try

check_x_capacity.py

@@ -25,11 +25,19 @@ logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 NOTIFICATION_FILE = '/home/shane/foodie_automator/notification_tracking.json'
 
 def load_notification_tracking():
-    """Load notification tracking data."""
+    """Load notification tracking data as a dict. If not a dict, reset to {}."""
-    return load_json_file(NOTIFICATION_FILE, default={})
+    data = load_json_file(NOTIFICATION_FILE, default={})
+    if not isinstance(data, dict):
+        logging.warning(f"notification_tracking.json was not a dict, resetting to empty dict.")
+        data = {}
+        save_json_file(NOTIFICATION_FILE, data)
+    return data
 
 def save_notification_tracking(tracking_data):
-    """Save notification tracking data."""
+    """Save notification tracking data as a dict."""
+    if not isinstance(tracking_data, dict):
+        logging.warning(f"Attempted to save non-dict to notification_tracking.json, resetting to empty dict.")
+        tracking_data = {}
     save_json_file(NOTIFICATION_FILE, tracking_data)
 
 def should_send_notification(username, reset_time):

foodie_utils.py

@@ -1810,6 +1810,8 @@ def check_author_rate_limit(author, max_tweets=17, tweet_window_seconds=86400):
     if remaining < 0:
         logger.warning(f"Negative remaining tweets for {username}: {remaining}. Setting to 0.")
         remaining = 0
+    # Always cap at zero
+    remaining = max(0, remaining)
     
     can_post = remaining > 0
     if not can_post: