diff --git a/packages/core/src/runtime/bridge.test.ts b/packages/core/src/runtime/bridge.test.ts
index 1e6481766..6b07478cf 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/runtime/bridge.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/runtime/bridge.test.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ function createMockDeps() {
     onPause: vi.fn(),
     onSeek: vi.fn(),
     onSetMuted: vi.fn(),
+    onSetMediaOutputMuted: vi.fn(),
     onSetPlaybackRate: vi.fn(),
     onEnablePickMode: vi.fn(),
     onDisablePickMode: vi.fn(),
@@ -55,6 +56,22 @@ describe("installRuntimeControlBridge", () => {
     expect(deps.onSetMuted).toHaveBeenCalledWith(true);
   });
 
+  it("dispatches set-media-output-muted command", () => {
+    const deps = createMockDeps();
+    const handler = installRuntimeControlBridge(deps);
+    handler(makeControlMessage("set-media-output-muted", { muted: true }));
+    expect(deps.onSetMediaOutputMuted).toHaveBeenCalledWith(true);
+    handler(makeControlMessage("set-media-output-muted", { muted: false }));
+    expect(deps.onSetMediaOutputMuted).toHaveBeenCalledWith(false);
+  });
+
+  it("set-media-output-muted coerces absent flag to false", () => {
+    const deps = createMockDeps();
+    const handler = installRuntimeControlBridge(deps);
+    handler(makeControlMessage("set-media-output-muted"));
+    expect(deps.onSetMediaOutputMuted).toHaveBeenCalledWith(false);
+  });
+
   it("dispatches set-playback-rate command", () => {
     const deps = createMockDeps();
     const handler = installRuntimeControlBridge(deps);
diff --git a/packages/core/src/runtime/bridge.ts b/packages/core/src/runtime/bridge.ts
index 7afa4a27d..e11966a23 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/runtime/bridge.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/runtime/bridge.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ type BridgeDeps = {
   onPause: () => void;
   onSeek: (frame: number, seekMode: "drag" | "commit") => void;
   onSetMuted: (muted: boolean) => void;
+  onSetMediaOutputMuted: (muted: boolean) => void;
   onSetPlaybackRate: (rate: number) => void;
   onEnablePickMode: () => void;
   onDisablePickMode: () => void;
@@ -39,6 +40,10 @@ export function installRuntimeControlBridge(deps: BridgeDeps): (event: MessageEv
       deps.onSetMuted(Boolean(data.muted));
       return;
     }
+    if (action === "set-media-output-muted") {
+      deps.onSetMediaOutputMuted(Boolean(data.muted));
+      return;
+    }
     if (action === "set-playback-rate") {
       deps.onSetPlaybackRate(Number(data.playbackRate ?? 1));
       return;
diff --git a/packages/core/src/runtime/init.ts b/packages/core/src/runtime/init.ts
index ff82b291e..a4ba9552c 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/runtime/init.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/runtime/init.ts
@@ -1189,6 +1189,12 @@ export function initSandboxRuntimeModular(): void {
       timeSeconds: state.currentTime,
       playing: state.isPlaying,
       playbackRate: state.playbackRate,
+      outputMuted: state.mediaOutputMuted,
+      onAutoplayBlocked: () => {
+        if (state.mediaAutoplayBlockedPosted) return;
+        state.mediaAutoplayBlockedPosted = true;
+        postRuntimeMessage({ source: "hf-preview", type: "media-autoplay-blocked" });
+      },
     });
     const rootCompId =
       document.querySelector("[data-composition-id]")?.getAttribute("data-composition-id") ?? null;
@@ -1424,10 +1430,20 @@ export function initSandboxRuntimeModular(): void {
     },
     onSetMuted: (muted) => {
       state.bridgeMuted = muted;
+      const effective = muted || state.mediaOutputMuted;
+      const mediaEls = document.querySelectorAll("video, audio");
+      for (const el of mediaEls) {
+        if (!(el instanceof HTMLMediaElement)) continue;
+        el.muted = effective;
+      }
+    },
+    onSetMediaOutputMuted: (muted) => {
+      state.mediaOutputMuted = muted;
+      const effective = muted || state.bridgeMuted;
       const mediaEls = document.querySelectorAll("video, audio");
       for (const el of mediaEls) {
         if (!(el instanceof HTMLMediaElement)) continue;
-        el.muted = muted;
+        el.muted = effective;
       }
     },
     onSetPlaybackRate: (rate) => applyPlaybackRate(rate),
