diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 35dbd62..5ff6c20 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ Backend (from `backend/`):
 - Single test: `go test ./internal/store/... -run TestProfile -v`
 - Seed sample data (no live Garmin account needed): `go run ./cmd/seedsample -db /tmp/sample.db`, then point `geniusrund` at that DB via `GENIUSRUN_DB_PATH`.
 - The schema lives in one file, `internal/store/schema.sql`, applied in full on every `Open()` (idempotent -- skipped if the `users` table already exists). There is no migration history: this is a pre-production app with no compatibility obligation to older database files, so edit `schema.sql` directly rather than appending a migration. After changing it, regenerate the schema doc: `go run ./cmd/dumpschema` (writes `docs/DATABASE.md` from the live schema, so it can't drift out of sync).
+- **This app is still under active development, not yet in production.** A breaking schema change (new non-nullable column, renamed/removed column, changed constraint, etc.) is expected to require deleting the existing local DB file and letting `Open()` recreate it fresh from the current `schema.sql` -- this is the normal, accepted remedy during this phase, not a workaround to avoid. Do not add `ALTER TABLE` migration logic, backfill scripts, or any other backward-compatibility shim for an existing DB file to accommodate a schema change. Real migration tooling (Flyway) is planned once the first version ships to production; until then, every schema change is free to be breaking.
 
 Frontend (from `frontend/`):
 - Run dev server: `./start.sh` (puts Homebrew's `node@22` on `PATH` and runs `npm install` if `node_modules` is missing) or `npm run dev` directly. Set `VITE_API_BASE_URL` if the backend isn't on `localhost:8080`.
@@ -116,6 +117,7 @@ See `docs/DATABASE.md` for the full, always-current schema (every table/column/i
 
 - `internal/garmin/mock` provides a fake `Client` for tests that need to exercise `internal/sync`/`internal/api` without a live subprocess.
 - No live Garmin account needed for frontend/UI work: `cmd/seedsample` provisions one fixed `"seedsample-user"` account (via `store.ProvisionUser`) then seeds realistic activities/laps/kinds under it through the real classification engine.
+- **Verify UI/frontend changes with a live click-through against the actual running dev servers (real backend + `npm run dev`), never by mocking network requests (e.g. Playwright route interception) to fake a logged-in session.** This repo's OIDC login gate makes a fully-mocked session tempting, but it's fragile in exactly the way that matters: a real backend is often already running (e.g. started from an IDE) on the same port a mocked test assumes is free, so any request the mock doesn't cover falls through to that real, live backend instead of erroring cleanly -- discovered when an incomplete route-mock's unmocked calls 401'd against a real GoLand-launched `geniusrund` and triggered `client.ts`'s 401-redirect-reload loop. If a live click-through isn't possible in the current environment (no real credentials, no browser tool available), say so explicitly rather than substituting a mocked simulation.
 
 ## Testing conventions
 
diff --git a/docs/IDEAS.md b/docs/IDEAS.md
index 0062e00..7dce2f8 100644
--- a/docs/IDEAS.md
+++ b/docs/IDEAS.md
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ for that history) and remove it from here once a spec exists.
 
 ## Backlog
 - new workout kinds
-  - add "Recovery", "Quick", and "Sprint" workout types
+  - add "Recovery", "Quick", and "Sprint" workout kinds
   - order to follow (in activities page filter buttons, in analysis page combobox, in profile page workout kinds cards) is Recovery -> Easy -> Long -> Tempo -> 60' Threshold -> 30' Threshold -> Quick -> Intervals -> MAS Test -> Sprint -> Race
   - adapt the color palette from blue to purple according to this order (starting with blue for recovery -> green -> yellow -> orange -> red until purple for race), put the color code in DB (UI shall not resolve it with kindColor based on workout kind name)
 - first time setup page
diff --git a/frontend/src/App.css b/frontend/src/App.css
index ba97f9d..35699bd 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.css
+++ b/frontend/src/App.css
@@ -211,6 +211,11 @@ input[type="color"] {
   cursor: pointer;
 }
 
+.field-hint {
+  font-size: 0.75rem;
+  color: #6b7280;
+}
+
 button:hover:not(:disabled) {
   border-color: #3b82f6;
 }
@@ -526,6 +531,29 @@ button:disabled {
   border-top: 1px solid #2a2d35;
 }
 
