diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 4088170..a556b6b 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ The regression history matters:
 
 Default code behavior is `split` when no mode is set. The Compose example uses `relay` because it is the mode to try for IPTV streams.
 
+Finite-duration sessions are treated as recorded video and seekable. When the configured mode is `relay`, recorded sessions switch to the seek-capable `split` path once duration metadata is known; live/unknown-duration streams stay in relay mode.
+
 ## ffmpeg Pipelines
 
 All ffmpeg command builders live near the bottom of `server/index.js`.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e41081d..e83c91d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ Available playback modes:
 - `relay`: One source connection from the backend, then the compressed input bytes are teed into separate audio and frame `ffmpeg` workers. This is intended for IPTV hosts that stop early or reject multiple active connections.
 - `single`: One source connection and one `ffmpeg` worker with both audio and frame outputs. This is the simplest one-connection fallback, but audio and frame delivery can affect each other.
 
+Finite-duration streams are treated as recorded video and become seekable once metadata is available. If the app is configured for `relay`, recorded streams switch to the seek-capable `split` path; live or unknown-duration streams stay in relay mode.
+
 Relay mode uses bounded per-worker input queues so one branch can briefly lag without immediately stalling the other. Tune the cap with `MAX_RELAY_BRANCH_QUEUE_BYTES`; the default is `16777216`.
 
 ## Tuning
diff --git a/public/app.js b/public/app.js
index 2d08b3a..e578859 100644
--- a/public/app.js
+++ b/public/app.js
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ const FRAME_STARTUP_STALL_RESET_MS = 10000;
 const FRAME_STALL_RESET_MS = 6000;
 const PLAYBACK_RESTART_COOLDOWN_MS = 8000;
 const PLAYBACK_RESTART_DELAY_MS = 750;
+const METADATA_REFRESH_ATTEMPTS = 20;
+const METADATA_REFRESH_INTERVAL_MS = 650;
 
 const state = {
   generation: 0,
@@ -866,7 +868,7 @@ async function seekTo(value) {
 async function refreshSessionMetadata(sessionId) {
   const generation = state.generation;
 
-  for (let attempt = 0; attempt < 10; attempt += 1) {
+  for (let attempt = 0; attempt < METADATA_REFRESH_ATTEMPTS; attempt += 1) {
     if (generation !== state.generation || state.session?.id !== sessionId) {
       return;
     }
@@ -894,7 +896,7 @@ async function refreshSessionMetadata(sessionId) {
       return;
     }
 
-    await delay(650);
+    await delay(METADATA_REFRESH_INTERVAL_MS);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/public/styles.css b/public/styles.css
index 5f52d47..244a04b 100644
--- a/public/styles.css
+++ b/public/styles.css
@@ -286,12 +286,13 @@ canvas {
   top: -1.75rem;
   right: 1.1rem;
   left: 1.1rem;
-  height: 2.2rem;
+  height: 2.45rem;
 }
 
 .time-badge {
   position: absolute;
   top: 0;
+  pointer-events: none;
   min-width: 3.6rem;
   padding: 0.22rem 0.45rem;
   border: 1px solid var(--line);
@@ -318,10 +319,10 @@ canvas {
 .seek-slider {
   position: absolute;
   right: 0;
-  bottom: 0.18rem;
+  bottom: 0;
   left: 0;
   width: 100%;
-  height: 1rem;
+  height: 1.35rem;
   margin: 0;
   appearance: none;
   background: transparent;
diff --git a/server/index.js b/server/index.js
index 36c8841..021cfe8 100644
--- a/server/index.js
+++ b/server/index.js
@@ -269,11 +269,14 @@ app.get('/audio/:sessionId', (request, response) => {
     return;
   }
 
-  if (PLAYBACK_CONNECTION_MODE === 'single' || PLAYBACK_CONNECTION_MODE === 'relay') {
-    getOrCreatePlayback(session).attachAudio(request, response);
+  const playbackMode = getSessionPlaybackConnectionMode(session);
+
+  if (playbackMode === 'single' || playbackMode === 'relay') {
+    getOrCreatePlayback(session, playbackMode).attachAudio(request, response);
     return;
   }
 
+  stopSharedPlaybackIfNeeded(session, playbackMode);
   streamSplitAudio(request, response, session);
 });
 
@@ -301,11 +304,14 @@ wss.on('connection', (websocket, _request, sessionId) => {
     return;
   }
 
-  if (PLAYBACK_CONNECTION_MODE === 'single' || PLAYBACK_CONNECTION_MODE === 'relay') {
-    getOrCreatePlayback(session).attachFrames(websocket);
+  const playbackMode = getSessionPlaybackConnectionMode(session);
+
+  if (playbackMode === 'single' || playbackMode === 'relay') {
+    getOrCreatePlayback(session, playbackMode).attachFrames(websocket);
     return;
   }
 
+  stopSharedPlaybackIfNeeded(session, playbackMode);
   streamSplitFrames(websocket, session);
 });
 
@@ -413,7 +419,19 @@ function formatSessionPayload(session) {
 }
 
 function isSessionSeekable(session) {
-  return PLAYBACK_CONNECTION_MODE !== 'relay' && Number.isFinite(session.duration) && session.duration > 0;
+  return hasRecordedDuration(session);
+}
+
+function hasRecordedDuration(session) {
+  return Number.isFinite(session.duration) && session.duration > 0;
+}
+
+function getSessionPlaybackConnectionMode(session) {
+  if (PLAYBACK_CONNECTION_MODE === 'relay' && hasRecordedDuration(session)) {
+    return 'split';
+  }
+
+  return PLAYBACK_CONNECTION_MODE;
 }
 
 function startSessionMetadataProbe(session) {
@@ -666,18 +684,34 @@ function getSession(sessionId) {
   return session;
 }
 
-function getOrCreatePlayback(session) {
+function getOrCreatePlayback(session, playbackMode = getSessionPlaybackConnectionMode(session)) {
   const existing = playbacks.get(session.id);
 
-  if (existing && !existing.closed) {
+  if (existing && !existing.closed && existing.mode === playbackMode) {
     return existing;
   }
 
-  const playback = PLAYBACK_CONNECTION_MODE === 'relay' ? createRelayPlayback(session) : createPlayback(session);
+  stopSharedPlaybackIfNeeded(session, playbackMode);
+
+  const playback = playbackMode === 'relay' ? createRelayPlayback(session) : createPlayback(session);
   playbacks.set(session.id, playback);
   return playback;
 }
 
+function stopSharedPlaybackIfNeeded(session, playbackMode) {
+  const existing = playbacks.get(session.id);
+
+  if (!existing || existing.closed || existing.mode === playbackMode) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  existing.stop('playback_mode_changed');
+
+  if (playbacks.get(session.id) === existing) {
+    playbacks.delete(session.id);
+  }
+}
+
 function streamSplitAudio(request, response, session) {
   const worker = createAudioWorker(session);
   const releaseWorker = once(worker.release);
@@ -884,6 +918,7 @@ function createRelayPlayback(session) {
   const frameParser = createJpegFrameParser(handleJpegFrame);
 
   const playback = {
+    mode: 'relay',
     get closed() {
       return closed;
     },
@@ -1243,6 +1278,7 @@ function createPlayback(session) {
   const frameParser = createJpegFrameParser(handleJpegFrame);
 
   const playback = {
+    mode: 'single',
     get closed() {
       return closed;
     },