diff --git a/src-tauri/src/commands/player/mod.rs b/src-tauri/src/commands/player/mod.rs
index a3c39100..24c79093 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/commands/player/mod.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/commands/player/mod.rs
@@ -205,6 +205,15 @@ pub struct PlayItemRequest {
     /// zero-duration session renders no scrubber, even with ACTION_SEEK_TO set.
     #[serde(default)]
     pub duration_seconds: Option<f64>,
+    /// Item type (e.g. "Episode", "Movie", "Audio"). Carried through the
+    /// background-audio handoff so an episode played as audio-only is still
+    /// recognised as an episode by autoplay (UR-040) and advances to the next one.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub item_type: Option<String>,
+    /// Series ID for TV episodes. Needed alongside `item_type` so the backend can
+    /// look up the next episode when a background-audio track ends.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub series_id: Option<String>,
 }
 
 /// Queue context for remote transfer - what type of queue is this?
@@ -601,7 +610,9 @@ pub async fn player_enter_background_audio(
         artists: None,
         primary_image_tag: item.primary_image_tag.clone(),
         image_id: item.primary_image_tag.clone(),
-        item_type: None,
+        // Carry episode identity so autoplay can advance to the next episode when
+        // this audio-only handoff ends while backgrounded (UR-040).
+        item_type: item.item_type.clone(),
         playlist_id: None,
         // Carry the real duration so the lockscreen MediaSession can draw a scrubber.
         duration: item.duration_seconds,
@@ -616,7 +627,7 @@ pub async fn player_enter_background_audio(
         video_width: None,
         video_height: None,
         subtitles: vec![],
-        series_id: None,
+        series_id: item.series_id.clone(),
         server_id: item.server_id.clone(),
     };
 
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/player/android/mod.rs b/src-tauri/src/player/android/mod.rs
index 754cd020..ff508324 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/player/android/mod.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/player/android/mod.rs
@@ -858,12 +858,40 @@ pub extern "system" fn Java_com_dtourolle_jellytau_player_JellyTauPlayer_nativeO
                         });
                     }
 
-                    // Start countdown if auto_advance enabled
                     if auto_advance {
-                        controller
-                            .lock()
-                            .await
-                            .start_autoplay_countdown(next_episode, countdown_seconds);
+                        // Background audio-only episode: the frontend that normally
+                        // performs the advance (goto /player/<id>) is suspended, so
+                        // the backend must load the next episode's audio-only stream
+                        // itself — otherwise playback just stops at the boundary.
+                        let is_bg_audio_episode =
+                            controller.lock().await.current_is_audio_episode();
+                        if is_bg_audio_episode {
+                            log::info!(
+                                "[Autoplay] Background audio episode — advancing to {} in backend",
+                                next_episode.id
+                            );
+                            let ctrl = controller.lock().await;
+                            if let Err(e) = ctrl
+                                .advance_to_next_episode_audio_only(&next_episode.id)
+                                .await
+                            {
+                                log::error!(
+                                    "[Autoplay] Background audio advance failed: {} — stopping",
+                                    e
+                                );
+                                if let Some(emitter) = EVENT_EMITTER.get() {
+                                    emitter.emit(PlayerStatusEvent::PlaybackEnded);
+                                }
+                            } else {
+                                ctrl.emit_queue_changed();
+                            }
+                        } else {
+                            // Foreground: frontend drives the advance off the countdown.
+                            controller
+                                .lock()
+                                .await
+                                .start_autoplay_countdown(next_episode, countdown_seconds);
+                        }
                     }
                 }
                 Err(e) => {
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/player/mod.rs b/src-tauri/src/player/mod.rs
index f9afa0d0..0c4bd814 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/player/mod.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/player/mod.rs
@@ -658,6 +658,24 @@ impl PlayerController {
         self.queue.clone()
     }
 
