diff --git a/record-bin/src/entrypoints/BinOutlet.test.tsx b/record-bin/src/entrypoints/BinOutlet.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3ce7c904
--- /dev/null
+++ b/record-bin/src/entrypoints/BinOutlet.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+import type { errorObject } from '../types/types';
+import { createDebugLogger } from '../utils/debugLogger';
+import {
+  LambdaLessRestoreError,
+  restoreRecordWithoutLambda,
+} from '../utils/lambdaLessRestore';
+import { executeRestoreWithoutLambda } from './BinOutlet';
+
+vi.mock('datocms-react-ui', () => ({}));
+vi.mock('../utils/lambdaLessRestore', async (importOriginal) => ({
+  ...(await importOriginal<typeof import('../utils/lambdaLessRestore')>()),
+  restoreRecordWithoutLambda: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+const restorationError = {
+  simplifiedError: { details: {} },
+  fullErrorPayload: '{}',
+} as unknown as errorObject;
+// Error toasts stay open until the user closes them, so their promise never settles here.
+const callbacks = () => ({
+  alertFn: vi.fn(() => new Promise<void>(() => {})),
+  noticeFn: vi.fn(),
+  navigateTo: vi.fn(),
+  setError: vi.fn(),
+});
+const restore = (handlers: ReturnType<typeof callbacks>) =>
+  executeRestoreWithoutLambda({
+    trashRecordId: 'archive-id',
+    parsedRecordBody: {},
+    currentUserAccessToken: 'token',
+    environment: 'sandbox',
+    debugLogger: createDebugLogger(false, 'test'),
+    isEnvironmentPrimary: false,
+    ...handlers,
+  });
+afterEach(() => {
+  vi.mocked(restoreRecordWithoutLambda).mockReset();
+});
+
+describe('Lambda-less restore flow', () => {
+  it('finishes a failed restore without waiting for the alert to close', async () => {
+    vi.mocked(restoreRecordWithoutLambda).mockRejectedValue(
+      new LambdaLessRestoreError('rejected', restorationError),
+    );
+    const handlers = callbacks();
+    await restore(handlers);
+    expect(handlers.setError).toHaveBeenCalledWith(restorationError);
+    expect(handlers.alertFn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      'The record could not be restored!',
+    );
+    expect(handlers.navigateTo).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+  it('opens the restored record while the cleanup alert is still open', async () => {
+    vi.mocked(restoreRecordWithoutLambda).mockResolvedValue({
+      restoredRecord: { id: 'record-id', modelID: 'model-id' },
+      cleanupError: restorationError,
+    });
+    const handlers = callbacks();
+    await restore(handlers);
+    expect(handlers.alertFn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      'The record was restored, but its archive could not be removed.',
+    );
+    expect(handlers.navigateTo).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      '/environments/sandbox/editor/item_types/model-id/items/record-id',
+    );
+  });
+});
diff --git a/record-bin/src/entrypoints/BinOutlet.tsx b/record-bin/src/entrypoints/BinOutlet.tsx
index d3d904f0..3683eb33 100644
--- a/record-bin/src/entrypoints/BinOutlet.tsx
+++ b/record-bin/src/entrypoints/BinOutlet.tsx
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ function buildRecordEditPath(
 const parseLambdaRecordBody = async (
   rawRecordBody: unknown,
   debugLogger: DebugLogger,
-  alertFn: (message: string) => Promise<unknown>,
+  alertFn: (message: string) => void,
 ): Promise<{ success: false } | { success: true; parsedBody: unknown }> => {
   try {
     const parsedBody =
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ const parseLambdaRecordBody = async (
     return { success: true, parsedBody };
   } catch (error) {
     debugLogger.warn('Could not parse record_body JSON before restore', error);
-    await alertFn('The record body is not valid JSON.');
+    alertFn('The record body is not valid JSON.');
     return { success: false };
   }
 };
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ const executeRestoreViaLambda = async ({
   parsedRecordBody: Record<string, unknown>;
   trashRecordId: string;
   debugLogger: DebugLogger;
-  alertFn: (message: string) => Promise<unknown>;
+  alertFn: (message: string) => void;
   noticeFn: (message: string) => void;
   navigateTo: (path: string) => void;
   environment: string;
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ const executeRestoreViaLambda = async ({
       'Restoration request failed before receiving response',
       restorationError,
     );
-    await alertFn(
+    alertFn(
       'The restore API did not confirm the result. Check whether the record was restored before trying again.',
     );
     return false;
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ const executeRestoreViaLambda = async ({
       status: restoreResponse.status,
       restorationError,
     });
-    await alertFn('The record could not be restored!');
+    alertFn('The record could not be restored!');
     return false;
   }
 
