diff --git a/WebApp/src/lib/app/controller-media.js b/WebApp/src/lib/app/controller-media.js
index af4695f..6532d81 100644
--- a/WebApp/src/lib/app/controller-media.js
+++ b/WebApp/src/lib/app/controller-media.js
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ export const createControllerMediaModule = ({
 	let cameraVideoElement = null;
 
 	const sleep = (ms) => new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, ms));
+	const uploadFailureHint =
+		'Check MinIO bucket CORS and the public upload host/certificate if browser uploads are failing.';
 
 	const updateMotionDetectionRuntime = (updates) => {
 		patchAppState((state) => ({
@@ -148,6 +150,62 @@ export const createControllerMediaModule = ({
 		return parts.join(' · ');
 	};
 
+	const uploadRecordingBlobToStorage = async ({ uploadMeta, blob, streamSessionId = null, eventId = null }) => {
+		const contentType = blob.type || 'video/webm';
+		const recordingId = uploadMeta?.video?.id ?? null;
+
+		try {
+			const uploadResponse = await fetch(uploadMeta.uploadUrl, {
+				method: 'PUT',
+				headers: { 'Content-Type': contentType },
+				body: blob
+			});
+
+			if (!uploadResponse.ok) {
+				throw new Error(`Upload failed: ${await summarizeFetchFailure(uploadResponse)}`);
+			}
+
+			return {
+				mode: 'direct',
+				status: uploadResponse.status
+			};
+		} catch (directError) {
+			const directErrorMessage =
+				directError instanceof Error ? directError.message : String(directError);
+
+			console.warn('[recording.upload] direct upload failed, retrying via backend proxy', {
+				recordingId,
+				streamSessionId,
+				eventId,
+				objectKey: uploadMeta?.objectKey,
+				error: directErrorMessage
+			});
+			addActivity(
+				'Recording',
+				`Direct upload failed for ${uploadMeta?.objectKey ?? 'recording'}, retrying via backend proxy`
+			);
+
+			if (!recordingId) {
+				throw directError;
+			}
+
+			try {
+				const proxyUpload = await api.uploads.uploadRecordingBlob(recordingId, blob, contentType);
+				return {
+					mode: 'proxy',
+					status: 201,
+					proxyUpload
+				};
+			} catch (proxyError) {
+				const proxyErrorMessage =
+					proxyError instanceof Error ? proxyError.message : String(proxyError);
+				throw new Error(
+					`Direct upload failed (${directErrorMessage}); backend proxy upload failed (${proxyErrorMessage})`
+				);
+			}
+		}
+	};
+
 	const refreshCameraInputDevices = async () => {
 		if (!navigator.mediaDevices?.enumerateDevices) {
 			setAppState({ cameraInputDevices: [], selectedCameraInputId: '' });
@@ -566,23 +624,19 @@ export const createControllerMediaModule = ({
 						'Recording',
 						`Upload URL ready for ${uploadMeta.objectKey} via ${uploadOrigin}`
 					);
-
-					const uploadResponse = await fetch(uploadMeta.uploadUrl, {
-						method: 'PUT',
-						headers: { 'Content-Type': compressedBlob.type || 'video/webm' },
-						body: compressedBlob
+					const uploadResult = await uploadRecordingBlobToStorage({
+						uploadMeta,
+						blob: compressedBlob,
+						streamSessionId
 					});
 
-					if (!uploadResponse.ok) {
-						throw new Error(`Upload failed: ${await summarizeFetchFailure(uploadResponse)}`);
-					}
-
 					console.info('[recording.upload] object uploaded', {
 						recordingId: recording.id,
 						streamSessionId,
 						objectKey: uploadMeta.objectKey,
 						bucket: uploadMeta.bucket,
-						status: uploadResponse.status,
+						mode: uploadResult.mode,
+						status: uploadResult.status,
 						sizeBytes: compressedBlob.size
 					});
 					addActivity('Recording', `Upload completed for ${uploadMeta.objectKey}`);
@@ -604,7 +658,7 @@ export const createControllerMediaModule = ({
 					addActivity('Recording', 'Recording uploaded and finalized');
 					return true;
 				} catch (error) {
-					console.error('[recording.upload] stream upload failed, falling back to simulated key', {
+					console.error('[recording.upload] stream upload failed before object reached storage', {
 						recordingId: recording.id,
 						streamSessionId,
 						error: error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)
@@ -613,14 +667,9 @@ export const createControllerMediaModule = ({
 						'Recording',
 						`Upload failed for stream ${streamSessionId}: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'unknown error'}`
 					);
-					const fallbackObjectKey = `sim/${streamSessionId}/${Date.now()}.webm`;
-					await api.events.finalizeRecording(recording.id, {
-						objectKey: fallbackObjectKey,
-						durationSeconds: captureResult?.durationSeconds ?? 6,
-						sizeBytes: captureResult?.blob?.size ?? 5000000
-					});
-					addActivity('Recording', 'Upload failed; finalized with simulator fallback');
-					return true;
+					addActivity('Recording', uploadFailureHint);
+					pushToast('Recording upload failed before reaching storage.', 'error');
+					return false;
 				}
 			}
 
@@ -672,23 +721,19 @@ export const createControllerMediaModule = ({
 				blobType: compressedBlob.type || 'video/webm'
 			});
 			addActivity('Recording', `Standalone upload URL ready via ${uploadOrigin}`);
-
-			const uploadResponse = await fetch(uploadMeta.uploadUrl, {
-				method: 'PUT',
-				headers: { 'Content-Type': compressedBlob.type || 'video/webm' },
-				body: compressedBlob
+			const uploadResult = await uploadRecordingBlobToStorage({
+				uploadMeta,
+				blob: compressedBlob,
+				eventId: lastMotionEventId
 			});
 
-			if (!uploadResponse.ok) {
-				throw new Error(`Upload failed: ${await summarizeFetchFailure(uploadResponse)}`);
-			}
-
 			console.info('[recording.upload] standalone object uploaded', {
 				eventId: lastMotionEventId,
 				recordingId: uploadMeta.video?.id,
 				objectKey: uploadMeta.objectKey,
 				bucket: uploadMeta.bucket,
-				status: uploadResponse.status,
+				mode: uploadResult.mode,
+				status: uploadResult.status,
 				sizeBytes: compressedBlob.size
 			});
 			addActivity('Recording', `Standalone upload completed for ${uploadMeta.objectKey}`);
@@ -718,6 +763,8 @@ export const createControllerMediaModule = ({
 				'Recording',
 				`Standalone motion upload failed: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'unknown error'}`
 			);
+			addActivity('Recording', uploadFailureHint);
+			pushToast('Motion clip upload failed before reaching storage.', 'error');
 			return false;
 		}
 	};