diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/validate.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/validate.test.ts
index 3fe07fbfb..f706181ef 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/validate.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/validate.test.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import {
   runAndParseJsonEnvelope,
 } from "./deprecationTestHarness.js";
 import {
+  auditClipDurations,
   extractCompositionErrorsFromLint,
   navigationTimeoutHint,
   raceMediaReady,
@@ -49,6 +50,58 @@ vi.mock("../utils/producer.js", () => ({
 vi.mock("../utils/project.js", () => resolveProjectMock());
 vi.mock("../utils/lintProject.js", () => lintProjectFailureMock());
 
+describe("auditClipDurations", () => {
+  it("audits audio only because explicit video slots hold their final frame", async () => {
+    let selector = "";
+    const originalDocument = globalThis.document;
+    const audio = {
+      duration: 1,
+      id: "voice",
+      loop: false,
+      tagName: "AUDIO",
+      getAttribute: (name: string) =>
+        name === "data-duration" ? "5" : name === "data-media-start" ? "0" : null,
+    };
+    const page = {
+      evaluate: async (fn: (waitMs: number) => unknown, waitMs: number) => {
+        Object.defineProperty(globalThis, "document", {
+          configurable: true,
+          value: {
+            querySelectorAll: (query: string) => {
+              selector = query;
+              return [audio];
+            },
+          },
+        });
+        return fn(waitMs);
+      },
+    };
+
+    try {
+      const warnings = await auditClipDurations(
+        page as never,
+        ({ slotSeconds, mediaSeconds }) => ({
+          shortfallSeconds: slotSeconds - mediaSeconds,
+          toleranceSeconds: 0.05,
+        }),
+        10,
+      );
+      expect(selector).toBe("audio[data-duration]");
+      expect(warnings).toHaveLength(1);
+      expect(warnings[0]?.text).toContain('Audio "voice"');
+    } finally {
+      if (originalDocument === undefined) {
+        Reflect.deleteProperty(globalThis, "document");
+      } else {
+        Object.defineProperty(globalThis, "document", {
+          configurable: true,
+          value: originalDocument,
+        });
+      }
+    }
+  });
+});
+
 // Regression for the validate audio-duration-probe timeout: a slow-loading
 // media element's duration was snapshotted once, at a fixed point in time,
 // and any element still mid-load was permanently misreported as unreadable.
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/validate.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/validate.ts
index 2610aa725..3973e422c 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/validate.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/validate.ts
@@ -127,8 +127,9 @@ export function raceMediaReady(
 }
 
 /**
- * Flag `<video>`/`<audio>` clips whose source is meaningfully shorter than their
- * `data-duration` slot (the slot gets silently shortened in renders). Runs in
+ * Flag `<audio>` clips whose source is meaningfully shorter than their
+ * `data-duration` slot (the slot gets silently shortened in renders). Videos
+ * intentionally hold their final frame through an explicit longer slot. Runs in
  * the live page to read each element's intrinsic `.duration`, which static lint
  * can't see.
  */
@@ -140,7 +141,7 @@ export async function auditClipDurations(
   // fallow-ignore-next-line complexity
   const clips = await page.evaluate(async (maxWaitMs: number) => {
     const nodes = Array.from(
-      document.querySelectorAll("video[data-duration], audio[data-duration]"),
+      document.querySelectorAll("audio[data-duration]"),
     ) as HTMLMediaElement[];
 
     // The caller's page-settle sleep is a flat, unconditional wait shared with
diff --git a/packages/core/src/compiler/htmlCompiler.test.ts b/packages/core/src/compiler/htmlCompiler.test.ts
index 5bd223215..c70c3caba 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/compiler/htmlCompiler.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/compiler/htmlCompiler.test.ts
@@ -12,11 +12,39 @@ describe("compileHtml", () => {
     expect(compiled).toContain('data-end="4"');
   });
 
-  it("still clamps non-looping media durations to source duration", async () => {
+  it("preserves an explicit non-looping video slot past source end", async () => {
     const html = '<video id="hero" src="hero.webm" data-start="0" data-duration="4" data-end="4">';
 
     const compiled = await compileHtml(html, "/project", async () => 3.125);
 
