diff --git a/crates/recording/src/output_pipeline/core.rs b/crates/recording/src/output_pipeline/core.rs
index b60777eec9..767e588aa9 100644
--- a/crates/recording/src/output_pipeline/core.rs
+++ b/crates/recording/src/output_pipeline/core.rs
@@ -138,19 +138,26 @@ impl TaskPool {
         ));
     }
 
-    pub fn spawn_thread(&mut self, name: &'static str, cb: impl FnOnce() + Send + 'static) {
+    pub fn spawn_thread(
+        &mut self,
+        name: &'static str,
+        cb: impl FnOnce() -> anyhow::Result<()> + Send + 'static,
+    ) {
         let span = error_span!("", task = name);
         let (done_tx, done_rx) = oneshot::channel();
         std::thread::spawn(move || {
             let _guard = span.enter();
             trace!("Task started");
-            cb();
-            let _ = done_tx.send(());
+            let _ = done_tx.send(cb());
             info!("Task finished");
         });
         self.0.push((
             name,
-            tokio::spawn(done_rx.map_err(|_| anyhow!("Cancelled"))),
+            tokio::spawn(
+                done_rx
+                    .map_err(|_| anyhow!("Cancelled"))
+                    .map(|v| v.and_then(|v| v)),
+            ),
         ));
     }
 }
@@ -481,7 +488,10 @@ async fn configure_audio<TMutex: AudioMuxer>(
 
     setup_ctx.tasks().spawn_thread("audio-mixer", {
         let stop_flag = stop_flag.clone();
-        move || audio_mixer.run(audio_tx, ready_tx, stop_flag)
+        move || {
+            audio_mixer.run(audio_tx, ready_tx, stop_flag);
+            Ok(())
+        }
     });
     let _ = ready_rx
         .await
diff --git a/crates/recording/src/output_pipeline/win.rs b/crates/recording/src/output_pipeline/win.rs
index 4845f5a541..30cd843b3d 100644
--- a/crates/recording/src/output_pipeline/win.rs
+++ b/crates/recording/src/output_pipeline/win.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 use crate::{AudioFrame, AudioMuxer, Muxer, TaskPool, VideoMuxer, screen_capture};
-use anyhow::Context;
-use anyhow::anyhow;
+use anyhow::{Context, anyhow};
 use cap_enc_ffmpeg::AACEncoder;
 use cap_media_info::{AudioInfo, VideoInfo};
 use futures::channel::oneshot;
@@ -58,7 +57,7 @@ impl Muxer for WindowsMuxer {
             .transpose()?;
 
         let output = Arc::new(Mutex::new(output));
-        let (ready_tx, ready_rx) = oneshot::channel();
+        let (ready_tx, ready_rx) = oneshot::channel::<anyhow::Result<()>>();
 
         {
             let output = output.clone();
@@ -115,14 +114,14 @@ impl Muxer for WindowsMuxer {
                     Ok(encoder) => {
                         if ready_tx.send(Ok(())).is_err() {
                             error!("Failed to send ready signal - receiver dropped");
-                            return;
+                            return Ok(());
                         }
                         encoder
                     }
                     Err(e) => {
-                        error!("Encoder setup failed: {}", e);
-                        let _ = ready_tx.send(Err(e));
-                        return;
+                        error!("Encoder setup failed: {:#}", e);
+                        let _ = ready_tx.send(Err(anyhow!("{e}")));
+                        return Err(anyhow!("{e}"));
                     }
                 };
 
@@ -157,7 +156,7 @@ impl Muxer for WindowsMuxer {
                                     Ok(())
                                 },
                             )
-                            .unwrap();
+                            .context("run native encoder")
                     }
                     either::Right(mut encoder) => {
                         while let Ok(Some((frame, time))) = video_rx.recv() {
@@ -173,20 +172,17 @@ impl Muxer for WindowsMuxer {
 
                             use scap_ffmpeg::AsFFmpeg;
 
-                            if let Err(e) =
-                                frame
-                                    .as_ffmpeg()
-                                    .context("frame as_ffmpeg")
-                                    .and_then(|frame| {
-                                        encoder
-                                            .queue_frame(frame, time, &mut output)
-                                            .context("queue_frame")
-                                    })
-                            {
-                                error!("{e}");
-                                return;
-                            }
+                            frame
+                                .as_ffmpeg()
+                                .context("frame as_ffmpeg")
+                                .and_then(|frame| {
+                                    encoder
+                                        .queue_frame(frame, time, &mut output)
+                                        .context("queue_frame")
+                                })?;
                         }
+
+                        Ok(())
                     }
                 }
             });
diff --git a/crates/recording/src/sources/screen_capture/windows.rs b/crates/recording/src/sources/screen_capture/windows.rs
index f856304da5..d14eb84f6b 100644
--- a/crates/recording/src/sources/screen_capture/windows.rs
+++ b/crates/recording/src/sources/screen_capture/windows.rs
@@ -197,15 +197,13 @@ impl output_pipeline::VideoSource for VideoSource {
                         }
                         Err(e) => {
                             error!("Failed to create GraphicsCaptureItem on capture thread: {}", e);
-                            let _ = error_tx.send(anyhow!("Failed to create GraphicsCaptureItem: {}", e));
-                            return;
+                            return Err(anyhow!("Failed to create GraphicsCaptureItem: {}", e));
                         }
                     }
                 }
                 None => {
                     error!("Display not found for ID: {:?}", display_id);
-                    let _ = error_tx.send(anyhow!("Display not found for ID: {:?}", display_id));
-                    return;
+                    return Err(anyhow!("Display not found for ID: {:?}", display_id));
                 }
             };
 
@@ -246,15 +244,13 @@ impl output_pipeline::VideoSource for VideoSource {
                 }
                 Err(e) => {
                     error!("Failed to create D3D capturer: {}", e);
-                    let _ = error_tx.send(e.into());
-                    return;
+                    return Err(e.into());
                 }
             };
 
             let Ok(VideoControl::Start(reply)) = ctrl_rx.recv() else {
                 error!("Failed to receive Start control message - channel disconnected");
-                let _ = error_tx.send(anyhow!("Control channel disconnected before Start"));
-                return;
+                return Err(anyhow!("Control channel disconnected before Start"));
             };
 
             tokio_rt.spawn(
@@ -279,19 +275,21 @@ impl output_pipeline::VideoSource for VideoSource {
             }
             if reply.send(start_result).is_err() {
                 error!("Failed to send start result - receiver dropped");
-                return;
+                return Ok(());
             }
 
             let Ok(VideoControl::Stop(reply)) = ctrl_rx.recv() else {
                 trace!("Failed to receive Stop control message - channel disconnected (expected during shutdown)");
-                return;
+                return Ok(());
             };
 
             if reply.send(capturer.stop().map_err(Into::into)).is_err() {
-                return;
+            	return Ok(());
             }
 
-            drop(drop_guard)
+            drop(drop_guard);
+
+            Ok(())
         });
 
         ctx.tasks().spawn("d3d-capture", async move {
diff --git a/crates/scap-direct3d/src/lib.rs b/crates/scap-direct3d/src/lib.rs
index e69b36c927..17c9f1b5bc 100644
--- a/crates/scap-direct3d/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/scap-direct3d/src/lib.rs
@@ -384,6 +384,12 @@ impl Capturer {
     }
 }
 
+impl Drop for Capturer {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        let _ = self.stop();
+    }
+}
+
 pub struct Frame {
     width: u32,
     height: u32,