diff --git a/dist/cjs/Sharding.js b/dist/cjs/Sharding.js
index ffd9f07626d9efbf77b8186ce7a8330bf62566eb..4573677ba76c821d7062295c7c606904ab20e2af 100644
--- a/dist/cjs/Sharding.js
+++ b/dist/cjs/Sharding.js
@@ -125,7 +125,18 @@ const make = /*#__PURE__*/Effect.gen(function* () {
       fiber: "releaseShard",
       runner: selfAddress,
       shardId
-    }))), Effect.eventually, FiberMap.run(releaseShardsMap, shardId, {
+    }))),     // PATCHED (voltro): was `Effect.eventually` — retry until success with NO
+    // delay. A shard that cannot be released (storage unreachable, DB down)
+    // therefore spun a fiber at full speed, logging at DEBUG level where nobody
+    // reads it. Same semantics — keep trying until it succeeds — with backoff.
+    //
+    // `union` takes the MINIMUM of the two delays, so this CAPS at 5s rather
+    // than compounding: 100ms, 200ms, 400ms … 5s, 5s, 5s. Both schedules recur
+    // forever, and a union continues while either does, so the retry is still
+    // unbounded in ATTEMPTS — which is what shard release needs. The defect was
+    // the missing delay, not the persistence.
+    Effect.retry(Schedule.exponential(100).pipe(Schedule.union(Schedule.spaced(5000)))),
+    FiberMap.run(releaseShardsMap, shardId, {
       onlyIfMissing: true
     })));
     const releaseShards = Effect.gen(function* () {
diff --git a/dist/cjs/SqlMessageStorage.js b/dist/cjs/SqlMessageStorage.js
index 77ebad1d2e940b73a494bf9ab0ad7e008daddf82..9fa66974a5f7977449778304c48cb7b1b1e72ee9 100644
--- a/dist/cjs/SqlMessageStorage.js
+++ b/dist/cjs/SqlMessageStorage.js
@@ -41,7 +41,11 @@ const make = exports.make = /*#__PURE__*/Effect.fnUntraced(function* (options) {
   const messagesTableSql = sql(messagesTable);
   const repliesTable = table("replies");
   const repliesTableSql = sql(repliesTable);
-  const envelopeToRow = (envelope, message_id, deliver_at) => {
+  const envelopeToRow = (envelope, message_id, deliver_at_in) => {
+    // Cast deliver_at (millisecond epoch) to BigInt so mssql's tedious
+    // driver binds it as BIGINT instead of inferring INT (which overflows
+    // for any post-2001 timestamp). ONLY mssql — sqlite runs safeIntegers(true) and hangs on a bigint.
+    const deliver_at = deliver_at_in == null ? null : sql.onDialectOrElse({ mssql: () => BigInt(deliver_at_in), orElse: () => deliver_at_in });
     switch (envelope._tag) {
       case "Request":
         return {
@@ -203,37 +207,16 @@ const make = exports.make = /*#__PURE__*/Effect.fnUntraced(function* (options) {
         ON target.message_id = source.message_id
         WHEN NOT MATCHED THEN
           INSERT ${sql.insert(row)}
-        OUTPUT
-          inserted.id,
-          CASE
-            WHEN inserted.id IS NULL THEN (
-              SELECT r.id, r.kind, r.payload
-              FROM ${repliesTableSql} r
-              WHERE r.id = target.last_reply_id
-            )
-          END as reply_id,
-          CASE
-            WHEN inserted.id IS NULL THEN (
-              SELECT r.kind
-              FROM ${repliesTableSql} r
-              WHERE r.id = target.last_reply_id
-            )
-          END as reply_kind,
-          CASE
-            WHEN inserted.id IS NULL THEN (
-              SELECT r.payload
-              FROM ${repliesTableSql} r
-              WHERE r.id = target.last_reply_id
-            )
-          END as reply_payload,
-          CASE
-            WHEN inserted.id IS NULL THEN (
-              SELECT r.sequence
-              FROM ${repliesTableSql} r
-              WHERE r.id = target.last_reply_id
-            )
-          END as reply_sequence;
-      `,
+        OUTPUT inserted.id;
+      `.unprepared.pipe(Effect.flatMap((rows) => {
+        if (rows.length > 0) return Effect.succeed([]);
+        return sql`
+          SELECT m.id, r.id as reply_id, r.kind as reply_kind, r.payload as reply_payload, r.sequence as reply_sequence
+          FROM ${messagesTableSql} m
