diff --git a/clients/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs b/clients/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
index 00bdbdc..65e23d4 100644
--- a/clients/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
+++ b/clients/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
@@ -525,7 +525,8 @@ fn start_background_sync(
             // takes effect without restarting the thread.
             let paths_now = {
                 let state = app_sync.state::<AppState>();
-                state.sync_paths.lock().unwrap().clone()
+                let p = state.sync_paths.lock().unwrap().clone();
+                p
             };
             if paths_now.is_empty() {
                 // Nothing to sync - idle quietly.
@@ -538,11 +539,13 @@ fn start_background_sync(
             let _ = app_sync.emit("sync-status", "syncing");
 
             // Refresh engine's API token from state (token may have been refreshed)
-            {
+            let fresh_token: Option<String> = {
                 let state = app_sync.state::<AppState>();
-                if let Some(ref api) = *state.api.lock().unwrap() {
-                    engine.api.access_token = api.access_token.clone();
-                }
+                let t = state.api.lock().unwrap().as_ref().map(|a| a.access_token.clone());
+                t
+            };
+            if let Some(t) = fresh_token {
+                engine.api.access_token = t;
             }
 
             match rt.block_on(engine.sync_all()) {