diff --git a/server/voice-proxy.js b/server/voice-proxy.js
index 304535a2..149459fb 100644
--- a/server/voice-proxy.js
+++ b/server/voice-proxy.js
@@ -56,10 +56,14 @@ const VOICE_TIMEOUT_MS = Number.isFinite(_parsedTimeout) && _parsedTimeout > 0
  * @returns {Promise<Response>}
  */
 async function fetchWithTimeout(url, options = {}) {
+  const parsed = new URL(url);
+  if (!['http:', 'https:'].includes(parsed.protocol) || !isAllowedBackendUrl(parsed.origin)) {
+    throw new Error('Blocked outbound voice backend URL');
+  }
   const controller = new AbortController();
   const timer = setTimeout(() => controller.abort(), VOICE_TIMEOUT_MS);
   try {
-    return await fetch(url, { redirect: 'manual', ...options, signal: controller.signal });
+    return await fetch(parsed.toString(), { redirect: 'manual', ...options, signal: controller.signal });
   } finally {
     clearTimeout(timer);
   }
diff --git a/src/components/chat/hooks/useVoiceAvailable.ts b/src/components/chat/hooks/useVoiceAvailable.ts
index df5fe533..0adccd0d 100644
--- a/src/components/chat/hooks/useVoiceAvailable.ts
+++ b/src/components/chat/hooks/useVoiceAvailable.ts
@@ -7,13 +7,11 @@ import { VOICE_CONFIG_SYNC_EVENT, voiceConfigHeaders } from '../../../hooks/useV
 // the Settings modal) and a configured voice backend.
 const STORAGE_KEY = 'uiPreferences';
 const SYNC_EVENT = 'ui-preferences:sync';
-const healthCache = new Map<string, boolean>();
 const healthRequests = new Map<string, Promise<boolean>>();
 
 function checkVoiceHealth(): Promise<boolean> {
   const baseUrl = voiceConfigHeaders()['x-voice-base-url'];
   const signature = baseUrl || '';
-  if (healthCache.has(signature)) return Promise.resolve(healthCache.get(signature) ?? false);
   const pending = healthRequests.get(signature);
   if (pending) return pending;
   const request = authenticatedFetch('/api/voice/health', {
@@ -24,10 +22,6 @@ function checkVoiceHealth(): Promise<boolean> {
       const data = await response.json();
       return data?.configured === true;
     })
-    .then((available) => {
-      healthCache.set(signature, available);
-      return available;
-    })
     .finally(() => {
       healthRequests.delete(signature);
     });
diff --git a/src/components/chat/hooks/useVoiceInput.ts b/src/components/chat/hooks/useVoiceInput.ts
index 706fd6c4..400612a0 100644
--- a/src/components/chat/hooks/useVoiceInput.ts
+++ b/src/components/chat/hooks/useVoiceInput.ts
@@ -63,7 +63,6 @@ export function useVoiceInput(
   const start = useCallback(async () => {
     if (startingRef.current || (recorderRef.current && recorderRef.current.state !== 'inactive')) return;
     startingRef.current = true;
-    let recordingCancelled = false;
     try {
       const stream = await navigator.mediaDevices.getUserMedia({
         audio: { echoCancellation: true, noiseSuppression: true },
@@ -84,7 +83,7 @@ export function useVoiceInput(
 
       rec.onstop = async () => {
         stopTracks();
-        if (recordingCancelled || cancelledRef.current) return;
+        if (cancelledRef.current) return;
         // Capture and clear the send intent for this stop before any async work.
         const shouldSend = sendRef.current;
         sendRef.current = false;
@@ -107,23 +106,22 @@ export function useVoiceInput(
           });
           if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`transcribe ${res.status}`);
           const data = await res.json();
-          if (recordingCancelled || cancelledRef.current) return;
+          if (cancelledRef.current) return;
           const text = String(data?.text || '').trim();
           if (text) onTranscript(text, shouldSend);
           else onError?.('No speech detected');
         } catch (e) {
-          if (!recordingCancelled && !cancelledRef.current) {
+          if (!cancelledRef.current) {
             onError?.(`Transcription failed: ${e instanceof Error ? e.message : String(e)}`);
           }
         } finally {
-          if (!recordingCancelled && !cancelledRef.current) setState('idle');
+          if (!cancelledRef.current) setState('idle');
         }
       };
 
       rec.start();
       setState('recording');
     } catch (e) {
-      recordingCancelled = true;
       recorderRef.current = null;
       stopTracks();
       if (cancelledRef.current) return;
diff --git a/src/hooks/useVoiceConfig.ts b/src/hooks/useVoiceConfig.ts
index 77e22546..c9141f45 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useVoiceConfig.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useVoiceConfig.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,12 @@ function read(): VoiceConfig {
     const raw = localStorage.getItem(STORAGE_KEY);
     if (!raw) return { ...DEFAULTS };
     const parsed = JSON.parse(raw);
-    return { ...DEFAULTS, ...(parsed && typeof parsed === 'object' ? parsed : {}) };
+    if (!parsed || typeof parsed !== 'object' || Array.isArray(parsed)) return { ...DEFAULTS };
+    const config = { ...DEFAULTS };
+    for (const key of Object.keys(DEFAULTS) as (keyof VoiceConfig)[]) {
+      if (typeof parsed[key] === 'string') config[key] = parsed[key];
+    }
+    return config;
   } catch {
     return { ...DEFAULTS };
   }