diff --git a/tools/pve/add-iptag.sh b/tools/pve/add-iptag.sh
index 7725a90c5..c055dadd6 100644
--- a/tools/pve/add-iptag.sh
+++ b/tools/pve/add-iptag.sh
@@ -22,10 +22,10 @@ APP="IP-Tag"
 hostname=$(hostname)
 
 # Color variables
-YW=$(echo "\033[33m")
-GN=$(echo "\033[1;92m")
-RD=$(echo "\033[01;31m")
-CL=$(echo "\033[m")
+YW="\033[33m"
+GN="\033[1;92m"
+RD="\033[01;31m"
+CL="\033[m"
 BFR="\\r\\033[K"
 HOLD=" "
 CM="${GN}✓${CL} "
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ update_installation() {
     echo -e "\n${YW}Configuration file already exists.${CL}"
     echo -e "${YW}Note: No critical changes were made in this version.${CL}"
     while true; do
-      read -p "Do you want to replace it with defaults? (y/n): " yn
+      read -rp "Do you want to replace it with defaults? (y/n): " yn
       case $yn in
       [Yy]*)
         interactive_config_setup
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ export FORCE_SINGLE_RUN=true
 exec "$SCRIPT_FILE"
 EOF
   chmod +x /usr/local/bin/iptag-run
-  msg_ok "Created iptag-run executable - You can execute this manually by entering “iptag-run” in the Proxmox host, so the script is executed by hand."
+  msg_ok "Created iptag-run executable - You can execute this manually by entering 'iptag-run' in the Proxmox host, so the script is executed by hand."
 
   msg_info "Restarting service"
   systemctl daemon-reload &>/dev/null
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ install_command_only() {
   else
     stop_spinner
     echo -e "\n${YW}Configuration file already exists.${CL}"
-    read -p "Do you want to reconfigure tag format? (y/n): " reconfigure
+    read -rp "Do you want to reconfigure tag format? (y/n): " reconfigure
     case $reconfigure in
     [Yy]*)
       interactive_config_setup_command
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ interactive_config_setup_command() {
   echo -e "${GN}3)${CL} full - Show full IP address (e.g., 192.168.0.100)"
 
   while true; do
-    read -p "Enter your choice (1-3) [1]: " tag_choice
+    read -rp "Enter your choice (1-3) [1]: " tag_choice
     case ${tag_choice:-1} in
     1)
       TAG_FORMAT="last_two_octets"
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ interactive_config_setup() {
   echo -e "${GN}3)${CL} full - Show full IP address (e.g., 192.168.0.100)"
 
   while true; do
-    read -p "Enter your choice (1-3) [1]: " tag_choice
+    read -rp "Enter your choice (1-3) [1]: " tag_choice
     case ${tag_choice:-1} in
     1)
       TAG_FORMAT="last_two_octets"
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ interactive_config_setup() {
   echo -e "${YW}Recommended range: 300-3600 seconds${CL}"
 
   while true; do
-    read -p "Enter interval in seconds [300]: " interval_input
+    read -rp "Enter interval in seconds [300]: " interval_input
     interval_input=${interval_input:-300}
 
     if [[ $interval_input =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]] && [ $interval_input -ge 300 ] && [ $interval_input -le 7200 ]; then
@@ -578,33 +578,43 @@ get_vm_ips() {
     local mac_addresses=$(grep -E "^net[0-9]+:" "$vm_config" | grep -oE "([0-9A-Fa-f]{2}:){5}[0-9A-Fa-f]{2}" | head -3)
     debug_log "vm $vmid: found MACs: $mac_addresses"
     
-    # Method 1: QM guest agent (most reliable for current IP)
-    if command -v qm >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-        debug_log "vm $vmid: trying qm guest agent first"
-        local qm_ips=$(timeout 8 qm guest cmd "$vmid" network-get-interfaces 2>/dev/null | grep -oE '([0-9]{1,3}\.){3}[0-9]{1,3}' | grep -v "127.0.0.1" | head -3)
+    # Method 1: QEMU guest agent (most reliable for current IP). Only query it
+    # when the agent is actually enabled in the VM config, otherwise the call
+    # blocks until the timeout on every VM without an agent.
+    local agent_enabled=0
+    if [[ "$(grep -E '^agent:' "$vm_config" 2>/dev/null)" =~ (^agent:[[:space:]]*1|enabled=1) ]]; then
+        agent_enabled=1
+    fi
+    if [[ "$agent_enabled" == "1" ]] && command -v qm >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        debug_log "vm $vmid: querying guest agent"
+        local qm_ips=$(timeout 5 qm guest cmd "$vmid" network-get-interfaces 2>/dev/null | grep -oE '([0-9]{1,3}\.){3}[0-9]{1,3}' | grep -v "127.0.0.1" | head -3)
         for qm_ip in $qm_ips; do
             if [[ "$qm_ip" =~ ^([0-9]{1,3}\.){3}[0-9]{1,3}$ ]]; then
                 debug_log "vm $vmid: found IP $qm_ip via qm guest cmd"
                 ips+="$qm_ip "
             fi
         done
+    else
+        debug_log "vm $vmid: guest agent not enabled, skipping qm guest cmd"
     fi
     
