diff --git a/webapp/src/assets/less/theme.less b/webapp/src/assets/less/theme.less
index c3c89bf6..237f0649 100644
--- a/webapp/src/assets/less/theme.less
+++ b/webapp/src/assets/less/theme.less
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ a:hover {
     border-radius: @button-border-radius;
     padding: 0 8px;
     border-color: @global-border;
-    margin-bottom: 2px;
+    margin-bottom: 4px;
     text-transform:none !important;
 }
 
@@ -356,7 +356,6 @@ a:hover {
     background-color: rgba(180, 180, 180, 0.10);
     border-color: @global-primary-background;
     color: @button-text-color;
-    margin-bottom: 4px;
 }
 
 .uk-button-danger {
diff --git a/webapp/src/components/labThingsComponents/actionButton.vue b/webapp/src/components/labThingsComponents/actionButton.vue
index aa4d2265..b8ec4969 100644
--- a/webapp/src/components/labThingsComponents/actionButton.vue
+++ b/webapp/src/components/labThingsComponents/actionButton.vue
@@ -1,83 +1,37 @@
 <template>
   <div v-observe-visibility="visibilityChanged" class="uk-margin-remove uk-padding-remove">
-    <div v-if="taskStarted" ref="isPollingElement">
-      <action-progress-bar
-        v-if="taskStarted && hideOnRun"
-        :progress="progress"
-        :task-status="taskStatus"
-      />
-      <!-- hideOnRun selects if the button hides, don't show progress bar if button doesn't hide. -->
-      <button
-        v-if="canTerminate && taskRunning"
-        type="button"
-        class="uk-button uk-button-danger uk-margin-remove uk-float-right uk-width-1-1"
-        @click="terminateTask()"
-      >
-        Cancel
-      </button>
-    </div>
-
-    <div>
-      <button
-        type="button"
-        :disabled="isDisabled"
-        :hidden="taskStarted && hideOnRun"
-        class="uk-button uk-width-1-1"
-        :class="[
-          isDisabled ? 'uk-button-disabled' : '',
-          buttonPrimary ? 'uk-button-primary' : 'uk-button-default',
-        ]"
-        @click="bootstrapTask()"
-      >
-        {{ submitLabel }}
-      </button>
-    </div>
-
-    <div
-      id="modal-center"
-      ref="statusModal"
-      class=""
-      uk-modal="bg-close: false; esc-close: false; stack: true;"
+    <button
+      type="button"
+      :disabled="buttonDisabled"
+      class="uk-button uk-width-1-1 uk-position-relative"
+      :class="buttonClasses"
+      @click="handleClick"
     >
-      <div id="status-modal" class="uk-modal-dialog uk-modal-body uk-margin-auto-vertical">
-        <h2>{{ submitLabel }}</h2>
-        <action-log-display :log="log" :task-status="taskStatus" />
-        <div id="progress-and-cancel-row">
-          <div class="stretchy">
-            <action-progress-bar :progress="progress" :task-status="taskStatus" />
-          </div>
+      <action-progress-bar :progress="progress" :task-status="taskStatus" :in-button="true" />
+      {{ buttonLabel }}
+    </button>
 
-          <button
-            v-if="canTerminate && taskRunning"
-            type="button"
-            class="uk-button uk-button-danger not-stretchy"
-            @click="terminateTask()"
-          >
-            Cancel
-          </button>
-          <button
-            v-if="!taskStarted"
-            type="button"
-            class="uk-button not-stretchy"
-            @click="hideModal"
-          >
-            Close
-          </button>
-        </div>
-      </div>
-    </div>
+    <action-status-modal
+      ref="statusModal"
+      :title="submitLabel"
+      :log="log"
+      :progress="progress"
+      :can-terminate="canTerminate"
+      :task-running="taskRunning"
+      :task-started="taskStarted"
+      :task-status="taskStatus"
+      @terminateTask="terminateTask"
+    />
   </div>
 </template>
 
