diff --git a/e2e/tests/functional/plugins/plot/plotControls.e2e.spec.js b/e2e/tests/functional/plugins/plot/plotControls.e2e.spec.js
index 87f608f528..e654ff213d 100644
--- a/e2e/tests/functional/plugins/plot/plotControls.e2e.spec.js
+++ b/e2e/tests/functional/plugins/plot/plotControls.e2e.spec.js
@@ -108,4 +108,42 @@ test.describe('Plot Controls', () => {
     // Expect before and after plot points to match
     await expect(plotPixelSizeAtPause).toEqual(plotPixelSizeAfterWait);
   });
+
+  /*
+  Test to verify that switching a plot's time context from global to
+  its own independent time context and then back to global context works correctly.
+
+  After switching from fixed time mode (ITC) to real time mode (global context),
+  the pause control for the plot should be available, indicating that it is following the right context.
+  */
+  test('Plots follow the right time context', async ({ page }) => {
+    // Set global time conductor to real-time mode
+    await setRealTimeMode(page);
+
+    // hover over plot for plot controls
+    await page.getByLabel('Plot Canvas').hover();
+    // Ensure pause control is visible since global time conductor is in Real time mode.
+    await expect(page.getByTitle('Pause incoming real-time data')).toBeVisible();
+
+    // Toggle independent time conductor ON
+    await page.getByLabel('Enable Independent Time Conductor').click();
+
+    // Bring up the independent time conductor popup and switch to fixed time mode
+    await page.getByLabel('Independent Time Conductor Settings').click();
+    await page.getByLabel('Independent Time Conductor Mode Menu').click();
+    await page.getByRole('menuitem', { name: /Fixed Timespan/ }).click();
+
+    // hover over plot for plot controls
+    await page.getByLabel('Plot Canvas').hover();
+    // Ensure pause control is no longer visible since the plot is following the independent time context
+    await expect(page.getByTitle('Pause incoming real-time data')).toBeHidden();
+
+    // Toggle independent time conductor OFF - Note that the global time conductor is still in Real time mode
+    await page.getByLabel('Disable Independent Time Conductor').click();
+
+    // hover over plot for plot controls
+    await page.getByLabel('Plot Canvas').hover();
+    // Ensure pause control is visible since the global time conductor is in real time mode
+    await expect(page.getByTitle('Pause incoming real-time data')).toBeVisible();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/api/time/IndependentTimeContext.js b/src/api/time/IndependentTimeContext.js
index 9f9edbcc4d..148bf52adf 100644
--- a/src/api/time/IndependentTimeContext.js
+++ b/src/api/time/IndependentTimeContext.js
@@ -359,6 +359,18 @@ class IndependentTimeContext extends TimeContext {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * @returns {boolean}
+   * @override
+   */
+  isFixed() {
+    if (this.upstreamTimeContext) {
+      return this.upstreamTimeContext.isFixed(...arguments);
+    } else {
+      return super.isFixed(...arguments);
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * @returns {number}
    * @override
@@ -400,7 +412,7 @@ class IndependentTimeContext extends TimeContext {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Reset the time context to the global time context
+   * Reset the time context from the global time context
    */
   resetContext() {
     if (this.upstreamTimeContext) {
@@ -428,6 +440,10 @@ class IndependentTimeContext extends TimeContext {
     // Emit bounds so that views that are changing context get the upstream bounds
     this.emit('bounds', this.getBounds());
     this.emit(TIME_CONTEXT_EVENTS.boundsChanged, this.getBounds());
+    // Also emit the mode in case it's different from previous time context
+    if (this.getMode()) {
+      this.emit(TIME_CONTEXT_EVENTS.modeChanged, this.#copy(this.getMode()));
+    }
   }
 
   /**
@@ -502,6 +518,10 @@ class IndependentTimeContext extends TimeContext {
       // Emit bounds so that views that are changing context get the upstream bounds
       this.emit('bounds', this.getBounds());
       this.emit(TIME_CONTEXT_EVENTS.boundsChanged, this.getBounds());
+      // Also emit the mode in case it's different from the global time context
+      if (this.getMode()) {
+        this.emit(TIME_CONTEXT_EVENTS.modeChanged, this.#copy(this.getMode()));
+      }
       // now that the view's context is set, tell others to check theirs in case they were following this view's context.
       this.globalTimeContext.emit('refreshContext', viewKey);
     }
diff --git a/src/api/time/TimeAPI.js b/src/api/time/TimeAPI.js
index 3cc2d8b6e1..8b29a7c5ff 100644
--- a/src/api/time/TimeAPI.js
+++ b/src/api/time/TimeAPI.js
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 import { FIXED_MODE_KEY, REALTIME_MODE_KEY } from '@/api/time/constants';
 import IndependentTimeContext from '@/api/time/IndependentTimeContext';
 
+import { TIME_CONTEXT_EVENTS } from './constants';
 import GlobalTimeContext from './GlobalTimeContext.js';
 
 /**
@@ -142,7 +143,7 @@ class TimeAPI extends GlobalTimeContext {
   addIndependentContext(key, value, clockKey) {
     let timeContext = this.getIndependentContext(key);
 
-    //stop following upstream time context since the view has it's own
+    //stop following upstream time context since the view has its own
     timeContext.resetContext();
 
     if (clockKey) {
@@ -152,6 +153,9 @@ class TimeAPI extends GlobalTimeContext {
       timeContext.setMode(FIXED_MODE_KEY, value);
     }
 
+    // Also emit the mode in case it's different from the previous time context
+    timeContext.emit(TIME_CONTEXT_EVENTS.modeChanged, structuredClone(timeContext.getMode()));
+
     // Notify any nested views to update, pass in the viewKey so that particular view can skip getting an upstream context
     this.emit('refreshContext', key);
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/plot/MctPlot.vue b/src/plugins/plot/MctPlot.vue
index 08e2a6f3d0..cd395974b8 100644
--- a/src/plugins/plot/MctPlot.vue
+++ b/src/plugins/plot/MctPlot.vue
@@ -539,6 +539,7 @@ export default {
       this.followTimeContext();
     },
     followTimeContext() {
+      this.updateMode();
       this.updateDisplayBounds(this.timeContext.getBounds());
       this.timeContext.on('modeChanged', this.updateMode);
       this.timeContext.on('boundsChanged', this.updateDisplayBounds);
diff --git a/src/plugins/timeConductor/independent/IndependentTimeConductor.vue b/src/plugins/timeConductor/independent/IndependentTimeConductor.vue
index 5ca91492a4..2ff26ee74e 100644
--- a/src/plugins/timeConductor/independent/IndependentTimeConductor.vue
+++ b/src/plugins/timeConductor/independent/IndependentTimeConductor.vue
@@ -243,12 +243,20 @@ export default {
       this.timeContext.off(TIME_CONTEXT_EVENTS.modeChanged, this.setTimeOptionsMode);
     },
     setTimeOptionsClock(clock) {
+      // If the user has persisted any time options, then don't override them with global settings.
+      if (this.independentTCEnabled) {
+        return;
+      }
       this.setTimeOptionsOffsets();
       this.timeOptions.clock = clock.key;
     },
     setTimeOptionsMode(mode) {
-      this.setTimeOptionsOffsets();
-      this.timeOptions.mode = mode;
+      // If the user has persisted any time options, then don't override them with global settings.
+      if (this.independentTCEnabled) {
+        this.setTimeOptionsOffsets();
+        this.timeOptions.mode = mode;
+        this.isFixed = this.timeOptions.mode === FIXED_MODE_KEY;
+      }
     },
     setTimeOptionsOffsets() {
       this.timeOptions.clockOffsets =