diff --git a/movie_editor/frontend/store.js b/movie_editor/frontend/store.js
index 9471df53..e9859a49 100644
--- a/movie_editor/frontend/store.js
+++ b/movie_editor/frontend/store.js
@@ -2178,10 +2178,23 @@
     return out;
   }
 
+  function _selectedClipFocusId() {
+    const ids = state.selectedSceneIds?.length
+      ? state.selectedSceneIds
+      : (state.selectedSceneId ? [state.selectedSceneId] : []);
+    if (!ids.length) return null;
+    if (state.selectedSceneId && ids.includes(state.selectedSceneId)) return state.selectedSceneId;
+    return ids[0];
+  }
+
+  function _hasTimelineClipSelection() {
+    return !!_selectedClipFocusId();
+  }
+
   // Build export/import clip spec for the selected scene (render trim or media-bin video).
   function _selectedClipExportSpec() {
     if (!state.project) return null;
-    const id = state.selectedSceneId;
+    const id = _selectedClipFocusId();
     if (!id) return null;
     const sc = scene(id);
     if (!sc) return null;
@@ -2222,10 +2235,12 @@
   // Export the render covering the selected clip via a Save dialog.
   async function exportSelected() {
     if (!state.project) return;
+    if (!_hasTimelineClipSelection()) { alert("Select a clip first."); return; }
     const spec = _selectedClipExportSpec();
-    if (!spec) { alert("Select a clip with a render to export."); return; }
-    const sc = scene(state.selectedSceneId);
-    if (isVideoClip(sc) && sc.source?.media_ref && !state.sceneRenders[state.selectedSceneId]?.media) {
+    if (!spec) { alert("Generate the clip first, or select a video clip with media."); return; }
+    const focusId = _selectedClipFocusId();
+    const sc = scene(focusId);
+    if (isVideoClip(sc) && sc.source?.media_ref && !state.sceneRenders[focusId]?.media) {
       const asset = (state.mediaBin || []).find((m) => m.id === sc.source.media_ref);
       const name = asset?.name || spec.name;
       await _saveBlobAs(API.mediaUrl(sc.source.media_ref), name.replace(/[^\w.-]+/g, "_"));
@@ -2241,9 +2256,10 @@
 
   async function saveSelectedToMediaBin() {
     if (!state.project) return;
+    if (!_hasTimelineClipSelection()) { alert("Select a clip first."); return; }
     const spec = _selectedClipExportSpec();
     if (!spec) {
-      alert("Nothing to save — generate the clip first, or select a video clip.");
+      alert("Generate the clip first, or select a video clip with media.");
       return;
     }
     try {
diff --git a/movie_editor/frontend/styles.css b/movie_editor/frontend/styles.css
index fa3b6e70..0e312250 100644
--- a/movie_editor/frontend/styles.css
+++ b/movie_editor/frontend/styles.css
@@ -521,6 +521,8 @@ input[type=number] { font-family: var(--font-mono); }
 .timeline .zone-body { padding: 0; display: flex; flex-direction: column; }
 
 .tl-toolbar { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 8px; padding: 6px 10px; border-bottom: 1px solid var(--line); flex: 0 0 auto; }
+.tl-toolbar .btn:disabled { opacity: 0.42; pointer-events: none; cursor: default; }
+.tl-toolbar .btn.ghost:disabled:hover { color: var(--muted); background: transparent; border-color: transparent; }
 .tl-toolbar .tl-spacer { flex: 1; }
 .tl-tc { font-family: var(--font-mono); font-size: 11px; color: var(--muted); }
 .tl-zlabel { font-family: var(--font-mono); font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-transform: uppercase; color: var(--faint); }
diff --git a/movie_editor/frontend/timeline.js b/movie_editor/frontend/timeline.js
index 672d159c..f7c2b77e 100644
--- a/movie_editor/frontend/timeline.js
+++ b/movie_editor/frontend/timeline.js
@@ -179,6 +179,18 @@
   function isSceneFocus(st, sceneId) {
     return normId(sceneId) === normId(st.selectedSceneId);
   }
+  /** Selection state shared by toolbar build + live sync. */
+  function clipToolbarState(st) {
+    const ids = selectedIds(st);
+    const hasSel = ids.length > 0;
+    const focusId = hasSel
+      ? (st.selectedSceneId && ids.some((sid) => normId(sid) === normId(st.selectedSceneId))
+        ? st.selectedSceneId
+        : ids[0])
+      : null;
+    const saveable = !!(focusId && S.clipSaveableToMediaBin?.(focusId));
+    return { ids, hasSel, focusId, saveable };
+  }
   function clipSelClass(st, sceneId) {
     let cls = "";
     if (isSceneSelected(st, sceneId)) cls += " selected";
@@ -272,20 +284,34 @@
   function syncToolbarSelection(st) {
     const bar = body.querySelector(".tl-toolbar");
     if (!bar || !st.project) return;
-    const hasSel = !!st.selectedSceneId;
+    const { hasSel, focusId, saveable } = clipToolbarState(st);
     bar.querySelectorAll("[data-needs-sel]").forEach((b) => { b.disabled = !hasSel; });
     const exp = bar.querySelector("[data-export-scene]");
-    if (exp) exp.disabled = !(hasSel && S.clipSaveableToMediaBin?.(st.selectedSceneId));
+    if (exp) {
+      exp.disabled = !(hasSel && saveable);
+      exp.title = !hasSel
+        ? "Select a clip first"
+        : saveable
+          ? "Save the selected clip's rendered video to disk (renders are temporary)"
+          : "Generate the clip first, or select a video clip with media";
+    }
     const saveBin = bar.querySelector("[data-save-mediabin]");
-    if (saveBin) saveBin.disabled = !(hasSel && S.clipSaveableToMediaBin?.(st.selectedSceneId));
+    if (saveBin) {
+      saveBin.disabled = !(hasSel && saveable);
+      saveBin.title = !hasSel
+        ? "Select a clip first"
+        : saveable
+          ? "Copy the selected clip into the Media bin — add it back as a plain video clip"
+          : "Generate the clip first, or select a video clip with media";
+    }
     const sep = bar.querySelector("[data-separate-audio]");
     if (sep) {
-      const sc = hasSel ? S.scene(st.selectedSceneId) : null;
-      sep.disabled = !(sc && S.isGenerativeScene(sc) && hasRender(st, st.selectedSceneId) && !sc?.audio_separated);
+      const sc = focusId ? S.scene(focusId) : null;
+      sep.disabled = !(sc && S.isGenerativeScene(sc) && hasRender(st, focusId) && !sc?.audio_separated);
     }
     const rmSep = bar.querySelector("[data-remove-sep-audio]");
     if (rmSep) {
-      const sc = hasSel ? S.scene(st.selectedSceneId) : null;
+      const sc = focusId ? S.scene(focusId) : null;
       const sepTrack = sc && S.separatedTrackForScene ? S.separatedTrackForScene(sc.id) : null;
       rmSep.disabled = !sepTrack;
     }
@@ -1104,33 +1130,42 @@
     bar.append(addMenuDropdown(st, p));
 
