diff --git a/src/main/runtime/anime-browser-playback.test.ts b/src/main/runtime/anime-browser-playback.test.ts
index ce68b26c..e1fff2e4 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/anime-browser-playback.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/anime-browser-playback.test.ts
@@ -38,3 +38,50 @@ test('playback returns the established error when an extension has no playable s
   assert.equal(mpvConnections, 0);
   await playback.dispose();
 });
+
+test('a superseded episode stops instead of driving mpv behind the newer one', async () => {
+  let releaseFirst = (): void => undefined;
+  const firstResolved = new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+    releaseFirst = resolve;
+  });
+  let calls = 0;
+  const client = {
+    async getVideoList() {
+      calls += 1;
+      if (calls === 1) await firstResolved;
+      return [{ videoUrl: `http://stream/${calls}.m3u8`, quality: '1080p' }];
+    },
+  } as unknown as AnimeBridgeClient;
+
+  const commands: Array<Array<string | number>> = [];
+  let overlays = 0;
+  const playback = createAnimeBrowserPlayback({
+    deps: {
+      sendMpvCommand: (command) => void commands.push(command),
+      ensureMpvConnected: async () => true,
+      log: () => undefined,
+      showVisibleOverlay: () => {
+        overlays += 1;
+      },
+    },
+    bridge: async () => ({ client, baseUrl: 'http://127.0.0.1:1234' }),
+    sourceFor: async () => ({}) as BridgeSource,
+    stripProxy: () => null,
+  });
+
+  const stale = playback.playEpisode(request);
+  const fresh = await playback.playEpisode({ ...request, episodeUrl: '/episode-2' });
+  const commandsAfterFresh = commands.length;
+  releaseFirst();
+
+  assert.equal(fresh.ok, true);
+  assert.equal(overlays, 1);
+  assert.deepEqual(await stale, {
+    ok: false,
+    error: 'A newer episode replaced this playback.',
+    quality: null,
+  });
+  assert.equal(commands.length, commandsAfterFresh);
+  assert.equal(overlays, 1);
+  await playback.dispose();
+});
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/anime-browser-playback.ts b/src/main/runtime/anime-browser-playback.ts
index bc624301..e3cf862a 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/anime-browser-playback.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/anime-browser-playback.ts
@@ -27,13 +27,15 @@ export function createAnimeBrowserPlayback(options: AnimeBrowserPlaybackOptions)
   const wait =
     deps.wait ?? ((ms: number) => new Promise<void>((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, ms)));
   let subtitleCacheDir: string | null = null;
-  // Overlapping playEpisode calls share subtitleCacheDir, so each call carries a
-  // generation and only writes the shared slot while it is still the newest one.
-  let cacheGeneration = 0;
+  // Overlapping playEpisode calls share mpv and subtitleCacheDir, so each call
+  // carries a generation and only acts while it is still the newest one.
+  let playbackGeneration = 0;
 
   async function clearSubtitleCache(generation: number): Promise<void> {
+    // A stale call must not delete the directory a newer playback now owns.
+    if (generation !== playbackGeneration) return;
     const previousDir = subtitleCacheDir;
-    if (generation === cacheGeneration) subtitleCacheDir = null;
+    subtitleCacheDir = null;
     await removeSubtitleCache(previousDir, deps.subtitleCacheIo);
   }
 
@@ -50,7 +52,7 @@ export function createAnimeBrowserPlayback(options: AnimeBrowserPlaybackOptions)
       io: deps.subtitleCacheIo,
       log: deps.log,
     });
-    if (generation === cacheGeneration) {
+    if (generation === playbackGeneration) {
       subtitleCacheDir = cached.dir;
     } else {
       await removeSubtitleCache(cached.dir, deps.subtitleCacheIo);
@@ -67,7 +69,8 @@ export function createAnimeBrowserPlayback(options: AnimeBrowserPlaybackOptions)
   }
 
   async function playEpisode(request: AnimeBrowserPlayRequest): Promise<AnimeBrowserPlayResult> {
-    const generation = ++cacheGeneration;
+    const generation = ++playbackGeneration;
+    const isCurrent = (): boolean => generation === playbackGeneration;
     try {
       const { client, baseUrl } = await bridge();
       const videos = await client.getVideoList(
@@ -103,6 +106,10 @@ export function createAnimeBrowserPlayback(options: AnimeBrowserPlaybackOptions)
         return { ok: false, error: 'mpv is not running and could not be started.', quality: null };
       }
 
+      // Resolving the stream can outlast a newer click; from here on every step
+      // touches mpv or the overlay, so a superseded call stops instead.
+      if (!isCurrent()) return superseded();
+
       const watch =
         deps.onPlaybackEndFile && deps.readMpvProperty
           ? watchPlaybackOutcome({
@@ -141,6 +148,7 @@ export function createAnimeBrowserPlayback(options: AnimeBrowserPlaybackOptions)
               cacheStreamSubtitles(stream, generation),
               wait(TRACK_ATTACH_DELAY_MS),
             ]);
+            if (!isCurrent()) return superseded();
             for (const command of buildTrackCommands({ ...stream, subtitles })) {
               deps.sendMpvCommand(command);
             }
@@ -149,8 +157,13 @@ export function createAnimeBrowserPlayback(options: AnimeBrowserPlaybackOptions)
           deps.log(`[anime-browser] external track setup failed: ${String(error)}`);
         }
 
+        if (!isCurrent()) return superseded();
+
         if (watch) {
           const outcome = await watch.wait();
+          // The outcome belongs to whichever file mpv is playing now, so a
+          // superseded call must not read it as its own.
+          if (!isCurrent()) return superseded();
           if (!outcome.ok) {
             deps.log(`[anime-browser] playback failed to start: ${outcome.error}`);
             return { ok: false, error: outcome.error, quality: null };
@@ -178,6 +191,10 @@ export function createAnimeBrowserPlayback(options: AnimeBrowserPlaybackOptions)
   return { playEpisode, dispose };
 }
 
+function superseded(): AnimeBrowserPlayResult {
+  return { ok: false, error: 'A newer episode replaced this playback.', quality: null };
+}
+
 function describeError(error: unknown): string {
   return error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
 }