diff --git a/cmd/chartplotter/bake.go b/cmd/chartplotter/bake.go
index 7a79b6d..31270ac 100644
--- a/cmd/chartplotter/bake.go
+++ b/cmd/chartplotter/bake.go
@@ -150,13 +150,17 @@ func (c bakeCmd) runBands(cells map[string]baker.CellData, aux map[string][]byte
 		func(name string, err error) {
 			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "  skip %s: %v\n", name, err)
 		},
-		func(done, total int) {
+		func(stage string, done, total int, band string) {
 			if total == 0 {
 				return
 			}
 			if pct := done * 100 / total; pct != lastPct && pct%5 == 0 {
 				lastPct = pct
-				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "\r  tiles %d/%d (%d%%)", done, total, pct)
+				where := band
+				if where == "" {
+					where = "coverage"
+				}
+				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "\r  %-9s %-8s %d/%d (%d%%)   ", where, stage, done, total, pct)
 			}
 		},
 		func(slug string, pb *pmtiles.Builder) error {
diff --git a/internal/engine/baker/baker.go b/internal/engine/baker/baker.go
index 6bd7c17..dda44f3 100644
--- a/internal/engine/baker/baker.go
+++ b/internal/engine/baker/baker.go
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ func BuildBaker(cells map[string][]byte, onSkip func(name string, err error)) (*
 	applyPortrayer(b)
 	ok := addCellsParallel(b, names, func(name string) (*s57.Chart, error) {
 		return ParseCellBytes(name, cells[name])
-	}, onSkip)
+	}, onSkip, nil)
 	return b, ok, nil
 }
 
@@ -210,13 +210,20 @@ func parseInOrder[T any](
 // the dominant bake cost and are independent per cell, so they run concurrently;
 // the stateful route/merge stays single-threaded and ordered, so the archive is
 // byte-for-byte identical to the serial path. Returns the routed cell names.
-func addCellsParallel(b *bake.Baker, names []string, parse func(name string) (*s57.Chart, error), onSkip func(name string, err error)) []string {
+// onCell, if non-nil, is called once per cell as it is routed (done, total) so the
+// caller can report parse+portray progress — the dominant per-band cost, which is
+// otherwise an invisible pause before any tile is emitted.
+func addCellsParallel(b *bake.Baker, names []string, parse func(name string) (*s57.Chart, error), onSkip func(name string, err error), onCell func(done, total int)) []string {
 	ok := make([]string, 0, len(names))
+	total := len(names)
 	parseInOrder(names, parse,
 		func(_ string, chart *s57.Chart) bake.CellPortrayal { return b.PortrayCell(chart) },
 		func(name string, chart *s57.Chart, pc bake.CellPortrayal) {
 			b.AddCellPortrayed(chart, pc)
 			ok = append(ok, name)
+			if onCell != nil {
+				onCell(len(ok), total)
+			}
 		}, onSkip)
 	return ok
 }
@@ -285,7 +292,7 @@ func BuildBakerWithUpdates(cells map[string]CellData, overzoom bool, onSkip func
 	ok := addCellsParallel(b, names, func(name string) (*s57.Chart, error) {
 		cd := cells[name]
 		return ParseCellWithUpdates(name, cd.Base, cd.Updates)
-	}, onSkip)
+	}, onSkip, nil)
 	return b, ok, nil
 }
 
@@ -377,7 +384,12 @@ func emitTiles(coords []tile.TileCoord, pb *pmtiles.Builder, progress func(done,
 // routing, so the overhead is small relative to the memory saved. emit(slug,
 // builder) is called per band that produced tiles; returns the cell-union bounds
 // and the number of cells parsed.
