diff --git a/src/c/main.c b/src/c/main.c
index 293a6c8..1e8a1a7 100644
--- a/src/c/main.c
+++ b/src/c/main.c
@@ -607,17 +607,23 @@ static void alarm_window_load() {
 	    (WindowHandlers){.load = drop_menu_window_load, .unload = drop_menu_window_unload});
 
 	// countdown
+	s_countdown_txt_layer = text_layer_create(GRect(0, (s_small_top_bar_height / 2) - PBL_IF_ROUND_ELSE(6, 10), PBL_DISPLAY_WIDTH, s_small_top_bar_height));
+	text_layer_set_background_color(s_countdown_txt_layer, GColorClear);
+	text_layer_set_text_color(s_countdown_txt_layer, GColorWhite);
+	text_layer_set_text_alignment(s_countdown_txt_layer, GTextAlignmentCenter);
+	// this code forces recovery alarms to act as main alarms, even if the force quit was an awareness alarm;
+	// this is a "bug" I'm willing to accept for the sake of simplicity - all it does is punish the user more
+	// for force-quitting
 	if (s_alarm_reason == WAKE_AWARENESS_ALARM) {
-		s_countdown_txt_layer = text_layer_create(GRect(0, (s_small_top_bar_height / 2) - PBL_IF_ROUND_ELSE(6, 10), PBL_DISPLAY_WIDTH, s_small_top_bar_height));
-		text_layer_set_background_color(s_countdown_txt_layer, GColorClear);
-		text_layer_set_text_color(s_countdown_txt_layer, GColorWhite);
-		text_layer_set_text_alignment(s_countdown_txt_layer, GTextAlignmentCenter);
 		text_layer_set_font(s_countdown_txt_layer, s_font_lecoish_small);
 		s_awareness_countdown_int = settings.AwarenessTimeLimitSeconds;
 		snprintf(s_awareness_countdown_buf, sizeof(s_awareness_countdown_buf), "%03u", s_awareness_countdown_int);
 		text_layer_set_text(s_countdown_txt_layer, s_awareness_countdown_buf);
-		layer_add_child(window_layer, text_layer_get_layer(s_countdown_txt_layer));
+	} else {
+		text_layer_set_font(s_countdown_txt_layer, s_font_mansalva_small);
+		text_layer_set_text(s_countdown_txt_layer, "🏁  hold  select  🏁");
 	}
+	layer_add_child(window_layer, text_layer_get_layer(s_countdown_txt_layer));
 
 	// setup vibes
 	s_vibe_segments[0] = (uint32_t)(s_triangle_layer->angle_A * 2);
@@ -640,9 +646,7 @@ static void alarm_window_load() {
 
 static void alarm_window_unload() {
 	tick_timer_service_unsubscribe();
-	if (s_countdown_txt_layer != NULL) {
-		text_layer_destroy(s_countdown_txt_layer);
-	}
+	text_layer_destroy(s_countdown_txt_layer);
 	window_destroy(s_drop_window);
 	text_layer_destroy(s_side_a_txt_layer);
 	text_layer_destroy(s_side_b_txt_layer);