diff --git a/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md b/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
index 0ca3a49d4..72e0c1ae1 100644
--- a/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
+++ b/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
@@ -1094,6 +1094,9 @@ collapse can still be undone.
 
 ## Surface keyboard lifecycle
 
+Surface Tab cycling excludes controls with a negative tabindex, native disabled
+state or inert ancestry; ordinary visible enabled controls retain their order.
+
 `ui/surfaces` owns the capture-phase keyboard listener, Tab cycling and return
 focus shared by the first-run launcher and Provider Settings. Each caller
 activates it while open and deactivates it on dismissal; destruction releases
@@ -1208,6 +1211,11 @@ a browser key. Preview is for local build verification, not a production server.
 
 ## CCTV and radio provider modules
 
+CCTV direction text resolves travel tokens first, then intercardinals, then
+bare cardinals when enabled. Only conflicting headings within the highest
+matching tier remain unknown; street quadrants and lower-tier words do not
+cancel an explicit travel heading.
+
 CCTV catalog acquisition, source normalization and frame/media delivery now live
 in separate modules. Each CCTV factory owns its catalog and health state; its
 `sourceRoot` option resolves relative source files against the application root.
diff --git a/src/data/ambiguous-camera-direction.test.mjs b/src/data/ambiguous-camera-direction.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b5996d7a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/data/ambiguous-camera-direction.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import test from 'node:test';
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import { directionToHeading } from './directionText.js';
+test('conflicting facing directions cannot manufacture one heading', () => {
+  for (const bare of [false, true]) {
+    for (const value of ['NB / SB', 'EASTBOUND WESTBOUND', 'NE SW'])
+      assert.ok(Number.isNaN(directionToHeading(value, bare)), value);
+    assert.equal(directionToHeading('NB northbound', bare), 0);
+    assert.equal(directionToHeading('IH-35 SOUTHBOUND AT 15TH', bare), 180);
+  }
+  assert.ok(Number.isNaN(directionToHeading('North / East', true)));
+  assert.equal(directionToHeading('West / SR-24', true), 270);
+});
+
+test('travel tokens retain precedence over quadrant streets and bare words', () => {
+  for (const [text, heading] of [
+    ['I-5 NB at NE 45th St', 0],
+    ['SR 520 EB at NE 148th', 90],
+    ['US 13 SB @ SW Front St', 180],
+  ]) {
+    for (const bare of [false, true])
+      assert.equal(directionToHeading(text, bare), heading);
+  }
+  assert.equal(
+    directionToHeading('Hwy 401 east of Keele St - Westbound', true),
+    270,
+  );
+  assert.equal(directionToHeading('NE near West St', true), 45);
+  assert.ok(Number.isNaN(directionToHeading('NB SB near NE St', true)));
+});
diff --git a/src/data/directionText.js b/src/data/directionText.js
index 78f1be0df..eb78065d2 100644
--- a/src/data/directionText.js
+++ b/src/data/directionText.js
@@ -28,22 +28,34 @@ export function directionToHeading(value, allowBare = false) {
     .trim()
     .toUpperCase();
   if (!text) return NaN;
-  // Explicit travel/intercardinal forms — safe on free-form text (a street
-  // name almost never contains "NORTHBOUND" or a lone "NB" token).
-  if (/\bNORTHBOUND\b|\bNB\b/.test(text)) return 0;
-  if (/\bSOUTHBOUND\b|\bSB\b/.test(text)) return 180;
-  if (/\bEASTBOUND\b|\bEB\b/.test(text)) return 90;
-  if (/\bWESTBOUND\b|\bWB\b/.test(text)) return 270;
-  if (/\bNORTHEAST\b|\bNE\b/.test(text)) return 45;
-  if (/\bNORTHWEST\b|\bNW\b/.test(text)) return 315;
-  if (/\bSOUTHEAST\b|\bSE\b/.test(text)) return 135;
-  if (/\bSOUTHWEST\b|\bSW\b/.test(text)) return 225;
-  // Bare cardinals — dedicated direction fields only.
-  if (allowBare) {
-    if (/\bNORTH\b/.test(text)) return 0;
-    if (/\bSOUTH\b/.test(text)) return 180;
-    if (/\bEAST\b/.test(text)) return 90;
-    if (/\bWEST\b/.test(text)) return 270;
+  const tiers = [
+    [
+      [/\bNORTHBOUND\b|\bNB\b/, 0],
+      [/\bSOUTHBOUND\b|\bSB\b/, 180],
+      [/\bEASTBOUND\b|\bEB\b/, 90],
+      [/\bWESTBOUND\b|\bWB\b/, 270],
+    ],
+    [
+      [/\bNORTHEAST\b|\bNE\b/, 45],
+      [/\bNORTHWEST\b|\bNW\b/, 315],
+      [/\bSOUTHEAST\b|\bSE\b/, 135],
+      [/\bSOUTHWEST\b|\bSW\b/, 225],
+    ],
+  ];
+  if (allowBare)
+    tiers.push([
+      [/\bNORTH\b/, 0],
+      [/\bSOUTH\b/, 180],
+      [/\bEAST\b/, 90],
+      [/\bWEST\b/, 270],
+    ]);
+  for (const forms of tiers) {
+    const headings = new Set();
+    for (const [pattern, heading] of forms) {
+      if (pattern.test(text)) headings.add(heading);
+    }
+    if (headings.size)
+      return headings.size === 1 ? headings.values().next().value : NaN;
   }
   return NaN;
 }
diff --git a/src/layers/recentImagery/source.js b/src/layers/recentImagery/source.js
index 258e8e2e1..9e6749cb7 100644
--- a/src/layers/recentImagery/source.js
+++ b/src/layers/recentImagery/source.js
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 import { searchHls } from './catalog.js';
 import { gibsTemplate, wvsSnapshotUrl } from './model.js';
 