-func BakeToPMTilesBandsStreaming(cells map[string]CellData, maxZoom uint32, onSkip func(name string, err error), progress func(done, total int), emit func(slug string, pb *pmtiles.Builder) error) (geo.BoundingBox, int, error) {
+//
+// progress(stage, done, total, band) reports both visible stages so neither pause
+// is a dead bar: stage "prepare" while a band's cells are parsed + portrayed (the
+// long gap before any tile emits; band "" during the pass-1 coverage scan), then
+// stage "tiles" while that band's tiles are emitted.
+func BakeToPMTilesBandsStreaming(cells map[string]CellData, maxZoom uint32, onSkip func(name string, err error), progress func(stage string, done, total int, band string), emit func(slug string, pb *pmtiles.Builder) error) (geo.BoundingBox, int, error) {
 	b := bake.New()
 	applyPortrayer(b)
 	if maxZoom > 0 {
@@ -410,6 +422,9 @@ func BakeToPMTilesBandsStreaming(cells map[string]CellData, maxZoom uint32, onSk
 			band := b.AddCellCoverage(chart)
 			byBand[band.ZoomRange().Max] = append(byBand[band.ZoomRange().Max], name)
 			parsed++
+			if progress != nil {
+				progress("prepare", parsed, len(names), "") // coverage scan; no band yet
+			}
 		}, onSkip)
 	b.SetSkipCoverage(true) // covMeta is now global; don't re-derive it per band
 
@@ -423,14 +438,24 @@ func BakeToPMTilesBandsStreaming(cells map[string]CellData, maxZoom uint32, onSk
 		// Parse + portray this band's cells in parallel; route them serially in
 		// order (deterministic, same as the per-cell loop). Coverage is skipped
 		// (SetSkipCoverage above), so re-parsing is just for this band's geometry.
-		addCellsParallel(b, bandCells, parse, onSkip)
+		// This is the long pre-tile pause, so report it ("prepare") per routed cell.
+		var prep func(done, total int)
+		if progress != nil {
+			progress("prepare", 0, len(bandCells), bd.Slug) // announce the band up front
+			prep = func(done, total int) { progress("prepare", done, total, bd.Slug) }
+		}
+		addCellsParallel(b, bandCells, parse, onSkip, prep)
 		coords := b.TileCoordsBand(MVTExtent, bd.Min, bd.Max)
 		if len(coords) == 0 {
 			continue
 		}
 		b.BuildEmitIndexBand(MVTExtent, MVTBuffer, bd.Max)
 		pb := pmtiles.New()
-		emitTiles(coords, pb, progress, func(c tile.TileCoord, ts *bake.TileScratch) []byte {
+		var tileProg func(done, total int)
+		if progress != nil {
+			tileProg = func(done, total int) { progress("tiles", done, total, bd.Slug) }
+		}
+		emitTiles(coords, pb, tileProg, func(c tile.TileCoord, ts *bake.TileScratch) []byte {
 			return b.EmitTileBandInto(c, MVTExtent, MVTBuffer, ts, bd.Max)
 		})
 		b.ClearEmitIndex()
diff --git a/internal/engine/server/import.go b/internal/engine/server/import.go
index 8b8d0d2..54d6925 100644
--- a/internal/engine/server/import.go
+++ b/internal/engine/server/import.go
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ type importJob struct {
 	Set     string `json:"set"`
 	State   string `json:"state"` // "running" | "done" | "error"
 	Phase   string `json:"phase"` // "download" | "extract" | "bake"
+	Band    string `json:"band"`  // usage band being baked (e.g. "coastal"); "" outside the bake phase
 	Note    string `json:"note"`  // human-readable current step (e.g. "downloading US5MD1MC")
 	Done    int    `json:"done"`  // phase units done (bytes/cells downloaded, then tiles emitted)
 	Total   int    `json:"total"` // phase total (0 until known)
@@ -496,7 +497,9 @@ func (s *Server) bakeAndRegister(jobID, set string, cells map[string]baker.CellD
 	}
 	_ = overzoom // the per-band streaming bake has no all-bands-to-z0 overzoom mode
 	s.imports.update(jobID, func(j *importJob) {
-		j.Phase, j.Unit, j.Note, j.Done, j.Total = "bake", "tiles", fmt.Sprintf("Baking %d cell(s)", len(cells)), 0, 0
+		// Open on the "prepare" stage (unit "cells"): the bake starts by parsing
+		// cells for coverage, well before the first tile emits.
