diff --git a/electron/src/paths.ts b/electron/src/paths.ts
index deca22d91..bf15d87c3 100644
--- a/electron/src/paths.ts
+++ b/electron/src/paths.ts
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ const PREV_VER_USER_DATA_MIGRATION_FILE_PATHS = [
   // Acorn 6
   path.join(USER_DATA_PATH, `${MIGRATION_FILE_NAME_PREFIX}9`),
   // uncomment the below line for development testing
+  // of migration-feature
   // path.join(USER_DATA_PATH, `${MIGRATION_FILE_NAME_PREFIX}${INTEGRITY_VERSION_NUMBER}`),
 ]
 
diff --git a/web/src/components/ExpandedViewMode/EVMiddleColumn/TabContent/EvDetails/EvDetails.component.tsx b/web/src/components/ExpandedViewMode/EVMiddleColumn/TabContent/EvDetails/EvDetails.component.tsx
index 6df39659c..e0c34b8d0 100644
--- a/web/src/components/ExpandedViewMode/EVMiddleColumn/TabContent/EvDetails/EvDetails.component.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/ExpandedViewMode/EVMiddleColumn/TabContent/EvDetails/EvDetails.component.tsx
@@ -364,6 +364,7 @@ const EvDetails: React.FC<EvDetailsProps> = ({
                       projectId={projectId}
                       onClose={() => setEditAssignees(false)}
                       activeAgentPubKey={activeAgentPubKey}
+                      profilesPresent={presentMembers}
                       people={people}
                       outcomeActionHash={outcomeActionHash}
                       createOutcomeMember={createOutcomeMember}
diff --git a/web/src/components/Footer/Footer.scss b/web/src/components/Footer/Footer.scss
index 6195f41df..a33689ed0 100644
--- a/web/src/components/Footer/Footer.scss
+++ b/web/src/components/Footer/Footer.scss
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 .footer {
   max-height: 48px;
+  z-index: 3;
 }
 
 /* Buttom Left Panel */
diff --git a/web/src/components/MigrationProgress/MigrationProgress.scss b/web/src/components/MigrationProgress/MigrationProgress.scss
index 93e5217d2..383799db7 100644
--- a/web/src/components/MigrationProgress/MigrationProgress.scss
+++ b/web/src/components/MigrationProgress/MigrationProgress.scss
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   position: fixed;
   top: 0;
   background: var(--bg-color-canvas);
-  z-index: 10000;
+  z-index: 2;
 }
 
 .run-update-screen {
diff --git a/web/src/components/PeoplePicker/PeoplePicker.tsx b/web/src/components/PeoplePicker/PeoplePicker.tsx
index 191086637..96dac9a25 100644
--- a/web/src/components/PeoplePicker/PeoplePicker.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/PeoplePicker/PeoplePicker.tsx
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ export type PeoplePickerProps = {
     isOutcomeMember: boolean
     outcomeMemberActionHash: ActionHashB64
   })[]
+  profilesPresent: AgentPubKeyB64[]
   outcomeActionHash: ActionHashB64
   createOutcomeMember: (
     outcomeActionHash: ActionHashB64,
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ export type PeoplePickerProps = {
 const PeoplePicker: React.FC<PeoplePickerProps> = ({
   activeAgentPubKey,
   people,
+  profilesPresent,
   outcomeActionHash,
   createOutcomeMember,
   deleteOutcomeMember,
@@ -97,6 +99,12 @@ const PeoplePicker: React.FC<PeoplePickerProps> = ({
                   activeAgentPubKey
                 )
             }
+            // check if the profile is in the
+            // list of present profiles
+            // (presence being "has the project open presently")
+            const isProfilePresent = !!profilesPresent.find(
+              (presentprofile) => person.agentPubKey === presentprofile
+            )
             return (
               <li
                 key={index}
@@ -109,8 +117,9 @@ const PeoplePicker: React.FC<PeoplePickerProps> = ({
                   avatarUrl={person.avatarUrl}
                   imported={person.isImported}
                   size="medium"
-                  withStatus
                   selfAssignedStatus={person.status}
+                  disconnected={!isProfilePresent}
+                  withStatus={isProfilePresent}
                 />
                 <div className="person-name-handle-wrapper">
                   <span className="person-name">
diff --git a/web/src/components/ProjectSettingsModal/ProjectSettingsModal.component.tsx b/web/src/components/ProjectSettingsModal/ProjectSettingsModal.component.tsx
index 796af3621..a6244c7d8 100644
--- a/web/src/components/ProjectSettingsModal/ProjectSettingsModal.component.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/ProjectSettingsModal/ProjectSettingsModal.component.tsx
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ function EditProjectForm({
 export default function ProjectSettingsModal({
   showModal,
   onClose,
-  project = {} as WithActionHash<ProjectMeta>,
+  project,
   updateProjectMeta,
   openInviteMembersModal,
   cellIdString,
diff --git a/web/src/components/UpdateModal/UpdateModal.tsx b/web/src/components/UpdateModal/UpdateModal.tsx
index df1307506..ac699dbc2 100644
--- a/web/src/components/UpdateModal/UpdateModal.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/UpdateModal/UpdateModal.tsx
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ const UpdateModal: React.FC<UpdateModalProps> = ({
 }) => {
   const history = useHistory()
   const runUpdate = () => {
+    onClose()
     history.push('/run-update')
   }
 
