diff --git a/.changeset/dry-papayas-heal.md b/.changeset/dry-papayas-heal.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..674266516
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/dry-papayas-heal.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@viamrobotics/motion-tools': patch
+---
+
+Quick frame builder UX hits
diff --git a/server/routes/scene-builder.ts b/server/routes/scene-builder.ts
index cc5de363a..d3a244ec0 100644
--- a/server/routes/scene-builder.ts
+++ b/server/routes/scene-builder.ts
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ const ResponseSchema = z.object({
 	updates: z
 		.array(FrameDeltaSchema)
 		.describe(
-			'One entry per component that needs to change. Always populate for any requested change — empty only if truly nothing needs to change.'
+			'One entry per component that needs to change. If a component needs both translation and orientation changes, put ALL of them in the same entry — never create two entries with the same componentName. Empty only if truly nothing needs to change.'
 		),
 	explanation: z
 		.string()
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ const SYSTEM_PROMPT = `You are a robot spatial configuration assistant. The user
 Rules:
 - Only modify components listed in the context below. Each component has a "name" field — use that exact string as "componentName" in your response.
 - Return only components that actually need to change.
+- CRITICAL: Each component may appear at most once in the updates array. If a component needs both a translation change and an orientation change, combine them into a single entry with both fields set. Never create two separate entries for the same componentName.
 - For translation, return only the changed axes (x, y, z are each optional). All translation values are in millimeters.
 - For orientation, current values are shown as { roll, pitch, yaw } in degrees. Return only the axes that are changing with their new absolute values.
   - Coordinate system: X is forward, Y is left, Z is up (right-handed).
@@ -120,6 +121,9 @@ export async function handleSceneBuilder(req: Request): Promise<Response> {
 		return Response.json(result, { status: 200, headers: CORS_HEADERS })
 	} catch (error) {
 		console.error('LLM error:', error)
-		return new Response('LLM call failed', { status: 502, headers: CORS_HEADERS })
+		return new Response('Something went wrong — check that ANTHROPIC_API_KEY is set correctly.', {
+			status: 502,
+			headers: CORS_HEADERS,
+		})
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/plugins/LLMSceneBuilder/SceneBuilder.svelte b/src/lib/plugins/LLMSceneBuilder/SceneBuilder.svelte
index 3168b493b..3b37d1e8f 100644
--- a/src/lib/plugins/LLMSceneBuilder/SceneBuilder.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/plugins/LLMSceneBuilder/SceneBuilder.svelte
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 <script lang="ts">
 	import { Portal } from '@threlte/extras'
+	import { Icon } from '@viamrobotics/prime-core'
 
 	import DashboardButton from '$lib/components/overlay/dashboard/Button.svelte'
 	import FloatingPanel from '$lib/components/overlay/FloatingPanel.svelte'
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@
 			<div class="flex gap-2">
 				<textarea
 					class="flex-1 resize-none rounded border border-gray-300 p-2 text-xs focus:ring-1 focus:ring-gray-400 focus:outline-none disabled:bg-gray-50 disabled:text-gray-400"
-					placeholder="Describe the frame change, e.g. 'Move the arm 200mm forward along X'"
+					placeholder="Describe a frame change — translation, rotation, or parent. e.g. 'Move arm 200mm forward and rotate 90° left'"
 					rows={3}
 					disabled={sceneBuilder.uiState === 'loading' || sceneBuilder.uiState === 'diff'}
 					bind:value={prompt}
@@ -69,10 +70,6 @@
 
 			<!-- diff ready -->
 			{#if sceneBuilder.uiState === 'diff'}
-				{#if sceneBuilder.explanation}
-					<p class="text-gray-6 italic">{sceneBuilder.explanation}</p>
-				{/if}
-
 				{#if sceneBuilder.diffGroups.length > 0}
 					<div class="flex flex-col gap-2 overflow-auto">
 						{#each sceneBuilder.diffGroups as group (group.componentName)}
@@ -111,11 +108,13 @@
 				{/if}
 
 				{#if sceneBuilder.updateErrors.length > 0}
-					<ul class="text-red-6 space-y-0.5">
-						{#each sceneBuilder.updateErrors as err (err.componentName)}
-							<li><span class="font-mono">{err.componentName}</span>: {err.reason}</li>
-						{/each}
-					</ul>
+					<div class="border-danger-medium bg-danger-light rounded border p-2">
+						<ul class="text-danger-dark space-y-0.5">
+							{#each sceneBuilder.updateErrors as err (err.componentName)}
+								<li><span class="font-mono">{err.componentName}</span>: {err.reason}</li>
+							{/each}
+						</ul>
+					</div>
 				{/if}
 
