diff --git a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/App.tsx b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/App.tsx
index bfe71c85..7ccb56e3 100644
--- a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/App.tsx
+++ b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/App.tsx
@@ -1040,8 +1040,9 @@ function App() {
   const editorRefsByTabId = useRef<Map<string, MarkdownEditorHandle>>(new Map())
   const [pendingPaletteSubmit, setPendingPaletteSubmit] = useState<{ text: string; mention: CommandPaletteMention | null } | null>(null)
 
-  const handleSubmitRecording = useCallback(() => {
-    const text = voice.submit()
+  const handleSubmitRecording = useCallback(async () => {
+    if (!isRecordingRef.current) return
+    const text = await voice.submit()
     setIsRecording(false)
     isRecordingRef.current = false
     if (text) {
@@ -6377,7 +6378,7 @@ function App() {
                             onWorkDirChange={(v) => setTabWorkDir(tab.id, v)}
                             isRecording={isActive && isRecording}
                             recordingText={isActive ? voice.interimText : undefined}
-                            recordingState={isActive ? (voice.state === 'connecting' ? 'connecting' : 'listening') : undefined}
+                            recordingState={isActive ? (voice.state === 'submitting' ? 'stopping' : voice.state === 'connecting' ? 'connecting' : 'listening') : undefined}
                             audioLevelsRef={voice.audioLevelsRef}
                             onStartRecording={isActive ? handleStartRecording : undefined}
                             onSubmitRecording={isActive ? handleSubmitRecording : undefined}
@@ -6486,7 +6487,7 @@ function App() {
                 collapsedLeftPaddingPx={collapsedLeftPaddingPx}
                 isRecording={isRecording}
                 recordingText={voice.interimText}
-                recordingState={voice.state === 'connecting' ? 'connecting' : 'listening'}
+                recordingState={voice.state === 'submitting' ? 'stopping' : voice.state === 'connecting' ? 'connecting' : 'listening'}
                 audioLevelsRef={voice.audioLevelsRef}
                 onStartRecording={handleStartRecording}
                 onSubmitRecording={handleSubmitRecording}
diff --git a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/components/chat-input-with-mentions.tsx b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/components/chat-input-with-mentions.tsx
index f3609212..182ed20a 100644
--- a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/components/chat-input-with-mentions.tsx
+++ b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/components/chat-input-with-mentions.tsx
@@ -223,11 +223,11 @@ interface ChatInputInnerProps {
   onDraftChange?: (text: string) => void
   isRecording?: boolean
   recordingText?: string
-  recordingState?: 'connecting' | 'listening'
+  recordingState?: 'connecting' | 'listening' | 'stopping'
   /** Live mic amplitude history (RMS per frame) driving the recording waveform. */
   audioLevelsRef?: React.MutableRefObject<number[]>
   onStartRecording?: () => void
-  onSubmitRecording?: () => void
+  onSubmitRecording?: () => void | Promise<void>
   onCancelRecording?: () => void
   voiceAvailable?: boolean
   ttsAvailable?: boolean
@@ -262,6 +262,7 @@ function ChatInputInner({
   onDraftChange,
   isRecording,
   recordingText,
+  recordingState,
   audioLevelsRef,
   onStartRecording,
   onSubmitRecording,
@@ -829,23 +830,33 @@ function ChatInputInner({
           >
             <X className="h-4 w-4" />
           </button>
-          {/* Audio-reactive waveform only — the transcribed words are intentionally