+    expect(compiled).toContain('data-duration="4"');
+    expect(compiled).toContain('data-end="4"');
+  });
+
+  it("uses natural duration for a video without an explicit slot inside a composition", async () => {
+    const html =
+      '<div data-composition-id="root" data-start="0" data-duration="5">' +
+      '<video id="hero" src="hero.webm" data-start="0">' +
+      "</div>";
+
+    const compiled = await compileHtml(html, "/project", async () => 1);
+
+    expect(compiled).toContain('data-duration="1"');
+    expect(compiled).toContain('data-end="1"');
+  });
+
+  it("uses natural duration for a standalone video without a composition window", async () => {
+    const html = '<video id="hero" src="hero.webm" data-start="0">';
+    const compiled = await compileHtml(html, "/project", async () => 1);
+    expect(compiled).toContain('data-duration="1"');
+    expect(compiled).toContain('data-end="1"');
+  });
+
+  it("still clamps non-looping audio durations to source duration", async () => {
+    const html = '<audio id="voice" src="voice.wav" data-start="0" data-duration="4" data-end="4">';
+
+    const compiled = await compileHtml(html, "/project", async () => 3.125);
+
     expect(compiled).toContain('data-duration="3.125"');
     expect(compiled).toContain('data-end="3.125"');
   });
diff --git a/packages/core/src/compiler/htmlCompiler.ts b/packages/core/src/compiler/htmlCompiler.ts
index 264f4ec11..cb9320c56 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/compiler/htmlCompiler.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/compiler/htmlCompiler.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import {
   injectDurations,
   extractResolvedMedia,
   clampDurations,
-  shouldClampMediaDuration,
+  shouldClampResolvedMediaDuration,
   type ResolvedDuration,
 } from "./timingCompiler";
 
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ function resolveMediaSrc(src: string, projectDir: string): string {
  *
  * 1. Static pass: compileTimingAttrs() adds data-end where data-duration exists
  * 2. For unresolved video/audio (no data-duration): probe via probeMediaDuration, inject durations
- * 3. For pre-resolved video/audio: validate data-duration against actual source, clamp if needed
+ * 3. For pre-resolved audio: clamp data-duration to playable source when needed.
+ *    Explicit video slots are preserved and hold their final frame.
  *
  * @param rawHtml - The raw HTML string
  * @param projectDir - The project directory for resolving relative paths
@@ -54,10 +55,8 @@ export async function compileHtml(
       if (fileDuration <= 0) continue;
 
       const effectiveDuration = fileDuration - el.mediaStart;
-      resolutions.push({
-        id: el.id,
-        duration: effectiveDuration > 0 ? effectiveDuration : fileDuration,
-      });
+      const sourceDuration = effectiveDuration > 0 ? effectiveDuration : fileDuration;
+      resolutions.push({ id: el.id, duration: sourceDuration });
     }
 
     if (resolutions.length > 0) {
@@ -65,7 +64,8 @@ export async function compileHtml(
     }
   }
 
-  // Phase 2: Validate pre-resolved media — clamp data-duration to actual source duration
+  // Phase 2: Bound authored audio to playable source. Explicit video slots may
+  // outlive their source and render by holding the final frame.
   const preResolved = extractResolvedMedia(html);
   const clampList: ResolvedDuration[] = [];
 
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ export async function compileHtml(
     if (fileDuration <= 0) continue;
 
     const maxDuration = fileDuration - el.mediaStart;
-    if (maxDuration > 0 && shouldClampMediaDuration(el.duration, maxDuration)) {
+    if (maxDuration > 0 && shouldClampResolvedMediaDuration(el.tagName, el.duration, maxDuration)) {
       clampList.push({ id: el.id, duration: maxDuration });
     }
   }
diff --git a/packages/core/src/compiler/index.ts b/packages/core/src/compiler/index.ts
index 0474d19d5..5ab255790 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/compiler/index.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/compiler/index.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ export {
   extractResolvedMedia,
   clampDurations,
   shouldClampMediaDuration,
+  shouldClampResolvedMediaDuration,
   type UnresolvedElement,
   type ResolvedDuration,
   type ResolvedMediaElement,
diff --git a/packages/core/src/compiler/timingCompiler.test.ts b/packages/core/src/compiler/timingCompiler.test.ts
index aeb624370..a3f411f8e 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/compiler/timingCompiler.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/compiler/timingCompiler.test.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import {
   injectDurations,
   extractResolvedMedia,
   clampDurations,
+  shouldClampResolvedMediaDuration,
 } from "./timingCompiler.js";
 