diff --git a/packages/core/src/runtime/media.test.ts b/packages/core/src/runtime/media.test.ts
index c052ee6b0..f9d9a537f 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/runtime/media.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/runtime/media.test.ts
@@ -381,4 +381,81 @@ describe("syncRuntimeMedia", () => {
     syncRuntimeMedia({ clips: [clip], timeSeconds: 7, playing: false, playbackRate: 1 });
     expect(clip.el.currentTime).toBe(7);
   });
+
+  it("asserts muted=true every tick while outputMuted is set", () => {
+    // Parent ownership has taken over audible playback via parent-frame
+    // proxies. The iframe runtime must silence every active media element
+    // per tick so new sub-composition media inherits the mute as soon as
+    // it appears in the DOM — otherwise a late <audio> insertion would
+    // briefly play audibly and double-voice the viewer.
+    const clip = createMockClip({ start: 0, end: 10, volume: 1 });
+    Object.defineProperty(clip.el, "readyState", { value: 4, writable: true });
+    Object.defineProperty(clip.el, "muted", { value: false, writable: true });
+    syncRuntimeMedia({
+      clips: [clip],
+      timeSeconds: 5,
+      playing: true,
+      playbackRate: 1,
+      outputMuted: true,
+    });
+    expect(clip.el.muted).toBe(true);
+    // A second tick re-asserts — captures the sticky behavior, since
+    // the bridge handler only runs on flip transitions.
+    Object.defineProperty(clip.el, "muted", { value: false, writable: true });
+    syncRuntimeMedia({
+      clips: [clip],
+      timeSeconds: 5.02,
+      playing: true,
+      playbackRate: 1,
+      outputMuted: true,
+    });
+    expect(clip.el.muted).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("does not touch muted when outputMuted is absent", () => {
+    // The un-mute decision belongs to author intent (`<audio muted>`) and
+    // user preference (`onSetMuted`) — syncRuntimeMedia must not race them.
+    const clip = createMockClip({ start: 0, end: 10 });
+    Object.defineProperty(clip.el, "readyState", { value: 4, writable: true });
+    Object.defineProperty(clip.el, "muted", { value: true, writable: true });
+    syncRuntimeMedia({ clips: [clip], timeSeconds: 5, playing: true, playbackRate: 1 });
+    expect(clip.el.muted).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("fires onAutoplayBlocked when play() rejects with NotAllowedError", async () => {
+    const clip = createMockClip({ start: 0, end: 10 });
+    Object.defineProperty(clip.el, "readyState", { value: 4, writable: true });
+    const rejection = Object.assign(new Error("blocked"), { name: "NotAllowedError" });
+    clip.el.play = vi.fn(() => Promise.reject(rejection));
+    const onAutoplayBlocked = vi.fn();
+    syncRuntimeMedia({
+      clips: [clip],
+      timeSeconds: 5,
+      playing: true,
+      playbackRate: 1,
+      onAutoplayBlocked,
+    });
+    // The rejection is delivered on a microtask — flush it.
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    expect(onAutoplayBlocked).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
+  it("does not fire onAutoplayBlocked for non-autoplay rejections", async () => {
+    const clip = createMockClip({ start: 0, end: 10 });
+    Object.defineProperty(clip.el, "readyState", { value: 4, writable: true });
+    const rejection = Object.assign(new Error("aborted"), { name: "AbortError" });
+    clip.el.play = vi.fn(() => Promise.reject(rejection));
+    const onAutoplayBlocked = vi.fn();
+    syncRuntimeMedia({
+      clips: [clip],
+      timeSeconds: 5,
+      playing: true,
+      playbackRate: 1,
+      onAutoplayBlocked,
+    });
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    expect(onAutoplayBlocked).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/core/src/runtime/media.ts b/packages/core/src/runtime/media.ts
index 392b2851a..b82b95b2a 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/runtime/media.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/runtime/media.ts
@@ -92,6 +92,20 @@ export function syncRuntimeMedia(params: {
   timeSeconds: number;
   playing: boolean;
   playbackRate: number;
+  /**
+   * When `true`, assert `el.muted = true` on every active media element on
