diff --git a/components/app/AppShell.tsx b/components/app/AppShell.tsx
index fcdf568..1a3c0e7 100644
--- a/components/app/AppShell.tsx
+++ b/components/app/AppShell.tsx
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ import dynamic from "next/dynamic";
 import Link from "next/link";
 import { useRouter } from "next/navigation";
 
+import { withAnalysisDeadline } from "@/lib/analysisDeadline";
+
 import { AppStatusBar } from "@/components/app/AppStatusBar";
 import {
   DEFAULT_INTENT_COLOR,
@@ -61,10 +63,10 @@ const FREE_SAVE_ACK_SESSION_KEY = "motioncode_free_save_ack_session";
 const FREE_SAVE_ACK_DISMISSED_KEY = "motioncode_free_save_ack_dismissed";
 
 const STATUS_MESSAGES = [
-  "Analyzing motion patterns...",
-  "Reading easing curves...",
-  "Detecting transform paths...",
-  "Almost there...",
+  "Waiting for the analysis service...",
+  "The model is still processing your frames...",
+  "Your frames are ready; waiting for generated code...",
+  "Still waiting. You can cancel and retry.",
 ];
 
 type SaveState =
@@ -419,11 +421,10 @@ export function AppShell({
     setStatusMessage("Analyzing with server model...");
 
     try {
-      const analyzed = await analyzeViaApi({
-        frames,
-        planTier: userPlan,
-        signal: controller.signal,
-      });
+      const analyzed = await withAnalysisDeadline(
+        (signal) => analyzeViaApi({ frames, planTier: userPlan, signal }),
+        controller.signal,
+      );
 
       if (operationId !== operationIdRef.current) return;
 
diff --git a/components/app/ProcessCanvas.tsx b/components/app/ProcessCanvas.tsx
index 1a34371..92f20b3 100644
--- a/components/app/ProcessCanvas.tsx
+++ b/components/app/ProcessCanvas.tsx
@@ -189,8 +189,8 @@ export function ProcessCanvas({
           <h2 className={styles.title}>{heading}</h2>
           <p className={styles.message}>{message}</p>
           <div className={styles.headerMeta} aria-label="Current processing context">
-            <span>{currentPhase.title}</span>
-            <span>{currentPhase.description}</span>
+            <span>{stage === "analyzing" ? "Model response" : currentPhase.title}</span>
+            <span>{stage === "analyzing" ? "Waiting for the analysis service to return code." : currentPhase.description}</span>
           </div>
         </div>
 
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ export function ProcessCanvas({
           <div className={styles.progressTopline}>
             <span className={styles.progressValue}>{Math.round(safeProgress)}%</span>
             <span className={styles.progressPhase}>
-              {completedPhases}/{PHASES.length} phases
+              {stage === "analyzing" ? "Estimated progress" : `${completedPhases}/${PHASES.length} phases`}
             </span>
           </div>
           <span className={styles.progressTrack}>
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ export function ProcessCanvas({
               style={{ "--progress": `${safeProgress}%` } as StyleVars}
             />
           </span>
-          <span className={styles.progressCaption}>{getProgressCaption(stage, safeActiveStep)}</span>
+          <span className={styles.progressCaption}>{getProgressCaption(stage)}</span>
         </div>
       </header>
 
@@ -233,9 +233,9 @@ export function ProcessCanvas({
         />
 
         <div className={styles.stageOverlay}>
-          <span className={styles.stageFormation}>{getFormationLabel(fieldProgress)}</span>
+          <span className={styles.stageFormation}>{stage === "analyzing" ? "analysis · awaiting response" : getFormationLabel(fieldProgress)}</span>
           <span className={styles.stageReadout}>
-            {currentPhase.metric} · {getPhaseLabel(currentPhase.key, stage, safeActiveStep)}
+            {stage === "analyzing" ? "model · pending" : `${currentPhase.metric} · ${getPhaseLabel(currentPhase.key, stage, safeActiveStep)}`}
           </span>
         </div>
 
@@ -392,12 +392,12 @@ function getCurrentPhase(stage: AnalysisStage, activeStep: number) {
   );
 }
 