 // Raw 0x00 bytes in the HFMASK delimiters shipped once and broke every render
@@ -264,3 +265,10 @@ describe("clampDurations", () => {
     expect(result).toContain('data-end="7"');
   });
 });
+
+describe("shouldClampResolvedMediaDuration", () => {
+  it("preserves an explicit video slot but keeps audio source-bounded", () => {
+    expect(shouldClampResolvedMediaDuration("video", 5, 1)).toBe(false);
+    expect(shouldClampResolvedMediaDuration("audio", 5, 1)).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/core/src/compiler/timingCompiler.ts b/packages/core/src/compiler/timingCompiler.ts
index b5c3a06fe..715634adc 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/compiler/timingCompiler.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/compiler/timingCompiler.ts
@@ -48,15 +48,29 @@ export interface CompilationResult {
   unresolved: UnresolvedElement[];
 }
 
-// ffprobe precision can differ slightly across local and CI media stacks. Also
-// the floor for the engine's hold-last-frame tolerance (a slot left unclamped is
-// short by at most this), so they must move together.
+// ffprobe precision can differ slightly across local and CI media stacks, so
+// avoid shortening authored audio for insignificant probe drift.
 export const MEDIA_DURATION_CLAMP_EPSILON_SECONDS = 0.05;
 
 export function shouldClampMediaDuration(declaredDuration: number, maxDuration: number): boolean {
   return declaredDuration > maxDuration + MEDIA_DURATION_CLAMP_EPSILON_SECONDS;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Whether compilation should shorten an authored media slot to its source.
+ *
+ * Non-looping video intentionally keeps an explicit longer slot: browsers and
+ * the render frame injector hold its final frame until that authored slot ends.
+ * Audio has no frame to hold, so its slot remains bounded by playable source.
+ */
+export function shouldClampResolvedMediaDuration(
+  tagName: ResolvedMediaElement["tagName"],
+  declaredDuration: number,
+  maxDuration: number,
+): boolean {
+  return tagName === "audio" && shouldClampMediaDuration(declaredDuration, maxDuration);
+}
+
 // ── Helpers ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 function getAttr(tag: string, attr: string): string | null {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/index.test.ts b/packages/core/src/index.test.ts
index e6792aa2a..99c827f8b 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/index.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/index.test.ts
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ describe("@hyperframes/core public API exports", () => {
       expect(typeof core.extractResolvedMedia).toBe("function");
       expect(typeof core.clampDurations).toBe("function");
       expect(typeof core.shouldClampMediaDuration).toBe("function");
+      expect(typeof core.shouldClampResolvedMediaDuration).toBe("function");
     });
   });
 
diff --git a/packages/core/src/index.ts b/packages/core/src/index.ts
index 46997f6c2..ac13fef6d 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/index.ts
@@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ export {
   extractResolvedMedia,
   clampDurations,
   shouldClampMediaDuration,
+  shouldClampResolvedMediaDuration,
   MEDIA_DURATION_CLAMP_EPSILON_SECONDS,
 } from "./compiler/timingCompiler";
 
