diff --git a/src/screen-name/view/VideoPlayerNode.ts b/src/screen-name/view/VideoPlayerNode.ts
index b4ffa34..8987af1 100644
--- a/src/screen-name/view/VideoPlayerNode.ts
+++ b/src/screen-name/view/VideoPlayerNode.ts
@@ -406,6 +406,10 @@ export class VideoPlayerNode extends Node {
 
   /** Reset the video source selection to the initial state. */
   public reset(): void {
+    if (this.currentBlobUrl) {
+      URL.revokeObjectURL(this.currentBlobUrl);
+      this.currentBlobUrl = null;
+    }
     this.videoSourceControlNode.reset();
     this.videoElement.removeAttribute("src");
     this.videoElement.load();
diff --git a/src/screen-name/view/VideoSourceControlNode.ts b/src/screen-name/view/VideoSourceControlNode.ts
index f705a93..960904d 100644
--- a/src/screen-name/view/VideoSourceControlNode.ts
+++ b/src/screen-name/view/VideoSourceControlNode.ts
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ export class VideoSourceControlNode extends HBox {
             const fps = frameCount > 0 && duration > 0 ? frameCount / duration : DEFAULT_FRAME_RATE;
             storeAndLoad(duration, fps, frameCount > 0 ? frameCount : undefined);
           })
-          .catch(() => storeAndLoad(0));
+          .catch(() => storeAndLoad(0)); // Frame counting failed; load with unknown duration (0)
       } else {
         // Read duration via a temporary video element, then store and load
         const tempUrl = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
@@ -506,11 +506,7 @@ export class VideoSourceControlNode extends HBox {
       listener: async () => {
         isPlayingProperty.value = false;
         this.webcamPanel.visible = true;
-        try {
-          await this.webcamPanel.open();
-        } catch {
-          this.webcamPanel.visible = false;
-        }
+        await this.webcamPanel.open();
       },
     });
 
diff --git a/src/screen-name/view/WebcamPanel.ts b/src/screen-name/view/WebcamPanel.ts
index 8b80916..87a5357 100644
--- a/src/screen-name/view/WebcamPanel.ts
+++ b/src/screen-name/view/WebcamPanel.ts
@@ -288,16 +288,20 @@ export class WebcamPanel extends Node {
     this.setStatus(this.webcamStrings.requestingAccessStringProperty.value);
     this._startButton.enabled = false;
 
-    const granted = await this.recorder.requestPermission();
-    if (!granted) {
+    try {
+      const granted = await this.recorder.requestPermission();
+      if (!granted) {
+        this.setStatus(this.webcamStrings.accessDeniedStringProperty.value);
+        return;
+      }
+
+      await this.populateCameras();
+      await this.recorder.startPreview(this.previewElement, this.cameraSelect.value || undefined);
+      this.clearStatus();
+      this._startButton.enabled = true;
+    } catch {
       this.setStatus(this.webcamStrings.accessDeniedStringProperty.value);
-      return;
     }
-
-    await this.populateCameras();
-    await this.recorder.startPreview(this.previewElement, this.cameraSelect.value || undefined);
-    this.clearStatus();
-    this._startButton.enabled = true;
   }
 
   // Reset visibility to preview phase without touching the camera stream.
@@ -425,7 +429,7 @@ export class WebcamPanel extends Node {
         blob = fixed.blob;
         duration = fixed.duration;
       } catch {
-        // Fall back to the raw blob with unknown duration
+        this.clearStatus(); // Metadata fix failed; continue with raw blob and unknown duration
       }
     }