diff --git a/.github/workflows/format.yml b/.github/workflows/format.yml
index 244986e..401dda0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/format.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/format.yml
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ on:
   pull_request:
     types: [opened, synchronize, reopened]
 
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
 jobs:
   detect_changes:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
@@ -11,16 +14,24 @@ jobs:
       changed: ${{ steps.changed_files.outputs.changed }}
 
     steps:
-      - name: Checkout full history
+      - name: Checkout PR
         uses: actions/checkout@v6
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
+          persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Detect changed files
         id: changed_files
         run: |
-          git fetch origin ${{ github.base_ref }}
-          CHANGED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only origin/${{ github.base_ref }}...HEAD)
+          # git fetch origin ${{ github.base_ref }}
+          # CHANGED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only origin/${{ github.base_ref }}...HEAD)
+          BASE_SHA="${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha }}"
+          HEAD_SHA="${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}"
+
+          echo "Base SHA: $BASE_SHA"
+          echo "Head SHA: $HEAD_SHA"
+
+          CHANGED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only "$BASE_SHA" "$HEAD_SHA")
 
           {
             echo "changed<<EOF"
@@ -39,11 +50,12 @@ jobs:
     if: ${{ needs.detect_changes.outputs.changed != '' }}
 
     steps:
-      - name: Checkout PR branch
+      - name: Checkout PR head commit
         uses: actions/checkout@v6
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
-          ref: ${{ github.head_ref }}
+          ref: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}
+          persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Set up Python
         uses: actions/setup-python@v6
diff --git a/dlclivegui/processors/dlc_processor_socket.py b/dlclivegui/processors/dlc_processor_socket.py
index d999690..8ded010 100644
--- a/dlclivegui/processors/dlc_processor_socket.py
+++ b/dlclivegui/processors/dlc_processor_socket.py
@@ -209,12 +209,6 @@ def _accept_loop(self):
             try:
                 conn = self.listener.accept()
 
-                # Apply safe timeout to client socket
-                try:
-                    conn._socket.settimeout(self._socket_timeout)
-                except Exception:
-                    pass
-
                 logger.debug(f"Client connected from {self.listener.last_accepted}")
                 self.conns.add(conn)
 
@@ -238,7 +232,7 @@ def _rx_loop(self, conn):
                     self._handle_client_message(msg)
                     continue
 
-                if getattr(conn._socket, "_closed", False):
+                if conn.closed:
                     raise EOFError
 
             except (EOFError, OSError, ConnectionError, BrokenPipeError):
@@ -253,10 +247,6 @@ def _rx_loop(self, conn):
 
     def _close_conn(self, conn):
         """Force-close client connection."""
-        try:
-            conn._socket.shutdown(socket.SHUT_RDWR)
-        except Exception:
-            pass
         try:
             conn.close()
         except Exception:
@@ -397,12 +387,11 @@ def broadcast(self, payload):
     def process(self, pose, **kwargs):
         curr_time = self.timing_func()
 
-        if self.save_original:
-            self.original_pose.append(pose.copy())
-
         self.curr_step += 1
 
         if self.recording:
+            if self.save_original and self.original_pose is not None:
+                self.original_pose.append(pose.copy())
             self.time_stamp.append(curr_time)
             self.step.append(self.curr_step)
             self.frame_time.append(kwargs.get("frame_time", -1))
@@ -578,9 +567,6 @@ def _initialize_filters(self, vals):
         logger.debug(f"Initialized One-Euro filters with parameters: {self.filter_kwargs}")
 
     def process(self, pose, **kwargs):
-        if self.save_original:
-            self.original_pose.append(pose.copy())
-
         # Extract keypoints and confidence
         xy = pose[:, :2]
         conf = pose[:, 2]
@@ -633,6 +619,8 @@ def process(self, pose, **kwargs):
 
