diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish.yml b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
index 5a5b532f..f84fabcb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
@@ -19,24 +19,36 @@ jobs:
         TAG=$(jq -r '.version' package.json)
         echo "TAG=$TAG" >> $GITHUB_ENV
         if git rev-parse $TAG >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-            echo "TAG_EXISTS=true" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+            echo "::error::Tag already exists: $TAG"
+            exit 1
         else
             echo "TAG_EXISTS=false" >> $GITHUB_ENV
         fi
 
-    - name: Samples to Samples~
+    - name: Publish on UPM branch
       run: |
         if [[ -d "Samples" ]]; then
           git mv Samples Samples~
           rm -f Samples.meta
-          git config --global user.name 'github-bot'
-          git config --global user.email 'github-bot@users.noreply.github.com'
-          git commit -am "fix: Samples => Samples~"
-          git push -u origin main
         fi
 
+        mkdir ../upm
+        cp -r . ../upm
+        rm -rf ../upm/.git # don't want to replace git history!
+
+        git reset --hard HEAD
+        git checkout upm
+
+        cp -r ../upm/* .
+        rm -rf ../upm
+
+        git config --global user.name 'github-bot'
+        git config --global user.email 'github-bot@users.noreply.github.com'
+        git commit -am "$TAG" --no-verify
+        git push -u origin upm
+
     - name: Create Release
       if: env.TAG_EXISTS == 'false'
       run: |
-        git tag ${{ env.TAG }} main
+        git tag ${{ env.TAG }} upm
         git push origin --tags
diff --git a/Runtime/Scripts/3rdParty/BSIPA/UnityMainThreadTaskScheduler.cs b/Runtime/Scripts/3rdParty/BSIPA/UnityMainThreadTaskScheduler.cs
index 4385b1a3..32e0f296 100644
--- a/Runtime/Scripts/3rdParty/BSIPA/UnityMainThreadTaskScheduler.cs
+++ b/Runtime/Scripts/3rdParty/BSIPA/UnityMainThreadTaskScheduler.cs
@@ -157,8 +157,7 @@ public IEnumerator Coroutine()
                     {
                         var yieldAfter = YieldAfterTasks;
                         sw.Start();
-                        for (int i = 0; i < yieldAfter && !tasks.IsEmpty
-                                                        && sw.Elapsed < YieldAfterTime; i++)
+                        for (int i = 0; i < tasks.Count; i++)
                         {
                             QueueItem task;
                             do if (!tasks.TryDequeue(out task)) goto exit; // try dequeue, if we can't exit
diff --git a/Runtime/Scripts/Scene/BanterScene.cs b/Runtime/Scripts/Scene/BanterScene.cs
index d9feab1c..c48167a7 100644
--- a/Runtime/Scripts/Scene/BanterScene.cs
+++ b/Runtime/Scripts/Scene/BanterScene.cs
@@ -870,14 +870,22 @@ public void SetJsObjectActive(string msg, int reqId)
                 Debug.LogError("[Banter] SetJsObjectActive message is malformed: " + msg);
                 return;
             }
-            var banterObject = GetGameObject(int.Parse(msgParts[0]));
-            if (banterObject != null)
+            try
             {
-                UnityMainThreadTaskScheduler.Default.Enqueue(() =>
-                 {
-                     banterObject.SetActive(int.Parse(msgParts[1]) == 1);
-                     SendObjectUpdate(banterObject, reqId);
-                 });
+                var banterObject = GetGameObject(int.Parse(msgParts[0]));
+                if (banterObject != null)
+                {
+                    UnityMainThreadTaskScheduler.Default.Enqueue(() =>
+                    {
+                        banterObject.SetActive(int.Parse(msgParts[1]) == 1);
+                        SendObjectUpdate(banterObject, reqId);
+                    });
+                }
+            }
+            catch (Exception ex)
+            {
+                Debug.LogError("SetJsObjectActive threw an exception: " + msg);
+                Debug.LogException(ex);
             }
         }
         public void SetJsObjectLayer(string msg, int reqId)
@@ -1050,6 +1058,10 @@ private List<object> SetComponentProperties(int startIndex, string[] parts, Bant
                             banterComp.UpdateProperty(name, valFloat);
                             break;
                         case PropertyType.Int:
+                            if (propParts[2].Equals("null"))
+                            {
+                                propParts[2] = "0";
+                            }
                             var valInt = int.Parse(propParts[2]);
                             updates.Add(new BanterInt() { n = name, x = valInt });
                             banterComp.UpdateProperty(name, valInt);
@@ -1081,7 +1093,7 @@ private List<object> SetComponentProperties(int startIndex, string[] parts, Bant
                 }
                 catch (Exception e)
                 {
-                    Debug.LogError("[Banter] Error setting property: " + e.Message + ": " + msg);
+                    Debug.LogError("[Banter] Error setting property: " + name + " " + type + " " + e.Message + ": " + msg);
                 }
             }
             return updates;
@@ -1328,10 +1340,15 @@ public async Task LoadUrl(string url, bool isLoadingOpen = false)
                 {
                     return;
                 }
-                _ = ShowSpaceImage(url);
+                LogLine.Do("[BanterScene] Loading ShowSpaceImage: " + url);
+                await ShowSpaceImage(url);
+                LogLine.Do("[BanterScene] Loading ResetScene: " + url);
                 await ResetScene();
+                LogLine.Do("[BanterScene] Loading LoadUrl: " + url);
                 await link.LoadUrl(url);
+                LogLine.Do("[BanterScene] Loading WaitUntil: " + url);
                 await new WaitUntil(() => loaded);
+                LogLine.Do("[BanterScene] Loading after WaitUntil: " + url);
                 LoadingStatus = "Please wait, loading live space...";
                 if (HasLoadFailed())
                 {
@@ -1343,7 +1360,11 @@ public async Task LoadUrl(string url, bool isLoadingOpen = false)
                 {
                     events.OnUnitySceneLoad.Invoke(url);
                 });
+                LogLine.Do("[BanterScene] Loading Task.Delay(2500): " + url);
+
                 await Task.Delay(2500);
+                LogLine.Do("[BanterScene] Loading loadingManager?.LoadOut: " + url);
+
                 await loadingManager?.LoadOut();
                 loading = false;
             });
diff --git a/Runtime/Scripts/Scene/Components/BanterMaterial.cs b/Runtime/Scripts/Scene/Components/BanterMaterial.cs
index 07f96ede..4ce90c4a 100644
--- a/Runtime/Scripts/Scene/Components/BanterMaterial.cs
+++ b/Runtime/Scripts/Scene/Components/BanterMaterial.cs
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ public async Task SetTexture(string texture)
         {
             try
             {
-                if (!scene.settings.EnableDefaultTextures && string.IsNullOrEmpty(texture))
+                if ((!scene.settings.EnableDefaultTextures && string.IsNullOrEmpty(texture)) || !Uri.IsWellFormedUriString(texture, UriKind.Absolute))
                 {
                     return;
                 }
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 480e601e..008a2a5e 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "com.sidequest.banter",
-  "version": "2.5.1",
+  "version": "2.5.2",
   "displayName": "Banter SDK",
   "description": "This Module contains the Banter SDK used for building spaces in the bantaverse.",
   "unity": "2022.3",