diff --git a/Controls/TopBar.xaml b/Controls/TopBar.xaml
index d53a6f2..54bff2b 100644
--- a/Controls/TopBar.xaml
+++ b/Controls/TopBar.xaml
@@ -24,29 +24,26 @@
             </TextBlock>
         </Button>
 
-        <!-- REC / ON-AIR pills (intent) + status signs (reality) -->
+        <!-- Session controls (creator order 2026-09-01): [sign light] LABEL [pill] per
+             output — each reality lamp sits in front of its own intent switch. -->
         <StackPanel Grid.Column="1" Orientation="Horizontal"
                     HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center">
-            <!-- REC pill: local recording needs no sign-in -->
-            <TextBlock Text="REC" Foreground="#e94560" FontWeight="Bold" FontSize="12"
-                       VerticalAlignment="Center" Margin="0,0,6,0"/>
+            <!-- REC group: local recording needs no sign-in -->
+            <Ellipse Width="12" Height="12" VerticalAlignment="Center"
+                     Fill="{Binding RecDotBrush}" Opacity="{Binding RecDotOpacity}"/>
+            <TextBlock Text="REC" Style="{StaticResource StatusSignText}"/>
             <ToggleButton Style="{StaticResource PillToggle}" VerticalAlignment="Center"
+                          Margin="6,0,16,0"
                           IsChecked="{Binding RecordPillOn}"/>
-            <!-- ON-AIR pill: greyed out until signed in -->
-            <TextBlock Text="ON-AIR" Foreground="#e94560" FontWeight="Bold" FontSize="12"
-                       VerticalAlignment="Center" Margin="16,0,6,0"/>
+            <!-- ON-AIR group: greyed out until signed in -->
+            <Ellipse Width="12" Height="12" VerticalAlignment="Center"
+                     Fill="{Binding OnAirBrush}"/>
+            <TextBlock Text="ON-AIR" Style="{StaticResource StatusSignText}"/>
             <ToggleButton Style="{StaticResource PillToggle}" VerticalAlignment="Center"
+                          Margin="6,0,0,0"
                           IsChecked="{Binding OnAirPillOn}"
                           IsEnabled="{Binding CanToggleOnAir}"
                           ToolTip="{Binding AccountStatusLightToolTip}"/>
-            <!-- Status signs: REC dot + ON-AIR dot -->
-            <Ellipse Width="12" Height="12" VerticalAlignment="Center" Margin="16,0,0,0"
-                     Fill="{Binding RecDotBrush}" Opacity="{Binding RecDotOpacity}"/>
-            <TextBlock Text="REC" Style="{StaticResource StatusSignText}"/>
-            <!-- ON-AIR sign: gray offline, red public, green private -->
-            <Ellipse Width="12" Height="12" VerticalAlignment="Center" Margin="16,0,0,0"
-                     Fill="{Binding OnAirBrush}"/>
-            <TextBlock Text="ON-AIR" Style="{StaticResource StatusSignText}"/>
             <Border Background="#8f1f1f" CornerRadius="3" Padding="6,1" Margin="8,0,0,0"
                     VerticalAlignment="Center"
                     Visibility="{Binding IsLivePrivate, Converter={StaticResource BoolToVis}}">
@@ -89,17 +86,16 @@
                                Visibility="Collapsed"/>
                 </Grid>
             </Border>
-            <!-- Sign In button (disconnected + offline) -->
-            <Button Content="Sign In" Style="{StaticResource YtButton}"
-                    Margin="0,0,12,0"
-                    Command="{Binding StartStreamCommand}"
-                    Visibility="{Binding ShowLogInButton, Converter={StaticResource BoolToVis}}"/>
-            <!-- Primary Start button (offline): dynamic label from the pills -->
+            <!-- Primary Start button: the always-present idle action (sign-in moved
+                 into its context menu — a bare bar after stopping was a dead end) -->
             <Button Content="Start" Style="{StaticResource YtButton}"
                     Command="{Binding StartStreamCommand}"
                     Visibility="{Binding ShowPrimaryStartButton, Converter={StaticResource BoolToVis}}">
                 <Button.ContextMenu>
                     <ContextMenu>
+                        <MenuItem Header="Sign in to YouTube" Command="{Binding SignInCommand}"
+                                  Visibility="{Binding IsConnected, Converter={StaticResource InverseBoolToVis}}"/>
+                        <Separator/>
                         <MenuItem Header="Choose Record Folder" Command="{Binding ChooseRecordFolderCommand}"/>
                         <Separator/>
                         <MenuItem Header="Change Account" Command="{Binding ChangeAccountCommand}"/>
diff --git a/ViewModels/MainViewModel.Streaming.Operations.cs b/ViewModels/MainViewModel.Streaming.Operations.cs
index f03207b..03e1e78 100644
--- a/ViewModels/MainViewModel.Streaming.Operations.cs
+++ b/ViewModels/MainViewModel.Streaming.Operations.cs
@@ -21,7 +21,15 @@ public partial class MainViewModel : ViewModelBase
         if (IsLive || IsRecording) return;
         var streaming = OnAirPillOn;
         var recording = RecordPillOn;
-        if (!streaming && !recording) return;
+        if (!streaming && !recording)
+        {
+            // Nothing armed = "record something" (local recording needs no account,
+            // 2026-09-01): a Start that silently no-ops is the dead end the design
+            // principle forbids. The pill lights so reality and intent agree.
+            RecordPillOn = true;
+            BeginRecordOnly();
+            return;
+        }
 