+		j.Phase, j.Unit, j.Band, j.Note, j.Done, j.Total = "bake", "cells", "", fmt.Sprintf("Baking %d cell(s)", len(cells)), 0, 0
 	})
 
 	// Drop any STALE merged archive named exactly `set` from a prior (pre-per-band)
@@ -509,8 +512,15 @@ func (s *Server) bakeAndRegister(jobID, set string, cells map[string]baker.CellD
 	bands, tiles, first := 0, 0, true
 	_, nCells, err := baker.BakeToPMTilesBandsStreaming(cells, 0,
 		func(name string, e error) { log.Printf("import %s: skip %s: %v", jobID, name, e) },
-		func(done, total int) {
-			s.imports.update(jobID, func(j *importJob) { j.Done, j.Total = done, total })
+		func(stage string, done, total int, band string) {
+			// "prepare" = parsing + portraying a band's cells (the gap before any
+			// tile emits); "tiles" = emitting that band's tiles. The unit lets the
+			// client name the stage (Preparing … charts vs Generating … tiles).
+			unit := "tiles"
+			if stage == "prepare" {
+				unit = "cells"
+			}
+			s.imports.update(jobID, func(j *importJob) { j.Done, j.Total, j.Band, j.Unit = done, total, band, unit })
 		},
 		func(slug string, pb *pmtiles.Builder) error {
 			bandSet := set + "-" + slug
@@ -633,8 +643,8 @@ func (j importJob) statusJSON() string {
 		pct = j.Done * 100 / j.Total
 	}
 	return fmt.Sprintf(
-		`{"ok":true,"id":%q,"set":%q,"state":%q,"phase":%q,"note":%q,"done":%d,"total":%d,"unit":%q,"percent":%d,"cells":%d,"error":%q}`,
-		j.ID, j.Set, j.State, j.Phase, j.Note, j.Done, j.Total, j.Unit, pct, j.Cells, j.Err)
+		`{"ok":true,"id":%q,"set":%q,"state":%q,"phase":%q,"band":%q,"note":%q,"done":%d,"total":%d,"unit":%q,"percent":%d,"cells":%d,"error":%q}`,
+		j.ID, j.Set, j.State, j.Phase, j.Band, j.Note, j.Done, j.Total, j.Unit, pct, j.Cells, j.Err)
 }
 
 // importStatus returns a job's state as JSON (one-shot poll).
diff --git a/web/src/chartplotter.mjs b/web/src/chartplotter.mjs
index e7fb5a4..46ba101 100644
--- a/web/src/chartplotter.mjs
+++ b/web/src/chartplotter.mjs
@@ -1625,10 +1625,12 @@ export class ChartPlotter extends HTMLElement {
 
   // Job progress (download / import / bake) lives in a row ABOVE the live nav
   // readout inside the bottom status card — one box, no separate pill or pop-out.
-  // `p` carries { label, pill, sub, frac, error }; null clears the row. The label
-  // and detail are packed onto one line so all the context (region · cell · count
-  // · size) is visible at a glance; the bar shows the fraction (indeterminate when
-  // unknown). Spacing is handled by the card's flex gap + the divider rule.
+  // `p` carries { label, pill, sub, detail, frac, error }; null clears the row.
+  // Three stacked pieces: the region TITLE (label) on top; beneath it the live
+  // ACTION (sub, incl. the band being baked) on the left with the COUNT (detail,
+  // unit spelled out) pinned right. There's no percentage — the bar alone carries
+  // the proportion, so the count is the only moving number (a single slow sweep
+  // when the fraction is unknown — no spinner). Spacing is the card's flex gap.