diff --git a/packages/core/src/runtime/init.ts b/packages/core/src/runtime/init.ts
index 912f9c8ed..35f93e56a 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/runtime/init.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/runtime/init.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,11 @@ import {
 } from "./adapters/video-texture-compat";
 import { forceDispatchSeekEvent } from "./adapters/seek-dispatch";
 import { createWaapiAdapter } from "./adapters/waapi";
-import { refreshRuntimeMediaCache, syncRuntimeMedia } from "./media";
+import {
+  refreshRuntimeMediaCache,
+  resolveRuntimeMediaClipDuration,
+  syncRuntimeMedia,
+} from "./media";
 import { probeAndCacheElementVolume, type VolumeKeyframe } from "./mediaVolumeEnvelope.js";
 import { createPickerModule } from "./picker";
 import { createRuntimePlayer, type RuntimePlayerTransport } from "./player";
@@ -1807,10 +1811,12 @@ export function initSandboxRuntimeModular(): void {
         const ownDuration = Number.parseFloat(element.dataset.duration ?? "");
         const explicitDuration =
           Number.isFinite(ownDuration) && ownDuration > 0 ? ownDuration : null;
-        const candidates = [sourceDuration, hostRemaining, explicitDuration].filter(
-          (value): value is number => value != null,
-        );
-        return candidates.length > 0 ? Math.min(...candidates) : null;
+        return resolveRuntimeMediaClipDuration({
+          isVideo: element.tagName === "VIDEO",
+          sourceDuration,
+          hostRemaining,
+          explicitDuration,
+        });
       },
     });
     // Attach probed volume keyframes to clips so syncRuntimeMedia can use the
diff --git a/packages/core/src/runtime/media.test.ts b/packages/core/src/runtime/media.test.ts
index 63843be90..6de44a32f 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/runtime/media.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/runtime/media.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 import { describe, it, expect, vi, afterEach } from "vitest";
-import { readElementPlaybackRate, refreshRuntimeMediaCache, syncRuntimeMedia } from "./media";
+import {
+  readElementPlaybackRate,
+  refreshRuntimeMediaCache,
+  resolveRuntimeMediaClipDuration,
+  syncRuntimeMedia,
+} from "./media";
 import type { RuntimeMediaClip } from "./media";
 
 function createVideo(attrs: Record<string, string>): HTMLVideoElement {
@@ -195,6 +200,65 @@ describe("refreshRuntimeMediaCache", () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe("resolveRuntimeMediaClipDuration", () => {
+  it("preserves an explicit video slot beyond the source", () => {
+    expect(
+      resolveRuntimeMediaClipDuration({
+        isVideo: true,
+        sourceDuration: 1,
+        hostRemaining: 8,
+        explicitDuration: 5,
+      }),
+    ).toBe(5);
+  });
+
+  it("honors an explicit slot for a looping video instead of truncating it to one loop", () => {
+    // Loop wrapping happens later in syncRuntimeMedia. Duration resolution must
+    // preserve the authored window that the loop fills.
+    expect(
+      resolveRuntimeMediaClipDuration({
+        isVideo: true,
+        sourceDuration: 1,
+        hostRemaining: null,
+        explicitDuration: 10,
+      }),
+    ).toBe(10);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps audio bounded by its playable source", () => {
+    expect(
+      resolveRuntimeMediaClipDuration({
+        isVideo: false,
+        sourceDuration: 1,
+        hostRemaining: 8,
+        explicitDuration: 5,
+      }),
+    ).toBe(1);
+  });
+
+  it("uses natural duration for a video without an explicit slot", () => {
+    expect(
+      resolveRuntimeMediaClipDuration({
+        isVideo: true,
+        sourceDuration: 1,
+        hostRemaining: 8,
+        explicitDuration: null,
+      }),
+    ).toBe(1);
+  });
+
+  it("uses natural source duration when a video has no slot or host window", () => {
+    expect(
+      resolveRuntimeMediaClipDuration({
+        isVideo: true,
+        sourceDuration: 1,
+        hostRemaining: null,
+        explicitDuration: null,
+      }),
+    ).toBe(1);
+  });
+});
+
 describe("syncRuntimeMedia", () => {
   function fakePlayedRanges(el: HTMLMediaElement, ranges: Array<[number, number]>): void {
     Object.defineProperty(el, "played", {
@@ -439,6 +503,22 @@ describe("syncRuntimeMedia", () => {
     expect(clip.el.play).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
+  it("seeks a non-looping video to its final frame when entering an authored hold tail", () => {
+    const clip = createMockClip({ start: 0, end: 5, duration: 5, sourceDuration: 0.25 });
+    syncRuntimeMedia({ clips: [clip], timeSeconds: 4, playing: true, playbackRate: 1 });
+    expect(clip.el.currentTime).toBe(0.25);
+    expect(clip.el.play).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("seeks an ended video backward into its playable source", () => {
+    const clip = createMockClip({ start: 0, end: 5, duration: 5, sourceDuration: 1 });
+    Object.defineProperty(clip.el, "currentTime", { value: 1, writable: true, configurable: true });
+    Object.defineProperty(clip.el, "ended", { value: true, writable: true, configurable: true });
+    syncRuntimeMedia({ clips: [clip], timeSeconds: 0.9, playing: true, playbackRate: 1 });
+    expect(clip.el.currentTime).toBe(0.9);
+    expect(clip.el.play).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
   it("does restart a loop clip that has naturally ended while still within its active window", () => {
     const clip = createMockClip({ start: 0, end: 68.6, loop: true, sourceDuration: 60 });
     Object.defineProperty(clip.el, "paused", { value: true, writable: true });
@@ -722,7 +802,7 @@ describe("syncRuntimeMedia", () => {
     expect(clip.el.currentTime).toBe(7);
   });
 
