diff --git a/js/content/dom_fallback.js b/js/content/dom_fallback.js
index 1bab113c..c3ddf877 100644
--- a/js/content/dom_fallback.js
+++ b/js/content/dom_fallback.js
@@ -1396,6 +1396,7 @@ function installDirectAccessPlayGuard() {
 function pauseCurrentWatchForDirectAccess(videoId, decision = 'pending') {
     const state = getDirectAccessState();
     if (state.videoId !== videoId) {
+        cancelDirectAccessActions();
         state.videoId = videoId;
         state.pendingStartedAt = 0;
         state.pausedByGuard = false;
@@ -1445,6 +1446,7 @@ function clearDirectAccessOverlay() {
 
 function releaseDirectAccessGuard(videoId, resumePlayback = true) {
     const state = getDirectAccessState();
+    cancelDirectAccessActions();
     if (state.recheckTimer) {
         clearTimeout(state.recheckTimer);
         state.recheckTimer = 0;
@@ -1474,6 +1476,30 @@ function isFilterTubeFilteringEnabled(settings) {
     return Boolean(settings && typeof settings === 'object' && settings.enabled !== false);
 }
 
+function cancelDirectAccessActions() {
+    const state = getDirectAccessState();
+    state.actionGeneration = (state.actionGeneration || 0) + 1;
+    state.actionTimers?.forEach(timer => clearTimeout(timer));
+    state.actionTimers = new Set();
+}
+
+function scheduleDirectAccessAction(videoId, delayMs, action) {
+    const state = getDirectAccessState();
+    const generation = state.actionGeneration || 0;
+    if (!state.actionTimers) state.actionTimers = new Set();
+    const timer = setTimeout(() => {
+        state.actionTimers.delete(timer);
+        // A released guard or a different route invalidates work queued earlier.
+        // Check again even after clearTimeout: a callback may already be queued.
+        if ((state.actionGeneration || 0) !== generation ||
+            !isFilterTubeFilteringEnabled(currentSettings) ||
+            state.decision !== 'blocked' || state.videoId !== videoId ||
+            getCurrentWatchVideoId() !== videoId) return;
+        action();
+    }, delayMs);
+    state.actionTimers.add(timer);
+}
+
 function releaseDisabledDirectAccessState() {
     const videoId = getCurrentWatchVideoId();
     releaseDirectAccessGuard(videoId, true);
@@ -1961,24 +1987,26 @@ function enforceCurrentWatchOwnerBlock(settings) {
 
         const targetLink = findNextAllowedWatchPlaylistLink(settings, ownerMeta.videoId);
         if (targetLink) {
-            setTimeout(() => {
+            scheduleDirectAccessAction(ownerMeta.videoId, 60, () => {
                 try {
-                    targetLink.click();
+                    // Rules and the playlist DOM may have changed since scheduling.
+                    const targetLink = findNextAllowedWatchPlaylistLink(currentSettings, ownerMeta.videoId);
+                    if (targetLink) targetLink.click();
                 } catch (e) {
                 }
-            }, 60);
+            });
             return;
         }
 
         if (openWatchPlaylistPanelIfCollapsed()) {
-            setTimeout(() => {
+            scheduleDirectAccessAction(ownerMeta.videoId, 260, () => {
                 try {
                     if (typeof applyDOMFallback === 'function') {
-                        applyDOMFallback(settings, { preserveScroll: true, forceReprocess: true });
+                        applyDOMFallback(null, { preserveScroll: true, forceReprocess: true });
                     }
                 } catch (e) {
                 }
-            }, 260);
+            });
             return;
         }
 
@@ -1990,14 +2018,14 @@ function enforceCurrentWatchOwnerBlock(settings) {
         }
         if (state.retryCount < 3) {
             state.retryCount += 1;
-            setTimeout(() => {
+            scheduleDirectAccessAction(ownerMeta.videoId, 1300, () => {
                 try {
                     if (typeof applyDOMFallback === 'function') {
-                        applyDOMFallback(settings, { preserveScroll: true, forceReprocess: true });
+                        applyDOMFallback(null, { preserveScroll: true, forceReprocess: true });
                     }
                 } catch (e) {
                 }
-            }, 1300);
+            });
             return;