+   * every tick. Sticky against newly-discovered media (sub-composition
+   * activation, dynamic DOM) so the parent-frame audio-owner invariant holds.
+   * `false` is a no-op — we don't un-mute, because other code paths
+   * (`<audio muted>` author intent, `onSetMuted`) own the un-mute decision.
+   */
+  outputMuted?: boolean;
+  /**
+   * Invoked at most once when a media element's `play()` promise rejects with
+   * `NotAllowedError`. The caller is expected to latch and post a single
+   * outbound message; further invocations are suppressed by the caller.
+   */
+  onAutoplayBlocked?: () => void;
 }): void {
   for (const clip of params.clips) {
     const { el } = clip;
@@ -108,6 +122,7 @@ export function syncRuntimeMedia(params: {
         }
       }
       if (clip.volume != null) el.volume = clip.volume;
+      if (params.outputMuted) el.muted = true;
       try {
         // Per-element rate × global transport rate
         el.playbackRate = clip.playbackRate * params.playbackRate;
@@ -167,11 +182,20 @@ export function syncRuntimeMedia(params: {
         // inserted after the runtime bound its listeners.
         if (el.preload !== "auto") el.preload = "auto";
         markPlayRequested(el);
-        void el.play().catch(() => {
+        void el.play().catch((err: unknown) => {
           // If play() rejects — e.g. autoplay blocked, element removed
           // mid-flight — drop the in-flight flag so a future sync tick can
           // retry rather than getting stuck waiting for `playing`/`pause`.
           playRequested.delete(el);
+          // `NotAllowedError` is the autoplay-gating browser response when
+          // the iframe has no user activation. Signal the parent exactly
+          // once so it can promote to parent-frame audio proxies. Retries
+          // here would be pointless — nothing the runtime does fixes it.
+          const name =
+            err && typeof err === "object" && "name" in err
+              ? String((err as { name?: unknown }).name ?? "")
+              : "";
+          if (name === "NotAllowedError") params.onAutoplayBlocked?.();
         });
       } else if (!params.playing && !el.paused) {
         el.pause();
diff --git a/packages/core/src/runtime/state.ts b/packages/core/src/runtime/state.ts
index 15c8b163f..da80473d1 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/runtime/state.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/runtime/state.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,21 @@ export type RuntimeState = {
   parityModeEnabled: boolean;
   canonicalFps: number;
   bridgeMuted: boolean;
+  /**
+   * Internal mute of audible media output, owned by the audio-ownership
+   * protocol between the parent (`<hyperframes-player>`) and this runtime.
+   * Independent of `bridgeMuted` (the user's mute preference). When the
+   * parent takes over audible playback via parent-frame proxies, it sets
+   * this to `true` so the runtime keeps driving timed media for frame
+   * accuracy but produces no audio of its own.
+   */
+  mediaOutputMuted: boolean;
+  /**
+   * Latch so the `media-autoplay-blocked` outbound message is posted at most
+   * once per runtime session. The parent only needs the first signal — it
+   * takes over playback and further rejections are the same problem.
+   */
+  mediaAutoplayBlockedPosted: boolean;
   playbackRate: number;
   bridgeLastPostedFrame: number;
   bridgeLastPostedAt: number;
@@ -42,6 +57,8 @@ export function createRuntimeState(): RuntimeState {
     parityModeEnabled: true,
     canonicalFps: 30,
     bridgeMuted: false,
+    mediaOutputMuted: false,
+    mediaAutoplayBlockedPosted: false,
     playbackRate: 1,
     bridgeLastPostedFrame: -1,
     bridgeLastPostedAt: 0,
diff --git a/packages/core/src/runtime/types.ts b/packages/core/src/runtime/types.ts
index d4422d115..f92504934 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/runtime/types.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/runtime/types.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ export type RuntimeBridgeControlAction =
   | "pause"
   | "seek"
   | "set-muted"
+  | "set-media-output-muted"
   | "set-playback-rate"
   | "enable-pick-mode"
   | "disable-pick-mode"
@@ -137,6 +138,18 @@ export type RuntimeStageSizeMessage = {
   height: number;
 };
 