-  it("does not loop when loop is false", () => {
+  it("holds the final frame instead of looping a non-looping video", () => {
     const clip = createMockClip({
       start: 0,
       end: 10,
@@ -731,9 +811,9 @@ describe("syncRuntimeMedia", () => {
       sourceDuration: 3,
     });
     Object.defineProperty(clip.el, "currentTime", { value: 0, writable: true });
-    // At t=7, relTime = 7 (no wrapping, even though > sourceDuration)
+    // At t=7 the source is exhausted, so the final frame remains visible.
     syncRuntimeMedia({ clips: [clip], timeSeconds: 7, playing: false, playbackRate: 1 });
-    expect(clip.el.currentTime).toBe(7);
+    expect(clip.el.currentTime).toBe(3);
   });
 
   it("asserts muted=true every tick while outputMuted is set", () => {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/runtime/media.ts b/packages/core/src/runtime/media.ts
index 221458855..c95cecf7c 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/runtime/media.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/runtime/media.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,30 @@ export function readElementPlaybackRate(el: HTMLMediaElement): number {
   return Number.isFinite(raw) && raw > 0 ? Math.max(0.1, Math.min(5, raw)) : 1;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Resolve a media element's timeline window without conflating a video's
+ * authored display slot with the amount of source left to decode.
+ *
+ * An explicit video slot may outlive its source and holds the final frame.
+ * Audio remains source-bounded because it has no visual hold state.
+ */
+export function resolveRuntimeMediaClipDuration(params: {
+  isVideo: boolean;
+  sourceDuration: number | null;
+  hostRemaining: number | null;
+  explicitDuration: number | null;
+}): number | null {
+  const mediaDuration = params.isVideo
+    ? (params.explicitDuration ?? params.sourceDuration)
+    : params.sourceDuration;
+  const candidates = (
+    params.isVideo
+      ? [mediaDuration, params.hostRemaining]
+      : [mediaDuration, params.hostRemaining, params.explicitDuration]
+  ).filter((value): value is number => value != null && Number.isFinite(value) && value > 0);
+  return candidates.length > 0 ? Math.min(...candidates) : null;
+}
+
 export type RuntimeMediaClip = {
   el: HTMLVideoElement | HTMLAudioElement;
   start: number;
@@ -167,15 +191,30 @@ export function syncRuntimeMedia(params: {
     const { el } = clip;
     if (!el.isConnected) continue;
     let relTime = (params.timeSeconds - clip.start) * clip.playbackRate + clip.mediaStart;
-    // An ended non-loop element has played its file to natural completion.
-    // Don't restart it — if the authored duration extends past the file's
-    // actual length, the element sits silently until the composition ends.
-    // (el.ended resets to false when the user scrubs back, so seeks work.)
+    const isNonLoopVideo = el.tagName === "VIDEO" && !clip.loop;
+    const isHeldVideoTail =
+      isNonLoopVideo &&
+      clip.sourceDuration != null &&
+      relTime >= clip.sourceDuration &&
+      params.timeSeconds >= clip.start &&
+      params.timeSeconds < clip.end;
+    if (isHeldVideoTail && clip.sourceDuration != null) {
+      relTime = clip.sourceDuration;
+    }
+    const canSeekEndedVideoBackward =
+      isNonLoopVideo &&
+      clip.sourceDuration != null &&
+      relTime >= clip.mediaStart &&
+      relTime < clip.sourceDuration;
+    // Audio that ended naturally stays silent. A non-loop video remains an
+    // active visual through its authored window: tail seeks clamp to the final
+    // frame, and backward seeks can re-enter playable source without depending
+    // on the browser having reset `ended` first.
     const isActive =
       params.timeSeconds >= clip.start &&
       params.timeSeconds < clip.end &&
       relTime >= 0 &&
-      (!el.ended || clip.loop);
+      (!el.ended || clip.loop || isHeldVideoTail || canSeekEndedVideoBackward);
     if (isActive) {
       // Loop wrapping: when media reaches end, restart from mediaStart
       if (clip.loop && clip.sourceDuration != null && clip.sourceDuration > 0) {
@@ -258,7 +297,10 @@ export function syncRuntimeMedia(params: {
       const firstTickOfClip = prevOffset === undefined;
       const offsetJumped = !firstTickOfClip && Math.abs(offset - prevOffset!) > 0.5;
       const catastrophicDrift = drift > 3;
-      const hardSync = drift > 0.5 && (firstTickOfClip || offsetJumped || catastrophicDrift);
+      const hardSync =
+        (isHeldVideoTail && drift > 0.001) ||
+        (el.ended && canSeekEndedVideoBackward && drift > 0.001) ||
+        (drift > 0.5 && (firstTickOfClip || offsetJumped || catastrophicDrift));
       // Playing video elements use the browser's native decoder pipeline for
       // timing. Seeking a playing video resets the decoder, causing a ~150ms
       // freeze while it re-buffers — during which the monotonic clock advances,
@@ -321,7 +363,9 @@ export function syncRuntimeMedia(params: {
         }
         playRequested.delete(el);
       }
-      if (params.playing && el.paused && !playRequested.has(el) && !isUnplayable(el)) {
+      if (isHeldVideoTail) {
+        if (!el.paused) el.pause();
+      } else if (params.playing && el.paused && !playRequested.has(el) && !isUnplayable(el)) {
         // `HTMLMediaElement.play()` is spec'd to queue playback and resolve
         // once enough data is buffered, so we can unconditionally call it —
         // no need to gate on `readyState` or defer to a `canplay` listener.
diff --git a/packages/engine/src/services/videoFrameExtractor.test.ts b/packages/engine/src/services/videoFrameExtractor.test.ts
index a8ce64fd3..89ad8b29d 100644
--- a/packages/engine/src/services/videoFrameExtractor.test.ts
+++ b/packages/engine/src/services/videoFrameExtractor.test.ts
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ describe("FrameLookupTable", () => {
     expect(table.getActiveFramePayloads(4.5).get("hero")?.frameIndex).toBe(15);
   });
 
