diff --git a/packages/node/meshnet_node/startup.py b/packages/node/meshnet_node/startup.py
index b9fa8b3..c0f6c73 100644
--- a/packages/node/meshnet_node/startup.py
+++ b/packages/node/meshnet_node/startup.py
@@ -431,6 +431,7 @@ def _start_heartbeat(
     which is logged for now (hot-reload implemented in US-026).
     """
     _start_time = start_time or time.monotonic()
+    completed_directives: list[dict] = []
 
     def _current_requests_snapshot() -> list[dict]:
         if node_ref is None:
@@ -455,6 +456,8 @@ def _start_heartbeat(
         current_requests = _current_requests_snapshot()
         if current_requests:
             stats["current_requests"] = current_requests
+        if completed_directives:
+            stats["completed_directives"] = list(completed_directives)
         return stats
 
     def _sleep_interval() -> float:
@@ -512,21 +515,26 @@ def _start_heartbeat(
         except Exception as exc:
             print(f"  [node] WARNING: additional model registration failed: {exc}", flush=True)
 
-    def _apply_directives(directives: list[dict]) -> None:
+    def _apply_directives(directives: list[dict]) -> dict | None:
         if not directives:
-            return
+            return None
         if node_ref is None or not hasattr(node_ref, "apply_tracker_directives"):
             print(f"  [node] tracker directives received: {directives}", flush=True)
-            return
+            return None
         try:
             applied = node_ref.apply_tracker_directives(directives)
         except Exception as exc:
             print(f"  [node] WARNING: failed to apply tracker directives: {exc}", flush=True)
-            return
+            return None
         if applied:
+            completed_directives.append(dict(applied))
             if applied.get("action") == "ADD_SHARD":
                 _register_additional_assignment(applied)
-                return
+                return applied
+            if applied.get("action") == "DROP_SHARD":
+                # A release has no replacement range. It is not a failed
+                # heartbeat and must not re-register the released assignment.
+                return applied
             model_id = applied.get("model", register_payload.get("hf_repo") or register_payload.get("model"))
             register_payload["model"] = str(model_id).split("/")[-1]
             register_payload["hf_repo"] = model_id
@@ -534,6 +542,7 @@ def _start_heartbeat(
             register_payload["shard_end"] = applied["shard_end"]
             register_payload["quantization"] = applied.get("quantization", register_payload.get("quantization"))
             register_payload["tracker_mode"] = bool(applied.get("tracker_mode", False))
+        return applied
 
     def _loop() -> None:
         nonlocal node_id
@@ -561,7 +570,10 @@ def _start_heartbeat(
                 continue
 
             try:
-                resp = _post_json(hb_url, _get_stats())
+                heartbeat = _get_stats()
+                resp = _post_json(hb_url, heartbeat)
+                if heartbeat.get("completed_directives"):
+                    completed_directives.clear()
                 _apply_directives(resp.get("directives", []))
                 new_asgn = resp.get("new_assignment")
                 if new_asgn:
diff --git a/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/server.py b/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/server.py
index 205b2bf..4e7875d 100644
--- a/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/server.py
+++ b/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/server.py
@@ -3276,7 +3276,12 @@ class _TrackerHandler(http.server.BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
             node.hf_repo or node.model
             for node in alive
             if node.model is not None
-            and node.model not in server.model_presets
+            # The same model can be registered under its HF repository while
+            # the catalogue exposes its short preset id.  Do not emit a second
+            # repo-keyed entry when either node identifier resolves to a preset.
+            and _resolve_model_preset(
+                server.model_presets, node.hf_repo or node.model,
+            )[1] is None
             and node.shard_start is not None
             and node.shard_end is not None
             and node.num_layers is not None
@@ -4820,6 +4825,20 @@ class _TrackerHandler(http.server.BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
                 entry.uptime_seconds = float(body["uptime_seconds"])
             if "status" in body and body["status"] in ("ready", "loading"):
                 entry.status = body["status"]
+            completed_directives = body.get("completed_directives", [])
+            if isinstance(completed_directives, list):
+                for directive in completed_directives:
+                    if not isinstance(directive, dict) or directive.get("action") != "DROP_SHARD":
+                        continue
+                    # A node has confirmed the release.  Stop advertising its
+                    # old route immediately so the dashboard and routing state
+                    # agree with the runtime.
+                    entry.model = "stub-model"
+                    entry.hf_repo = None
+                    entry.shard_start = None
+                    entry.shard_end = None
+                    entry.tracker_mode = False
+                    entry.status = "ready"
             if "friendly_name" in body:
                 try:
                     entry.friendly_name = _normalize_friendly_name(body.get("friendly_name"))
diff --git a/tests/test_dynamic_routing.py b/tests/test_dynamic_routing.py
index 85c7ad6..cc82284 100644
--- a/tests/test_dynamic_routing.py
+++ b/tests/test_dynamic_routing.py
@@ -375,6 +375,11 @@ def test_admin_can_replace_a_served_model_and_release_it():
         with urllib.request.urlopen(load) as response:
             assert json.loads(response.read())["assignment"]["node_id"] == node["node_id"]
         heartbeat = _post_json(f"http://127.0.0.1:{port}/v1/nodes/{node['node_id']}/heartbeat", {})
+        _post_json(
+            f"http://127.0.0.1:{port}/v1/nodes/{node['node_id']}/heartbeat",
+            {"completed_directives": [{"action": "DROP_SHARD", "model": "Qwen/Qwen2.5-0.5B-Instruct"}]},
+        )
+        network = _get_json(f"http://127.0.0.1:{port}/v1/network/map")
         assert heartbeat["directives"][0]["action"] == "LOAD_SHARD"
         release = urllib.request.Request(
             f"http://127.0.0.1:{port}/v1/models/release",
@@ -386,6 +391,33 @@ def test_admin_can_replace_a_served_model_and_release_it():
         tracker.stop()
 
