diff --git a/barnard.go b/barnard.go
index f794710..43688db 100644
--- a/barnard.go
+++ b/barnard.go
@@ -97,6 +97,14 @@ type Barnard struct {
 // reconnect replaces them. It is intentionally idempotent for repeated
 // disconnect notifications.
 func (b *Barnard) cleanupConnectionAudio() {
+	// Connection audio operations that use both resources take FileStreamMutex
+	// before connectionMutex, so cleanup follows that order as well.
+	b.FileStreamMutex.Lock()
+	if b.FileStream != nil {
+		_ = b.FileStream.Stop()
+		b.FileStream = nil
+	}
+	b.FileStreamMutex.Unlock()
 	b.connectionMutex.Lock()
 	if b.Stream != nil {
 		stream := b.Stream
@@ -104,12 +112,6 @@ func (b *Barnard) cleanupConnectionAudio() {
 		stream.Destroy()
 	}
 	b.connectionMutex.Unlock()
-	b.FileStreamMutex.Lock()
-	if b.FileStream != nil {
-		_ = b.FileStream.Stop()
-		b.FileStream = nil
-	}
-	b.FileStreamMutex.Unlock()
 }
 
 func (b *Barnard) cleanupToneTestAudio() {
@@ -266,9 +268,13 @@ func (b *Barnard) TreeItemKeyPress(ui *uiterm.Ui, tree *uiterm.Tree, item uiterm
 			for _, u := range users {
 				// Explicitly set user mute state to match channel state
 				if channelWillBeMuted && !u.LocallyMuted() {
-					b.UserConfig.ToggleMute(u)
+					if err := b.UserConfig.ToggleMute(u); err != nil {
+						b.AddOutputLine("Mute: could not save setting: " + err.Error())
+					}
 				} else if !channelWillBeMuted && u.LocallyMuted() {
-					b.UserConfig.ToggleMute(u)
+					if err := b.UserConfig.ToggleMute(u); err != nil {
+						b.AddOutputLine("Mute: could not save setting: " + err.Error())
+					}
 				}
 
 				b.updateUserGain(u)
@@ -297,7 +303,9 @@ func (b *Barnard) TreeItemKeyPress(ui *uiterm.Ui, tree *uiterm.Tree, item uiterm
 	if treeItem.User != nil {
 		if key == *b.Hotkeys.MuteToggle {
 			// Toggle mute for single user
-			b.UserConfig.ToggleMute(treeItem.User)
+			if err := b.UserConfig.ToggleMute(treeItem.User); err != nil {
+				b.AddOutputLine("Mute: could not save setting: " + err.Error())
+			}
 			b.updateUserGain(treeItem.User)
 			b.RebuildUserChannelTreePreservingSelection()
 			b.Ui.Refresh()
diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index 4b7696a..9c3a6ec 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ func (b *Barnard) exitWithError(err error) {
 
 func (b *Barnard) connect(reconnect bool) bool {
 	var err error
-	_, err = gumble.DialWithDialer(new(net.Dialer), b.Config, &b.TLSConfig)
+	_, err = gumble.DialWithDialer(&net.Dialer{Timeout: 15 * time.Second}, b.Config, &b.TLSConfig)
 	if err != nil {
 		if reconnect {
 			b.Log(err.Error())
@@ -295,11 +295,11 @@ func (b *Barnard) OnUserChange(e *gumble.UserChangeEvent) {
 			if b.isChannelMuted(e.User.Channel.ID) {
 				// Only mute if not already muted
 				if !e.User.LocallyMuted() {
-					b.UserConfig.ToggleMute(e.User)
-				}
-				if b.Stream != nil {
-					b.Stream.UpdateUserGain(e.User)
+					if err := b.UserConfig.ToggleMute(e.User); err != nil {
+						b.AddOutputLine("Mute: could not save setting: " + err.Error())
+					}
 				}
+				b.updateUserGain(e.User)
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/gumble/gumble/client.go b/gumble/gumble/client.go
index 464c2ca..b3064ed 100644
--- a/gumble/gumble/client.go
+++ b/gumble/gumble/client.go
@@ -116,10 +116,28 @@ func DialWithDialer(dialer *net.Dialer, config *Config, tlsConfig *tls.Config) (
 	}
 	start := time.Now()
 
