diff --git a/static/index.html b/static/index.html
index 4fb4db0..c4ed0eb 100644
--- a/static/index.html
+++ b/static/index.html
@@ -2893,35 +2893,64 @@
 
         setScanStatus('Point camera at a barcode', 'success');
 
+        // Camera readiness check: if the video never starts streaming
+        // (no media attached within 5s), treat as camera failure
+        const cameraFailTimer = setTimeout(() => {
+          if (video.readyState === 0 && scanningActive) {
+            console.warn('Camera stream never started — showing manual fallback');
+            scanningActive = false;
+            video.style.display = 'none';
+            if (codeReader) {
+              try { codeReader.reset(); } catch (e) { /* ignore */ }
+            }
+            handleCameraError(new Error('No camera stream — connect a camera or enter ID manually'));
+          }
+        }, 5000);
+
         // decodeFromVideoDevice handles camera + scanning in one call
         codeReader.decodeFromVideoDevice(deviceId, video, (result, err) => {
+          // Clear the timeout once we get any callback (stream started or error)
+          clearTimeout(cameraFailTimer);
           if (result && scanningActive) {
             const val = result.getText();
             if (val && val !== currentScannedMachineId) {
               handleBarcode(val.trim());
             }
+          } else if (err && scanningActive) {
+            // ZXing reports camera errors through the callback (not as exceptions)
+            console.error('ZXing camera error:', err);
+            handleCameraError(new Error(err.message || err));
           }
         });
       } catch (e) {
         console.error('Camera error:', e);
-        setScanStatus('Camera failed: ' + e.message, 'error');
-        const ph = document.getElementById('cameraPlaceholder');
-        if (ph) ph.innerHTML = `<span class="cam-icon">${gi("📷")}</span><div class="cam-hint" style="margin-top:4px;">Camera: ${e.message}</div>`;
-        // Show manual search fallback
-        const fallback = document.getElementById('manualSearchFallback');
-        if (fallback) {
-          fallback.style.display = 'block';
-          fallback.innerHTML = `
-            <div style="background:var(--red-bg);color:var(--red);padding:10px;border-radius:8px;margin-bottom:10px;font-size:13px;">
-              <strong>Camera unavailable</strong><br>
-              ${getCameraErrorMessage(e)}
-            </div>
-            <div style="font-size:12px;color:var(--text2);margin-bottom:6px;">Enter ID manually:</div>
-            <input type="text" id="manualBarcodeInput" class="input-field" placeholder="Connect ID or barcode..." onkeypress="if(event.key==='Enter')handleManualBarcode()">
-            <button class="btn btn-primary btn-sm" onclick="handleManualBarcode()" style="margin-top:6px;width:100%;">Search</button>
-            <button class="btn btn-outline btn-sm" onclick="startScanning()" style="margin-top:6px;width:100%;">Try camera again</button>
-          `;
-        }
+        handleCameraError(e);
+      }
+    }
+
+    function handleCameraError(e) {
+      setScanStatus('Camera failed: ' + e.message, 'error');
+      const ph = document.getElementById('cameraPlaceholder');
+      if (ph) {
+        ph.style.display = 'block';
+        ph.innerHTML = `<span class="cam-icon">${gi("📷")}</span><div class="cam-hint" style="margin-top:4px;">Camera: ${e.message}</div>`;
+      }
+      // Show manual search fallback
+      const fallback = document.getElementById('manualSearchFallback');
+      if (fallback) {
+        fallback.style.display = 'block';
+        fallback.innerHTML = `
+          <div style="background:var(--red-bg);color:var(--red);padding:10px;border-radius:8px;margin-bottom:10px;font-size:13px;">
+            <strong>Camera unavailable</strong><br>
+            ${getCameraErrorMessage(e)}
+          </div>
+          <div style="font-size:12px;color:var(--text2);margin-bottom:6px;">Enter ID manually:</div>
+          <input type="text" id="manualBarcodeInput" class="input-field" placeholder="Connect ID or barcode..." onkeypress="if(event.key==='Enter')handleManualBarcode()">
+          <button class="btn btn-primary btn-sm" onclick="handleManualBarcode()" style="margin-top:6px;width:100%;">Search</button>
+          <button class="btn btn-outline btn-sm" onclick="startScanning()" style="margin-top:6px;width:100%;">Try camera again</button>
+        `;
+        // Focus the manual input for convenience
+        setTimeout(() => document.getElementById('manualBarcodeInput')?.focus(), 100);
       }
     }