         if (!streaming)
         {
diff --git a/ViewModels/MainViewModel.Streaming.cs b/ViewModels/MainViewModel.Streaming.cs
index ce78171..589b2f9 100644
--- a/ViewModels/MainViewModel.Streaming.cs
+++ b/ViewModels/MainViewModel.Streaming.cs
@@ -60,7 +60,6 @@ public partial class MainViewModel : ViewModelBase
                 OnPropertyChanged(nameof(OnAirBrush));
                 OnPropertyChanged(nameof(IsLivePrivate));
                 OnPropertyChanged(nameof(ShowPrimaryStartButton));
-                OnPropertyChanged(nameof(ShowLogInButton));
                 OnPropertyChanged(nameof(ShowEndStreamButton));
                 OnPropertyChanged(nameof(EndButtonText));
                 OnPropertyChanged(nameof(AccountStatusLightToolTip));
@@ -127,12 +126,12 @@ public partial class MainViewModel : ViewModelBase
         }
     }
 
-    /// <summary>The primary button shows when there's something to start, but never
-    /// while a session is running — once recording/live the ONLY control is the End
-    /// button.</summary>
-    public bool ShowPrimaryStartButton =>
-        IsOffline && !IsRecording && !IsLive
-        && (IsConnected || (RecordPillOn && !OnAirPillOn));
+    /// <summary>The primary button is ALWAYS the idle face of the top bar (2026-09-01):
+    /// stopping a session used to hide every start affordance (pills clear on stop,
+    /// and the old gate needed a sign-in or a lit pill — signed-out creators found a
+    /// blank bar). No dead ends: an unarmed Start records (local needs no account);
+    /// sign-in lives in the Start context menu.</summary>
+    public bool ShowPrimaryStartButton => IsOffline && !IsRecording;
 
     /// <summary>Either output selected makes the button actionable.</summary>
     public bool CanStartSession => RecordPillOn || OnAirPillOn;
@@ -144,8 +143,6 @@ public partial class MainViewModel : ViewModelBase
     /// "Stop Recording", while live "End Stream".</summary>
     public string EndButtonText => IsRecording && !IsLive ? "Stop Recording" : "End Stream";
 
