diff --git a/src/workspaces/officerdev/src/MusicPlayer/MusicPlayerHost.tsx b/src/workspaces/officerdev/src/MusicPlayer/MusicPlayerHost.tsx
index e5e22035..1453d9be 100644
--- a/src/workspaces/officerdev/src/MusicPlayer/MusicPlayerHost.tsx
+++ b/src/workspaces/officerdev/src/MusicPlayer/MusicPlayerHost.tsx
@@ -2,14 +2,28 @@ import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import { useNavigate } from 'react-router';
 import { useClient } from 'hooks/useClient';
 import { usePanelChannel } from 'hooks/usePanelChannel';
-import { Play, Pause, SkipBack, SkipForward, X, Volume2, VolumeX } from 'lucide-react';
-import { useSeekBar, SeekBar } from '../apps/FileViewer/renderers/SeekBar';
+import { Play, Pause, SkipBack, SkipForward, X, Volume2, VolumeX, Loader2 } from 'lucide-react';
+import { SeekBar } from '../apps/FileViewer/renderers/SeekBar';
 import { MusicHeart } from '../apps/Music/MusicHeart';
-import { MUSIC_ROOT, MUSIC_CWD_CHANNEL, sortTracks, trackHomePath, type AlbumMeta, type NowPlaying } from '../apps/Music/shared';
+import {
+  MUSIC_ROOT,
+  MUSIC_CWD_CHANNEL,
+  sortTracks,
+  trackHomePath,
+  type AlbumMeta,
+  type NowPlaying,
+} from '../apps/Music/shared';
 import { useMusicPlayer, type PlayerTrack } from './useMusicPlayer';
+import { GaplessEngine, type EngineTrack } from './gapless-engine';
 
-// Mounted once in the persistent DashboardLayout (outside <Routes>), so it owns the single <audio>
-// element and the site-wide play dock — playback survives navigation between routes.
+// Mounted once in the persistent DashboardLayout (outside <Routes>), so it owns the single audio engine
+// and the site-wide play dock — playback survives navigation between routes.
+//
+// Audio is Web Audio (gapless-engine), NOT an <audio> element: it schedules each track to start at the
+// exact sample the previous one ends, so a continuous mix plays with zero gap on auto-advance. React
+// holds the queue/index (shared via useMusicPlayer); this host reconciles it with the engine — user
+// actions (new album, jump, prev/next) command the engine, and the engine's own natural advance mirrors
+// back into the index without restarting playback.
 
 const MUSIC_API = '/api/music';
 const fmt = (s: number): string =>
@@ -19,22 +33,25 @@ export const MusicPlayerHost = () => {
   const { token, get, put } = useClient();
   const navigate = useNavigate();
   const [, setCwd] = usePanelChannel<string | null>(MUSIC_CWD_CHANNEL, null);
-  const { current, index, queue, playing, toggle, next, prev, setPlaying, close, loadQueue } = useMusicPlayer();
-  const audioRef = useRef<HTMLAudioElement>(null);
+  const { current, index, queue, playing, toggle, next, prev, setPlaying, syncIndex, close, loadQueue } =
+    useMusicPlayer();
+
+  const engineRef = useRef<GaplessEngine | null>(null);
   const [position, setPosition] = useState(0);
   const [duration, setDuration] = useState(0);
+  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false);
   const [volume, setVolume] = useState(() => {
     const v = parseFloat(localStorage.getItem('music.volume') ?? '1');
     return Number.isFinite(v) ? v : 1;
   });
   const [muted, setMuted] = useState(false);
-  const { barRef, onSeekDown } = useSeekBar(audioRef, duration);
 
   const trackKey = current ? `${current.albumRel}/${current.file}` : '';
 
-  // Latest position/duration in refs so persist reads fresh values without re-subscribing. seekToRef
-  // holds a pending seek (restore); isRestoringRef suppresses persist during the restore load so it
-  // doesn't clobber the saved position with 0; restoredRef makes restore run once.
