diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 6029a1472..038c413cd 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -5120,7 +5120,7 @@ checksum = "c08d65885ee38876c4f86fa503fb49d7b507c2b62552df7c70b2fce627e06381"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "openhuman"
-version = "0.52.0"
+version = "0.52.2"
 dependencies = [
  "aes-gcm",
  "anyhow",
diff --git a/app/src/overlay/OverlayApp.tsx b/app/src/overlay/OverlayApp.tsx
index 327c66748..75b31d3c5 100644
--- a/app/src/overlay/OverlayApp.tsx
+++ b/app/src/overlay/OverlayApp.tsx
@@ -405,7 +405,13 @@ export default function OverlayApp() {
         <div className="relative">
           <button
             type="button"
-            aria-label="Overlay orb"
+            aria-label={
+              mode === 'stt'
+                ? 'Voice input active'
+                : mode === 'attention'
+                  ? 'Attention message'
+                  : 'OpenHuman overlay'
+            }
             onClick={goIdle}
             onMouseEnter={() => {
               setIsHovered(true);
diff --git a/app/src/pages/Conversations.tsx b/app/src/pages/Conversations.tsx
index 3d48f9bac..456fa5b55 100644
--- a/app/src/pages/Conversations.tsx
+++ b/app/src/pages/Conversations.tsx
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import {
 import type { ThreadMessage } from '../types/thread';
 import {
   isTauri,
+  notifyOverlaySttState,
   openhumanAutocompleteAccept,
   openhumanAutocompleteCurrent,
   openhumanLocalAiAnalyzeSentiment,
@@ -762,6 +763,7 @@ const Conversations = () => {
     const chunks = audioChunksRef.current;
     audioChunksRef.current = [];
     if (chunks.length === 0) {
+      notifyOverlaySttState('cancelled');
       setVoiceStatus('No audio captured. Try again.');
       return;
     }
@@ -784,13 +786,16 @@ const Conversations = () => {
       const transcript = result.text.trim();
 
       if (!transcript) {
+        notifyOverlaySttState('cancelled');
         setVoiceStatus('No speech detected. Try again.');
         return;
       }
 
+      notifyOverlaySttState('transcription_done', transcript);
       setVoiceStatus(`Heard: ${transcript}`);
       await handleSendMessage(transcript);
     } catch (err) {
+      notifyOverlaySttState('error');
       const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
       setSendError(chatSendError('voice_transcription', `Voice transcription failed: ${message}`));
       setVoiceStatus(null);
@@ -839,6 +844,7 @@ const Conversations = () => {
         }
       };
       recorder.onerror = () => {
+        notifyOverlaySttState('error');
         setIsRecording(false);
         mediaStreamRef.current?.getTracks().forEach(track => track.stop());
         mediaStreamRef.current = null;
@@ -853,7 +859,9 @@ const Conversations = () => {
       setSendError(null);
       setIsRecording(true);
       recorder.start();
+      notifyOverlaySttState('recording_started');
     } catch (err) {
+      notifyOverlaySttState('error');
       const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
       setSendError(chatSendError('microphone_access', `Microphone access failed: ${message}`));
       setVoiceStatus(null);
diff --git a/app/src/utils/tauriCommands/voice.ts b/app/src/utils/tauriCommands/voice.ts
index f3b57d0ab..92e7fe981 100644
--- a/app/src/utils/tauriCommands/voice.ts
+++ b/app/src/utils/tauriCommands/voice.ts
@@ -171,6 +171,23 @@ export async function registerDictationHotkey(shortcut: string): Promise<void> {
   console.debug('[dictation] registerDictationHotkey: done');
 }
 
+/**
+ * Notify the overlay of a voice/STT state change from the chat prompt button.
+ * Fire-and-forget — errors are logged but never propagated.
+ */
+export const notifyOverlaySttState = (
+  state: 'recording_started' | 'transcription_done' | 'cancelled' | 'error',
+  text?: string
+): void => {
+  void (async () => {
+    try {
+      await callCoreRpc({ method: 'openhuman.overlay_stt_notify', params: { state, text } });
+    } catch (err: unknown) {
+      console.debug('[overlay_stt_notify] fire-and-forget error:', err);
+    }
+  })();
+};
+
 /**
  * Unregister the global dictation hotkey if one is active.
  */
diff --git a/src/openhuman/voice/dictation_listener.rs b/src/openhuman/voice/dictation_listener.rs
index 6b493ccc2..044cf38d0 100644
--- a/src/openhuman/voice/dictation_listener.rs
+++ b/src/openhuman/voice/dictation_listener.rs
@@ -199,4 +199,25 @@ mod tests {
     fn subscribe_returns_receiver() {
         let _rx = subscribe_dictation_events();
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn publish_dictation_event_reaches_subscriber() {
+        let mut rx = subscribe_dictation_events();
+        publish_dictation_event(DictationEvent {
+            event_type: "pressed".to_string(),
+            hotkey: "chat_button".to_string(),
+            activation_mode: "toggle".to_string(),
+        });
+        let evt = rx.try_recv().expect("should receive dictation event");
+        assert_eq!(evt.event_type, "pressed");
+        assert_eq!(evt.hotkey, "chat_button");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn publish_transcription_reaches_subscriber() {
+        let mut rx = subscribe_transcription_results();
+        publish_transcription("hello world".to_string());
+        let text = rx.try_recv().expect("should receive transcription");
+        assert_eq!(text, "hello world");
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/openhuman/voice/schemas.rs b/src/openhuman/voice/schemas.rs
index 4a8756f73..ee4519c80 100644
--- a/src/openhuman/voice/schemas.rs
+++ b/src/openhuman/voice/schemas.rs
@@ -44,6 +44,24 @@ struct TtsParams {
     output_path: Option<String>,
 }
 