 <script>
-import axios from "axios";
-import UIkit from "uikit";
 import ActionProgressBar from "./actionProgressBar.vue";
-import ActionLogDisplay from "./actionLogDisplay.vue";
+import ActionStatusModal from "./actionStatusModal.vue";
 
 export default {
   name: "ActionButton",
-  components: { ActionProgressBar, ActionLogDisplay },
+  components: { ActionProgressBar, ActionStatusModal },
 
   props: {
     action: {
@@ -138,11 +92,6 @@ export default {
       required: false,
       default: false,
     },
-    hideOnRun: {
-      type: Boolean,
-      required: false,
-      default: true,
-    },
   },
 
   data: function () {
@@ -157,8 +106,25 @@ export default {
   },
 
   computed: {
-    submitUrl() {
-      return this.thingActionUrl(this.thing, this.action);
+    buttonDisabled() {
+      return this.isDisabled || (this.taskRunning && !this.canTerminate);
+    },
+    buttonLabel() {
+      return this.taskRunning && this.canTerminate ? "Cancel" : this.submitLabel;
+    },
+    buttonClasses() {
+      const classes = [];
+      if (this.buttonDisabled) {
+        classes.push("uk-button-disabled");
+      }
+      if (this.taskRunning && this.canTerminate) {
+        classes.push("uk-button-danger");
+      } else if (this.buttonPrimary) {
+        classes.push("uk-button-primary");
+      } else {
+        classes.push("uk-button-default");
+      }
+      return classes.join(" ");
     },
   },
 
@@ -181,27 +147,6 @@ export default {
   },
 
   mounted() {
-    //Define .from_index() as a custom function, working similar to .at()
-    //For backwards compatibility, not using in-built .at() until updates to Connect
-    function from_index(n) {
-      // ToInteger() abstract op
-      n = Math.trunc(n) || 0;
-      // Allow negative indexing from the end
-      if (n < 0) n += this.length;
-      // OOB access is guaranteed to return undefined
-      if (n < 0 || n >= this.length) return undefined;
-      // Otherwise, this is just normal property access
-      return this[n];
-    }
-    const TypedArray = Reflect.getPrototypeOf(Int8Array);
-    for (const C of [Array, String, TypedArray]) {
-      Object.defineProperty(C.prototype, "from_index", {
-        value: from_index,
-        writable: true,
-        enumerable: false,
-        configurable: true,
-      });
-    }
     // Check for already running tasks
     if (this.taskStarted != true) {
       this.checkExistingTasks();
@@ -223,6 +168,13 @@ export default {
   },
 
   methods: {
+    handleClick() {
+      if (this.taskStarted) {
+        this.terminateTask();
+      } else {
+        this.bootstrapTask();
+      }
+    },
     visibilityChanged(isVisible) {
       if (isVisible && this.taskStarted != true) {
         this.checkExistingTasks();
@@ -238,13 +190,9 @@ export default {
      *
      */
     async checkExistingTasks() {
-      let response;
-      try {
-        response = await axios.get(this.submitUrl);
-      } catch (error) {
-        console.warn("checkExistingTasks: request failed", error);
-        return;
-      }
+      let response = await this.findOngoingActions(this.thing, this.action);
+      // Exit if response is null, due to an error.
+      if (response == null) return;
       // Check for a task that is ongoing.
       // We can't handle multiple tasks ongoing, so this picks the first.
       const ongoingTask = response.data.find((t) => ["pending", "running"].includes(t.status));
@@ -254,13 +202,7 @@ export default {
         this.$emit("taskStarted");
         // Find its URL
         const taskUrl = ongoingTask.links.find((t) => t.rel == "self").href;
-        try {
-          await this.pollOngoingTask(ongoingTask.id, taskUrl);
-        } catch (error) {
-          this.$emit("error", error);
-        } finally {
-          this.onTaskEnd();
-        }
+        this.startPollingTask(ongoingTask.id, taskUrl);
       }
     },
 
