diff --git a/flutter_client/lib/app.dart b/flutter_client/lib/app.dart
index 93a6684c..a963d718 100644
--- a/flutter_client/lib/app.dart
+++ b/flutter_client/lib/app.dart
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import 'cache/metadata_prefetcher.dart';
 import 'cache/offline_provider.dart';
 import 'cache/mutation_queue.dart';
 import 'cache/prefetcher.dart';
+import 'cache/resume_controller.dart';
 import 'cache/sync_controller.dart';
 import 'player/play_events_reporter.dart';
 import 'shared/live_events_dispatcher.dart';
@@ -62,6 +63,11 @@ class _MinstrelAppState extends ConsumerState<MinstrelApp> {
       // scoring, scrobbles, and system-playlist rotation, and is the
       // path that carries the `source` tag for #415.
       ref.read(playEventsReporterProvider);
+      // Resume-on-launch (#54): restores the last persisted session
+      // (paused) and persists queue/index/position on track change,
+      // pause, and app teardown. Pairs with the #52 idle teardown so a
+      // torn-down session is recoverable instead of lost.
+      ref.read(resumeControllerProvider);
       // Offline marker (#427 S1): periodic /healthz reachability
       // probe → offlineProvider. Read here to start the poller; S4
       // gates system-playlist play + Shuffle-all on it.
diff --git a/flutter_client/lib/cache/db.dart b/flutter_client/lib/cache/db.dart
index 824adcb9..c46aaacd 100644
--- a/flutter_client/lib/cache/db.dart
+++ b/flutter_client/lib/cache/db.dart
@@ -230,6 +230,20 @@ class CachedQuarantineMine extends Table {
   Set<Column> get primaryKey => {trackId};
 }
 
+/// Single-row snapshot of the last playback session — queue (TrackRef
+/// JSON), current index, position, and #415 source. Lets a torn-down
+/// session (the #52 idle/dismissed teardown) resume on next launch;
+/// without it the headset / lock-screen play button has nothing to
+/// resume. Mirrors the CachedHomeSnapshot single-row JSON pattern.
+/// Schema 10+.
+class CachedResumeState extends Table {
+  IntColumn get id => integer().withDefault(const Constant(1))();
+  TextColumn get json => text()();
+  DateTimeColumn get updatedAt => dateTime().withDefault(currentDateAndTime)();
+  @override
+  Set<Column> get primaryKey => {id};
+}
+
 enum CacheSource { manual, autoLiked, autoPlaylist, autoPrefetch, incidental }
 
 @DriftDatabase(tables: [
@@ -247,12 +261,13 @@ enum CacheSource { manual, autoLiked, autoPlaylist, autoPrefetch, incidental }
   CachedHomeIndex,
   CachedSystemPlaylistsStatus,
   CachedMutations,
+  CachedResumeState,
 ])
 class AppDb extends _$AppDb {
   AppDb([QueryExecutor? e]) : super(e ?? driftDatabase(name: 'minstrel_cache'));
 
   @override
-  int get schemaVersion => 9;
+  int get schemaVersion => 10;
 
