diff --git a/resources/views/interview/candidate_room.blade.php b/resources/views/interview/candidate_room.blade.php
index 3b552b4..051bd1f 100644
--- a/resources/views/interview/candidate_room.blade.php
+++ b/resources/views/interview/candidate_room.blade.php
@@ -1069,14 +1069,25 @@ class CandRingtoneEngine {
         let candidateDeclinedOrLeftCall = false;
         let pendingOffer = null;
         let candRingTimer = null;
+        let latestCallStartedAt = null;
+
+        function getCallSessionKey(timestamp) {
+            return 'handled_call_' + interviewId + '_' + (timestamp || latestCallStartedAt || 'active');
+        }
 
         function triggerCandidateRing(offer = null, callStartedAt = null) {
             if (isCandidateCallConnected) return;
             if (latestCallStatus === 'ended' || latestCallStatus === 'idle') return;
-            if (candidateDeclinedOrLeftCall) {
+            if (callStartedAt) latestCallStartedAt = callStartedAt;
+
+            const sessionKey = getCallSessionKey(callStartedAt);
+            const isHandled = sessionStorage.getItem(sessionKey) === 'handled';
+
+            if (isHandled || candidateDeclinedOrLeftCall) {
                 showCandidateJoinOption();
                 return;
             }
+
             if (offer) pendingOffer = offer;
 
             const badge = document.getElementById('call-status-badge');
@@ -1105,6 +1116,8 @@ function declineCandidateCall() {
                 clearTimeout(candRingTimer);
                 candRingTimer = null;
             }
+            const sessionKey = getCallSessionKey();
+            sessionStorage.setItem(sessionKey, 'handled');
             const modal = document.getElementById('candidate-incoming-modal');
             if (modal) {
                 modal.style.opacity = '0';
@@ -1120,6 +1133,8 @@ function stopCandidateRing() {
                 clearTimeout(candRingTimer);
                 candRingTimer = null;
             }
+            const sessionKey = getCallSessionKey();
+            sessionStorage.setItem(sessionKey, 'handled');
             const modal = document.getElementById('candidate-incoming-modal');
             if (modal) {
                 modal.style.opacity = '0';
@@ -1154,6 +1169,9 @@ function showCandidateJoinOption() {
         }
 
         async function acceptCandidateCall() {
+            const sessionKey = getCallSessionKey();
+            sessionStorage.setItem(sessionKey, 'handled');
+
             candidateDeclinedOrLeftCall = false;
             candRingtone.stop();
             if (candRingTimer) {
@@ -1201,25 +1219,41 @@ function showCandidateJoinOption() {
                 badge.style.color = '#34d399';
             }
 
-            // Push candidate camera & microphone tracks to active WebRTC peer connection
-            if (localMediaStream && activeCallInstance && activeCallInstance.peerConnection) {
-                localMediaStream.getTracks().forEach(track => {
-                    const senders = activeCallInstance.peerConnection.getSenders();
-                    const sender = senders.find(s => s.track && s.track.kind === track.kind);
-                    if (sender) {
-                        sender.replaceTrack(track).catch(e => {});
-                    } else {
-                        try { activeCallInstance.peerConnection.addTrack(track, localMediaStream); } catch(e) {}
-                    }
-                });
+            // Dual 2-Way Connection: Answer incoming call AND establish connection to interviewer peer
+            const stream = localMediaStream || new MediaStream();
+
+            if (activeCallInstance) {
+                try { activeCallInstance.answer(stream); } catch(e) {}
             }
 
+            // Signal candidate ready via WebRTC BroadcastChannel
+            callSigChannel.postMessage({ type: 'candidate_ready', sender: 'candidate' });
+
             if (pendingOffer) {
                 await handleInterviewerOffer(pendingOffer);
                 pendingOffer = null;
             }
 
-            // Automatically capture candidate system screenshot on call start (if screenshot feature enabled)
+            // Call interviewer peer directly if interviewer registered
+            if (peerInstance) {
+                const interviewerPeerId = 'interviewer_' + interviewId;
+                try {
+                    const outCall = peerInstance.call(interviewerPeerId, stream);
+                    if (outCall) {
+                        outCall.on('stream', remoteStream => {
+                            const remoteVideo = document.getElementById('interviewer-video');
+                            const placeholder = document.getElementById('interviewer-video-placeholder');
+                            if (remoteVideo) {
+                                remoteVideo.srcObject = remoteStream;
+                                remoteVideo.play().catch(e => console.log('Remote video play error:', e));
+                            }
+                            if (placeholder) placeholder.style.display = 'none';
+                        });
+                    }
+                } catch(e) {}
+            }
+
+            // Automatically capture candidate system screenshot on call start (if enabled)
             if (!hasCapturedCallStartScreenshot && isTabSwitchScreenshotEnabled) {
                 hasCapturedCallStartScreenshot = true;
                 setTimeout(() => {
@@ -1777,41 +1811,25 @@ function pollCandidateChat() {
                         return;
                     }
 