diff --git a/web/src/components/UpdatePromptModal/UpdatePromptModal.js b/web/src/components/UpdatePromptModal/UpdatePromptModal.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 32cf2e0bd..000000000
--- a/web/src/components/UpdatePromptModal/UpdatePromptModal.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,50 +0,0 @@
-import React from 'react'
-import './UpdatePromptModal.scss'
-
-import Modal, { ModalContent } from '../Modal/Modal'
-import { useHistory } from 'react-router-dom'
-
-export default function UpdatePromptModal({ show, onClose }) {
-  const history = useHistory()
-  const updateDetails = (
-    <div className='update-details-wrapper'>
-      <div className='update-details-title'>About this update</div>
-      <div className='update-details-content'>
-        <li>
-          Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do
-          eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
-        </li>
-        <li>
-          Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do
-          eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
-        </li>
-        <li>
-          Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do
-          eiusmod tempor
-        </li>
-        <li>fixed some bugs</li>
-        <li>RSM refactoring</li>
-      </div>
-    </div>
-  )
-
-  const runUpdate = () => {
-    history.push('/run-update')
-  }
-
-  return (
-    <>
-      <Modal white active={show} onClose={onClose}>
-        <ModalContent
-          heading='A new version of Acorn is released  🎉'
-          content='You are required to update to the new version to access your collaborative projects. You can keep continue using your personal projects without the update.'
-          secondaryContent={updateDetails}
-          primaryButton='Update now'
-          primaryButtonAction={runUpdate}
-          altButton="I'll update later"
-          altButtonAction={onClose}
-        />
-      </Modal>
-    </>
-  )
-}
diff --git a/web/src/components/UpdatePromptModal/UpdatePromptModal.scss b/web/src/components/UpdatePromptModal/UpdatePromptModal.scss
deleted file mode 100644
index a72fc3ea7..000000000
--- a/web/src/components/UpdatePromptModal/UpdatePromptModal.scss
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,35 +0,0 @@
-.update-prompt-modal.modal-wrapper {
-  width: 540px;
-  min-height: 540px;
-  padding: 70px;
-}
-
-.modal-content {
-  /* font-family: 'PlusJakartaSans-medium', Helvetica, Sans-Serif; */
-  line-height: 1.45;
-}
-
-.update-details-wrapper {
-  color: #696969;
-  margin: 30px 0;
-}
-
-.update-details-title {
-  font-family: 'PlusJakartaSans-bold', Helvetica, Sans-Serif;
-  margin-bottom: 8px;
-}
-
-.update-details-content {
-  font-size: 14px;
-  line-height: 1.45;
-}
-
-.update-details-content li {
-  list-style-type: '🌰';
-  padding-inline-start: 0.5ch;
-  margin-bottom: 2px;
-}
-
-li::marker {
-  font-size: 12px;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/web/src/hooks/useFinishMigrationChecker.ts b/web/src/hooks/useFinishMigrationChecker.ts
index ce8ed096b..e33af4962 100644
--- a/web/src/hooks/useFinishMigrationChecker.ts
+++ b/web/src/hooks/useFinishMigrationChecker.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ export default function useFinishMigrationChecker(): {
       }
       setHasChecked(true)
     } else {
+      // mock here if we want to test
       setHasChecked(true)
     }
   }
diff --git a/web/src/hooks/useVersionChecker.ts b/web/src/hooks/useVersionChecker.ts
index b10f42058..d19e9273f 100644
--- a/web/src/hooks/useVersionChecker.ts
+++ b/web/src/hooks/useVersionChecker.ts
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ export default function useVersionChecker(
   // to see if there is any new update available for the app
   useEffect(() => {
     if (isTest) {
-      setNewReleaseVersion('v1.0.0')
+      setNewReleaseVersion('v12.0.0')
       setReleaseNotes('release notes')
       setSizeForPlatform('1mb')
       return
diff --git a/web/src/migrating/export.ts b/web/src/migrating/export.ts
index 7ec18af98..a79792302 100644
--- a/web/src/migrating/export.ts
+++ b/web/src/migrating/export.ts
@@ -58,15 +58,30 @@ export async function internalExportProjectsData(
       store.dispatch,
       projectCellId
     )
-    await Promise.all([
-      projectDataFetchers.fetchProjectMeta(),
-      projectDataFetchers.fetchEntryPoints(),
-      projectDataFetchers.fetchOutcomeComments(),
-      projectDataFetchers.fetchOutcomeMembers(),
-      projectDataFetchers.fetchTags(),
-      projectDataFetchers.fetchOutcomes(),
-      projectDataFetchers.fetchConnections(),
-    ])
+    try {
+
+      await Promise.all([
+        projectDataFetchers.fetchProjectMeta(),
+        projectDataFetchers.fetchEntryPoints(),
+        projectDataFetchers.fetchOutcomeComments(),
+        projectDataFetchers.fetchOutcomeMembers(),
+        projectDataFetchers.fetchTags(),
+        projectDataFetchers.fetchOutcomes(),
+        projectDataFetchers.fetchConnections(),
+      ])
+    } catch (e) {
+      // fetch project meta will fail if the there IS no project meta
+      // and in that case we can just skip this project
+      // this solves for unsynced and uncanceled projects
+      if (e?.data?.data?.includes('no project meta exists')) {
+        // throw e
+        completedTracker++
+        onStep(completedTracker, projectCellIds.length)
+        continue
+      } else {
+        throw e
+      }
+    }
     // step 2: collect the data to be exported for each project
     const allDataFetchedState: RootState = store.getState()
     const exportProjectData = collectExportProjectDataFunction(
diff --git a/web/src/routes/App.component.tsx b/web/src/routes/App.component.tsx
index f0443bbe0..4dff9f5ec 100644
--- a/web/src/routes/App.component.tsx
+++ b/web/src/routes/App.component.tsx
@@ -121,7 +121,8 @@ const App: React.FC<AppProps> = ({
   )
   // custom hooks
   const updateVersionInfo = useVersionChecker()
-  // set true to test
+  // to do development testing of migration-feature
+  // uncomment the following line (and comment the one above)
   // const updateVersionInfo = useVersionChecker(true)
   const finishMigrationChecker = useFinishMigrationChecker()
   const { fileDownloaded, setFileDownloaded } = useFileDownloaded()
diff --git a/web/src/routes/VersionUpdateLeaving/VersionUpdateLeaving.tsx b/web/src/routes/VersionUpdateLeaving/VersionUpdateLeaving.tsx
index e14d19e00..4c903a168 100644
--- a/web/src/routes/VersionUpdateLeaving/VersionUpdateLeaving.tsx
+++ b/web/src/routes/VersionUpdateLeaving/VersionUpdateLeaving.tsx
@@ -2,11 +2,10 @@ import React, { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
 
