diff --git a/app/javascript/dashboard/components-next/Contacts/VoiceCallButton.vue b/app/javascript/dashboard/components-next/Contacts/VoiceCallButton.vue
index 2ffbac7ff..5d13b1ee1 100644
--- a/app/javascript/dashboard/components-next/Contacts/VoiceCallButton.vue
+++ b/app/javascript/dashboard/components-next/Contacts/VoiceCallButton.vue
@@ -93,6 +93,8 @@ const startWhatsappCall = async inboxId => {
   }
 
   const callsStore = useCallsStore();
+  // Stay non-active until the connect cable event arrives — flipping to active
+  // here would start the duration timer before the contact picks up.
   callsStore.addCall({
     callSid: response.call_id,
     callId: response.id,
@@ -101,7 +103,6 @@ const startWhatsappCall = async inboxId => {
     callDirection: 'outbound',
     provider: 'whatsapp',
   });
-  callsStore.setCallActive(response.call_id);
 
   useAlert(t('CONTACT_PANEL.CALL_INITIATED'));
   navigateToConversation(conversationId);
diff --git a/app/javascript/dashboard/components/widgets/FloatingCallWidget.vue b/app/javascript/dashboard/components/widgets/FloatingCallWidget.vue
index fe22eb1eb..d711c7fb4 100644
--- a/app/javascript/dashboard/components/widgets/FloatingCallWidget.vue
+++ b/app/javascript/dashboard/components/widgets/FloatingCallWidget.vue
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <script setup>
-import { computed, ref, watch } from 'vue';
+import { computed, onBeforeUnmount, ref, watch } from 'vue';
 import { useRouter } from 'vue-router';
 import { useStore } from 'vuex';
 import { useCallSession } from 'dashboard/composables/useCallSession';
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ import { setWhatsappCallMuted } from 'dashboard/composables/useWhatsappCallSessi
 import WindowVisibilityHelper from 'dashboard/helper/AudioAlerts/WindowVisibilityHelper';
 import Avatar from 'dashboard/components-next/avatar/Avatar.vue';
 
+const RINGTONE_URL = '/audio/dashboard/bell.mp3';
+
 const router = useRouter();
 const store = useStore();
 
@@ -97,12 +99,15 @@ const handleJoinCall = async call => {
   }
 };
 
-// Auto-join outbound calls when window is visible
+// Auto-join outbound calls when window is visible. WhatsApp outbound has no
+// separate join step (the offer was sent at initiate time and the answer is
+// applied directly by the cable handler), so this only covers Twilio.
 watch(
   () => incomingCalls.value[0],
   call => {
     if (
       call?.callDirection === 'outbound' &&
+      call?.provider !== 'whatsapp' &&
       !hasActiveCall.value &&
       WindowVisibilityHelper.isWindowVisible()
     ) {
@@ -111,6 +116,37 @@ watch(
   },
   { immediate: true }
 );
+
+// Loop the ringtone while an inbound call is unanswered. Stop the moment any
+// call is active (we joined), every inbound call cleared, or the widget tears
+// down. Browser autoplay may reject the first play() if the tab has no prior
+// user gesture; that's fine — the visual widget still surfaces the call.
+const ringtone = new Audio(RINGTONE_URL);
+ringtone.loop = true;
+ringtone.volume = 1;
+
+const stopRingtone = () => {
+  ringtone.pause();
+  ringtone.currentTime = 0;
+};
+
+const ringingInbound = computed(() =>
+  incomingCalls.value.some(call => call.callDirection !== 'outbound')
+);
+
+watch(
+  () => ringingInbound.value && !hasActiveCall.value,
+  shouldRing => {
+    if (shouldRing) {
+      ringtone.play().catch(() => {});
+    } else {
+      stopRingtone();
+    }
+  },
+  { immediate: true }
+);
+
+onBeforeUnmount(stopRingtone);
 </script>
 