   _setNotification(p) {
     const r = this.shadowRoot;
     const box = r.getElementById("databox");
@@ -1636,21 +1638,23 @@ export class ChartPlotter extends HTMLElement {
     if (!box || !prog) return;
     if (!p) {
       prog.hidden = true;
-      prog.classList.remove("busy", "error");
+      prog.classList.remove("error");
       return;
     }
     box.hidden = false; // a job can finish before the map readout first paints
     const done = p.frac === 1 || !!p.error;
     prog.hidden = false;
-    prog.classList.toggle("busy", !done); // spinner while working
     prog.classList.toggle("error", !!p.error);
-    const detail = p.sub && p.sub.trim() ? p.sub.trim() : "";
-    const label = p.label || p.pill || "";
-    r.getElementById("db-prog-label").textContent = detail ? `${label} · ${detail}` : label;
-    r.getElementById("db-prog-pct").textContent = p.frac != null ? `${Math.round(p.frac * 100)}%` : "";
+    // On error the reason takes the action line and the count is cleared.
+    const title = p.label || p.pill || "";
+    const action = p.error ? String(p.error) : (p.sub || "");
+    const count = p.error ? "" : (p.detail || "");
+    r.getElementById("db-prog-title").textContent = title;
+    r.getElementById("db-prog-action").textContent = action;
+    r.getElementById("db-prog-count").textContent = count;
     const fill = r.getElementById("db-prog-fill");
     fill.style.width = p.frac != null ? `${Math.round(p.frac * 100)}%` : "100%";
-    fill.classList.toggle("indet", p.frac == null && !done); // sweeping bar when no fraction
+    fill.classList.toggle("indet", p.frac == null && !done); // slow sweep when no fraction
   }
 
   // Frame to the union bounds of the installed region archives (from the manifest).
diff --git a/web/src/chartplotter.view.mjs b/web/src/chartplotter.view.mjs
index 74ea6d6..b13fe38 100644
--- a/web/src/chartplotter.view.mjs
+++ b/web/src/chartplotter.view.mjs
@@ -384,26 +384,28 @@ export const STYLE = `
         /* Job-progress row inside the bottom status card — sits ABOVE the nav
            readout, separated by a hairline divider. One width with the card so the
            label can run full-width; the percentage is pinned right. */
-        .db-prog { width:100%; box-sizing:border-box; display:flex; flex-direction:column; gap:6px;
-          padding-bottom:7px; margin-bottom:1px; border-bottom:1px solid var(--ui-border); }
+        .db-prog { width:100%; box-sizing:border-box; display:flex; flex-direction:column; gap:7px;
+          padding-bottom:9px; margin-bottom:2px; border-bottom:1px solid var(--ui-border); }
         .db-prog[hidden] { display:none; }
-        .db-prog-head { display:flex; align-items:center; gap:8px; font:600 12px/1.2 system-ui,sans-serif; color:var(--ui-text); }
-        .db-prog-label { flex:1; min-width:0; overflow:hidden; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap; }
-        .db-prog-pct { flex:none; font-weight:700; color:var(--ui-accent); font-variant-numeric:tabular-nums; }
-        .db-prog.error .db-prog-pct { color:#c0392b; }
-        .db-prog.error .db-prog-label { color:#c0392b; }
-        /* Spinner shows only while actively working (not on the done/error frame). */
-        .db-prog-spin { width:13px; height:13px; flex:none; border-radius:50%; display:none;
-          border:2px solid color-mix(in srgb, var(--ui-accent) 30%, transparent); border-top-color:var(--ui-accent);
-          animation:dlspin .8s linear infinite; }
-        .db-prog.busy .db-prog-spin { display:inline-block; }
-        .db-prog-track { position:relative; width:100%; height:5px; border-radius:3px; overflow:hidden; background:var(--ui-surface-2); }
-        .db-prog-fill { position:absolute; left:0; top:0; bottom:0; width:0; border-radius:3px; background:var(--ui-accent); transition:width .25s ease; }