-  it("does not hold stale frames for non-looping clips after extracted frames end", () => {
+  it("holds the last frame for a non-looping clip until its authored slot ends", () => {
     const table = createFrameLookupTable(
       [
         {
@@ -406,7 +406,31 @@ describe("FrameLookupTable", () => {
     );
 
     expect(table.getActiveFramePayloads(0.5).has("hero")).toBe(true);
-    expect(table.getActiveFramePayloads(1.5).has("hero")).toBe(false);
+    expect(table.getActiveFramePayloads(1.5).get("hero")?.frameIndex).toBe(29);
+    expect(table.getActiveFramePayloads(4.5).get("hero")?.frameIndex).toBe(29);
+    expect(table.getFrame("hero", 4.5)).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(table.getActiveFramePayloads(5.1).has("hero")).toBe(false);
+    expect(table.getFrame("hero", 5.1)).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("does not invent a held frame when extraction produced no frames", () => {
+    const table = createFrameLookupTable(
+      [
+        {
+          id: "hero",
+          src: "clip.webm",
+          start: 0,
+          end: 5,
+          mediaStart: 0,
+          loop: false,
+          hasAudio: false,
+        },
+      ],
+      [fakeExtracted(0, 30)],
+    );
+
+    expect(table.getActiveFramePayloads(4.5).has("hero")).toBe(false);
+    expect(table.getFrame("hero", 4.5)).toBeNull();
   });
 
   it("places a relative-reference video in its resolved window end-to-end (was blank)", () => {
@@ -448,10 +472,9 @@ describe("FrameLookupTable", () => {
     expect(table.getActiveFramePayloads(2.5).get("hero")?.frameIndex).toBe(45);
   });
 