-    public bool ShowLogInButton => !IsConnected && IsOffline && !IsRecording;
-
     public StreamHealth CurrentHealth
     {
         get => _currentHealth;
@@ -320,6 +317,7 @@ public partial class MainViewModel : ViewModelBase
 
     public ICommand StartStreamCommand { get; }
     public ICommand EndStreamCommand { get; }
+    public ICommand SignInCommand { get; }
     public ICommand ChooseRecordFolderCommand { get; }
     public ICommand ResetRecordFolderCommand { get; }
 }
diff --git a/ViewModels/MainViewModel.cs b/ViewModels/MainViewModel.cs
index bb0664d..b05a9ec 100644
--- a/ViewModels/MainViewModel.cs
+++ b/ViewModels/MainViewModel.cs
@@ -211,6 +211,7 @@ public partial class MainViewModel : ViewModelBase
         OpenPremiumCommand = new RelayCommand(_ => OpenUrl(PremiumUrl), _ => IsPremiumAvailable);
         OpenLicensesCommand = new RelayCommand(_ => ShowLicenses());
         StartStreamCommand = new RelayCommand(_ => StartSession());
+        SignInCommand = new RelayCommand(_ => _ = SignInAsync(), _ => !IsConnected);
         EndStreamCommand = new RelayCommand(_ => StopStream(), _ => IsLive || IsRecording);
         ChooseRecordFolderCommand = new RelayCommand(_ => ChooseRecordFolder());
         ResetRecordFolderCommand = new RelayCommand(_ => ResetRecordFolder());
@@ -478,11 +479,24 @@ public partial class MainViewModel : ViewModelBase
 
     private DateTime _lastWebcamNullLog = DateTime.MinValue;
 