+.garmin-mfa-modal-content {
+  width: min(420px, 90vw);
+}
+
+.garmin-mfa-modal-body {
+  padding: 1.5rem 1rem;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: 0.75rem;
+}
+
+.garmin-mfa-modal-message {
+  margin: 0;
+  color: #9aa0ab;
+  font-size: 0.9rem;
+}
+
+.garmin-mfa-modal-actions {
+  justify-content: flex-end;
+  padding: 0.75rem 1rem;
+  border-top: 1px solid #2a2d35;
+}
+
 .json-toggle {
   display: inline-block;
   width: 1rem;
diff --git a/frontend/src/App.tsx b/frontend/src/App.tsx
index 1e7bb67..2f5fb36 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/App.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
 import { api, BASE_URL } from "./api/client";
 import "./App.css";
+import { BannerStack } from "./components/BannerStack";
 import { Activities } from "./pages/Activities";
 import { Analysis } from "./pages/Analysis";
 import { Plan } from "./pages/Plan";
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@ function App({ session }: { session: SessionInfo }) {
           </form>
         </div>
       </header>
+      <BannerStack />
       <main>{showProfile ? <Profile onSaved={(p) => setProfileName(p.Name)} /> : <Active />}</main>
     </div>
   );
diff --git a/frontend/src/LoginGate.tsx b/frontend/src/LoginGate.tsx
index 944a6eb..6fb44fa 100644
--- a/frontend/src/LoginGate.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/LoginGate.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
 import { api, BASE_URL, NetworkError } from "./api/client";
 import { showError } from "./banner";
+import { BannerStack } from "./components/BannerStack";
 import "./LoginGate.css";
 import App from "./App";
 import { OnboardingWizard } from "./OnboardingWizard";
@@ -58,17 +59,25 @@ export function LoginGate() {
   }, [status]);
 
   if (status === "loading") {
-    return <div className="login-gate-loading">Loading…</div>;
+    return (
+      <>
+        <BannerStack />
+        <div className="login-gate-loading">Loading…</div>
+      </>
+    );
   }
 
   if (status === "unauthenticated") {
     return (
-      <div className="login-gate">
-        <h1>🧞‍♀️ geniusrun</h1>
-        <a className="login-gate-button" href={`${BASE_URL}/api/session/login`}>
-          Log in
-        </a>
-      </div>
+      <>
+        <BannerStack />
+        <div className="login-gate">
+          <h1>🧞‍♀️ geniusrun</h1>
+          <a className="login-gate-button" href={`${BASE_URL}/api/session/login`}>
+            Log in
+          </a>
+        </div>
+      </>
     );
   }
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/OnboardingWizard.tsx b/frontend/src/OnboardingWizard.tsx
index c4b74af..9ef571d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/OnboardingWizard.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/OnboardingWizard.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { api } from "./api/client";
 import { showError } from "./banner";
+import { BannerStack } from "./components/BannerStack";
 import "./OnboardingWizard.css";
 import type { AuthResponse } from "./types/api";
 
@@ -97,81 +98,87 @@ export function OnboardingWizard({ onCreated }: { onCreated: (displayName: strin
 
   if (step === "name") {
     return (
-      <div className="onboarding-wizard">
-        <h1>🧞‍♀️ Welcome to geniusrun</h1>
-        <p>Let's set up your profile. You'll connect your Garmin account next.</p>
-        <form onSubmit={submitName}>
-          <div className="onboarding-wizard-name-row">
-            <input
-              type="text"
-              placeholder="Display name"
-              value={displayName}
-              onChange={(e) => setDisplayName(e.target.value)}
-              autoFocus
-            />
-            <button type="submit" className="onboarding-wizard-icon-button" title="Continue" aria-label="Continue">
-              ✓
-            </button>
-          </div>
-          {validationError && <p className="onboarding-wizard-error">{validationError}</p>}
-        </form>
-      </div>
+      <>
+        <BannerStack />
+        <div className="onboarding-wizard">
+          <h1>🧞‍♀️ Welcome to geniusrun</h1>
+          <p>Let's set up your profile. You'll connect your Garmin account next.</p>
+          <form onSubmit={submitName}>
+            <div className="onboarding-wizard-name-row">
+              <input
+                type="text"
+                placeholder="Display name"
+                value={displayName}
+                onChange={(e) => setDisplayName(e.target.value)}
+                autoFocus
+              />
+              <button type="submit" className="onboarding-wizard-icon-button" title="Continue" aria-label="Continue">
+                ✓
+              </button>
+            </div>
+            {validationError && <p className="onboarding-wizard-error">{validationError}</p>}
+          </form>
+        </div>
+      </>
     );
   }
 
