diff --git a/templates/fleet_calendar.html b/templates/fleet_calendar.html
index 112b5b7..8271073 100644
--- a/templates/fleet_calendar.html
+++ b/templates/fleet_calendar.html
@@ -1434,6 +1434,8 @@ function toggleJobLayer(layer) {
 // ============================================================
 // Reservation Planner
 // ============================================================
+let plannerSelectedSlotIdx = null;
+
 let plannerState = {
     reservation_id: null,   // null = creating new
     slots: [],              // array of {unit_id: string|null, power_type: string|null, notes: string|null, location_name: string|null}
@@ -1607,6 +1609,22 @@ function plannerRenderUnits() {
     const placeholder = document.getElementById('planner-units-placeholder');
     const list = document.getElementById('planner-units-list');
 
+    // Show/hide slot-selection hint banner
+    let slotHint = document.getElementById('planner-slot-hint');
+    if (!slotHint) {
+        slotHint = document.createElement('div');
+        slotHint.id = 'planner-slot-hint';
+        list.parentNode.insertBefore(slotHint, list);
+    }
+    if (plannerSelectedSlotIdx !== null) {
+        const slotNum = plannerSelectedSlotIdx + 1;
+        slotHint.className = 'mb-2 px-3 py-2 rounded-lg bg-blue-50 dark:bg-blue-900/30 border border-blue-300 dark:border-blue-700 text-sm text-blue-700 dark:text-blue-300';
+        slotHint.textContent = `Assigning to Loc. ${slotNum} — click a unit below`;
+    } else {
+        slotHint.className = 'hidden';
+        slotHint.textContent = '';
+    }
+
     if (plannerState.allUnits.length === 0) {
         placeholder.classList.remove('hidden');
         const start = document.getElementById('planner-start').value;
@@ -1838,12 +1856,23 @@ function plannerSyncSlotsToEstimate() {
     plannerRenderSlots();
 }
 
+function plannerSelectSlot(idx) {
+    plannerSelectedSlotIdx = (plannerSelectedSlotIdx === idx) ? null : idx;
+    plannerRenderSlots();
+    plannerRenderUnits();
+}
+
 function plannerAssignUnit(unitId) {
-    const emptyIdx = plannerState.slots.findIndex(s => !s.unit_id);
-    if (emptyIdx >= 0) {
-        plannerState.slots[emptyIdx].unit_id = unitId;
+    if (plannerSelectedSlotIdx !== null && plannerSelectedSlotIdx < plannerState.slots.length && !plannerState.slots[plannerSelectedSlotIdx].unit_id) {
+        plannerState.slots[plannerSelectedSlotIdx].unit_id = unitId;
+        plannerSelectedSlotIdx = null;
     } else {
-        plannerState.slots.push({ unit_id: unitId, power_type: null, notes: null, location_name: null });
+        const emptyIdx = plannerState.slots.findIndex(s => !s.unit_id);
+        if (emptyIdx >= 0) {
+            plannerState.slots[emptyIdx].unit_id = unitId;
+        } else {
+            plannerState.slots.push({ unit_id: unitId, power_type: null, notes: null, location_name: null });
+        }
     }
     plannerRenderSlots();
     plannerRenderUnits();
@@ -1879,8 +1908,13 @@ function plannerRenderSlots() {
     emptyMsg.classList.add('hidden');
 
     plannerState.slots.forEach((slot, idx) => {
+        const isSelected = !slot.unit_id && plannerSelectedSlotIdx === idx;
         const row = document.createElement('div');
-        row.className = 'planner-slot-row flex flex-col gap-1.5 px-3 py-2 rounded-lg border border-gray-200 dark:border-gray-700 bg-gray-50 dark:bg-slate-700/50';
+        row.className = `planner-slot-row flex flex-col gap-1.5 px-3 py-2 rounded-lg border ${
+            isSelected
+                ? 'border-blue-500 dark:border-blue-400 bg-blue-50 dark:bg-blue-900/30 ring-2 ring-blue-400 dark:ring-blue-500'
+                : 'border-gray-200 dark:border-gray-700 bg-gray-50 dark:bg-slate-700/50'
+        }`;
         row.dataset.idx = idx;
         row.draggable = !!slot.unit_id;
 
@@ -1904,11 +1938,10 @@ function plannerRenderSlots() {
             e.preventDefault();
             row.classList.remove('ring-2', 'ring-blue-400');
             if (dragSrcIdx === null || dragSrcIdx === idx) return;
-            // Swap unit_id and power_type only (keep location notes in place)
+            // Swap unit_id only — power_type stays with the location slot
             const srcSlot = plannerState.slots[dragSrcIdx];
             const dstSlot = plannerState.slots[idx];
             [srcSlot.unit_id, dstSlot.unit_id] = [dstSlot.unit_id, srcSlot.unit_id];
-            [srcSlot.power_type, dstSlot.power_type] = [dstSlot.power_type, srcSlot.power_type];
             dragSrcIdx = null;
             plannerRenderSlots();
             plannerRenderUnits();
@@ -1926,6 +1959,40 @@ function plannerRenderSlots() {
             ? `<span class="text-gray-300 dark:text-gray-600 cursor-grab active:cursor-grabbing select-none" title="Drag to reorder">⠿</span>`
             : `<span class="w-4"></span>`;
 