@@ -280,142 +222,78 @@ export default {
 
     async startTask() {
       // Starts a new Action task
-
       this.$emit("submit", this.submitData);
       // Send a request to start a task
-
       this.taskStarted = true;
       this.$emit("taskStarted");
+      let response;
       try {
-        let response = await axios.post(this.submitUrl, this.submitData);
-        if (this.modalProgress) {
-          UIkit.modal(this.$refs.statusModal).show();
-        }
-        await this.pollOngoingTask(response.data.id, response.data.href);
+        response = await this.invokeAction(
+          this.thing,
+          this.action,
+          this.submitData,
+          false, // Stop invokeAction handling the error.
+        );
       } catch (error) {
         this.$emit("error", error);
-      } finally {
         this.onTaskEnd();
+        return;
       }
+      if (this.modalProgress) {
+        this.$refs.statusModal.show();
+      }
+      // This just starts the polling. No need to await it.
+      this.startPollingTask(response.data.id, response.data.href);
     },
 
-    async pollOngoingTask(taskId, taskUrl) {
+    async startPollingTask(taskId, taskUrl) {
+      // Return if taskRunning already set.
+      if (this.taskRunning) return;
+      // Starts polling an existing Action task
+      this.taskUrl = taskUrl;
       // Start the store polling TaskId for success
-      const response = await this.startPolling(taskId, taskUrl);
-      if (response.status == "completed") {
-        this.$emit("response", response);
-        this.$emit("completed", response.output);
-      } else if (response.status == "cancelled") {
-        this.$emit("cancelled", response);
-        this.modalNotify(`The action '${this.submitLabel}' was cancelled.`);
-      }
+      this.taskRunning = true;
+      this.$emit("taskRunning", taskId);
+      this.pollUntilComplete(
+        taskUrl,
+        this.onPollingResponse,
+        this.onTaskEnd, // Method to run after task (even if error)
+        500, // Interval
+      );
     },
 
-    onTaskEnd: function () {
-      // Reset taskRunning and taskId
+    onTaskEnd: function (response) {
+      if (response) {
+        this.taskStatus = response.data.status;
+        this.log = response.data.log;
+        if (response.data.status == "completed") {
+          this.$emit("response", response.data);
+          this.$emit("completed", response.data.output);
+        } else if (response.data.status == "cancelled") {
+          this.$emit("cancelled", response.data);
+          this.modalNotify(`The action '${this.submitLabel}' was cancelled.`);
+        }
+      }
+      this.taskUrl = null;
       this.taskRunning = false;
       this.taskStarted = false;
       this.$emit("finished");
     },
 
-    startPolling: function (taskId, taskUrl) {
-      if (this.taskRunning != true) {
-        // Starts polling an existing Action task
-        this.taskUrl = taskUrl;
-        // Start the store polling TaskId for success
-        this.taskRunning = true;
-        this.$emit("taskRunning", taskId);
-        return this.pollTask(taskId, this.pollInterval);
-      }
-    },
-
-    pollTask: function (taskId, interval) {
-      interval = interval * 1000 || 500;
-
-      var checkCondition = (resolve, reject) => {
-        // If the condition is met, we're done!
-        axios.get(this.taskUrl, { baseURL: this.$store.getters.baseUri }).then((response) => {
-          var result = response.data.status;
-          this.taskStatus = result;
-          if ((result == "running") | (result == "pending")) {
-            // If the task is still running, we update progress/log,
-            // and schedule another poll
-            this.progress = response.data.progress;
-            this.log = response.data.log;
-            // Check again after timeout
-            setTimeout(checkCondition, interval, resolve, reject);
-          }
-          // If task ends with an error
-          else if (result == "error") {
-            // Pass the error string back with reject
-            if (!this.progress) this.progress = 1;
-            // Test whether the log is empty or the most recent message is not from an error
-            // If so, return a default message
-            if (
-              (response.data.log.length == 0) |
-              (response.data.log.from_index(-1).levelname != "ERROR")
-            ) {
-              var message = "Unexpected error, please check the logs";
-            }
-            // As LabThings Actions add the message from any raised exception to the log, the
-            // last message in the log is the message from the Exception.
-            // If the Exception was raised with no message, use a default.
-            else {
-              message =
-                response.data.log.from_index(-1).message ||
-                "Unexpected error, please check the logs";
-            }
-            // Raise an Error with the chosen message
-            reject(new Error(message));
-          }
-          // If task ends without reporting an error
-          // (Note: this includes cancellation)
-          else {
-            resolve(response.data);
-          }
-        });
-      };
-
-      return new Promise(checkCondition);
-    },
-
-    hideModal() {
-      UIkit.modal(this.$refs.statusModal).hide();
-      this.$root.$emit("modalClosed");
+    onPollingResponse(response) {
+      // While the task is still running, we update progress/log,
+      // and schedule another poll
+      var result = response.data.status;
+      this.taskStatus = result;
+      this.progress = response.data.progress;
+      this.log = response.data.log;
     },
 