-              not shown while recording; they're still captured and submitted. */}
-          <div className="flex flex-1 items-center overflow-hidden">
+          <div className="flex min-w-0 flex-1 flex-col gap-1 overflow-hidden">
             <VoiceWaveform audioLevelsRef={audioLevelsRef} />
+            <div
+              className={cn(
+                'min-h-5 truncate text-sm leading-5',
+                recordingText?.trim() ? 'text-foreground' : 'text-muted-foreground'
+              )}
+            >
+              {recordingText?.trim() || (recordingState === 'stopping' ? 'Finalizing...' : 'Listening...')}
+            </div>
           </div>
           <Button
             size="icon"
             onClick={onSubmitRecording}
-            disabled={!recordingText?.trim()}
+            disabled={recordingState === 'stopping'}
             className={cn(
               'h-7 w-7 shrink-0 rounded-full transition-all',
-              recordingText?.trim()
+              recordingState !== 'stopping'
                 ? 'bg-primary text-primary-foreground hover:bg-primary/90'
                 : 'bg-muted text-muted-foreground'
             )}
           >
-            <ArrowUp className="h-4 w-4" />
+            {recordingState === 'stopping' ? (
+              <LoaderIcon className="h-4 w-4 animate-spin" />
+            ) : (
+              <ArrowUp className="h-4 w-4" />
+            )}
           </Button>
         </div>
       ) : (
@@ -1477,10 +1488,10 @@ export interface ChatInputWithMentionsProps {
   onDraftChange?: (text: string) => void
   isRecording?: boolean
   recordingText?: string
-  recordingState?: 'connecting' | 'listening'
+  recordingState?: 'connecting' | 'listening' | 'stopping'
   audioLevelsRef?: React.MutableRefObject<number[]>
   onStartRecording?: () => void
-  onSubmitRecording?: () => void
+  onSubmitRecording?: () => void | Promise<void>
   onCancelRecording?: () => void
   voiceAvailable?: boolean
   ttsAvailable?: boolean
diff --git a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/components/chat-sidebar.tsx b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/components/chat-sidebar.tsx
index a463b080..a9d6d9f7 100644
--- a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/components/chat-sidebar.tsx
+++ b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/components/chat-sidebar.tsx
@@ -177,10 +177,10 @@ interface ChatSidebarProps {
   // Voice / TTS props
   isRecording?: boolean
   recordingText?: string
-  recordingState?: 'connecting' | 'listening'
+  recordingState?: 'connecting' | 'listening' | 'stopping'
   audioLevelsRef?: React.MutableRefObject<number[]>
   onStartRecording?: () => void
-  onSubmitRecording?: () => void
+  onSubmitRecording?: () => void | Promise<void>
   onCancelRecording?: () => void
   voiceAvailable?: boolean
   ttsAvailable?: boolean
diff --git a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/hooks/useMeetingTranscription.ts b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/hooks/useMeetingTranscription.ts
index 96f42412..75b4d91f 100644
--- a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/hooks/useMeetingTranscription.ts
+++ b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/hooks/useMeetingTranscription.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { useCallback, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import { toast } from 'sonner';
 import { buildDeepgramListenUrl } from '@/lib/deepgram-listen-url';
+import { finalizeDeepgramStream } from '@/lib/deepgram-finalize';
 import { useRowboatAccount } from '@/hooks/useRowboatAccount';
 