+  // Latest position/duration in refs so persist reads fresh values without re-subscribing. seekToRef holds
+  // a pending restore offset; isRestoringRef suppresses persist during the restore load so it doesn't
+  // clobber the saved position with 0; restoredRef makes restore run once; engineIndexRef is the index the
+  // engine is actually on, used to tell an engine-driven advance apart from a user jump.
   const positionRef = useRef(0);
   positionRef.current = position;
   const durationRef = useRef(0);
@@ -42,6 +59,13 @@ export const MusicPlayerHost = () => {
   const restoredRef = useRef(false);
   const isRestoringRef = useRef(false);
   const seekToRef = useRef<number | null>(null);
+  const engineIndexRef = useRef(0);
+
+  const withToken = (u: string) => (token ? `${u}${u.includes('?') ? '&' : '?'}token=${encodeURIComponent(token)}` : u);
+  const streamUrl = (t: PlayerTrack) =>
+    withToken(`${MUSIC_API}/stream?path=${encodeURIComponent(`Music/${t.albumRel}/${t.file}`)}`);
+  const coverUrl = (rel: string) => withToken(`${MUSIC_API}/cover?path=${encodeURIComponent(rel)}`);
+  const toEngineTrack = (t: PlayerTrack): EngineTrack => ({ key: `${t.albumRel}/${t.file}`, url: streamUrl(t) });
 
   const persist = () => {
     if (!current) return;
@@ -56,6 +80,36 @@ export const MusicPlayerHost = () => {
     }).catch(() => {});
   };
 
+  // ── Engine lifecycle (mounted once) ──
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const engine = new GaplessEngine({
+      onTime: (pos, dur) => {
+        positionRef.current = pos;
+        durationRef.current = dur;
+        setPosition(pos);
+        setDuration(dur);
+        isRestoringRef.current = false; // saved position has been applied — safe to persist again
+      },
+      onIndex: (i) => {
+        engineIndexRef.current = i; // engine advanced on its own → mirror to UI without restarting
+        syncIndex(i);
+      },
+      onEndOfQueue: () => setPlaying(false),
+      onLoadingChange: setLoading,
+    });
+    engineRef.current = engine;
+    engine.setVolume(muted ? 0 : volume);
+    // Resume the AudioContext on the first user gesture (browser autoplay policy).
+    const unlock = () => engine.unlock();
+    document.addEventListener('pointerdown', unlock);
+    return () => {
+      document.removeEventListener('pointerdown', unlock);
+      engine.destroy();
+      engineRef.current = null;
+    };
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, []);
+
   // Restore the saved "currently playing" on first load — paused, at its position — so a reload/return
   // lands back on the track. Skipped when a queue already exists (an in-app nav kept player state).
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -69,8 +123,16 @@ export const MusicPlayerHost = () => {
       const file = snap.homePath.split('/').pop() ?? '';
       const meta = await get<AlbumMeta>(`/music/meta?path=${encodeURIComponent(albumRel)}`).catch(() => null);
       if (!meta) return;
-      const q: PlayerTrack[] = sortTracks(meta.tracks).map((t) => ({ albumRel, file: t.file, title: t.title, artist: t.artist }));
-      const idx = Math.max(0, q.findIndex((t) => t.file === file));
+      const q: PlayerTrack[] = sortTracks(meta.tracks).map((t) => ({
+        albumRel,
+        file: t.file,
+        title: t.title,
+        artist: t.artist,
+      }));
+      const idx = Math.max(
+        0,
+        q.findIndex((t) => t.file === file),
+      );
       isRestoringRef.current = true;
       seekToRef.current = snap.positionSec > 0 ? snap.positionSec : null;
       loadQueue(q, idx);
@@ -78,6 +140,42 @@ export const MusicPlayerHost = () => {
     // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
   }, []);
 
+  // A NEW queue (playQueue/loadQueue set a fresh array) → (re)load the engine at that index. A pending
+  // restore offset starts it paused at position; otherwise autoplay follows the queue's `playing` flag.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const engine = engineRef.current;
+    if (!engine) return;
+    engineIndexRef.current = index;
+    const seekTo = seekToRef.current ?? 0;
+    seekToRef.current = null;
+    engine.load(queue.map(toEngineTrack), index, playing, seekTo);
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [queue]);
+
+  // Index changed on the SAME queue: a user jump / prev-next (engine advance already matches, so it no-ops).
