diff --git a/machinery/src/capture/main.go b/machinery/src/capture/main.go
index b8b398f..571dd09 100644
--- a/machinery/src/capture/main.go
+++ b/machinery/src/capture/main.go
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ func HandleRecordStream(queue *packets.Queue, configDirectory string, configurat
 						log.Log.Debug("capture.main.HandleRecordStream(motiondetection): write frames")
 						log.Log.Debug("capture.main.HandleRecordStream(motiondetection): recording started on keyframe")
 
-						// Align duration timers with the first keyframe.
+						// Align duration timers with the first keyframe so audio/video start together.
 						startRecording = pkt.CurrentTime
 
 						// Create a video file, and set the dimensions.
diff --git a/machinery/src/capture/pcmu_to_aac_transcoder.go b/machinery/src/capture/pcmu_to_aac_transcoder.go
index 50b03b4..bab370d 100644
--- a/machinery/src/capture/pcmu_to_aac_transcoder.go
+++ b/machinery/src/capture/pcmu_to_aac_transcoder.go
@@ -199,7 +199,8 @@ func (t *ffmpegToAACTranscoder) Flush() ([]byte, error) {
 
 	processExited := false
 	readerFinished := false
-	deadline := time.Now().Add(3 * time.Second)
+	deadline := time.Now().Add(15 * time.Second)
+	timedOut := false
 	for !processExited || !readerFinished {
 		if !processExited {
 			select {
@@ -220,12 +221,17 @@ func (t *ffmpegToAACTranscoder) Flush() ([]byte, error) {
 			break
 		}
 		if time.Now().After(deadline) {
+			timedOut = true
 			break
 		}
 
 		time.Sleep(15 * time.Millisecond)
 	}
 
+	if timedOut {
+		log.Log.Warning("capture.audio_to_aac: flush timed out before ffmpeg fully drained (process_exited=" + strconv.FormatBool(processExited) + ", stdout_done=" + strconv.FormatBool(readerFinished) + ", buffered=" + intToString(t.bufferedLen()) + ")")
+	}
+
 	if processExited && t.waitErr != nil {
 		return t.readAvailable(), t.waitErr
 	}
@@ -248,10 +254,14 @@ func (t *ffmpegToAACTranscoder) Close() {
 		t.mu.Unlock()
 
 		processExited := false
+		waitTimeout := 250 * time.Millisecond
+		if t.stdinClosed {
+			waitTimeout = 2 * time.Second
+		}
 		select {
 		case <-t.waitDone:
 			processExited = true
-		case <-time.After(250 * time.Millisecond):
+		case <-time.After(waitTimeout):
 		}
 
 		if !processExited {
diff --git a/machinery/src/video/mp4.go b/machinery/src/video/mp4.go
index 2309937..05c0246 100644
--- a/machinery/src/video/mp4.go
+++ b/machinery/src/video/mp4.go
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ type MP4 struct {
 	SegmentCount            int
 	SampleCount             int
 	StartPTS                uint64
+	MediaStartPTS           uint64
 	VideoTotalDuration      uint64
 	AudioTotalDuration      uint64
 	AudioPTS                uint64
@@ -269,6 +270,49 @@ func (mp4 *MP4) flushPendingVideoSample(nextPTS uint64) bool {
 	return true
 }
 
+func (mp4 *MP4) alignAudioTimeline(rawPTS uint64) {
+	if mp4 == nil || mp4.AudioSampleRate == 0 || mp4.AudioPTS != 0 {
+		return
+	}
+	if rawPTS <= mp4.MediaStartPTS {
+		return
+	}
+
+	offsetMs := rawPTS - mp4.MediaStartPTS
+	mp4.AudioPTS = (offsetMs*uint64(mp4.AudioSampleRate) + 500) / 1000
+}
+
+func (mp4 *MP4) appendPendingAudioSample(trackID uint32) {
+	if mp4 == nil || mp4.AudioFullSample == nil {
+		return
+	}
+
+	SplitAACFrame(mp4.AudioFullSample.Data, func(started bool, aac []byte) {
+		sampleToAdd := *mp4.AudioFullSample
+		dts := aacFrameDurationSamples(aac)
+		if dts == 0 {
+			dts = mp4.LastAudioSampleDTS
+			if dts == 0 {
+				dts = 1024
+			}
+		}
+
+		mp4.alignAudioTimeline(sampleToAdd.DecodeTime)
+		mp4.LastAudioSampleDTS = dts
+		sampleToAdd.Data = aac[7:]
+		sampleToAdd.DecodeTime = mp4.AudioPTS
+		sampleToAdd.Sample.Dur = uint32(dts)
+		sampleToAdd.Sample.Size = uint32(len(aac[7:]))
+		mp4.AudioTotalDuration += dts
+		mp4.AudioPTS += dts
+
+		err := mp4.MultiTrackFragment.AddFullSampleToTrack(sampleToAdd, trackID)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Log.Error("mp4.appendPendingAudioSample(): error adding sample to track " + fmt.Sprintf("%d: %v", trackID, err))
+		}
+	})
+}
+
 func (mp4 *MP4) AddSampleToTrack(trackID uint32, isKeyframe bool, data []byte, pts uint64) error {
 