   return (
-    <div className="onboarding-wizard">
-      <h1>🧞‍♀️ Connect your Garmin account</h1>
-      <p>geniusrun needs your Garmin credentials to sync your activities.</p>
+    <>
+      <BannerStack />
+      <div className="onboarding-wizard">
+        <h1>🧞‍♀️ Connect your Garmin account</h1>
+        <p>geniusrun needs your Garmin credentials to sync your activities.</p>
 
-      {auth?.status === "authenticated" ? (
-        <>
-          <p className="onboarding-wizard-message">Connected to Garmin — finishing setup…</p>
-          {completeFailed && (
-            <button type="button" disabled={busy} onClick={complete}>
-              {busy ? "Finishing…" : "Retry"}
+        {auth?.status === "authenticated" ? (
+          <>
+            <p className="onboarding-wizard-message">Connected to Garmin — finishing setup…</p>
+            {completeFailed && (
+              <button type="button" disabled={busy} onClick={complete}>
+                {busy ? "Finishing…" : "Retry"}
+              </button>
+            )}
+          </>
+        ) : auth?.status === "mfa_required" ? (
+          <div className="onboarding-wizard-mfa">
+            <input
+              placeholder="MFA code"
+              value={code}
+              onChange={(e) => setCode(e.target.value)}
+              onKeyDown={(e) => e.key === "Enter" && submitMFA()}
+              disabled={busy}
+              autoFocus
+            />
+            {auth.message && <p className="onboarding-wizard-message">{auth.message}</p>}
+            <button type="button" disabled={busy} onClick={submitMFA}>
+              Submit code
             </button>
-          )}
-        </>
-      ) : auth?.status === "mfa_required" ? (
-        <div className="onboarding-wizard-mfa">
-          <input
-            placeholder="MFA code"
-            value={code}
-            onChange={(e) => setCode(e.target.value)}
-            onKeyDown={(e) => e.key === "Enter" && submitMFA()}
-            disabled={busy}
-            autoFocus
-          />
-          {auth.message && <p className="onboarding-wizard-message">{auth.message}</p>}
-          <button type="button" disabled={busy} onClick={submitMFA}>
-            Submit code
-          </button>
-        </div>
-      ) : (
-        <form onSubmit={submitGarmin}>
-          <input
-            type="text"
-            placeholder="Garmin email"
-            value={email}
-            onChange={(e) => setEmail(e.target.value)}
-            disabled={busy}
-            autoFocus
-          />
-          <input
-            type="password"
-            placeholder="Garmin password"
-            value={password}
-            onChange={(e) => setPassword(e.target.value)}
-            disabled={busy}
-          />
-          {auth?.message && <p className="onboarding-wizard-message">{auth.message}</p>}
-          {validationError && <p className="onboarding-wizard-error">{validationError}</p>}
-          <button type="submit" disabled={busy}>
-            {busy ? "Connecting…" : "Login"}
-          </button>
-        </form>
-      )}
-    </div>
+          </div>
+        ) : (
+          <form onSubmit={submitGarmin}>
+            <input
+              type="text"
+              placeholder="Garmin email"
+              value={email}
+              onChange={(e) => setEmail(e.target.value)}
+              disabled={busy}
+              autoFocus
+            />
+            <input
+              type="password"
+              placeholder="Garmin password"
+              value={password}
+              onChange={(e) => setPassword(e.target.value)}
+              disabled={busy}
+            />
+            {auth?.message && <p className="onboarding-wizard-message">{auth.message}</p>}
+            {validationError && <p className="onboarding-wizard-error">{validationError}</p>}
+            <button type="submit" disabled={busy}>
+              {busy ? "Connecting…" : "Login"}
+            </button>
+          </form>
+        )}
+      </div>
+    </>
   );
 }
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/GarminConnection.tsx b/frontend/src/components/GarminConnection.tsx
index 0ed3eb0..02d68e1 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/GarminConnection.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/GarminConnection.tsx
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
 import { api } from "../api/client";
-import { showError } from "../banner";
+import { showError, showSuccess } from "../banner";
 import type { AuthResponse } from "../types/api";
+import { GarminMFAModal } from "./GarminMFAModal";
 import { SyncModal } from "./SyncModal";
 