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const engine = engineRef.current;
+    if (!engine || !queue.length) return;
+    if (index === engineIndexRef.current) return;
+    engineIndexRef.current = index;
+    engine.skipTo(index);
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [index]);
+
+  // Play/pause.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const engine = engineRef.current;
+    if (!engine || !current) return;
+    if (playing) engine.play();
+    else engine.pause();
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [playing]);
+
+  // Volume / mute.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    engineRef.current?.setVolume(muted ? 0 : volume);
+  }, [volume, muted]);
+
   // Persist on play/pause + track change (not during the restore load).
   useEffect(() => {
     if (isRestoringRef.current) return;
@@ -93,35 +191,6 @@ export const MusicPlayerHost = () => {
     // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
   }, [playing, trackKey]);
 
-  const withToken = (u: string) => (token ? `${u}${u.includes('?') ? '&' : '?'}token=${encodeURIComponent(token)}` : u);
-  const streamUrl = (t: PlayerTrack) =>
-    withToken(`${MUSIC_API}/stream?path=${encodeURIComponent(`Music/${t.albumRel}/${t.file}`)}`);
-  const coverUrl = (rel: string) => withToken(`${MUSIC_API}/cover?path=${encodeURIComponent(rel)}`);
-
-  // Load the current track when it changes.
-  useEffect(() => {
-    const a = audioRef.current;
-    if (!a || !current) return;
-    a.src = streamUrl(current);
-    setPosition(0);
-    if (playing) void a.play().catch(() => setPlaying(false));
-    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
-  }, [trackKey]);
-
-  // Play/pause without reloading the source.
-  useEffect(() => {
-    const a = audioRef.current;
-    if (!a || !current) return;
-    if (playing) void a.play().catch(() => {});
-    else a.pause();
-    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
-  }, [playing]);
-
-  // Apply volume/mute to the element.
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (audioRef.current) audioRef.current.volume = muted ? 0 : volume;
-  }, [volume, muted, trackKey]);
-
   const changeVolume = (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
     const v = parseFloat(e.target.value);
     setVolume(v);
@@ -129,6 +198,29 @@ export const MusicPlayerHost = () => {
     localStorage.setItem('music.volume', String(v));
   };
 
+  // Scrubber → engine.seek (Web Audio has no <audio>.currentTime, so drive it directly).
+  const barRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+  const onSeekDown = (e: React.MouseEvent<HTMLDivElement>) => {
+    const seekAt = (clientX: number) => {
+      const bar = barRef.current;
+      if (!bar || !duration) return;
+      const rect = bar.getBoundingClientRect();
+      const pct = Math.max(0, Math.min(1, (clientX - rect.left) / rect.width));
+      const sec = pct * duration;
+      setPosition(sec);
+      engineRef.current?.seek(sec);
+    };
+    e.preventDefault();
+    seekAt(e.clientX);
+    const onMove = (ev: MouseEvent) => seekAt(ev.clientX);
+    const onUp = () => {
+      window.removeEventListener('mousemove', onMove);
+      window.removeEventListener('mouseup', onUp);
+    };
+    window.addEventListener('mousemove', onMove);
+    window.addEventListener('mouseup', onUp);
+  };
+
   const subtitle = current?.artist ?? current?.albumRel.split('/').slice(-2, -1)[0] ?? '';
   const pct = duration ? (position / duration) * 100 : 0;
 
@@ -139,122 +231,118 @@ export const MusicPlayerHost = () => {
     navigate('/music');
   };
 
+  if (!current) return null;
+
   return (
-    <>
-      <audio
-        ref={audioRef}
-        preload="metadata"
-        onTimeUpdate={(e) => setPosition(e.currentTarget.currentTime)}
-        onLoadedMetadata={(e) => {
-          setDuration(e.currentTarget.duration);
-          // Apply a pending restore seek once the track's duration is known, then re-enable persist.
