diff --git a/nanobot/agent/loop.py b/nanobot/agent/loop.py
index e90b30387..ad4b6d0dd 100644
--- a/nanobot/agent/loop.py
+++ b/nanobot/agent/loop.py
@@ -1283,6 +1283,7 @@ class AgentLoop:
                     "assistant", result.content, _command=True
                 )
                 self.sessions.save(ctx.session)
+                self._clear_pending_user_turn(ctx.session)
             return "shortcut"
         return "dispatch"
 
diff --git a/nanobot/channels/base.py b/nanobot/channels/base.py
index 58e72c18b..ed5c54232 100644
--- a/nanobot/channels/base.py
+++ b/nanobot/channels/base.py
@@ -195,11 +195,11 @@ class BaseChannel(ABC):
         """
         if isinstance(self.config, dict):
             if "allow_from" in self.config:
-                allow_list = self.config.get("allow_from")
+                allow_list = self.config.get("allow_from") or []
             else:
-                allow_list = self.config.get("allowFrom", [])
+                allow_list = self.config.get("allowFrom", []) or []
         else:
-            allow_list = getattr(self.config, "allow_from", [])
+            allow_list = getattr(self.config, "allow_from", []) or []
         if "*" in allow_list:
             return True
         if str(sender_id) in allow_list:
diff --git a/nanobot/cli/commands.py b/nanobot/cli/commands.py
index 1ce2ea057..d072877bf 100644
--- a/nanobot/cli/commands.py
+++ b/nanobot/cli/commands.py
@@ -1631,7 +1631,7 @@ app.add_typer(pairing_app, name="pairing")
 @pairing_app.command("list")
 def pairing_list():
     """Show pending pairing requests."""
-    from nanobot.pairing import list_pending
+    from nanobot.pairing import format_expiry, list_pending
 
     pending = list_pending()
     if not pending:
@@ -1644,11 +1644,8 @@ def pairing_list():
     table.add_column("Sender ID", style="yellow")
     table.add_column("Expires", style="green")
 
-    import time
-
     for item in pending:
-        remaining = int(item.get("expires_at", 0) - time.time())
-        expiry = f"{remaining}s" if remaining > 0 else "expired"
+        expiry = format_expiry(item.get("expires_at", 0))
         table.add_row(
             item["code"],
             item["channel"],
diff --git a/nanobot/pairing/store.py b/nanobot/pairing/store.py
index 4e248e261..340a85b3b 100644
--- a/nanobot/pairing/store.py
+++ b/nanobot/pairing/store.py
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ from loguru import logger
 from nanobot.config.paths import get_data_dir
 from nanobot.utils.helpers import _write_text_atomic
 
+# threading.Lock is used so store functions remain callable from both sync CLI
+# and async channel handlers.  At private-assistant scale (small JSON file,
+# sub-millisecond operations) the brief block is acceptable.
 _LOCK = threading.Lock()
 _ALPHABET = string.ascii_uppercase + string.digits
 _CODE_LENGTH = 8  # e.g. ABCD-EFGH
@@ -251,5 +254,5 @@ def handle_pairing_command(channel: str, subcommand_text: str) -> str:
 
     return (
         "Unknown pairing command.\n"
-        "Usage: `/pairing [list|approve <code>|deny <code>|revoke <user_id>]`"
+        "Usage: `/pairing [list|approve <code>|deny <code>|revoke <user_id>|revoke <channel> <user_id>]`"
     )