 export function GarminConnection({ onBeforeConnect }: { onBeforeConnect?: () => Promise<void> }) {
   const [auth, setAuth] = useState<AuthResponse | null>(null);
-  const [code, setCode] = useState("");
   const [busy, setBusy] = useState(false);
   // There's no real Garmin logout -- the backend session just sits idle.
   // "Disconnect" only hides that and shows Connect again locally; a real
@@ -29,8 +29,10 @@ export function GarminConnection({ onBeforeConnect }: { onBeforeConnect?: () =>
     setBusy(true);
     try {
       await onBeforeConnect?.();
-      setAuth(await api.login());
+      const result = await api.login();
+      setAuth(result);
       setDisconnected(false);
+      if (result.status === "authenticated") showSuccess("Connected to Garmin successfully.");
     } catch (e) {
       showError(String(e));
     } finally {
@@ -42,12 +44,13 @@ export function GarminConnection({ onBeforeConnect }: { onBeforeConnect?: () =>
     setDisconnected(true);
   }
 
-  async function submitMFA() {
+  async function submitMFA(code: string) {
     if (!code.trim()) return;
     setBusy(true);
     try {
-      setAuth(await api.submitMFA(code.trim()));
-      setCode("");
+      const result = await api.submitMFA(code.trim());
+      setAuth(result);
+      if (result.status === "authenticated") showSuccess("Connected to Garmin successfully.");
     } catch (e) {
       showError(String(e));
     } finally {
@@ -97,7 +100,7 @@ export function GarminConnection({ onBeforeConnect }: { onBeforeConnect?: () =>
         <div className="garmin-connection-actions">
           {status !== "authenticated" && status !== "mfa_required" && (
             <button disabled={busy} onClick={connect}>
-              Connect to Garmin
+              Connect
             </button>
           )}
 
@@ -134,20 +137,12 @@ export function GarminConnection({ onBeforeConnect }: { onBeforeConnect?: () =>
       </div>
 
       {status === "mfa_required" && (
-        <div className="garmin-connection-row">
-          <input
-            placeholder="MFA code"
-            value={code}
-            onChange={(e) => setCode(e.target.value)}
-            onKeyDown={(e) => e.key === "Enter" && submitMFA()}
-          />
-          <button disabled={busy} onClick={submitMFA}>
-            Submit code
-          </button>
-        </div>
+        <GarminMFAModal message={auth?.message} busy={busy} onSubmit={submitMFA} onCancel={disconnect} />
       )}
 
-      {!disconnected && auth?.message && <p className="garmin-connection-message">{auth.message}</p>}
+      {!disconnected && auth?.message && status !== "authenticated" && (
+        <p className="garmin-connection-message">{auth.message}</p>
+      )}
 
