diff --git a/src/lib/ae_core/ae_comp__hosted_files_clip_video.svelte b/src/lib/ae_core/ae_comp__hosted_files_clip_video.svelte
index a0691646..d251042b 100644
--- a/src/lib/ae_core/ae_comp__hosted_files_clip_video.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/ae_core/ae_comp__hosted_files_clip_video.svelte
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ function handle_clip_video(event: Event) {
             api_cfg: $ae_api,
             endpoint: endpoint,
             params: params,
-            timeout: 300000, // 5 minutes
+            timeout: 1800000, // 30 minutes — clip_video runs ffmpeg which can take 5-15 min for long recordings
             // return_blob: true,
             // filename: event.target.new_filename.value,
             // auto_download: false,
@@ -157,12 +157,24 @@ function handle_clip_video(event: Event) {
         .then(function (result) {
             console.log(result);
 
+            // WHY: get_object() returns false/null on network failure (CORS drop,
+            // timeout, Gunicorn worker killed). Without this guard, result.hosted_file_id
+            // is undefined — JS uses it as an object key without throwing, so all the
+            // success state below would run and show "Clipped" on a failed request.
+            if (!result || !result.hosted_file_id) {
+                console.log('clip_video: request failed or returned no result');
+                $ae_sess.files.processed_file_kv[hosted_file_id].submit_status =
+                    'error';
+                $ae_loc.files.processed_file_kv[hosted_file_id].submit_status =
+                    'error';
+                submit_status = 'error';
+                clip_complete = false;
+                return false;
+            }
+
             video_clip_file_kv[result.hosted_file_id] = {};
             video_clip_file_kv[result.hosted_file_id] = result;
 
-            // $ae_loc.files.video_clip_file_kv[result.hosted_file_id] = {};
-            // $ae_loc.files.video_clip_file_kv[result.hosted_file_id] = result;
-
             $ae_sess.files.processed_file_kv[hosted_file_id].submit_status =
                 'clipped';
             $ae_sess.files.processed_file_kv[hosted_file_id].clip_complete =
@@ -176,13 +188,6 @@ function handle_clip_video(event: Event) {
             submit_status = 'clipped';
             clip_complete = true;
 
-            // let file_blob = new Blob([result.data]);
-            // // console.log(file_blob);
-            // let file_obj_url = window.URL.createObjectURL(file_blob); // The img src
-            // // const url = window.URL.createObjectURL(new Blob([result.data]));
-            // download_clip_src = file_obj_url;
-            // // download_filename = file_obj_url;
-
             return true;
         });
 }
@@ -363,21 +368,25 @@ function handle_clip_video(event: Event) {
 
                 <button
                     type="submit"
-                    class="btn btn-lg btn-primary preset-tonal-primary border-primary-500 hover:preset-filled-primary-500 border transition-colors"
+                    class="btn btn-lg btn-primary border transition-colors"
+                    class:preset-tonal-primary={submit_status !== 'error'}
+                    class:border-primary-500={submit_status !== 'error'}
+                    class:hover:preset-filled-primary-500={submit_status !== 'error'}
+                    class:preset-tonal-error={submit_status === 'error'}
+                    class:border-error-500={submit_status === 'error'}
                     disabled={submit_status == 'clipping'}>
-                    <!-- {#await ae_promises[hosted_file_id]} -->
                     {#if $ae_loc.files.processed_file_kv[hosted_file_id] && $ae_loc.files.processed_file_kv[hosted_file_id].submit_status == 'clipping'}
                         <LoaderCircle size="1em" class="m-1 animate-spin" />
                         <span class="highlight">Clipping...</span>
+                    {:else if $ae_loc.files.processed_file_kv[hosted_file_id] && $ae_loc.files.processed_file_kv[hosted_file_id].submit_status == 'error'}
+                        <span class="fas fa-exclamation-triangle m-1"></span>
+                        Failed — Retry?
+                    {:else if $ae_loc.files.processed_file_kv[hosted_file_id] && $ae_loc.files.processed_file_kv[hosted_file_id].submit_status == 'clipped'}
+                        <Check size="1em" class="m-1" />
+                        Clipped
                     {:else}
-                        <!-- {#if ae_promises[hosted_file_id]} -->
-                        {#if $ae_loc.files.processed_file_kv[hosted_file_id] && $ae_loc.files.processed_file_kv[hosted_file_id].submit_status == 'clipped'}
-                            <Check size="1em" class="m-1" />
-                            Clipped
-                        {:else}
-                            <Scissors size="1em" class="m-1" />
-                            Clip Video
-                        {/if}
+                        <Scissors size="1em" class="m-1" />
+                        Clip Video
                     {/if}
                     <!-- <span class="fas fa-cut m-1"></span>
             Clip Video -->