         }
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 0b24521d..0d3f7635 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
     "managed:provider": "node scripts/managed-delivery-provider.mjs",
     "managed:nearby": "node scripts/managed-delivery-provider.mjs --lan-discovery",
     "test": "node scripts/run-test-lane.mjs smoke",
+    "test:direct-access": "node --test tests/runtime/direct-access-admission-current-behavior.test.mjs tests/runtime/issue-77-playback-regression.test.mjs",
     "audit:runtime": "node --test tests/runtime/*.test.mjs",
     "test:release": "node scripts/run-test-lane.mjs release",
     "test:whitelist": "node scripts/run-test-lane.mjs whitelist",
diff --git a/tests/runtime/dom-hide-side-effect-current-behavior.test.mjs b/tests/runtime/dom-hide-side-effect-current-behavior.test.mjs
index e66dc58a..a77de700 100644
--- a/tests/runtime/dom-hide-side-effect-current-behavior.test.mjs
+++ b/tests/runtime/dom-hide-side-effect-current-behavior.test.mjs
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ test('current watch and members-only fallback paths include broad hide and playb
   assert.match(currentWatch, /video\.pause\(\)/);
   assert.match(currentWatch, /toggleVisibility\(selected, true/);
   assert.match(currentWatch, /targetLink\.click\(\)/);
-  assert.match(currentWatch, /applyDOMFallback\(settings, \{ preserveScroll: true, forceReprocess: true \}\)/);
+  assert.match(currentWatch, /applyDOMFallback\(null, \{ preserveScroll: true, forceReprocess: true \}\)/);
 
   assert.match(membersOnly, /ytd-watch-flexy:has\(\.yt-badge-shape--membership\)/);
   assert.match(membersOnly, /ytd-watch-metadata:has\(\.yt-badge-shape--membership\)/);
diff --git a/tests/runtime/issue-77-playback-regression.test.mjs b/tests/runtime/issue-77-playback-regression.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fdeb8932
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/runtime/issue-77-playback-regression.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,232 @@
+import fs from 'node:fs';
+import path from 'node:path';
+import vm from 'node:vm';
+import test from 'node:test';
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+
+// Execute the production admission/guard functions with deterministic media,
+// metadata and timers. Set FILTERTUBE_SOURCE_ROOT to replay against a release.
+const root = process.env.FILTERTUBE_SOURCE_ROOT || process.cwd();
+const source = fs.readFileSync(path.join(root, 'js/content/dom_fallback.js'), 'utf8');
+const start = source.indexOf('const FILTERTUBE_DIRECT_ACCESS_PENDING_TTL_MS');
+const end = source.indexOf('const FILTERTUBE_CATEGORY_PENDING_TTL_MS', start);
+assert.ok(start >= 0 && end > start);
+const production = source.slice(start, end);
+const id = 'abcdefghijk';
+
+function fixture({ enabled = false, successor = false, unresolved = false, route = '/watch', panel = false } = {}) {
+  let now = 10000;
+  let serial = 0;
+  const timers = new Map();
+  const elements = [];
+  const listeners = new Map();
+  const effects = { pauses: 0, plays: 0, nextClicks: 0, queueClicks: 0, redirects: 0, fetches: 0 };
+  function element() {
+    const e = {
+      attrs: new Map(), textContent: '', parentElement: null,
+      setAttribute(k, v) { this.attrs.set(k, v); },
+      getAttribute(k) { return this.attrs.get(k); },
+      removeAttribute(k) { this.attrs.delete(k); },
+      appendChild(child) { child.parentElement = this; elements.push(child); },
+      remove() { const i = elements.indexOf(this); if (i >= 0) elements.splice(i, 1); }
+    };
+    return e;
+  }
+  const host = element();
+  const video = {
+    tagName: 'VIDEO', paused: false, ended: false,
+    pause() { effects.pauses++; this.paused = true; },
+    play() { effects.plays++; this.paused = false; listeners.get('play')?.({ target: this }); return Promise.resolve(); }
+  };
+  const meta = { videoId: id, id: 'UCfixture', name: 'Fixture channel', identityVerified: true,
+    textVerified: true, title: 'blocked fixture', shortDescription: 'fixture description', keywords: [] };
+  const settings = { enabled, listMode: 'blocklist', filterKeywords: ['blocked'], filterChannels: [],
