diff --git a/src/dusk/mods/loader/context.cpp b/src/dusk/mods/loader/context.cpp
index 9c8fe71db4..548f0bb06f 100644
--- a/src/dusk/mods/loader/context.cpp
+++ b/src/dusk/mods/loader/context.cpp
@@ -44,7 +44,9 @@ void fail_mod(LoadedMod& mod, ModResult code, std::string_view message) {
     const bool firstFailure = !mod.loadFailed;
     mod.active = false;
     mod.loadFailed = true;
-    mod.failureReason = message;
+    if (firstFailure || mod.failureReason.empty()) {
+        mod.failureReason = message;
+    }
     // Stop the failed mod's services from resolving; mods that required them fail in turn.
     // Pointers already handed to other mods stay callable since the library remains loaded.
     // Nothing else is torn down here: fail_mod can run mid-frame (e.g. from a failing mod
diff --git a/src/dusk/mods/loader/loader.cpp b/src/dusk/mods/loader/loader.cpp
index 3ce3ee65fa..e1bb2797c8 100644
--- a/src/dusk/mods/loader/loader.cpp
+++ b/src/dusk/mods/loader/loader.cpp
@@ -602,7 +602,7 @@ bool ModLoader::activate_mod(LoadedMod& mod) {
         if (result == MOD_OK && !mod.loadFailed) {
             mod.initialized = true;
             log::write(mod.metadata.id, LOG_LEVEL_TRACE, "mod_initialize succeeded");
-        } else {
+        } else if (result != MOD_OK && !mod.loadFailed) {
             fail_mod(mod, result, lifecycle_error_message("mod_initialize", result, error));
         }
     } catch (const std::exception& e) {
diff --git a/src/dusk/mods/svc/resource.cpp b/src/dusk/mods/svc/resource.cpp
index d96973f785..b03934560f 100644
--- a/src/dusk/mods/svc/resource.cpp
+++ b/src/dusk/mods/svc/resource.cpp
@@ -74,10 +74,18 @@ void resource_free(ModContext* context, ResourceBuffer* buffer) {
     {
         return;
     }
-    if (s_buffers.erase(buffer->data) == 0) {
+    auto* mod = mod_from_context(context);
+    const auto it = s_buffers.find(buffer->data);
+    if (it == s_buffers.end()) {
         Log.error("[{}] resource free: not a live loaded buffer", mod_id_from_context(context));
         return;
     }
+    if (mod == nullptr || it->second != mod) {
+        Log.error("[{}] resource free: buffer is owned by '{}'", mod_id_from_context(context),
+            it->second != nullptr ? it->second->metadata.id : "unknown");
+        return;
+    }
+    s_buffers.erase(it);
     std::free(buffer->data);
     buffer->data = nullptr;
     buffer->size = 0;
diff --git a/src/dusk/mods/svc/texture.cpp b/src/dusk/mods/svc/texture.cpp
index 7eada55739..63c8ba822b 100644
--- a/src/dusk/mods/svc/texture.cpp
+++ b/src/dusk/mods/svc/texture.cpp
@@ -281,6 +281,11 @@ uint64_t texture_register_raw(
     entry.gxFormat = data.gxFormat;
     entry.label = fmt::format("mod {} texture {}", mod.metadata.id, entry.handle);
     register_runtime_entry(entry, record.appliedPriority);
+    if (entry.registration.id == 0) {
+        Log.error("[{}] texture register_data failed: replacement was rejected", mod.metadata.id);
+        record.runtime.pop_back();
+        return 0;
+    }
     return entry.handle;
 }
 
@@ -377,6 +382,9 @@ ModResult texture_register_data(ModContext* context, const TextureKey* key, cons
             .mipCount = data->mip_count,
             .gxFormat = data->gx_format,
         });
+    if (handle == 0) {
+        return MOD_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
+    }
     if (outHandle != nullptr) {
         *outHandle = handle;
     }