 <template>
@@ -223,7 +259,9 @@ watch(
           <i class="text-lg text-white i-ph-phone-x-bold" />
         </button>
         <button
-          v-if="!hasActiveCall"
+          v-if="
+            !hasActiveCall && incomingCalls[0]?.callDirection !== 'outbound'
+          "
           class="flex justify-center items-center w-10 h-10 bg-n-teal-9 hover:bg-n-teal-10 rounded-full transition-colors"
           @click="handleJoinCall(incomingCalls[0])"
         >
diff --git a/app/javascript/dashboard/components/widgets/conversation/ConversationHeader.vue b/app/javascript/dashboard/components/widgets/conversation/ConversationHeader.vue
index 7953c64c1..c989b4e28 100644
--- a/app/javascript/dashboard/components/widgets/conversation/ConversationHeader.vue
+++ b/app/javascript/dashboard/components/widgets/conversation/ConversationHeader.vue
@@ -107,6 +107,13 @@ const isWhatsappVoiceInbox = computed(
   () => getVoiceCallProvider(inbox.value) === VOICE_CALL_PROVIDERS.WHATSAPP
 );
 
+const isWhatsappCallButtonDisabled = computed(
+  () =>
+    whatsappCallSession.isInitiating.value ||
+    callsStore.hasActiveCall ||
+    callsStore.hasIncomingCall
+);
+
 const startWhatsappCall = async () => {
   if (whatsappCallSession.isInitiating.value) return;
   try {
@@ -125,6 +132,8 @@ const startWhatsappCall = async () => {
       return;
     }
 
+    // Stay non-active until Meta delivers the connect webhook (sdp_answer);
+    // flipping to active here would start the duration timer before pickup.
     callsStore.addCall({
       callSid: response.call_id,
       callId: response.id,
@@ -133,7 +142,6 @@ const startWhatsappCall = async () => {
       callDirection: 'outbound',
       provider: 'whatsapp',
     });
-    callsStore.setCallActive(response.call_id);
   } catch (error) {
     useAlert(error?.message || t('CONVERSATION.HEADER.WHATSAPP_CALL_FAILED'));
   }
@@ -207,7 +215,7 @@ const startWhatsappCall = async () => {
         color="slate"
         icon="i-lucide-phone"
         :is-loading="whatsappCallSession.isInitiating.value"
-        :disabled="whatsappCallSession.isInitiating.value"
+        :disabled="isWhatsappCallButtonDisabled"
         class="rounded-md hover:bg-n-alpha-2"
         @click="startWhatsappCall"
       />
diff --git a/app/javascript/dashboard/composables/useCallSession.js b/app/javascript/dashboard/composables/useCallSession.js
index c2e756111..f6dd3bb05 100644
--- a/app/javascript/dashboard/composables/useCallSession.js
+++ b/app/javascript/dashboard/composables/useCallSession.js
@@ -106,8 +106,11 @@ export function useCallSession() {
   const findCall = callSid => callsStore.calls.find(c => c.callSid === callSid);
 
   const endCall = async ({ conversationId, inboxId, callSid }) => {
-    if (isWhatsappCall(findCall(callSid))) {
-      await whatsappSession.endActiveCall();
+    const call = findCall(callSid);
+    if (isWhatsappCall(call)) {
+      // Pass call.callId so a wiped module state (e.g. a prior accept attempt
+      // tore down the WebRTC session) doesn't stop us hitting /terminate.
+      await whatsappSession.endActiveCall(call.callId);
       durationTimer.stop();
       callsStore.clearActiveCall();
       return;
@@ -122,9 +125,15 @@ export function useCallSession() {
   const joinCall = async ({ conversationId, inboxId, callSid }) => {
     if (isJoining.value) return null;
 
+    const call = findCall(callSid);
+    // Outbound calls were initiated by this agent — there is no inbound offer
+    // to accept and the WebRTC session is already mid-handshake. Routing
+    // through acceptIncomingCall would call prepareInboundAnswer → cleanup()
+    // and destroy the live outbound session, then 409 from the backend.
+    if (call?.callDirection === 'outbound') return null;
+
     isJoining.value = true;
     try {
-      const call = findCall(callSid);
       if (isWhatsappCall(call)) {
         await whatsappSession.acceptIncomingCall({
           callId: call.callId,
@@ -174,7 +183,14 @@ export function useCallSession() {
   const rejectIncomingCall = callSid => {
     const call = findCall(callSid);
     if (isWhatsappCall(call) && call?.callId) {
-      whatsappSession.rejectIncomingCall(call.callId);
+      // Outbound calls that are still ringing must be terminated, not rejected
+      // (reject is the inbound-side verb on Meta's API). Pass call.callId so
+      // a wiped module state still hits /terminate.
+      if (call.callDirection === 'outbound') {
+        whatsappSession.endActiveCall(call.callId);
+      } else {
+        whatsappSession.rejectIncomingCall(call.callId);
+      }
     } else {
       TwilioVoiceClient.endClientCall();
     }
diff --git a/app/javascript/dashboard/composables/useWhatsappCallSession.js b/app/javascript/dashboard/composables/useWhatsappCallSession.js
index 2985caac6..ead1bb77c 100644
--- a/app/javascript/dashboard/composables/useWhatsappCallSession.js
+++ b/app/javascript/dashboard/composables/useWhatsappCallSession.js
@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@ let recorderChunks = [];
 let audioContext = null;
 let activeCallId = null;
 let intentionallyClosing = false;
+// Inbound calls record from the moment the agent clicks accept (their click =
+// pickup). Outbound calls must wait — Meta's `connect` webhook (which lands
+// during ringing) negotiates remote tracks ~20s before the contact actually
+// answers, and we don't want pre-pickup audio in the recording. This flag is
+// flipped to true by armOutboundRecorder() when the ACCEPTED status arrives.
+let recorderArmed = false;
 
