diff --git a/backend/app/routes/focus_group_ai.py b/backend/app/routes/focus_group_ai.py
index de19dec6..91576851 100755
--- a/backend/app/routes/focus_group_ai.py
+++ b/backend/app/routes/focus_group_ai.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ from app.models.credit_transaction import CreditTransaction
 from app.models.app_settings import get_settings
 from app.utils.rate_limiter import rate_limit
 from app.utils import active_required, with_user_context
+from app.db import get_db
 
 # Create the blueprint
 focus_group_ai_bp = Blueprint('focus_group_ai', __name__)
@@ -765,26 +766,43 @@ async def start_autonomous_conversation(focus_group_id):
         run_user_id = get_jwt_identity()
         settings = await get_settings()
         run_cost = settings.get("run_cost", 40)
-        user_data = await User.find_by_id(run_user_id)
-        balance = (user_data or {}).get("credits_balance", 0)
-        if balance < run_cost:
-            return jsonify({
-                "error": "Insufficient credits",
-                "message": f"You need {run_cost} credits to run a focus group session. Current balance: {balance}.",
-                "credits_required": run_cost,
-                "credits_balance": balance,
-            }), 402
-        new_balance = await User.deduct_credits(run_user_id, run_cost)
-        if new_balance is None:
-            return jsonify({"error": "Insufficient credits", "message": "Credit balance changed. Please try again."}), 402
-        await CreditTransaction.record(
-            user_id=run_user_id,
-            tx_type="debit",
-            amount=-run_cost,
-            balance_after=new_balance,
-            description=f"Focus group session run",
-            ref={"focus_group_id": focus_group_id},
-        )
+
+        # Skip charge if this focus group was already charged within the last 4 hours
+        # (handles server restarts and error-triggered restarts without double-billing)
+        from datetime import datetime, timezone, timedelta
+        db = await get_db()
+        recent_cutoff = datetime.now(timezone.utc) - timedelta(hours=4)
+        recent_charge = await db.credit_transactions.find_one({
+            "user_id": run_user_id,
+            "ref.focus_group_id": focus_group_id,
+            "description": "Focus group session run",
+            "ts": {"$gte": recent_cutoff},
+        })
+
+        if recent_charge is None:
+            user_data = await User.find_by_id(run_user_id)
+            balance = (user_data or {}).get("credits_balance", 0)
+            if balance < run_cost:
+                return jsonify({
+                    "error": "Insufficient credits",
+                    "message": f"You need {run_cost} credits to run a focus group session. Current balance: {balance}.",
+                    "credits_required": run_cost,
+                    "credits_balance": balance,
+                }), 402
+            new_balance = await User.deduct_credits(run_user_id, run_cost)
+            if new_balance is None:
+                return jsonify({"error": "Insufficient credits", "message": "Credit balance changed. Please try again."}), 402
+            await CreditTransaction.record(
+                user_id=run_user_id,
+                tx_type="debit",
+                amount=-run_cost,
+                balance_after=new_balance,
+                description="Focus group session run",
+                ref={"focus_group_id": focus_group_id},
+            )
+            current_app.logger.info(f"Charged {run_cost} credits for focus group {focus_group_id}")
+        else:
+            current_app.logger.info(f"Focus group {focus_group_id} already charged within 4h window — skipping deduction")
 
         # Create autonomous conversation controller
         current_app.logger.info("Creating AutonomousConversationController...")
diff --git a/src/pages/FocusGroupSession.tsx b/src/pages/FocusGroupSession.tsx
index bbc1f0de..89c15a8c 100755
--- a/src/pages/FocusGroupSession.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/FocusGroupSession.tsx
@@ -1762,13 +1762,13 @@ const FocusGroupSession = () => {
   // Show loading state while fetching
   if (isLoading) {
     return (
-      <div className="min-h-screen bg-slate-50 pt-20 pb-16 px-4">
+      <div className="min-h-screen bg-background pt-20 pb-16 px-4">
 