+        // Build unit info badges for filled slots
+        let unitInfoLine = '';
+        if (slot.unit_id) {
+            const uData = plannerState.allUnits.find(u => u.id === slot.unit_id);
+            if (uData) {
+                const deployedBadge = uData.deployed
+                    ? '<span class="px-1.5 py-0.5 bg-green-100 dark:bg-green-900/30 text-green-700 dark:text-green-400 rounded">Deployed</span>'
+                    : '<span class="px-1.5 py-0.5 bg-gray-100 dark:bg-gray-700 text-gray-500 dark:text-gray-400 rounded">Benched</span>';
+                const outForCalBadge = uData.out_for_calibration
+                    ? '<span class="px-1.5 py-0.5 bg-purple-100 dark:bg-purple-900/30 text-purple-700 dark:text-purple-400 rounded">Out for Cal</span>'
+                    : '';
+                const calStr = uData.last_calibrated
+                    ? new Date(uData.last_calibrated + 'T00:00:00').toLocaleDateString('en-US', {month:'short', day:'numeric', year:'numeric'})
+                    : 'No cal date';
+                const start = document.getElementById('planner-start').value;
+                const end = document.getElementById('planner-end').value;
+                let expiryBadge = '';
+                if (uData.expiry_date) {
+                    const expiry = new Date(uData.expiry_date + 'T00:00:00');
+                    const jobStart = start ? new Date(start + 'T00:00:00') : null;
+                    const jobEnd = end ? new Date(end + 'T00:00:00') : null;
+                    const expiryStr = expiry.toLocaleDateString('en-US', {month:'short', day:'numeric', year:'numeric'});
+                    if (jobStart && jobEnd && expiry >= jobStart && expiry <= jobEnd) {
+                        expiryBadge = `<span class="px-1.5 py-0.5 bg-amber-50 dark:bg-amber-900/20 text-amber-600 dark:text-amber-400 rounded border border-amber-200 dark:border-amber-800">cal expires ${expiryStr}</span>`;
+                    } else if (!jobStart || !jobEnd) {
+                        expiryBadge = `<span class="px-1.5 py-0.5 bg-gray-100 dark:bg-gray-700 text-gray-500 dark:text-gray-400 rounded">cal exp. ${expiryStr}</span>`;
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    expiryBadge = '<span class="px-1.5 py-0.5 bg-red-100 dark:bg-red-900/30 text-red-600 dark:text-red-400 rounded">No cal</span>';
+                }
+                unitInfoLine = `<div class="pl-6 flex items-center gap-1.5 flex-wrap text-xs mt-0.5">${deployedBadge}${outForCalBadge}${expiryBadge}<span class="text-gray-400 dark:text-gray-500">Cal: ${calStr}</span></div>`;
+            }
+        }
+
         row.innerHTML = `
             <div class="flex items-center gap-2">
                 ${dragHandle}
@@ -1934,11 +2001,12 @@ function plannerRenderSlots() {
                     ? `<span class="flex-1 font-medium text-gray-900 dark:text-white">${slot.unit_id}</span>
                        ${powerSelect}
                        <button onclick="plannerClearSlot(${idx})" class="text-xs text-gray-400 hover:text-red-500 flex-shrink-0" title="Remove unit">✕</button>`
-                    : `<span class="flex-1 text-sm text-gray-400 dark:text-gray-500 italic">Empty — click a unit</span>
+                    : `<button onclick="plannerSelectSlot(${idx})" class="flex-1 text-left text-sm italic ${plannerSelectedSlotIdx === idx ? 'text-blue-600 dark:text-blue-400 font-medium' : 'text-gray-400 dark:text-gray-500'}">${plannerSelectedSlotIdx === idx ? '← click a unit to assign here' : 'Empty — click to select'}</button>
                        ${powerSelect}
                        <button onclick="plannerRemoveSlot(${idx})" class="text-xs text-gray-400 hover:text-red-500 flex-shrink-0" title="Remove location">✕</button>`
                 }
             </div>
+            ${unitInfoLine}
             <div class="pl-8 flex flex-col gap-1 mt-1">
                 <input type="text" value="${slot.location_name ? slot.location_name.replace(/"/g, '&quot;') : ''}"
                        oninput="plannerSetLocationName(${idx}, this.value)"
@@ -1956,12 +2024,13 @@ function plannerRenderSlots() {
 
 function plannerClearSlot(idx) {
     plannerState.slots[idx].unit_id = null;
-    plannerState.slots[idx].power_type = null;
+    plannerSelectedSlotIdx = null;
     plannerRenderSlots();
     plannerRenderUnits();
 }
 
 function plannerReset() {
+    plannerSelectedSlotIdx = null;
     plannerState = { reservation_id: null, slots: [], allUnits: [] };
     document.getElementById('planner-name').value = '';
     document.getElementById('planner-project').value = '';