+          LEFT JOIN ${repliesTableSql} r ON r.id = m.last_reply_id
+          WHERE m.message_id = ${message_id}
+        `.unprepared;
+      }), sql.withTransaction),
     orElse: () => (row, message_id) => sql`
         SELECT m.id, r.id as reply_id, r.kind as reply_kind, r.payload as reply_payload, r.sequence as reply_sequence
         FROM ${messagesTableSql} m
@@ -262,6 +245,7 @@ const make = exports.make = /*#__PURE__*/Effect.fnUntraced(function* (options) {
   });
   const forUpdate = sql.onDialectOrElse({
     sqlite: () => sql.literal(""),
+    mssql: () => sql.literal(""),
     orElse: () => sql.literal("FOR UPDATE")
   });
   const getUnprocessedMessages = sql.onDialectOrElse({
diff --git a/dist/cjs/SqlRunnerStorage.js b/dist/cjs/SqlRunnerStorage.js
index 9c6defd9723112761eb49ca1e189fd6cc4187ae7..e82351709c76d206df68a8aa46c4740b43caef8d 100644
--- a/dist/cjs/SqlRunnerStorage.js
+++ b/dist/cjs/SqlRunnerStorage.js
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ const make = exports.make = /*#__PURE__*/Effect.fnUntraced(function* (options) {
       const values = shardIds.map(shardId => sql`(${stringLiteral(shardId)}, ${stringLiteral(address)}, ${sqlNow})`);
       return sql`
         MERGE ${locksTableSql} WITH (HOLDLOCK) AS target
-        USING (SELECT * FROM (VALUES ${sql.csv(values)})) AS source (shard_id, address, acquired_at)
+        USING (VALUES ${sql.csv(values)}) AS source (shard_id, address, acquired_at)
         ON target.shard_id = source.shard_id
         WHEN MATCHED AND (target.address = source.address OR DATEDIFF(SECOND, target.acquired_at, ${sqlNow}) > ${expiresSeconds}) THEN
           UPDATE SET address = source.address, acquired_at = source.acquired_at
diff --git a/dist/esm/Sharding.js b/dist/esm/Sharding.js
index c973ed72595ddc9a90229ede2a14a3f571a54af5..0ff7d7347c63ab270520410375ca07709457ace3 100644
--- a/dist/esm/Sharding.js
+++ b/dist/esm/Sharding.js
@@ -117,7 +117,18 @@ const make = /*#__PURE__*/Effect.gen(function* () {
       fiber: "releaseShard",
       runner: selfAddress,
       shardId
-    }))), Effect.eventually, FiberMap.run(releaseShardsMap, shardId, {
+    }))),     // PATCHED (voltro): was `Effect.eventually` — retry until success with NO
+    // delay. A shard that cannot be released (storage unreachable, DB down)
+    // therefore spun a fiber at full speed, logging at DEBUG level where nobody
+    // reads it. Same semantics — keep trying until it succeeds — with backoff.
+    //
+    // `union` takes the MINIMUM of the two delays, so this CAPS at 5s rather
+    // than compounding: 100ms, 200ms, 400ms … 5s, 5s, 5s. Both schedules recur
+    // forever, and a union continues while either does, so the retry is still
+    // unbounded in ATTEMPTS — which is what shard release needs. The defect was
+    // the missing delay, not the persistence.
+    Effect.retry(Schedule.exponential(100).pipe(Schedule.union(Schedule.spaced(5000)))),
+    FiberMap.run(releaseShardsMap, shardId, {
       onlyIfMissing: true
     })));
     const releaseShards = Effect.gen(function* () {
diff --git a/dist/esm/SqlMessageStorage.js b/dist/esm/SqlMessageStorage.js
index e41d91033992bb890bebb1a16a5ac9e6657a9c41..2e0c02d7bda6f2040894d4636f5deea94ae15843 100644
--- a/dist/esm/SqlMessageStorage.js
+++ b/dist/esm/SqlMessageStorage.js
@@ -33,7 +33,11 @@ export const make = /*#__PURE__*/Effect.fnUntraced(function* (options) {
   const messagesTableSql = sql(messagesTable);
   const repliesTable = table("replies");
   const repliesTableSql = sql(repliesTable);
-  const envelopeToRow = (envelope, message_id, deliver_at) => {
+  const envelopeToRow = (envelope, message_id, deliver_at_in) => {
+    // Cast deliver_at (millisecond epoch) to BigInt so mssql's tedious
+    // driver binds it as BIGINT instead of inferring INT (which overflows
+    // for any post-2001 timestamp). ONLY mssql — sqlite runs safeIntegers(true) and hangs on a bigint.
