diff --git a/routes/listening_post.py b/routes/listening_post.py
index 5775641..8c48402 100644
--- a/routes/listening_post.py
+++ b/routes/listening_post.py
@@ -1305,11 +1305,20 @@ def start_audio() -> Response:
     scanner_config['device'] = device
     scanner_config['sdr_type'] = sdr_type
 
-    # Stop waterfall if it's using the same SDR
+    # Stop waterfall if it's using the same SDR (SSE path)
     if waterfall_running and waterfall_active_device == device:
         _stop_waterfall_internal()
         time.sleep(0.2)
 
+    # Release waterfall device claim if the WebSocket waterfall is still
+    # holding it.  The JS client sends a stop command and closes the
+    # WebSocket before requesting audio, but the backend handler may not
+    # have finished its cleanup yet.
+    device_status = app_module.get_sdr_device_status()
+    if device_status.get(device) == 'waterfall':
+        app_module.release_sdr_device(device)
+        time.sleep(0.3)
+
     # Claim device for listening audio
     if listening_active_device is None or listening_active_device != device:
         if listening_active_device is not None:
diff --git a/static/js/modes/listening-post.js b/static/js/modes/listening-post.js
index c7f6f92..2987e39 100644
--- a/static/js/modes/listening-post.js
+++ b/static/js/modes/listening-post.js
@@ -3172,8 +3172,12 @@ function setWaterfallControlButtons(running) {
     const startBtn = document.getElementById('startWaterfallBtn');
     const stopBtn = document.getElementById('stopWaterfallBtn');
     if (!startBtn || !stopBtn) return;
-    startBtn.style.display = running ? 'none' : 'block';
-    stopBtn.style.display = running ? 'block' : 'none';
+    startBtn.style.display = running ? 'none' : 'inline-block';
+    stopBtn.style.display = running ? 'inline-block' : 'none';
+    const dot = document.getElementById('waterfallStripDot');
+    if (dot) {
+        dot.className = running ? 'status-dot sweeping' : 'status-dot inactive';
+    }
 }
 
 function getWaterfallRangeFromInputs() {
@@ -3925,6 +3929,8 @@ async function stopWaterfall() {
         if (typeof releaseDevice === 'function') {
             releaseDevice('waterfall');
         }
+        // Allow backend WebSocket handler to finish cleanup and release SDR
+        await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 300));
         return;
     }
 
diff --git a/templates/index.html b/templates/index.html
index 526df0c..a8814e2 100644
--- a/templates/index.html
+++ b/templates/index.html
@@ -505,42 +505,6 @@
                     </div>
                 </div>
 