     terminateTask: function () {
-      axios.delete(this.taskUrl, { baseURL: this.$store.getters.baseUri });
-      this.$root.$emit("modalClosed");
+      if (this.taskUrl) {
+        this.terminateAction(this.taskUrl);
+      }
     },
   },
 };
 </script>
-
-<style lang="less" scoped>
-@import "../../assets/less/theme.less";
-
-#progress-and-cancel-row {
-  display: flex;
-  flex-flow: row wrap;
-  justify-content: flex-start;
-  align-content: stretch;
-  align-items: center;
-  width: 100%;
-}
-
-#progress-and-cancel-row .stretchy {
-  flex-grow: 1;
-  margin-left: 5px;
-  margin-right: 5px;
-}
-#progress-and-cancel-row .not-stretchy {
-  flex-grow: 0;
-  margin-left: 5px;
-  margin-right: 5px;
-}
-
-#status-modal .log-container {
-  height: 10em;
-}
-</style>
diff --git a/webapp/src/components/labThingsComponents/actionLogDisplay.vue b/webapp/src/components/labThingsComponents/actionLogDisplay.vue
index 3602baa4..9fc8680e 100644
--- a/webapp/src/components/labThingsComponents/actionLogDisplay.vue
+++ b/webapp/src/components/labThingsComponents/actionLogDisplay.vue
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@
         </div>
       </div>
       <div v-if="taskStatus == 'error'" class="uk-alert uk-alert-danger">
-        The task failed due to an error. There may be more information in the log.
+        <p><b>The task failed due to an error:</b></p>
+        <p>{{ errorMessage }}</p>
       </div>
       <div v-if="taskStatus == 'cancelled'" class="uk-alert uk-alert-warning">
         The task was cancelled.
@@ -43,6 +44,21 @@ export default {
     };
   },
 
+  computed: {
+    errorMessage() {
+      let logLength = this.log.length;
+      var defaultMessage = "Unexpected error, please check the logs";
+      if (logLength == 0) {
+        return defaultMessage;
+      }
+      // Cannot use .at until we update OpenFlexure Connect
+      if (this.log[logLength - 1].levelname != "ERROR") {
+        return defaultMessage;
+      }
+      return this.log[logLength - 1].message || defaultMessage;
+    },
+  },
+
   watch: {
     log: function () {
       this.scrollToBottom();
diff --git a/webapp/src/components/labThingsComponents/actionProgressBar.vue b/webapp/src/components/labThingsComponents/actionProgressBar.vue
index 00afc787..d997b5d7 100644
--- a/webapp/src/components/labThingsComponents/actionProgressBar.vue
+++ b/webapp/src/components/labThingsComponents/actionProgressBar.vue
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <template>
-  <div class="progress uk-margin-small">
+  <div class="progress uk-margin-small" :class="inButton ? 'in-button' : 'stand-alone'">
     <div v-if="indeterminateProgressBar" class="indeterminate"></div>
     <div v-else class="determinate" :style="barWidthFromProgress"></div>
   </div>
@@ -19,6 +19,11 @@ export default {
       type: String,
       required: true,
     },
+    inButton: {
+      type: Boolean,
+      required: false,
+      default: false,
+    },
   },
 
   computed: {
@@ -41,7 +46,20 @@ export default {
 <style lang="less" scoped>
 @import "../../assets/less/theme.less";
 
