diff --git a/src/player.js b/src/player.js
index 75c0caa..beac6d4 100644
--- a/src/player.js
+++ b/src/player.js
@@ -79,32 +79,39 @@ export function playCurrent() {
   const src = (_preId === s.id && _preUrl) ? _preUrl : streamUrl(s.id);
   _clearPreload();
   S.audio.src = src;
-  // 10s safety net: if neither play-event nor catch fires (e.g. Doze killed everything),
-  // reset _trackChanging so the pause-event guard doesn't stay stuck forever
-  const _guard = setTimeout(() => { S._trackChanging = false; }, 10000);
+
+  const _reset = () => { S._trackChanging = false; };
+
+  // After play() fails: wait for canplay (audio engine, not throttled by Android timers).
+  // _trackChanging stays TRUE throughout so spurious pause events from Android revoking
+  // audio focus on locked screen can't slip through and dismiss the Samsung cover screen.
+  function _waitCanPlay() {
+    const guard = setTimeout(_reset, 10000); // 10s Kima-style failsafe
+    S.audio.addEventListener('canplay', () => {
+      clearTimeout(guard);
+      if (S.queue[S.qIdx]?.id !== s.id || !S.audio.paused) { _reset(); return; }
+      try { if(navigator.audioSession) navigator.audioSession.type = 'playback'; } catch {}
+      S.audio.play().catch(_reset);
+    }, { once: true });
+  }
+
+  const _initGuard = setTimeout(_reset, 10000);
   try { if(navigator.audioSession) navigator.audioSession.type = 'playback'; } catch {}
   S.audio.play()
-    .then(() => clearTimeout(_guard))
+    .then(() => clearTimeout(_initGuard))
     .catch(err => {
-      clearTimeout(_guard);
-      if (S.queue[S.qIdx]?.id !== s.id) { S._trackChanging = false; return; }
+      clearTimeout(_initGuard);
+      if (S.queue[S.qIdx]?.id !== s.id) { _reset(); return; }
       if (err?.name === 'AbortError') {
-        // Audio element in bad state (OS interruption / load race) — Kima Hub pattern:
-        // reload the src so the element settles, then let canplay trigger the retry
+        // Audio element in bad state (OS interruption / load race) — reload so the
+        // element settles; _trackChanging stays true so load()'s pause is suppressed
         S.audio.src = src;
-        S.audio.load(); // _trackChanging stays true; load()'s pause event is suppressed
-      } else {
-        // NotAllowed / network error — reset flag, wait for canplay to retry
-        S._trackChanging = false;
+        S.audio.load();
       }
-      // canplay fires from the audio engine (not throttled by Android background timers).
-      // Registered ONLY here (in the failure path) — no race with the initial play() call.
-      S.audio.addEventListener('canplay', () => {
-        if (S.queue[S.qIdx]?.id !== s.id || !S.audio.paused) return;
-        S._trackChanging = true;
-        try { if(navigator.audioSession) navigator.audioSession.type = 'playback'; } catch {}
-        S.audio.play().catch(() => { S._trackChanging = false; });
-      }, { once: true });
+      // For ALL errors: keep _trackChanging=true until canplay fires (or 10s timeout).
+      // This prevents Android audio-focus-loss pause events from reaching Samsung
+      // and dismissing the lock screen notification during the recovery window.
+      _waitCanPlay();
     });
 }