diff --git a/LightlessSync/PlayerData/Pairs/PairHandlerAdapter.cs b/LightlessSync/PlayerData/Pairs/PairHandlerAdapter.cs
index 925c42c..f170bac 100644
--- a/LightlessSync/PlayerData/Pairs/PairHandlerAdapter.cs
+++ b/LightlessSync/PlayerData/Pairs/PairHandlerAdapter.cs
@@ -1622,7 +1622,7 @@ internal sealed class PairHandlerAdapter : DisposableMediatorSubscriberBase, IPa
             if (companion != nint.Zero)
             {
                 await _ipcManager.CustomizePlus.RevertByIdAsync(customizeId).ConfigureAwait(false);
-                using GameObjectHandler tempHandler = await _gameObjectHandlerFactory.Create(ObjectKind.Pet, () => companion, isWatched: false).ConfigureAwait(false);
+                using GameObjectHandler tempHandler = await _gameObjectHandlerFactory.Create(ObjectKind.Companion, () => companion, isWatched: false).ConfigureAwait(false);
                 await _ipcManager.Glamourer.RevertAsync(Logger, tempHandler, applicationId, cancelToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
                 await _ipcManager.Penumbra.RedrawAsync(Logger, tempHandler, applicationId, cancelToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
             }
@@ -1848,5 +1848,4 @@ internal sealed class PairHandlerAdapter : DisposableMediatorSubscriberBase, IPa
         ApplyCharacterData(pending.ApplicationId,
             pending.CharacterData, pending.Forced);
     }
-
 }
diff --git a/LightlessSync/PlayerData/Pairs/PairHandlerRegistry.cs b/LightlessSync/PlayerData/Pairs/PairHandlerRegistry.cs
index 5421baa..bf700e8 100644
--- a/LightlessSync/PlayerData/Pairs/PairHandlerRegistry.cs
+++ b/LightlessSync/PlayerData/Pairs/PairHandlerRegistry.cs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ public sealed class PairHandlerRegistry : IDisposable
     private readonly object _gate = new();
     private readonly object _pendingGate = new();
     private readonly Dictionary<string, PairHandlerEntry> _entriesByIdent = new(StringComparer.Ordinal);
-    private readonly Dictionary<IPairHandlerAdapter, PairHandlerEntry> _entriesByHandler = new();
+    private readonly Dictionary<IPairHandlerAdapter, PairHandlerEntry> _entriesByHandler = new(ReferenceEqualityComparer.Instance);
 
     private readonly IPairHandlerAdapterFactory _handlerFactory;
     private readonly PairManager _pairManager;
@@ -162,7 +162,13 @@ public sealed class PairHandlerRegistry : IDisposable
             }
         }
 
-        handler.ApplyData(dto.CharaData);
+        if (!handler.Initialized)
+        {
+            handler.Initialize();
+            QueuePendingCharacterData(registration, dto);
+            return PairOperationResult.Ok();
+        }
+
         return PairOperationResult.Ok();
     }
 
@@ -385,25 +391,20 @@ public sealed class PairHandlerRegistry : IDisposable
 
     private void QueuePendingCharacterData(PairRegistration registration, OnlineUserCharaDataDto dto)
     {
-        if (registration.CharacterIdent is null)
-        {
-            return;
-        }
+        if (registration.CharacterIdent is null) return;
 
-        CancellationTokenSource? previous = null;
+        CancellationTokenSource? previous;
         CancellationTokenSource cts;
+
         lock (_pendingGate)
         {
-            if (_pendingCharacterData.TryGetValue(registration.CharacterIdent, out previous))
-            {
-                previous.Cancel();
-            }
+            _pendingCharacterData.TryGetValue(registration.CharacterIdent, out previous);
+            previous?.Cancel(); 
 
             cts = new CancellationTokenSource();
             _pendingCharacterData[registration.CharacterIdent] = cts;
         }
 
-        previous?.Dispose();
         cts.CancelAfter(_handlerReadyTimeout);
         _ = Task.Run(() => WaitThenApplyPendingCharacterDataAsync(registration, dto, cts.Token, cts));
     }
@@ -414,16 +415,10 @@ public sealed class PairHandlerRegistry : IDisposable
         lock (_pendingGate)
         {
             if (_pendingCharacterData.TryGetValue(ident, out cts))
-            {
                 _pendingCharacterData.Remove(ident);
-            }
         }
 
-        if (cts is not null)
-        {
-            cts.Cancel();
-            cts.Dispose();
-        }
+        cts?.Cancel();
     }
 
     private void CancelAllPendingCharacterData()
@@ -433,21 +428,13 @@ public sealed class PairHandlerRegistry : IDisposable
         {
             if (_pendingCharacterData.Count > 0)
             {
-                snapshot = _pendingCharacterData.Values.ToList();
+                snapshot = [.. _pendingCharacterData.Values];
                 _pendingCharacterData.Clear();
             }
         }
 
-        if (snapshot is null)
-        {
-            return;
-        }
-
-        foreach (var cts in snapshot)
-        {
-            cts.Cancel();
-            cts.Dispose();
-        }
+        if (snapshot is null) return;
+        foreach (var cts in snapshot) cts.Cancel();
     }
 
     private async Task WaitThenApplyPendingCharacterDataAsync(