diff --git a/src/AppDelegate.swift b/src/AppDelegate.swift
index ff54476..6bba85b 100644
--- a/src/AppDelegate.swift
+++ b/src/AppDelegate.swift
@@ -81,8 +81,8 @@ public final class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate {
                         }
                     }
                     self.pendingStopWorkItem = workItem
-                    // Trailing grace period: 0.5s (500ms) buffer so trailing words/syllables are never clipped
-                    DispatchQueue.main.asyncAfter(deadline: .now() + 0.50, execute: workItem)
+                    // Trailing grace period: 1.0s (1000ms) buffer so trailing words/syllables right up to key release are never clipped
+                    DispatchQueue.main.asyncAfter(deadline: .now() + 1.00, execute: workItem)
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ public final class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate {
         
         // Dynamic safety timeout watchdog: scale with audio length & network transit
         let durationSec = Double(pcmData.count) / 32000.0
-        let finalizeTimeout = max(4.0, min(16.0, durationSec * 0.25 + 3.5))
+        let finalizeTimeout = InputBoxManager.shared.hasStreamedText ? 0.8 : max(1.2, min(4.0, durationSec * 0.15 + 1.2))
         
         let watchdog = DispatchWorkItem { [weak self] in
             guard let self = self, self.isBusyFinalizing else { return }
diff --git a/src/HUDOverlay.swift b/src/HUDOverlay.swift
index 22e66d3..25e4633 100644
--- a/src/HUDOverlay.swift
+++ b/src/HUDOverlay.swift
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ public final class HUDOverlayController {
                 
             case .success:
                 orb.showSuccessState()
-                DispatchQueue.main.asyncAfter(deadline: .now() + 0.45) {
+                DispatchQueue.main.asyncAfter(deadline: .now() + 0.20) {
                     self.hide()
                 }
                 
diff --git a/src/SonioxClient.swift b/src/SonioxClient.swift
index 624f7a0..2f87216 100644
--- a/src/SonioxClient.swift
+++ b/src/SonioxClient.swift
@@ -191,14 +191,14 @@ public final class SonioxLiveSession {
             }
         }
         
-        // Safety timeout fallback: finalize must complete within 3.5s
-        DispatchQueue.global().asyncAfter(deadline: .now() + 3.5) { [weak self] in
+        // Fast safety timeout fallback: finalize must complete within 1.0s
+        DispatchQueue.global().asyncAfter(deadline: .now() + 1.0) { [weak self] in
             guard let self = self else { return }
             self.lock.lock()
             let stillOpen = !self.isClosed
             self.lock.unlock()
             if stillOpen {
-                print("SonioxLiveSession: Finalize timeout reached — completing.")
+                print("SonioxLiveSession: Finalize timeout (1.0s) reached — completing.")
                 self.completeWithCurrentText()
             }
         }