 export type MeetingTranscriptionState = 'idle' | 'connecting' | 'recording' | 'stopping';
@@ -196,6 +197,25 @@ export function useMeetingTranscription(onAutoStop?: () => void) {
         }, 1000);
     }, [writeTranscriptToFile]);
 
+    const stopInputCapture = useCallback(() => {
+        if (processorRef.current) {
+            processorRef.current.disconnect();
+            processorRef.current = null;
+        }
+        if (audioCtxRef.current) {
+            audioCtxRef.current.close();
+            audioCtxRef.current = null;
+        }
+        if (micStreamRef.current) {
+            micStreamRef.current.getTracks().forEach(t => t.stop());
+            micStreamRef.current = null;
+        }
+        if (systemStreamRef.current) {
+            systemStreamRef.current.getTracks().forEach(t => t.stop());
+            systemStreamRef.current = null;
+        }
+    }, []);
+
     const cleanup = useCallback(() => {
         if (writeTimerRef.current) {
             clearTimeout(writeTimerRef.current);
@@ -213,28 +233,13 @@ export function useMeetingTranscription(onAutoStop?: () => void) {
             clearInterval(trackPollingRef.current);
             trackPollingRef.current = null;
         }
-        if (processorRef.current) {
-            processorRef.current.disconnect();
-            processorRef.current = null;
-        }
-        if (audioCtxRef.current) {
-            audioCtxRef.current.close();
-            audioCtxRef.current = null;
-        }
-        if (micStreamRef.current) {
-            micStreamRef.current.getTracks().forEach(t => t.stop());
-            micStreamRef.current = null;
-        }
-        if (systemStreamRef.current) {
-            systemStreamRef.current.getTracks().forEach(t => t.stop());
-            systemStreamRef.current = null;
-        }
+        stopInputCapture();
         if (wsRef.current) {
             wsRef.current.onclose = null;
             wsRef.current.close();
             wsRef.current = null;
         }
-    }, []);
+    }, [stopInputCapture]);
 
     const start = useCallback(async (calendarEvent?: CalendarEventMeta): Promise<string | null> => {
         if (state !== 'idle') return null;
@@ -551,12 +556,14 @@ export function useMeetingTranscription(onAutoStop?: () => void) {
         if (state !== 'recording') return;
         setState('stopping');
 
+        stopInputCapture();
+        await finalizeDeepgramStream(wsRef.current, 2200);
         cleanup();
-        interimRef.current = new Map();
         await writeTranscriptToFile();
+        interimRef.current = new Map();
 
         setState('idle');
-    }, [state, cleanup, writeTranscriptToFile]);
+    }, [state, cleanup, stopInputCapture, writeTranscriptToFile]);
 
     return { state, start, stop };
 }
diff --git a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/hooks/useVoiceMode.ts b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/hooks/useVoiceMode.ts
index 8263e45d..a94a7eb8 100644
--- a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/hooks/useVoiceMode.ts
+++ b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/hooks/useVoiceMode.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 import { useCallback, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import { buildDeepgramListenUrl } from '@/lib/deepgram-listen-url';
+import { finalizeDeepgramStream } from '@/lib/deepgram-finalize';
 import { useRowboatAccount } from '@/hooks/useRowboatAccount';
 import posthog from 'posthog-js';
 import * as analytics from '@/lib/analytics';
 
-export type VoiceState = 'idle' | 'connecting' | 'listening';
+export type VoiceState = 'idle' | 'connecting' | 'listening' | 'submitting';
 
 const DEEPGRAM_PARAMS = new URLSearchParams({
     model: 'nova-3',
@@ -129,8 +130,45 @@ export function useVoiceMode() {
         };
     }, [refreshAuth]);
 
-    // Stop audio capture and close WS
-    const stopAudioCapture = useCallback(() => {
+    const waitForWsOpen = useCallback(async (timeoutMs = 1500): Promise<boolean> => {
+        const ws = wsRef.current;
+        if (!ws) return false;
+        if (ws.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) return true;
+        if (ws.readyState !== WebSocket.CONNECTING) return false;
+
+        return new Promise<boolean>((resolve) => {
+            let done = false;
+            let timeout: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>;
+            const finish = (ok: boolean) => {
+                if (done) return;
+                done = true;
+                clearTimeout(timeout);
+                ws.removeEventListener('open', onOpen);
+                ws.removeEventListener('error', onError);
+                ws.removeEventListener('close', onClose);
+                resolve(ok);
+            };
+            const onOpen = () => finish(true);
+            const onError = () => finish(false);
+            const onClose = () => finish(false);
+            timeout = setTimeout(() => finish(false), timeoutMs);
+            ws.addEventListener('open', onOpen);
+            ws.addEventListener('error', onError);
+            ws.addEventListener('close', onClose);
+        });
+    }, []);
+
+    const flushBufferedAudio = useCallback(() => {
+        const ws = wsRef.current;
+        if (!ws || ws.readyState !== WebSocket.OPEN) return;
+        const buffered = audioBufferRef.current;
+        audioBufferRef.current = [];
+        for (const chunk of buffered) {
+            ws.send(chunk);
+        }
+    }, []);
+
+    const stopInputCapture = useCallback(() => {
         if (processorRef.current) {
             processorRef.current.disconnect();
             processorRef.current = null;
@@ -143,6 +181,11 @@ export function useVoiceMode() {
             mediaStreamRef.current.getTracks().forEach(t => t.stop());
             mediaStreamRef.current = null;
         }
+    }, []);
+
+    // Stop audio capture and close WS
+    const stopAudioCapture = useCallback(() => {
+        stopInputCapture();
         if (wsRef.current) {
             wsRef.current.onclose = null;
             wsRef.current.close();
@@ -155,7 +198,7 @@ export function useVoiceMode() {
         transcriptBufferRef.current = '';
         interimRef.current = '';
         setState('idle');
-    }, []);
+    }, [stopInputCapture]);
 
