diff --git a/resources/views/components/video-player.blade.php b/resources/views/components/video-player.blade.php
index 048277f..863e9b7 100644
--- a/resources/views/components/video-player.blade.php
+++ b/resources/views/components/video-player.blade.php
@@ -808,28 +808,34 @@ function getShuffledPrevUrl() {
 
 window._ytpHls = null;
 
-function tryAutoplay() {
-    video.muted    = true;
-    video.autoplay = true;
-    video.play().catch(function(){});
-}
-
 function initSource() {
     video.muted    = true;
     video.autoplay = true;
     if (HLS_URL && window.Hls && Hls.isSupported()) {
         window._ytpHls = new Hls({ startLevel: -1 });
+        // Register MANIFEST_PARSED before loadSource to avoid cache race condition
+        window._ytpHls.once(Hls.Events.MANIFEST_PARSED, function() {
+            video.muted = true;
+            video.play().catch(function(){});
+        });
         window._ytpHls.loadSource(HLS_URL);
         window._ytpHls.attachMedia(video);
-        window._ytpHls.once(Hls.Events.MANIFEST_PARSED, tryAutoplay);
     } else if (HLS_URL && video.canPlayType('application/vnd.apple.mpegurl')) {
+        // Native HLS (Safari) — set src then play on loadedmetadata
         video.src = HLS_URL;
         video.load();
-        video.play().catch(function(){});
+        video.addEventListener('loadedmetadata', function() {
+            video.muted = true;
+            video.play().catch(function(){});
+        }, { once: true });
     } else {
+        // Plain MP4 — play on loadedmetadata (canplay/MANIFEST_PARSED don't apply)
         video.src = MP4_URL;
         video.load();
-        video.play().catch(function(){});
+        video.addEventListener('loadedmetadata', function() {
+            video.muted = true;
+            video.play().catch(function(){});
+        }, { once: true });
     }
 }
 
@@ -840,22 +846,26 @@ window._ytpLoadSource = function(hlsUrl, mp4Url) {
     video.autoplay = true;
     if (hlsUrl && window.Hls && Hls.isSupported()) {
         window._ytpHls = new Hls({ startLevel: -1 });
-        window._ytpHls.loadSource(hlsUrl);
-        window._ytpHls.attachMedia(video);
         window._ytpHls.once(Hls.Events.MANIFEST_PARSED, function() {
             video.muted = false;
             video.play().catch(function(){});
         });
+        window._ytpHls.loadSource(hlsUrl);
+        window._ytpHls.attachMedia(video);
     } else if (hlsUrl && video.canPlayType('application/vnd.apple.mpegurl')) {
         video.src = hlsUrl;
         video.load();
-        video.muted = false;
-        video.play().catch(function(){});
+        video.addEventListener('loadedmetadata', function() {
+            video.muted = false;
+            video.play().catch(function(){});
+        }, { once: true });
     } else {
         video.src = mp4Url;
         video.load();
-        video.muted = false;
-        video.play().catch(function(){});
+        video.addEventListener('loadedmetadata', function() {
+            video.muted = false;
+            video.play().catch(function(){});
+        }, { once: true });
     }
 };
 
@@ -1316,15 +1326,17 @@ function init() {
         sessionStorage.removeItem('ytpMiniState');
     }
 
-    // canplay fires for ALL source types (HLS.js, MP4, Safari native HLS)
-    // once the browser has enough data to start — most reliable autoplay trigger
+    // canplay is a belt-and-suspenders fallback — also mute before play
     video.addEventListener('canplay', function autoStart() {
         video.removeEventListener('canplay', autoStart);
         if (miniSeekTime > 0) {
             video.currentTime = miniSeekTime;
             miniSeekTime = 0;
         }
-        video.play().catch(() => {});
+        if (video.paused) {
+            video.muted = true;
+            video.play().catch(() => {});
+        }
     });
 
     // Update duration when metadata is ready