diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 03a9bcaf..309ed5c1 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,15 +9,16 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Added
 
-- **New proxy setting: Client Connect Grace Period (`channel_client_wait_period`, default 5s).** Restores the grace-period behaviour that was unintentionally dropped in 0.27.1. When a channel's buffer becomes ready but no client has connected yet (e.g. after an API warmup), this controls how long to keep the channel alive before tearing down.
+- **New proxy setting: Client Connect Grace Period (`channel_client_wait_period`, default 5s).** Adds a dedicated timeout for channels that have filled their buffer but still have no viewers (`waiting_for_clients`). Previously that window reused `channel_shutdown_delay` (default 0s), so those channels were torn down almost immediately.
 
 ### Changed
 
-- **Proxy grace-period settings are now split into three distinct timeouts.** In 0.27.1, `channel_init_grace_period` was repurposed as the channel startup/failover timeout (replacing a hardcoded 10s). That left API-warmup "wait for the first client" behaviour tied to `channel_shutdown_delay` (default 0s), so warmed-up channels stopped almost immediately. Behaviour is now:
+- **Proxy grace-period settings are now split into three distinct timeouts.** The cleanup watchdog already applied `channel_init_grace_period` while a channel was still connecting (buffer not ready) and reused `channel_shutdown_delay` once `connection_ready_time` was set, including for `waiting_for_clients` with zero viewers. With the default `channel_shutdown_delay` of 0s, a buffered channel waiting for its first viewer was stopped almost immediately; raising shutdown delay was the only workaround, but that also delayed teardown after real disconnects. Behaviour is now:
   - **`channel_init_grace_period` (default 60s, max 300s):** how long the proxy may spend connecting and cycling failover streams before giving up on startup.
   - **`channel_client_wait_period` (default 5s):** how long a ready channel with no viewers stays up waiting for the first client (the original grace-period use case).
-  - **`channel_shutdown_delay` (default 0s):** delay after the last client disconnects only; no longer applies to warmup.
-- **Migration 0026 bumps `channel_init_grace_period` to 60s when the stored value is below 60.** Existing installs on the old 5s default (or any custom value under 60) are raised automatically. Values already at 60s or higher are unchanged. If you previously raised `channel_shutdown_delay` to keep warmed-up channels alive, set `channel_client_wait_period` instead.
+  - **`channel_shutdown_delay` (default 0s):** delay after the last client disconnects only; no longer applies when the buffer is ready but no viewer has connected yet.
+- **Migration 0026 bumps `channel_init_grace_period` to 60s when the stored value is below 60.** Existing installs on the old 5s default (or any custom value under 60) are raised automatically. Values already at 60s or higher are unchanged. If you previously raised `channel_shutdown_delay` to keep buffered channels alive with no viewers, set `channel_client_wait_period` instead (Settings → Proxy → Advanced).
+- **Proxy settings UI: less-used options moved under Advanced.** Settings → Proxy now shows the day-to-day tuning fields by default (`buffering_timeout`, `buffering_speed`, `channel_shutdown_delay`, `new_client_behind_seconds`). **Buffer Chunk TTL**, **Channel Initialization Timeout**, and **Client Connect Grace Period** are tucked under **Show Advanced Settings**.
 
 ## [0.27.1] - 2026-06-25
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/forms/settings/ProxySettingsForm.jsx b/frontend/src/components/forms/settings/ProxySettingsForm.jsx
index a3a9600a..91b36bb7 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/forms/settings/ProxySettingsForm.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/forms/settings/ProxySettingsForm.jsx
@@ -5,83 +5,119 @@ import { updateSetting } from '../../../utils/pages/SettingsUtils.js';
 import {
   Alert,
   Button,
+  Collapse,
   Flex,
   NumberInput,
   Stack,
   TextInput,
 } from '@mantine/core';
+import { ChevronDown, ChevronRight } from 'lucide-react';
 import { PROXY_SETTINGS_OPTIONS } from '../../../constants.js';
 import {
   getProxySettingDefaults,
   getProxySettingsFormInitialValues,
 } from '../../../utils/forms/settings/ProxySettingsFormUtils.js';
 
