diff --git a/nanobot/webui/session_automations.py b/nanobot/webui/session_automations.py
index a63cf4da..0780d781 100644
--- a/nanobot/webui/session_automations.py
+++ b/nanobot/webui/session_automations.py
@@ -121,14 +121,17 @@ def _serialize_job(
     payload["delete_after_run"] = job.delete_after_run
     payload["created_at_ms"] = job.created_at_ms
     payload["updated_at_ms"] = job.updated_at_ms
-    payload["payload"].update(
-        {
-            "kind": job.payload.kind,
-            "session_key": job.payload.session_key,
-            "origin_channel": job.payload.origin_channel,
-            "origin_chat_id": job.payload.origin_chat_id,
-        }
-    )
+    payload["payload"].update({"kind": job.payload.kind})
+    if _expose_origin_identifiers(job):
+        payload["payload"].update(
+            {
+                "session_key": job.payload.session_key,
+                "origin_channel": job.payload.origin_channel,
+                "origin_chat_id": job.payload.origin_chat_id,
+            }
+        )
+    elif job.payload.origin_channel:
+        payload["payload"]["origin_channel"] = job.payload.origin_channel
     payload["state"].update(
         {
             "last_run_at_ms": job.state.last_run_at_ms,
@@ -156,11 +159,17 @@ def _origin_payload(
     chat_id = job.payload.origin_chat_id
     if not channel or not chat_id:
         return None
-    session_key = f"{channel}:{chat_id}"
-
     title = ""
     preview = ""
-    if channel == "websocket" and session_manager is not None:
+    if channel != "websocket":
+        return {
+            "channel": channel,
+            "title": title,
+            "preview": preview,
+        }
+
+    session_key = f"{channel}:{chat_id}"
+    if session_manager is not None:
         data = session_manager.read_session_file(session_key)
         if isinstance(data, dict):
             title = str(data.get("title") or "")
@@ -175,6 +184,11 @@ def _origin_payload(
     }
 
 
+def _expose_origin_identifiers(job: CronJob) -> bool:
+    channel = job.payload.origin_channel
+    return not channel or channel == "websocket"
+
+
 def _session_preview(messages: Any) -> str:
     if not isinstance(messages, list):
         return ""
diff --git a/nanobot/webui/ws_http.py b/nanobot/webui/ws_http.py
index e8b4445e..99b1f92e 100644
--- a/nanobot/webui/ws_http.py
+++ b/nanobot/webui/ws_http.py
@@ -789,12 +789,18 @@ def _automation_values_from_request(request: WsRequest) -> dict[str, Any] | None
 def _parse_automation_update(values: dict[str, Any]) -> dict[str, Any] | str:
     update: dict[str, Any] = {}
     if "name" in values:
-        name = str(values.get("name") or "").strip()
+        raw_name = values.get("name")
+        if not isinstance(raw_name, str):
+            return "name must be a string"
+        name = raw_name.strip()
         if not name:
             return "name cannot be empty"
         update["name"] = name
     if "message" in values:
-        message = str(values.get("message") or "").strip()
+        raw_message = values.get("message")
+        if not isinstance(raw_message, str):
+            return "message must be a string"
+        message = raw_message.strip()
         if not message:
             return "message cannot be empty"
         update["message"] = message
@@ -805,24 +811,36 @@ def _parse_automation_update(values: dict[str, Any]) -> dict[str, Any] | str:
         parsed_schedule = _parse_automation_schedule(raw_schedule)
         if isinstance(parsed_schedule, str):
             return parsed_schedule
+        schedule_error = _validate_automation_schedule(parsed_schedule)
+        if schedule_error:
+            return schedule_error
         update["schedule"] = parsed_schedule
         update["delete_after_run"] = parsed_schedule.kind == "at"
     return update
 