+    /// <summary>Maps a config's identity GUID to the CameraManager session key (the
+    /// DEVICE id). internal = test seam. Take-2 fix: looking up the identity GUID
+    /// against a device-keyed dictionary returned null forever.</summary>
+    internal string DeviceKeyForWebcam(string webcamId) =>
+        _webcam is { } w && w.Id == webcamId && !string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(w.DeviceId)
+            ? w.DeviceId
+            : webcamId;
+
     private VideoFrame? ResolveOutputFrameCore(SceneElement element)
     {
         return element switch
         {
-            WebcamSceneConfig webcam => _cameraManager.GetLatestFrame(webcam.WebcamId),
+            // CameraManager sessions are keyed by DEVICE id (AcquireAsync(_webcam.DeviceId));
+            // configs carry the identity GUID (WebcamSceneConfig.WebcamId = _webcam.Id).
+            // Looking up by the GUID returned null forever — the webcam was structurally
+            // invisible on the output while the preview (bitmap path) looked fine
+            // (caught by the resolver logging, 2026-09-01 take two).
+            WebcamSceneConfig webcam => _cameraManager.GetLatestFrame(DeviceKeyForWebcam(webcam.WebcamId)),
             Source { IsLiveCapture: true, CaptureKey: not null } live => _screenCaptureManager.GetLatestFrame(live.CaptureKey),
             Source { Type: SourceType.ChatBox } chatBox => RenderChatBox(chatBox),
             Source { Type: SourceType.WebSource } web => _webView2Manager?.GetLatestFrame(web.Id),
diff --git a/ytLive.Tests/SessionTeardownTests.cs b/ytLive.Tests/SessionTeardownTests.cs
index 670608e..8d79d80 100644
--- a/ytLive.Tests/SessionTeardownTests.cs
+++ b/ytLive.Tests/SessionTeardownTests.cs
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ public sealed class SessionTeardownTests
             Assert.False(vm.OnAirPillOn, "both pills clear");
             Assert.False(vm.ShowEndStreamButton, "no End button once nothing is running");
             Assert.Equal(ytLive.Models.StreamStatus.Offline, vm.StreamStatus);
+            // No dead ends (2026-09-01): after a stop the top bar must still offer a
+            // reachable Start — pills cleared + signed out used to blank the button.
+            Assert.True(vm.ShowPrimaryStartButton, "a stopped session must leave a Start button");
         }
         finally
         {
diff --git a/ytLive.Tests/WebcamOutputKeyTests.cs b/ytLive.Tests/WebcamOutputKeyTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e79814a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ytLive.Tests/WebcamOutputKeyTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+using System;
+using System.IO;
+using System.Linq;
+using Microsoft.Data.Sqlite;
+using Xunit;
+using ytLive.Models;
+using ytLive.Services;
+using ytLive.ViewModels;
+
+namespace ytLive.Tests;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Take-2 fix (2026-09-01): configs reference the webcam by IDENTITY GUID while
+/// CameraManager sessions are keyed by DEVICE id — the output resolver looked up the
+/// wrong dictionary and the camera was structurally invisible on stream/recordings
+/// while the preview (bitmap path) looked fine. DeviceKeyForWebcam is the mapping;
+/// this test seeds a layout whose identity differs from its device id and asserts
+/// the map (plus unknown-id passthrough).
+/// </summary>
+[Collection("RealApp")]
+public sealed class WebcamOutputKeyTests
+{
+    private readonly RealAppHost _app;
+
+    public WebcamOutputKeyTests(RealAppHost app) => _app = app;
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void DeviceKeyForWebcam_Maps_Identity_To_Device()
+    {
+        _app.Run(Run);
+    }
+
+    private void Run()
+    {
+        var tempDb = Path.Combine(Path.GetTempPath(), $"ytLlive-wckey-{Guid.NewGuid():N}.db");
+        MainViewModel.LayoutPathOverride = tempDb;
+        var window = default(MainWindow);
+        try
+        {
+            using (var schema = new LayoutStore(tempDb)) { }
+            SqliteConnection.ClearAllPools();
+            Seed(tempDb);
+
+            window = new MainWindow();
+            var vm = (MainViewModel)window.DataContext;
+
+            Assert.Equal("dev-physical-9", vm.DeviceKeyForWebcam("wid-identity-7"));
+            Assert.Equal("unknown-id", vm.DeviceKeyForWebcam("unknown-id"));
+        }
+        finally
+        {
+            if (window != null) window.Close();
+            MainViewModel.LayoutPathOverride = null;
+            SqliteConnection.ClearAllPools();
+            try { File.Delete(tempDb); } catch { /* best-effort */ }
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static void Seed(string path)
+    {
+        using var connection = new SqliteConnection($"Data Source={path}");
+        connection.Open();
+
+        var scenes = new (string Id, string Name)[]
+        {
+            ("scene-starting", "Starting"),
+            ("scene-live", "Live"),
+            ("scene-brb", "BRB"),
+            ("scene-chat", "Chat"),
+            ("scene-ending", "Ending"),
+        };
+        foreach (var (id, name) in scenes)
+        {
+            using var cmd = connection.CreateCommand();
+            cmd.CommandText = "INSERT INTO Scene (Id, Name, HasBackground, SortOrder) VALUES ($id, $name, 1, $order);";
+            cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("$id", id);
+            cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("$name", name);
+            cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("$order", Array.IndexOf(scenes, (id, name)));
+            cmd.ExecuteNonQuery();
+        }
+
+        using (var webcam = connection.CreateCommand())
+        {
+            webcam.CommandText = "INSERT INTO Webcam (Id, DeviceId, Name) VALUES ('wid-identity-7', 'dev-physical-9', 'Cam');";
+            webcam.ExecuteNonQuery();
+        }
+
+        using (var config = connection.CreateCommand())
+        {
+            config.CommandText =
+                @"INSERT INTO WebcamSceneConfig
+                  (SceneId, WebcamId, IsVisible, X, Y, Width, Height, Opacity, SortOrder)
+                  VALUES ('scene-live', 'wid-identity-7', 1, 100, 100, 480, 270, 1, 0);";
+            config.ExecuteNonQuery();
+        }
+    }
+}