diff --git a/src/public/script.js b/src/public/script.js
index 493ef65..9fb594c 100644
--- a/src/public/script.js
+++ b/src/public/script.js
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ function handle(msg){
             break;
        case 'round_closed':
             room=msg.room;
-            if(role==='mod'){renderMod();renderRoundButtons();document.getElementById('timer-tog').checked=false;toast('ROUND CLOSED','warn');}
+            if(role==='mod'){renderMod();renderRoundButtons();toast('ROUND CLOSED','warn');}
             else{renderPlayerBuzzer();stopPlayerTimer();}
             break;
         case 'buzzer_reset':
@@ -330,11 +330,13 @@ function modTimerToggle(){
     if(modTimerRunning){
         clearInterval(modTimerInterval);modTimerRunning=false;
         document.getElementById('btn-timer-ss').textContent='START';
+        // Don't auto-uncheck - user controls toggle
         broadcastTimerToPlayers(modTimerRemaining,false);
     } else {
         if(modTimerRemaining<=0)modTimerLoad();
         modTimerRunning=true;
         document.getElementById('btn-timer-ss').textContent='PAUSE';
+        // Don't auto-check - user controls toggle
         broadcastTimerToPlayers(modTimerRemaining,true);
         modTimerInterval=setInterval(()=>{
             modTimerRemaining--;
@@ -351,7 +353,7 @@ function modTimerToggle(){
             }
         },1000);
     }
-    // Update toggle state to match running state
+    // Sync toggle with running state
     const tog=document.getElementById('timer-tog');
     if(tog)tog.checked=modTimerRunning;
 }
@@ -365,6 +367,9 @@ function renderModTimerDisplay(){
     const s=modTimerRemaining;
     el.textContent=fmtTime(s);
     el.className='timer-digits'+(s<=5?' danger':s<=10?' warn':'');
+    // Sync toggle with running state (user controls ON/OFF)
+    const tog=document.getElementById('timer-tog');
+    if(tog)tog.checked=modTimerRunning;
 }
 
 function modTimerLoad(){
@@ -373,6 +378,9 @@ function modTimerLoad(){
     modTimerRunning=false;
     clearInterval(modTimerInterval);
     document.getElementById('btn-timer-ss').textContent='START';
+    // Sync toggle with running state (user controls ON/OFF)
+    const tog=document.getElementById('timer-tog');
+    if(tog)tog.checked=modTimerRunning;
     renderModTimerDisplay();
 }
 
@@ -380,6 +388,9 @@ function modTimerReset(){
     clearInterval(modTimerInterval);
     modTimerRunning=false;
     modTimerRemaining=Math.max(5,parseInt(document.getElementById('mod-timer-set').value)||30);
+    // Sync toggle with running state (user controls ON/OFF)
+    const tog=document.getElementById('timer-tog');
+    if(tog)tog.checked=modTimerRunning;
     renderModTimerDisplay();
     broadcastTimerToPlayers(modTimerRemaining,false);
 }
@@ -392,21 +403,31 @@ function broadcastTimerToPlayers(sec,running){
     }catch{}
 }
 
+// Timer toggle: user clicks ONCE at start to enable/disable linking
+document.getElementById('timer-tog').addEventListener('change',function(e){
+    const tog=e.target;
+    if(tog.checked){
+        // Enable linking - timer auto-syncs with round buttons
+    } else {
+        // Disable linking - timer buttons work independently
+    }
+});
+
 // ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════
 // MOD ROUND CONTROL
 // ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════
 function toggleRound(){
     if(room.buzzerState.roundOpen){
         ws_send({type:'close_round'});
-        // If timer toggle is ON and timer running, pause it
-        if(document.getElementById('timer-tog')?.checked && modTimerRunning){
+        // If linked, pause timer
+        if(document.getElementById('timer-tog').checked && modTimerRunning){
             clearInterval(modTimerInterval);modTimerRunning=false;
             document.getElementById('btn-timer-ss').textContent='START';
         }
     } else {
         ws_send({type:'open_round'});
-        // If timer toggle is ON and timer not running, start it
-        if(document.getElementById('timer-tog')?.checked && !modTimerRunning && modTimerRemaining===0){
+        // If linked and timer was stopped, start it
+        if(document.getElementById('timer-tog').checked && !modTimerRunning && modTimerRemaining===0){
             modTimerLoad();
             modTimerRunning=true;
             document.getElementById('btn-timer-ss').textContent='PAUSE';
@@ -427,8 +448,8 @@ function toggleRound(){
 
 function resumeRound(){
     ws_send({type:'resume_round'});
-    // If timer toggle is ON and timer not running, resume it
-    if(document.getElementById('timer-tog')?.checked && !modTimerRunning){
+    // If linked and timer was stopped, resume it
+    if(document.getElementById('timer-tog').checked && !modTimerRunning){
         modTimerLoad();
         modTimerRunning=true;
         document.getElementById('btn-timer-ss').textContent='PAUSE';
@@ -446,14 +467,6 @@ function resumeRound(){
     }
 }
 
-// Timer toggle handler
-document.getElementById('timer-tog').addEventListener('change',function(e){
-    if(e.target.checked && modTimerRemaining===0){
-        // If timer is enabled but not started, load it from set value
-        modTimerLoad();
-    }
-});
-
 function renderRoundButtons(){
     const btn=document.getElementById('mod-round-btn');
     const resumeBtn=document.getElementById('mod-resume-btn');
@@ -467,6 +480,10 @@ function renderRoundButtons(){
         btn.className='btn btn-g btn-full';
         resumeBtn.style.display='block';
     }
+    
+    // Sync timer toggle with running state (user controls ON/OFF)
+    const tog=document.getElementById('timer-tog');
+    if(tog)tog.checked=modTimerRunning;
 }
 
 // ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════
@@ -491,8 +508,9 @@ function renderMod(){
     renderModPlayerList();
     renderModTeams();
     renderRoundButtons();
-    // Sync timer toggle with running state
-    document.getElementById('timer-tog').checked=modTimerRunning;
+    // Sync timer toggle with running state (user controls ON/OFF, toggle reflects state)
+    const tog=document.getElementById('timer-tog');
+    if(tog)tog.checked=modTimerRunning;
 }
 
 function renderModBuzz(evt){
@@ -597,7 +615,6 @@ function renderModSettings(){
     renderLiveTeamNames();
     renderRoundButtons();
     renderModTimerDisplay();
-    document.getElementById('timer-tog').checked=modTimerRunning;
 }
 
 function segActivate(groupId,val){