     // Clip actions on the selected clip (also bound to S / Delete).
-    const selIds = selectedIds(st);
-    const hasSel = selIds.length > 0;
+    const { hasSel, focusId, saveable } = clipToolbarState(st);
     const split = el("button", "btn ghost tiny", "Split");
     split.dataset.needsSel = "1";
-    split.title = "Split the selected clip at the playhead (S)"; split.disabled = !hasSel;
+    split.title = hasSel ? "Split the selected clip at the playhead (S)" : "Select a clip first";
+    split.disabled = !hasSel;
     split.onclick = () => splitSelectedAtPlayhead();
     const del = el("button", "btn ghost tiny danger", "Remove");
     del.dataset.needsSel = "1";
-    del.title = "Remove selected clip(s) (Delete / Backspace)"; del.disabled = !hasSel;
+    del.title = hasSel ? "Remove selected clip(s) (Delete / Backspace)" : "Select a clip first";
+    del.disabled = !hasSel;
     del.onclick = () => S.removeSelectedScenes();
     const exp = el("button", "btn ghost tiny", "⤓ Export");
     exp.dataset.exportScene = "1";
-    exp.title = "Save the selected clip's rendered video to disk (renders are temporary)";
-    exp.disabled = !(hasSel && S.clipSaveableToMediaBin?.(st.selectedSceneId));
+    exp.title = !hasSel
+      ? "Select a clip first"
+      : saveable
+        ? "Save the selected clip's rendered video to disk (renders are temporary)"
+        : "Generate the clip first, or select a video clip with media";
+    exp.disabled = !(hasSel && saveable);
     exp.onclick = () => S.exportSelected();
     const saveBin = el("button", "btn ghost tiny", "Save to media bin");
     saveBin.dataset.saveMediabin = "1";
-    saveBin.title = "Copy the selected clip into the Media bin — add it back as a plain video clip";
-    saveBin.disabled = !(hasSel && S.clipSaveableToMediaBin?.(st.selectedSceneId));
+    saveBin.title = !hasSel
+      ? "Select a clip first"
+      : saveable
+        ? "Copy the selected clip into the Media bin — add it back as a plain video clip"
+        : "Generate the clip first, or select a video clip with media";
+    saveBin.disabled = !(hasSel && saveable);
     saveBin.onclick = () => S.saveSelectedToMediaBin();
     const sepAud = el("button", "btn ghost tiny", "⊟ Separate audio");
     sepAud.dataset.needsSel = "1";
     sepAud.dataset.separateAudio = "1";
     sepAud.title = "Detach this clip's audio onto its own track (video keeps picture only)";
-    const selSc = hasSel ? S.scene(st.selectedSceneId) : null;
-    sepAud.disabled = !(selSc && hasRender(st, st.selectedSceneId) && !selSc?.audio_separated && S.isGenerativeScene(selSc));
-    sepAud.onclick = () => S.separateSceneAudio(st.selectedSceneId);
+    const selSc = focusId ? S.scene(focusId) : null;
+    sepAud.disabled = !(selSc && hasRender(st, focusId) && !selSc?.audio_separated && S.isGenerativeScene(selSc));
+    sepAud.onclick = () => { if (focusId) S.separateSceneAudio(focusId); };
     const sepTrack = selSc && S.separatedTrackForScene ? S.separatedTrackForScene(selSc.id) : null;
     const rmSepAud = el("button", "btn ghost tiny danger", "Remove audio");
     rmSepAud.dataset.removeSepAudio = "1";