-                    if (data.call_status === 'active') {
-                        latestCallStatus = 'active';
-                        if (!isCandidateCallConnected) {
-                            if (candidateDeclinedOrLeftCall) {
-                                showCandidateJoinOption();
-                            } else {
-                                triggerCandidateRing(null, data.call_started_at || null);
-                            }
+                    if (data.warnings && Array.isArray(data.warnings)) {
+                        if (data.warnings.length === 0) {
+                            chatHistory.innerHTML = '<div style="color: #94a3b8; font-style: italic; text-align: center; padding-top: 40px;">No messages yet. Send a message below.</div>';
+                            return;
                         }
-                    } else if (data.call_status === 'ended' || data.call_status === 'idle') {
-                        latestCallStatus = data.call_status;
-                        candidateDeclinedOrLeftCall = false;
-                        candidateLeaveCall(true);
-                        const badge = document.getElementById('call-status-badge');
-                        if (badge) {
-                            badge.innerText = 'CALL ENDED BY HOST';
-                            badge.style.background = 'rgba(239,68,68,0.2)';
-                            badge.style.color = '#fca5a5';
-                        }
-                    }
 
-                    if (data.warnings && data.warnings.length > 0) {
                         let html = '';
                         data.warnings.forEach(w => {
                             const isInterviewer = w.sent_by !== null;
                             const senderName = isInterviewer ? (w.sender ? w.sender.name : 'Interviewer / Panelist') : 'You (Candidate)';
                             const badgeColor = isInterviewer ? '#6366f1' : '#38bdf8';
-                            const bgColor = isInterviewer ? 'rgba(99,102,241,0.1)' : 'rgba(56,189,248,0.1)';
+                            const bgColor = isInterviewer ? 'rgba(99,102,241,0.15)' : 'rgba(56,189,248,0.15)';
 
-                            html += `<div style="margin-bottom:8px; background:${bgColor}; padding:8px 10px; border-radius:8px; border-left:3px solid ${badgeColor};">
+                            html += `<div style="margin-bottom:8px; background:${bgColor}; padding:8px 10px; border-radius:8px; border-left:3px solid ${badgeColor}; text-align: left;">
                                 <div style="display:flex; justify-content:space-between; align-items:center; margin-bottom:4px;">
                                     <strong style="color:${badgeColor}; font-size:0.75rem;">${senderName}</strong>
                                     <span style="font-size:0.65rem; color:#94a3b8;">${new Date(w.created_at || Date.now()).toLocaleTimeString()}</span>
                                 </div>
-                                <div style="color: #ffffff !important; font-size:0.85rem; font-weight:500; line-height:1.4;">${w.message}</div>
+                                <div style="color: #ffffff !important; font-size:0.85rem; font-weight:500; line-height:1.4; word-break: break-word;">${w.message}</div>
                             </div>`;
                         });
                         chatHistory.innerHTML = html;
@@ -1820,7 +1838,7 @@ function pollCandidateChat() {
                 })
                 .catch(() => {});
         }
-        setInterval(pollCandidateChat, 1000);
+        setInterval(pollCandidateChat, 600);
         pollCandidateChat();
 
         function sendCandidateMessage() {
@@ -1982,23 +2000,41 @@ function saveCanvasDrawing(force = false) {
 
                 if (data.call_status === 'active') {
                     latestCallStatus = 'active';
+                    if (data.call_started_at) latestCallStartedAt = data.call_started_at;
+
                     if (!hasCapturedCallStartScreenshot && isTabSwitchScreenshotEnabled) {
                         hasCapturedCallStartScreenshot = true;
                         setTimeout(() => {
                             captureAndUploadTabScreenshot('call_start');
                         }, 1200);
                     }
-                    if (!isCandidateCallConnected && !candidateDeclinedOrLeftCall) {
-                        triggerCandidateRing(null, data.call_started_at);
+
+                    const sessionKey = getCallSessionKey(data.call_started_at);
+                    const isHandledInSession = sessionStorage.getItem(sessionKey) === 'handled';
+
+                    if (!isCandidateCallConnected) {
+                        if (isHandledInSession || candidateDeclinedOrLeftCall) {
+                            showCandidateJoinOption();
+                        } else {
+                            triggerCandidateRing(null, data.call_started_at);
+                        }
                     }
                 } else if (data.call_status === 'ended' || data.call_status === 'idle') {
                     latestCallStatus = data.call_status;
                     hasCapturedCallStartScreenshot = false;
-                    lastRungCallStartedAt = null;
                     candidateDeclinedOrLeftCall = false;
                     candRingtone.stop();
                     if (candRingTimer) clearTimeout(candRingTimer);
                     isCandidateCallConnected = false;
+
+                    // Clear session storage handled keys for ended/idle call sessions
+                    for (let i = sessionStorage.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
+                        const key = sessionStorage.key(i);
+                        if (key && key.startsWith('handled_call_' + interviewId)) {
+                            sessionStorage.removeItem(key);
+                        }
+                    }
+
                     const modal = document.getElementById('candidate-incoming-modal');
                     if (modal) {
                         modal.style.opacity = '0';
@@ -2018,7 +2054,7 @@ function saveCanvasDrawing(force = false) {
                 }
             })
             .catch(() => {});
-        }, 1000);
+        }, 800);
     </script>
 </body>
 </html>