diff --git a/frontends/web/static/js/stegasoo.js b/frontends/web/static/js/stegasoo.js
index 21cc2df..21ddefb 100644
--- a/frontends/web/static/js/stegasoo.js
+++ b/frontends/web/static/js/stegasoo.js
@@ -1009,7 +1009,9 @@ const Stegasoo = {
                 const percent = progressData.percent || 0;
                 const phase = progressData.phase || 'processing';
 
-                this.updateProgress(percent, this.formatPhase(phase));
+                // Use indeterminate mode for initializing/starting phases
+                const isIndeterminate = (phase === 'initializing' || phase === 'starting');
+                this.updateProgress(percent, this.formatPhase(phase), isIndeterminate);
 
                 // Continue polling
                 setTimeout(poll, 500);
@@ -1070,8 +1072,9 @@ const Stegasoo = {
             document.body.appendChild(modal);
         }
 
-        // Reset progress
-        this.updateProgress(0, 'Initializing...');
+        // Reset progress tracking and start with indeterminate state
+        this.resetProgressTracking();
+        this.updateProgress(0, 'Initializing...', true);
 
         // Show modal
         const bsModal = new bootstrap.Modal(modal);
@@ -1090,16 +1093,47 @@ const Stegasoo = {
     },
 
     /**
-     * Update progress bar and text
+     * Track max progress to prevent backwards jumps
      */
-    updateProgress(percent, phase) {
+    _maxProgress: 0,
+
+    /**
+     * Reset progress tracking (call when starting new operation)
+     */
+    resetProgressTracking() {
+        this._maxProgress = 0;
+    },
+
+    /**
+     * Update progress bar and text
+     * Supports indeterminate mode for initializing phase (barber pole at full width)
+     */
+    updateProgress(percent, phase, indeterminate = false) {
         const progressBar = document.getElementById('progressBar');
         const progressText = document.getElementById('progressText');
         const phaseText = document.getElementById('progressPhase');
 
-        if (progressBar) progressBar.style.width = percent + '%';
-        if (progressText) progressText.textContent = Math.round(percent) + '%';
-        if (phaseText) phaseText.textContent = phase;
+        if (indeterminate) {
+            // Barber pole animation at full width, no percentage
+            if (progressBar) {
+                progressBar.style.width = '100%';
+                progressBar.classList.add('progress-bar-striped', 'progress-bar-animated');
+            }
+            if (progressText) progressText.textContent = '';
+            if (phaseText) phaseText.textContent = phase;
+        } else {
+            // Determinate progress - never go backwards
+            const safePercent = Math.max(percent, this._maxProgress);
+            this._maxProgress = safePercent;
+
+            if (progressBar) {
+                progressBar.style.width = safePercent + '%';
+                // Keep animation but show actual progress
+                progressBar.classList.add('progress-bar-striped', 'progress-bar-animated');
+            }
+            if (progressText) progressText.textContent = Math.round(safePercent) + '%';
+            if (phaseText) phaseText.textContent = phase;
+        }
     },
 
     // ========================================================================
@@ -1187,7 +1221,9 @@ const Stegasoo = {
                 const percent = progressData.percent || 0;
                 const phase = progressData.phase || 'processing';
 
-                this.updateProgress(percent, this.formatDecodePhase(phase));
+                // Use indeterminate mode for initializing/starting/loading phases
+                const isIndeterminate = (phase === 'initializing' || phase === 'starting' || phase === 'loading');
+                this.updateProgress(percent, this.formatDecodePhase(phase), isIndeterminate);
 
                 // Continue polling
                 setTimeout(poll, 500);
diff --git a/src/stegasoo/dct_steganography.py b/src/stegasoo/dct_steganography.py
index f2849a3..71040b6 100644
--- a/src/stegasoo/dct_steganography.py
+++ b/src/stegasoo/dct_steganography.py
@@ -919,6 +919,10 @@ def _embed_in_channel_safe(
     blocks_needed = (total_bits + bits_per_block - 1) // bits_per_block
     blocks_to_process = min(blocks_needed, len(block_order))
 
+    # Initial progress write - signals Argon2/prep is done, embedding starting
+    if progress_file:
+        _write_progress(progress_file, 5, 100, "embedding")
+
     # Vectorized embedding: process blocks in batches
     BATCH_SIZE = 500
     bit_idx = 0
@@ -1113,6 +1117,10 @@ def _embed_jpegio(
         total_bits = len(bits)
         progress_interval = max(total_bits // 20, 100)  # Report ~20 times or every 100 bits
 
+        # Initial progress write - signals prep is done, embedding starting
+        if progress_file:
+            _write_progress(progress_file, 5, 100, "embedding")
+
         for bit_idx, pos_idx in enumerate(order):
             if bit_idx >= len(bits):
                 break
diff --git a/src/stegasoo/steganography.py b/src/stegasoo/steganography.py
index ad31342..4111d08 100644
--- a/src/stegasoo/steganography.py
+++ b/src/stegasoo/steganography.py
@@ -746,6 +746,10 @@ def _embed_lsb(
         modified_pixels = 0
         total_pixels_to_process = len(selected_indices)
 
+        # Initial progress write - signals prep is done, embedding starting
+        if progress_file:
+            _write_progress(progress_file, 5, 100, "embedding")
+
         for progress_idx, pixel_idx in enumerate(selected_indices):
             if bit_idx >= len(binary_data):
                 break