+/**
+ * Fired once per session when the runtime's attempt to play a timed media
+ * element is rejected with `NotAllowedError`. The parent (web component / host
+ * app) uses this as the signal to promote to parent-frame audio proxies —
+ * iframes lose autoplay privileges when the user gesture originated in the
+ * parent frame, so the host has to take over audible playback there.
+ */
+export type RuntimeMediaAutoplayBlockedMessage = {
+  source: "hf-preview";
+  type: "media-autoplay-blocked";
+};
+
 /**
  * Analytics events emitted by the runtime.
  *
@@ -167,6 +180,7 @@ export type RuntimeOutboundMessage =
   | RuntimePickerPickedManyMessage
   | RuntimePickerCancelledMessage
   | RuntimeStageSizeMessage
+  | RuntimeMediaAutoplayBlockedMessage
   | RuntimeAnalyticsMessage;
 
 export type RuntimePlayer = {
diff --git a/packages/player/src/hyperframes-player.test.ts b/packages/player/src/hyperframes-player.test.ts
index fdc72d6b8..fb45422fb 100644
--- a/packages/player/src/hyperframes-player.test.ts
+++ b/packages/player/src/hyperframes-player.test.ts
@@ -57,17 +57,22 @@ describe("formatTime", () => {
   });
 });
 
-// ── Parent-frame media for mobile playback ──
+// ── Parent-frame audio proxies (ownership-based) ──
 //
-// Mobile browsers block media.play() inside iframes when the user gesture
-// happened in the parent. The player works around this by extracting media
-// from the iframe and playing it in the parent frame.
+// Parent-frame audio/video copies are preloaded mirror proxies of the iframe's
+// timed media. They exist as a fallback for environments that block iframe
+// `.play()`. Under the default `runtime` audio ownership, the iframe drives
+// audible playback and the proxies stay paused. Ownership flips to `parent`
+// only when the runtime posts `media-autoplay-blocked` — then the proxies
+// become the audible source and the iframe is silenced via bridge.
 
 describe("HyperframesPlayer parent-frame media", () => {
   type PlayerElement = HTMLElement & {
     play: () => void;
     pause: () => void;
     seek: (t: number) => void;
+    _audioOwner?: "runtime" | "parent";
+    _promoteToParentProxy?: () => void;
   };
 
   let player: PlayerElement;
@@ -143,28 +148,67 @@ describe("HyperframesPlayer parent-frame media", () => {
     expect(mockAudio.playbackRate).toBe(1.5);
   });
 
-  it("play() calls parentMedia.play()", () => {
+  it("play() does NOT start parent-proxy under runtime ownership", () => {
+    // Default ownership is `runtime` — the iframe drives audible playback.
+    // If we also started parent proxies here, both would play and the user
+    // would hear doubled, slightly-offset audio (the original bug).
     player.setAttribute("audio-src", "https://cdn.example.com/narration.mp3");
     document.body.appendChild(player);
 
     player.play();
-    expect(mockAudio.play).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(mockAudio.play).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(player._audioOwner).toBe("runtime");
   });
 
-  it("pause() calls parentMedia.pause()", () => {
+  it("pause() does NOT touch parent-proxy under runtime ownership", () => {
     player.setAttribute("audio-src", "https://cdn.example.com/narration.mp3");
     document.body.appendChild(player);
 
     player.pause();
-    expect(mockAudio.pause).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(mockAudio.pause).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("seek() does NOT update parent currentTime under runtime ownership", () => {
+    // Under runtime ownership the iframe is authoritative for time; touching
+    // the proxy's currentTime would just trigger a re-buffer for no gain.
+    player.setAttribute("audio-src", "https://cdn.example.com/narration.mp3");
+    document.body.appendChild(player);
+
+    player.seek(12.5);
+    expect(mockAudio.currentTime).toBe(0);
   });
 
-  it("seek() sets parentMedia.currentTime", () => {
+  it("after promotion to parent ownership: play/pause/seek drive parent proxy", () => {
+    // Simulates the runtime having posted `media-autoplay-blocked`. Post
+    // promotion: the web component owns audible output and fully drives
+    // the parent proxy.
     player.setAttribute("audio-src", "https://cdn.example.com/narration.mp3");
     document.body.appendChild(player);
 