-.progress {
+.in-button {
+  position: absolute;
+  top: 0;
+  left: 0;
+  width: 100%;
+  height: 4px;
+  background-color: transparent;
+  border-radius: 0;
+  margin: 0;
+  overflow: hidden;
+  z-index: 1;
+}
+
+.stand-alone {
   position: relative;
   height: 5px;
   display: block;
diff --git a/webapp/src/components/labThingsComponents/actionStatusModal.vue b/webapp/src/components/labThingsComponents/actionStatusModal.vue
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e605305e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/webapp/src/components/labThingsComponents/actionStatusModal.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+<template>
+  <div ref="modal" class="" uk-modal="bg-close: false; esc-close: false; stack: true;">
+    <div id="status-modal" class="uk-modal-dialog uk-modal-body uk-margin-auto-vertical">
+      <h2>{{ title }}</h2>
+      <action-log-display :log="log" :task-status="taskStatus" />
+      <div id="progress-and-cancel-row">
+        <div class="stretchy">
+          <action-progress-bar :progress="progress" :task-status="taskStatus" />
+        </div>
+
+        <button
+          v-if="canTerminate && taskRunning"
+          type="button"
+          class="uk-button uk-button-danger not-stretchy"
+          @click="$emit('terminateTask')"
+        >
+          Cancel
+        </button>
+        <button v-if="!taskStarted" type="button" class="uk-button not-stretchy" @click="hide">
+          Close
+        </button>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  </div>
+</template>
+
+<script>
+import UIkit from "uikit";
+import ActionProgressBar from "./actionProgressBar.vue";
+import ActionLogDisplay from "./actionLogDisplay.vue";
+
+export default {
+  name: "ActionStatusModal",
+  components: { ActionProgressBar, ActionLogDisplay },
+
+  props: {
+    title: {
+      type: String,
+      required: true,
+    },
+    log: {
+      type: Array,
+      required: true,
+    },
+    progress: {
+      type: Number,
+      required: false,
+      default: null,
+    },
+    canTerminate: {
+      type: Boolean,
+      required: true,
+    },
+    taskRunning: {
+      type: Boolean,
+      required: true,
+    },
+    taskStarted: {
+      type: Boolean,
+      required: true,
+    },
+    taskStatus: {
+      type: String,
+      required: true,
+    },
+  },
+
+  methods: {
+    show() {
+      UIkit.modal(this.$refs.modal).show();
+    },
+    hide() {
+      UIkit.modal(this.$refs.modal).hide();
+      this.$root.$emit("modalClosed");
+    },
+  },
+};
+</script>
+<style lang="less" scoped>
+@import "../../assets/less/theme.less";
+
+#progress-and-cancel-row {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-flow: row wrap;
+  justify-content: flex-start;
+  align-content: stretch;
+  align-items: center;
+  width: 100%;
+}
+
+#progress-and-cancel-row .stretchy {
+  flex-grow: 1;
+  margin-left: 5px;
+  margin-right: 5px;
+}
+#progress-and-cancel-row .not-stretchy {
+  flex-grow: 0;
+  margin-left: 5px;
+  margin-right: 5px;
+}
+
+#status-modal .log-container {
+  height: 10em;
+}
+</style>
diff --git a/webapp/src/components/modalComponents/calibrationWizardComponents/csmSteps/focusStep.vue b/webapp/src/components/modalComponents/calibrationWizardComponents/csmSteps/focusStep.vue
index 2f8584a7..9d77c15b 100644
--- a/webapp/src/components/modalComponents/calibrationWizardComponents/csmSteps/focusStep.vue
+++ b/webapp/src/components/modalComponents/calibrationWizardComponents/csmSteps/focusStep.vue
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
           :button-primary="false"
           :submit-data="{ x: 0, y: 0, z: -100 }"
