diff --git a/VoiceInk/Notifications/AppNotificationView.swift b/VoiceInk/Notifications/AppNotificationView.swift
index 2459973..e2daad8 100644
--- a/VoiceInk/Notifications/AppNotificationView.swift
+++ b/VoiceInk/Notifications/AppNotificationView.swift
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ struct AppNotificationView: View {
                 GeometryReader { geometry in
                     Rectangle()
                         .fill(Color.accentColor.opacity(0.6))
-                        .frame(width: geometry.size.width * progress, height: 2)
+                        .frame(width: geometry.size.width * max(0, progress), height: 2)
                         .animation(.linear(duration: 0.1), value: progress)
                 }
                 .frame(height: 2)
@@ -118,9 +118,10 @@ struct AppNotificationView: View {
         
         timer = Timer.scheduledTimer(withTimeInterval: updateInterval, repeats: true) { _ in
             if progress > 0 {
-                progress -= stepDecrement
+                progress = max(0, progress - stepDecrement)
             } else {
                 timer?.invalidate()
+                timer = nil
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/VoiceInk/Notifications/NotificationManager.swift b/VoiceInk/Notifications/NotificationManager.swift
index fa26562..e1fa493 100644
--- a/VoiceInk/Notifications/NotificationManager.swift
+++ b/VoiceInk/Notifications/NotificationManager.swift
@@ -19,11 +19,17 @@ class NotificationManager {
     ) {
         dismissTimer?.invalidate()
         dismissTimer = nil
-        
+
         if let existingWindow = notificationWindow {
             existingWindow.close()
             notificationWindow = nil
         }
+        
+        // Play esc sound for error notifications
+        if type == .error {
+            SoundManager.shared.playEscSound()
+        }
+        
         let notificationView = AppNotificationView(
             title: title, 
             message: message, 
@@ -65,7 +71,7 @@ class NotificationManager {
             panel.animator().alphaValue = 1
         })
         
-        dismissTimer?.invalidate()
+        // Schedule a new timer to dismiss the new notification.
         dismissTimer = Timer.scheduledTimer(
             withTimeInterval: duration,
             repeats: false
@@ -90,6 +96,8 @@ class NotificationManager {
     func dismissNotification() {
         guard let window = notificationWindow else { return }
         
+        notificationWindow = nil
+        
         dismissTimer?.invalidate()
         dismissTimer = nil
         
@@ -99,7 +107,7 @@ class NotificationManager {
             window.animator().alphaValue = 0
         }, completionHandler: {
             window.close()
-            self.notificationWindow = nil
+
         })
     }
 } 
\ No newline at end of file