diff --git a/src/player/player.js b/src/player/player.js
index 04550ba..bff1412 100644
--- a/src/player/player.js
+++ b/src/player/player.js
@@ -527,9 +527,15 @@ export function updatePlayerUI(s, _skipMediaSession = false) {
   } catch {}
   _syncNpDirect(s);
   _updatePlayingHighlights();
-  // Preload the hi-res NP cover now so opening the overlay is instant
+  // Keep the NP cover element pointing at the CURRENT song even while the overlay is closed,
+  // so opening it after rapid skips never shows a stale cover (it also preloads in the background).
   const _npCv = coverUrl(s.coverArt, 1024);
-  if (_npCv && _npCv !== _npBgLastUrl) { const _pre = new Image(); _pre.src = _npCv; }
+  const _npCover = document.getElementById('np-cover');
+  const _npImg = _npCover?.querySelector('img');
+  if (_npCv) {
+    if (_npImg) { if (_npImg.src !== _npCv) _npImg.src = _npCv; }
+    else if (_npCover) _npCover.innerHTML = `<img src="${_npCv}" style="width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:cover">`;
+  }
   // Pre-warm the next song's 1024 cover so auto-advance NP swap is instant from cache
   const _nextForPreload = S.qIdx + 1 < S.queue.length ? S.queue[S.qIdx + 1] : null;
   if (_nextForPreload?.coverArt) {