diff --git a/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml b/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
index 835031b0d..72952da53 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -58,13 +58,21 @@
             android:excludeFromRecents="true"
             android:taskAffinity=""
             android:launchMode="singleTask"
-            android:theme="@android:style/Theme.NoDisplay">
+            android:theme="@android:style/Theme.Translucent.NoTitleBar">
             <intent-filter>
                 <action android:name="android.intent.action.ASSIST" />
                 <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
             </intent-filter>
         </activity>
 
+        <activity
+            android:name=".PermissionRequestActivity"
+            android:exported="false"
+            android:excludeFromRecents="true"
+            android:taskAffinity=""
+            android:launchMode="singleTop"
+            android:theme="@android:style/Theme.Translucent.NoTitleBar" />
+
         <service
             android:name=".assistant.AssistantService"
             android:exported="false"
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/java/io/picoclaw/android/PermissionRequestActivity.kt b/android/app/src/main/java/io/picoclaw/android/PermissionRequestActivity.kt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ad73ff02f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/android/app/src/main/java/io/picoclaw/android/PermissionRequestActivity.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+package io.picoclaw.android
+
+import android.content.Context
+import android.content.Intent
+import android.content.pm.PackageManager
+import android.os.Bundle
+import androidx.activity.ComponentActivity
+import androidx.activity.result.contract.ActivityResultContracts
+import androidx.core.content.ContextCompat
+
+class PermissionRequestActivity : ComponentActivity() {
+
+    private val launcher = registerForActivityResult(
+        ActivityResultContracts.RequestPermission()
+    ) { granted ->
+        broadcastResult(
+            intent.getStringExtra(EXTRA_PERMISSION).orEmpty(),
+            granted
+        )
+        finish()
+    }
+
+    override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
+        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
+        val permission = intent.getStringExtra(EXTRA_PERMISSION)
+        if (permission == null) {
+            finish()
+            return
+        }
+        if (ContextCompat.checkSelfPermission(this, permission)
+            == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED
+        ) {
+            broadcastResult(permission, true)
+            finish()
+            return
+        }
+        launcher.launch(permission)
+    }
+
+    private fun broadcastResult(permission: String, granted: Boolean) {
+        sendBroadcast(
+            Intent(ACTION_RESULT)
+                .setPackage(packageName)
+                .putExtra(EXTRA_PERMISSION, permission)
+                .putExtra(EXTRA_GRANTED, granted)
+        )
+    }
+
+    companion object {
+        const val EXTRA_PERMISSION = "permission"
+        const val EXTRA_GRANTED = "granted"
+        const val ACTION_RESULT = "io.picoclaw.android.PERMISSION_RESULT"
+
+        fun intent(context: Context, permission: String): Intent =
+            Intent(context, PermissionRequestActivity::class.java)
+                .putExtra(EXTRA_PERMISSION, permission)
+                .addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK)
+    }
+}
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/java/io/picoclaw/android/assistant/AssistantService.kt b/android/app/src/main/java/io/picoclaw/android/assistant/AssistantService.kt
index 39de84fcf..1a74f5a0a 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/java/io/picoclaw/android/assistant/AssistantService.kt
+++ b/android/app/src/main/java/io/picoclaw/android/assistant/AssistantService.kt
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
 package io.picoclaw.android.assistant
 
+import android.Manifest
 import android.app.Notification
+import android.content.BroadcastReceiver
+import android.content.Context
 import android.content.Intent
+import android.content.IntentFilter
+import android.content.pm.PackageManager
 import android.content.pm.ServiceInfo
 import android.graphics.PixelFormat
 import android.os.IBinder
@@ -20,6 +25,7 @@ import androidx.compose.ui.layout.onGloballyPositioned
 import androidx.compose.ui.layout.positionInWindow
 import androidx.compose.ui.platform.ComposeView
 import androidx.core.app.NotificationCompat
+import androidx.core.content.ContextCompat
 import androidx.lifecycle.LifecycleService
 import androidx.lifecycle.setViewTreeLifecycleOwner
 import androidx.savedstate.SavedStateRegistry
@@ -27,6 +33,7 @@ import androidx.savedstate.SavedStateRegistryController
 import androidx.savedstate.SavedStateRegistryOwner
 import androidx.savedstate.setViewTreeSavedStateRegistryOwner
 import io.ktor.client.HttpClient
+import io.picoclaw.android.PermissionRequestActivity
 import io.picoclaw.android.core.data.remote.WebSocketClient
 import io.picoclaw.android.core.data.repository.AssistantConnectionImpl
 import io.picoclaw.android.core.domain.repository.AssistantConnection
@@ -63,6 +70,16 @@ class AssistantService : LifecycleService(), SavedStateRegistryOwner {
     override val savedStateRegistry: SavedStateRegistry
         get() = savedStateRegistryController.savedStateRegistry
 