-function getProgressCaption(stage: AnalysisStage, activeStep: number) {
+function getProgressCaption(stage: AnalysisStage) {
   switch (stage) {
     case "extracting":
       return "Frame buffer warming";
     case "analyzing":
-      return `Step ${activeStep + 1} in progress`;
+      return "Waiting for model response";
     case "error":
       return "Interrupted";
     case "idle":
diff --git a/lib/analysisDeadline.ts b/lib/analysisDeadline.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3d05cbf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/analysisDeadline.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+// The browser deadline includes frame preparation, the API call, and body reads.
+// Leave time beyond the server's 50-second model budget for auth and transport.
+export const ANALYSIS_TIMEOUT_MS = 65_000;
+
+export async function withAnalysisDeadline<T>(
+  operation: (signal: AbortSignal) => Promise<T>,
+  signal?: AbortSignal,
+): Promise<T> {
+  const controller = new AbortController();
+  if (signal?.aborted) {
+    throw new DOMException("Analysis cancelled.", "AbortError");
+  }
+
+  let timer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined;
+  let onAbort: (() => void) | undefined;
+  const interrupted = new Promise<never>((_resolve, reject) => {
+    timer = setTimeout(() => {
+      reject(new Error("Analysis took too long. Please retry; your frames are still ready."));
+      controller.abort();
+    }, ANALYSIS_TIMEOUT_MS);
+    onAbort = () => {
+      reject(new DOMException("Analysis cancelled.", "AbortError"));
+      controller.abort();
+    };
+    signal?.addEventListener("abort", onAbort, { once: true });
+  });
+
+  try {
+    return await Promise.race([operation(controller.signal), interrupted]);
+  } finally {
+    clearTimeout(timer);
+    if (onAbort) signal?.removeEventListener("abort", onAbort);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/lib/server/gemini.ts b/lib/server/gemini.ts
index 17839ce..3645aaf 100644
--- a/lib/server/gemini.ts
+++ b/lib/server/gemini.ts
@@ -203,11 +203,12 @@ export async function analyzeFramesWithGemini(
 ): Promise<GeminiAnalysis> {
   const apiKey = deps.apiKey ?? getServerEnv().geminiApiKey;
   const fetcher = deps.fetch ?? fetch;
+  const deadline = Date.now() + 50_000;
   const primary = resolveUpstreamGeminiModel(input.model);
   const fallback = resolveUpstreamGeminiModel("gemini-2.5-flash");
 
   try {
-    return await requestGeminiAnalysis(input, primary, apiKey, fetcher);
+    return await requestGeminiWithRetries(input, primary, apiKey, fetcher, deadline);
   } catch (error) {
     // Pro models are often unavailable to a key (preview access, free-tier
     // quota); answer with Flash rather than failing the paid analysis.
@@ -220,15 +221,60 @@ export async function analyzeFramesWithGemini(
     }
 
     serverLogger.warn("gemini.model_fallback", { fallback, model: primary });
-    return requestGeminiAnalysis(input, fallback, apiKey, fetcher);
+    return requestGeminiWithRetries(input, fallback, apiKey, fetcher, deadline);
   }
 }
 
+const RETRYABLE_STATUSES = new Set([500, 502, 503, 504]);
+class RetryableGeminiError extends ApiError {}
+
+const TEMPORARY_FAILURE_MESSAGE =
+  "Analysis service is temporarily busy. Please try again shortly.";
+
+async function requestGeminiWithRetries(
+  input: GeminiAnalyzeInput,
+  model: string,
+  apiKey: string,
+  fetcher: typeof fetch,
+  deadline: number,
+): Promise<GeminiAnalysis> {
+  for (let attempt = 0; attempt < 3; attempt += 1) {
+    const remainingMs = deadline - Date.now();
+    if (remainingMs <= 0) {
+      break;
+    }
+
+    const controller = new AbortController();
+    const timeout = setTimeout(() => controller.abort(), Math.min(15_000, remainingMs));
+    try {
+      return await requestGeminiAnalysis(input, model, apiKey, fetcher, controller.signal);
+    } catch (error) {
+      const retryable = controller.signal.aborted || error instanceof TypeError ||
+        error instanceof RetryableGeminiError;
+      if (!retryable) {
+        throw error;
+      }
+    } finally {
+      clearTimeout(timeout);
+    }
+
+    const delayMs = 1_000 * 2 ** attempt + Math.floor(Math.random() * 250);
+    if (attempt === 2 || Date.now() + delayMs >= deadline) {
+      break;
+    }
+    serverLogger.warn("gemini.request_retry", { attempt: attempt + 1, delayMs, model });
+    await new Promise<void>((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, delayMs));
+  }
+
+  throw new ApiError("MODEL_FAILED", TEMPORARY_FAILURE_MESSAGE, 503);
+}
+
 async function requestGeminiAnalysis(
   input: GeminiAnalyzeInput,
   upstreamModel: string,
   apiKey: string,
   fetcher: typeof fetch,
+  signal: AbortSignal,
 ): Promise<GeminiAnalysis> {
   const response = await fetcher(
     `${GEMINI_ENDPOINT_ROOT}/${upstreamModel}:generateContent`,
@@ -257,6 +303,7 @@ async function requestGeminiAnalysis(
         "x-goog-api-key": apiKey,
       },
       method: "POST",
+      signal,
     },
   );
 