-          if (seekToRef.current != null) {
-            e.currentTarget.currentTime = seekToRef.current;
-            setPosition(seekToRef.current);
-            seekToRef.current = null;
-          }
-          isRestoringRef.current = false;
-        }}
-        onEnded={() => next()}
-      />
-      {current && (
-        <div className="fixed inset-x-0 bottom-0 z-50 flex items-center gap-3 border-t border-border bg-card/95 px-4 py-2 backdrop-blur">
-          {/* cover + info — click to open this album in /music */}
-          <button
-            type="button"
-            onClick={openCurrentAlbum}
-            title="Show in library"
-            className="flex min-w-0 cursor-pointer items-center gap-3 rounded text-left transition-opacity hover:opacity-80"
-          >
-            <div className="flex h-11 w-11 shrink-0 items-center justify-center overflow-hidden rounded bg-muted">
-              <img
-                src={coverUrl(current.albumRel)}
-                alt=""
-                className="h-full w-full object-cover"
-                onError={(e) => {
-                  (e.currentTarget as HTMLImageElement).style.visibility = 'hidden';
-                }}
-              />
-            </div>
-            <div className="hidden w-44 shrink-0 sm:block">
-              <p className="truncate text-sm font-medium text-foreground">{current.title ?? current.file}</p>
-              <p className="truncate text-xs text-muted-foreground">{subtitle}</p>
-            </div>
-          </button>
-
-          {/* transport */}
-          <div className="flex shrink-0 items-center gap-1">
-            <button
-              type="button"
-              onClick={prev}
-              disabled={index === 0}
-              className="cursor-pointer p-1.5 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground disabled:cursor-default disabled:opacity-40"
-            >
-              <SkipBack size={18} />
-            </button>
-            <button
-              type="button"
-              onClick={toggle}
-              className="flex h-9 w-9 cursor-pointer items-center justify-center rounded-full bg-primary text-primary-foreground hover:opacity-90 active:scale-95"
-            >
-              {playing ? <Pause size={18} /> : <Play size={18} className="ml-0.5" />}
-            </button>
-            <button
-              type="button"
-              onClick={next}
-              disabled={index >= queue.length - 1}
-              className="cursor-pointer p-1.5 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground disabled:cursor-default disabled:opacity-40"
-            >
-              <SkipForward size={18} />
-            </button>
-          </div>
-
-          {/* scrubber + times */}
-          <span className="hidden w-10 shrink-0 text-right font-mono text-[10px] tabular-nums text-muted-foreground md:block">
-            {fmt(position)}
-          </span>
-          <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
-            <SeekBar
-              barRef={barRef}
-              onSeekDown={onSeekDown}
-              pct={pct}
-              trackClass="bg-muted"
-              fillClass="bg-primary"
-              thumbClass="border-background"
-            />
-          </div>
-          <span className="hidden w-10 shrink-0 font-mono text-[10px] tabular-nums text-muted-foreground md:block">
-            {fmt(duration)}
-          </span>
-
-          {/* volume */}
-          <div className="hidden shrink-0 items-center gap-1.5 md:flex">
-            <button type="button" onClick={() => setMuted((m) => !m)} className="cursor-pointer text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground">
-              {muted || volume === 0 ? <VolumeX size={16} /> : <Volume2 size={16} />}
-            </button>
-            <input
-              type="range"
-              min={0}
-              max={1}
-              step={0.01}
-              value={muted ? 0 : volume}
-              onChange={changeVolume}
-              className="h-1 w-16 cursor-pointer accent-primary"
-            />
-          </div>
-
-          <MusicHeart
-            kind="track"
-            favKey={trackHomePath(current.albumRel, current.file)}
-            size={18}
-            className="shrink-0 p-1.5"
+    <div className="fixed inset-x-0 bottom-0 z-50 flex items-center gap-3 border-t border-border bg-card/95 px-4 py-2 backdrop-blur">
+      {/* cover + info — click to open this album in /music */}
+      <button
+        type="button"
+        onClick={openCurrentAlbum}
+        title="Show in library"
+        className="flex min-w-0 cursor-pointer items-center gap-3 rounded text-left transition-opacity hover:opacity-80"
+      >
+        <div className="flex h-11 w-11 shrink-0 items-center justify-center overflow-hidden rounded bg-muted">
+          <img
+            src={coverUrl(current.albumRel)}
+            alt=""
