diff --git a/api/src/auth.ts b/api/src/auth.ts
index 706974f..f8aecbb 100644
--- a/api/src/auth.ts
+++ b/api/src/auth.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ export const auth = betterAuth({
 			clientId: SPOTIFY_CLIENT_ID,
 			clientSecret: SPOTIFY_CLIENT_SECRET,
 			scope: [
+				"streaming",
 				"user-read-playback-state",
 				"user-read-currently-playing",
 				"user-modify-playback-state",
diff --git a/web/src/components/party/question.tsx b/web/src/components/party/question.tsx
index d61e7f8..d6987d6 100644
--- a/web/src/components/party/question.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/party/question.tsx
@@ -61,8 +61,13 @@ export function Question() {
 		question?.song?.platform === "spotify" && question.song.platform_id
 			? `spotify:track:${question.song.platform_id}`
 			: null;
-	const { enabled: spotifyEnabled, setEnabled: setSpotifyEnabled } =
-		useSpotifyPlayer(spotifyTrackUri);
+	const {
+		enabled: spotifyEnabled,
+		setEnabled: setSpotifyEnabled,
+		status: spotifyStatus,
+		error: spotifyError,
+		isLoading: spotifyIsLoading,
+	} = useSpotifyPlayer(spotifyTrackUri);
 	const questionStartTimestamp = question?.startTimestamp ?? null;
 	const questionAnnouncement = question
 		? getQuestionAnnouncement(question)
@@ -191,6 +196,7 @@ export function Question() {
 							<Switch
 								id="spotify-playback"
 								checked={spotifyEnabled}
+								disabled={spotifyIsLoading || !spotifyTrackUri}
 								onCheckedChange={(checked) =>
 									void setSpotifyEnabled(checked === true)
 								}
@@ -201,6 +207,13 @@ export function Question() {
 								? "Listen closely and guess the song."
 								: (question.song?.name ??
 									"This question has no associated song.")}
+							{!spotifyTrackUri
+								? " Spotify playback is unavailable for this question."
+								: spotifyError
+									? ` ${spotifyError}`
+									: spotifyStatus === "loading"
+										? " Connecting Spotify..."
+										: null}
 						</ItemDescription>
 					</ItemContent>
 				</Item>
diff --git a/web/src/hooks/use-spotify-player.ts b/web/src/hooks/use-spotify-player.ts
index 2d2c9b2..32f92f9 100644
--- a/web/src/hooks/use-spotify-player.ts
+++ b/web/src/hooks/use-spotify-player.ts
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ export function useSpotifyPlayer(trackUri: string | null | undefined) {
 	const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
 
 	const playerRef = useRef<SpotifyPlayer | null>(null);
+	const playerPromiseRef = useRef<Promise<SpotifyPlayer> | null>(null);
 	const deviceIdRef = useRef<string | null>(null);
 	const trackUriRef = useRef<string | null | undefined>(trackUri);
 	const enabledRef = useRef(enabled);
@@ -77,6 +78,130 @@ export function useSpotifyPlayer(trackUri: string | null | undefined) {
 		trackUriRef.current = trackUri;
 	}, [trackUri]);
 