+    player._promoteToParentProxy?.();
+    expect(player._audioOwner).toBe("parent");
+
+    player.play();
+    expect(mockAudio.play).toHaveBeenCalled();
+
     player.seek(12.5);
     expect(mockAudio.currentTime).toBe(12.5);
+
+    player.pause();
+    expect(mockAudio.pause).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("promotion is idempotent", () => {
+    player.setAttribute("audio-src", "https://cdn.example.com/narration.mp3");
+    document.body.appendChild(player);
+
+    player._promoteToParentProxy?.();
+    player._promoteToParentProxy?.();
+    player._promoteToParentProxy?.();
+    // Only one play() attempt is triggered by promotion itself (gated on
+    // `!this._paused`, which is true by default so it doesn't trigger at all).
+    // The test's meaning is: ownership stays `parent`, no thrash, no errors.
+    expect(player._audioOwner).toBe("parent");
   });
 
   it("cleans up parent media on disconnect", () => {
diff --git a/packages/player/src/hyperframes-player.ts b/packages/player/src/hyperframes-player.ts
index 94f526062..c182de32b 100644
--- a/packages/player/src/hyperframes-player.ts
+++ b/packages/player/src/hyperframes-player.ts
@@ -27,13 +27,18 @@ class HyperframesPlayer extends HTMLElement {
   private _lastUpdateMs = 0;
 
   /**
-   * Parent-frame media elements for mobile playback.
+   * Parent-frame audio/video proxies, preloaded mirror copies of the iframe's
+   * timed media. They exist as a fallback for environments that block iframe
+   * `.play()` — mobile browsers require the user gesture to originate in the
+   * same frame as the media element, and postMessage doesn't transfer user
+   * activation (User Activation v2). The runtime inside the iframe signals
+   * `media-autoplay-blocked` the first time a play() attempt rejects with
+   * `NotAllowedError`; receiving that message flips `_audioOwner` to `parent`
+   * and these proxies start driving audible output while the iframe keeps
+   * advancing timed media silently for frame-accurate state.
    *
-   * Mobile browsers block media.play() inside iframes when the user gesture
-   * happened in the parent frame — postMessage doesn't transfer user activation
-   * (per the User Activation v2 spec). We extract ALL media sources from the
-   * iframe's timed elements (audio/video with data-start), play them in the
-   * parent frame (where the gesture lives), and disable the iframe copies.
+   * Preloading at iframe-load time (rather than lazily on promotion) keeps
+   * the audible audio cut-in tight when the promotion fires mid-playback.
    */
   private _parentMedia: Array<{
     el: HTMLMediaElement;
@@ -41,6 +46,22 @@ class HyperframesPlayer extends HTMLElement {
     duration: number;
   }> = [];
 
+  /**
+   * Who owns audible playback right now.
+   *
+   * - `runtime` (default): the iframe's runtime drives timed media; parent
+   *   proxies stay paused and silent. This is the correct path on desktop,
+   *   in same-frame embeds, and anywhere the iframe has user activation.
+   * - `parent`: parent-frame proxies drive audible output; the iframe keeps
+   *   syncing timed media but at `muted = true` (orthogonal to author/user
+   *   volume settings). Entered only in response to an actual autoplay
+   *   rejection from the runtime — we don't guess device class.
+   *
+   * The transition is one-way per session; once autoplay is known to be
+   * gated, there's no benefit to attempting the iframe path again.
+   */
+  private _audioOwner: "runtime" | "parent" = "runtime";
+
   constructor() {
     super();
     this.shadow = this.attachShadow({ mode: "open" });
@@ -174,16 +195,19 @@ class HyperframesPlayer extends HTMLElement {
 
   play() {
     this._hidePoster();
-    this._playParentMedia();
+    // Always drive the iframe runtime — it's the single source of timeline
+    // truth regardless of who owns audible output. When we own audio, the
+    // proxies join; when the runtime owns, they stay silent.
     this._sendControl("play");
+    if (this._audioOwner === "parent") this._playParentMedia();
     this._paused = false;
     this.controlsApi?.updatePlaying(true);
     this.dispatchEvent(new Event("play"));
   }
 
   pause() {
-    this._pauseParentMedia();
     this._sendControl("pause");
+    if (this._audioOwner === "parent") this._pauseParentMedia();
     this._paused = true;
     this.controlsApi?.updatePlaying(false);
     this.dispatchEvent(new Event("pause"));
@@ -194,11 +218,14 @@ class HyperframesPlayer extends HTMLElement {
     this._sendControl("seek", { frame });
     this._currentTime = timeInSeconds;
 