+const isNumericField = (key) => {
+  return [
+    'buffering_timeout',
+    'redis_chunk_ttl',
+    'channel_shutdown_delay',
+    'channel_init_grace_period',
+    'channel_client_wait_period',
+    'new_client_behind_seconds',
+  ].includes(key);
+};
+
+const isFloatField = (key) => key === 'buffering_speed';
+
+const getNumericFieldMax = (key) => {
+  if (key === 'buffering_timeout') return 300;
+  if (key === 'redis_chunk_ttl') return 3600;
+  if (key === 'channel_shutdown_delay') return 300;
+  if (key === 'channel_client_wait_period') return 300;
+  if (key === 'new_client_behind_seconds') return 120;
+  return 300;
+};
+
+const renderProxySettingField = (key, config, proxySettingsForm) => {
+  if (isNumericField(key)) {
+    return (
+      <NumberInput
+        key={key}
+        label={config.label}
+        {...proxySettingsForm.getInputProps(key)}
+        description={config.description || null}
+        min={0}
+        max={getNumericFieldMax(key)}
+      />
+    );
+  }
+
+  if (isFloatField(key)) {
+    return (
+      <NumberInput
+        key={key}
+        label={config.label}
+        {...proxySettingsForm.getInputProps(key)}
+        description={config.description || null}
+        min={0.0}
+        max={10.0}
+        step={0.01}
+        precision={1}
+      />
+    );
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <TextInput
+      key={key}
+      label={config.label}
+      {...proxySettingsForm.getInputProps(key)}
+      description={config.description || null}
+    />
+  );
+};
+
 const ProxySettingsOptions = React.memo(({ proxySettingsForm }) => {
-  const isNumericField = (key) => {
-    // Determine if this field should be a NumberInput
-    return [
-      'buffering_timeout',
-      'redis_chunk_ttl',
-      'channel_shutdown_delay',
-      'channel_init_grace_period',
-      'channel_client_wait_period',
-      'new_client_behind_seconds',
-    ].includes(key);
-  };
-  const isFloatField = (key) => {
-    return key === 'buffering_speed';
-  };
-  const getNumericFieldMax = (key) => {
-    return key === 'buffering_timeout'
-      ? 300
-      : key === 'redis_chunk_ttl'
-        ? 3600
-        : key === 'channel_shutdown_delay'
-          ? 300
-          : key === 'channel_client_wait_period'
-            ? 300
-            : key === 'new_client_behind_seconds'
-              ? 120
-              : 300;
-  };
+  const [advancedOpen, setAdvancedOpen] = useState(false);
+  const entries = Object.entries(PROXY_SETTINGS_OPTIONS);
+  const mainEntries = entries.filter(([, config]) => !config.advanced);
+  const advancedEntries = entries.filter(([, config]) => config.advanced);
+
   return (
     <>
-      {Object.entries(PROXY_SETTINGS_OPTIONS).map(([key, config]) => {
-        if (isNumericField(key)) {
-          return (
-            <NumberInput
-              key={key}
-              label={config.label}
-              {...proxySettingsForm.getInputProps(key)}
-              description={config.description || null}
-              min={0}
-              max={getNumericFieldMax(key)}
-            />
-          );
-        } else if (isFloatField(key)) {
-          return (
-            <NumberInput
-              key={key}
-              label={config.label}
-              {...proxySettingsForm.getInputProps(key)}
-              description={config.description || null}
-              min={0.0}
-              max={10.0}
-              step={0.01}
-              precision={1}
-            />
-          );
-        } else {
-          return (
-            <TextInput
-              key={key}
-              label={config.label}
-              {...proxySettingsForm.getInputProps(key)}
-              description={config.description || null}
-            />
-          );
-        }
-      })}
+      {mainEntries.map(([key, config]) =>
+        renderProxySettingField(key, config, proxySettingsForm)
+      )}
+
+      {advancedEntries.length > 0 && (
+        <>
+          <Button
+            variant="subtle"
+            size="xs"
+            leftSection={
+              advancedOpen ? (
+                <ChevronDown size={12} />
+              ) : (
+                <ChevronRight size={12} />
+              )
+            }
+            onClick={() => setAdvancedOpen((open) => !open)}
+            c="dimmed"
+            styles={{ root: { alignSelf: 'flex-start' } }}
+          >
+            {advancedOpen ? 'Hide' : 'Show'} Advanced Settings
+          </Button>
+          <Collapse in={advancedOpen}>
+            <Stack gap="sm">
+              {advancedEntries.map(([key, config]) =>
+                renderProxySettingField(key, config, proxySettingsForm)
+              )}
+            </Stack>
+          </Collapse>
+        </>
+      )}
     </>
   );
 });
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/forms/settings/__tests__/ProxySettingsForm.test.jsx b/frontend/src/components/forms/settings/__tests__/ProxySettingsForm.test.jsx
index c874b3e6..b0fa3a56 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/forms/settings/__tests__/ProxySettingsForm.test.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/forms/settings/__tests__/ProxySettingsForm.test.jsx
@@ -14,6 +14,21 @@ vi.mock('../../../../constants.js', () => ({
       description: 'Speed multiplier',
     },
     redis_url: { label: 'Redis URL', description: 'Redis connection URL' },
+    redis_chunk_ttl: {
+      label: 'Buffer Chunk TTL',
+      advanced: true,
+      description: 'Chunk TTL',
+    },
+    channel_init_grace_period: {
+      label: 'Channel Initialization Timeout',
+      advanced: true,
+      description: 'Init timeout',
+    },
+    channel_client_wait_period: {
+      label: 'Client Connect Grace Period',
+      advanced: true,
+      description: 'Advanced grace period',
+    },
   },
 }));
 