+        /* Title (region) on top — the stable headline; the eye isn't re-reading it. */
+        .db-prog-title { font:600 12.5px/1.25 system-ui,sans-serif; color:var(--ui-text);
+          overflow:hidden; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap; }
+        .db-prog-title:empty { display:none; }
+        /* Status row beneath it: the live action (left) + the count-with-unit (right,
+           the ONLY moving number — the bar carries the proportion, no percentage). */
+        .db-prog-status { display:flex; align-items:baseline; gap:10px;
+          font:500 11.5px/1.3 system-ui,sans-serif; color:var(--ui-text-dim); }
+        .db-prog-action { flex:1; min-width:0; overflow:hidden; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap; }
+        .db-prog-count { flex:none; font-variant-numeric:tabular-nums; }
+        .db-prog-status:empty { display:none; }
+        .db-prog.error .db-prog-title, .db-prog.error .db-prog-action { color:#c0392b; }
+        .db-prog-track { position:relative; width:100%; height:6px; border-radius:3px; overflow:hidden; background:var(--ui-surface-2); }
+        .db-prog-fill { position:absolute; left:0; top:0; bottom:0; width:0; border-radius:3px; background:var(--ui-accent); transition:width .3s ease; }
         .db-prog.error .db-prog-fill { background:#c0392b; }
-        /* Indeterminate (no known fraction): a sweeping segment instead of a fill. */
-        .db-prog-fill.indet { width:35% !important; animation:db-sweep 1.1s ease-in-out infinite; }
-        @keyframes db-sweep { 0% { left:-35%; } 100% { left:100%; } }
-        @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) { .db-prog-spin { animation-duration:2s; } .db-prog-fill.indet { animation:none; left:0; width:100% !important; } }
+        /* Indeterminate (no known fraction): one slow, calm sweep — no spinner. */
+        .db-prog-fill.indet { width:30% !important; animation:db-sweep 1.9s ease-in-out infinite; }
+        @keyframes db-sweep { 0% { left:-30%; } 100% { left:100%; } }
+        @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) { .db-prog-fill.indet { animation:none; left:0; width:100% !important; } }
         /* NotificationCenter banners: a bottom-stacked toast list (non-task messages). */
         #toasts { position:absolute; left:50%; bottom:calc(var(--botbar-h) + 14px); transform:translateX(-50%); z-index:9; display:flex; flex-direction:column; gap:8px; align-items:center; pointer-events:none; }
         .toast { pointer-events:auto; max-width:80vw; padding:9px 14px; border-radius:8px; font:600 12.5px/1.3 system-ui,sans-serif; color:var(--ui-text); background:var(--ui-surface); border:1px solid var(--ui-border-2); box-shadow:0 4px 16px rgba(0,0,0,.28); opacity:1; transition:opacity .3s ease, transform .3s ease; }
@@ -536,10 +538,10 @@ export const CHROME = `
            readout while a job runs. Driven by _updateHud + _setNotification. -->
       <div id="databox" hidden>
         <div id="db-prog" class="db-prog" hidden>
-          <div class="db-prog-head">
-            <span class="db-prog-spin"></span>
-            <span id="db-prog-label" class="db-prog-label"></span>
-            <span id="db-prog-pct" class="db-prog-pct"></span>
+          <div id="db-prog-title" class="db-prog-title"></div>
+          <div class="db-prog-status">
+            <span id="db-prog-action" class="db-prog-action"></span>
+            <span id="db-prog-count" class="db-prog-count"></span>
           </div>
           <div class="db-prog-track"><span id="db-prog-fill" class="db-prog-fill"></span></div>
         </div>
diff --git a/web/src/core/notification-center.mjs b/web/src/core/notification-center.mjs
index 517edd7..3e6f1af 100644
--- a/web/src/core/notification-center.mjs
+++ b/web/src/core/notification-center.mjs
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@
 // rather than something every plugin re-implements.