-                <!-- Shared Waterfall Controls -->
-                <div class="section" id="waterfallControlsSection" style="display: none;">
-                    <h3>Waterfall</h3>
-                    <div class="form-group" style="margin-bottom: 6px;">
-                        <label style="font-size: 10px;">Start (MHz)</label>
-                        <input type="number" id="waterfallStartFreq" value="88" step="0.1" style="width: 100%; padding: 5px; background: var(--bg-secondary); border: 1px solid var(--border-color); color: var(--text-primary); border-radius: 4px; font-size: 11px;">
-                    </div>
-                    <div class="form-group" style="margin-bottom: 6px;">
-                        <label style="font-size: 10px;">End (MHz)</label>
-                        <input type="number" id="waterfallEndFreq" value="108" step="0.1" style="width: 100%; padding: 5px; background: var(--bg-secondary); border: 1px solid var(--border-color); color: var(--text-primary); border-radius: 4px; font-size: 11px;">
-                    </div>
-                    <div class="form-group" style="margin-bottom: 6px;">
-                        <label style="font-size: 10px;">Zoom</label>
-                        <div style="display: flex; gap: 6px; align-items: center;">
-                            <button class="tune-btn" type="button" onclick="zoomWaterfall('out')" style="padding: 4px 8px;">-</button>
-                            <button class="tune-btn" type="button" onclick="zoomWaterfall('in')" style="padding: 4px 8px;">+</button>
-                            <span id="waterfallZoomSpan" style="font-size: 10px; color: var(--text-muted);">20.0 MHz</span>
-                        </div>
-                    </div>
-                    <div class="form-group" style="margin-bottom: 6px;">
-                        <label style="font-size: 10px;">FFT Size</label>
-                        <select id="waterfallFftSize" style="width: 100%; padding: 5px; background: var(--bg-secondary); border: 1px solid var(--border-color); color: var(--text-primary); border-radius: 4px; font-size: 11px;">
-                            <option value="512">512</option>
-                            <option value="1024" selected>1024</option>
-                            <option value="2048">2048</option>
-                            <option value="4096">4096</option>
-                        </select>
-                    </div>
-                    <div class="form-group" style="margin-bottom: 8px;">
-                        <label style="font-size: 10px;">Gain</label>
-                        <input type="number" id="waterfallGain" value="40" min="0" max="50" style="width: 100%; padding: 5px; background: var(--bg-secondary); border: 1px solid var(--border-color); color: var(--text-primary); border-radius: 4px; font-size: 11px;">
-                    </div>
-                    <button class="run-btn" id="startWaterfallBtn" onclick="startWaterfall()" style="width: 100%; padding: 8px;">Start Waterfall</button>
-                    <button class="stop-btn" id="stopWaterfallBtn" onclick="stopWaterfall()" style="display: none; width: 100%; padding: 8px; margin-top: 4px;">Stop Waterfall</button>
-                </div>
-
                 {% include 'partials/modes/pager.html' %}
 
                 {% include 'partials/modes/sensor.html' %}
@@ -607,16 +571,6 @@
                         </div>
                     </div>
 
-                    <!-- WATERFALL / SPECTROGRAM PANEL -->
-                    <div id="waterfallPanel" class="radio-module-box" style="padding: 10px; display: none; margin-bottom: 12px;">
-                        <div class="module-header" style="display: flex; justify-content: space-between; align-items: center; margin-bottom: 8px; font-size: 10px;">
-                            <span>WATERFALL / SPECTROGRAM</span>
-                            <span id="waterfallFreqRange" style="font-size: 9px; color: var(--accent-cyan);"></span>
-                        </div>
-                        <canvas id="spectrumCanvas" width="800" height="120" style="width: 100%; height: 120px; border-radius: 4px; background: rgba(0,0,0,0.8);"></canvas>
-                        <canvas id="waterfallCanvas" width="800" height="400" style="width: 100%; height: 400px; border-radius: 4px; margin-top: 4px; background: rgba(0,0,0,0.9);"></canvas>
-                    </div>
-
                     <!-- WiFi Layout Container -->
                     <div class="wifi-layout-container" id="wifiLayoutContainer" style="display: none;">
                     <!-- Status Bar -->
@@ -1072,6 +1026,66 @@
                 <!-- Listening Post Visualizations - Professional Ham Radio Scanner -->
                 <div class="wifi-visuals" id="listeningPostVisuals" style="display: none;">
 