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ const executeRestoreViaLambda = async ({
   return true;
 };
 
-const executeRestoreWithoutLambda = async ({
+export const executeRestoreWithoutLambda = async ({
   trashRecordId,
   parsedRecordBody,
   currentUserAccessToken,
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ const executeRestoreWithoutLambda = async ({
   cmaBaseUrl?: string;
   environment: string;
   debugLogger: DebugLogger;
-  alertFn: (message: string) => Promise<unknown>;
+  alertFn: (message: string) => void;
   noticeFn: (message: string) => void;
   navigateTo: (path: string) => void;
   isEnvironmentPrimary: boolean;
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ const executeRestoreWithoutLambda = async ({
         'Lambda-less restoration request failed',
         error.restorationError,
       );
-      await alertFn('The record could not be restored!');
+      alertFn('The record could not be restored!');
       return;
     }
     throw error;
@@ -210,9 +210,7 @@ const executeRestoreWithoutLambda = async ({
       'Restored record archive cleanup failed',
       parsedResponse.cleanupError,
     );
-    await alertFn(
-      'The record was restored, but its archive could not be removed.',
-    );
+    alertFn('The record was restored, but its archive could not be removed.');
   }
   noticeFn('The record has been successfully restored!');
   navigateTo(
@@ -281,7 +279,7 @@ const runLambdaModeRestore = async ({
   pluginParameters: Record<string, unknown>;
   trashRecordId: string | undefined;
   debugLogger: DebugLogger;
-  alertFn: (message: string) => Promise<unknown>;
+  alertFn: (message: string) => void;
   noticeFn: (message: string) => void;
   navigateTo: (path: string) => void;
   environment: string;
@@ -292,7 +290,7 @@ const runLambdaModeRestore = async ({
 
   if (!deploymentURL) {
     debugLogger.warn('Missing deployment URL while restoring record');
-    await alertFn('The plugin deployment URL is missing.');
+    alertFn('The plugin deployment URL is missing.');
     return;
   }
 
@@ -302,13 +300,13 @@ const runLambdaModeRestore = async ({
     Array.isArray(parsedRecordBody);
   if (isInvalidBody) {
     debugLogger.warn('record_body must be a JSON object for lambda restore');
-    await alertFn('The record body is not a valid restore payload.');
+    alertFn('The record body is not a valid restore payload.');
     return;
   }
 
   if (!trashRecordId) {
     debugLogger.warn('Missing trash record id in lambda restore');
-    await alertFn('Could not determine the trash record to remove.');
+    alertFn('Could not determine the trash record to remove.');
     return;
   }
 
@@ -356,6 +354,7 @@ const BinOutlet = ({ ctx }: { ctx: RenderItemFormOutletCtx }) => {
     const runtimeMode = getRuntimeMode(ctx.plugin.attributes.parameters);
     const rawRecordBody = ctx.formValues.record_body;
 
+    // Alerts stay open until the user closes them; awaiting one would stall the restore flow.
     const alertFn = ctx.alert.bind(ctx);
     const noticeFn = ctx.notice.bind(ctx);
     const navigateTo = ctx.navigateTo.bind(ctx);
@@ -399,7 +398,7 @@ const BinOutlet = ({ ctx }: { ctx: RenderItemFormOutletCtx }) => {
 
       if (!ctx.item?.id) {
         debugLogger.warn('Missing trash record id in lambda-less restore');
-        await alertFn('Could not determine the trash record to remove.');
+        alertFn('Could not determine the trash record to remove.');
         return;
       }
 