-	conn, err := tls.DialWithDialer(dialer, "tcp", config.Address, tlsConfig)
+	rawConn, err := dialer.Dial("tcp", config.Address)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	conn := tls.Client(rawConn, tlsConfig)
+	// net.Dialer.Timeout covers only the TCP dial. Apply the same bounded
+	// deadline to TLS negotiation so a peer that accepts but never responds
+	// cannot block startup indefinitely.
+	if dialer.Timeout > 0 {
+		if err := conn.SetDeadline(start.Add(dialer.Timeout)); err != nil {
+			rawConn.Close()
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	}
+	if err := conn.Handshake(); err != nil {
+		rawConn.Close()
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	if err := conn.SetDeadline(time.Time{}); err != nil {
+		rawConn.Close()
+		return nil, err
+	}
 
 	client := &Client{
 		Conn:           NewConn(conn),
diff --git a/recording_control.go b/recording_control.go
index 6e20f16..614effc 100644
--- a/recording_control.go
+++ b/recording_control.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"git.stormux.org/storm/barnard/gumble/gumble"
+	"git.stormux.org/storm/barnard/gumble/gumbleopenal"
 	"git.stormux.org/storm/barnard/recording"
 	"git.stormux.org/storm/barnard/uiterm"
 )
@@ -179,10 +180,10 @@ func (b *Barnard) finishRecordingStart() {
 	}
 	b.Recorder = recorder
 	b.recordingStarting = false
+	// Recorder operations take RecordingMutex before connectionMutex. This
+	// prevents disconnect cleanup from destroying a stream during attachment.
+	b.withStream(func(stream *gumbleopenal.Stream) { stream.SetRecorder(recorder) })
 	b.RecordingMutex.Unlock()
-	if b.Stream != nil {
-		b.Stream.SetRecorder(recorder)
-	}
 	b.AddOutputLine(fmt.Sprintf("Recording started: %s", recorder.Path()))
 	b.Notify("recordstart", "me", recorder.Path())
 	b.renderGeneralStatus()
@@ -205,9 +206,7 @@ func (b *Barnard) detachRecorder() (*recording.Recorder, string, bool) {
 	}
 	b.Recorder = nil
 	b.recordingStarting = false
-	if b.Stream != nil {
-		b.Stream.SetRecorder(nil)
-	}
+	b.withStream(func(stream *gumbleopenal.Stream) { stream.SetRecorder(nil) })
 	return recorder, path, wasPending
 }
 
diff --git a/ui.go b/ui.go
index be7cbdb..9130ac1 100644
--- a/ui.go
+++ b/ui.go
@@ -129,7 +129,9 @@ func (b *Barnard) OnTimestampToggle(ui *uiterm.Ui, key uiterm.Key) {
 
 func (b *Barnard) OnNoiseSuppressionToggle(ui *uiterm.Ui, key uiterm.Key) {
 	enabled := !b.UserConfig.GetNoiseSuppressionEnabled()
-	b.UserConfig.SetNoiseSuppressionEnabled(enabled)
+	if err := b.UserConfig.SetNoiseSuppressionEnabled(enabled); err != nil {
+		b.AddOutputLine("Noise suppression: could not save setting: " + err.Error())
+	}
 	b.NoiseSuppressor.SetEnabled(enabled)
 
 	if enabled {
@@ -198,7 +200,9 @@ func (b *Barnard) CommandMicDown(ui *uiterm.Ui, cmd string) {
 
 func (b *Barnard) CommandNoiseSuppressionToggle(ui *uiterm.Ui, cmd string) {
 	enabled := !b.UserConfig.GetNoiseSuppressionEnabled()
-	b.UserConfig.SetNoiseSuppressionEnabled(enabled)
+	if err := b.UserConfig.SetNoiseSuppressionEnabled(enabled); err != nil {
+		b.AddOutputLine("Noise suppression: could not save setting: " + err.Error())
+	}
 	b.NoiseSuppressor.SetEnabled(enabled)
 
 	if enabled {
@@ -266,11 +270,18 @@ func (b *Barnard) CommandPlayFile(ui *uiterm.Ui, cmd string) {
 	// Enable stereo encoder for file playback
 	b.Client.EnableStereoEncoder()
 