 //
 //   const notify = new NotificationCenter({
-//     onProgress: (p) => shell._setNotification(p),   // p = {label, sub, frac, error} | null
+//     onProgress: (p) => shell._setNotification(p),   // p = {label, sub, detail, frac, error} | null
 //     onMessage:  (m) => shell._toast(m),             // m = {level, msg}
 //   });
-//   const t = notify.task("download:noaa-d5", { label: "Downloading Mid-Atlantic" });
-//   t.progress(0.4, "12 / 30 cells");                 // frac 0..1, optional detail
+//   const t = notify.task("download:noaa-d5", { label: "NOAA · Mid-Atlantic" });
+//   t.progress(0.4, "Generating coastal…", "12 / 30 tiles");  // frac, action, count
 //   t.done();                                          // or t.fail(err)
 //   notify.warn("No charts are enabled");
 //
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ export class NotificationCenter {
   // Begin (or re-open) a task; returns a handle. The handle's methods are the
   // only way to drive the progress surface — callers never format the payload.
   task(id, { label = "" } = {}) {
-    const t = { id, label, frac: null, sub: "", error: null, done: false };
+    const t = { id, label, frac: null, sub: "", detail: "", error: null, done: false };
     this._tasks.set(id, t);
     this._lastFailed = false;
     this._render(t);
@@ -40,15 +40,16 @@ export class NotificationCenter {
       this._render(t);
     };
     return {
-      // frac: 0..1 or null (indeterminate); sub: optional one-line detail.
-      progress: (frac, sub) => update({ frac, sub: sub == null ? t.sub : sub }),
+      // frac: 0..1 or null (indeterminate); sub: the live action line; detail: the
+      // count-with-unit beside it. Pass null to leave either unchanged.
+      progress: (frac, sub, detail) => update({ frac, sub: sub == null ? t.sub : sub, detail: detail == null ? t.detail : detail }),
       label: (l) => update({ label: l }),
       done: () => { t.frac = 1; t.done = true; this._render(t); this._end(id, false); },
       fail: (err) => { t.error = err ? String((err && err.message) || err) : "Failed"; t.done = true; this._render(t); this._end(id, true); },
     };
   }
 
-  _render(t) { this._onProgress({ label: t.label, sub: t.sub, frac: t.frac, error: t.error }); }
+  _render(t) { this._onProgress({ label: t.label, sub: t.sub, detail: t.detail, frac: t.frac, error: t.error }); }
 
   _end(id, failed) {
     this._tasks.delete(id);
diff --git a/web/src/data/chart-service.mjs b/web/src/data/chart-service.mjs
index 65f5206..b2f7006 100644
--- a/web/src/data/chart-service.mjs
+++ b/web/src/data/chart-service.mjs
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@
 //   await api.pollJob(job, { name: "Mid-Atlantic", onStatus: p => t.progress(p.frac, p.sub) });
 //   const packs = await api.packs();                            // [{name,enabled,bands,bounds}]
 //
-// onStatus receives a UI-ready { label, sub, frac } (frac 0..1 or null). The
+// onStatus receives a UI-ready { label, sub, detail, frac } (frac 0..1 or null):
+// label is the region title, sub the live action, detail the count-with-unit. The
 // raw job phases are mapped to friendly verbs here so callers don't echo server
 // filenames. Methods throw on hard failure; pollJob resolves with the final
 // status object or rejects on error/timeout.