@@ -419,7 +418,7 @@ const BinOutlet = ({ ctx }: { ctx: RenderItemFormOutletCtx }) => {
     } catch (err) {
       setError(buildRestoreErrorPayload(err));
       debugLogger.error('Restoration flow failed', err);
-      await alertFn('The record could not be restored!');
+      alertFn('The record could not be restored!');
     } finally {
       restorationInProgress.current = false;
       setLoading(false);
diff --git a/record-bin/src/entrypoints/ConfigScreen.tsx b/record-bin/src/entrypoints/ConfigScreen.tsx
index 511c361c..775eb28f 100644
--- a/record-bin/src/entrypoints/ConfigScreen.tsx
+++ b/record-bin/src/entrypoints/ConfigScreen.tsx
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ export default function ConfigScreen({ ctx }: { ctx: RenderConfigScreenCtx }) {
           webhookRemovalError,
         );
         if (notifyOnFailure) {
-          await ctx.notice(
+          ctx.alert(
             "Runtime was saved as Lambda-less, but one or more managed '🗑 Record Bin' webhooks could not be removed automatically. Remove them manually if needed.",
           );
         }
@@ -799,7 +799,7 @@ export default function ConfigScreen({ ctx }: { ctx: RenderConfigScreenCtx }) {
         setShowConnectionDetails(false);
       }
 
-      await ctx.alert('Could not disconnect the current lambda function.');
+      ctx.alert('Could not disconnect the current lambda function.');
     },
     [applyWebhookSyncErrorState, canManageWebhooks, ctx, debugLogger],
   );
@@ -942,7 +942,7 @@ export default function ConfigScreen({ ctx }: { ctx: RenderConfigScreenCtx }) {
       });
     } catch (saveError) {
       debugLogger.warn('Failed to save plugin settings', saveError);
-      await ctx.alert('Could not save plugin settings.');
+      ctx.alert('Could not save plugin settings.');
     } finally {
       setLoading(false);
     }
diff --git a/record-bin/src/index.test.tsx b/record-bin/src/index.test.tsx
index a52314f1..4be730d6 100644
--- a/record-bin/src/index.test.tsx
+++ b/record-bin/src/index.test.tsx
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ const hook = () => {
 const context = (runtimeMode = 'lambdaless') => ({
   plugin: { attributes: { parameters: { runtimeMode } } },
   openModal: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(true),
-  notice: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+  alert: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
 });
 beforeEach(() => {
   vi.mocked(captureDeletedItemsWithoutLambda).mockReset();
@@ -60,11 +60,13 @@ describe('delete hook decisions', () => {
     }));
     expect(await hook()(items, ctx)).toBe(false);
     expect(ctx.openModal).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-    expect(ctx.notice).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+    expect(ctx.alert).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
       expect.stringContaining('above 200'),
     );
     expect(captureDeletedItemsWithoutLambda).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-    ctx.notice.mockRejectedValue(new Error('notice failed'));
+    ctx.alert.mockRejectedValue(new Error('alert failed'));
+    expect(await hook()(items, ctx)).toBe(false);
+    ctx.alert.mockReturnValue(new Promise(() => {}));
     expect(await hook()(items, ctx)).toBe(false);
   });
   it('preserves the separately deployed Lambda runtime contract', async () => {
diff --git a/record-bin/src/index.tsx b/record-bin/src/index.tsx
index 78657bc2..5c32d4bc 100644
--- a/record-bin/src/index.tsx
+++ b/record-bin/src/index.tsx
@@ -25,12 +25,13 @@ connect({
     // The host currently sends one bulk request, whose CMA limit is 200 IDs.
     // Performing deletion here would bypass other plugins' concurrent vetoes.
     if (items.length > 200) {
-      await ctx
-        .notice(
+      // The alert promise settles when the toast closes; awaiting it holds the hook open.
+      void ctx
+        .alert(
           'Record Bin stopped this deletion: the dashboard must support bounded bulk operations before a selection above 200 records can be deleted safely. The original records have been kept.',
         )
         .catch((error) =>
-          debugLogger.warn('Could not display deletion limit notice', error),
+          debugLogger.warn('Could not display deletion limit alert', error),
         );
       return false;
     }
diff --git a/record-bin/src/utils/lambdaLessCapture.test.ts b/record-bin/src/utils/lambdaLessCapture.test.ts
index b8c05943..f680fc3a 100644
--- a/record-bin/src/utils/lambdaLessCapture.test.ts
+++ b/record-bin/src/utils/lambdaLessCapture.test.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@ const context = (token: string | undefined = 'token') => ({
   environment: 'main',
   cmaBaseUrl: 'https://example.invalid',
   plugin: { attributes: { parameters: {} } },
-  notice: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+  alert: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+  customToast: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(null),
 });
 type Request = {
   method: string;
@@ -193,6 +194,27 @@ describe('pre-deletion capture', () => {
     });
     expect(mock.writes()).toBe(0);
   });
+  it('returns a blocked result without waiting for the alert to close', async () => {
+    setup({ read: () => undefined });
+    const ctx = context();
+    ctx.alert.mockReturnValue(new Promise(() => {}));
+    expect((await run(['one'], ctx)).allowDeletion).toBe(false);
+    expect(ctx.alert).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+  it('announces the backup without waiting for the toast to close', async () => {
+    setup();
+    const ctx = context();
+    ctx.customToast.mockReturnValue(new Promise(() => {}));
+    expect((await run(['one', 'two'], ctx)).allowDeletion).toBe(true);
+    expect(ctx.customToast).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(ctx.customToast).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        type: 'notice',
+        message: expect.stringContaining('2 records'),
+        dismissOnPageChange: true,
+      }),
+    );
+  });
   it('blocks deletion without an access token', async () => {
     const ctx = context();
     ctx.currentUserAccessToken = undefined;
diff --git a/record-bin/src/utils/lambdaLessCapture.ts b/record-bin/src/utils/lambdaLessCapture.ts
index f46bc930..5c39142e 100644
--- a/record-bin/src/utils/lambdaLessCapture.ts
+++ b/record-bin/src/utils/lambdaLessCapture.ts
@@ -108,7 +108,12 @@ export type LambdaLessCaptureResult = {
 