+    const deliver_at = deliver_at_in == null ? null : sql.onDialectOrElse({ mssql: () => BigInt(deliver_at_in), orElse: () => deliver_at_in });
     switch (envelope._tag) {
       case "Request":
         return {
@@ -195,37 +199,16 @@ export const make = /*#__PURE__*/Effect.fnUntraced(function* (options) {
         ON target.message_id = source.message_id
         WHEN NOT MATCHED THEN
           INSERT ${sql.insert(row)}
-        OUTPUT
-          inserted.id,
-          CASE
-            WHEN inserted.id IS NULL THEN (
-              SELECT r.id, r.kind, r.payload
-              FROM ${repliesTableSql} r
-              WHERE r.id = target.last_reply_id
-            )
-          END as reply_id,
-          CASE
-            WHEN inserted.id IS NULL THEN (
-              SELECT r.kind
-              FROM ${repliesTableSql} r
-              WHERE r.id = target.last_reply_id
-            )
-          END as reply_kind,
-          CASE
-            WHEN inserted.id IS NULL THEN (
-              SELECT r.payload
-              FROM ${repliesTableSql} r
-              WHERE r.id = target.last_reply_id
-            )
-          END as reply_payload,
-          CASE
-            WHEN inserted.id IS NULL THEN (
-              SELECT r.sequence
-              FROM ${repliesTableSql} r
-              WHERE r.id = target.last_reply_id
-            )
-          END as reply_sequence;
-      `,
+        OUTPUT inserted.id;
+      `.unprepared.pipe(Effect.flatMap((rows) => {
+        if (rows.length > 0) return Effect.succeed([]);
+        return sql`
+          SELECT m.id, r.id as reply_id, r.kind as reply_kind, r.payload as reply_payload, r.sequence as reply_sequence
+          FROM ${messagesTableSql} m
+          LEFT JOIN ${repliesTableSql} r ON r.id = m.last_reply_id
+          WHERE m.message_id = ${message_id}
+        `.unprepared;
+      }), sql.withTransaction),
     orElse: () => (row, message_id) => sql`
         SELECT m.id, r.id as reply_id, r.kind as reply_kind, r.payload as reply_payload, r.sequence as reply_sequence
         FROM ${messagesTableSql} m
@@ -254,6 +237,7 @@ export const make = /*#__PURE__*/Effect.fnUntraced(function* (options) {
   });
   const forUpdate = sql.onDialectOrElse({
     sqlite: () => sql.literal(""),
+    mssql: () => sql.literal(""),
     orElse: () => sql.literal("FOR UPDATE")
   });
   const getUnprocessedMessages = sql.onDialectOrElse({
diff --git a/dist/esm/SqlRunnerStorage.js b/dist/esm/SqlRunnerStorage.js
index d4c94fe72c8ff589c0a8f12ff80bac41614a2096..8f6ee6b12f7892916cbd17d18e66d4be1239d118 100644
--- a/dist/esm/SqlRunnerStorage.js
+++ b/dist/esm/SqlRunnerStorage.js
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ export const make = /*#__PURE__*/Effect.fnUntraced(function* (options) {
       const values = shardIds.map(shardId => sql`(${stringLiteral(shardId)}, ${stringLiteral(address)}, ${sqlNow})`);
       return sql`
         MERGE ${locksTableSql} WITH (HOLDLOCK) AS target
-        USING (SELECT * FROM (VALUES ${sql.csv(values)})) AS source (shard_id, address, acquired_at)
+        USING (VALUES ${sql.csv(values)}) AS source (shard_id, address, acquired_at)
         ON target.shard_id = source.shard_id
         WHEN MATCHED AND (target.address = source.address OR DATEDIFF(SECOND, target.acquired_at, ${sqlNow}) > ${expiresSeconds}) THEN
           UPDATE SET address = source.address, acquired_at = source.acquired_at
diff --git a/src/SqlMessageStorage.ts b/src/SqlMessageStorage.ts
index 4326c3832b425548dac135493a4a6cbec0856f63..4f83bf02f24e8e8021954353ae28b82c987f8483 100644
--- a/src/SqlMessageStorage.ts
+++ b/src/SqlMessageStorage.ts
@@ -52,8 +52,12 @@ export const make = Effect.fnUntraced(function*(options?: {
   const envelopeToRow = (
     envelope: Envelope.Envelope.Encoded,
     message_id: string | null,
-    deliver_at: number | null
+    deliver_at_in: number | null
   ): MessageRow => {
+    // Cast deliver_at (millisecond epoch) to BigInt so mssql's tedious
+    // driver binds it as BIGINT instead of inferring INT (which overflows
+    // for any post-2001 timestamp). ONLY mssql — sqlite runs safeIntegers(true) and hangs on a bigint.
