diff --git a/shell/services/MprisService.qml b/shell/services/MprisService.qml
index b4eeff2..d5941d5 100644
--- a/shell/services/MprisService.qml
+++ b/shell/services/MprisService.qml
@@ -11,14 +11,9 @@ QtObject {
     readonly property MprisPlayer player: players[playerIdx] ?? players[0] ?? null
     readonly property bool playing: player?.playbackState === MprisPlaybackState.Playing
 
-    // Track the identity of the selected player so we can find it after list changes
     property string _selectedIdentity: ""
-
-    // Track which player played most recently (by identity)
     property var _lastPlayedTime: ({})
-
-    // Track previous playing state per player to detect transitions
-    property var _wasPlaying: ({})
+    property var _watchers: []
 
     onPlayerChanged: {
         if (player)
@@ -26,13 +21,11 @@ QtObject {
     }
 
     onPlayersChanged: {
-        // Try to find the previously selected player by identity
         if (_selectedIdentity) {
             const idx = players.findIndex(p => (p.identity ?? "") === _selectedIdentity);
             if (idx >= 0) {
                 playerIdx = idx;
             } else {
-                // Selected player disappeared - switch to best alternative
                 _switchToBest();
             }
         } else if (playerIdx >= players.length) {
@@ -40,46 +33,60 @@ QtObject {
         }
     }
 
-    // Poll playback states to detect transitions - Connections on dynamic
-    // targets get destroyed during list re-evaluation, losing the signal
-    property Timer _statePoll: Timer {
-        interval: 250
-        running: root.players.length > 0
-        repeat: true
-        onTriggered: root._checkStates()
+    // Watch raw Mpris.players for add/remove - this does NOT fire on state changes
+    property Connections _mprisConn: Connections {
+        target: Mpris
+        function onPlayersChanged() {
+            root._reconnectWatchers();
+        }
     }
 
-    function _checkStates() {
-        const prevWas = _wasPlaying;
-        const nextWas = {};
+    function _reconnectWatchers() {
+        for (const w of _watchers)
+            w.destroy();
 
-        for (let i = 0; i < players.length; i++) {
-            const p = players[i];
-            const identity = p.identity ?? "";
-            const isPlaying = p.playbackState === MprisPlaybackState.Playing;
-            nextWas[identity] = isPlaying;
+        const raw = Mpris.players.values ?? [];
+        const newWatchers = [];
+        for (const p of raw) {
+            const conn = _watcherComp.createObject(root, {
+                target: p
+            });
+            newWatchers.push(conn);
+        }
+        _watchers = newWatchers;
+    }
 
-            if (isPlaying && !prevWas[identity]) {
-                // This player just started playing
-                const times = Object.assign({}, _lastPlayedTime);
-                times[identity] = Date.now();
-                _lastPlayedTime = times;
+    property Component _watcherComp: Component {
+        Connections {
+            function onPlaybackStateChanged() {
+                root._onPlaybackStateChanged(target);
+            }
+        }
+    }
 
-                // Always switch to the newly playing player
-                if (player !== p) {
-                    playerIdx = i;
+    function _onPlaybackStateChanged(p) {
+        if (!p)
+            return;
+
+        const identity = p.identity ?? "";
+
+        if (p.playbackState === MprisPlaybackState.Playing) {
+            const times = Object.assign({}, _lastPlayedTime);
+            times[identity] = Date.now();
+            _lastPlayedTime = times;
+
+            // Always switch to the newly playing player
+            if (player !== p) {
+                const idx = players.indexOf(p);
+                if (idx >= 0) {
+                    playerIdx = idx;
                     _selectedIdentity = identity;
                 }
             }
-        }
-
-        // Check if current player just paused
-        const curIdentity = player?.identity ?? "";
-        if (prevWas[curIdentity] && !nextWas[curIdentity]) {
+        } else if (p.playbackState === MprisPlaybackState.Paused && p === player) {
+            // Current player paused - switch to a playing one if available
             _switchToPlaying();
         }
-
-        _wasPlaying = nextWas;
     }
 
     function _switchToPlaying() {
@@ -132,4 +139,6 @@ QtObject {
         if (players[idx])
             _selectedIdentity = players[idx].identity ?? "";
     }
+
+    Component.onCompleted: _reconnectWatchers()
 }