diff --git a/src/App.tsx b/src/App.tsx
index 2a1be4e..0db5465 100644
--- a/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/App.tsx
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ function App() {
 
   const scribearStatus = useSelector((state: RootState) => state.APIStatusReducer?.scribearServerStatus as number);
   const scribearMessage = useSelector((state: RootState) => (state.APIStatusReducer as any)?.scribearServerMessage as string | undefined);
+  const listening = useSelector((state: RootState) => (state as any).ControlReducer?.listening === true);
+  const micNoAudio = useSelector((state: RootState) => (state as any).ControlReducer?.micNoAudio === true);
 
   const [snackbarOpen, setSnackbarOpen] = useState(false);
   const [snackbarMsg, setSnackbarMsg] = useState('');
@@ -39,6 +41,15 @@ function App() {
     }
   }, [scribearStatus]);
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    // Show a snackbar if we expect mic audio but none is coming through
+    if (listening && micNoAudio) {
+      setSnackbarMsg('No microphone audio detected. Please check permissions, input device, or mic level.');
+      setSnackbarSeverity('warning');
+      setSnackbarOpen(true);
+    }
+  }, [listening, micNoAudio]);
+
   const handleClose = (_event?: React.SyntheticEvent | Event, reason?: string) => {
     if (reason === 'clickaway') return;
     setSnackbarOpen(false);
diff --git a/src/components/api/scribearServer/scribearRecognizer.tsx b/src/components/api/scribearServer/scribearRecognizer.tsx
index 931293c..a3f65b1 100644
--- a/src/components/api/scribearServer/scribearRecognizer.tsx
+++ b/src/components/api/scribearServer/scribearRecognizer.tsx
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ export class ScribearRecognizer implements Recognizer {
     private language: string
     private recorder?: RecordRTC;
     private kSampleRate = 16000;
+    private lastAudioTimestamp: number | null = null;
+    private inactivityInterval: any = null;
 
     urlParams = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
     mode = this.urlParams.get('mode');
@@ -50,7 +52,16 @@ export class ScribearRecognizer implements Recognizer {
     }
 
     private async _startRecording() {
-        let mic_stream = await navigator.mediaDevices.getUserMedia({ audio: true, video: false });
+        let mic_stream: MediaStream;
+        try {
+            mic_stream = await navigator.mediaDevices.getUserMedia({ audio: true, video: false });
+        } catch (e) {
+            console.error('Failed to access microphone', e);
+            try { store.dispatch({ type: 'SET_MIC_INACTIVITY', payload: true }); } catch (_) {}
+            // Surface an API status error to prompt UI; recognizer encapsulates flag setting here
+            try { store.dispatch({ type: 'CHANGE_API_STATUS', payload: { scribearServerStatus: STATUS.ERROR, scribearServerMessage: 'Microphone permission denied or unavailable' } }); } catch (_) {}
+            throw e;
+        }
 
         this.recorder = new RecordRTC(mic_stream, {
             type: 'audio',
@@ -58,6 +69,18 @@ export class ScribearRecognizer implements Recognizer {
             desiredSampRate: this.kSampleRate,
             timeSlice: 50,
             ondataavailable: async (blob: Blob) => {
+                // update last audio timestamp and mark that we've received at least one audio chunk
+                this.lastAudioTimestamp = Date.now();
+                try { (window as any).__lastAudioTimestamp = this.lastAudioTimestamp; } catch (e) {}
+                try { (window as any).__hasReceivedAudio = true; if ((window as any).__initialAudioTimer) { clearTimeout((window as any).__initialAudioTimer); (window as any).__initialAudioTimer = null; } } catch (e) {}
+                try {
+                    const controlState = (store.getState() as any).ControlReducer;
+                    if (controlState?.micNoAudio === true) {
+                        store.dispatch({ type: 'SET_MIC_INACTIVITY', payload: false });
+                    }
+                } catch (e) {
+                    console.warn('Failed to clear mic inactivity', e);
+                }
                 this.socket?.send(blob);
             },
             recorderType: StereoAudioRecorder,
@@ -65,6 +88,33 @@ export class ScribearRecognizer implements Recognizer {
         });
 
         this.recorder.startRecording();
+
+        // start inactivity monitor
+        const thresholdMs = 3000;
+        if (this.inactivityInterval == null) {
+            this.inactivityInterval = setInterval(() => {
+                try {
+                    const state: any = store.getState();
+                    const listening = state.ControlReducer?.listening === true;
+                    const micNoAudio = state.ControlReducer?.micNoAudio === true;
+                    if (listening) {
+                        if (!this.lastAudioTimestamp || (Date.now() - this.lastAudioTimestamp > thresholdMs)) {
+                            if (!micNoAudio) {
+                                store.dispatch({ type: 'SET_MIC_INACTIVITY', payload: true });
+                            }
+                        } else {
+                            if (micNoAudio) {
+                                store.dispatch({ type: 'SET_MIC_INACTIVITY', payload: false });
+                            }
+                        }
+                    } else {
+                        if (micNoAudio) store.dispatch({ type: 'SET_MIC_INACTIVITY', payload: false });
+                    }
+                } catch (e) {
+                    console.warn('Error in mic inactivity interval', e);
+                }
+            }, 1000);
+        }
     }
 
     /**
@@ -179,6 +229,15 @@ export class ScribearRecognizer implements Recognizer {
         if (!this.socket) { return; }
         this.socket.close();
         this.socket = null;
+        if (this.inactivityInterval) {
+            clearInterval(this.inactivityInterval);
+            this.inactivityInterval = null;
+        }
+        try {
+            store.dispatch({ type: 'SET_MIC_INACTIVITY', payload: false });
+        } catch (e) {
+            console.warn('Failed to clear mic inactivity on stop', e);
+        }
     }
 
     /**