 export type CaptureContext = Pick<
   OnBeforeItemsDestroyCtx,
-  'plugin' | 'currentUserAccessToken' | 'environment' | 'cmaBaseUrl' | 'notice'
+  | 'plugin'
+  | 'currentUserAccessToken'
+  | 'environment'
+  | 'cmaBaseUrl'
+  | 'alert'
+  | 'customToast'
 >;
 
 async function archiveRecord(
@@ -291,6 +296,7 @@ class CaptureOperation {
         this.ids.some((id) => typeof id !== 'string' || !id || id.includes(','))
       )
         throw new Error('Invalid deletion selection.');
+      this.announceBackup();
       const client = buildCaptureClient(this.ctx);
       const bin = await ensureRecordBinModel(client);
       await this.capture(client, bin.id);
@@ -303,13 +309,41 @@ class CaptureOperation {
     } catch (error) {
       this.handleFailure(error);
     }
+    // The alert promise settles when the toast closes; awaiting it holds the hook open.
     if (!this.result.allowDeletion) {
-      await this.ctx.notice(
-        'Record Bin could not verify a complete archive. Deletion was cancelled; the original records have been kept.',
-      );
+      void this.ctx
+        .alert(
+          'Record Bin could not verify a complete archive. Deletion was cancelled; the original records have been kept.',
+        )
+        .catch((error) =>
+          this.debugLogger.warn('Could not display archive alert', error),
+        );
     }
     return this.result;
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Tells the user why the deletion takes a few seconds. Fire-and-forget: the toast promise
+   * settles only when the toast closes, so awaiting it would hold the hook open.
+   */
+  private announceBackup() {
+    const message =
+      this.ids.length === 1
+        ? 'Record Bin is saving a copy of this record before it is deleted. This takes a few seconds.'
+        : `Record Bin is saving copies of ${this.ids.length} records before they are deleted. This takes a few seconds.`;
+    void this.ctx
+      .customToast({
+        type: 'notice',
+        message,
+        // A successful deletion leaves the record page, which closes the toast. The timeout
+        // covers failures (which show their own alert) and bulk deletions from a list.
+        dismissOnPageChange: true,
+        dismissAfterTimeout: 15000,
+      })
+      .catch((error) =>
+        this.debugLogger.warn('Could not display backup notice', error),
+      );
+  }
 }
 
 export async function captureDeletedItemsWithoutLambda(