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ const PHASE = {
   extract: ["Extracting", "charts"], unzip: ["Extracting", "charts"], expand: ["Extracting", "charts"],
   parse: ["Reading", "charts"], read: ["Reading", "charts"], import: ["Reading", "charts"],
   bake: ["Generating", "tiles"], tiles: ["Generating", "tiles"], render: ["Generating", "tiles"],
-  register: ["Finishing", ""], finalize: ["Finishing", ""], index: ["Finishing", ""],
+  register: ["Finishing", "up"], finalize: ["Finishing", "up"], index: ["Finishing", "up"],
 };
 
 // Bytes → compact "12 MB" / "1.4 KB" (local copy so this module is self-contained).
@@ -108,23 +109,29 @@ export class ChartService {
     });
   }
 
-  // Map a raw job status into a friendly { label, sub, frac } for the UI. Builds
-  // a verb from the phase + the region name ("Baking Mid-Atlantic charts…"); the
-  // numeric detail (counts/bytes) becomes the sub-line.
+  // Map a raw job status into UI-ready { label, sub, detail, frac }, laid out as
+  // three stacked pieces: the region is the stable TITLE (label) on top; the live
+  // action is the STATUS (sub) beneath it; the COUNT (detail) sits beside the
+  // status, always with its unit spelled out ("7 / 12 charts", "1,234 / 4,567
+  // tiles", "12 MB / 45 MB"). The action carries the band but not the noun, so the
+  // unit isn't repeated — "Generating coastal…" + "1,234 / 4,567 tiles".
   _formatStatus(s, name) {
     const m = s.phase ? PHASE[s.phase] : null;
-    const verb = m ? m[0] : (s.phase ? s.phase[0].toUpperCase() + s.phase.slice(1) : "Working on");
-    const noun = m ? m[1] : "charts";
-    // e.g. "Generating NOAA · Northeast tiles…" / "Downloading NOAA · Northeast charts…"
-    const label = [verb, name, noun].filter(Boolean).join(" ") + "…";
-    let sub = "";
-    if (s.unit === "bytes") sub = s.total ? `${fmtBytes(s.done)} / ${fmtBytes(s.total)}` : fmtBytes(s.done);
+    let verb = m ? m[0] : (s.phase ? s.phase[0].toUpperCase() + s.phase.slice(1) : "Working");
+    // The bake phase has two visible stages the server distinguishes by unit:
+    // "cells" while a band's charts are parsed + portrayed (the long gap before
+    // any tile emits), then "tiles" while that band's tiles are generated.
+    if (m && m[1] === "tiles" && s.unit === "cells") verb = "Preparing";
+    const sub = [verb, s.band].filter(Boolean).join(" ") + "…"; // "Preparing coastal…"
+    // Count, with the unit named in every stage so a bare number is never ambiguous.
+    let detail = "";
+    if (s.unit === "bytes") detail = s.total ? `${fmtBytes(s.done)} / ${fmtBytes(s.total)}` : fmtBytes(s.done);
     else if (s.total) {
-      const u = s.unit === "cells" ? "charts" : s.unit === "tiles" ? "" : (s.unit || "");
-      sub = `${s.done.toLocaleString()} / ${s.total.toLocaleString()} ${u}`.trim();
+      const u = s.unit === "cells" ? "charts" : (s.unit || "");
+      detail = `${s.done.toLocaleString()} / ${s.total.toLocaleString()} ${u}`.trim();
     }
     const frac = s.total ? s.done / s.total : (s.percent ? s.percent / 100 : null);
-    return { label, sub, frac };
+    return { label: name || "", sub, detail, frac };
   }
 
   // GET /api/packs — the installed-pack registry (single source of truth, incl.
diff --git a/web/src/plugins/chart-library.mjs b/web/src/plugins/chart-library.mjs
index 08997da..0404886 100644
--- a/web/src/plugins/chart-library.mjs
+++ b/web/src/plugins/chart-library.mjs
@@ -197,10 +197,10 @@ export class ChartLibrary extends HTMLElement {
   // Notify the shell that installed/enabled state changed (it reconciles the map).