+    /// True when the current item is a TV episode being played in audio-only
+    /// (background) mode — i.e. an `item_type == "Episode"` item loaded as
+    /// `MediaType::Audio`. Used to decide whether the backend must drive the
+    /// next-episode advance itself (the frontend is suspended in the background).
+    ///
+    /// Only *called* from the Android autoplay dispatch (`#[cfg(android)]`), but
+    /// compiled and unit-tested on the host, hence `allow(dead_code)` off-Android.
+    #[cfg_attr(not(target_os = "android"), allow(dead_code))]
+    pub fn current_is_audio_episode(&self) -> bool {
+        self.queue
+            .lock_safe()
+            .current()
+            .map(|item| {
+                item.media_type == MediaType::Audio && item.item_type.as_deref() == Some("Episode")
+            })
+            .unwrap_or(false)
+    }
+
     /// Clear the queue entirely (used when playback genuinely stops, e.g. the
     /// sleep timer fires or the queue ends with repeat off). Pair with
     /// `emit_queue_changed` so the frontend hides the mini player.
@@ -963,9 +981,11 @@ impl PlayerController {
                 return Ok(AutoplayDecision::Stop);
             }
             SleepTimerMode::Episodes { .. } => {
-                // Only count TV episodes (not audio tracks or movies)
-                let is_episode =
-                    current.media_type == MediaType::Video && self.is_episode_item(&current).await;
+                // Only count TV episodes (not audio tracks or movies). Note an
+                // episode played in background-audio mode is MediaType::Audio, so
+                // rely on is_episode_item (which checks item_type) rather than the
+                // media_type alone.
+                let is_episode = self.is_episode_item(&current).await;
 
                 if is_episode {
                     let should_stop = self.sleep_timer.lock_safe().decrement_episode();
@@ -981,10 +1001,12 @@ impl PlayerController {
             }
         }
 
-        // For video episodes, fetch next episode and show popup
+        // For episodes, fetch next episode and show popup.
         // Note: This path is typically not hit for HTML5 video (which uses on_video_playback_ended).
-        // It's here for the Android ExoPlayer path where video items may be in the backend queue.
-        if current.media_type == MediaType::Video && self.is_episode_item(&current).await {
+        // It's here for the Android ExoPlayer path where episode items sit in the
+        // backend queue — including background-audio mode, where the episode is a
+        // MediaType::Audio item, so gate on is_episode_item (item_type), not media_type.
+        if self.is_episode_item(&current).await {
             let repo = self.repository.lock_safe().clone();
             let jellyfin_id = current.jellyfin_id().unwrap_or(&current.id);
             let next_ep_result = if let Some(repo) = &repo {
@@ -1042,6 +1064,77 @@ impl PlayerController {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Advance to the next episode while playing audio-only in the background.
+    ///
+    /// The normal autoplay-next path navigates the frontend to `/player/<id>`,
+    /// which is unavailable when the app is backgrounded and the WebView is
+    /// suspended. This drives the advance entirely in the backend: build the next
+    /// episode's *audio-only* stream URL and load it into the native audio player,
+    /// so playback continues without any frontend involvement (UR-040).
+    ///
+    /// `next_episode_id` is the Jellyfin item ID of the episode to play next.
+    ///
+    /// Called from the Android autoplay dispatch (`#[cfg(android)]`); compiled and
+    /// unit-tested on the host, hence `allow(dead_code)` off-Android.
+    /// TRACES: UR-040, UR-023 | DR-052
+    #[cfg_attr(not(target_os = "android"), allow(dead_code))]
+    pub async fn advance_to_next_episode_audio_only(
+        &self,
+        next_episode_id: &str,
+    ) -> Result<(), String> {
+        let repo = self
+            .repository
+            .lock_safe()
+            .clone()
+            .ok_or_else(|| "No repository for background episode advance".to_string())?;
+
+        // Details for session metadata (title/series/artwork) and the stream URL.
+        let next = repo
+            .get_item(next_episode_id)
+            .await
+            .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to fetch next episode {}: {}", next_episode_id, e))?;
+
+        // Audio-only transcode from the start of the episode (no resume offset —
+        // a freshly-started next episode always plays from the beginning).
+        let stream_url = repo
+            .get_audio_only_stream_url_for_video(next_episode_id, None, None, None)
+            .await
+            .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to build audio-only URL for next episode: {}", e))?;
+
+        let media_item = MediaItem {
+            id: next.id.clone(),
+            title: next.name.clone(),
+            name: Some(next.name.clone()),
+            artist: next.series_name.clone(),
+            album: None,
+            album_name: None,
+            album_id: None,
+            artist_items: None,
+            artists: None,
+            primary_image_tag: next.primary_image_tag.clone(),
+            image_id: next.image_id.clone().or(next.primary_image_tag.clone()),
+            // Preserve episode identity so the NEXT end-of-track also advances.
+            item_type: Some("Episode".to_string()),
+            playlist_id: None,
+            duration: next.duration_ms.map(|ms| ms as f64 / 1000.0),
+            artwork_url: None,
+            media_type: MediaType::Audio,
+            source: MediaSource::Remote {
+                stream_url,
+                jellyfin_item_id: next.id.clone(),
+            },
+            video_codec: None,
+            needs_transcoding: false,
+            video_width: None,
+            video_height: None,
+            subtitles: vec![],
+            series_id: next.series_id.clone(),
+            server_id: Some(next.server_id.clone()),
+        };
+
+        self.play_item(media_item).map_err(|e| e.to_string())
+    }
+
     /// Handle video playback ended from HTML5 video element.
     ///
     /// HTML5 video plays independently of the Rust backend, so the backend
@@ -1135,11 +1228,19 @@ impl PlayerController {
         Ok(AutoplayDecision::Stop)
     }
 