 	if isKeyframe && trackID == uint32(mp4.VideoTrack) {
@@ -323,6 +367,9 @@ func (mp4 *MP4) AddSampleToTrack(trackID uint32, isKeyframe bool, data []byte, p
 
 			// Increment the segment count
 			mp4.SegmentCount = mp4.SegmentCount + 1
+			if mp4.MediaStartPTS == 0 {
+				mp4.MediaStartPTS = pts
+			}
 
 			// Create a new media segment
 			seg := mp4ff.NewMediaSegment()
@@ -386,27 +433,7 @@ func (mp4 *MP4) AddSampleToTrack(trackID uint32, isKeyframe bool, data []byte, p
 			}
 		} else if trackID == uint32(mp4.AudioTrack) {
 			if mp4.AudioFullSample != nil {
-				SplitAACFrame(mp4.AudioFullSample.Data, func(started bool, aac []byte) {
-					sampleToAdd := *mp4.AudioFullSample
-					dts := aacFrameDurationSamples(aac)
-					if dts == 0 {
-						dts = mp4.LastAudioSampleDTS
-						if dts == 0 {
-							dts = 1024
-						}
-					}
-					mp4.LastAudioSampleDTS = dts
-					mp4.AudioTotalDuration += dts
-					mp4.AudioPTS += dts
-					sampleToAdd.Data = aac[7:] // Remove the ADTS header (first 7 bytes)
-					sampleToAdd.DecodeTime = mp4.AudioPTS - dts
-					sampleToAdd.Sample.Dur = uint32(dts)
-					sampleToAdd.Sample.Size = uint32(len(aac[7:]))
-					err := mp4.MultiTrackFragment.AddFullSampleToTrack(sampleToAdd, trackID)
-					if err != nil {
-						log.Log.Error("mp4.AddSampleToTrack(): error adding sample to track " + fmt.Sprintf("%d: %v", trackID, err))
-					}
-				})
+				mp4.appendPendingAudioSample(trackID)
 			}
 
 			// Set the sample data
@@ -454,26 +481,7 @@ func (mp4 *MP4) Close(config *models.Config) {
 
 		// Add final audio sample if pending
 		if mp4.AudioFullSample != nil && mp4.AudioTrack > 0 {
-			SplitAACFrame(mp4.AudioFullSample.Data, func(started bool, aac []byte) {
-				sampleToAdd := *mp4.AudioFullSample
-				dts := aacFrameDurationSamples(aac)
-				if dts == 0 {
-					dts = mp4.LastAudioSampleDTS
-					if dts == 0 {
-						dts = 1024 // Default fallback when ADTS is malformed.
-					}
-				}
-				mp4.AudioTotalDuration += dts
-				mp4.AudioPTS += dts
-				sampleToAdd.Data = aac[7:]
-				sampleToAdd.DecodeTime = mp4.AudioPTS - dts
-				sampleToAdd.Sample.Dur = uint32(dts)
-				sampleToAdd.Sample.Size = uint32(len(aac[7:]))
-				err := mp4.MultiTrackFragment.AddFullSampleToTrack(sampleToAdd, uint32(mp4.AudioTrack))
-				if err != nil {
-					log.Log.Error("mp4.Close(): error adding final audio sample: " + err.Error())
-				}
-			})
+			mp4.appendPendingAudioSample(uint32(mp4.AudioTrack))
 			mp4.AudioFullSample = nil
 		}
 	}