diff --git a/resources/views/videos/shorts.blade.php b/resources/views/videos/shorts.blade.php
index 8600319..5ac75af 100644
--- a/resources/views/videos/shorts.blade.php
+++ b/resources/views/videos/shorts.blade.php
@@ -64,6 +64,20 @@
         display: block;
     }
 
+    /* Poster shim shown behind the <video> (and visible on inactive slots).
+       Keeps the slot filled with content when the shared player node has
+       moved to a different slot. */
+    .short-poster {
+        position: absolute; inset: 0;
+        background-size: cover; background-position: center;
+        background-color: #000;
+    }
+    /* Hidden preloader elements that fetch metadata for the next 1-2 shorts
+       without rendering anything visible. preload="metadata" is the
+       smallest-possible warmup; the browser pulls the moov atom + first
+       keyframe, enough that the switch to playback is instant. */
+    .short-preloader { display: none; }
+
     /* ── Tap-to-pause icon ── */
     .short-pause-icon {
         position: absolute;
@@ -337,18 +351,21 @@
         @endif
     </div>
 
-    {{-- Video player --}}
-    <div class="short-player-wrap" id="wrap-{{ $index }}" onclick="toggleShortPlay({{ $index }})">
+    {{-- Video player wrap. The actual <video> element is a SINGLE shared
+         node (defined once at the bottom of the feed) that gets moved
+         between slots as the active short changes. Each slot carries its
+         own src + poster on data- attributes and the slot's inner div
+         shows the poster until the player docks here. --}}
+    <div class="short-player-wrap" id="wrap-{{ $index }}"
+         data-src="{{ $src }}"
+         data-poster="{{ $thumb }}"
+         onclick="toggleShortPlay({{ $index }})">
 
-        <video
-            id="sv-{{ $index }}"
-            src="{{ $src }}"
-            poster="{{ $thumb }}"
-            loop
-            playsinline
-            preload="{{ $loop->first ? 'auto' : 'none' }}"
-            style="width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:cover;">
-        </video>
+        {{-- Poster shim: covers the slot before the shared <video> moves in.
+             Also stays visible on inactive slots so the viewport doesn't
+             go blank when the user is between shorts. --}}
+        <div class="short-poster"
+             @if($thumb) style="background-image:url('{{ $thumb }}');" @endif></div>
 
         {{-- Pause icon --}}
         <div class="short-pause-icon"><i class="bi bi-pause-fill"></i></div>
@@ -429,6 +446,21 @@
 
 @endforelse
 
+{{-- Single shared <video> moved between slots as the active short changes.
+     Starts out detached (parked here in the DOM); the IntersectionObserver
+     relocates it into .short-player-wrap of the active slot. --}}
+<video id="svGlobal"
+       loop playsinline
+       preload="metadata"
+       style="width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:cover;display:block;position:absolute;inset:0;">
+</video>
+
+{{-- Preloaders for the next 1-2 shorts. Hidden; preload="metadata" is
+     enough that switching to playback is instant. We assign srcs
+     dynamically — defining them here keeps the DOM shape stable. --}}
+<video id="svPre1" class="short-preloader" preload="metadata" muted></video>
+<video id="svPre2" class="short-preloader" preload="metadata" muted></video>
+
 {{-- Shared comments pane: side drawer on desktop, bottom sheet on mobile.
      Populated via fetch of the regular watch page's #ytcSection block so
      all the comment features (likes, replies, translate, heart/pin) work
@@ -496,13 +528,21 @@
 @section('scripts')
 <script>
 (function () {
-    const main   = document.getElementById('main');
+    const main    = document.getElementById('main');
+    const video   = document.getElementById('svGlobal');
+    const pre1    = document.getElementById('svPre1');
+    const pre2    = document.getElementById('svPre2');
     // Persist the mute state across sessions. Default to muted so autoplay
     // policies don't silently fail on first load; the user can unmute once
     // and we remember it from then on.
     let muted    = (localStorage.getItem('shortsMuted') ?? '1') === '1';
     let current  = -1;
 
+    // Build an ordered list of slot wraps so neighbor lookup is a plain
+    // array index — we need to know "the slot at position N+1" to know
+    // which short to preload next.
+    const wraps = Array.from(document.querySelectorAll('.short-player-wrap'));
+
     // ── Deep-link to /shorts/{id} — scroll the matching item into view
     //    before the observer starts, so autoplay fires on the target short
     //    rather than the first in document order. ────────────────────
@@ -513,27 +553,62 @@
     })();
     @endif
 