 				<div class="mt-auto flex gap-2">
@@ -136,13 +135,22 @@
 
 			<!-- error -->
 			{#if sceneBuilder.uiState === 'error'}
-				<p class="text-red-6">{sceneBuilder.errorMessage}</p>
-				<button
-					class="self-start rounded border border-gray-300 px-3 py-1.5 hover:bg-gray-50"
-					onclick={sceneBuilder.resetError}
-				>
-					Try again
-				</button>
+				<div class="border-danger-medium bg-danger-light flex flex-col gap-2 rounded border p-2.5">
+					<div class="text-danger-dark flex items-center gap-1.5 font-medium">
+						<Icon
+							name="alert-circle-outline"
+							aria-hidden="true"
+						/>
+						Error
+					</div>
+					<p class="text-danger-dark">{sceneBuilder.errorMessage}</p>
+					<button
+						class="border-danger-medium text-danger-dark self-start rounded border px-3 py-1.5 hover:bg-[#F8E1DF]"
+						onclick={sceneBuilder.resetError}
+					>
+						Try again
+					</button>
+				</div>
 			{/if}
 		</div>
 	</FloatingPanel>
diff --git a/src/lib/plugins/LLMSceneBuilder/frameDeltaAdapter.ts b/src/lib/plugins/LLMSceneBuilder/frameDeltaAdapter.ts
index c371169f2..4f166f94b 100644
--- a/src/lib/plugins/LLMSceneBuilder/frameDeltaAdapter.ts
+++ b/src/lib/plugins/LLMSceneBuilder/frameDeltaAdapter.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,22 @@ export interface UpdateError {
 	reason: string
 }
 
+function mergeTranslation(
+	a?: FrameDelta['translation'],
+	b?: FrameDelta['translation']
+): FrameDelta['translation'] {
+	return a || b ? { x: b?.x ?? a?.x, y: b?.y ?? a?.y, z: b?.z ?? a?.z } : undefined
+}
+
+function mergeOrientation(
+	a?: FrameDelta['orientation'],
+	b?: FrameDelta['orientation']
+): FrameDelta['orientation'] {
+	return a || b
+		? { roll: b?.roll ?? a?.roll, pitch: b?.pitch ?? a?.pitch, yaw: b?.yaw ?? a?.yaw }
+		: undefined
+}
+
 /**
  * Validates LLM-proposed frame deltas and computes the resulting changes without
  * applying them. Each PreparedUpdate carries old and new values so the caller
@@ -41,7 +57,26 @@ export function validateProposedFrameDeltas(
 	const prepared: PreparedUpdate[] = []
 	const knownNames = new Set(config.components.map((c) => c.name))
 
+	// Merge multiple deltas for the same component — the LLM sometimes splits
+	// translation and orientation into separate entries despite the schema saying one per component.
+	const mergedDeltas = new Map<string, FrameDelta>()
 	for (const delta of deltas) {
+		const existing = mergedDeltas.get(delta.componentName)
+		if (existing) {
+			mergedDeltas.set(delta.componentName, {
+				componentName: delta.componentName,
+				translation: mergeTranslation(existing.translation, delta.translation),
+				orientation: mergeOrientation(existing.orientation, delta.orientation),
+				parent: delta.parent ?? existing.parent,
+				explanation:
+					[existing.explanation, delta.explanation].filter(Boolean).join(', ') || undefined,
+			})
+		} else {
+			mergedDeltas.set(delta.componentName, delta)
+		}
+	}
+
+	for (const delta of mergedDeltas.values()) {
 		const component = config.components.find((c) => c.name === delta.componentName)
 
 		if (!component) {
diff --git a/src/routes/lib/hooks/useStandaloneLLM.svelte.ts b/src/routes/lib/hooks/useStandaloneLLM.svelte.ts
index f3fc3cfe6..be1fb41b5 100644
--- a/src/routes/lib/hooks/useStandaloneLLM.svelte.ts
+++ b/src/routes/lib/hooks/useStandaloneLLM.svelte.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ export const provideStandaloneLLM = (): StandaloneLLMContext => {
 			}),
 		})
 		if (!res.ok) {
-			throw new Error(`${res.status}: ${await res.text()}`)
+			throw new Error(await res.text())
 		}
 		return res.json()
 	}