d11d3..44354ebe77 100644
--- a/packages/player/package.json
+++ b/packages/player/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@hyperframes/player",
-  "version": "0.8.47",
+  "version": "0.8.48",
   "description": "Embeddable web component for HyperFrames compositions",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
diff --git a/packages/producer/package.json b/packages/producer/package.json
index d9394e9955..40e5e70e00 100644
--- a/packages/producer/package.json
+++ b/packages/producer/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@hyperframes/producer",
-  "version": "0.8.47",
+  "version": "0.8.48",
   "description": "HTML-to-video rendering engine using Chrome's BeginFrame API",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
diff --git a/packages/sdk/package.json b/packages/sdk/package.json
index 88af561c4b..f49d663f1e 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/package.json
+++ b/packages/sdk/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@hyperframes/sdk",
-  "version": "0.8.47",
+  "version": "0.8.48",
   "description": "Headless, framework-neutral HyperFrames composition editing engine",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
diff --git a/packages/shader-transitions/package.json b/packages/shader-transitions/package.json
index d9053d8488..08bf854571 100644
--- a/packages/shader-transitions/package.json
+++ b/packages/shader-transitions/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@hyperframes/shader-transitions",
-  "version": "0.8.47",
+  "version": "0.8.48",
   "description": "WebGL shader transitions for HyperFrames compositions",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
diff --git a/packages/studio-server/package.json b/packages/studio-server/package.json
index 1fcdba35ac..0b4693e93f 100644
--- a/packages/studio-server/package.json
+++ b/packages/studio-server/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@hyperframes/studio-server",
-  "version": "0.8.47",
+  "version": "0.8.48",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
     "url": "https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes",
diff --git a/packages/studio/package.json b/packages/studio/package.json
index feff6fc318..2bbea947c5 100644
--- a/packages/studio/package.json
+++ b/packages/studio/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@hyperframes/studio",
-  "version": "0.8.47",
+  "version": "0.8.48",
   "description": "",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
diff --git a/registry/blocks/hw-path-text/demo.html b/registry/blocks/hw-path-text/demo.html
index 3dc31619d8..954f2efdec 100644
--- a/registry/blocks/hw-path-text/demo.html
+++ b/registry/blocks/hw-path-text/demo.html
@@ -149,8 +149,10 @@
           });
         };
 
-        document.getElementById("hw-pt-path").setAttribute("d", CONFIG.d);
-        if (CONFIG.showGuide) document.getElementById("hw-pt-guide").setAttribute("d", CONFIG.d);
+        var pathEl = document.getElementById("hw-pt-path");
+        var guide = document.getElementById("hw-pt-guide");
+        pathEl.setAttribute("d", CONFIG.d);
+        if (CONFIG.showGuide) guide.setAttribute("d", CONFIG.d);
         document.getElementById("hw-pt-text").setAttribute("font-size", CONFIG.fontSize);
 
         /* per-char tspans along the path */
@@ -165,7 +167,6 @@
         var tl = gsap.timeline({ paused: true });
 
         /* guide draws first, then the handwriting types along it */
-        var guide = document.getElementById("hw-pt-guide");
         if (CONFIG.showGuide) {
           var glen = guide.getTotalLength();
           gsap.set(guide, { strokeDasharray: "2 14", strokeDashoffset: glen });
diff --git a/registry/blocks/hw-path-text/hw-path-text.html b/registry/blocks/hw-path-text/hw-path-text.html
index fa10379cd9..4b3a1ed36f 100644
--- a/registry/blocks/hw-path-text/hw-path-text.html
+++ b/registry/blocks/hw-path-text/hw-path-text.html
@@ -146,8 +146,10 @@
           });
         };
 
-        document.getElementById("hw-pt-path").setAttribute("d", CONFIG.d);
-        if (CONFIG.showGuide) document.getElementById("hw-pt-guide").setAttribute("d", CONFIG.d);
+        var pathEl = document.getElementById("hw-pt-path");
+        var guide = document.getElementById("hw-pt-guide");
+        pathEl.setAttribute("d", CONFIG.d);
+        if (CONFIG.showGuide) guide.setAttribute("d", CONFIG.d);
         document.getElementById("hw-pt-text").setAttribute("font-size", CONFIG.fontSize);
 
         /* per-char tspans along the path */
@@ -162,7 +164,6 @@
         var tl = gsap.timeline({ paused: true });
 
