diff --git a/HANDOVER.md b/HANDOVER.md
index b7b396f..ce9718b 100644
--- a/HANDOVER.md
+++ b/HANDOVER.md
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ description: Session handover — 2026/04/24-25 Phase 9 polish debt mostly shipp
 
 # Magnotia Handover — 2026/04/25
 
+> **Note:** Session-specific handover. Migration v14 (`transcripts.llm_tags`) was the head **at the time of this session**. Subsequent work has advanced the schema; current head is v15 (`idx_transcripts_profile_created`, composite index). For the current codebase shape, see [`docs/architecture-map/`](docs/architecture-map/) and [`KNOWN-ISSUES.md`](KNOWN-ISSUES.md).
+
 Phase 9 session. Spec + plan written from scratch and committed; plan corrections layered in after critical review against the actual codebase (Codex was unreachable for cross-model review, three retries failed at the ChatGPT-account-entitlement layer). Sub-phases 9a + 9b + sparkline polish landed end to end. Sub-phase 9c reduced to the Phase 8 carryover bug fix; sub-phase 9d's walkthrough sweeps deferred to Phase 10a QC.
 
 ## Rebrand note
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/commands/tasks.rs b/src-tauri/src/commands/tasks.rs
index 5c2f7a6..5f67201 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/commands/tasks.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/commands/tasks.rs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ use magnotia_storage::{
     FeedbackRow, FeedbackTargetType, TaskRow,
 };
 
+use crate::commands::power::PowerAssertion;
 use crate::AppState;
 
 /// Frontend-facing task shape. Matches the in-memory object in page.svelte.js.
@@ -319,6 +320,7 @@ pub async fn decompose_and_store(
     let engine = state.llm_engine.clone();
     let parent_text = parent.text.clone();
     let steps = tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || {
+        let _power_guard = PowerAssertion::begin("magnotia LLM micro-step decomposition");
         engine.decompose_task_with_feedback(&parent_text, &examples)
     })
     .await
@@ -361,10 +363,13 @@ pub async fn extract_tasks_from_transcript_cmd(
     .unwrap_or_default();
 
     let engine = state.llm_engine.clone();
-    tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || engine.extract_tasks_with_feedback(&transcript, &examples))
-        .await
-        .map_err(|e| e.to_string())?
-        .map_err(|e| e.to_string())
+    tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || {
+        let _power_guard = PowerAssertion::begin("magnotia LLM task extraction");
+        engine.extract_tasks_with_feedback(&transcript, &examples)
+    })
+    .await
+    .map_err(|e| e.to_string())?
+    .map_err(|e| e.to_string())
 }
 
 #[tauri::command]
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/commands/transcription.rs b/src-tauri/src/commands/transcription.rs
index ec7720a..afd0b6a 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/commands/transcription.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/commands/transcription.rs
@@ -154,6 +154,11 @@ pub async fn transcribe_pcm(
     profile_id: Option<String>,
 ) -> Result<(), String> {
     ensure_main_window(&window)?;
+    if !state.whisper_engine.is_loaded() {
+        return Err(
+            "Whisper model not loaded. Download a Whisper model in Settings.".to_string(),
+        );
+    }
     let resolved_profile_id =
         profile_id.unwrap_or_else(|| magnotia_storage::DEFAULT_PROFILE_ID.to_string());
 
@@ -352,6 +357,11 @@ pub async fn transcribe_pcm_parakeet(
     profile_id: Option<String>,
 ) -> Result<(), String> {
     ensure_main_window(&window)?;
+    if !state.parakeet_engine.is_loaded() {
+        return Err(
+            "Parakeet model not loaded. Enable Parakeet in Settings.".to_string(),
+        );
+    }
     let resolved_profile_id =
         profile_id.unwrap_or_else(|| magnotia_storage::DEFAULT_PROFILE_ID.to_string());