   @override
   MigrationStrategy get migration => MigrationStrategy(
@@ -316,6 +331,12 @@ class AppDb extends _$AppDb {
               'UPDATE audio_cache_index SET last_played_at = cached_at',
             );
           }
+          if (from < 10) {
+            // Schema 10 (#54): cached_resume_state — single-row last-
+            // session snapshot for resume-on-launch. Empty on upgrade;
+            // first persist populates it.
+            await m.createTable(cachedResumeState);
+          }
         },
       );
 }
diff --git a/flutter_client/lib/cache/resume_controller.dart b/flutter_client/lib/cache/resume_controller.dart
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b0dce1aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/flutter_client/lib/cache/resume_controller.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,159 @@
+// Resume-on-launch (#54). The #52 teardown tears the audio_service
+// session down (and clears mediaItem) when idle/dismissed, so the
+// headset / lock-screen play button otherwise has nothing to resume.
+// This controller persists the live queue + index + position + #415
+// source to a single-row drift snapshot on track change / pause / app
+// teardown, and on construction restores the last snapshot into the
+// handler PAUSED (the user sees their last track and continues with
+// play / a media button — we never auto-blast on launch).
+//
+// Persist guard: when the handler clears (teardown → mediaItem null /
+// empty queue) we deliberately do NOT write, so the last good snapshot
+// survives for the next launch — that survival is the whole point.
+
+import 'dart:async';
+import 'dart:convert';
+
+import 'package:drift/drift.dart' as drift;
+import 'package:flutter/widgets.dart';
+import 'package:flutter_riverpod/flutter_riverpod.dart';
+
+import '../auth/auth_provider.dart';
+import '../models/track.dart';
+import '../player/player_provider.dart';
+import 'audio_cache_manager.dart' show appDbProvider;
+import 'db.dart';
+
+class ResumeController with WidgetsBindingObserver {
+  ResumeController(this._ref);
+  final Ref _ref;
+
+  final _subs = <StreamSubscription<dynamic>>[];
+  Timer? _debounce;
+  bool _disposed = false;
+
+  Future<void> start() async {
+    try {
+      // audioHandlerProvider throws until main() overrides it (the real
+      // app always does). In tests / no-audio environments there's
+      // nothing to resume — stay inert.
+      _ref.read(audioHandlerProvider);
+    } catch (_) {
+      return;
+    }
+    if (_disposed) return;
+    await _restore();
+    if (_disposed) return;
+    final h = _ref.read(audioHandlerProvider);
+    _subs.add(h.mediaItem.listen((_) => _schedulePersist()));
+    _subs.add(h.playbackState.listen((_) => _schedulePersist()));
+    WidgetsBinding.instance.addObserver(this);
+  }
+
+  void _schedulePersist() {
+    if (_disposed) return;
+    _debounce?.cancel();
+    _debounce = Timer(const Duration(seconds: 3), () {
+      unawaited(_persist());
+    });
+  }
+
+  Future<void> _persist() async {
+    if (_disposed) return;
+    try {
+      final h = _ref.read(audioHandlerProvider);
+      final tracks = h.queuedTracks;
+      final mi = h.mediaItem.value;
+      // Cleared by teardown — keep the last good snapshot for next
+      // launch rather than wiping it with an empty queue.
+      if (tracks.isEmpty || mi == null) return;
+      var idx = tracks.indexWhere((t) => t.id == mi.id);
+      if (idx < 0) idx = 0;
+      final blob = jsonEncode({
+        'v': 1,
+        'source': h.queueSource,
+        'index': idx,
+        'position_ms': h.position.inMilliseconds,
+        'tracks': tracks.map((t) => t.toJson()).toList(),
+      });
+      final db = _ref.read(appDbProvider);
+      await db.into(db.cachedResumeState).insertOnConflictUpdate(
+            CachedResumeStateCompanion.insert(
+              json: blob,
+              updatedAt: drift.Value(DateTime.now()),
+            ),
+          );
+    } catch (e, st) {
+      debugPrint('resume_controller: persist failed: $e\n$st');
+    }
+  }
+
+  Future<void> _restore() async {
+    try {
+      final h = _ref.read(audioHandlerProvider);
+      // A session already started before restore ran (deep link, etc.)
+      // — don't stomp it.
+      if (h.mediaItem.value != null) return;
+      final url = await _ref.read(serverUrlProvider.future);
+      final token =
+          await _ref.read(secureStorageProvider).read(key: 'session_token');
+      // Streaming needs auth + base URL; nothing to resume without them.
+      if (url == null || url.isEmpty || token == null || token.isEmpty) {
+        return;
+      }
+      final db = _ref.read(appDbProvider);
+      final row = await db.select(db.cachedResumeState).getSingleOrNull();
+      if (row == null) return;
+      final m = jsonDecode(row.json) as Map<String, dynamic>;
+      final rawTracks = (m['tracks'] as List?) ?? const [];
+      final tracks = rawTracks
+          .map((e) => TrackRef.fromJson(e as Map<String, dynamic>))
+          .toList();
+      if (tracks.isEmpty) return;
+      final idx = (m['index'] as num?)?.toInt() ?? 0;
+      final posMs = (m['position_ms'] as num?)?.toInt() ?? 0;
+      final source = m['source'] as String?;
+      await _ref.read(playerActionsProvider).restoreQueue(
+            tracks,
+            initialIndex: idx,
+            position: Duration(milliseconds: posMs),
+            source: source,
+          );
+    } catch (e, st) {
+      debugPrint('resume_controller: restore failed: $e\n$st');
+    }
+  }
+
+  @override
+  void didChangeAppLifecycleState(AppLifecycleState state) {
+    // App backgrounded / killed: persist durably right now (the debounce
+    // may not fire before teardown).
+    if (state == AppLifecycleState.paused ||
+        state == AppLifecycleState.detached) {
+      _debounce?.cancel();
+      unawaited(_persist());
+    }
+  }
+
+  void dispose() {
+    _disposed = true;
+    _debounce?.cancel();
+    WidgetsBinding.instance.removeObserver(this);
+    for (final s in _subs) {
+      s.cancel();
+    }
+    _subs.clear();
+  }
+}
+
+/// Read once at app start (app.dart postFrame). On construction it
+/// restores the last persisted session (paused) then persists
+/// queue/index/position on track change, pause, and app teardown.
+/// Disposed via ref.onDispose when the scope tears down.
+final resumeControllerProvider = Provider<ResumeController>((ref) {
+  final c = ResumeController(ref);
+  ref.onDispose(c.dispose);
+  // ignore: unawaited_futures
+  c.start();
+  return c;
+});
diff --git a/flutter_client/lib/models/track.dart b/flutter_client/lib/models/track.dart
index 8c270776..1e5adc58 100644
--- a/flutter_client/lib/models/track.dart
+++ b/flutter_client/lib/models/track.dart
@@ -40,4 +40,19 @@ class TrackRef {
         durationSec: (j['duration_sec'] as num?)?.toInt() ?? 0,
         streamUrl: j['stream_url'] as String? ?? '',
       );
+
+  /// Round-trips through [TrackRef.fromJson] (same server snake_case
+  /// keys). Used to persist the playback queue for resume-on-launch.
+  Map<String, dynamic> toJson() => {
+        'id': id,
+        'title': title,
+        'album_id': albumId,
+        'album_title': albumTitle,
+        'artist_id': artistId,
+        'artist_name': artistName,
+        if (trackNumber != null) 'track_number': trackNumber,
+        if (discNumber != null) 'disc_number': discNumber,
+        'duration_sec': durationSec,
+        'stream_url': streamUrl,
+      };
 }
diff --git a/flutter_client/lib/player/audio_handler.dart b/flutter_client/lib/player/audio_handler.dart
index 4fd94fda..a2713d98 100644
--- a/flutter_client/lib/player/audio_handler.dart
+++ b/flutter_client/lib/player/audio_handler.dart
@@ -127,6 +127,11 @@ class MinstrelAudioHandler extends BaseAudioHandler with QueueHandler, SeekHandl
   String? _queueSource;
   String? get queueSource => _queueSource;
 