+            className="h-full w-full object-cover"
+            onError={(e) => {
+              (e.currentTarget as HTMLImageElement).style.visibility = 'hidden';
+            }}
           />
-
-          <button type="button" onClick={close} className="shrink-0 cursor-pointer p-1.5 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground">
-            <X size={16} />
-          </button>
         </div>
-      )}
-    </>
+        <div className="hidden w-44 shrink-0 sm:block">
+          <p className="truncate text-sm font-medium text-foreground">{current.title ?? current.file}</p>
+          <p className="truncate text-xs text-muted-foreground">{subtitle}</p>
+        </div>
+      </button>
+
+      {/* transport */}
+      <div className="flex shrink-0 items-center gap-1">
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          onClick={prev}
+          disabled={index === 0}
+          className="cursor-pointer p-1.5 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground disabled:cursor-default disabled:opacity-40"
+        >
+          <SkipBack size={18} />
+        </button>
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          onClick={toggle}
+          className="flex h-9 w-9 cursor-pointer items-center justify-center rounded-full bg-primary text-primary-foreground hover:opacity-90 active:scale-95"
+        >
+          {loading ? (
+            <Loader2 size={18} className="animate-spin" />
+          ) : playing ? (
+            <Pause size={18} />
+          ) : (
+            <Play size={18} className="ml-0.5" />
+          )}
+        </button>
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          onClick={next}
+          disabled={index >= queue.length - 1}
+          className="cursor-pointer p-1.5 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground disabled:cursor-default disabled:opacity-40"
+        >
+          <SkipForward size={18} />
+        </button>
+      </div>
+
+      {/* scrubber + times */}
+      <span className="hidden w-10 shrink-0 text-right font-mono text-[10px] tabular-nums text-muted-foreground md:block">
+        {fmt(position)}
+      </span>
+      <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
+        <SeekBar
+          barRef={barRef}
+          onSeekDown={onSeekDown}
+          pct={pct}
+          trackClass="bg-muted"
+          fillClass="bg-primary"
+          thumbClass="border-background"
+        />
+      </div>
+      <span className="hidden w-10 shrink-0 font-mono text-[10px] tabular-nums text-muted-foreground md:block">
+        {fmt(duration)}
+      </span>
+
+      {/* volume */}
+      <div className="hidden shrink-0 items-center gap-1.5 md:flex">
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          onClick={() => setMuted((m) => !m)}
+          className="cursor-pointer text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
+        >
+          {muted || volume === 0 ? <VolumeX size={16} /> : <Volume2 size={16} />}
+        </button>
+        <input
+          type="range"
+          min={0}
+          max={1}
+          step={0.01}
+          value={muted ? 0 : volume}
+          onChange={changeVolume}
+          className="h-1 w-16 cursor-pointer accent-primary"
+        />
+      </div>
+
+      <MusicHeart
+        kind="track"
+        favKey={trackHomePath(current.albumRel, current.file)}
+        size={18}
+        className="shrink-0 p-1.5"
+      />
+
+      <button
+        type="button"
+        onClick={close}
+        className="shrink-0 cursor-pointer p-1.5 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
+      >
+        <X size={16} />
+      </button>
+    </div>
   );
 };
diff --git a/src/workspaces/officerdev/src/MusicPlayer/gapless-engine.ts b/src/workspaces/officerdev/src/MusicPlayer/gapless-engine.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0112387d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/workspaces/officerdev/src/MusicPlayer/gapless-engine.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,325 @@
+// Sample-accurate gapless playback engine (Web Audio).
+//
+// The HTML5 <audio> element cannot play tracks back-to-back without a gap: advancing swaps the element's
+// `src`, which re-fetches + re-buffers the next file. For a continuous DJ mix (already silence-trimmed at
+// the edges) that gap is audible. This engine instead decodes each track to an AudioBuffer and schedules
+// the NEXT track's AudioBufferSourceNode to `start()` at the precise AudioContext time the current track
+// ends — so the seam is sample-accurate, zero gap.
+//
+// Cost of that guarantee: it must download + decode the WHOLE next file to PCM ahead of time (a ~10-min
+// track ≈ 200 MB in memory), so we cache only a few decoded buffers. Startup / manual-skip therefore has
+// a decode latency (surfaced via onLoadingChange); auto-advance is pre-decoded so it's instant.