-    // Sync parent media positions (accounting for each element's start offset)
-    for (const m of this._parentMedia) {
-      const relTime = timeInSeconds - m.start;
-      if (relTime >= 0 && relTime < m.duration) {
-        m.el.currentTime = relTime;
+    // Mirror parent proxy currentTime only while parent owns audible output.
+    // Under `runtime` ownership the proxies are paused and authoritative time
+    // lives on the iframe — touching parent currentTime would just trigger
+    // needless buffering if ownership later flips.
+    if (this._audioOwner === "parent") {
+      for (const m of this._parentMedia) {
+        const relTime = timeInSeconds - m.start;
+        if (relTime >= 0 && relTime < m.duration) m.el.currentTime = relTime;
       }
     }
 
@@ -276,12 +303,18 @@ class HyperframesPlayer extends HTMLElement {
       const wasPlaying = !this._paused;
       this._paused = !data.isPlaying;
 
-      // Sync parent media on runtime play/pause transitions (e.g. browser
-      // throttling, visibility change, or scrubber interaction in the iframe).
-      if (wasPlaying && this._paused) {
-        this._pauseParentMedia();
-      } else if (!wasPlaying && !this._paused) {
-        this._playParentMedia();
+      // Under parent ownership the proxies are the audible output, so they
+      // mirror the iframe's play/pause transitions (externally-driven pause
+      // via `__player.pause()`, scrubber interactions, etc.) and their
+      // currentTime is slaved to the iframe timeline. Under runtime ownership
+      // the proxies stay paused and silent; nothing here should wake them.
+      if (this._audioOwner === "parent") {
+        if (wasPlaying && this._paused) {
+          this._pauseParentMedia();
+        } else if (!wasPlaying && !this._paused) {
+          this._playParentMedia();
+        }
+        this._mirrorParentMediaTime(this._currentTime);
       }
 
       // Throttle UI updates and event dispatch to ~10fps to avoid excessive re-renders
@@ -296,7 +329,7 @@ class HyperframesPlayer extends HTMLElement {
       }
 
       if (this._currentTime >= this._duration && !this._paused) {
-        this._pauseParentMedia();
+        if (this._audioOwner === "parent") this._pauseParentMedia();
         if (this.loop) {
           this.seek(0);
           this.play();
@@ -308,6 +341,10 @@ class HyperframesPlayer extends HTMLElement {
       }
     }
 
+    if (data.type === "media-autoplay-blocked") {
+      this._promoteToParentProxy();
+    }
+
     if (data.type === "timeline" && data.durationInFrames > 0) {
       // Ignore Infinity duration from runtime (caused by loop-inflated timelines without data-duration)
       // The player already has duration from the initial probe, so keep that.
@@ -489,35 +526,54 @@ class HyperframesPlayer extends HTMLElement {
 
   private _playParentMedia() {
     for (const m of this._parentMedia) {
-      if (m.el.src) {
-        m.el
-          .play()
-          .then(() => {
-            // Parent play succeeded — mute the iframe copy to prevent double audio.
-            // This runs asynchronously, so the runtime may briefly play both copies,
-            // but the overlap is inaudible (same audio at the same position).
-            this._muteIframeMedia();
-          })
-          .catch(() => {});
-      }
+      if (!m.el.src) continue;
+      // Best-effort: if the parent itself has no user activation, this will
+      // also reject — the caller has already decided parent ownership is
+      // warranted, and there's nothing better to fall back to from here.
+      m.el.play().catch(() => {});
     }
   }
 