+                    <!-- WATERFALL FUNCTION BAR -->
+                    <div class="function-strip listening-strip" style="grid-column: span 4;">
+                        <div class="function-strip-inner">
+                            <!-- Span display -->
+                            <div class="strip-stat">
+                                <span class="strip-value" id="waterfallZoomSpan">20.0 MHz</span>
+                                <span class="strip-label">SPAN</span>
+                            </div>
+                            <div class="strip-divider"></div>
+                            <!-- Frequency inputs -->
+                            <div class="strip-control">
+                                <span class="strip-input-label">START</span>
+                                <input type="number" id="waterfallStartFreq" class="strip-input wide" value="88" step="0.1">
+                            </div>
+                            <div class="strip-control">
+                                <span class="strip-input-label">END</span>
+                                <input type="number" id="waterfallEndFreq" class="strip-input wide" value="108" step="0.1">
+                            </div>
+                            <div class="strip-divider"></div>
+                            <!-- Zoom buttons -->
+                            <button type="button" class="strip-btn" onclick="zoomWaterfall('out')">−</button>
+                            <button type="button" class="strip-btn" onclick="zoomWaterfall('in')">+</button>
+                            <div class="strip-divider"></div>
+                            <!-- FFT Size -->
+                            <div class="strip-control">
+                                <span class="strip-input-label">FFT</span>
+                                <select id="waterfallFftSize" class="strip-select">
+                                    <option value="512">512</option>
+                                    <option value="1024" selected>1024</option>
+                                    <option value="2048">2048</option>
+                                    <option value="4096">4096</option>
+                                </select>
+                            </div>
+                            <!-- Gain -->
+                            <div class="strip-control">
+                                <span class="strip-input-label">GAIN</span>
+                                <input type="number" id="waterfallGain" class="strip-input" value="40" min="0" max="50">
+                            </div>
+                            <div class="strip-divider"></div>
+                            <!-- Start / Stop -->
+                            <button type="button" class="strip-btn primary" id="startWaterfallBtn" onclick="startWaterfall()">▶ START</button>
+                            <button type="button" class="strip-btn stop" id="stopWaterfallBtn" onclick="stopWaterfall()" style="display: none;">◼ STOP</button>
+                            <!-- Status -->
+                            <div class="strip-status">
+                                <div class="status-dot inactive" id="waterfallStripDot"></div>
+                                <span id="waterfallFreqRange">STANDBY</span>
+                            </div>
+                        </div>
+                    </div>
+
+                    <!-- WATERFALL / SPECTROGRAM PANEL -->
+                    <div id="waterfallPanel" class="radio-module-box" style="grid-column: span 4; padding: 10px; display: none;">
+                        <div class="module-header" style="display: flex; justify-content: space-between; align-items: center; margin-bottom: 8px; font-size: 10px;">
+                            <span>WATERFALL / SPECTROGRAM</span>
+                            <span id="waterfallFreqRangeHeader" style="font-size: 9px; color: var(--accent-cyan);"></span>
+                        </div>
+                        <canvas id="spectrumCanvas" width="800" height="120" style="width: 100%; height: 120px; border-radius: 4px; background: rgba(0,0,0,0.8);"></canvas>
+                        <canvas id="waterfallCanvas" width="800" height="400" style="width: 100%; height: 400px; border-radius: 4px; margin-top: 4px; background: rgba(0,0,0,0.9);"></canvas>
+                    </div>
+
                     <!-- TOP: FREQUENCY DISPLAY PANEL -->
                     <div class="radio-module-box scanner-main" style="grid-column: span 4; padding: 12px;">
                         <div style="display: flex; gap: 15px; align-items: stretch;">
@@ -3122,15 +3136,11 @@
             const rtlDeviceSection = document.getElementById('rtlDeviceSection');
             if (rtlDeviceSection) rtlDeviceSection.style.display = (mode === 'pager' || mode === 'sensor' || mode === 'rtlamr' || mode === 'listening' || mode === 'aprs' || mode === 'sstv' || mode === 'sstv_general' || mode === 'dmr') ? 'block' : 'none';
 
-            // Show shared waterfall controls for supported modes
-            const waterfallControlsSection = document.getElementById('waterfallControlsSection');
+            // Show waterfall panel if running in listening mode
             const waterfallPanel = document.getElementById('waterfallPanel');
-            const waterfallModes = ['listening'];
-            const waterfallSupported = waterfallModes.includes(mode);
-            if (waterfallControlsSection) waterfallControlsSection.style.display = waterfallSupported ? 'block' : 'none';
             if (waterfallPanel) {
                 const running = (typeof isWaterfallRunning !== 'undefined' && isWaterfallRunning);
-                waterfallPanel.style.display = (waterfallSupported && running) ? 'block' : 'none';
+                waterfallPanel.style.display = (mode === 'listening' && running) ? 'block' : 'none';
             }
 
             // Toggle mode-specific tool status displays