-	// Auto-start transmission if not already transmitting
-	if !b.isTransmitting() && b.Stream != nil {
-		err := b.Stream.StartSource(b.UserConfig.GetInputDevice())
-		if err != nil {
-			b.AddOutputLine(fmt.Sprintf("Error starting transmission: %s", err.Error()))
+	// Auto-start transmission if not already transmitting. FileStreamMutex is
+	// held here, before withStream's connection mutex, matching cleanup.
+	if !b.isTransmitting() {
+		var startErr error
+		started := b.withStream(func(stream *gumbleopenal.Stream) {
+			startErr = stream.StartSource(b.UserConfig.GetInputDevice())
+		})
+		if !started {
+			startErr = errors.New("audio unavailable while reconnecting")
+		}
+		if startErr != nil {
+			b.AddOutputLine(fmt.Sprintf("Error starting transmission: %s", startErr))
 			b.FileStream.Stop()
 			b.Client.DisableStereoEncoder()
 			return
@@ -327,8 +338,8 @@ func (b *Barnard) setTransmit(ui *uiterm.Ui, val int) {
 				close(b.toneTestStop)
 				b.toneTestStop = nil
 			}
-		} else if b.Stream != nil {
-			b.Stream.StopSource()
+		} else {
+			b.withStream(func(stream *gumbleopenal.Stream) { _ = stream.StopSource() })
 		}
 	} else if !b.isConnected() {
 		b.Notify("error", "me", "no tx while disconnected")
@@ -347,20 +358,26 @@ func (b *Barnard) setTransmit(ui *uiterm.Ui, val int) {
 			b.Notify("micup", "me", "")
 			b.UpdateGeneralStatus(" Tx  ", true)
 		} else {
-			err := b.Stream.StartSource(b.UserConfig.GetInputDevice())
-			if err != nil {
-				b.setTransmitting(false)
-				if fatalAudioOpenError(err) {
-					// A missing capture device cannot recover through normal
-					// transmission controls; exit so option 1 reports it on stderr.
-					b.exitWithError(fmt.Errorf("audio device initialization failed: %w", err))
+			started := b.withStream(func(stream *gumbleopenal.Stream) {
+				err := stream.StartSource(b.UserConfig.GetInputDevice())
+				if err != nil {
+					b.setTransmitting(false)
+					if fatalAudioOpenError(err) {
+						// A missing capture device cannot recover through normal
+						// transmission controls; exit so option 1 reports it on stderr.
+						b.exitWithError(fmt.Errorf("audio device initialization failed: %w", err))
+						return
+					}
+					b.Notify("error", "me", err.Error())
+					b.UpdateGeneralStatus(err.Error(), true)
 					return
 				}
-				b.Notify("error", "me", err.Error())
-				b.UpdateGeneralStatus(err.Error(), true)
-			} else {
 				b.Notify("micup", "me", "")
 				b.UpdateGeneralStatus(" Tx  ", true)
+			})
+			if !started {
+				b.setTransmitting(false)
+				b.UpdateGeneralStatus("audio unavailable while reconnecting", true)
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -371,25 +388,29 @@ func fatalAudioOpenError(err error) bool {
 }
 
 func (b *Barnard) OnMicVolumeDown(ui *uiterm.Ui, key uiterm.Key) {
-	if b.ToneTest || b.Stream == nil {
+	if b.ToneTest {
 		return
 	}
-	b.Stream.SetMicVolume(-0.1, true)
-	b.UserConfig.SetMicVolume(b.Stream.GetMicVolume())
-	if err := b.UserConfig.SaveConfig(); err != nil {
-		b.AddOutputLine("Microphone: could not save volume: " + err.Error())
-	}
+	b.withStream(func(stream *gumbleopenal.Stream) {
+		stream.SetMicVolume(-0.1, true)
+		b.UserConfig.SetMicVolume(stream.GetMicVolume())
+		if err := b.UserConfig.SaveConfig(); err != nil {
+			b.AddOutputLine("Microphone: could not save volume: " + err.Error())
+		}
+	})
 }
 