-  it("holds the last frame at the clip end even when the source is shorter than the window", () => {
-    // clip [0,5] with only 1s of source (30 @ 30fps). The mid-clip tail stays
-    // blank (source exhausted), but t === end still holds the last frame to
-    // match the runtime's inclusive visibility.
+  it("holds the last frame across the tail when the source is shorter than the window", () => {
+    // clip [0,5] with only 1s of source (30 @ 30fps). The authored slot is the
+    // visibility contract, so the final source frame fills its remaining tail.
     const table = createFrameLookupTable(
       [
         {
@@ -466,7 +489,7 @@ describe("FrameLookupTable", () => {
       ],
       [fakeExtracted(30, 30)],
     );
-    expect(table.getActiveFramePayloads(1.5).has("hero")).toBe(false);
+    expect(table.getActiveFramePayloads(1.5).get("hero")?.frameIndex).toBe(29);
     expect(table.getActiveFramePayloads(5.0).get("hero")?.frameIndex).toBe(29);
   });
 
@@ -1529,4 +1552,9 @@ describe("getFrameAtTime — IEEE 754 boundary precision", () => {
     const frame = getFrameAtTime(extracted, 0, 0, false, 1.0);
     expect(frame).toBe("frame-0.jpg");
   });
+
+  it("returns null after source exhaustion without an authored slot boundary", () => {
+    const extracted = makeExtracted(25, 25);
+    expect(getFrameAtTime(extracted, 3, 0)).toBeNull();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/engine/src/services/videoFrameExtractor.ts b/packages/engine/src/services/videoFrameExtractor.ts
index 817177fa0..30a72908d 100644
--- a/packages/engine/src/services/videoFrameExtractor.ts
+++ b/packages/engine/src/services/videoFrameExtractor.ts
@@ -1235,13 +1235,14 @@ export async function extractAllVideoFrames(
   };
 }
 
-export function getFrameAtTime(
+function getFrameIndexAtTime(
   extracted: ExtractedFrames,
   globalTime: number,
   videoStart: number,
   loop = false,
   mediaStart = 0,
-): string | null {
+  holdLastFrame = false,
+): number | null {
   let localTime = globalTime - videoStart;
   if (localTime < 0) return null;
   const loopDuration = Math.max(0, extracted.metadata.durationSeconds - mediaStart);
@@ -1251,21 +1252,29 @@ export function getFrameAtTime(
   // Add epsilon before flooring to avoid IEEE 754 boundary errors where
   // e.g. 0.28 * 25 === 6.999999999999999 instead of 7.
   const frameIndex = Math.floor(localTime * extracted.fps + 1e-9);
-  if (loop && frameIndex >= extracted.totalFrames && extracted.totalFrames > 0) {
-    return extracted.framePaths.get(extracted.totalFrames - 1) || null;
+  if (frameIndex < 0 || extracted.totalFrames <= 0) return null;
+  if (frameIndex >= extracted.totalFrames) {
+    return loop || holdLastFrame ? extracted.totalFrames - 1 : null;
   }
-  if (frameIndex < 0 || frameIndex >= extracted.totalFrames) return null;
-  return extracted.framePaths.get(frameIndex) || null;
+  return frameIndex;
 }
 
-const HOLD_LAST_FRAME_TOLERANCE_FRAMES = 2;
+export function getFrameAtTime(
+  extracted: ExtractedFrames,
+  globalTime: number,
+  videoStart: number,
+  loop = false,
+  mediaStart = 0,
+): string | null {
+  const frameIndex = getFrameIndexAtTime(extracted, globalTime, videoStart, loop, mediaStart);
+  return frameIndex == null ? null : extracted.framePaths.get(frameIndex) || null;
+}
 
 /**
- * Whether a clip's source is shorter than its `data-duration` slot by more than
- * the compiler tolerates before clamping the slot to the media
- * (MEDIA_DURATION_CLAMP_EPSILON_SECONDS) — the case worth warning about. Shared
- * by the render and `validate` warnings. `null` when the media covers the slot,
- * the clip loops, or inputs are unusable.
+ * Whether a media source is shorter than its `data-duration` slot by more than
+ * the compiler tolerance. The calculation stays tag-agnostic; current in-repo
+ * warnings call it for audio only because video slots may intentionally outlive
+ * their source and hold the final frame.
  */
 export function analyzeClipMediaFit(params: {
   /** Timeline slot length in seconds — `end - start` (a.k.a. data-duration). */
@@ -1325,7 +1334,15 @@ export class FrameLookupTable {
     const video = this.videos.get(videoId);
     if (!video) return null;
     if (globalTime < video.start || globalTime > video.end) return null;
-    return getFrameAtTime(video.extracted, globalTime, video.start, video.loop, video.mediaStart);
+    const frameIndex = getFrameIndexAtTime(
+      video.extracted,
+      globalTime,
+      video.start,
+      video.loop,
+      video.mediaStart,
+      true,
+    );
+    return frameIndex == null ? null : video.extracted.framePaths.get(frameIndex) || null;
   }
 