 const ensureRemoteAudioElement = () => {
   if (remoteAudioEl) return remoteAudioEl;
@@ -38,6 +44,7 @@ const playRemoteStream = stream => {
 // that races cleanup still has data to upload.
 const RECORDING_TIMESLICE_MS = 1000;
 const ICE_GATHER_TIMEOUT_MS = 10000;
+
 const RECORDER_MIME_CANDIDATES = [
   'audio/webm;codecs=opus',
   'audio/webm',
@@ -64,32 +71,6 @@ const waitForIceGatheringComplete = peer =>
     });
   });
 
-const cleanup = () => {
-  if (mediaRecorder && mediaRecorder.state !== 'inactive') {
-    try {
-      mediaRecorder.stop();
-    } catch (_) {
-      /* noop */
-    }
-  }
-  if (audioContext && audioContext.state !== 'closed') {
-    audioContext.close().catch(() => {});
-  }
-  if (localStream) localStream.getTracks().forEach(t => t.stop());
-  if (remoteStream) remoteStream.getTracks().forEach(t => t.stop());
-  if (pc) pc.close();
-  if (remoteAudioEl) remoteAudioEl.srcObject = null;
-
-  pc = null;
-  localStream = null;
-  remoteStream = null;
-  mediaRecorder = null;
-  recorderChunks = [];
-  audioContext = null;
-  activeCallId = null;
-  intentionallyClosing = false;
-};
-
 const setupRecorder = () => {
   if (!localStream || !remoteStream || mediaRecorder) return;
   // createMediaStreamSource on a stream with no audio tracks wires up to
@@ -118,6 +99,33 @@ const setupRecorder = () => {
   mediaRecorder.start(RECORDING_TIMESLICE_MS);
 };
 
+const cleanup = () => {
+  if (mediaRecorder && mediaRecorder.state !== 'inactive') {
+    try {
+      mediaRecorder.stop();
+    } catch (_) {
+      /* noop */
+    }
+  }
+  if (audioContext && audioContext.state !== 'closed') {
+    audioContext.close().catch(() => {});
+  }
+  if (localStream) localStream.getTracks().forEach(t => t.stop());
+  if (remoteStream) remoteStream.getTracks().forEach(t => t.stop());
+  if (pc) pc.close();
+  if (remoteAudioEl) remoteAudioEl.srcObject = null;
+
+  pc = null;
+  localStream = null;
+  remoteStream = null;
+  mediaRecorder = null;
+  recorderChunks = [];
+  audioContext = null;
+  activeCallId = null;
+  intentionallyClosing = false;
+  recorderArmed = false;
+};
+
 const buildPeerConnection = iceServers => {
   const config = iceServers && iceServers.length ? { iceServers } : {};
   pc = new RTCPeerConnection(config);
@@ -134,7 +142,10 @@ const buildPeerConnection = iceServers => {
         remoteStream.addTrack(track);
     });
     playRemoteStream(remoteStream);
-    setupRecorder();
+    // Only arm the recorder when the call is actually accepted. For outbound
+    // this is the ACCEPTED status webhook; for inbound this is the agent's
+    // own click (acceptIncomingCall flips recorderArmed before returning).
+    if (recorderArmed) setupRecorder();
   };
   return pc;
 };
@@ -255,6 +266,11 @@ export function useWhatsappCallSession() {
 
     const sdpAnswer = await prepareInboundAnswer(offer, ice);
     activeCallId = callId;
+    // Inbound: agent's click is the pickup. Arm the recorder before the API
+    // round-trip so when ontrack fires (triggered by setRemoteDescription
+    // back in prepareInboundAnswer) the recorder is already authorized.
+    recorderArmed = true;
+    setupRecorder();
     await WhatsappCallsAPI.accept(callId, sdpAnswer);
   };
 
