diff --git a/flutter_client/lib/app.dart b/flutter_client/lib/app.dart
index 2c9a5160..40f4ce8c 100644
--- a/flutter_client/lib/app.dart
+++ b/flutter_client/lib/app.dart
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
+import 'dart:io';
+
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
 import 'package:flutter_riverpod/flutter_riverpod.dart';
+import 'package:permission_handler/permission_handler.dart';
 
 import 'cache/cache_filler.dart';
 import 'cache/metadata_prefetcher.dart';
@@ -77,6 +80,14 @@ class _MinstrelAppState extends ConsumerState<MinstrelApp> {
       // probe → offlineProvider. Read here to start the poller; S4
       // gates system-playlist play + Shuffle-all on it.
       ref.read(offlineProvider);
+      // POST_NOTIFICATIONS (Android 13+) is denied-by-default until
+      // requested; without it the media notification is silently
+      // suppressed on physical devices. One-shot, post-first-frame so
+      // it never blocks launch; no-op on <13 / once already decided.
+      if (Platform.isAndroid) {
+        // ignore: unawaited_futures
+        Permission.notification.request();
+      }
     });
   }
 
diff --git a/flutter_client/lib/player/now_playing_screen.dart b/flutter_client/lib/player/now_playing_screen.dart
index 95817b8f..9301e477 100644
--- a/flutter_client/lib/player/now_playing_screen.dart
+++ b/flutter_client/lib/player/now_playing_screen.dart
@@ -222,6 +222,14 @@ class _NowPlayingScreenState extends ConsumerState<NowPlayingScreen> {
             _displayedDominant = null;
             _pendingPreloadId = null;
           });
+          // Session was torn down (#52 idle/dismiss) while the full
+          // player was open. Don't strand the user on an empty
+          // "Nothing playing." screen — minimize back (the mini bar is
+          // already gone too). maybePop is a no-op if this is somehow
+          // the root route.
+          WidgetsBinding.instance.addPostFrameCallback((_) {
+            if (mounted) Navigator.of(context).maybePop();
+          });
         }
         return;
       }
diff --git a/flutter_client/pubspec.yaml b/flutter_client/pubspec.yaml
index 0c425aeb..30c98a22 100644
--- a/flutter_client/pubspec.yaml
+++ b/flutter_client/pubspec.yaml
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ dependencies:
   # Lucide icon set (design system mandates Lucide, not Material).
   # Icons exposed as LucideIcons.<snake_case> IconData usable in Icon().
   flutter_lucide: ^1.11.0
+  # Runtime POST_NOTIFICATIONS request (Android 13+ denies-by-default
+  # until asked; the media notification is suppressed without it).
+  permission_handler: ^12.0.1
   google_fonts: ^8.1.0
   # 10.x conflicts with flutter_secure_storage 10.x on win32. Hold at 8.3.1
   # until either lib bumps win32 to 6.x.