-    /// Check if a media item is an episode (has Jellyfin ID to query)
+    /// Check if a media item is an episode (has Jellyfin ID to query).
+    ///
+    /// An explicit `item_type == "Episode"` wins so that a TV episode handed off
+    /// to the audio path for background playback (UR-040) is still recognised as
+    /// an episode — otherwise autoplay would fall through to the queue-based
+    /// audio path, find nothing next, and stop at the episode boundary. When the
+    /// type is unknown we fall back to the historical heuristic (video == episode).
     async fn is_episode_item(&self, item: &MediaItem) -> bool {
-        // For now, assume video items are episodes
-        // In production, we'd check item metadata or query Jellyfin
-        item.media_type == MediaType::Video
+        match item.item_type.as_deref() {
+            Some("Episode") => true,
+            Some(_) => item.media_type == MediaType::Video,
+            None => item.media_type == MediaType::Video,
+        }
     }
 
     /// Fetch next episode for a series by looking up the season's episodes
@@ -2311,6 +2412,15 @@ mod tests {
         async fn get_audio_stream_url(&self, _: &str) -> Result<String, repo_types::RepoError> {
             unimplemented!()
         }
+        async fn get_audio_only_stream_url_for_video(
+            &self,
+            item_id: &str,
+            _media_source_id: Option<&str>,
+            _start_time_seconds: Option<f64>,
+            _audio_stream_index: Option<i32>,
+        ) -> Result<String, repo_types::RepoError> {
+            Ok(format!("http://example.com/{}-audio.mp3", item_id))
+        }
         async fn get_live_tv_channels(
             &self,
         ) -> Result<Vec<repo_types::MediaItem>, repo_types::RepoError> {
@@ -2503,6 +2613,86 @@ mod tests {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Background audio-only mode (UR-040): a video episode is handed off to the
+    /// native ExoPlayer *audio* path as a `MediaType::Audio` item so it keeps
+    /// playing while the app is backgrounded. When that audio track ends, autoplay
+    /// must STILL recognise it as an episode and offer the next one — otherwise
+    /// playback just pauses at the episode boundary (the reported bug). The item
+    /// carries its episode identity via `item_type: "Episode"` + `series_id`.
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_playback_ended_background_audio_episode_advances() {
+        let controller = PlayerController::default();
+        controller.set_repository(Arc::new(MockEpisodeRepo::season(3)));
+
+        // Mirrors what player_enter_background_audio builds: the episode as AUDIO.
+        let episode = MediaItem {
+            item_type: Some("Episode".to_string()),
+            media_type: MediaType::Audio, // audio-only handoff, not Video
+            series_id: Some("series1".to_string()),
+            source: MediaSource::Remote {
+                stream_url: "http://example.com/ep2-audio.m3u8".to_string(),
+                jellyfin_item_id: "ep2".to_string(),
+            },
+            ..create_test_items(1).remove(0)
+        };
+        controller.play_queue(vec![episode], 0).unwrap();
+
+        // Clear the NewTrackLoaded reason to simulate natural track end.
+        controller.take_end_reason();
+
+        let decision = controller.on_playback_ended().await.unwrap();
+
+        match decision {
+            AutoplayDecision::ShowNextEpisodePopup { next_episode, .. } => {
+                assert_eq!(next_episode.id, "ep3");
+            }
+            other => panic!(
+                "background-audio episode end must advance to the next episode, got {:?}",
+                other
+            ),
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// The backend-driven advance (used when backgrounded) must load the next
+    /// episode as an AUDIO item carrying its episode identity, so the *following*
+    /// end-of-track also advances rather than stopping.
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_advance_to_next_episode_audio_only_loads_audio_episode() {
+        let controller = PlayerController::default();
+        controller.set_repository(Arc::new(MockEpisodeRepo::season(3)));
+
+        controller
+            .advance_to_next_episode_audio_only("ep2")
+            .await
+            .expect("advance should succeed");
+
+        let current = controller
+            .queue
+            .lock_safe()
+            .current()
+            .cloned()
+            .expect("an item should be loaded");
+        assert_eq!(current.id, "ep2");
+        assert_eq!(current.media_type, MediaType::Audio);
+        assert_eq!(current.item_type.as_deref(), Some("Episode"));
+        assert_eq!(current.series_id.as_deref(), Some("series1"));
+        // Uses the audio-only URL, not a video stream.
+        match &current.source {
+            MediaSource::Remote { stream_url, .. } => {
+                assert!(
+                    stream_url.contains("audio"),
+                    "expected audio-only URL, got {}",
+                    stream_url
+                );
+            }
+            other => panic!("expected Remote source, got {:?}", other),
+        }
+
+        // The controller now considers itself mid background-audio episode, so the
+        // next end-of-track will advance again rather than stop.
+        assert!(controller.current_is_audio_episode());
+    }
+
     /// Without a controller repository the Android episode path must still
     /// stop gracefully (previous behavior) rather than error.
     #[tokio::test]
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/repository/hybrid.rs b/src-tauri/src/repository/hybrid.rs
index b4ba9a0c..2d15c1b6 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/repository/hybrid.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/repository/hybrid.rs
@@ -641,6 +641,24 @@ impl MediaRepository for HybridRepository {
         self.online.get_audio_stream_url(item_id).await
     }
 
