diff --git a/src/lib/components/player/VideoPlayer.svelte b/src/lib/components/player/VideoPlayer.svelte
index 905f3a5..7612970 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/player/VideoPlayer.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/player/VideoPlayer.svelte
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <!-- TRACES: UR-003, UR-005, UR-020, UR-021, UR-026 | DR-010, DR-023, DR-024 -->
 <script lang="ts">
-  import { onMount, onDestroy } from "svelte";
+  import { onMount, onDestroy, untrack } from "svelte";
   import { commands } from "$lib/api/bindings";
   import { listen } from "@tauri-apps/api/event";
   import Hls from "hls.js";
@@ -20,9 +20,13 @@
     needsTranscoding?: boolean; // Whether content needs transcoding (HEVC/10-bit) - affects seeking behavior
     onClose: () => void;
     onSeek?: (positionSeconds: number, audioStreamIndex?: number) => Promise<string>; // Returns new stream URL for transcoded seeking
-    onReportProgress?: (positionSeconds: number, isPaused: boolean) => void;
-    onReportStart?: (positionSeconds: number) => void;
-    onReportStop?: (positionSeconds: number) => void;
+    // Reporting callbacks pass the played media's id explicitly so a late
+    // reportStop (fired from onDestroy during autoplay navigation) is attributed
+    // to the episode this player actually played, not the next episode whose URL
+    // is already active on the page.
+    onReportProgress?: (positionSeconds: number, isPaused: boolean, reportId?: string) => void;
+    onReportStart?: (positionSeconds: number, reportId?: string) => void;
+    onReportStop?: (positionSeconds: number, reportId?: string) => void;
     onEnded?: () => void; // Called when video playback ends naturally
     onNext?: () => void; // Called when user clicks next episode button
     hasNext?: boolean; // Whether there is a next episode available
@@ -30,6 +34,12 @@
 
   let { media, streamUrl, mediaSourceId, initialPosition, needsTranscoding = false, onClose, onSeek, onReportProgress, onReportStart, onReportStop, onEnded, onNext, hasNext = false }: Props = $props();
 
+  // The id this player instance reports progress against. Snapshotted from the
+  // media prop so a late reportStop (e.g. from onDestroy during autoplay
+  // navigation) is always attributed to the episode this player played.
+  // untrack() makes the intent explicit: capture the initial value only.
+  const reportMediaId = untrack(() => media?.id);
+
   let videoElement: HTMLVideoElement | null = $state(null);
   let isPlaying = $state(false);
   let currentTime = $state(0);
@@ -470,7 +480,7 @@
     // Report progress every 10 seconds while playing
     progressInterval = setInterval(() => {
       if (isPlaying && !isSeeking && onReportProgress) {
-        onReportProgress(currentTime, false);
+        onReportProgress(currentTime, false, reportMediaId);
       }
     }, 10000);
 
@@ -536,7 +546,7 @@
 
     // Report stop when component is destroyed
     if (onReportStop && currentTime > 0) {
-      onReportStop(currentTime);
+      onReportStop(currentTime, reportMediaId);
     }
   });
 
@@ -730,7 +740,7 @@
     startTimeUpdates(); // Start RAF loop for smooth time updates
     // Report playback start on first play
     if (!hasReportedStart && onReportStart) {
-      onReportStart(currentTime);
+      onReportStart(currentTime, reportMediaId);
       hasReportedStart = true;
     }
   }
@@ -740,7 +750,7 @@
     stopTimeUpdates(); // Stop RAF loop when paused
     // Report progress when paused
     if (onReportProgress) {
-      onReportProgress(currentTime, true);
+      onReportProgress(currentTime, true, reportMediaId);
     }
   }
 
@@ -749,7 +759,7 @@
     stopTimeUpdates(); // Stop RAF loop when ended
     // Report stop when video ends
     if (onReportStop) {
-      onReportStop(currentTime);
+      onReportStop(currentTime, reportMediaId);
     }
     // Notify parent that video has ended (for next episode popup)
     if (onEnded) {
diff --git a/src/lib/services/nextEpisodeService.ts b/src/lib/services/nextEpisodeService.ts
index f6f9d77..2eaa98b 100644
--- a/src/lib/services/nextEpisodeService.ts
+++ b/src/lib/services/nextEpisodeService.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@ export async function cancelAutoPlay() {
 /**
  * Navigate to the next episode via goto().
  * Uses replaceState to prevent history buildup when auto-advancing.
+ *
+ * Advancing to a next episode always starts that episode from the
+ * beginning, even if it was previously started or watched. The `restart`
+ * query param signals the player page to skip the resume-progress check.
  */
 function navigateToEpisode(episode: MediaItem) {
   if (isNavigating) {
@@ -48,7 +52,7 @@ function navigateToEpisode(episode: MediaItem) {
   isNavigating = true;
   console.log("[NextEpisode] Navigating to next episode:", episode.id, episode.name);
   nextEpisode.hidePopup();
-  goto(`/player/${episode.id}`, { replaceState: true }).finally(() => {
+  goto(`/player/${episode.id}?restart=true`, { replaceState: true }).finally(() => {
     isNavigating = false;
   });
 }
diff --git a/src/routes/player/[id]/+page.svelte b/src/routes/player/[id]/+page.svelte
index 02be4a6..fe3c874 100644
--- a/src/routes/player/[id]/+page.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/player/[id]/+page.svelte
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@
   const itemId = $derived($page.params.id);
   const queueParam = $derived($page.url.searchParams.get("queue"));
   const shuffleParam = $derived($page.url.searchParams.get("shuffle") === "true");
+  // When advancing to a next episode we always start from the beginning,
+  // even if the episode was previously started or watched.
+  const restartParam = $derived($page.url.searchParams.get("restart") === "true");
 