+#[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "snake_case")]
+enum OverlaySttState {
+    RecordingStarted,
+    TranscriptionDone,
+    Cancelled,
+    Error,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
+struct OverlaySttNotifyParams {
+    /// Voice state transition.
+    state: OverlaySttState,
+    /// Transcribed text (required when state is "transcription_done").
+    #[serde(default)]
+    text: Option<String>,
+}
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Schema + registry exports
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -57,6 +75,7 @@ pub fn all_voice_controller_schemas() -> Vec<ControllerSchema> {
         voice_schemas("voice_server_start"),
         voice_schemas("voice_server_stop"),
         voice_schemas("voice_server_status"),
+        voice_schemas("overlay_stt_notify"),
     ]
 }
 
@@ -90,6 +109,10 @@ pub fn all_voice_registered_controllers() -> Vec<RegisteredController> {
             schema: voice_schemas("voice_server_status"),
             handler: handle_voice_server_status,
         },
+        RegisteredController {
+            schema: voice_schemas("overlay_stt_notify"),
+            handler: handle_overlay_stt_notify,
+        },
     ]
 }
 
@@ -183,6 +206,23 @@ pub fn voice_schemas(function: &str) -> ControllerSchema {
             inputs: vec![],
             outputs: vec![json_output("status", "Current voice server status.")],
         },
+        "overlay_stt_notify" => ControllerSchema {
+            namespace: "voice",
+            function: "overlay_stt_notify",
+            description:
+                "Notify the overlay of a voice/STT state change from the chat prompt button.",
+            inputs: vec![
+                required_string(
+                    "state",
+                    "State transition: recording_started, transcription_done, cancelled, error.",
+                ),
+                optional_string(
+                    "text",
+                    "Transcribed text (when state is transcription_done).",
+                ),
+            ],
+            outputs: vec![json_output("result", "Notification acknowledgement.")],
+        },
         _ => ControllerSchema {
             namespace: "voice",
             function: "unknown",
@@ -375,6 +415,52 @@ fn handle_voice_server_status(_params: Map<String, Value>) -> ControllerFuture {
     })
 }
 
+fn handle_overlay_stt_notify(params: Map<String, Value>) -> ControllerFuture {
+    Box::pin(async move {
+        let p = deserialize_params::<OverlaySttNotifyParams>(params)?;
+        log::debug!(
+            "[overlay_stt_notify] state={:?}, has_text={}, text_len={}",
+            p.state,
+            p.text.is_some(),
+            p.text.as_deref().map_or(0, |t| t.len())
+        );
+
+        use crate::openhuman::voice::dictation_listener::{
+            publish_dictation_event, publish_transcription, DictationEvent,
+        };
+
+        match p.state {
+            OverlaySttState::RecordingStarted => {
+                publish_dictation_event(DictationEvent {
+                    event_type: "pressed".to_string(),
+                    hotkey: "chat_button".to_string(),
+                    activation_mode: "toggle".to_string(),
+                });
+            }
+            OverlaySttState::TranscriptionDone => {
+                let text = p.text.ok_or_else(|| {
+                    "invalid params: `text` is required for transcription_done".to_string()
+                })?;
+                publish_transcription(text);
+                publish_dictation_event(DictationEvent {
+                    event_type: "released".to_string(),
+                    hotkey: "chat_button".to_string(),
+                    activation_mode: "toggle".to_string(),
+                });
+            }
+            OverlaySttState::Cancelled | OverlaySttState::Error => {
+                publish_dictation_event(DictationEvent {
+                    event_type: "released".to_string(),
+                    hotkey: "chat_button".to_string(),
+                    activation_mode: "toggle".to_string(),
+                });
+            }
+        }
+
+        Ok(serde_json::json!({ "ok": true }))
+    })
+}
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Helpers
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -446,6 +532,10 @@ mod tests {
         let s = voice_schemas("voice_tts");
         assert_eq!(s.namespace, "voice");
         assert_eq!(s.function, "tts");
+
+        let s = voice_schemas("overlay_stt_notify");
+        assert_eq!(s.namespace, "voice");
+        assert_eq!(s.function, "overlay_stt_notify");
     }
 
     #[test]