+    async fn get_audio_only_stream_url_for_video(
+        &self,
+        item_id: &str,
+        media_source_id: Option<&str>,
+        start_time_seconds: Option<f64>,
+        audio_stream_index: Option<i32>,
+    ) -> Result<String, RepoError> {
+        // Audio-only transcode of a video requires the server - delegate to online.
+        self.online
+            .build_audio_only_stream_url_for_video(
+                item_id,
+                media_source_id,
+                start_time_seconds,
+                audio_stream_index,
+            )
+            .await
+    }
+
     async fn get_live_tv_channels(&self) -> Result<Vec<MediaItem>, RepoError> {
         // Live TV requires server communication - delegate to online repository
         self.online.get_live_tv_channels().await
@@ -1028,6 +1046,16 @@ mod tests {
             unimplemented!()
         }
 
+        async fn get_audio_only_stream_url_for_video(
+            &self,
+            _item_id: &str,
+            _media_source_id: Option<&str>,
+            _start_time_seconds: Option<f64>,
+            _audio_stream_index: Option<i32>,
+        ) -> Result<String, RepoError> {
+            unimplemented!()
+        }
+
         async fn get_live_tv_channels(&self) -> Result<Vec<MediaItem>, RepoError> {
             unimplemented!()
         }
@@ -1276,6 +1304,16 @@ mod tests {
             unimplemented!()
         }
 
+        async fn get_audio_only_stream_url_for_video(
+            &self,
+            _item_id: &str,
+            _media_source_id: Option<&str>,
+            _start_time_seconds: Option<f64>,
+            _audio_stream_index: Option<i32>,
+        ) -> Result<String, RepoError> {
+            unimplemented!()
+        }
+
         async fn get_live_tv_channels(&self) -> Result<Vec<MediaItem>, RepoError> {
             unimplemented!()
         }
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/repository/mod.rs b/src-tauri/src/repository/mod.rs
index fec92d72..109f3d95 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/repository/mod.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/repository/mod.rs
@@ -117,6 +117,22 @@ pub trait MediaRepository: Send + Sync {
     /// @req: JA-007 - Get playback info and stream URL
     async fn get_audio_stream_url(&self, item_id: &str) -> Result<String, RepoError>;
 
+    /// Get an audio-only stream URL for a *video* item (background-audio handoff).
+    ///
+    /// Used when autoplay advances to the next episode while the app is playing a
+    /// video in audio-only mode in the background: the backend needs the next
+    /// episode's audio-only URL without any frontend round-trip. Online-only;
+    /// offline/cache repositories return an error.
+    ///
+    /// TRACES: UR-040 | JA-032
+    async fn get_audio_only_stream_url_for_video(
+        &self,
+        item_id: &str,
+        media_source_id: Option<&str>,
+        start_time_seconds: Option<f64>,
+        audio_stream_index: Option<i32>,
+    ) -> Result<String, RepoError>;
+
     /// Get Live TV channels (broadcast / IPTV) for browsing.
     async fn get_live_tv_channels(&self) -> Result<Vec<MediaItem>, RepoError>;
 