 
 def _parse_automation_schedule(values: dict[str, Any]) -> CronSchedule | str:
-    kind = str(values.get("kind") or "").strip()
+    raw_kind = values.get("kind")
+    if not isinstance(raw_kind, str):
+        return "schedule kind must be a string"
+    kind = raw_kind.strip()
     if kind == "every":
         every_ms = _positive_int(values.get("every_ms"))
         if every_ms is None:
             return "every schedule requires positive every_ms"
         return CronSchedule(kind="every", every_ms=every_ms)
     if kind == "cron":
-        expr = str(values.get("expr") or "").strip()
+        raw_expr = values.get("expr")
+        if not isinstance(raw_expr, str):
+            return "cron schedule requires expr"
+        expr = raw_expr.strip()
         if not expr:
             return "cron schedule requires expr"
-        tz = str(values.get("tz") or "").strip() or None
-        return CronSchedule(kind="cron", expr=expr, tz=tz)
+        raw_tz = values.get("tz")
+        if raw_tz is not None and not isinstance(raw_tz, str):
+            return "cron schedule timezone must be a string"
+        tz = raw_tz.strip() if isinstance(raw_tz, str) else ""
+        return CronSchedule(kind="cron", expr=expr, tz=tz or None)
     if kind == "at":
         at_ms = _positive_int(values.get("at_ms"))
         if at_ms is None:
@@ -831,14 +849,32 @@ def _parse_automation_schedule(values: dict[str, Any]) -> CronSchedule | str:
     return "unknown schedule kind"
 
 
-def _positive_int(value: Any) -> int | None:
-    if isinstance(value, bool):
+def _validate_automation_schedule(schedule: CronSchedule) -> str | None:
+    if schedule.kind == "at":
+        if not schedule.at_ms or schedule.at_ms <= int(time.time() * 1000):
+            return "one-time schedule must be in the future"
         return None
+    if schedule.kind != "cron":
+        return None
+
     try:
-        parsed = int(value)
-    except (TypeError, ValueError):
+        from datetime import datetime
+        from zoneinfo import ZoneInfo
+
+        from croniter import croniter
+
+        tz = ZoneInfo(schedule.tz) if schedule.tz else datetime.now().astimezone().tzinfo
+        base = datetime.now(tz=tz)
+        croniter(schedule.expr, base).get_next(datetime)
+    except Exception:
+        return "cron schedule is invalid"
+    return None
+
+
+def _positive_int(value: Any) -> int | None:
+    if isinstance(value, bool) or not isinstance(value, int):
         return None
-    return parsed if parsed > 0 else None
+    return value if value > 0 else None
 
 
 def _is_websocket_channel_session_key(key: str) -> bool:
diff --git a/tests/channels/test_websocket_http_routes.py b/tests/channels/test_websocket_http_routes.py
index 06912f69..d08681d4 100644
--- a/tests/channels/test_websocket_http_routes.py
+++ b/tests/channels/test_websocket_http_routes.py
@@ -889,6 +889,7 @@ async def test_webui_automations_route_lists_all_jobs_and_allows_user_actions(
             headers=auth,
         )
         assert resp.status_code == 200
+        assert "wx-chat" not in resp.text
         body = resp.json()
         by_id = {job["id"]: job for job in body["jobs"]}
         assert by_id[user_job.id]["protected"] is False
@@ -898,7 +899,12 @@ async def test_webui_automations_route_lists_all_jobs_and_allows_user_actions(
         assert by_id[user_job.id]["origin"]["preview"] == "hi"
         assert by_id[legacy_job.id]["payload"]["session_key"] == "unified:default"
         assert by_id[legacy_job.id]["origin"] is None
-        assert by_id[external_job.id]["origin"]["session_key"] == "weixin:wx-chat"
+        assert by_id[external_job.id]["payload"]["origin_channel"] == "weixin"
+        assert "session_key" not in by_id[external_job.id]["payload"]
+        assert "origin_chat_id" not in by_id[external_job.id]["payload"]
+        assert by_id[external_job.id]["origin"]["channel"] == "weixin"
+        assert "session_key" not in by_id[external_job.id]["origin"]
+        assert "chat_id" not in by_id[external_job.id]["origin"]
         assert by_id[external_job.id]["origin"]["preview"] == ""
         assert by_id["heartbeat"]["protected"] is True
 
