I cannot be the only one having to deal with this. This has been around since EA 0, where ships will just stop harvesting for no reason at all. No ships disturb them, no change in diplomatic relations with minors, no change in orders, with plenty of resources to eat. It is annoying that i have to pay attention to my harvesters, as if they are problem employees who need constant oversight to do their jobs. 

Can this be fixed in the next patch?

-Gray

Agreed, I also encountered this bug.

Agreed. You sometimes also can't Leech from a system altogether tho I assume it is because pop is zero 0 ?

I would say so, yes. Although I also can't leech for a time after an abduction message. But what they mean and when they trigger is still a mystery to me.

I think faction status changes trigger this essence drain reset, for example, assimilation a minor. There are more reasons I don't understand.

On the other side, until it breaks sometimes you are able to continue leeching on 0 pop systems...

I noticed it stops after filling your Essence cap... Is it intended or a bug?