diff --git a/Sources/AppDelegate.swift b/Sources/AppDelegate.swift
index 453a27e..7b68a6b 100644
--- a/Sources/AppDelegate.swift
+++ b/Sources/AppDelegate.swift
@@ -323,6 +323,7 @@ class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, NSMenuDelegate {
             guard let self else { return }
             self.isTranscribing = false
             guard !text.isEmpty else { return }
+            // KeyboardInjector posts CGEvents and does not touch AppKit, so it can run off-main.
             self.keyboardInjector.type(text)
         }
     }
diff --git a/Sources/HotkeyManager.swift b/Sources/HotkeyManager.swift
index 6558934..a0f7f3c 100644
--- a/Sources/HotkeyManager.swift
+++ b/Sources/HotkeyManager.swift
@@ -6,8 +6,10 @@ class HotkeyManager {
     private let onRecordStop: () -> Void
     private var isHeld = false
     private var globalKeyDown: Any?
+    private var globalKeyUp: Any?
     private var globalFlags: Any?
     private var localKeyDown: Any?
+    private var localKeyUp: Any?
     private var localFlags: Any?
 
     static let keyCodeKey   = "hotkeyKeyCode"
@@ -16,20 +18,28 @@ class HotkeyManager {
 
     // Read live from UserDefaults so updates take effect without re-registering
     private var triggerKeyCode: UInt16 {
-        let v = UserDefaults.standard.integer(forKey: HotkeyManager.keyCodeKey)
-        return v != 0 ? UInt16(v) : UInt16(kVK_ANSI_D)
+        guard UserDefaults.standard.object(forKey: HotkeyManager.keyCodeKey) != nil else {
+            return UInt16(kVK_ANSI_D)
+        }
+        return UInt16(UserDefaults.standard.integer(forKey: HotkeyManager.keyCodeKey))
     }
 
     private var requiredModifiers: NSEvent.ModifierFlags {
-        let v = UserDefaults.standard.integer(forKey: HotkeyManager.modifiersKey)
-        return v != 0 ? NSEvent.ModifierFlags(rawValue: UInt(v)) : [.control, .option]
+        guard UserDefaults.standard.object(forKey: HotkeyManager.modifiersKey) != nil else {
+            return [.control, .option]
+        }
+        let mods = NSEvent.ModifierFlags(rawValue: UInt(UserDefaults.standard.integer(forKey: HotkeyManager.modifiersKey)))
+        return mods.isEmpty ? [.control, .option] : mods
     }
 
     static func displayString() -> String {
-        let storedMods = UserDefaults.standard.integer(forKey: modifiersKey)
-        let mods = storedMods != 0
-            ? NSEvent.ModifierFlags(rawValue: UInt(storedMods))
-            : NSEvent.ModifierFlags([.control, .option])
+        let mods: NSEvent.ModifierFlags
+        if UserDefaults.standard.object(forKey: modifiersKey) != nil {
+            let storedMods = NSEvent.ModifierFlags(rawValue: UInt(UserDefaults.standard.integer(forKey: modifiersKey)))
+            mods = storedMods.isEmpty ? [.control, .option] : storedMods
+        } else {
+            mods = [.control, .option]
+        }
         let char = UserDefaults.standard.string(forKey: charKey) ?? "D"
         var s = ""
         if mods.contains(.control) { s += "⌃" }
@@ -54,6 +64,14 @@ class HotkeyManager {
             }
         }
 
+        let handleKeyUp: (NSEvent) -> Void = { [weak self] event in
+            guard let self, self.isHeld else { return }
+            if event.keyCode == self.triggerKeyCode {
+                self.isHeld = false
+                self.onRecordStop()
+            }
+        }
+
         let handleFlags: (NSEvent) -> Void = { [weak self] event in
             guard let self, self.isHeld else { return }
             let mods = event.modifierFlags.intersection(.deviceIndependentFlagsMask)
@@ -64,11 +82,15 @@ class HotkeyManager {
         }
 
         globalKeyDown = NSEvent.addGlobalMonitorForEvents(matching: .keyDown, handler: handleKeyDown)
+        globalKeyUp   = NSEvent.addGlobalMonitorForEvents(matching: .keyUp, handler: handleKeyUp)
         globalFlags   = NSEvent.addGlobalMonitorForEvents(matching: .flagsChanged, handler: handleFlags)
 
         localKeyDown = NSEvent.addLocalMonitorForEvents(matching: .keyDown) { event in
             handleKeyDown(event); return event
         }
+        localKeyUp = NSEvent.addLocalMonitorForEvents(matching: .keyUp) { event in
+            handleKeyUp(event); return event
+        }
         localFlags = NSEvent.addLocalMonitorForEvents(matching: .flagsChanged) { event in
             handleFlags(event); return event
         }
@@ -78,7 +100,7 @@ class HotkeyManager {
     }
 
     deinit {
-        for m in [globalKeyDown, globalFlags, localKeyDown, localFlags] {
+        for m in [globalKeyDown, globalKeyUp, globalFlags, localKeyDown, localKeyUp, localFlags] {
             if let m { NSEvent.removeMonitor(m) }
         }
     }