diff --git a/backend/src/interview_helper/context_manager/session_context_manager.py b/backend/src/interview_helper/context_manager/session_context_manager.py
index 23f953e..923e2a2 100644
--- a/backend/src/interview_helper/context_manager/session_context_manager.py
+++ b/backend/src/interview_helper/context_manager/session_context_manager.py
@@ -363,10 +363,22 @@ async def teardown_session(self, session_id: SessionId) -> None:
 
         # Wait for any finishing audio handlers
         event = None
+        recording_state_to_clear: tuple[ProjectId, str] | None = None
         async with self.lock:
             if session_id in self.active_audio_sessions:
                 event = self.cleanup_waiting_event[session_id]
 
+            session_data = self.session_data.get(session_id)
+            if (
+                session_data is not None
+                and session_data.project in self.recording_state
+            ):
+                current_session_id, current_user_name = self.recording_state[
+                    session_data.project
+                ]
+                if current_session_id == session_id:
+                    recording_state_to_clear = (session_data.project, current_user_name)
+
         if event is not None:
             await event.wait()
 
@@ -401,6 +413,16 @@ async def teardown_session(self, session_id: SessionId) -> None:
 
         _ = await task_group.__aexit__(None, None, None)
 
+        # Ensure we clear stale recording ownership when a websocket disconnects abruptly.
+        if recording_state_to_clear is not None:
+            project_id, user_name = recording_state_to_clear
+            await self.set_recording_state(
+                project_id=project_id,
+                session_id=session_id,
+                user_name=user_name,
+                is_recording=False,
+            )
+
     async def ingest_audio(
         self, session_id: SessionId, project_id: ProjectId, audio_chunk: AudioChunk
     ):
diff --git a/backend/src/interview_helper/context_manager/tests/test_session_manager.py b/backend/src/interview_helper/context_manager/tests/test_session_manager.py
index 6886630..7da2d62 100644
--- a/backend/src/interview_helper/context_manager/tests/test_session_manager.py
+++ b/backend/src/interview_helper/context_manager/tests/test_session_manager.py
@@ -99,3 +99,26 @@ async def test_get_settings():
     # Ensure that this causes an error so we don't inadvertently use it in tests
     with pytest.raises(AssertionError):
         cm.get_settings()
+
+
+async def test_teardown_clears_recording_state_for_disconnected_session():
+    context_manager = AppContextManager(
+        (), ai_processer=FakeAnalyzer, db=PersistentDatabase.new_in_memory()
+    )
+    project_id = ProjectId(ULID())
+    ctx = await context_manager.new_session(UserId(ULID()), project_id)
+
+    await context_manager.set_recording_state(
+        project_id=project_id,
+        session_id=ctx.session_id,
+        user_name="Test User",
+        is_recording=True,
+    )
+    assert await context_manager.get_recording_state(project_id) == (
+        ctx.session_id,
+        "Test User",
+    )
+
+    await context_manager.teardown_session(ctx.session_id)
+
+    assert await context_manager.get_recording_state(project_id) is None