         /* guide draws first, then the handwriting types along it */
-        var guide = document.getElementById("hw-pt-guide");
         if (CONFIG.showGuide) {
           var glen = guide.getTotalLength();
           gsap.set(guide, { strokeDasharray: "2 14", strokeDashoffset: glen });
diff --git a/registry/blocks/hw-text-cloud/hw-text-cloud.html b/registry/blocks/hw-text-cloud/hw-text-cloud.html
index 88db90f00b..b3892549a8 100644
--- a/registry/blocks/hw-text-cloud/hw-text-cloud.html
+++ b/registry/blocks/hw-text-cloud/hw-text-cloud.html
@@ -228,8 +228,10 @@
         var svg = document.getElementById("hw-tc-svg");
         svg.setAttribute("viewBox", "0 0 " + CONFIG.w + " " + CONFIG.h);
         var d = cloudPath(CONFIG.w, CONFIG.h, CONFIG.tip, CONFIG.seed);
-        document.getElementById("hw-tc-fill").setAttribute("d", d);
-        document.getElementById("hw-tc-stroke").setAttribute("d", d);
+        var fillEl = document.getElementById("hw-tc-fill");
+        var stroke = document.getElementById("hw-tc-stroke");
+        fillEl.setAttribute("d", d);
+        stroke.setAttribute("d", d);
 
         var text = document.getElementById("hw-tc-text");
         text.style.left = CONFIG.w * 0.12 + "px";
@@ -249,7 +251,6 @@
         var tl = gsap.timeline({ paused: true });
 
         /* draw outline, fade fill, type text */
-        var stroke = document.getElementById("hw-tc-stroke");
         var len = stroke.getTotalLength();
         gsap.set(stroke, { strokeDasharray: len, strokeDashoffset: len });
         var t0 = CONFIG.animationIn ? 0.3 : 0;
diff --git a/releases/v0.8.48.md b/releases/v0.8.48.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..64f5ea18d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releases/v0.8.48.md
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+# HyperFrames v0.8.48
+
+Released on 2026-09-18.
+
+Studio's main track now snaps clips together and closes gaps on delete, and host apps can open the ask-agent flow straight from a picked element. The rest is CLI and editor stability fixes, plus one catalog timing tweak.
+
+## Features
+
+- **Studio:** Operators get a magnetic main track that closes gaps on delete ([8fe480c0a](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/8fe480c0a0a4796ebc4b12f05f45ac1329707bb9), [#4069](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4069)).
+- **Studio:** The segment ease control is discoverable at rest ([5ef5419a9](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/5ef5419a9e9be11855f76f7dc4b6b947fdccd6f2), [#4074](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4074)).
+- **Studio:** Host apps can open the ask-agent flow from a picked element ([e174b1715](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/e174b1715b6ef0897693a0d278c72343d11f2a1d), [#4075](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4075)).
+- **Studio:** Open a project's root composition automatically on load ([b0e4316a2](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/b0e4316a2042f22f7df757d50840997edbf4bb55), [#4057](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4057)).
+
+## Fixes
+
+- **CLI:** Stop the cancellable-process test reading a pid file mid-write ([2a9912ec9](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/2a9912ec995d84efdd48f78c10ce4b02c4afc6cd), [#4080](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4080)).
+- **Studio:** Keep the volume slider editable while automation owns the level ([3306dbcdc](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/3306dbcdc0201d636d3fa4b5715c76907540e932), [#4066](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4066)).
+- **CLI:** Stop the preflight cancel test reading a pid file mid-write ([a7cc1d2cf](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/a7cc1d2cffc9bd31fcb0f19c4b30e95dadacf55d), [#4077](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4077)).
+- **CLI:** Detect a missing or stale studio build before it crashes ([de9206e0f](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/de9206e0f8512ea6fca539c981c1688db6771045), [#4076](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4076)).
+- **Studio:** Keep clips on their row through group, ungroup, and composition recovery ([a8d44b259](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/a8d44b25963bb92ddb7f07da5e0fc30641922573), [#4068](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4068)).
+- **CLI:** Distinguish agent and execution harness telemetry ([2a559714e](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/2a559714ee5b455e9dbd21a399f01afb178d9265), [#4071](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4071)).
+- **Studio:** Dropped timeline assets land where you drop them ([bf39a7278](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/bf39a727876eb4529584c836e66a0c7cd571c399), [#4062](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4062)).
+- **CLI:** Collapse startup lint output to a one-line summary ([096459e76](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/096459e76d74d61e8ad7340d5e57672ef493b085), [#4052](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4052)).
+
+## Catalog
+
+- **Registry:** Corner brackets fade in on cue in north-korea-locked-down ([2679ebdd0](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/2679ebdd0d2c896273be333ec4504b0ea57ceaf1), [#4081](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4081)).
+
+## Internal
+
+- **Engine:** Time the bun --eval spawn in resolveHeadlessShellPath tests ([856ac34c5](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/856ac34c53d381ca8202c5918096e5ce0892383f), [#4078](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4078)).
+- **Studio:** Extract hotkey dispatch out of useAppHotkeys ([700b94834](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/700b94834de9689cd68ed10703d1143cc636de3f), [#4079](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4079)).
+- **CLI:** Time each native Sharp call in the flaky Windows contact-sheet test ([3867d8da5](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/commit/3867d8da5d10804bb886bf50a9e9f4db3eecdaf9), [#4070](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/pull/4070)).
+
+## Full changelog
+
+https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/compare/v0.8.47...v0.8.48