         # Store processed data (only if recording)
         if self.recording:
+            if self.save_original and self.original_pose is not None:
+                self.original_pose.append(pose.copy())
             self.center_x.append(vals[0])
             self.center_y.append(vals[1])
             self.heading_direction.append(vals[2])
@@ -690,7 +678,7 @@ class ExampleProcessorSocketFilterKeypoints(BaseProcessorSocket):  # pragma: no
         },
         "save_original": {
             "type": "bool",
-            "default": False,
+            "default": True,
             "description": "Save raw pose arrays for analysis",
         },
     }
@@ -702,7 +690,7 @@ def __init__(
         use_perf_counter=False,
         use_filter=False,
         filter_kwargs: dict | None = None,
-        save_original=False,
+        save_original=True,
         p_cutoff=0.4,
     ):
         super().__init__(
@@ -741,9 +729,6 @@ def _initialize_filters(self, vals):
         logger.debug(f"Initialized One-Euro filters with parameters: {self.filter_kwargs}")
 
     def process(self, pose, **kwargs):
-        if self.save_original:
-            self.original_pose.append(pose.copy())
-
         # Extract keypoints and confidence
         xy = pose[:, :2]
         conf = pose[:, 2]
@@ -801,6 +786,8 @@ def process(self, pose, **kwargs):
 
         # Store processed data (only if recording)
         if self.recording:
+            if self.save_original and self.original_pose is not None:
+                self.original_pose.append(pose.copy())
             self.center_x.append(vals[0])
             self.center_y.append(vals[1])
             self.heading_direction.append(vals[2])
diff --git a/tests/custom_processors/test_base_processor.py b/tests/custom_processors/test_base_processor.py
index da66a40..d38749b 100644
--- a/tests/custom_processors/test_base_processor.py
+++ b/tests/custom_processors/test_base_processor.py
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ def test_base_process_without_and_with_recording(socket_mod):
     BaseProcessorSocket.process() should:
       - increment curr_step always,
       - when recording, append time/step/frame_time/pose_time,
-      - when save_original=True, store copies of pose arrays.
+            - when save_original=True, store copies of pose arrays only while recording.
     """
     BaseProcessorSocket = socket_mod.BaseProcessorSocket
     proc = BaseProcessorSocket(bind=("127.0.0.1", 0), save_original=True)
@@ -136,10 +136,9 @@ def test_base_process_without_and_with_recording(socket_mod):
         assert len(proc.step) == 0
         assert len(proc.frame_time) == 0
         assert len(proc.pose_time) == 0
-        # When not recording, save_original is still respected
+        # Raw poses must stay aligned with recorded metadata.
         assert proc.original_pose is not None
-        assert len(proc.original_pose) == 1
-        np.testing.assert_allclose(proc.original_pose[0], pose)
+        assert len(proc.original_pose) == 0
 
         # Start recording and push two frames
         proc._handle_client_message({"cmd": "start_recording"})
@@ -150,6 +149,9 @@ def test_base_process_without_and_with_recording(socket_mod):
         assert len(proc.step) == 2
         assert len(proc.frame_time) == 2
         assert len(proc.pose_time) == 2
+        assert len(proc.original_pose) == 2
+        np.testing.assert_allclose(proc.original_pose[0], pose)
+        np.testing.assert_allclose(proc.original_pose[1], pose)
 
         # Data snapshot integrity
         data = proc.get_data()
@@ -166,6 +168,128 @@ def test_base_process_without_and_with_recording(socket_mod):
         proc.stop()
 