+	const ensurePlayer = useCallback(async (options?: { silent?: boolean }) => {
+		if (playerRef.current) return playerRef.current;
+		if (playerPromiseRef.current) return playerPromiseRef.current;
+
+		const silent = options?.silent === true;
+		if (!silent) {
+			setStatus("loading");
+			setError(null);
+		}
+
+		playerPromiseRef.current = (async () => {
+			await loadSpotifySdk();
+
+			if (!window.Spotify) {
+				throw new Error("Spotify playback SDK did not initialize.");
+			}
+
+			let settled = false;
+			let readyTimeoutId: number | null = null;
+			let resolveReady: ((deviceId: string) => void) | null = null;
+			let rejectReady: ((error: Error) => void) | null = null;
+			const readyPromise = new Promise<string>((resolve, reject) => {
+				resolveReady = resolve;
+				rejectReady = reject;
+				readyTimeoutId = window.setTimeout(() => {
+					if (settled) return;
+					settled = true;
+					reject(new Error("Timed out waiting for Spotify playback device."));
+				}, 15_000);
+			});
+
+			const fail = (message: string) => {
+				if (settled) return;
+				settled = true;
+				if (readyTimeoutId) window.clearTimeout(readyTimeoutId);
+				rejectReady?.(new Error(message));
+			};
+
+			const player = new window.Spotify.Player({
+				name: "ITPDP Quiz",
+				volume: 0.8,
+				getOAuthToken: async (cb) => {
+					try {
+						cb(await fetchSpotifyAccessToken());
+					} catch (error_) {
+						const message = parseSpotifyError(error_);
+						fail(message);
+						setError(message);
+						setStatus("error");
+						cb("");
+					}
+				},
+			});
+
+			player.addListener("ready", ({ device_id }) => {
+				deviceIdRef.current = device_id;
+				if (readyTimeoutId) window.clearTimeout(readyTimeoutId);
+				settled = true;
+				resolveReady?.(device_id);
+				setStatus("ready");
+			});
+			player.addListener("not_ready", ({ device_id }) => {
+				if (deviceIdRef.current === device_id) {
+					deviceIdRef.current = null;
+				}
+				setStatus(enabledRef.current ? "loading" : "paused");
+			});
+			player.addListener("initialization_error", ({ message }) => {
+				fail(message);
+				setError(message);
+				setStatus("error");
+			});
+			player.addListener("authentication_error", ({ message }) => {
+				fail(message);
+				setError(message);
+				setStatus("error");
+			});
+			player.addListener("account_error", ({ message }) => {
+				fail(message);
+				setError(message);
+				setStatus("error");
+			});
+			player.addListener("playback_error", ({ message }) => {
+				fail(message);
+				setError(message);
+				setStatus("error");
+			});
+			player.addListener("autoplay_failed", () => {
+				setError(
+					"Spotify playback was blocked by the browser autoplay policy.",
+				);
+				setStatus("error");
+			});
+
+			const connected = await player.connect();
+			if (!connected) {
+				throw new Error("Unable to connect to Spotify playback.");
+			}
+
+			playerRef.current = player;
+			const deviceId = await readyPromise;
+			deviceIdRef.current = deviceId;
+			return player;
+		})()
+			.catch((error_: unknown) => {
+				playerRef.current?.disconnect();
+				playerRef.current = null;
+				deviceIdRef.current = null;
+				throw error_;
+			})
+			.finally(() => {
+				playerPromiseRef.current = null;
+			});
+
+		return playerPromiseRef.current;
+	}, []);
+
+	useEffect(() => {
+		if (!trackUri || playerRef.current || playerPromiseRef.current) return;
+		void ensurePlayer({ silent: true }).catch(() => {
+			// Ignore preload failures; explicit enable will surface them.
+		});
+	}, [trackUri, ensurePlayer]);
+
 	const pause = useCallback(async () => {
 		const player = playerRef.current;
 		if (!player) return;
@@ -87,83 +212,17 @@ export function useSpotifyPlayer(trackUri: string | null | undefined) {
 		}
 	}, []);
 
-	const ensurePlayer = useCallback(async () => {
-		if (playerRef.current) return playerRef.current;
-
-		setStatus("loading");
-		setError(null);
-		await loadSpotifySdk();
-
-		if (!window.Spotify) {
-			throw new Error("Spotify playback SDK did not initialize.");
-		}
-
-		let resolveReady: ((deviceId: string) => void) | null = null;
-		const readyPromise = new Promise<string>((resolve) => {
-			resolveReady = resolve;
-		});
-
-		const player = new window.Spotify.Player({
-			name: "ITPDP Quiz",
-			volume: 0.8,
-			getOAuthToken: async (cb) => {
-				try {
-					cb(await fetchSpotifyAccessToken());
-				} catch (error_) {
-					setError(parseSpotifyError(error_));
-					setStatus("error");
-					cb("");
-				}
-			},
-		});
-
-		player.addListener("ready", ({ device_id }) => {
-			deviceIdRef.current = device_id;
-			resolveReady?.(device_id);
-			setStatus("ready");
-		});
-		player.addListener("not_ready", ({ device_id }) => {
-			if (deviceIdRef.current === device_id) {
-				deviceIdRef.current = null;
-			}
-			setStatus(enabledRef.current ? "loading" : "paused");
-		});
-		player.addListener("initialization_error", ({ message }) => {
-			setError(message);
-			setStatus("error");
-		});
-		player.addListener("authentication_error", ({ message }) => {
-			setError(message);
-			setStatus("error");
-		});
-		player.addListener("account_error", ({ message }) => {
-			setError(message);
-			setStatus("error");
-		});
-		player.addListener("playback_error", ({ message }) => {
-			setError(message);
-			setStatus("error");
-		});
-
-		const connected = await player.connect();
-		if (!connected) {
-			throw new Error("Unable to connect to Spotify playback.");
-		}
-
-		playerRef.current = player;
-		await readyPromise;
-		return player;
-	}, []);
-
 	const playTrack = useCallback(
 		async (uri: string) => {
 			if (!uri) return;
-			const player = await ensurePlayer();
+			const player = playerRef.current ?? (await ensurePlayer());
 			const deviceId = deviceIdRef.current;
 			if (!player || !deviceId) {
 				throw new Error("Spotify playback device is not ready.");
 			}
 