-/** NASA-compatible imagery acquisition; transport and URL builders are replaceable. */
+/**
+ * NASA-compatible imagery acquisition; transport and URL builders are replaceable.
+ * Thumbnail responses must expose Data-Present: true for image admission, or
+ * false for confirmed empty coverage, including injected getThumbnail sources.
+ */
 export function createRecentImagerySource({
   fetchImpl = (...args) => globalThis.fetch(...args),
   search = searchHls,
diff --git a/src/layers/recentImagery/thumbnail-presence-proof.test.mjs b/src/layers/recentImagery/thumbnail-presence-proof.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4605079b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/layers/recentImagery/thumbnail-presence-proof.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import test from 'node:test';
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import { createThumbnailLoader } from './thumbnails.js';
+test('missing or malformed presence evidence cannot prove thumbnail pixels', async () => {
+  for (const header of [null, 'unknown', '', 'true', 'false']) {
+    let decodes = 0;
+    const loader = createThumbnailLoader({
+      requestThumbnail: async () => ({
+        ok: true,
+        headers: { get: (key) => (key === 'Data-Present' ? header : null) },
+        blob: async () => {
+          decodes++;
+          return new Blob(['fixture']);
+        },
+      }),
+      createObjectUrl: () => 'blob:fixture',
+    });
+    loader.request(
+      { key: 'fixture', product: 'S30', day: '2026-09-18' },
+      { west: 0, east: 1, south: 0, north: 1 },
+    );
+    await new Promise((resolve) => setImmediate(resolve));
+    assert.equal(
+      loader.get('fixture').status,
+      header === 'true' ? 'present' : header === 'false' ? 'empty' : 'error',
+    );
+    assert.equal(decodes, header === 'true' ? 1 : 0);
+    loader.destroy();
+  }
+});
diff --git a/src/layers/recentImagery/thumbnails.js b/src/layers/recentImagery/thumbnails.js
index 23fe4dd49..4aaec294b 100644
--- a/src/layers/recentImagery/thumbnails.js
+++ b/src/layers/recentImagery/thumbnails.js
@@ -100,12 +100,12 @@ export function createThumbnailLoader({
         cancelled = true;
       } else if (response?.ok) {
         const present = String(
-          response.headers?.get?.('Data-Present') ?? 'true',
+          response.headers?.get?.('Data-Present') ?? '',
         ).toLowerCase();
         acquisitionTime = response.headers?.get?.('Acquisition-Time') || null;
         if (present === 'false') {
           status = 'empty';
-        } else {
+        } else if (present === 'true') {
           const blob = await response.blob();
           if (controller.signal.aborted) cancelled = true;
           else {
diff --git a/src/ui/surface-tab-order.test.mjs b/src/ui/surface-tab-order.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c3f335407
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ui/surface-tab-order.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+import test from 'node:test';
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import { createSurfaceKeyboard } from './surfaceKeyboard.js';
+test('surface cycling never targets deliberately excluded controls', () => {
+  let handler;
+  const documentRef = {
+    activeElement: {},
+    addEventListener: (_, fn) => (handler = fn),
+    removeEventListener() {},
+  };
+  const node = ({
+    attributes = {},
+    fieldsetDisabled = false,
+    inert = false,
+  } = {}) => ({
+    hasAttribute: (name) => Object.hasOwn(attributes, name),
+    getClientRects: () => [{}],
+    getAttribute: (name) => attributes[name] ?? null,
+    matches: (selector) => selector === ':disabled' && fieldsetDisabled,
+    closest: (selector) =>
+      selector === '[inert]' && inert ? { inert: true } : null,
+    focus() {
+      documentRef.activeElement = this;
+    },
+  });
+  const ignored = [
+    node({ attributes: { tabindex: '-1' } }),
+    node({ fieldsetDisabled: true }),
+    node({ inert: true }),
+  ];
+  const first = node({}),
+    last = node({});
+  const controls = [...ignored, first, last];
+  const root = {
+    ownerDocument: documentRef,
+    querySelectorAll: () => controls,
+    contains: (n) => controls.includes(n),
+  };
+  const surface = createSurfaceKeyboard({
+    root,
+    isActive: () => true,
+    onEscape() {},
+  });
+  surface.activate();
+  const press = (shiftKey) =>
+    handler({
+      key: 'Tab',
+      shiftKey,
+      preventDefault() {},
+      stopPropagation() {},
+    });
+  press(false);
+  assert.equal(documentRef.activeElement, first);
+  press(true);
+  assert.equal(documentRef.activeElement, last);
+  surface.destroy();
+});
diff --git a/src/ui/surfaceKeyboard.js b/src/ui/surfaceKeyboard.js
index 38417975a..141e22fa6 100644
--- a/src/ui/surfaceKeyboard.js
+++ b/src/ui/surfaceKeyboard.js
@@ -39,7 +39,11 @@ export function createSurfaceKeyboard({
       ),
     ].filter(
       (node) =>
-        !node.hasAttribute('disabled') && node.getClientRects().length > 0,
+        !node.hasAttribute('disabled') &&
+        !node.matches?.(':disabled') &&
+        !(Number(node.getAttribute?.('tabindex')) < 0) &&
+        !node.closest?.('[inert]') &&
+        node.getClientRects().length > 0,
     );
     if (!order.length) return;
     const first = order[0];