     assert heartbeat["directives"][0]["action"] == "DROP_SHARD"
+    released_node = next(item for item in network["nodes"] if item["node_id"] == node["node_id"])
+    assert released_node["shard_start"] is None
+    assert released_node["shard_end"] is None
+
+
+def test_models_list_does_not_duplicate_a_preset_registered_by_hf_repo():
+    """A preset and its canonical repository are one selectable model."""
+    tracker = TrackerServer(enable_billing=False)
+    port = tracker.start()
+    try:
+        _post_json(
+            f"http://127.0.0.1:{port}/v1/nodes/register",
+            {
+                "endpoint": "http://127.0.0.1:9913",
+                "model": "Qwen2.5-0.5B-Instruct",
+                "hf_repo": "Qwen/Qwen2.5-0.5B-Instruct",
+                "num_layers": 24,
+                "shard_start": 0,
+                "shard_end": 23,
+            },
+        )
+        models = _get_json(f"http://127.0.0.1:{port}/v1/models")["data"]
+    finally:
+        tracker.stop()
+
+    assert [model["id"] for model in models].count("qwen2.5-0.5b-instruct") == 1
+    assert not any(model["id"] == "Qwen/Qwen2.5-0.5B-Instruct" for model in models)
 
 
 def test_endpoint_key_distinguishes_same_port_different_hosts():
diff --git a/tests/test_node_startup.py b/tests/test_node_startup.py
index 1c302a7..264c530 100644
--- a/tests/test_node_startup.py
+++ b/tests/test_node_startup.py
@@ -287,6 +287,47 @@ def test_configure_torch_threads_applies_explicit_settings(monkeypatch):
     assert active == {"torch_threads": 12, "torch_interop_threads": 2}
 
 
+def test_heartbeat_applies_release_without_reregistering(monkeypatch):
+    """DROP_SHARD has no replacement range and must not look like an outage."""
+    import meshnet_node.startup as startup_mod
+
+    released = threading.Event()
+    requests: list[tuple[str, dict]] = []
+
+    class FakeNode:
+        def apply_tracker_directives(self, directives):
+            assert directives == [{"action": "DROP_SHARD", "model": "Qwen/Qwen2.5-0.5B-Instruct"}]
+            return {"action": "DROP_SHARD", "model": "Qwen/Qwen2.5-0.5B-Instruct"}
+
+    def fake_post(url, payload, timeout=10.0):
+        requests.append((url, dict(payload)))
+        released.set()
+        return {"directives": [{"action": "DROP_SHARD", "model": "Qwen/Qwen2.5-0.5B-Instruct"}]}
+
+    sleep_calls = 0
+
+    def one_heartbeat(_seconds):
+        nonlocal sleep_calls
+        sleep_calls += 1
+        if sleep_calls > 1:
+            raise SystemExit
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(startup_mod, "_post_json", fake_post)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(startup_mod.time, "sleep", one_heartbeat)
+    payload = {
+        "model": "Qwen2.5-0.5B-Instruct",
+        "hf_repo": "Qwen/Qwen2.5-0.5B-Instruct",
+        "shard_start": 0,
+        "shard_end": 23,
+    }
+    startup_mod._start_heartbeat("http://tracker", "node-1", payload, interval=0, node_ref=FakeNode())
+
+    assert released.wait(1), "heartbeat did not receive the queued release"
+    assert len(requests) == 1, "release must not trigger a re-registration"
+    assert payload["shard_start"] == 0
+    assert payload["shard_end"] == 23
+
+
 def test_benchmark_throughput_is_registered_in_payload(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
     "benchmark_tokens_per_sec from the benchmark is included in the tracker registration.\n\nTags: node, performance, startup"
     import meshnet_node.startup as startup_mod