+    const deliver_at: bigint | number | null = deliver_at_in == null ? null : sql.onDialectOrElse({ mssql: () => BigInt(deliver_at_in), orElse: () => deliver_at_in })
     switch (envelope._tag) {
       case "Request":
         return {
@@ -240,37 +244,19 @@ export const make = Effect.fnUntraced(function*(options?: {
         ON target.message_id = source.message_id
         WHEN NOT MATCHED THEN
           INSERT ${sql.insert(row)}
-        OUTPUT
-          inserted.id,
-          CASE
-            WHEN inserted.id IS NULL THEN (
-              SELECT r.id, r.kind, r.payload
-              FROM ${repliesTableSql} r
-              WHERE r.id = target.last_reply_id
-            )
-          END as reply_id,
-          CASE
-            WHEN inserted.id IS NULL THEN (
-              SELECT r.kind
-              FROM ${repliesTableSql} r
-              WHERE r.id = target.last_reply_id
-            )
-          END as reply_kind,
-          CASE
-            WHEN inserted.id IS NULL THEN (
-              SELECT r.payload
-              FROM ${repliesTableSql} r
-              WHERE r.id = target.last_reply_id
-            )
-          END as reply_payload,
-          CASE
-            WHEN inserted.id IS NULL THEN (
-              SELECT r.sequence
-              FROM ${repliesTableSql} r
-              WHERE r.id = target.last_reply_id
-            )
-          END as reply_sequence;
-      `,
+        OUTPUT inserted.id;
+      `.unprepared.pipe(
+        Effect.flatMap((rows) => {
+          if (rows.length > 0) return Effect.succeed([] as any)
+          return sql`
+            SELECT m.id, r.id as reply_id, r.kind as reply_kind, r.payload as reply_payload, r.sequence as reply_sequence
+            FROM ${messagesTableSql} m
+            LEFT JOIN ${repliesTableSql} r ON r.id = m.last_reply_id
+            WHERE m.message_id = ${message_id}
+          `.unprepared
+        }),
+        sql.withTransaction
+      ),
     orElse: () => (row, message_id) =>
       sql`
         SELECT m.id, r.id as reply_id, r.kind as reply_kind, r.payload as reply_payload, r.sequence as reply_sequence
@@ -304,6 +290,7 @@ export const make = Effect.fnUntraced(function*(options?: {
   })
   const forUpdate = sql.onDialectOrElse({
     sqlite: () => sql.literal(""),
+    mssql: () => sql.literal(""),
     orElse: () => sql.literal("FOR UPDATE")
   })
 
diff --git a/src/SqlRunnerStorage.ts b/src/SqlRunnerStorage.ts
index f291bcb8d22238e0d195a3bb49c91457363aa075..430e25412b4af7faf1f75e7a74fad5b1b8f8c5e0 100644
--- a/src/SqlRunnerStorage.ts
+++ b/src/SqlRunnerStorage.ts
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ export const make = Effect.fnUntraced(function*(options: {
       const values = shardIds.map((shardId) => sql`(${stringLiteral(shardId)}, ${stringLiteral(address)}, ${sqlNow})`)
       return sql`
         MERGE ${locksTableSql} WITH (HOLDLOCK) AS target
-        USING (SELECT * FROM (VALUES ${sql.csv(values)})) AS source (shard_id, address, acquired_at)
+        USING (VALUES ${sql.csv(values)}) AS source (shard_id, address, acquired_at)
         ON target.shard_id = source.shard_id
         WHEN MATCHED AND (target.address = source.address OR DATEDIFF(SECOND, target.acquired_at, ${sqlNow}) > ${expiresSeconds}) THEN
           UPDATE SET address = source.address, acquired_at = source.acquired_at