-  private _muteIframeMedia() {
-    try {
-      const doc = this.iframe.contentDocument;
-      if (!doc) return;
-      const mediaEls = doc.querySelectorAll<HTMLMediaElement>(
-        "audio[data-start], video[data-start]",
-      );
-      for (const el of mediaEls) el.volume = 0;
-    } catch {
-      // cross-origin
+  private _pauseParentMedia() {
+    for (const m of this._parentMedia) m.el.pause();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Drag parent-proxy `currentTime` onto the iframe's timeline. Called on
+   * every runtime state message under parent ownership. Only re-seeks when
+   * drift exceeds 150 ms so we don't trigger a re-buffer on every tick —
+   * native HTMLMediaElement playback rate drift stays well inside that.
+   */
+  private _mirrorParentMediaTime(timelineSeconds: number) {
+    for (const m of this._parentMedia) {
+      const relTime = timelineSeconds - m.start;
+      if (relTime < 0 || relTime >= m.duration) continue;
+      if (Math.abs(m.el.currentTime - relTime) > 0.15) m.el.currentTime = relTime;
     }
   }
 
-  private _pauseParentMedia() {
-    for (const m of this._parentMedia) m.el.pause();
+  /**
+   * Take ownership of audible playback. Fired in response to the runtime's
+   * `media-autoplay-blocked` signal — the iframe has lost the autoplay lottery
+   * and will never produce audio without a fresh gesture inside itself.
+   *
+   * Effects, in order:
+   *   1. Ask the runtime to mute its own media output via the bridge. The
+   *      runtime then keeps advancing timed media for frame-accurate state
+   *      but produces no sound of its own, freeing us to be the single
+   *      audible source without racing a volume-reassert loop.
+   *   2. Align every parent proxy's currentTime to the iframe's timeline so
+   *      the cut-over is imperceptible.
+   *   3. If the player is currently playing, start the proxies.
+   *
+   * Idempotent: repeat calls are a no-op.
+   */
+  private _promoteToParentProxy() {
+    if (this._audioOwner === "parent") return;
+    this._audioOwner = "parent";
+    this._sendControl("set-media-output-muted", { muted: true });
+    this._mirrorParentMediaTime(this._currentTime);
+    if (!this._paused) this._playParentMedia();
   }
 
   /** Create a parent-frame media element, configure it, and start preloading. */
@@ -545,12 +601,14 @@ class HyperframesPlayer extends HTMLElement {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Extract ALL timed media (audio/video with data-start) from the iframe's
-   * DOM and create parent-frame copies. Disables the iframe originals so the
-   * runtime doesn't try to play them (which would fail on mobile and cause
-   * double playback on desktop).
+   * Mirror every timed iframe media element (`audio[data-start]`,
+   * `video[data-start]`) into a parent-frame proxy. The proxies preload at
+   * iframe-ready time so the cut-over to parent ownership — should the
+   * runtime's autoplay attempt later reject — is instantaneous.
    *
-   * If `audio-src` was already set, this just disables the iframe media.
+   * Under runtime ownership (the default) these proxies stay paused and
+   * inert; the iframe is the audible source. Ownership flips only in
+   * response to a real `media-autoplay-blocked` message from the runtime.
    */
   private _setupParentMedia() {
     try {
@@ -578,14 +636,10 @@ class HyperframesPlayer extends HTMLElement {
         const tag = iframeEl.tagName === "VIDEO" ? ("video" as const) : ("audio" as const);
 
         this._createParentMedia(src, tag, start, duration);
-
-        // DO NOT strip data-start, data-duration, or src from the iframe elements.
-        // The runtime's syncRuntimeMedia queries audio[data-start] — removing these
-        // attributes makes the runtime unable to find, sync, or play media clips.
-        // The iframe copies remain fully functional for the runtime. On mobile,
-        // parent copies provide the audible output via the component's play() method.
-        // On desktop and in the studio (which calls __player.play() directly),
-        // the runtime's own media sync handles playback.
+        // Iframe originals stay untouched — the runtime's `syncRuntimeMedia`
+        // queries `audio[data-start]` for state and needs them addressable.
+        // Their audible output is gated later by `set-media-output-muted`
+        // when (and only when) parent ownership is promoted.
       }
     } catch {
       // Cross-origin iframe — can't access DOM, fall back to iframe media