+  /// The full TrackRef list backing the current queue (even when only
+  /// part is built as just_audio sources). Empty when nothing is
+  /// queued. Exposed for resume-state persistence (#54).
+  List<TrackRef> get queuedTracks => _lastTracks;
+
   /// Volume stream for UI subscribers. Mirrors the just_audio player's
   /// volume directly; set via setVolume(double).
   Stream<double> get volumeStream => _player.volumeStream;
diff --git a/flutter_client/lib/player/player_provider.dart b/flutter_client/lib/player/player_provider.dart
index c1134aba..91a3e77b 100644
--- a/flutter_client/lib/player/player_provider.dart
+++ b/flutter_client/lib/player/player_provider.dart
@@ -101,6 +101,36 @@ class PlayerActions {
     await h.play();
   }
 
+  /// Rebuilds a previously-persisted queue WITHOUT auto-playing, then
+  /// seeks to [position]. The resume-on-launch path (#54): the user
+  /// sees their last track in the mini bar, paused, and continues with
+  /// play / a media button. Mirrors playTracks' configure step so
+  /// streaming works after restore; intentionally no h.play().
+  Future<void> restoreQueue(
+    List<TrackRef> tracks, {
+    int initialIndex = 0,
+    Duration position = Duration.zero,
+    String? source,
+  }) async {
+    if (tracks.isEmpty) return;
+    final url   = await _ref.read(serverUrlProvider.future);
+    final token = await _ref.read(secureStorageProvider).read(key: 'session_token');
+    final cache = _ref.read(albumCoverCacheProvider);
+    final audioCache = _ref.read(audioCacheManagerProvider);
+    final h = _ref.read(audioHandlerProvider)
+      ..configure(
+        baseUrl: url ?? '',
+        token: token,
+        coverCache: cache,
+        audioCacheManager: audioCache,
+        likeBridge: _buildLikeBridge(),
+      );
+    await h.setQueueFromTracks(tracks, initialIndex: initialIndex, source: source);
+    if (position > Duration.zero) {
+      await h.seek(position);
+    }
+  }
+
   /// Builds the adapter the audio handler uses to read + flip the
   /// current track's like state in response to external media-
   /// controller events (Wear's heart button, lock-screen favorite).