diff --git a/abogen/web/routes.py b/abogen/web/routes.py
index cd55f69..35eaa2b 100644
--- a/abogen/web/routes.py
+++ b/abogen/web/routes.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ from abogen.constants import (
     SUPPORTED_SOUND_FORMATS,
     VOICES_INTERNAL,
 )
-from abogen.kokoro_text_normalization import normalize_roman_numeral_titles
+from abogen.kokoro_text_normalization import normalize_for_pipeline, normalize_roman_numeral_titles
 from abogen.utils import (
     calculate_text_length,
     get_user_output_path,
@@ -2488,6 +2488,11 @@ def api_preview_voice_mix() -> ResponseReturnValue:
     if voice_choice is None:
         abort(400, "Unable to resolve voice selection")
 
+    try:
+        text = normalize_for_pipeline(text)
+    except Exception:
+        current_app.logger.exception("Voice preview normalization failed; using raw text")
+
     segments = pipeline(
         text,
         voice=voice_choice,
@@ -2584,6 +2589,11 @@ def api_speaker_preview() -> ResponseReturnValue:
         except ValueError as exc:
             abort(400, str(exc))
 
+    try:
+        text = normalize_for_pipeline(text)
+    except Exception:
+        current_app.logger.exception("Preview normalization failed; using raw text")
+
     segments = pipeline(
         text,
         voice=voice_choice,
diff --git a/abogen/web/static/prepare.js b/abogen/web/static/prepare.js
index ff18a01..b35b530 100644
--- a/abogen/web/static/prepare.js
+++ b/abogen/web/static/prepare.js
@@ -1855,8 +1855,14 @@ const initPrepare = (root = document) => {
     };
 
     const resolveOverrideVoice = (data) => {
-      if (data.voice) {
-        return data.voice;
+      const hasVoiceProp = Boolean(data && Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(data, "voice"));
+      const voiceValueRaw = typeof data?.voice === "string" ? data.voice : "";
+      const voiceValue = voiceValueRaw.trim();
+      if (voiceValue) {
+        return voiceValue;
+      }
+      if (hasVoiceProp) {
+        return "";
       }
       const normalizedKey = canonicalizeEntityKey(data.normalized || data.token || "");
       let genderHint = (data.gender || "").toLowerCase();
@@ -1878,6 +1884,9 @@ const initPrepare = (root = document) => {
           genderHint = "";
         }
       }
+      if (baseVoice) {
+        return "";
+      }
       return pickRandomVoiceForOverride(genderHint);
     };
 
diff --git a/abogen/web/static/styles.css b/abogen/web/static/styles.css
index 6eaa37e..a92a4f7 100644
--- a/abogen/web/static/styles.css
+++ b/abogen/web/static/styles.css
@@ -1625,6 +1625,9 @@ button.step-indicator__item:focus-visible {
   border: 1px solid rgba(148, 163, 184, 0.2);
   box-shadow: 0 18px 38px rgba(15, 23, 42, 0.35);
   backdrop-filter: blur(4px);
+  position: sticky;
+  top: max(env(safe-area-inset-top), 0.5rem);
+  z-index: 25;
 }
 
 .entity-tabs__tab {