diff --git a/VoiceInk/Whisper/WhisperState+UI.swift b/VoiceInk/Whisper/WhisperState+UI.swift
index 7cebeda..c13d7dc 100644
--- a/VoiceInk/Whisper/WhisperState+UI.swift
+++ b/VoiceInk/Whisper/WhisperState+UI.swift
@@ -42,11 +42,11 @@ extension WhisperState {
         } else {
             SoundManager.shared.playStartSound()
 
-            await toggleRecord()
-
             await MainActor.run {
                 isMiniRecorderVisible = true // This will call showRecorderPanel() via didSet
             }
+
+            await toggleRecord()
         }
     }
     
diff --git a/VoiceInk/Whisper/WhisperState.swift b/VoiceInk/Whisper/WhisperState.swift
index 76b0f48..273beac 100644
--- a/VoiceInk/Whisper/WhisperState.swift
+++ b/VoiceInk/Whisper/WhisperState.swift
@@ -192,34 +192,41 @@ class WhisperState: NSObject, ObservableObject {
                             let fileName = "\(UUID().uuidString).wav"
                             let permanentURL = self.recordingsDirectory.appendingPathComponent(fileName)
                             self.recordedFile = permanentURL
-        
+
                             try await self.recorder.startRecording(toOutputFile: permanentURL)
-                            
+
                             await MainActor.run {
                                 self.recordingState = .recording
                             }
-                            
+
                             await ActiveWindowService.shared.applyConfigurationForCurrentApp()
-         
-                            // Only load model if it's a local model and not already loaded
-                            if let model = self.currentTranscriptionModel, model.provider == .local {
-                                if let localWhisperModel = self.availableModels.first(where: { $0.name == model.name }),
-                                   self.whisperContext == nil {
-                                    do {
-                                        try await self.loadModel(localWhisperModel)
-                                    } catch {
-                                        self.logger.error("❌ Model loading failed: \(error.localizedDescription)")
+
+                            // Load model and capture context in background without blocking
+                            Task.detached { [weak self] in
+                                guard let self = self else { return }
+
+                                // Only load model if it's a local model and not already loaded
+                                if let model = await self.currentTranscriptionModel, model.provider == .local {
+                                    if let localWhisperModel = await self.availableModels.first(where: { $0.name == model.name }),
+                                       await self.whisperContext == nil {
+                                        do {
+                                            try await self.loadModel(localWhisperModel)
+                                        } catch {
+                                            await self.logger.error("❌ Model loading failed: \(error.localizedDescription)")
+                                        }
                                     }
+                                } else if let parakeetModel = await self.currentTranscriptionModel as? ParakeetModel {
+                                    try? await self.parakeetTranscriptionService.loadModel(for: parakeetModel)
+                                }
+
+                                if let enhancementService = await self.enhancementService {
+                                    await MainActor.run {
+                                        enhancementService.captureClipboardContext()
+                                    }
+                                    await enhancementService.captureScreenContext()
                                 }
-                            } else if let parakeetModel = self.currentTranscriptionModel as? ParakeetModel {
-                                try? await self.parakeetTranscriptionService.loadModel(for: parakeetModel)
                             }
-        
-                            if let enhancementService = self.enhancementService {
-                                enhancementService.captureClipboardContext()
-                                await enhancementService.captureScreenContext()
-                            }
-        
+
                         } catch {
                             self.logger.error("❌ Failed to start recording: \(error.localizedDescription)")
                             await NotificationManager.shared.showNotification(title: "Recording failed to start", type: .error)