   _changed() { this._emit("charts-changed"); }
 
-  // An onStatus handler for a job that drives a NotificationCenter task: the
-  // phase-aware label ("Generating NOAA · Northeast tiles…") AND the numeric
-  // sub-line both update as the server moves through download → bake → finish.
-  _jobStatus(t) { return (p) => { if (!t) return; if (p.label) t.label(p.label); t.progress(p.frac, p.sub); }; }
+  // An onStatus handler for a job that drives a NotificationCenter task: the region
+  // title, the live action line, and the count-with-unit all update as the server
+  // moves through download → prepare → generate → finish.
+  _jobStatus(t) { return (p) => { if (!t) return; if (p.label) t.label(p.label); t.progress(p.frac, p.sub, p.detail); }; }
 
   // Refresh the installed/disabled/installed-cell snapshot from the server, so the
   // panel's pack badges + counts are current. Called before a (re-)render that
@@ -828,7 +828,7 @@ export class ChartLibrary extends HTMLElement {
     this._activeDistrict = cg;
     const set = "noaa-d" + cg;
     const name = d ? `NOAA · ${d.region}` : "NOAA";
-    const t = this._notify ? this._notify.task("download:" + set, { label: `Preparing ${name}…` }) : null;
+    const t = this._notify ? this._notify.task("download:" + set, { label: name }) : null;
     const onStatus = this._jobStatus(t);
     if (this._active) this.render();
     let ok = false;
@@ -1018,7 +1018,7 @@ export class ChartLibrary extends HTMLElement {
     try {
       const local = await this._store.list().catch(() => []);
       if (local.length) {
-        t = this._notify ? this._notify.task("import:user", { label: "Preparing your charts…" }) : null;
+        t = this._notify ? this._notify.task("import:user", { label: "Your charts" }) : null;
         for (const name of local) {
           try {
             const bytes = await this._store.getBytes(name);
@@ -1026,7 +1026,7 @@ export class ChartLibrary extends HTMLElement {
           } catch (e) { console.warn("[charts] upload", name, e); }
         }
         const { job } = await this._api.importCells("import", local);
-        await this._api.pollJob(job, { name: "your", onStatus: this._jobStatus(t) });
+        await this._api.pollJob(job, { name: "Your charts", onStatus: this._jobStatus(t) });
         if (t) t.done();
       }
       await this._syncRegistry();
@@ -1049,7 +1049,7 @@ export class ChartLibrary extends HTMLElement {
     let done = 0;
     const t = this._notify ? this._notify.task("import:archive", { label: "Importing charts" }) : null;
     for (const name of names) {
-      if (t) t.progress(done / names.length, `${name} · ${done + 1} of ${names.length}`);
+      if (t) t.progress(done / names.length, name, `${done + 1} / ${names.length} charts`);
       try {
         const { blob, entry } = this._archive.get(name);
         const bytes = await extractEntry(blob, entry);
@@ -1060,7 +1060,7 @@ export class ChartLibrary extends HTMLElement {
         imported.push(name);
       } catch (err) {
         console.error("[import]", name, err);
-        if (t) t.progress(done / names.length, `${name}: ${err.message}`);
+        if (t) t.progress(done / names.length, `${name}: ${err.message}`, "");
       }
       done++;
     }
@@ -1075,8 +1075,8 @@ export class ChartLibrary extends HTMLElement {
   async rebakeArchive() {
     const names = [...this._installed];
     if (!names.length) return;
-    const t = this._notify ? this._notify.task("rebake:user", { label: "Baking charts…" }) : null;
-    if (t) t.progress(null, `${names.length} chart${names.length > 1 ? "s" : ""}`);
+    const t = this._notify ? this._notify.task("rebake:user", { label: "Baking charts" }) : null;
+    if (t) t.progress(null, "", `${names.length} chart${names.length > 1 ? "s" : ""}`);
     try { await this._refreshCharts(); if (t) t.done(); }
     catch (e) { console.error("[bake]", e); if (t) t.fail(e); }
   }