+    videoMetaMap: unresolved ? {} : { [id]: meta } };
+  const document = {
+    location: { pathname: route, hostname: 'www.youtube.com', replace() { effects.redirects++; } },
+    documentElement: element(), createElement: element,
+    addEventListener(name, callback) { listeners.set(name, callback); },
+    getElementById(key) { return elements.find(e => e.id === key) || null; },
+    querySelectorAll() { return [host].filter(e => e.attrs.has('data-filtertube-current-watch-blocked')); },
+    querySelector(selector) {
+      if (selector.startsWith('video')) return video;
+      if (selector.includes('.ytp-next-button')) return { click() { effects.nextClicks++; } };
+      if (selector.includes('h1')) return { textContent: unresolved ? '' : meta.title };
+      if (selector.includes('description')) return { textContent: unresolved ? '' : meta.shortDescription };
+      return host;
+    }
+  };
+  const ctx = {
+    document, window: {}, currentSettings: settings,
+    Date: { now: () => now },
+    setTimeout(fn, delay) { const n = ++serial; timers.set(n, { fn, at: now + delay }); return n; },
+    clearTimeout(n) { timers.delete(n); },
+    getCurrentWatchVideoId: () => id,
+    getCurrentWatchOwnerMeta: () => unresolved ? null : meta,
+    getCurrentWatchExactOwnerMeta: () => unresolved ? null : meta,
+    clearCurrentShortAdmissionOverlay() {}, pauseCurrentShortPlayer() { video.pause(); },
+    setCurrentShortAdmissionOverlay() {}, scheduleCurrentShortIdentityResolution() {},
+    scheduleVideoMetaFetch() { effects.fetches++; },
+    getPlaylistPanelContainer: () => null, getPlaylistPanelRows: () => [],
+    isSelectedPlaylistPanelRow: () => false, openWatchPlaylistPanelIfCollapsed: () => panel,
+    findNextAllowedWatchPlaylistLink: () => successor ? { click() { effects.queueClicks++; } } : null,
+    toggleVisibility() {}, isCreatorChannelPagePath: p => p.startsWith('/@'),
+    buildChannelMetadata: () => meta, getCurrentPageChannelMeta: () => meta,
+    getCompiledKeywordRegexes: list => list.map(s => new RegExp(s, 'i')),
+    keywordDateFilterAllows: () => true, matchesKeyword: (regex, value) => regex.test(value),
+    getCompiledChannelFilterIndex: (_settings, list) => list,
+    channelMetaMatchesIndex: (_meta, list) => list.includes('UCfixture'),
+    // Rule matching is a collaborator; enabled-gating belongs to admission.
+    shouldHideContent: (text, _name, s) => s.blockedVideoIds?.includes(id) ||
+      s.filterChannels?.includes('UCfixture') || s.filterKeywords.some(word => text.includes(word))
+  };
+  vm.createContext(ctx);
+  vm.runInContext(production, ctx);
+  const run = s => { ctx.currentSettings = s; ctx.enforceCurrentWatchOwnerBlock(s); };
+  ctx.applyDOMFallback = s => run(s || ctx.currentSettings);
+  function advance(ms) {
+    const until = now + ms;
+    let iterations = 0;
+    while (true) {
+      const next = [...timers].filter(([, t]) => t.at <= until).sort((a, b) => a[1].at - b[1].at)[0];
+      if (!next) break;
+      assert.ok(++iterations < 500, 'timer runaway');
+      timers.delete(next[0]); now = next[1].at; next[1].fn();
+    }
+    now = until;
+  }
+  return { ctx, run, advance, settings, effects, video, timers, document };
+}
+
+test('disabled keyword match never pauses or auto-skips over ten seconds', () => {
+  const f = fixture();
+  f.run(f.settings); f.advance(10000);
+  assert.equal(f.effects.pauses, 0, JSON.stringify(f.effects));
+  assert.equal(f.effects.nextClicks + f.effects.queueClicks, 0);
+  assert.equal(f.video.paused, false);
+});
+
+test('enabled keyword match still blocks playback (positive control)', () => {
+  const f = fixture({ enabled: true });
+  f.run(f.settings); f.advance(10000);
+  assert.ok(f.effects.pauses > 0);
+  assert.equal(f.video.paused, true);
+  assert.equal(f.ctx.getDirectAccessState().decision, 'blocked');
+});
+
+test('disabling a blocked player clears overlay and releases play-event guard', () => {
+  const f = fixture({ enabled: true, route: '/embed/abcdefghijk' });
+  f.run(f.settings);
+  assert.equal(f.video.paused, true);
+  f.run({ ...f.settings, enabled: false });
+  assert.equal(f.ctx.getDirectAccessState().decision, 'allowed');
+  assert.equal(f.document.getElementById('filtertube-direct-access-overlay'), null);
