diff --git a/android/app/src/main/java/com/fabledsword/minstrel/player/PlayerController.kt b/android/app/src/main/java/com/fabledsword/minstrel/player/PlayerController.kt
index 9fc44bb7..102bcba1 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/java/com/fabledsword/minstrel/player/PlayerController.kt
+++ b/android/app/src/main/java/com/fabledsword/minstrel/player/PlayerController.kt
@@ -102,10 +102,30 @@ class PlayerController @Inject constructor(
      */
     private var queueRefs: List<TrackRef> = emptyList()
 
+    /**
+     * Completes when [mediaController] is non-null and the listener has
+     * been attached. Used by [awaitReady] so cold-boot callers like
+     * [ResumeController] can wait for the IPC bind before calling
+     * transport methods that would otherwise no-op silently. Drift
+     * #562 caught the race where a fast restore() landed before the
+     * MediaSessionService connection was up, silently dropping the
+     * restored queue.
+     */
+    private val readyDeferred = kotlinx.coroutines.CompletableDeferred<Unit>()
+
     init {
         scope.launch { connectAndObserve() }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Suspends until the MediaController binding to
+     * [MinstrelPlayerService] is up and a Player.Listener is attached,
+     * so a subsequent transport call (setQueue, startRadio, playNext,
+     * …) will actually reach the player rather than being silently
+     * swallowed by the `mediaController ?: return` guards.
+     */
+    suspend fun awaitReady(): Unit = readyDeferred.await()
+
     // ── Transport (no-op until the controller is connected) ──────────────
 
     fun play() { mediaController?.play() }
@@ -144,18 +164,32 @@ class PlayerController @Inject constructor(
     }
 
     /**
-     * Replace the queue with [tracks] and start playing from [initialIndex].
+     * Replace the queue with [tracks] starting at [initialIndex].
      * [source] tags the queue with its origin (e.g. "for_you") so the
      * server-side rotation reporter can advance it; carried in
      * MediaItem extras.
+     *
+     * [autoplay] controls whether playback starts immediately. The
+     * default is true to preserve the "user pressed play on a tile"
+     * UX every existing caller relies on. Drift #560: cold-boot
+     * resume passes autoplay = false so the persisted queue is
+     * restored without auto-starting playback after the user has
+     * been away from the app — starting audio on cold launch was
+     * surprising for users who had paused mid-track before
+     * backgrounding.
      */
-    fun setQueue(tracks: List<TrackRef>, initialIndex: Int = 0, source: String? = null) {
+    fun setQueue(
+        tracks: List<TrackRef>,
+        initialIndex: Int = 0,
+        source: String? = null,
+        autoplay: Boolean = true,
+    ) {
         val controller = mediaController ?: return
         queueRefs = tracks
         val items = tracks.map { it.toMediaItem(source) }
         controller.setMediaItems(items, initialIndex, /* startPositionMs = */ 0L)
         controller.prepare()
-        controller.play()
+        if (autoplay) controller.play()
     }
 
     /**
@@ -282,6 +316,11 @@ class PlayerController @Inject constructor(
                 return
             }
         mediaController = controller
+        // Drift #562: signal awaitReady() callers (ResumeController et al.)
+        // that the controller is bound. Listener is attached below in
+        // the same coroutine so by the time downstream code runs after
+        // awaitReady, the Player.Listener is wired too.
+        if (!readyDeferred.isCompleted) readyDeferred.complete(Unit)
         startPositionPolling(controller)
         controller.addListener(
             object : Player.Listener {
diff --git a/android/app/src/main/java/com/fabledsword/minstrel/player/ResumeController.kt b/android/app/src/main/java/com/fabledsword/minstrel/player/ResumeController.kt
index 1f666738..fddf8e46 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/java/com/fabledsword/minstrel/player/ResumeController.kt
+++ b/android/app/src/main/java/com/fabledsword/minstrel/player/ResumeController.kt
@@ -54,12 +54,22 @@ class ResumeController @Inject constructor(
                 .getOrNull()
                 ?.takeIf { it.tracks.isNotEmpty() }
                 ?: return
+        // Drift #562: wait for the MediaController binding before
+        // calling setQueue, otherwise restore() racing the IPC
+        // handshake silently drops the persisted queue (PlayerController
+        // setQueue early-returns when mediaController is null).
+        playerController.awaitReady()
         playerController.setQueue(
             tracks = payload.tracks,
             initialIndex = payload.queueIndex
                 .coerceAtLeast(0)
                 .coerceAtMost(payload.tracks.lastIndex),
             source = payload.source,
+            // Drift #560: cold-boot resume must NOT auto-start
+            // playback. The user has been away from the app; starting
+            // audio on cold launch is surprising. They tap play to
+            // resume. Queue + position are restored; transport is idle.
+            autoplay = false,
         )
         // PositionMs not seeked yet — Player connection may still be
         // establishing; the seek call would no-op. Acceptable to start