diff --git a/android/app/src/main/java/com/yarisobd/app/DashcamViewModel.kt b/android/app/src/main/java/com/yarisobd/app/DashcamViewModel.kt
index 6c2409e..fb8f9d0 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/java/com/yarisobd/app/DashcamViewModel.kt
+++ b/android/app/src/main/java/com/yarisobd/app/DashcamViewModel.kt
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ data class ActiveDownload(
     val filename: String,
     val progress: Int,
     val done: Boolean,
+    val status: String? = null,
 )
 
 class DashcamViewModel(application: Application) : AndroidViewModel(application) {
@@ -317,9 +318,10 @@ class DashcamViewModel(application: Application) : AndroidViewModel(application)
         wm.getWorkInfoByIdLiveData(uuid).observeForever { info ->
             if (info == null) return@observeForever
             val progress = info.progress.getInt("pct", 0)
+            val status = info.progress.getString("status")
             val done = info.state == WorkInfo.State.SUCCEEDED || info.state == WorkInfo.State.FAILED
 
-            _uploadProgress.value = _uploadProgress.value + (file.name to ActiveDownload(workerId, file.name, progress, done))
+            _uploadProgress.value = _uploadProgress.value + (file.name to ActiveDownload(workerId, file.name, progress, done, status))
 
             when (info.state) {
                 WorkInfo.State.SUCCEEDED -> {
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/java/com/yarisobd/app/DownloadsScreen.kt b/android/app/src/main/java/com/yarisobd/app/DownloadsScreen.kt
index 425f3c7..45f5e38 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/java/com/yarisobd/app/DownloadsScreen.kt
+++ b/android/app/src/main/java/com/yarisobd/app/DownloadsScreen.kt
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ fun DownloadsScreen(
                                         Spacer(Modifier.width(10.dp))
                                         Column {
                                             Text("↑ $filename", style = MaterialTheme.typography.bodyMedium, fontWeight = FontWeight.Medium, maxLines = 1, overflow = TextOverflow.Ellipsis)
-                                            Text("${dl.progress}%", style = MaterialTheme.typography.bodySmall, color = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.onSurfaceVariant)
+                                            Text(uploadLabel(dl), style = MaterialTheme.typography.bodySmall, color = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.onSurfaceVariant)
                                         }
                                     }
                                 }
@@ -245,6 +245,12 @@ fun DownloadsScreen(
     }
 }
 
+private fun uploadLabel(dl: ActiveDownload): String {
+    val pct = "${dl.progress}%"
+    val status = dl.status ?: return pct
+    return if (dl.progress > 0) "$status · $pct" else status
+}
+
 private fun formatSize(bytes: Long): String = when {
     bytes >= 1_000_000_000 -> "%.1f GB".format(bytes / 1_000_000_000.0)
     bytes >= 1_000_000 -> "%.1f MB".format(bytes / 1_000_000.0)
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/java/com/yarisobd/app/UploadWorker.kt b/android/app/src/main/java/com/yarisobd/app/UploadWorker.kt
index 6c8caf7..c80f22c 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/java/com/yarisobd/app/UploadWorker.kt
+++ b/android/app/src/main/java/com/yarisobd/app/UploadWorker.kt
@@ -53,11 +53,16 @@ class UploadWorker(
         if (!file.exists()) return@withContext Result.failure(workDataOf("error" to "File not found"))
 
         try {
+            // Promote to foreground immediately so large files aren't killed during hashing
+            setForeground(DownloadWorker.createForegroundNotification(applicationContext, "Preparing $filename", 0))
+            setProgressAsync(workDataOf("pct" to 0, "status" to "Hashing…"))
+
             // Compute SHA256
             val sha256 = computeSha256(file)
             val relativePath = filename  // Using filename as relative_path since flat dir
 
             // Check status
+            setProgressAsync(workDataOf("pct" to 0, "status" to "Checking server…"))
             val statusUrl = "$serverUrl/api/v1/dashcam/upload/status?relative_path=$relativePath&sha256=$sha256"
             val statusReq = Request.Builder().url(statusUrl)
                 .addHeader("X-Device-Name", deviceName)
@@ -77,6 +82,7 @@ class UploadWorker(
 
             val totalChunks = ((file.length() + CHUNK_SIZE - 1) / CHUNK_SIZE).toInt()
             setForeground(DownloadWorker.createForegroundNotification(applicationContext, "Uploading $filename", 0))
+            setProgressAsync(workDataOf("pct" to 0, "status" to "Uploading…"))
 
             // Upload missing chunks
             for (i in 0 until totalChunks) {
@@ -114,7 +120,7 @@ class UploadWorker(
 
                 val pct = ((i + 1) * 100) / totalChunks
                 setForeground(DownloadWorker.createForegroundNotification(applicationContext, "Uploading $filename", pct))
-                setProgressAsync(workDataOf("pct" to pct))
+                setProgressAsync(workDataOf("pct" to pct, "status" to "Uploading…"))
             }
 
             return@withContext Result.success(workDataOf("filename" to filename))