diff --git a/launcher/jellyfin.ts b/launcher/jellyfin.ts
index 7ab7e6d..1bcedce 100644
--- a/launcher/jellyfin.ts
+++ b/launcher/jellyfin.ts
@@ -344,6 +344,22 @@ export function buildRootSearchGroups(items: JellyfinItemEntry[]): JellyfinGroup
   return groups;
 }
 
+export type JellyfinChildSelection =
+  | { kind: 'playable'; id: string }
+  | { kind: 'container'; id: string };
+
+export function classifyJellyfinChildSelection(
+  selectedChild: Pick<JellyfinGroupEntry, 'id' | 'type'>,
+): JellyfinChildSelection {
+  if (isJellyfinPlayableType(selectedChild.type)) {
+    return { kind: 'playable', id: selectedChild.id };
+  }
+  if (isJellyfinContainerType(selectedChild.type)) {
+    return { kind: 'container', id: selectedChild.id };
+  }
+  fail('Selected Jellyfin item is not playable.');
+}
+
 async function runAppJellyfinListCommand(
   appPath: string,
   args: Args,
@@ -695,13 +711,11 @@ async function resolveJellyfinSelectionViaApp(
     if (!selectedChildId) fail('No Jellyfin folder/file selected.');
     const selectedChild = childById.get(selectedChildId);
     if (!selectedChild) fail('Invalid Jellyfin item selection.');
-    if (isJellyfinPlayableType(selectedChild.type)) {
-      return selectedChild.id;
+    const selection = classifyJellyfinChildSelection(selectedChild);
+    if (selection.kind === 'playable') {
+      return selection.id;
     }
-    if (isJellyfinContainerType(selectedChild.type)) {
-      return await pickPlayableDescendants(selectedChild.id);
-    }
-    fail('Selected Jellyfin item is not playable.');
+    currentContainerId = selection.id;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/launcher/main.test.ts b/launcher/main.test.ts
index 9fc0034..513c043 100644
--- a/launcher/main.test.ts
+++ b/launcher/main.test.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import {
   readUtf8FileAppendedSince,
   parseEpisodePathFromDisplay,
   buildRootSearchGroups,
+  classifyJellyfinChildSelection,
 } from './jellyfin.js';
 
 type RunResult = {
@@ -443,3 +444,11 @@ test('buildRootSearchGroups excludes episodes and keeps containers/movies', () =
     },
   ]);
 });
+
+test('classifyJellyfinChildSelection keeps container drilldown state instead of flattening', () => {
+  const next = classifyJellyfinChildSelection({ id: 'season-2', type: 'Season' });
+  assert.deepEqual(next, {
+    kind: 'container',
+    id: 'season-2',
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/cli/args.test.ts b/src/cli/args.test.ts
index 55bb04e..2351b4c 100644
--- a/src/cli/args.test.ts
+++ b/src/cli/args.test.ts
@@ -60,6 +60,12 @@ test('parseArgs handles space-separated jellyfin recursive control', () => {
   assert.equal(args.jellyfinRecursive, false);
 });
 
+test('parseArgs ignores unrecognized space-separated jellyfin recursive values', () => {
+  const args = parseArgs(['--jellyfin-items', '--jellyfin-recursive', '--start']);
+  assert.equal(args.jellyfinRecursive, undefined);
+  assert.equal(args.start, true);
+});
+
 test('hasExplicitCommand and shouldStartApp preserve command intent', () => {
   const stopOnly = parseArgs(['--stop']);
   assert.equal(hasExplicitCommand(stopOnly), true);
diff --git a/src/cli/args.ts b/src/cli/args.ts
index 0932fae..4ecd900 100644
--- a/src/cli/args.ts
+++ b/src/cli/args.ts
@@ -245,8 +245,6 @@ export function parseArgs(argv: string[]): CliArgs {
         args.jellyfinRecursive = false;
       } else if (value === 'true' || value === '1' || value === 'yes') {
         args.jellyfinRecursive = true;
-      } else {
-        args.jellyfinRecursive = true;
       }
     } else if (arg === '--jellyfin-non-recursive') {
       args.jellyfinRecursive = false;