 func (b *Barnard) OnMicVolumeUp(ui *uiterm.Ui, key uiterm.Key) {
-	if b.ToneTest || b.Stream == nil {
+	if b.ToneTest {
 		return
 	}
-	b.Stream.SetMicVolume(0.1, true)
-	b.UserConfig.SetMicVolume(b.Stream.GetMicVolume())
-	if err := b.UserConfig.SaveConfig(); err != nil {
-		b.AddOutputLine("Microphone: could not save volume: " + err.Error())
-	}
+	b.withStream(func(stream *gumbleopenal.Stream) {
+		stream.SetMicVolume(0.1, true)
+		b.UserConfig.SetMicVolume(stream.GetMicVolume())
+		if err := b.UserConfig.SaveConfig(); err != nil {
+			b.AddOutputLine("Microphone: could not save volume: " + err.Error())
+		}
+	})
 }
 
 func (b *Barnard) OnQuitPress(ui *uiterm.Ui, key uiterm.Key) {
diff --git a/ui_tree.go b/ui_tree.go
index af824fc..dea6f1f 100644
--- a/ui_tree.go
+++ b/ui_tree.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package main
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"git.stormux.org/storm/barnard/gumble/gumble"
+	"git.stormux.org/storm/barnard/gumble/gumbleopenal"
 	"git.stormux.org/storm/barnard/uiterm"
 	"sort"
 )
@@ -37,44 +38,46 @@ func (ti TreeItem) TreeItemStyle(fg, bg uiterm.Attribute, active bool) (uiterm.A
 }
 
 func (b *Barnard) changeVolume(users []*gumble.User, change float32) {
-	for _, u := range users {
-		if b.Stream == nil {
-			continue
+	b.withStream(func(stream *gumbleopenal.Stream) {
+		for _, u := range users {
+			var boost uint16
+			var ng float32
+			curboost := float32((u.Boost() - 1)) / 10
+			ng = u.Volume() + curboost + change
+			boost = uint16(1)
+			if ng > 1.0 {
+				perc := uint16((ng * 10)) - 10
+				perc += 1
+				boost = perc
+				ng = 1.0
+			}
+			if ng < 0 {
+				ng = 0.0
+			}
+			u.SetBoost(boost)
+			u.SetVolume(ng)
+			stream.UpdateUserGain(u)
+			b.UserConfig.UpdateConfig(u)
 		}
-		var boost uint16
-		var ng float32
-		curboost := float32((u.Boost() - 1)) / 10
-		ng = u.Volume() + curboost + change
-		boost = uint16(1)
-		if ng > 1.0 {
-			perc := uint16((ng * 10)) - 10
-			perc += 1
-			boost = perc
-			ng = 1.0
+		if err := b.UserConfig.SaveConfig(); err != nil {
+			b.AddOutputLine("Volume: could not save setting: " + err.Error())
 		}
-		if ng < 0 {
-			ng = 0.0
-		}
-		u.SetBoost(boost)
-		u.SetVolume(ng)
-		b.Stream.UpdateUserGain(u)
-		b.UserConfig.UpdateConfig(u)
-	}
-	b.UserConfig.SaveConfig()
+	})
 }
 
 func (b *Barnard) resetVolume(users []*gumble.User) {
-	for _, u := range users {
-		if b.Stream == nil {
-			continue
+	b.withStream(func(stream *gumbleopenal.Stream) {
+		for _, u := range users {
+			// Reset to original volume (1.0) and boost (1)
+			u.SetBoost(uint16(1))
+			u.SetVolume(1.0)
+			stream.UpdateUserGain(u)
+			b.UserConfig.UpdateConfig(u)
 		}
-		// Reset to original volume (1.0) and boost (1)
-		u.SetBoost(uint16(1))
-		u.SetVolume(1.0)
-		b.Stream.UpdateUserGain(u)
-		b.UserConfig.UpdateConfig(u)
-	}
-	b.UserConfig.SaveConfig()
+		if err := b.UserConfig.SaveConfig(); err != nil {
+			b.AddOutputLine("Volume: could not save setting: " + err.Error())
+		}
+	})
 }
 
 func makeUsersArray(users gumble.Users) []*gumble.User {