     const start = useCallback(async () => {
         if (state !== 'idle') return;
@@ -250,15 +293,25 @@ export function useVoiceMode() {
     }, [state, connectWs, stopAudioCapture]);
 
     /** Stop recording and return the full transcript (finalized + any current interim) */
-    const submit = useCallback((): string => {
+    const submit = useCallback(async (): Promise<string> => {
+        setState('submitting');
+        stopInputCapture();
+
+        if (wsRef.current?.readyState === WebSocket.CONNECTING) {
+            await waitForWsOpen();
+        }
+        flushBufferedAudio();
+        await finalizeDeepgramStream(wsRef.current);
+
         let text = transcriptBufferRef.current;
         if (interimRef.current) {
             text += (text ? ' ' : '') + interimRef.current;
         }
         text = text.trim();
+
         stopAudioCapture();
         return text;
-    }, [stopAudioCapture]);
+    }, [flushBufferedAudio, stopAudioCapture, stopInputCapture, waitForWsOpen]);
 
     /** Cancel recording without returning transcript */
     const cancel = useCallback(() => {
diff --git a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/lib/deepgram-finalize.ts b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/lib/deepgram-finalize.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..91c3e37f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/lib/deepgram-finalize.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+export async function finalizeDeepgramStream(ws: WebSocket | null, timeoutMs = 1800): Promise<void> {
+  if (!ws || ws.readyState !== WebSocket.OPEN) return;
+
+  await new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+    let done = false;
+    let timeout: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>;
+    const finish = () => {
+      if (done) return;
+      done = true;
+      clearTimeout(timeout);
+      ws.removeEventListener('message', onMessage);
+      resolve();
+    };
+    timeout = setTimeout(finish, timeoutMs);
+    const onMessage = (event: MessageEvent) => {
+      try {
+        const data = JSON.parse(event.data);
+        if (data?.is_final || data?.speech_final || data?.type === 'UtteranceEnd') {
+          finish();
+        }
+      } catch {
+        // Ignore non-JSON control frames.
+      }
+    };
+
+    ws.addEventListener('message', onMessage);
+    try {
+      ws.send(JSON.stringify({ type: 'Finalize' }));
+    } catch {
+      finish();
+    }
+  });
+}
diff --git a/apps/x/packages/core/src/knowledge/sync_gmail.ts b/apps/x/packages/core/src/knowledge/sync_gmail.ts
index e4d478e9..6b4018ec 100644
--- a/apps/x/packages/core/src/knowledge/sync_gmail.ts
+++ b/apps/x/packages/core/src/knowledge/sync_gmail.ts
@@ -248,6 +248,7 @@ function notifyNewEmails(threads: SyncedThread[]): void {
     const now = Date.now();
     for (const { threadId } of threads) {
         const snapshot = readCachedSnapshot(threadId)?.snapshot;
+        if (snapshot?.importance !== 'important') continue;
         if (snapshot && isEmailTooOldToNotify(snapshotDateMs(snapshot), now)) continue;
         const subject = snapshot?.subject?.trim() || '(no subject)';
         const from = snapshot?.from?.trim();