@@ -276,6 +323,9 @@ async function requestGeminiAnalysis(
       );
     }
 
+    if (RETRYABLE_STATUSES.has(response.status)) {
+      throw new RetryableGeminiError("MODEL_FAILED", TEMPORARY_FAILURE_MESSAGE, response.status);
+    }
     throw new ApiError("MODEL_FAILED", "Gemini analysis failed.");
   }
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/analysis-deadline.test.ts b/tests/unit/analysis-deadline.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..acb8291
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/analysis-deadline.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+// @vitest-environment node
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { ANALYSIS_TIMEOUT_MS, withAnalysisDeadline } from "@/lib/analysisDeadline";
+
+beforeEach(() => vi.useFakeTimers());
+afterEach(() => vi.useRealTimers());
+
+it("ends a stalled operation and aborts the underlying request", async () => {
+  let requestSignal: AbortSignal | undefined;
+  const result = withAnalysisDeadline((signal) => {
+    requestSignal = signal;
+    return new Promise(() => {});
+  });
+  const assertion = expect(result).rejects.toThrow("Analysis took too long");
+  await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(ANALYSIS_TIMEOUT_MS);
+  await assertion;
+  expect(requestSignal?.aborted).toBe(true);
+  expect(vi.getTimerCount()).toBe(0);
+});
+
+it("preserves explicit cancellation even if the operation never settles", async () => {
+  const controller = new AbortController();
+  const result = withAnalysisDeadline(() => new Promise(() => {}), controller.signal);
+  const assertion = expect(result).rejects.toMatchObject({ name: "AbortError" });
+  controller.abort();
+  await assertion;
+  expect(vi.getTimerCount()).toBe(0);
+});
+
+it("does not start an already-cancelled operation", async () => {
+  const controller = new AbortController();
+  controller.abort();
+  const operation = vi.fn();
+  await expect(withAnalysisDeadline(operation, controller.signal)).rejects.toMatchObject({ name: "AbortError" });
+  expect(operation).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+});
+
+it("cleans up the deadline after successful analysis", async () => {
+  await expect(withAnalysisDeadline(async () => "code")).resolves.toBe("code");
+  expect(vi.getTimerCount()).toBe(0);
+});
+
+it("preserves server errors and cleans up the deadline", async () => {
+  await expect(withAnalysisDeadline(async () => { throw new Error("Model busy"); })).rejects.toThrow("Model busy");
+  expect(vi.getTimerCount()).toBe(0);
+});
diff --git a/tests/unit/gemini-retries.test.ts b/tests/unit/gemini-retries.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1ffed93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/gemini-retries.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+// @vitest-environment node
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { analyzeFramesWithGemini } from "@/lib/server/gemini";
+
+const input = { frames: ["jpeg"], model: "gemini-2.5-flash" as const };
+const success = () => Response.json({
+  candidates: [{ content: { parts: [{ text: JSON.stringify({ intent: "entrance" }) }] } }],
+});
+const busy = () => Response.json({ error: { message: "high demand" } }, { status: 503 });
+const run = (fetcher: typeof fetch, model = input.model as "gemini-2.5-flash" | "gemini-2.5-pro") =>
+  analyzeFramesWithGemini({ ...input, model }, { apiKey: "test-key", fetch: fetcher });
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  vi.useFakeTimers();
+  vi.stubEnv("GEMINI_FLASH_MODEL", "test-flash");
+  vi.stubEnv("GEMINI_PRO_MODEL", "test-pro");
+});
+afterEach(() => {
+  vi.useRealTimers();
+  vi.unstubAllEnvs();
+});
+
+describe("Gemini transient failures", () => {
+  it("recovers from an overloaded model with delayed retries", async () => {
+    const fetcher = vi.fn().mockResolvedValueOnce(busy()).mockResolvedValueOnce(busy())
+      .mockImplementation(async () => success());
+    const result = run(fetcher);
+    const assertion = expect(result).resolves.toMatchObject({ spec: { intent: "entrance" } });