+
+export type EngineTrack = { key: string; url: string };
+
+export type EngineCallbacks = {
+  /** The engine advanced to a new track on its OWN (natural boundary) — mirror it into UI state. */
+  onIndex?: (index: number) => void;
+  /** Current position + duration (seconds). Fires ~per animation frame while playing, and on load/seek. */
+  onTime?: (positionSec: number, durationSec: number) => void;
+  /** Playback stopped because the queue ran out (host should reflect paused state). */
+  onEndOfQueue?: () => void;
+  /** True while the CURRENT track is being fetched/decoded (startup / skip / seek). */
+  onLoadingChange?: (loading: boolean) => void;
+};
+
+const CACHE_MAX = 3; // decoded buffers kept (current + next + a little headroom); bounds memory
+
+export class GaplessEngine {
+  private ctx: AudioContext | null = null;
+  private gain: GainNode | null = null;
+  private volume = 1;
+
+  private buffers = new Map<string, AudioBuffer>(); // url → decoded PCM (insertion-ordered LRU)
+  private inflight = new Map<string, Promise<AudioBuffer | null>>();
+
+  private queue: EngineTrack[] = [];
+  private index = 0;
+
+  private cur: AudioBufferSourceNode | null = null;
+  private nxt: AudioBufferSourceNode | null = null;
+  private curBaseTime = 0; // ctx time that corresponds to position 0 of the current track
+  private curDuration = 0;
+  private nextStartAt = 0; // ctx time the scheduled `nxt` will begin (= current track's end)
+  private pendingOffset = 0; // where the current track should (re)start from — seek/resume offset
+  private started = false; // has the current track's source actually been started?
+  private playing = false;
+  private gen = 0; // bumped on any disruptive change; stale async/onended callbacks check it and bail
+  private raf = 0;
+
+  private cb: EngineCallbacks;
+
+  constructor(cb: EngineCallbacks) {
+    this.cb = cb;
+  }
+
+  private ensureCtx(): AudioContext {
+    if (!this.ctx) {
+      this.ctx = new AudioContext();
+      this.gain = this.ctx.createGain();
+      this.gain.gain.value = this.volume;
+      this.gain.connect(this.ctx.destination);
+    }
+    return this.ctx;
+  }
+
+  /** Resume the context from a user gesture (autoplay policy). Safe to call repeatedly. */
+  unlock(): void {
+    const ctx = this.ensureCtx();
+    if (ctx.state === 'suspended') void ctx.resume();
+  }
+
+  setVolume(v: number): void {
+    this.volume = v;
+    if (this.gain) this.gain.gain.value = v;
+  }
+
+  // ── Decoding (fetch full file → PCM), deduped + LRU-capped ──
+  private decode(url: string): Promise<AudioBuffer | null> {
+    const cached = this.buffers.get(url);
+    if (cached) return Promise.resolve(cached);
+    const existing = this.inflight.get(url);
+    if (existing) return existing;
+    const ctx = this.ensureCtx();
+    const p = (async () => {
+      try {
+        const res = await fetch(url);
+        if (!res.ok) return null;
+        const bytes = await res.arrayBuffer();
+        const decoded = await ctx.decodeAudioData(bytes);
+        this.buffers.set(url, decoded);
+        this.evict();
+        return decoded;
+      } catch {
+        return null;
+      } finally {
+        this.inflight.delete(url);
+      }
+    })();
+    this.inflight.set(url, p);
+    return p;
+  }
+
+  private evict(): void {
+    while (this.buffers.size > CACHE_MAX) {
+      const keep = new Set([this.queue[this.index]?.url, this.queue[this.index + 1]?.url]);
+      let removed = false;
+      for (const k of this.buffers.keys()) {
+        if (!keep.has(k)) {
+          this.buffers.delete(k);
+          removed = true;
+          break;
+        }
+      }
+      if (!removed) break; // everything left is current/next — stop
+    }
+  }
+
+  // ── Public control surface ──
+
+  /** Load a queue and either start it (autoplay) or prepare it paused at `seekTo`. */
+  load(queue: EngineTrack[], index: number, autoplay: boolean, seekTo = 0): void {
+    this.gen++;
+    this.stopSources();
+    this.queue = queue;
+    this.index = queue.length ? Math.max(0, Math.min(index, queue.length - 1)) : 0;
+    this.playing = autoplay && queue.length > 0;
+    this.started = false;
+    this.pendingOffset = Math.max(0, seekTo);
+    this.curDuration = 0;
+    this.curBaseTime = 0;
+    this.startTicker();
+    if (!queue.length) return;
+    if (autoplay) void this.begin(this.gen);
+    else void this.prepare(this.gen);
+  }
+
+  /** Manual jump to an arbitrary index (prev / next button / track click). A small decode hitch is fine. */
+  skipTo(index: number): void {
+    this.gen++;