   // Derive playback context from URL query params
   const playbackContext = $derived.by(() => {
@@ -80,9 +83,12 @@
   // Load when itemId changes (handles both initial load and navigation)
   $effect(() => {
     const id = itemId;
+    const restart = restartParam;
     if (id && id !== loadedItemId) {
-      console.log("[AutoPlay] $effect triggered: loading new item", id, "(was:", loadedItemId, ")");
-      loadAndPlay(id);
+      console.log("[AutoPlay] $effect triggered: loading new item", id, "(was:", loadedItemId, ") restart:", restart);
+      // restart=true (advancing to next episode) forces start-from-beginning,
+      // bypassing the resume-progress check.
+      loadAndPlay(id, restart ? 0 : undefined, restart);
     }
   });
 
@@ -96,7 +102,7 @@
     }
   });
 
-  async function loadAndPlay(id: string, startPosition?: number) {
+  async function loadAndPlay(id: string, startPosition?: number, forceRestart = false) {
     loading = true;
     error = null;
     loadedItemId = id;
@@ -118,9 +124,11 @@
       }
 
       // If this track is already playing in the backend, just show the UI
-      // without restarting playback (e.g., when expanding from MiniPlayer)
+      // without restarting playback (e.g., when expanding from MiniPlayer).
+      // forceRestart bypasses this so advancing to the next episode always
+      // restarts from the beginning even if it were already loaded.
       const alreadyPlayingMedia = get(storeCurrentMedia);
-      if (alreadyPlayingMedia?.id === id && !startPosition) {
+      if (alreadyPlayingMedia?.id === id && !startPosition && !forceRestart) {
         console.log("loadAndPlay: Track already playing, showing UI without restarting");
         isVideo = item.type === "Movie" || item.type === "Episode";
         isPlaying = true;
@@ -155,11 +163,13 @@
         }
       }
 
-      // Check for saved progress if no start position specified
+      // Check for saved progress if no start position specified.
+      // When forceRestart is set (advancing to a next episode) we always start
+      // from the beginning, skipping the resume check and resume dialog.
       const userId = auth.getUserId();
-      console.log("Resume check - userId:", userId, "itemId:", id, "startPosition:", startPosition);
+      console.log("Resume check - userId:", userId, "itemId:", id, "startPosition:", startPosition, "forceRestart:", forceRestart);
 
-      if (!startPosition && userId) {
+      if (!startPosition && !forceRestart && userId) {
         try {
           const progress = await commands.storageGetPlaybackProgress(userId, id);
           console.log("Resume check - retrieved progress:", progress);
@@ -471,23 +481,30 @@
   }
 
   // Playback reporting callbacks
-  function handleReportStart(positionSeconds: number) {
-    const id = itemId;
+  //
+  // These receive the reporting item id from the VideoPlayer (its own media.id),
+  // NOT the live URL param (itemId). During autoplay the URL flips to the next
+  // episode before the outgoing VideoPlayer's onDestroy fires its final
+  // reportStop. Keying off itemId would stamp the old episode's near-end
+  // position onto the new episode, making it resume at ~99% (or pop the resume
+  // dialog). The VideoPlayer always knows which media it actually played.
+  function handleReportStart(positionSeconds: number, reportId?: string) {
+    const id = reportId ?? itemId;
     const context = playbackContext; // playbackContext is a derived value, not a function
     if (id) {
       reportPlaybackStart(id, positionSeconds, context.type, context.id);
     }
   }
 
-  function handleReportProgress(positionSeconds: number, isPaused: boolean) {
-    const id = itemId;
+  function handleReportProgress(positionSeconds: number, isPaused: boolean, reportId?: string) {
+    const id = reportId ?? itemId;
     if (id) {
       reportPlaybackProgress(id, positionSeconds, isPaused);
     }
   }
 
-  function handleReportStop(positionSeconds: number) {
-    const id = itemId;
+  function handleReportStop(positionSeconds: number, reportId?: string) {
+    const id = reportId ?? itemId;
     if (id) {
       reportPlaybackStopped(id, positionSeconds);
     }
@@ -538,8 +555,10 @@
 
   function handleSkipToNextEpisode() {
     if (nextEpisode) {
-      // Use replaceState so "close/back" returns to the library, not the previous episode
-      goto(`/player/${nextEpisode.id}`, { replaceState: true });
+      // Use replaceState so "close/back" returns to the library, not the previous episode.
+      // restart=true so advancing to the next episode always starts from the beginning,
+      // even if it was previously started or watched.
+      goto(`/player/${nextEpisode.id}?restart=true`, { replaceState: true });
     }
   }