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(999);
+    expect(fetcher).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    await vi.runAllTimersAsync();
+    await assertion;
+    expect(fetcher).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3);
+    expect(vi.getTimerCount()).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it("stops after three failures and returns a temporary-unavailability error", async () => {
+    const fetcher = vi.fn(async () => busy());
+    const assertion = expect(run(fetcher)).rejects.toMatchObject({
+      code: "MODEL_FAILED", status: 503, message: expect.stringContaining("temporarily busy"),
+    });
+    await vi.runAllTimersAsync();
+    await assertion;
+    expect(fetcher).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3);
+  });
+
+  it.each([400, 401, 403, 404, 429])("does not retry HTTP %s for Flash", async (status) => {
+    const fetcher = vi.fn(async () => Response.json({ error: { message: "rejected" } }, { status }));
+    await expect(run(fetcher)).rejects.toMatchObject({ code: status === 429 ? "QUOTA_EXCEEDED" : "MODEL_FAILED" });
+    expect(fetcher).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(vi.getTimerCount()).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it("retries a failed network connection", async () => {
+    const fetcher = vi.fn().mockRejectedValueOnce(new TypeError("fetch failed"))
+      .mockImplementation(async () => success());
+    const assertion = expect(run(fetcher)).resolves.toHaveProperty("spec");
+    await vi.runAllTimersAsync();
+    await assertion;
+    expect(fetcher).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+  });
+
+  it("aborts stalled requests and bounds primary plus fallback to 50 seconds", async () => {
+    const started = Date.now();
+    const fetcher = vi.fn((_url: unknown, options?: RequestInit) => new Promise<Response>((_resolve, reject) => {
+      options?.signal?.addEventListener("abort", () => reject(new DOMException("Timed out", "AbortError")), { once: true });
+    }));
+    const assertion = expect(run(fetcher, "gemini-2.5-pro")).rejects.toMatchObject({ code: "MODEL_FAILED", status: 503 });
+    await vi.runAllTimersAsync();
+    await assertion;
+    expect(Date.now() - started).toBeLessThanOrEqual(50_000);
+    expect(fetcher).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(4);
+    expect(vi.getTimerCount()).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it("retains the Pro-to-Flash fallback after temporary failures", async () => {
+    const fetcher = vi.fn().mockResolvedValueOnce(busy()).mockResolvedValueOnce(busy())
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce(busy()).mockImplementation(async () => success());
+    const assertion = expect(run(fetcher, "gemini-2.5-pro")).resolves.toHaveProperty("spec");
+    await vi.runAllTimersAsync();
+    await assertion;
+    expect(fetcher.mock.calls.map(([url]) => url)).toEqual([
+      ...Array(3).fill(expect.stringContaining("/test-pro:")), expect.stringContaining("/test-flash:"),
+    ]);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/tests/unit/process-canvas-waiting.test.tsx b/tests/unit/process-canvas-waiting.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..555ce1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/process-canvas-waiting.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+import React from "react";
+import { renderToStaticMarkup } from "react-dom/server";
+import { expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+vi.mock("next/dynamic", () => ({ default: () => () => null }));
+import { ProcessCanvas } from "@/components/app/ProcessCanvas";
+
+it("labels estimated progress as waiting rather than completed compilation", () => {
+  const html = renderToStaticMarkup(
+    <ProcessCanvas stage="analyzing" activeStep={10} progressWidth={94} />,
+  );
+  expect(html).toContain("Estimated progress");
+  expect(html).toContain("Waiting for model response");
+  expect(html).toContain("analysis · awaiting response");
+  expect(html).not.toContain("compiled · stable");
+  expect(html).not.toContain("6/6 phases");
+});