diff --git a/meshai/connector.py b/meshai/connector.py
index 2778b0a..c0d8d4e 100644
--- a/meshai/connector.py
+++ b/meshai/connector.py
@@ -229,10 +229,13 @@ class MeshConnector:
 
         try:
             if destination:
-                # DM to specific node
-                # Convert hex string to int if needed
-                if destination.startswith("!"):
+                # DM to specific node - handle int or string
+                if isinstance(destination, int):
+                    dest_num = destination
+                elif destination.startswith("!"):
                     dest_num = int(destination[1:], 16)
+                elif destination.isdigit():
+                    dest_num = int(destination)
                 else:
                     dest_num = int(destination, 16)
 
diff --git a/meshai/notifications/channels.py b/meshai/notifications/channels.py
index 4739a74..98b4b6d 100644
--- a/meshai/notifications/channels.py
+++ b/meshai/notifications/channels.py
@@ -168,8 +168,8 @@ class MeshDMChannel(NotificationChannel):
 
         for node_id in self._node_ids:
             try:
-                dest = int(node_id[1:], 16) if node_id.startswith("!") else (int(node_id) if node_id.isdigit() else int(node_id, 16))
-                self._connector.send_message(text=message, destination=dest, channel=0)
+                node_id = str(node_id)
+                self._connector.send_message(text=message, destination=node_id, channel=0)
             except Exception as e:
                 logger.error("Failed to DM %s: %s", node_id, e)
                 success = False
@@ -199,10 +199,10 @@ class MeshDMChannel(NotificationChannel):
 
         for node_id in self._node_ids:
             try:
-                dest = int(node_id[1:], 16) if node_id.startswith("!") else (int(node_id) if node_id.isdigit() else int(node_id, 16))
+                node_id = str(node_id)
                 self._connector.send_message(
                     text="MeshAI DM test",
-                    destination=dest,
+                    destination=node_id,
                     channel=0,
                 )
                 results.append({"node": node_id, "success": True})
@@ -249,8 +249,8 @@ class MeshDMChannel(NotificationChannel):
 
         for node_id in self._node_ids:
             try:
-                dest = int(node_id[1:], 16) if node_id.startswith("!") else (int(node_id) if node_id.isdigit() else int(node_id, 16))
-                self._connector.send_message(text=message, destination=dest, channel=0)
+                node_id = str(node_id)
+                self._connector.send_message(text=message, destination=node_id, channel=0)
                 success_count += 1
             except Exception as e:
                 errors.append(f"{node_id}: {e}")
diff --git a/meshai/notifications/router.py b/meshai/notifications/router.py
index 9eee87d..689219e 100644
--- a/meshai/notifications/router.py
+++ b/meshai/notifications/router.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 SEVERITY_ORDER = ["routine", "priority", "immediate"]
 
 # State file for rule statistics
-RULE_STATS_FILE = "/opt/meshai/data/rule_stats.json"
+RULE_STATS_FILE = "/data/rule_stats.json"
 
 
 class NotificationRouter: