diff --git a/client/public/version.js b/client/public/version.js
index 033c289..da77a6e 100644
--- a/client/public/version.js
+++ b/client/public/version.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // Maintainer-controlled web client version.
 // Format: YYYY.MM.DD Rn (example: 2026.02.20 R2)
-window.CHGRID_WEB_VERSION = "2026.02.25 R234";
+window.CHGRID_WEB_VERSION = "2026.02.25 R235";
 // Optional display timezone for timestamps. Falls back to America/Detroit if unset/invalid.
 window.CHGRID_TIME_ZONE = "America/Detroit";
diff --git a/client/src/audio/itemEmitRuntime.ts b/client/src/audio/itemEmitRuntime.ts
index be9efaf..efab08e 100644
--- a/client/src/audio/itemEmitRuntime.ts
+++ b/client/src/audio/itemEmitRuntime.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ const UNSUBSCRIBE_HYSTERESIS_SQUARES = 8;
 const SPATIAL_RAMP_SECONDS = 0.2;
 const SPATIAL_TIME_CONSTANT_SECONDS = SPATIAL_RAMP_SECONDS / 3;
 const STREAM_PLAY_RETRY_MS = 5000;
+const STREAM_PLAY_MAX_RETRIES = 6;
+const STREAM_PLAY_RESET_COOLDOWN_MS = 60000;
 
 /** Maps a 0-100 speed control to playback-rate range used by emitted audio. */
 function resolveEmitPlaybackRate(raw: unknown): number {
@@ -67,6 +69,7 @@ export class ItemEmitRuntime {
   private readonly outputs = new Map<string, EmitOutput>();
   private readonly pendingEmitStarts = new Set<string>();
   private readonly nextEmitStartAtMs = new Map<string, number>();
+  private readonly emitStartFailureCount = new Map<string, number>();
   private layerEnabled = true;
   private listenerPositions: Array<{ x: number; y: number }> = [];
 
@@ -89,6 +92,7 @@ export class ItemEmitRuntime {
     this.outputs.delete(itemId);
     this.pendingEmitStarts.delete(itemId);
     this.nextEmitStartAtMs.delete(itemId);
+    this.emitStartFailureCount.delete(itemId);
   }
 
   cleanupAll(): void {
@@ -278,8 +282,16 @@ export class ItemEmitRuntime {
       .play()
       .then(() => {
         this.nextEmitStartAtMs.delete(itemId);
+        this.emitStartFailureCount.delete(itemId);
       })
       .catch(() => {
+        const failures = (this.emitStartFailureCount.get(itemId) ?? 0) + 1;
+        if (failures >= STREAM_PLAY_MAX_RETRIES) {
+          this.emitStartFailureCount.set(itemId, 0);
+          this.nextEmitStartAtMs.set(itemId, Date.now() + STREAM_PLAY_RESET_COOLDOWN_MS);
+          return;
+        }
+        this.emitStartFailureCount.set(itemId, failures);
         this.nextEmitStartAtMs.set(itemId, Date.now() + STREAM_PLAY_RETRY_MS);
       })
       .finally(() => {
diff --git a/client/src/audio/radioStationRuntime.ts b/client/src/audio/radioStationRuntime.ts
index aba4293..392ea99 100644
--- a/client/src/audio/radioStationRuntime.ts
+++ b/client/src/audio/radioStationRuntime.ts
@@ -168,12 +168,15 @@ const UNSUBSCRIBE_HYSTERESIS_SQUARES = 8;
 const SPATIAL_RAMP_SECONDS = 0.2;
 const SPATIAL_TIME_CONSTANT_SECONDS = SPATIAL_RAMP_SECONDS / 3;
 const STREAM_PLAY_RETRY_MS = 5000;
+const STREAM_PLAY_MAX_RETRIES = 6;
+const STREAM_PLAY_RESET_COOLDOWN_MS = 60000;
 
 export class RadioStationRuntime {
   private readonly sharedRadioSources = new Map<string, SharedRadioSource>();
   private readonly itemRadioOutputs = new Map<string, ItemRadioOutput>();
   private readonly pendingSharedStarts = new Set<string>();
   private readonly nextSharedStartAtMs = new Map<string, number>();
+  private readonly sharedStartFailureCount = new Map<string, number>();
   private layerEnabled = true;
   private listenerPositions: Array<{ x: number; y: number }> = [];
 
@@ -339,6 +342,7 @@ export class RadioStationRuntime {
     this.sharedRadioSources.delete(streamUrl);
     this.pendingSharedStarts.delete(streamUrl);
     this.nextSharedStartAtMs.delete(streamUrl);
+    this.sharedStartFailureCount.delete(streamUrl);
   }
 
   private getOrCreateSharedSource(streamUrl: string): SharedRadioSource | null {
@@ -390,8 +394,16 @@ export class RadioStationRuntime {
       .play()
       .then(() => {
         this.nextSharedStartAtMs.delete(shared.streamUrl);
+        this.sharedStartFailureCount.delete(shared.streamUrl);
       })
       .catch(() => {
+        const failures = (this.sharedStartFailureCount.get(shared.streamUrl) ?? 0) + 1;
+        if (failures >= STREAM_PLAY_MAX_RETRIES) {
+          this.sharedStartFailureCount.set(shared.streamUrl, 0);
+          this.nextSharedStartAtMs.set(shared.streamUrl, Date.now() + STREAM_PLAY_RESET_COOLDOWN_MS);
+          return;
+        }
+        this.sharedStartFailureCount.set(shared.streamUrl, failures);
         this.nextSharedStartAtMs.set(shared.streamUrl, Date.now() + STREAM_PLAY_RETRY_MS);
       })
       .finally(() => {