diff --git a/dashboard/app.py b/dashboard/app.py
index 837d297..d2c545f 100644
--- a/dashboard/app.py
+++ b/dashboard/app.py
@@ -437,9 +437,14 @@ def update_instance(instance_id: int, update: InstanceUpdate, user: dict = Depen
     if update.status is not None:
         inst.status = update.status
     if update.config is not None:
-        current = inst.config or {}
-        current.update(update.config)
-        inst.config = current
+        # Must assign a NEW dict — SQLAlchemy won't detect in-place mutations on JSON columns
+        new_config = {**(inst.config or {}), **update.config}
+        inst.config = new_config
+        # Auto-rename instance if project_name is set (e.g. "Project Monitor - WSIT")
+        if new_config.get("project_name") and inst.catalog_id == "project-monitor":
+            inst.name = f"Project Monitor - {new_config['project_name']}"
+    from sqlalchemy.orm.attributes import flag_modified
+    flag_modified(inst, "config")
     db.commit()
     return {"id": inst.id, "status": "updated"}
 
@@ -492,11 +497,15 @@ def trigger_instance(instance_id: int, user: dict = Depends(require_auth), db: S
         return {"status": "triggered", "message": f"Running {catalog_id} for {u.display_name}"}
 
     if catalog_id == "project-monitor":
-        config_json = json.dumps(inst.config or {}).replace("'", "\\'")
+        # Write config to a temp file to avoid shell escaping issues
+        config_path = f"/tmp/pm_config_{instance_id}.json"
+        with open(config_path, "w") as f:
+            json.dump({"config": inst.config or {}, "user_id": user["user_id"], "instance_id": instance_id}, f)
         cmd = ["python3", "-c",
                f"import sys, json; sys.path.insert(0, '{agent_dir}'); "
+               f"d = json.load(open('{config_path}')); "
                f"from project_monitor import run; "
-               f"run(json.loads('{config_json}'), user_id={user['user_id']}, instance_id={instance_id})"]
+               f"run(d['config'], user_id=d['user_id'], instance_id=d['instance_id'])"]
         subprocess.Popen(cmd, env=env, cwd=agent_dir)
         return {"status": "triggered", "message": f"Running project monitor: {inst.name}"}