diff --git a/gateway/platforms/slack.py b/gateway/platforms/slack.py
index ca34ab4acac..2116b569f96 100644
--- a/gateway/platforms/slack.py
+++ b/gateway/platforms/slack.py
@@ -2785,7 +2785,10 @@ class SlackAdapter(BasePlatformAdapter):
             from hermes_cli.commands import slack_subcommand_map
             subcommand_map = slack_subcommand_map()
             subcommand_map["compact"] = "/compress"
-            first_word = text.split()[0] if text else ""
+            # Guard against whitespace-only text where ``text`` is truthy but
+            # ``text.split()`` returns ``[]`` (e.g. user sends ``/hermes   ``).
+            parts = text.split() if text else []
+            first_word = parts[0] if parts else ""
             if first_word in subcommand_map:
                 rest = text[len(first_word):].strip()
                 text = f"{subcommand_map[first_word]} {rest}".strip() if rest else subcommand_map[first_word]
diff --git a/scripts/release.py b/scripts/release.py
index 4a91762ebeb..8a6f30802be 100755
--- a/scripts/release.py
+++ b/scripts/release.py
@@ -1071,6 +1071,8 @@ AUTHOR_MAP = {
     "37467487+yifengingit@users.noreply.github.com": "yifengingit",  # PR #25589 salvage (AUTOINCREMENT id ordering)
     "89525629+vanthinh6886@users.noreply.github.com": "vanthinh6886",  # PR #25562 salvage (.env 0600 perms)
     "16034932+Arkmusn@users.noreply.github.com": "Arkmusn",  # PR #25559 salvage (approvals.timeout from config)
+    "nidhi2894@gmail.com": "nidhi-singh02",  # PR #2752 salvage (slack whitespace-only IndexError guard)
+    "38173192+nidhi-singh02@users.noreply.github.com": "nidhi-singh02",
 }