+    private val permissionReceiver = object : BroadcastReceiver() {
+        override fun onReceive(context: Context, intent: Intent) {
+            val permission = intent.getStringExtra(PermissionRequestActivity.EXTRA_PERMISSION)
+            val granted = intent.getBooleanExtra(PermissionRequestActivity.EXTRA_GRANTED, false)
+            if (permission == Manifest.permission.CAMERA && granted) {
+                assistantManager.toggleCamera()
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     override fun onCreate() {
         savedStateRegistryController.performAttach()
         savedStateRegistryController.performRestore(null)
@@ -83,6 +100,13 @@ class AssistantService : LifecycleService(), SavedStateRegistryOwner {
             cameraCaptureManager = cameraCaptureManager,
             contentResolver = contentResolver
         )
+
+        ContextCompat.registerReceiver(
+            this,
+            permissionReceiver,
+            IntentFilter(PermissionRequestActivity.ACTION_RESULT),
+            ContextCompat.RECEIVER_NOT_EXPORTED
+        )
     }
 
     override fun onStartCommand(intent: Intent?, flags: Int, startId: Int): Int {
@@ -106,6 +130,7 @@ class AssistantService : LifecycleService(), SavedStateRegistryOwner {
     }
 
     override fun onDestroy() {
+        unregisterReceiver(permissionReceiver)
         removeOverlay()
         assistantManager.destroy()
         ttsWrapper.destroy()
@@ -119,6 +144,20 @@ class AssistantService : LifecycleService(), SavedStateRegistryOwner {
         return null
     }
 
+    private fun handleCameraToggle() {
+        if (assistantManager.state.value.isCameraActive) {
+            assistantManager.toggleCamera()
+            return
+        }
+        if (ContextCompat.checkSelfPermission(this, Manifest.permission.CAMERA)
+            == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED
+        ) {
+            assistantManager.toggleCamera()
+        } else {
+            startActivity(PermissionRequestActivity.intent(this, Manifest.permission.CAMERA))
+        }
+    }
+
     private fun shutdown() {
         stopForeground(STOP_FOREGROUND_REMOVE)
         stopSelf()
@@ -168,7 +207,7 @@ class AssistantService : LifecycleService(), SavedStateRegistryOwner {
                             state = state,
                             onClose = { shutdown() },
                             onInterrupt = { assistantManager.interrupt() },
-                            onCameraToggle = { assistantManager.toggleCamera() },
+                            onCameraToggle = { handleCameraToggle() },
                             cameraCaptureManager = cameraCaptureManager,
                             modifier = Modifier.onGloballyPositioned { coordinates ->
                                 wrapper.contentTop = coordinates.positionInWindow().y.toInt()
diff --git a/android/feature/chat/src/main/java/io/picoclaw/android/feature/chat/assistant/AssistantPillBar.kt b/android/feature/chat/src/main/java/io/picoclaw/android/feature/chat/assistant/AssistantPillBar.kt
index a94b502b8..93501c4c0 100644
--- a/android/feature/chat/src/main/java/io/picoclaw/android/feature/chat/assistant/AssistantPillBar.kt
+++ b/android/feature/chat/src/main/java/io/picoclaw/android/feature/chat/assistant/AssistantPillBar.kt
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package io.picoclaw.android.feature.chat.assistant
 