@@ -927,6 +933,28 @@ async def test_webui_automations_route_lists_all_jobs_and_allows_user_actions(
         assert by_id[user_job.id]["schedule"]["expr"] == "0 9 * * *"
         assert by_id[user_job.id]["schedule"]["tz"] == "UTC"
 
+        malformed_update = await _http_get(
+            f"{base_url}/api/webui/automations/update?id={user_job.id}",
+            headers={
+                **auth,
+                "X-Nanobot-Automation-Values": json.dumps({"message": ["bad"]}),
+            },
+        )
+        assert malformed_update.status_code == 400
+        assert cron.get_job(user_job.id).payload.message == "Ask the daily quiz"
+
+        invalid_cron_update = await _http_get(
+            f"{base_url}/api/webui/automations/update?id={user_job.id}",
+            headers={
+                **auth,
+                "X-Nanobot-Automation-Values": json.dumps(
+                    {"schedule": {"kind": "cron", "expr": "not a cron", "tz": "UTC"}}
+                ),
+            },
+        )
+        assert invalid_cron_update.status_code == 400
+        assert cron.get_job(user_job.id).schedule.expr == "0 9 * * *"
+
         protected_update = await _http_get(
             f"{base_url}/api/webui/automations/update?id=heartbeat",
             headers={
diff --git a/webui/src/components/settings/SettingsView.tsx b/webui/src/components/settings/SettingsView.tsx
index 2cf03b23..5dc00e14 100644
--- a/webui/src/components/settings/SettingsView.tsx
+++ b/webui/src/components/settings/SettingsView.tsx
@@ -3583,7 +3583,7 @@ function AutomationRow({
     t(key, { defaultValue: fallback, ...(values ?? {}) });
   const status = automationStatus(job, tx);
   const origin = automationOriginLabel(job, tx);
-  const originHref = job.origin?.channel === "websocket"
+  const originHref = job.origin?.channel === "websocket" && job.origin.session_key
     ? `#/chat/${encodeURIComponent(job.origin.session_key)}`
     : null;
   const history = job.state.run_history ?? [];
@@ -4257,7 +4257,7 @@ function automationOriginLabel(
   }
   if (!origin) return tx("settings.automations.origin.unknown", "No linked chat");
   if (origin.channel !== "websocket") return automationChannelLabel(origin.channel, tx);
-  return origin.title || origin.preview || origin.session_key;
+  return origin.title || origin.preview || origin.session_key || automationChannelLabel(origin.channel, tx);
 }
 
 function automationChannelLabel(
diff --git a/webui/src/lib/types.ts b/webui/src/lib/types.ts
index 99d9c858..436aa8d6 100644
--- a/webui/src/lib/types.ts
+++ b/webui/src/lib/types.ts
@@ -132,9 +132,9 @@ export interface SessionAutomationJob {
     }>;
   };
   origin?: {
-    session_key: string;
+    session_key?: string;
     channel: string;
-    chat_id: string;
+    chat_id?: string;
     title?: string;
     preview?: string;
   } | null;
diff --git a/webui/src/tests/app-layout.test.tsx b/webui/src/tests/app-layout.test.tsx
index 7e858b62..8303fe20 100644
--- a/webui/src/tests/app-layout.test.tsx
+++ b/webui/src/tests/app-layout.test.tsx
@@ -395,9 +395,7 @@ describe("App layout", () => {
             payload: {
               message: "Send a quiz",
               kind: "agent_turn",
-              session_key: "weixin:wx-chat",
               origin_channel: "weixin",
-              origin_chat_id: "wx-chat",
             },
             state: {
               next_run_at_ms: Date.UTC(2026, 3, 17, 11, 30, 0),
@@ -406,11 +404,9 @@ describe("App layout", () => {
               run_history: [],
             },
             origin: {
-              session_key: "weixin:wx-chat",
               channel: "weixin",
-              chat_id: "wx-chat",
-              title: "Scheduled cron job triggered",
-              preview: "memory with dream state",
+              title: "",
+              preview: "",
             },
           },
           {