+    this.stopSources();
+    this.index = Math.max(0, Math.min(index, this.queue.length - 1));
+    this.pendingOffset = 0;
+    this.started = false;
+    this.curDuration = 0;
+    if (this.playing) void this.begin(this.gen);
+    else void this.prepare(this.gen);
+  }
+
+  seek(sec: number): void {
+    if (!this.queue[this.index]) return;
+    this.gen++;
+    this.stopSources();
+    this.pendingOffset = Math.max(0, this.curDuration ? Math.min(sec, this.curDuration) : sec);
+    this.started = false;
+    if (this.playing) {
+      void this.begin(this.gen);
+    } else {
+      this.cb.onTime?.(this.pendingOffset, this.curDuration);
+      void this.prepare(this.gen);
+    }
+  }
+
+  play(): void {
+    this.playing = true;
+    const ctx = this.ensureCtx();
+    if (!this.started) void this.begin(this.gen);
+    else if (ctx.state === 'suspended') void ctx.resume();
+  }
+
+  pause(): void {
+    this.playing = false;
+    if (this.ctx && this.ctx.state === 'running') void this.ctx.suspend();
+  }
+
+  destroy(): void {
+    this.gen++;
+    if (this.raf) cancelAnimationFrame(this.raf);
+    this.raf = 0;
+    this.stopSources();
+    this.buffers.clear();
+    this.inflight.clear();
+    if (this.ctx) {
+      void this.ctx.close();
+      this.ctx = null;
+      this.gain = null;
+    }
+  }
+
+  // ── Internals ──
+
+  /** Decode the current track without starting it — paused/prepared (restore, or seek while paused). */
+  private async prepare(gen: number): Promise<void> {
+    const t = this.queue[this.index];
+    if (!t) return;
+    this.cb.onLoadingChange?.(true);
+    const buf = await this.decode(t.url);
+    this.cb.onLoadingChange?.(false);
+    if (gen !== this.gen || !buf) return;
+    this.curDuration = buf.duration;
+    this.cb.onTime?.(Math.min(this.pendingOffset, buf.duration), buf.duration);
+    void this.preloadNext(gen);
+  }
+
+  /** Start the current track at `pendingOffset` (decoding first if needed). */
+  private async begin(gen: number): Promise<void> {
+    const ctx = this.ensureCtx();
+    if (ctx.state === 'suspended') await ctx.resume();
+    if (gen !== this.gen) return;
+    const t = this.queue[this.index];
+    if (!t) return;
+    this.cb.onLoadingChange?.(true);
+    const buf = await this.decode(t.url);
+    this.cb.onLoadingChange?.(false);
+    if (gen !== this.gen || !buf) return;
+    this.startBuffer(buf, this.pendingOffset, gen);
+    void this.preloadNext(gen);
+  }
+
+  private startBuffer(buf: AudioBuffer, offset: number, gen: number): void {
+    const ctx = this.ensureCtx();
+    const src = ctx.createBufferSource();
+    src.buffer = buf;
+    src.connect(this.gain!);
+    const startAt = ctx.currentTime;
+    const off = Math.min(Math.max(0, offset), buf.duration);
+    src.start(startAt, off);
+    src.onended = () => {
+      if (gen === this.gen) this.advance();
+    };
+    this.cur = src;
+    this.curDuration = buf.duration;
+    this.curBaseTime = startAt - off; // position = ctx.currentTime - curBaseTime
+    this.started = true;
+    this.playing = true;
+  }
+
+  /** Decode index+1 and schedule it to begin exactly when the current track ends. */
+  private async preloadNext(gen: number): Promise<void> {
+    if (this.nxt) {
+      try {
+        this.nxt.onended = null;
+        this.nxt.stop();
+      } catch {
+        /* not started */
+      }
+      this.nxt = null;
+    }
+    const forIndex = this.index;
+    const nextTrack = this.queue[forIndex + 1];
+    if (!nextTrack || !this.started) return;
+    const buf = await this.decode(nextTrack.url);
+    if (gen !== this.gen || this.index !== forIndex || !buf) return;
+    const ctx = this.ensureCtx();
+    const boundary = this.curBaseTime + this.curDuration;
+    if (boundary <= ctx.currentTime) return; // already past — advance() will start it fresh
+    const src = ctx.createBufferSource();
+    src.buffer = buf;
+    src.connect(this.gain!);
+    src.start(boundary, 0);
+    src.onended = () => {
+      if (gen === this.gen) this.advance();
+    };
+    this.nxt = src;
+    this.nextStartAt = boundary;
+  }
+
+  /** Fired at a track boundary (its source ended): move to the next track. */
+  private advance(): void {
+    if (this.index + 1 >= this.queue.length) {
+      this.playing = false;
+      this.started = false;
+      this.cur = null;
+      this.cb.onEndOfQueue?.();
+      return;
+    }
+    this.index++;
+    const promoted = this.nxt;
+    this.nxt = null;
+    if (promoted?.buffer) {
+      // The next source was scheduled to start at the exact boundary — it's already playing seamlessly.