 import './VersionUpdateLeaving.scss'
 
-import exportProjectsData, {
-  AllProjectsDataExport,
-} from '../../migrating/export'
+import exportProjectsData from '../../migrating/export'
 import { useStore } from 'react-redux'
 import MigrationProgress from '../../components/MigrationProgress/MigrationProgress'
+import { AllProjectsDataExport } from 'zod-models'
 
 const checkIfExportNeeded = (currentVersion: string, toVersion: string) => {
   // compare
@@ -137,7 +136,13 @@ const VersionUpdateLeaving: React.FC<VersionUpdateLeavingProps> = ({
           updateVersionInfo.newReleaseVersion
         )
       ) {
-        runExport().then(controlDownloadNextVersion)
+        runExport().then(controlDownloadNextVersion).catch((e) => {
+          console.error('error running export', e)
+          setTitle('An unexpected error occurred.')
+          const message = 'You may be able to recover by quitting and restarting Acorn. Please report this issue and provide the following error to support: ' + JSON.stringify(e)
+          // throw new Error(message)
+          setStatus(message)
+        })
       } else {
         controlDownloadNextVersion()
       }
diff --git a/web/src/utils.ts b/web/src/utils.ts
index 9b2b2386a..9280cea9d 100644
--- a/web/src/utils.ts
+++ b/web/src/utils.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { HoloHash, CellId } from '@holochain/client'
-// import BufferAll from 'buffer/'
-// const Buffer = BufferAll.Buffer
+import BufferAll from 'buffer/'
+const Buffer = BufferAll.Buffer
 
 export function hashToString(hash: HoloHash) {
   // nodejs