diff --git a/src/lib/components/player/PlayerRoot.svelte b/src/lib/components/player/PlayerRoot.svelte
index 7958588..6d644c0 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/player/PlayerRoot.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/player/PlayerRoot.svelte
@@ -78,7 +78,12 @@
 		if (audioEl) {
 			if (track) {
 				const newSrc = track.src;
-				if (audioEl.src !== newSrc) {
+				const currentSrc = audioEl.currentSrc;
+				// Create absolute URL for comparison if needed, or rely on currentSrc
+				// audioEl.src sets the attribute, currentSrc is the resolved URL
+				const newSrcAbsolute = new URL(newSrc, document.baseURI).href;
+
+				if (currentSrc !== newSrcAbsolute) {
 					audioEl.src = newSrc;
 					audioEl.play().catch((e) => {
 						console.warn("Autoplay blocked or failed", e);
diff --git a/src/routes/+layout.svelte b/src/routes/+layout.svelte
index 2e9703e..abf3d31 100644
--- a/src/routes/+layout.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/+layout.svelte
@@ -43,13 +43,14 @@
 	</main>
 
 	<!-- Desktop sidebar column (in normal flow) -->
-	<aside class="hidden lg:block">
-		<ClientOnly showFallback={false}>
-			{#snippet children()}
+	<!-- PlayerRoot uses contents to inject its children into this grid -->
+	<ClientOnly showFallback={false}>
+		{#snippet children()}
+			<div class="contents">
 				<PlayerRoot />
-			{/snippet}
-		</ClientOnly>
-	</aside>
+			</div>
+		{/snippet}
+	</ClientOnly>
 </div>
 
 <!-- Mobile player UI is rendered via a portal from the single GlobalPlayer instance