+      this.cur = promoted;
+      this.curDuration = promoted.buffer.duration;
+      this.curBaseTime = this.nextStartAt;
+      this.started = true;
+      this.cb.onIndex?.(this.index);
+      void this.preloadNext(this.gen);
+    } else {
+      // Next wasn't decoded in time (rare) — start it now, accepting a tiny gap this once.
+      this.cb.onIndex?.(this.index);
+      this.pendingOffset = 0;
+      this.started = false;
+      void this.begin(this.gen);
+    }
+  }
+
+  private stopSources(): void {
+    for (const s of [this.cur, this.nxt]) {
+      if (!s) continue;
+      try {
+        s.onended = null;
+        s.stop();
+      } catch {
+        /* not started */
+      }
+      try {
+        s.disconnect();
+      } catch {
+        /* already disconnected */
+      }
+    }
+    this.cur = null;
+    this.nxt = null;
+  }
+
+  private startTicker(): void {
+    if (this.raf) return;
+    const tick = () => {
+      this.raf = requestAnimationFrame(tick);
+      if (!this.ctx || !this.started || !this.playing) return;
+      const pos = this.ctx.currentTime - this.curBaseTime;
+      this.cb.onTime?.(Math.max(0, Math.min(pos, this.curDuration)), this.curDuration);
+    };
+    this.raf = requestAnimationFrame(tick);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/workspaces/officerdev/src/MusicPlayer/useMusicPlayer.ts b/src/workspaces/officerdev/src/MusicPlayer/useMusicPlayer.ts
index ebef30ed..9b9fd61a 100644
--- a/src/workspaces/officerdev/src/MusicPlayer/useMusicPlayer.ts
+++ b/src/workspaces/officerdev/src/MusicPlayer/useMusicPlayer.ts
@@ -33,13 +33,18 @@ export function useMusicPlayer() {
     setState({ queue, index: Math.max(0, Math.min(index, Math.max(0, queue.length - 1))), playing: false });
   const toggle = () => setState((s) => ({ ...s, playing: !s.playing }));
   const setPlaying = (playing: boolean) => setState((s) => ({ ...s, playing }));
+  // Mirror an engine-driven natural advance into the index WITHOUT restarting playback (the audio engine
+  // has already transitioned to the next track gaplessly; this only updates the UI/highlight).
+  const syncIndex = (index: number) => setState((s) => ({ ...s, index }));
   const jump = (index: number) =>
     setState((s) => ({ ...s, index: Math.max(0, Math.min(index, s.queue.length - 1)), playing: true }));
   const next = () =>
-    setState((s) => (s.index < s.queue.length - 1 ? { ...s, index: s.index + 1, playing: true } : { ...s, playing: false }));
+    setState((s) =>
+      s.index < s.queue.length - 1 ? { ...s, index: s.index + 1, playing: true } : { ...s, playing: false },
+    );
   const prev = () => setState((s) => (s.index > 0 ? { ...s, index: s.index - 1, playing: true } : s));
   const close = () => setState(INITIAL);
 
   const current = state.queue[state.index];
-  return { ...state, current, playQueue, loadQueue, toggle, setPlaying, jump, next, prev, close };
+  return { ...state, current, playQueue, loadQueue, toggle, setPlaying, syncIndex, jump, next, prev, close };
 }