         <div className="max-w-7xl mx-auto text-center py-12">
           <div className="flex justify-center items-center">
             <div className="animate-spin rounded-full h-8 w-8 border-b-2 border-primary"></div>
           </div>
-          <p className="mt-4 text-slate-600">Loading focus group...</p>
+          <p className="mt-4 text-muted-foreground">Loading focus group...</p>
         </div>
       </div>
     );
@@ -1777,11 +1777,11 @@ const FocusGroupSession = () => {
   // Show error state if not found after loading
   if (!focusGroup) {
     return (
-      <div className="min-h-screen bg-slate-50 pt-20 pb-16 px-4">
+      <div className="min-h-screen bg-background pt-20 pb-16 px-4">
 
         <div className="max-w-7xl mx-auto text-center py-12">
           <h1 className="text-2xl font-bold">Focus group not found</h1>
-          <p className="mt-2 text-slate-600">We couldn't find the focus group you're looking for.</p>
+          <p className="mt-2 text-muted-foreground">We couldn't find the focus group you're looking for.</p>
           <Button 
             onClick={() => navigate('/focus-groups')} 
             className="mt-4"
@@ -1794,7 +1794,7 @@ const FocusGroupSession = () => {
   }
   
   return (
-    <div className="min-h-screen bg-slate-50">
+    <div className="min-h-screen bg-background">
 
       
       {/* WebSocket Connection Status Bar */}
@@ -1887,7 +1887,7 @@ const FocusGroupSession = () => {
               <h1 className="font-sf text-2xl font-bold text-foreground">{focusGroup.name}</h1>
               <p className="text-muted-foreground">{new Date(focusGroup.date).toLocaleString()}</p>
               <div className="flex items-center mt-1">
-                <Bot className="h-3 w-3 text-slate-500 mr-1" />
+                <Bot className="h-3 w-3 text-muted-foreground mr-1" />
                 <Badge variant="secondary" className="text-xs">
                   {focusGroup.llm_model === 'gpt-5.4-mini' ? 'GPT-5.4 Mini' : 'GPT-5.4'}
                 </Badge>
@@ -2019,7 +2019,7 @@ const FocusGroupSession = () => {
               <TabsContent value="chat" className="m-0 flex-1 flex flex-col h-0">
                 {messages.length === 0 ? (
                   <div className="flex flex-col items-center justify-center py-12 space-y-4">
-                    <p className="text-lg text-slate-600">No messages yet. Start the session to begin the discussion.</p>
+                    <p className="text-lg text-muted-foreground">No messages yet. Start the session to begin the discussion.</p>
                     <Button 
                       onClick={startSession}
                       size="lg"
@@ -2261,7 +2261,7 @@ const FocusGroupSession = () => {
           
           <div className="space-y-4">
             <div className="flex items-center space-x-2">
-              <Bot className="h-4 w-4 text-slate-500" />
+              <Bot className="h-4 w-4 text-muted-foreground" />
               <span className="text-sm font-medium">Current Model:</span>
               <Badge variant="secondary">
                 {focusGroup?.llm_model === 'gpt-5.4-mini' ? 'GPT-5.4 Mini' : 'GPT-5.4'}
@@ -2300,7 +2300,7 @@ const FocusGroupSession = () => {
                       <SelectItem value="high">High - Deep reasoning</SelectItem>
                     </SelectContent>
                   </Select>
-                  <p className="text-xs text-slate-600 mt-1">
+                  <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground mt-1">
                     Controls how much time GPT-5.4 spends thinking before responding
                   </p>
                   <p className="text-xs text-amber-600 font-medium mt-1">
@@ -2321,7 +2321,7 @@ Controls how thoroughly GPT-5.4 thinks and how detailed responses are
                       <SelectItem value="high">High - Detailed responses</SelectItem>
                     </SelectContent>
                   </Select>
-                  <p className="text-xs text-slate-600 mt-1">
+                  <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground mt-1">
                     Controls how detailed and lengthy GPT-5.4's responses will be
                   </p>
                   <p className="text-xs text-amber-600 font-medium mt-1">
@@ -2331,7 +2331,7 @@ Controls how thoroughly GPT-5.4 thinks and how detailed responses are
               </>
             )}
             
-            <div className="text-xs text-slate-600">
+            <div className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
               <p><strong>GPT-5.4:</strong> Recommended model. Best quality for complex analysis and persona responses.</p>
               <p><strong>GPT-5.4 Mini:</strong> Faster and lower cost. Great for most tasks with good quality.</p>
             </div>