diff --git a/src/lib/components/GlobalPlayer.svelte b/src/lib/components/GlobalPlayer.svelte
index 8844656..51783a7 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/GlobalPlayer.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/GlobalPlayer.svelte
@@ -135,23 +135,7 @@
 	// Scrubber is now driven by `bind:currentTime` on the <audio> element and
 	// `bind:value={currentTime}` on the sliders, so we don't need explicit handlers.
 
-	function syncAudioToCurrentTrack() {
-		if (!audioEl) return;
-
-		const track = snap.currentTrack;
-		if (!track) return;
-
-		const desired = track.src;
-		const desiredAbs = new URL(desired, window.location.href).href;
-
-		if (audioEl.currentSrc !== desiredAbs) {
-			audioEl.src = desired;
-			audioEl.load();
-			audioEl.currentTime = 0;
-		}
-
-		audioEl.volume = snap.volume;
-	}
+	let isSrcChanging = $state(false);
 
 	function computeNextTrackToPreload(): Track | null {
 		// Prefer to preload the "linear next" item. For shuffle mode, we can still
@@ -202,22 +186,10 @@
 		const el = audioEl;
 		if (!el) return;
 
-		// Capture current src BEFORE syncing so we can detect changes reliably.
-		const beforeSrc = el.currentSrc;
-
-		syncAudioToCurrentTrack();
-
-		const afterSrc = el.currentSrc;
-
-		if (afterSrc !== beforeSrc) {
-			if (el.readyState < 1) {
-				await waitForEvent(el, "loadedmetadata");
-			}
-			if (el.readyState < 3) {
-				await waitForEvent(el, "canplay");
-			}
-		} else {
-			await Promise.resolve();
+		// If src is changing (set by $effect) or readyState is too low, wait until ready.
+		// This is the key fix: it respects that the $effect is asynchronously loading media.
+		if (isSrcChanging || el.readyState < 3) {
+			await waitForEvent(el, "canplay");
 		}
 
 		try {
@@ -260,6 +232,7 @@
 		});
 	}
 	function onAudioLoadedMetadata() {
+		isSrcChanging = false;
 		// `duration` is synced via `bind:duration` on <audio>.
 		if (!audioEl) return;
 
@@ -553,7 +526,26 @@
 		if (!audioEl) return;
 
 		audioEl.volume = snap.volume;
-		syncAudioToCurrentTrack();
+
+		const track = snap.currentTrack;
+		if (!track) {
+			if (audioEl.src) {
+				audioEl.removeAttribute("src");
+				audioEl.load();
+			}
+			return;
+		}
+
+		const desired = track.src;
+		const desiredAbs = new URL(desired, window.location.href).href;
+
+		// Use .src for a synchronous check. The .src property returns the resolved absolute URL.
+		if (audioEl.src !== desiredAbs) {
+			isSrcChanging = true;
+			audioEl.src = desired;
+			audioEl.load();
+			audioEl.currentTime = 0;
+		}
 	});
 
 	onMount(() => {