           :submit-label="' - '"
-          :hide-on-run="false"
           :can-terminate="false"
         />
         <action-button
@@ -22,7 +21,6 @@
           :submit-data="{ x: 0, y: 0, z: 100 }"
           :submit-label="'+'"
           :can-terminate="false"
-          :hide-on-run="false"
         />
       </div>
     </template>
diff --git a/webapp/src/components/tabContentComponents/controlComponents/autofocusControl.vue b/webapp/src/components/tabContentComponents/controlComponents/autofocusControl.vue
index c2e5256e..ef70d6c6 100644
--- a/webapp/src/components/tabContentComponents/controlComponents/autofocusControl.vue
+++ b/webapp/src/components/tabContentComponents/controlComponents/autofocusControl.vue
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
         :submit-label="'Autofocus'"
         :button-primary="true"
         :submit-on-event="'globalFastAutofocusEvent'"
-        :is-disabled="isAutofocusing"
         @taskStarted="onAutofocus"
         @finished="afterAutofocus"
         @error="modalError"
diff --git a/webapp/src/mixins/labThingsMixins.js b/webapp/src/mixins/labThingsMixins.js
index b6ae7aa4..41f0bad1 100644
--- a/webapp/src/mixins/labThingsMixins.js
+++ b/webapp/src/mixins/labThingsMixins.js
@@ -64,19 +64,31 @@ export default {
       }
       await axios.put(url, value);
     },
-    async invokeAction(thing, action, data) {
-      let url = this.$store.getters["wot/thingActionUrl"](thing, action, "invokeaction", false);
+    async invokeAction(thing, action, data, handleErrors = true) {
+      let url = this.thingActionUrl(thing, action);
       try {
         let response = await axios.post(url, data);
         return response;
       } catch (error) {
-        this.modalError(error);
-        return undefined;
+        if (handleErrors) {
+          this.modalError(error);
+          return undefined;
+        } else {
+          throw error;
+        }
       }
     },
-    async pollUntilComplete(taskUrl, ongoingMethod, finalMethod, interval = 500) {
+    async pollUntilComplete(
+      taskUrl,
+      ongoingMethod,
+      finalMethod,
+      interval = 500,
+      modalErrors = true,
+    ) {
+      let response;
+      let finalMethodCalled = false;
       try {
-        const response = await axios.get(taskUrl, { baseURL: this.$store.getters.baseUri });
+        response = await axios.get(taskUrl, { baseURL: this.$store.getters.baseUri });
         const result = response.data.status;
 
         if ((result == "running") | (result == "pending")) {
@@ -87,15 +99,33 @@ export default {
         } else {
           clearTimeout(this.pollTimers[taskUrl]);
           delete this.pollTimers[taskUrl];
+          finalMethodCalled = true;
           finalMethod?.(response);
         }
       } catch (error) {
+        this.$emit("error", error);
+        if (modalErrors) {
+          this.modalError(error);
+        }
         clearTimeout(this.pollTimers[taskUrl]);
         delete this.pollTimers[taskUrl];
-        this.modalError(error);
+        if (!finalMethodCalled) {
+          finalMethod?.(response);
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    terminateAction(taskUrl) {
+      axios.delete(taskUrl, { baseURL: this.$store.getters.baseUri });
+    },
+    async findOngoingActions(thing, action) {
+      let url = this.thingActionUrl(thing, action);
+      try {
+        return await axios.get(url);
+      } catch (error) {
+        console.warn("checkExistingTasks: request failed", error);
+        return null;
       }
     },
-
     thingActionUrl(thing, action, allowUndefined = false) {
       let url = this.$store.getters["wot/thingActionUrl"](
         thing,