 import androidx.camera.view.PreviewView
+import androidx.camera.view.PreviewView.ImplementationMode
 import androidx.compose.animation.AnimatedVisibility
 import androidx.compose.animation.animateContentSize
 import androidx.compose.animation.core.LinearEasing
@@ -104,8 +105,9 @@ fun AssistantPillBar(
                 ) {
                     AndroidView(
                         factory = { ctx ->
-                            PreviewView(ctx).also { preview ->
-                                cameraCaptureManager.bind(lifecycleOwner, preview)
+                            PreviewView(ctx).apply {
+                                implementationMode = ImplementationMode.COMPATIBLE
+                                cameraCaptureManager.bind(lifecycleOwner, this)
                             }
                         },
                         modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize()
diff --git a/android/feature/chat/src/main/java/io/picoclaw/android/feature/chat/voice/CameraCaptureManager.kt b/android/feature/chat/src/main/java/io/picoclaw/android/feature/chat/voice/CameraCaptureManager.kt
index d0fbbe202..1a186f95d 100644
--- a/android/feature/chat/src/main/java/io/picoclaw/android/feature/chat/voice/CameraCaptureManager.kt
+++ b/android/feature/chat/src/main/java/io/picoclaw/android/feature/chat/voice/CameraCaptureManager.kt
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package io.picoclaw.android.feature.chat.voice
 
 import android.content.Context
+import android.util.Log
 import androidx.camera.core.CameraSelector
 import androidx.camera.core.ImageCapture
 import androidx.camera.core.ImageCaptureException
@@ -18,29 +19,41 @@ class CameraCaptureManager(private val context: Context) {
 
     private var imageCapture: ImageCapture? = null
     private var cameraProvider: ProcessCameraProvider? = null
+    private var currentPreviewView: PreviewView? = null
 
     fun bind(lifecycleOwner: LifecycleOwner, previewView: PreviewView) {
+        if (currentPreviewView === previewView && cameraProvider != null) return
+        unbind()
+        currentPreviewView = previewView
+
         val providerFuture = ProcessCameraProvider.getInstance(context)
         providerFuture.addListener({
-            val provider = providerFuture.get()
-            cameraProvider = provider
+            try {
+                // Stale callback – unbind() was called while waiting
+                if (currentPreviewView !== previewView) return@addListener
 
-            val preview = Preview.Builder().build().also {
-                it.surfaceProvider = previewView.surfaceProvider
+                val provider = providerFuture.get()
+                cameraProvider = provider
+
+                val preview = Preview.Builder().build().also {
+                    it.surfaceProvider = previewView.surfaceProvider
+                }
+
+                val capture = ImageCapture.Builder()
+                    .setCaptureMode(ImageCapture.CAPTURE_MODE_MINIMIZE_LATENCY)
+                    .build()
+                imageCapture = capture
+
+                provider.unbindAll()
+                provider.bindToLifecycle(
+                    lifecycleOwner,
+                    CameraSelector.DEFAULT_BACK_CAMERA,
+                    preview,
+                    capture
+                )
+            } catch (e: Exception) {
+                Log.w(TAG, "Failed to bind camera", e)
             }
-
-            val capture = ImageCapture.Builder()
-                .setCaptureMode(ImageCapture.CAPTURE_MODE_MINIMIZE_LATENCY)
-                .build()
-            imageCapture = capture
-
-            provider.unbindAll()
-            provider.bindToLifecycle(
-                lifecycleOwner,
-                CameraSelector.DEFAULT_BACK_CAMERA,
-                preview,
-                capture
-            )
         }, ContextCompat.getMainExecutor(context))
     }
 
@@ -48,6 +61,7 @@ class CameraCaptureManager(private val context: Context) {
         cameraProvider?.unbindAll()
         cameraProvider = null
         imageCapture = null
+        currentPreviewView = null
     }
 
     suspend fun captureFrame(): ImageAttachment? {
@@ -77,4 +91,8 @@ class CameraCaptureManager(private val context: Context) {
             )
         }
     }
+
+    companion object {
+        private const val TAG = "CameraCaptureManager"
+    }
 }