@@ -287,16 +303,20 @@ export function useWhatsappCallSession() {
     }
   };
 
-  const endActiveCall = async () => {
-    if (!activeCallId) {
+  // callIdOverride is the call.id from the dashboard's calls store. Module
+  // `activeCallId` may be null after a prior accept attempt's cleanup() — but
+  // the call still exists on Meta and must still be terminated. Falling back
+  // to the override means hangup is robust to a wiped local session.
+  const endActiveCall = async (callIdOverride = null) => {
+    const callId = activeCallId || callIdOverride;
+    if (!callId) {
       cleanup();
       return;
     }
     intentionallyClosing = true;
-    const callIdSnapshot = activeCallId;
     try {
-      await stopRecorderAndUpload(callIdSnapshot);
-      await WhatsappCallsAPI.terminate(callIdSnapshot).catch(() => {});
+      await stopRecorderAndUpload(callId);
+      await WhatsappCallsAPI.terminate(callId).catch(() => {});
     } finally {
       cleanup();
     }
@@ -322,6 +342,15 @@ export const applyOutboundAnswer = async (callId, sdpAnswer) => {
   await pc.setRemoteDescription({ type: 'answer', sdp: sdpAnswer });
 };
 
+// Called by the cable handler when Meta delivers status=ACCEPTED for the
+// outbound call (real pickup). Flips the recorder gate and starts the
+// MediaRecorder. Idempotent — safe if ontrack hasn't fired yet (setupRecorder
+// bails until the remote stream has audio tracks; ontrack will retry).
+export const armOutboundRecorder = () => {
+  recorderArmed = true;
+  setupRecorder();
+};
+
 export const cleanupWhatsappSession = () => cleanup();
 
 export const handleWhatsappRemoteEnd = async callId => {
diff --git a/app/javascript/dashboard/helper/actionCable.js b/app/javascript/dashboard/helper/actionCable.js
index db0a66fd9..14afeec5c 100644
--- a/app/javascript/dashboard/helper/actionCable.js
+++ b/app/javascript/dashboard/helper/actionCable.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { useImpersonation } from 'dashboard/composables/useImpersonation';
 import { useCallsStore } from 'dashboard/stores/calls';
 import {
   applyOutboundAnswer,
+  armOutboundRecorder,
   handleWhatsappRemoteEnd,
 } from 'dashboard/composables/useWhatsappCallSession';
 
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ class ActionCableConnector extends BaseActionCableConnector {
       'copilot.message.created': this.onCopilotMessageCreated,
       'voice_call.incoming': this.onVoiceCallIncoming,
       'voice_call.outbound_connected': this.onVoiceCallOutboundConnected,
+      'voice_call.outbound_accepted': this.onVoiceCallOutboundAccepted,
       'voice_call.ended': this.onVoiceCallEnded,
     };
   }
@@ -230,10 +232,28 @@ class ActionCableConnector extends BaseActionCableConnector {
     });
   };
 
+  // `connect` is the WebRTC tunnel-ready signal (fires ~20s before pickup
+  // for outbound). Apply the SDP answer so the handshake completes during
+  // ringing, but stay non-active until `outbound_accepted` arrives.
   // eslint-disable-next-line class-methods-use-this
-  onVoiceCallOutboundConnected = data => {
+  onVoiceCallOutboundConnected = async data => {
     if (data?.provider !== 'whatsapp' || !data.sdp_answer) return;
-    applyOutboundAnswer(data.id, data.sdp_answer).catch(() => {});
+    try {
+      await applyOutboundAnswer(data.id, data.sdp_answer);
+    } catch (_) {
+      /* noop */
+    }
+  };
+
+  // Real pickup signal — Meta sends status=ACCEPTED on the call when the
+  // contact answers. Flip active (timer starts) and arm the recorder.
+  // eslint-disable-next-line class-methods-use-this
+  onVoiceCallOutboundAccepted = data => {
+    if (data?.provider !== 'whatsapp') return;
+    const store = useCallsStore();
+    if (!store.calls.some(c => c.callSid === data.call_id)) return;
+    store.setCallActive(data.call_id);
+    armOutboundRecorder();
   };
 
   // eslint-disable-next-line class-methods-use-this