diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1efbd25..3766a66 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -10,18 +10,18 @@ live from `bot.settings` so it can change at runtime via a command.
 `requirements.txt`:
 
 ```
-dpy_logger @ git+ssh://git@git.rethinkstudios.io/rethink-public/dpy_logger.git@v0.1.3
+dpy_logger @ git+ssh://git@git.rethinkstudios.io/rethink-public/dpy_logger.git@v0.1.4
 ```
 
 Direct:
 
 ```bash
-pip install "dpy_logger @ git+ssh://git@git.rethinkstudios.io/rethink-public/dpy_logger.git@v0.1.3"
+pip install "dpy_logger @ git+ssh://git@git.rethinkstudios.io/rethink-public/dpy_logger.git@v0.1.4"
 ```
 
 Requires `discord.py` (pulled transitively).
 
-Drop the `@v0.1.3` suffix from the line above to install the latest unpinned.
+Drop the `@v0.1.4` suffix from the line above to install the latest unpinned.
 
 ## Usage
 
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index afdc534..e1ea0a4 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "hatchling.build"
 
 [project]
 name = "dpy_logger"
-version = "0.1.3"
+version = "0.1.4"
 description = "Leveled Discord channel logger for discord.py — config-free, injectable, installable."
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
 dependencies = [
diff --git a/src/dpy_logger/dpy_logger.py b/src/dpy_logger/dpy_logger.py
index b121142..815963e 100644
--- a/src/dpy_logger/dpy_logger.py
+++ b/src/dpy_logger/dpy_logger.py
@@ -179,14 +179,16 @@ class DPYLogger:
         if self._embed_builder is not None:
             return self._embed_builder(self, level, action, actor, details)
         em = discord.Embed(color=self.colors[level])
-        if action:
+        # test `is not None` so a falsy-but-valid value (0, False) still renders; only a
+        # genuinely absent field (None) or an empty string is dropped/substituted below
+        if action is not None and str(action) != "":
             em.add_field(name="Action", value=f"`{action}`", inline=True)
-        if actor:
+        if actor is not None and str(actor) != "":
             em.add_field(name="Actor", value=f"`{actor}`", inline=True)
         # discord rejects an empty field value (50035) and truncates nothing itself, so
         # an empty or >1024-char message would 400 the send; substitute + cap to keep
         # every logging call producing a valid embed
-        log_value = str(details) if details else "(no message)"
+        log_value = str(details) if details is not None and str(details) != "" else "(no message)"
         if len(log_value) > 1024:
             log_value = log_value[:1021] + "..."
         em.add_field(name="Log", value=log_value, inline=False)
@@ -200,20 +202,28 @@ class DPYLogger:
 
     def _emit_stdlib(self, level, action, actor, log_msg):
         """mirror the log line to the stdlib logger (routed to file/console by the app)"""
-        parts = [p for p in (action, str(actor) if actor else None, log_msg) if p]
+        # render falsy-but-valid parts (0, False); drop only genuinely-absent (None) ones
+        raw = (action, str(actor) if actor is not None else None, log_msg)
+        parts = [str(p) for p in raw if p is not None and str(p) != ""]
         _log.log(LEVEL_MAP.get(level, logging.INFO), f"[{level}] " + " | ".join(parts))
 
-    async def _send(self, level, log_msg, action=None, actor=None, guild=None, log_to_file=None):
+    async def _send(self, level, log_msg, action=None, actor=None, guild=None,
+                    log_to_file=None, content=None):
         """resolve channel and dispatch a leveled embed; mirror to stdlib unless opted out
 
         stdlib emit happens first so the record survives even if the discord send fails.
         a failed send falls back to stdlib rather than propagating into the caller.
+        `content` carries the critical-level ping/@here text (None for the other levels),
+        so every level shares this one send/error contract.
         """
         if self.log_to_file if log_to_file is None else log_to_file:
             self._emit_stdlib(level, action, actor, log_msg)
         try:
             channel = await self._resolve(guild)
-            return await channel.send(embed=self.build_embed(level, action, actor, log_msg))
+            return await channel.send(
+                content=content,
+                embed=self.build_embed(level, action, actor, log_msg),
+            )
         except Exception:
             _log.exception(f"[dpy_logger] failed to send {level} log: {log_msg}")
             return None
@@ -245,21 +255,15 @@ class DPYLogger:
         return await self._send("task", log, action, "SYSTEM/TASK", guild, log_to_file)
 
     async def critical(self, log, action=None, actor=None, guild=None, log_to_file=None):
-        """log a critical-level message and ping configured devs"""
-        if self.log_to_file if log_to_file is None else log_to_file:
-            self._emit_stdlib("critical", action, actor, log)
+        """log a critical-level message and ping configured devs
+
+        delegates to _send with the ping/@here content so the send + error contract has a
+        single source of truth; critical only adds the alert `content`.
+        """
         if self.pings:
             content = "alert: " + " ".join(f"<@{u}>" for u in self.pings)
         elif self.alert_here:
             content = "alert: @here"
         else:
             content = None
-        try:
-            channel = await self._resolve(guild)
-            return await channel.send(
-                content=content,
-                embed=self.build_embed("critical", action, actor, log),
-            )
-        except Exception:
-            _log.exception(f"[dpy_logger] failed to send critical log: {log}")
-            return None
+        return await self._send("critical", log, action, actor, guild, log_to_file, content)