+			await player.activateElement();
+
 			const accessToken = await fetchSpotifyAccessToken();
 			const response = await fetch(
 				`https://api.spotify.com/v1/me/player/play?device_id=${encodeURIComponent(deviceId)}`,
@@ -201,7 +260,9 @@ export function useSpotifyPlayer(trackUri: string | null | undefined) {
 			}
 
 			try {
-				await ensurePlayer();
+				if (!playerRef.current) {
+					await ensurePlayer();
+				}
 				if (trackUriRef.current) {
 					await playTrack(trackUriRef.current);
 				}
diff --git a/web/src/integrations/better-auth/header-user.tsx b/web/src/integrations/better-auth/header-user.tsx
index e7a58b4..6349789 100644
--- a/web/src/integrations/better-auth/header-user.tsx
+++ b/web/src/integrations/better-auth/header-user.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import { Link } from "@tanstack/react-router";
 import { authClient } from "#/lib/auth-client";
 
 export default function BetterAuthHeader() {
@@ -22,24 +21,22 @@ export default function BetterAuthHeader() {
 						</span>
 					</div>
 				)}
-				<button
-					onClick={() => {
-						void authClient.signOut();
-					}}
-					className="flex-1 h-9 px-4 text-sm font-medium bg-white dark:bg-neutral-900 text-neutral-900 dark:text-neutral-50 border border-neutral-300 dark:border-neutral-700 hover:bg-neutral-50 dark:hover:bg-neutral-800 transition-colors"
+				<a
+					href="/logout"
+					className="flex-1 inline-flex h-9 items-center justify-center px-4 text-sm font-medium bg-white dark:bg-neutral-900 text-neutral-900 dark:text-neutral-50 border border-neutral-300 dark:border-neutral-700 hover:bg-neutral-50 dark:hover:bg-neutral-800 transition-colors"
 				>
 					Sign out
-				</button>
+				</a>
 			</div>
 		);
 	}
 
 	return (
-		<Link
-			to="/demo/better-auth"
+		<a
+			href="/demo/better-auth"
 			className="h-9 px-4 text-sm font-medium bg-white dark:bg-neutral-900 text-neutral-900 dark:text-neutral-50 border border-neutral-300 dark:border-neutral-700 hover:bg-neutral-50 dark:hover:bg-neutral-800 transition-colors inline-flex items-center"
 		>
 			Sign in
-		</Link>
+		</a>
 	);
 }
diff --git a/web/src/routeTree.gen.ts b/web/src/routeTree.gen.ts
index 4e935d0..db4ab32 100644
--- a/web/src/routeTree.gen.ts
+++ b/web/src/routeTree.gen.ts
@@ -9,9 +9,15 @@
 // Additionally, you should also exclude this file from your linter and/or formatter to prevent it from being checked or modified.
 
 import { Route as rootRouteImport } from './routes/__root'
+import { Route as LogoutRouteImport } from './routes/logout'
 import { Route as LoginRouteImport } from './routes/login'
 import { Route as IndexRouteImport } from './routes/index'
 