+  f.video.play();
+  assert.equal(f.video.paused, false);
+});
+
+test('disabling pending metadata cancels recheck and restores playback', () => {
+  const f = fixture({ enabled: true, unresolved: true });
+  f.settings.filterChannels = ['UCfixture'];
+  f.run(f.settings);
+  assert.equal(f.ctx.getDirectAccessState().decision, 'pending');
+  f.run({ ...f.settings, enabled: false });
+  assert.equal(f.ctx.getDirectAccessState().decision, 'allowed', 'Disabled must release immediately');
+  f.advance(10000);
+  assert.equal(f.ctx.getDirectAccessState().decision, 'allowed');
+  assert.equal(f.video.paused, false);
+  assert.equal(f.timers.size, 0);
+});
+
+test('disabled matching channel page never redirects', () => {
+  const f = fixture({ route: '/@fixture' });
+  f.settings.filterChannels = ['UCfixture'];
+  f.ctx.enforceCurrentChannelPageDirectAccess(f.settings);
+  assert.equal(f.effects.redirects, 0);
+});
+
+test('enabled allowed playlist successor still advances (positive control)', () => {
+  const f = fixture({ enabled: true, successor: true });
+  f.run(f.settings); f.advance(60);
+  assert.equal(f.effects.queueClicks, 1);
+});
+
+test('disabling before a queued playlist click prevents that click', () => {
+  const f = fixture({ enabled: true, successor: true });
+  f.run(f.settings);
+  assert.equal(f.effects.queueClicks, 0);
+  f.run({ ...f.settings, enabled: false }); f.advance(100);
+  assert.equal(f.effects.queueClicks, 0, 'old scheduled click must respect Disabled');
+});
+
+test('disabling while a retry is queued cannot restore old enabled settings', () => {
+  const f = fixture({ enabled: true });
+  f.run(f.settings);
+  f.run({ ...f.settings, enabled: false }); f.advance(5000);
+  assert.equal(f.ctx.getDirectAccessState().decision, 'allowed');
+  assert.equal(f.video.paused, false);
+});
+
+test('disabling cancels the playlist-panel retry as well', () => {
+  const f = fixture({ enabled: true, panel: true });
+  f.run(f.settings);
+  assert.equal(f.timers.size, 1);
+  f.run({ ...f.settings, enabled: false });
+  assert.equal(f.timers.size, 0);
+  f.advance(1000);
+  assert.equal(f.video.paused, false);
+});
+
+test('already queued callbacks stay invalid after disable and re-enable', () => {
+  const f = fixture({ enabled: true, successor: true });
+  f.run(f.settings);
+  const oldCallback = [...f.timers.values()][0].fn;
+  f.run({ ...f.settings, enabled: false });
+  f.run({ ...f.settings, enabled: true });
+  oldCallback(); // Simulate a callback already dispatched before cancellation.
+  assert.equal(f.effects.queueClicks, 0);
+  f.advance(60);
+  assert.equal(f.effects.queueClicks, 1, 'newly scheduled work remains valid');
+});
+
+test('route changes prevent delayed navigation even before admission reruns', () => {
+  const f = fixture({ enabled: true, successor: true });
+  f.run(f.settings);
+  f.ctx.getCurrentWatchVideoId = () => 'differentID';
+  f.advance(100);
+  assert.equal(f.effects.queueClicks, 0);
+});
+
+test('releasing a guard cancels queued navigation on an allowed video', () => {
+  const f = fixture({ enabled: true, successor: true });
+  f.run(f.settings);
+  f.run({ ...f.settings, filterKeywords: [] });
+  f.advance(100);
+  assert.equal(f.effects.queueClicks, 0);
+  assert.equal(f.video.paused, false);
+});
+
+test('playlist target is resolved again using the latest rules', () => {
+  const f = fixture({ enabled: true, successor: true });
+  f.run(f.settings);
+  const latest = { ...f.settings, blockedVideoIds: ['successorID'] };
+  f.ctx.currentSettings = latest;
+  let checked = false;
+  f.ctx.findNextAllowedWatchPlaylistLink = settings => {
+    assert.equal(settings, latest);
+    checked = true;
+    return null;
+  };
+  f.advance(60);
+  assert.equal(checked, true);
+  assert.equal(f.effects.queueClicks, 0);
+});
+
+test('retry dispatch uses current settings rather than the captured object', () => {
+  const f = fixture({ enabled: true });
+  f.run(f.settings);
+  f.ctx.currentSettings = { ...f.settings, filterKeywords: [] };
+  f.advance(1300);
+  assert.equal(f.video.paused, false);
+  assert.equal(f.ctx.getDirectAccessState().decision, 'allowed');
+});