 
+def test_save_ignores_pre_recording_original_pose_frames(socket_mod):
+    """
+    save_original data must stay aligned with recorded metadata even if process()
+    is called before recording starts.
+    """
+    BaseProcessorSocket = socket_mod.BaseProcessorSocket
+    proc = BaseProcessorSocket(bind=("127.0.0.1", 0), save_original=True)
+
+    try:
+        n_keypoints = 4
+        bodyparts = _mk_bodyparts(n_keypoints)
+        proc.set_dlc_cfg({"metadata": {"bodyparts": bodyparts}})
+
+        pose = _mk_pose(n_keypoints=n_keypoints)
+
+        for _ in range(3):
+            proc.process(pose, frame_time=0.001, pose_time=0.002)
+
+        assert len(proc.original_pose) == 0
+        assert len(proc.frame_time) == 0
+
+        proc._handle_client_message({"cmd": "start_recording"})
+        for _ in range(2):
+            proc.process(pose, frame_time=0.01, pose_time=0.02)
+        proc._handle_client_message({"cmd": "stop_recording"})
+
+        filename = "unit_test_pre_recording_frames.pkl"
+        ret = proc.save(filename)
+        assert ret == 1
+
+        data_dir = _module_data_dir(socket_mod)
+        pkl_path = data_dir / filename
+        h5_path = data_dir / (Path(filename).stem + "_DLC.hdf5")
+
+        assert pkl_path.exists()
+        assert h5_path.exists()
+
+        with open(pkl_path, "rb") as f:
+            payload = pickle.load(f)
+
+        assert len(payload["frame_time"]) == 2
+        assert len(payload["time_stamp"]) == 2
+
+        pytest.importorskip("tables")
+        df = pd.read_hdf(h5_path, key="df_with_missing")
+        assert df.shape[0] == 2
+        assert list(df["frame_time"]) == [0.01, 0.01]
+        assert list(df["pose_time"]) == list(payload["time_stamp"])
+
+    finally:
+        proc.stop()
+        try:
+            pkl_path.unlink(missing_ok=True)
+            h5_path.unlink(missing_ok=True)
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("class_name", "n_keypoints"),
+    [
+        ("ExampleProcessorSocketCalculateMousePose", 27),
+        ("ExampleProcessorSocketFilterKeypoints", 10),
+    ],
+)
+def test_subclass_save_ignores_pre_recording_original_pose_frames(socket_mod, class_name, n_keypoints):
+    """
+    Concrete processors must keep original_pose aligned with recorded metadata
+    even when process() is called before recording starts.
+    """
+    processor_class = getattr(socket_mod, class_name)
+    proc = processor_class(bind=("127.0.0.1", 0), save_original=True)
+
+    try:
+        bodyparts = _mk_bodyparts(n_keypoints)
+        proc.set_dlc_cfg({"metadata": {"bodyparts": bodyparts}})
+
+        pose = _mk_pose(n_keypoints=n_keypoints)
+
+        for _ in range(4):
+            proc.process(pose, frame_time=0.001, pose_time=0.002)
+
+        assert len(proc.original_pose) == 0
+        assert len(proc.frame_time) == 0
+
+        proc._handle_client_message({"cmd": "start_recording"})
+        for _ in range(3):
+            proc.process(pose, frame_time=0.01, pose_time=0.02)
+        proc._handle_client_message({"cmd": "stop_recording"})
+
+        filename = f"unit_test_{class_name}.pkl"
+        ret = proc.save(filename)
+        assert ret == 1
+
+        data_dir = _module_data_dir(socket_mod)
+        pkl_path = data_dir / filename
+        h5_path = data_dir / (Path(filename).stem + "_DLC.hdf5")
+
+        assert pkl_path.exists()
+        assert h5_path.exists()
+
+        with open(pkl_path, "rb") as f:
+            payload = pickle.load(f)
+
+        assert len(payload["frame_time"]) == 3
+        assert len(payload["time_stamp"]) == 3
+
+        pytest.importorskip("tables")
+        df = pd.read_hdf(h5_path, key="df_with_missing")
+        assert df.shape[0] == 3
+        assert list(df["frame_time"]) == [0.01, 0.01, 0.01]
+        assert list(df["pose_time"]) == list(payload["time_stamp"])
+
+    finally:
+        proc.stop()
+        try:
+            pkl_path.unlink(missing_ok=True)
+            h5_path.unlink(missing_ok=True)
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+
+
 def test_base_broadcast_handles_bad_connections(socket_mod):
     """
     broadcast() must handle failing connections gracefully and drop them.
@@ -270,6 +394,8 @@ def test_save_writes_pkl_and_hdf5_with_labels(socket_mod, caplog):
         # frame_time & pose_time columns are present
         assert "frame_time" in df.columns
         assert "pose_time" in df.columns
+        assert list(df["frame_time"]) == [0.01, 0.01, 0.01]
+        assert list(df["pose_time"]) == list(payload["time_stamp"])
 
         # sanity check values for first row
         for i, bp in enumerate(bodyparts):