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/repository/offline.rs b/src-tauri/src/repository/offline.rs
index 469f0ec4..1d3a7645 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/repository/offline.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/repository/offline.rs
@@ -1518,6 +1518,17 @@ impl MediaRepository for OfflineRepository {
         Err(RepoError::Offline)
     }
 
+    async fn get_audio_only_stream_url_for_video(
+        &self,
+        _item_id: &str,
+        _media_source_id: Option<&str>,
+        _start_time_seconds: Option<f64>,
+        _audio_stream_index: Option<i32>,
+    ) -> Result<String, RepoError> {
+        // Audio-only transcode requires the server; offline downloads play locally.
+        Err(RepoError::Offline)
+    }
+
     async fn get_live_tv_channels(&self) -> Result<Vec<MediaItem>, RepoError> {
         // Live TV is inherently online-only.
         Err(RepoError::Offline)
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/repository/online.rs b/src-tauri/src/repository/online.rs
index c2800968..03b82e65 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/repository/online.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/repository/online.rs
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ impl OnlineRepository {
     /// `/universal` endpoint (no `.m3u8` in the path) fails its progressive
     /// loader with `ERROR_CODE_PARSING_CONTAINER_UNSUPPORTED`. mp3 is universally
     /// decodable and supports mid-stream `StartTimeTicks`.
-    pub async fn get_audio_only_stream_url_for_video(
+    pub async fn build_audio_only_stream_url_for_video(
         &self,
         item_id: &str,
         media_source_id: Option<&str>,
@@ -1355,6 +1355,22 @@ impl MediaRepository for OnlineRepository {
         Ok(url)
     }
 
+    async fn get_audio_only_stream_url_for_video(
+        &self,
+        item_id: &str,
+        media_source_id: Option<&str>,
+        start_time_seconds: Option<f64>,
+        audio_stream_index: Option<i32>,
+    ) -> Result<String, RepoError> {
+        self.build_audio_only_stream_url_for_video(
+            item_id,
+            media_source_id,
+            start_time_seconds,
+            audio_stream_index,
+        )
+        .await
+    }
+
     async fn get_live_tv_channels(&self) -> Result<Vec<MediaItem>, RepoError> {
         // Live TV channels (broadcast tuners / IPTV M3U). Returned as items with
         // type "TvChannel" — playable via open_live_stream.
diff --git a/src/lib/api/bindings.ts b/src/lib/api/bindings.ts
index 2223c29e..bb0df990 100644
--- a/src/lib/api/bindings.ts
+++ b/src/lib/api/bindings.ts
@@ -2055,7 +2055,18 @@ artist?: string | null; primaryImageTag?: string | null; serverId?: string | nul
  * handoff so the lockscreen MediaSession advertises a real duration — a
  * zero-duration session renders no scrubber, even with ACTION_SEEK_TO set.
  */
-durationSeconds?: number | null }
+durationSeconds?: number | null; 
+/**
+ * Item type (e.g. "Episode", "Movie", "Audio"). Carried through the
+ * background-audio handoff so an episode played as audio-only is still
+ * recognised as an episode by autoplay (UR-040) and advances to the next one.
+ */
+itemType?: string | null; 
+/**
+ * Series ID for TV episodes. Needed alongside `item_type` so the backend can
+ * look up the next episode when a background-audio track ends.
+ */
+seriesId?: string | null }
 /**
  * Queue context for remote transfer - what type of queue is this?
  */
diff --git a/src/lib/components/player/VideoPlayer.svelte b/src/lib/components/player/VideoPlayer.svelte
index 697d49ac..41f72f1e 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/player/VideoPlayer.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/player/VideoPlayer.svelte
@@ -1233,6 +1233,10 @@
           serverId: media.serverId ?? null,
           // Real duration so the lockscreen scrubber has a range to draw.
           durationSeconds: duration > 0 ? duration : null,
+          // Episode identity so the backend can auto-advance to the next episode
+          // when this audio-only stream ends while backgrounded (UR-040).
+          itemType: media.type ?? null,
+          seriesId: media.seriesId ?? null,
         },
         pos,
       );