diff --git a/src/App.test.tsx b/src/App.test.tsx
index 4bd3d52..d25e1ec 100644
--- a/src/App.test.tsx
+++ b/src/App.test.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ import { act, render, screen } from '@testing-library/react';
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
 
 let mockState = { isPreparingPlayback: false };
+let mockActiveLoadCount = 0;
+let loadingListener: ((evt: { type: 'start' | 'end'; instrument: string }) => void) | null = null;
 
 vi.mock('./stores/projectStore', () => ({
   useProjectStore: (selector?: (state: typeof mockState) => unknown) => (
@@ -21,12 +23,21 @@ vi.mock('./components/ChatBox', () => ({ default: () => null }));
 vi.mock('./components/KGOnePanel', () => ({ default: () => null }));
 vi.mock('./components/EventListPanel', () => ({ default: () => null }));
 vi.mock('./components/settings', () => ({ SettingsPanel: () => null }));
+vi.mock('./util/dialogUtil', () => ({
+  showAlert: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+}));
 vi.mock('./core/audio-interface/KGToneBuffersPool', () => ({
   KGToneBuffersPool: {
     instance: () => ({
-      getActiveLoadCount: () => 0,
-      addLoadingListener: () => undefined,
-      removeLoadingListener: () => undefined,
+      getActiveLoadCount: () => mockActiveLoadCount,
+      addLoadingListener: (listener: (evt: { type: 'start' | 'end'; instrument: string }) => void) => {
+        loadingListener = listener;
+      },
+      removeLoadingListener: (listener: (evt: { type: 'start' | 'end'; instrument: string }) => void) => {
+        if (loadingListener === listener) {
+          loadingListener = null;
+        }
+      },
     }),
   },
 }));
@@ -47,12 +58,14 @@ vi.mock('./core/KGCore', () => ({
   },
 }));
 
-import { PlaybackPreparationOverlayContainer } from './App';
+import { GlobalLoadingOverlayContainer, PlaybackPreparationOverlayContainer } from './App';
 
 describe('PlaybackPreparationOverlayContainer', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     vi.useFakeTimers();
     mockState = { isPreparingPlayback: false };
+    mockActiveLoadCount = 0;
+    loadingListener = null;
   });
 
   afterEach(() => {
@@ -112,3 +125,29 @@ describe('PlaybackPreparationOverlayContainer', () => {
     expect(screen.queryByText('Preparing playback...')).not.toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 });
+
+describe('GlobalLoadingOverlayContainer', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    mockActiveLoadCount = 0;
+    loadingListener = null;
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.useRealTimers();
+  });
+
+  it('syncs to the pool active count instead of relying on incremental listener math', () => {
+    mockActiveLoadCount = 2;
+    render(<GlobalLoadingOverlayContainer />);
+
+    expect(screen.getByText('Loading ... (2)')).toBeInTheDocument();
+
+    mockActiveLoadCount = 0;
+    act(() => {
+      loadingListener?.({ type: 'end', instrument: 'woodblock' });
+    });
+
+    expect(screen.queryByText(/Loading \.\.\./)).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/App.tsx b/src/App.tsx
index c31919b..a4e4c9e 100644
--- a/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/App.tsx
@@ -195,19 +195,20 @@ function App() {
 export default App;
 
 // Local component to subscribe to pool events and manage a counter
-const GlobalLoadingOverlayContainer: React.FC = () => {
+export const GlobalLoadingOverlayContainer: React.FC = () => {
   const [loadingCount, setLoadingCount] = useState<number>(() => KGToneBuffersPool.instance().getActiveLoadCount());
   const [overdue, setOverdue] = useState<boolean>(false);
   const timeoutRef = useRef<number | null>(null);
 
   useEffectReact(() => {
     const pool = KGToneBuffersPool.instance();
-    const listener = (evt: { type: 'start' | 'end'; instrument: string }) => {
-      setLoadingCount(prev => {
-        if (evt.type === 'start') return prev + 1;
-        return Math.max(0, prev - 1);
-      });
+    const syncLoadingCount = () => {
+      setLoadingCount(pool.getActiveLoadCount());
     };
+    const listener = (_evt: { type: 'start' | 'end'; instrument: string }) => {
+      syncLoadingCount();
+    };
+    syncLoadingCount();
     pool.addLoadingListener(listener);
     return () => {
       pool.removeLoadingListener(listener);
@@ -219,8 +220,11 @@ const GlobalLoadingOverlayContainer: React.FC = () => {
     // When loading starts, start a 30s timer if not already overdue/timed
     if (loadingCount > 0 && !overdue && timeoutRef.current === null) {
       timeoutRef.current = window.setTimeout(async () => {
-        // Only trigger if still loading
-        if (loadingCount > 0) {
+        const activeLoadCount = KGToneBuffersPool.instance().getActiveLoadCount();
+        setLoadingCount(activeLoadCount);
+
+        // Only trigger if still loading according to the source of truth
+        if (activeLoadCount > 0) {
           setOverdue(true);
           await showAlert(
             'Loading resources is taking longer than expected and may have partially failed. If you notice any playback issues, please refresh the page to retry downloading the audio files.'