-    # Method 2: Fresh ARP table lookup (force refresh)
-    if [[ -n "$mac_addresses" ]]; then
-        debug_log "vm $vmid: refreshing ARP table and checking"
-        # Try to refresh ARP table by pinging network ranges
+    # Method 2: ARP table lookup (only if the guest agent gave us nothing).
+    if [[ -z "$ips" && -n "$mac_addresses" ]]; then
+        debug_log "vm $vmid: checking ARP table"
+        # Snapshot the neighbor table once instead of per MAC
+        local neigh_table
+        neigh_table=$(ip neighbor show 2>/dev/null)
         for mac in $mac_addresses; do
             local mac_lower=$(echo "$mac" | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]')
             
-            # First check current ARP table
-            local current_ip=$(ip neighbor show | grep "$mac_lower" | grep -oE '([0-9]{1,3}\.){3}[0-9]{1,3}' | head -1)
+            # Check current ARP table
+            local current_ip=$(echo "$neigh_table" | grep "$mac_lower" | grep -oE '([0-9]{1,3}\.){3}[0-9]{1,3}' | head -1)
             
             # If found in ARP, verify it's still valid by trying to ping
             if [[ -n "$current_ip" && "$current_ip" =~ ^([0-9]{1,3}\.){3}[0-9]{1,3}$ ]]; then
                 debug_log "vm $vmid: found IP $current_ip in ARP table for MAC $mac_lower, verifying..."
                 # Quick ping test to verify IP is still active
-                if timeout 2 ping -c 1 "$current_ip" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+                if timeout 1 ping -c 1 -W 1 "$current_ip" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
                     debug_log "vm $vmid: verified IP $current_ip is active via ping"
                     ips+="$current_ip "
                 else
@@ -628,7 +638,7 @@ get_vm_ips() {
                     if [[ -n "$dhcp_ip" && "$dhcp_ip" =~ ^([0-9]{1,3}\.){3}[0-9]{1,3}$ ]]; then
                         debug_log "vm $vmid: found IP $dhcp_ip via DHCP leases"
                         # Verify this IP responds
-                        if timeout 2 ping -c 1 "$dhcp_ip" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+                        if timeout 1 ping -c 1 -W 1 "$dhcp_ip" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
                             debug_log "vm $vmid: verified DHCP IP $dhcp_ip is active"
                             ips+="$dhcp_ip "
                             break 2
@@ -952,9 +962,12 @@ get_lxc_ips() {
     if [[ -z "$ips" && -f "$pve_lxc_config" ]]; then
         local mac_addrs=$(grep -Eo 'hwaddr=([0-9A-Fa-f]{2}:){5}[0-9A-Fa-f]{2}' "$pve_lxc_config" | cut -d'=' -f2)
         if [[ -n "$mac_addrs" ]]; then
+            # Snapshot the neighbor table once instead of per MAC
+            local neigh_table
+            neigh_table=$(ip neighbor show 2>/dev/null)
             while IFS= read -r mac_addr; do
                 [[ -z "$mac_addr" ]] && continue
-                local arp_ip=$(ip neighbor show | grep -i "$mac_addr" | grep -oE '([0-9]{1,3}\.){3}[0-9]{1,3}' | head -1)
+                local arp_ip=$(echo "$neigh_table" | grep -i "$mac_addr" | grep -oE '([0-9]{1,3}\.){3}[0-9]{1,3}' | head -1)
                 if [[ -n "$arp_ip" && "$arp_ip" =~ ^([0-9]{1,3}\.){3}[0-9]{1,3}$ ]]; then
                     debug_log "lxc $vmid: found IP $arp_ip via ARP table for MAC $mac_addr"
                     ips="${ips}${ips:+ }${arp_ip}"
@@ -996,7 +1009,7 @@ echo -e "${GN}3)${CL} Update existing installation"
 echo -e "${RD}4)${CL} Cancel"
 
 while true; do
-  read -p "Enter your choice (1-4): " choice
+  read -rp "Enter your choice (1-4): " choice
   case $choice in
   1)
     INSTALL_MODE="service"
@@ -1025,7 +1038,7 @@ done
 
 echo -e "\n${YW}This will install ${APP} on ${hostname} in $INSTALL_MODE mode.${CL}"
 while true; do
-  read -p "Proceed? (y/n): " yn
+  read -rp "Proceed? (y/n): " yn
   case $yn in
   [Yy]*)
     break
@@ -1072,7 +1085,7 @@ if [[ "$INSTALL_MODE" == "service" ]]; then
   else
     stop_spinner
     echo -e "\n${YW}Configuration file already exists.${CL}"
-    read -p "Do you want to reconfigure tag format and loop interval? (y/n): " reconfigure
+    read -rp "Do you want to reconfigure tag format and loop interval? (y/n): " reconfigure
     case $reconfigure in
     [Yy]*)
       interactive_config_setup