+    function _dockVideoIn(wrap) {
+        // Move the shared <video> element into the active wrap. The browser
+        // keeps the active media context across the move, so playback
+        // doesn't restart just because we re-parented the node.
+        if (video.parentElement !== wrap) {
+            // Append after the poster so the poster acts as background
+            // while the video decodes its first frame.
+            wrap.appendChild(video);
+        }
+    }
+
+    function _primePreloaders(idx) {
+        // Preload metadata for the next 1-2 shorts so switching feels
+        // instant. preload="metadata" grabs just the moov atom + first
+        // keyframe; the browser doesn't fetch the whole file.
+        [pre1, pre2].forEach((pre, i) => {
+            const target = wraps[idx + 1 + i];
+            const nextSrc = target?.dataset.src || '';
+            if (pre.src !== nextSrc) pre.src = nextSrc;
+        });
+    }
+
+    function pauseShort(idx) {
+        const wrap  = document.getElementById('wrap-' + idx);
+        if (video && video.parentElement === wrap) {
+            video.pause();
+            video.currentTime = 0;
+        }
+        if (wrap)  wrap.classList.remove('paused');
+        const prog = document.getElementById('prog-' + idx);
+        if (prog)  prog.style.width = '0%';
+    }
+
     // ── IntersectionObserver — auto-play visible short ─────────
     const observer = new IntersectionObserver(entries => {
         entries.forEach(entry => {
             const item  = entry.target;
             const idx   = parseInt(item.dataset.index);
-            const video = document.getElementById('sv-' + idx);
-            if (!video) return;
+            const wrap  = document.getElementById('wrap-' + idx);
+            if (!wrap) return;
 
             if (entry.isIntersecting && entry.intersectionRatio >= 0.6) {
                 if (current !== -1 && current !== idx) pauseShort(current);
                 current = idx;
 
                 // ── Reflect the active short in the URL (no history entry) ──
-                // Users can copy-paste the address bar and get back here; the
-                // back button still exits the feed instead of walking through
-                // every short they viewed.
                 try {
                     const vid = item.dataset.id;
                     if (vid) history.replaceState(null, '', '/shorts/' + vid);
                 } catch (_) {}
 
+                _dockVideoIn(wrap);
+                const nextSrc = wrap.dataset.src || '';
+                if (video.src !== nextSrc) video.src = nextSrc;
+                video.poster = wrap.dataset.poster || '';
+
                 video.muted  = muted;
                 video.volume = 1;
                 video.play().catch(() => {
@@ -544,7 +619,9 @@
                     updateMuteIcon(idx);
                     video.play().catch(() => {});
                 });
-                document.getElementById('wrap-' + idx).classList.remove('paused');
+                wrap.classList.remove('paused');
+
+                _primePreloaders(idx);
             } else {
                 pauseShort(idx);
             }
@@ -555,9 +632,8 @@
 
     // ── Play / pause on tap ────────────────────────────────────
     window.toggleShortPlay = function(idx) {
-        const video = document.getElementById('sv-' + idx);
         const wrap  = document.getElementById('wrap-' + idx);
-        if (!video) return;
+        if (!wrap || video.parentElement !== wrap) return;
         if (video.paused) {
             video.play().catch(() => {});
             wrap.classList.remove('paused');
@@ -567,31 +643,23 @@
         }
     };
 
-    function pauseShort(idx) {
-        const video = document.getElementById('sv-' + idx);
-        const wrap  = document.getElementById('wrap-' + idx);
-        if (video) { video.pause(); video.currentTime = 0; }
-        if (wrap)  wrap.classList.remove('paused');
+    // ── Progress bar — a single listener on the shared video updates the
+    //    bar in whichever slot it's currently docked. --
+    video.addEventListener('timeupdate', () => {
+        if (!video.duration) return;
+        const wrap = video.parentElement;
+        if (!wrap || !wrap.classList.contains('short-player-wrap')) return;
+        const idx  = wrap.id.replace('wrap-', '');
         const prog = document.getElementById('prog-' + idx);
-        if (prog)  prog.style.width = '0%';
-    }
-
-    // ── Progress bars ──────────────────────────────────────────
-    document.querySelectorAll('.short-item video').forEach(video => {
-        const idx  = video.id.replace('sv-', '');
-        video.addEventListener('timeupdate', () => {
-            if (!video.duration) return;
-            const prog = document.getElementById('prog-' + idx);
-            if (prog) prog.style.width = ((video.currentTime / video.duration) * 100) + '%';
-        });
+        if (prog) prog.style.width = ((video.currentTime / video.duration) * 100) + '%';
     });
 