       {showSyncModal && <SyncModal onClose={() => setShowSyncModal(false)} />}
     </div>
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/GarminMFAModal.tsx b/frontend/src/components/GarminMFAModal.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b4d25ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/components/GarminMFAModal.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
+
+// Shown in place of the old inline MFA row whenever GarminConnection reports
+// mfa_required -- MFA is a required step to finish authenticating, not a
+// minor detail, so it gets the same focused-dialog treatment as SyncModal/
+// RawDataModal rather than a cramped row squeezed between the connect
+// buttons. Cancelling (Escape, backdrop click, or the Cancel button) calls
+// onCancel, which GarminConnection wires to its existing local-only
+// disconnect() -- there's no real way to abort a pending Garmin MFA
+// challenge server-side, so this only hides the prompt and lets the user
+// start over with a fresh "Connect" click, same as "Disconnect" already
+// does for an established session.
+export function GarminMFAModal({
+  message,
+  busy,
+  onSubmit,
+  onCancel,
+}: {
+  message?: string;
+  busy: boolean;
+  onSubmit: (code: string) => void;
+  onCancel: () => void;
+}) {
+  const [code, setCode] = useState("");
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const onKeyDown = (e: KeyboardEvent) => e.key === "Escape" && onCancel();
+    window.addEventListener("keydown", onKeyDown);
+    return () => window.removeEventListener("keydown", onKeyDown);
+  }, [onCancel]);
+
+  return (
+    <div className="modal-backdrop" onClick={onCancel}>
+      <div className="modal-content garmin-mfa-modal-content" onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}>
+        <div className="modal-header">
+          <span>Garmin verification code</span>
+        </div>
+        <div className="garmin-mfa-modal-body">
+          {message && <p className="garmin-mfa-modal-message">{message}</p>}
+          <input
+            placeholder="MFA code"
+            value={code}
+            onChange={(e) => setCode(e.target.value)}
+            onKeyDown={(e) => e.key === "Enter" && onSubmit(code)}
+            disabled={busy}
+            autoFocus
+          />
+        </div>
+        <div className="modal-header-actions garmin-mfa-modal-actions">
+          <button type="button" disabled={busy} onClick={onCancel}>
+            Cancel
+          </button>
+          <button type="button" disabled={busy || !code.trim()} onClick={() => onSubmit(code)}>
+            {busy ? "Submitting…" : "Submit code"}
+          </button>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/main.tsx b/frontend/src/main.tsx
index 74cd678..8df11e5 100644
--- a/frontend/src/main.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/main.tsx
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 import { StrictMode } from 'react'
 import { createRoot } from 'react-dom/client'
-import { BannerStack } from './components/BannerStack.tsx'
 import { LoginGate } from './LoginGate.tsx'
 
+// <BannerStack /> is rendered by each top-level screen individually (App.tsx,
+// LoginGate.tsx, OnboardingWizard.tsx), right after that screen's own
+// header/heading -- not mounted here above everything -- so a banner
+// appearing/disappearing never shifts App's header+tabs.
 createRoot(document.getElementById('root')!).render(
   <StrictMode>
-    <BannerStack />
     <LoginGate />
   </StrictMode>,
 )
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/Analysis.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/Analysis.tsx
index 6c3c2f4..9aa847b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/Analysis.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/Analysis.tsx
@@ -44,8 +44,7 @@ export function Analysis() {
     <div className="page">
       {kinds.length === 0 ? (
         <p className="empty-state">
-          No training types defined yet. See the Training types card on the Profile page to start seeing progression
-          here.
+          No activities classified per training types defined yet.
         </p>
       ) : (
         <>
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/Profile.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/Profile.tsx
index 7ffcb6e..88f891c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/Profile.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/Profile.tsx
@@ -89,7 +89,6 @@ const AUTO_SAVE_DELAY_MS = 600;
 export function Profile({ onSaved }: { onSaved?: (p: ProfileType) => void }) {
   const [profile, setProfile] = useState<ProfileType | null>(null);
   const [profileLoadFailed, setProfileLoadFailed] = useState(false);
-  const [saved, setSaved] = useState(false);
   // Mirrors `profile` synchronously (state updates don't apply until the
   // next render), so set() always debounces from the latest edit rather
   // than a stale snapshot from this render's closure.
@@ -125,7 +124,6 @@ export function Profile({ onSaved }: { onSaved?: (p: ProfileType) => void }) {
       const updated = await api.updateProfile(next);
       profileRef.current = updated;
       setProfile(updated);
-      setSaved(true);
       onSaved?.(updated);
     } catch (e) {
       showError(String(e));
@@ -137,7 +135,6 @@ export function Profile({ onSaved }: { onSaved?: (p: ProfileType) => void }) {
     const next = { ...profileRef.current, [key]: value };
     profileRef.current = next;
     setProfile(next);
-    setSaved(false);
     if (saveTimeoutRef.current) clearTimeout(saveTimeoutRef.current);
     saveTimeoutRef.current = setTimeout(() => persist(next), AUTO_SAVE_DELAY_MS);
   }
@@ -183,7 +180,6 @@ export function Profile({ onSaved }: { onSaved?: (p: ProfileType) => void }) {
 
   return (
     <div className="page profile-page">
-      {saved && <p className="garmin-connection-message">Saved.</p>}
 
       <fieldset className="kind-editor">
         <legend>Profile</legend>