+const LogoutRoute = LogoutRouteImport.update({
+  id: '/logout',
+  path: '/logout',
+  getParentRoute: () => rootRouteImport,
+} as any)
 const LoginRoute = LoginRouteImport.update({
   id: '/login',
   path: '/login',
@@ -26,31 +32,42 @@ const IndexRoute = IndexRouteImport.update({
 export interface FileRoutesByFullPath {
   '/': typeof IndexRoute
   '/login': typeof LoginRoute
+  '/logout': typeof LogoutRoute
 }
 export interface FileRoutesByTo {
   '/': typeof IndexRoute
   '/login': typeof LoginRoute
+  '/logout': typeof LogoutRoute
 }
 export interface FileRoutesById {
   __root__: typeof rootRouteImport
   '/': typeof IndexRoute
   '/login': typeof LoginRoute
+  '/logout': typeof LogoutRoute
 }
 export interface FileRouteTypes {
   fileRoutesByFullPath: FileRoutesByFullPath
-  fullPaths: '/' | '/login'
+  fullPaths: '/' | '/login' | '/logout'
   fileRoutesByTo: FileRoutesByTo
-  to: '/' | '/login'
-  id: '__root__' | '/' | '/login'
+  to: '/' | '/login' | '/logout'
+  id: '__root__' | '/' | '/login' | '/logout'
   fileRoutesById: FileRoutesById
 }
 export interface RootRouteChildren {
   IndexRoute: typeof IndexRoute
   LoginRoute: typeof LoginRoute
+  LogoutRoute: typeof LogoutRoute
 }
 
 declare module '@tanstack/react-router' {
   interface FileRoutesByPath {
+    '/logout': {
+      id: '/logout'
+      path: '/logout'
+      fullPath: '/logout'
+      preLoaderRoute: typeof LogoutRouteImport
+      parentRoute: typeof rootRouteImport
+    }
     '/login': {
       id: '/login'
       path: '/login'
@@ -71,6 +88,7 @@ declare module '@tanstack/react-router' {
 const rootRouteChildren: RootRouteChildren = {
   IndexRoute: IndexRoute,
   LoginRoute: LoginRoute,
+  LogoutRoute: LogoutRoute,
 }
 export const routeTree = rootRouteImport
   ._addFileChildren(rootRouteChildren)
diff --git a/web/src/routes/__root.tsx b/web/src/routes/__root.tsx
index 9555a19..60429ad 100644
--- a/web/src/routes/__root.tsx
+++ b/web/src/routes/__root.tsx
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ export const Route = createRootRouteWithContext<MyRouterContext>()({
 	}),
 	shellComponent: RootDocument,
 	beforeLoad: async ({ context, location }) => {
-		const authPublicPaths = new Set(["/login"]);
+		const authPublicPaths = new Set(["/login", "/logout"]);
 		const isAuthPublicPath = authPublicPaths.has(location.pathname);
 		let session: AuthSession | null;
 		if (typeof window === "undefined") {
diff --git a/web/src/routes/logout.tsx b/web/src/routes/logout.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9bc7b6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/src/routes/logout.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+import { createFileRoute, useRouter } from "@tanstack/react-router";
+import { useEffect } from "react";
+
+import { signOutAndClearQueryCache } from "#/lib/auth-client";
+
+export const Route = createFileRoute("/logout")({
+	component: LogoutRoute,
+});
+
+function LogoutRoute() {
+	const { queryClient } = Route.useRouteContext();
+	const router = useRouter();
+
+	useEffect(() => {
+		void signOutAndClearQueryCache({
+			queryClient,
+			navigateToLogin: () => router.navigate({ to: "/login", replace: true }),
+		});
+	}, [queryClient, router]);
+
+	return (
+		<div className="p-6 text-sm text-muted-foreground">Signing out...</div>
+	);
+}
diff --git a/web/src/types/spotify.d.ts b/web/src/types/spotify.d.ts
index 76803f6..d9a8167 100644
--- a/web/src/types/spotify.d.ts
+++ b/web/src/types/spotify.d.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ declare global {
 				| "playback_error",
 			callback: (payload: { message: string }) => void,
 		): void;
+		addListener(event: "autoplay_failed", callback: () => void): void;
+		activateElement(): Promise<void>;
 	}
 
 	type SpotifyPlayerEvent =
@@ -47,5 +49,6 @@ declare global {
 		| "initialization_error"
 		| "authentication_error"
 		| "account_error"
-		| "playback_error";
+		| "playback_error"
+		| "autoplay_failed";
 }