@@ -71,6 +86,8 @@ vi.mock('@mantine/core', () => ({
     </div>
   ),
   Stack: ({ children }) => <div>{children}</div>,
+  Collapse: ({ in: isOpen, children }) =>
+    isOpen ? <div data-testid="collapse-open">{children}</div> : null,
   TextInput: ({ label, description, ...rest }) => (
     <div>
       <label>{label}</label>
@@ -353,11 +370,52 @@ describe('ProxySettingsForm', () => {
 
   // ── ProxySettingsOptions field routing ─────────────────────────────────────
   describe('ProxySettingsOptions field routing', () => {
-    it('calls getInputProps for each PROXY_SETTINGS_OPTIONS key', () => {
+    it('calls getInputProps for main settings on initial render', () => {
       render(<ProxySettingsForm active={true} />);
       expect(formMock.getInputProps).toHaveBeenCalledWith('buffering_timeout');
       expect(formMock.getInputProps).toHaveBeenCalledWith('buffering_speed');
       expect(formMock.getInputProps).toHaveBeenCalledWith('redis_url');
+      expect(formMock.getInputProps).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        'channel_client_wait_period'
+      );
+      expect(formMock.getInputProps).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        'channel_init_grace_period'
+      );
+      expect(formMock.getInputProps).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith('redis_chunk_ttl');
+    });
+
+    it('hides advanced settings until expanded', () => {
+      render(<ProxySettingsForm active={true} />);
+      expect(
+        screen.queryByTestId('number-input-Client Connect Grace Period')
+      ).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+      expect(
+        screen.queryByTestId('number-input-Channel Initialization Timeout')
+      ).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+      expect(
+        screen.queryByTestId('number-input-Buffer Chunk TTL')
+      ).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+      expect(screen.getByText('Show Advanced Settings')).toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+
+    it('shows advanced settings when expanded', () => {
+      render(<ProxySettingsForm active={true} />);
+      fireEvent.click(screen.getByText('Show Advanced Settings'));
+      expect(screen.getByTestId('collapse-open')).toBeInTheDocument();
+      expect(
+        screen.getByTestId('number-input-Client Connect Grace Period')
+      ).toBeInTheDocument();
+      expect(
+        screen.getByTestId('number-input-Channel Initialization Timeout')
+      ).toBeInTheDocument();
+      expect(screen.getByTestId('number-input-Buffer Chunk TTL')).toBeInTheDocument();
+      expect(formMock.getInputProps).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        'channel_client_wait_period'
+      );
+      expect(formMock.getInputProps).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        'channel_init_grace_period'
+      );
+      expect(formMock.getInputProps).toHaveBeenCalledWith('redis_chunk_ttl');
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/frontend/src/constants.js b/frontend/src/constants.js
index fba0d7c6..ea6dec13 100644
--- a/frontend/src/constants.js
+++ b/frontend/src/constants.js
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ export const PROXY_SETTINGS_OPTIONS = {
   },
   redis_chunk_ttl: {
     label: 'Buffer Chunk TTL',
+    advanced: true,
     description:
       'Time-to-live for buffer chunks in seconds (how long stream data is cached)',
   },
@@ -53,13 +54,15 @@ export const PROXY_SETTINGS_OPTIONS = {
   },
   channel_init_grace_period: {
     label: 'Channel Initialization Timeout',
+    advanced: true,
     description:
       'Maximum seconds to wait for the initial buffer to fill while a channel is connecting. Channels that never receive enough buffered data are stopped after this limit.',
   },
   channel_client_wait_period: {
     label: 'Client Connect Grace Period',
+    advanced: true,
     description:
-      'Seconds to keep a ready channel alive when no client has connected yet (e.g. after an API warmup). Once a client connects the channel becomes active; if none connect within this window the channel stops.',
+      'Seconds to keep a buffered channel alive when no viewer is connected yet. Rarely needed unless you start channels programmatically.',
   },
   new_client_behind_seconds: {
     label: 'New Client Buffer (seconds)',