     // ── Mute toggle ────────────────────────────────────────────
     window.toggleMute = function(idx) {
         muted = !muted;
         localStorage.setItem('shortsMuted', muted ? '1' : '0');
-        const video = document.getElementById('sv-' + idx);
-        if (video) video.muted = muted;
+        // The shared video is the only one playing; mute it directly.
+        video.muted = muted;
         updateMuteIcon(idx);
     };
 
diff --git a/tests/Feature/ShortsReusedVideoTest.php b/tests/Feature/ShortsReusedVideoTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..342ca1e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Feature/ShortsReusedVideoTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Tests\Feature;
+
+use App\Http\Middleware\VerifyCsrfToken;
+use App\Models\User;
+use App\Models\Video;
+use Illuminate\Foundation\Testing\RefreshDatabase;
+use Tests\TestCase;
+
+/**
+ * Shorts: single reused <video> element + 1-2 next preloaded.
+ *
+ * Validates that the shorts feed markup matches the architecture:
+ * - a single #svGlobal <video> rendered once at the end of the forelse,
+ * - two preloader placeholders (#svPre1 / #svPre2),
+ * - no per-short <video> elements inside .short-player-wrap,
+ * - each slot carries its own data-src + data-poster so the shared player
+ *   can swap into position without a full DOM rebuild.
+ */
+class ShortsReusedVideoTest extends TestCase
+{
+    use RefreshDatabase;
+
+    protected function setUp(): void
+    {
+        putenv('DB_CONNECTION=sqlite');
+        putenv('DB_DATABASE=:memory:');
+        $_ENV['DB_CONNECTION'] = 'sqlite';
+        $_ENV['DB_DATABASE']   = ':memory:';
+
+        parent::setUp();
+
+        $this->withoutMiddleware([
+            VerifyCsrfToken::class,
+            \Illuminate\Session\Middleware\AuthenticateSession::class,
+        ]);
+    }
+
+    public function test_shorts_feed_renders_a_single_shared_video_element(): void
+    {
+        $u = User::factory()->create([
+            'username' => 'sh-'.substr(bin2hex(random_bytes(3)), 0, 6),
+        ]);
+        // Three shorts so we can prove only ONE <video id="svGlobal"> is
+        // emitted no matter how many shorts there are.
+        for ($i = 0; $i < 3; $i++) {
+            Video::create([
+                'user_id'     => $u->id,
+                'title'       => 'Short '.$i,
+                'description' => '',
+                'filename'    => "users/x/videos/y{$i}/video.mp4",
+                'path'        => "users/x/videos/y{$i}/video.mp4",
+                'type'        => 'generic',
+                'visibility'  => 'public',
+                'status'      => 'ready',
+                'is_shorts'   => true,
+                'duration'    => 45,
+                'orientation' => 'portrait',
+                'share_token' => bin2hex(random_bytes(8)),
+            ]);
+        }
+
+        $html = $this->get(route('videos.shorts'))->assertOk()->getContent();
+
+        // Exactly one shared video element and two preloaders.
+        $this->assertEquals(
+            1,
+            substr_count($html, 'id="svGlobal"'),
+            'Shorts feed must emit exactly one shared <video id="svGlobal">.'
+        );
+        $this->assertStringContainsString('id="svPre1"', $html);
+        $this->assertStringContainsString('id="svPre2"', $html);
+
+        // No per-short video elements inside the slot wraps.
+        $this->assertDoesNotMatchRegularExpression(
+            '/short-player-wrap[^>]*>[^<]*<video id="sv-\d+/',
+            $html,
+            'Per-short <video id="sv-{idx}"> elements should be gone.'
+        );
+
+        // Each slot still carries its own src + poster for the shared
+        // player to pick up on dock.
+        $this->assertStringContainsString('data-src=', $html);
+        $this->assertStringContainsString('data-poster=', $html);
+    }
+}