   private resetActiveState(): void {
@@ -1386,37 +1403,15 @@ export class FrameLookupTable {
     for (const videoId of this.activeVideoIds) {
       const video = this.videos.get(videoId);
       if (!video) continue;
-      let localTime = globalTime - video.start;
-      const loopDuration = Math.max(0, video.extracted.metadata.durationSeconds - video.mediaStart);
-      if (video.loop && loopDuration > 0 && localTime >= loopDuration) {
-        localTime %= loopDuration;
-      }
-      const frameIndex = Math.floor(localTime * video.extracted.fps + 1e-9);
-      if (video.loop && frameIndex >= video.extracted.totalFrames) {
-        const framePath = video.extracted.framePaths.get(video.extracted.totalFrames - 1);
-        if (framePath) {
-          frames.set(videoId, { framePath, frameIndex: video.extracted.totalFrames - 1 });
-        }
-        continue;
-      }
-      if (frameIndex < 0 || frameIndex >= video.extracted.totalFrames) {
-        // Source exhausted. Hold the last frame near the clip end so a media that
-        // falls a hair short of its slot (e.g. `ffmpeg -t 1.45` → 1.433s at 30fps)
-        // doesn't flash the background for one frame. A clip that's substantially
-        // shorter than its slot still blanks for the tail. Tolerance floored at
-        // the clamp epsilon so the seam is covered at any fps (see that const).
-        const fps = video.extracted.fps;
-        const holdTolerance = Math.max(
-          fps > 0 ? HOLD_LAST_FRAME_TOLERANCE_FRAMES / fps : 0,
-          MEDIA_DURATION_CLAMP_EPSILON_SECONDS,
-        );
-        if (globalTime >= video.end - holdTolerance && video.extracted.totalFrames > 0) {
-          const lastIndex = video.extracted.totalFrames - 1;
-          const lastPath = video.extracted.framePaths.get(lastIndex);
-          if (lastPath) frames.set(videoId, { framePath: lastPath, frameIndex: lastIndex });
-        }
-        continue;
-      }
+      const frameIndex = getFrameIndexAtTime(
+        video.extracted,
+        globalTime,
+        video.start,
+        video.loop,
+        video.mediaStart,
+        true,
+      );
+      if (frameIndex == null) continue;
       const framePath = video.extracted.framePaths.get(frameIndex);
       if (!framePath) continue;
       frames.set(videoId, { framePath, frameIndex });
diff --git a/packages/producer/src/services/htmlCompiler.ts b/packages/producer/src/services/htmlCompiler.ts
index c9b52dd38..4ad17000d 100644
--- a/packages/producer/src/services/htmlCompiler.ts
+++ b/packages/producer/src/services/htmlCompiler.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import {
   injectDurations,
   extractResolvedMedia,
   clampDurations,
-  shouldClampMediaDuration,
+  shouldClampResolvedMediaDuration,
   CSS_URL_RE,
   isNonRelativeUrl,
   type ResolvedDuration,
@@ -478,7 +478,8 @@ async function compileHtmlFile(
   let compiledHtml =
     resolutions.length > 0 ? injectDurations(staticCompiled, resolutions) : staticCompiled;
 
-  // Phase 2: Validate pre-resolved media — clamp data-duration to actual source duration (parallel ffprobe)
+  // Phase 2: Bound authored audio to playable source (parallel ffprobe).
+  // Explicit video slots may outlive their source and hold the final frame.
   const preResolved = extractResolvedMedia(compiledHtml);
   const clampResults = await Promise.all(
     preResolved
@@ -496,16 +497,17 @@ async function compileHtmlFile(
   );
   const clampList: ResolvedDuration[] = [];
   for (const r of clampResults) {
-    if (r.maxDuration > 0 && shouldClampMediaDuration(r.duration, r.maxDuration)) {
+    if (
+      r.maxDuration > 0 &&
+      shouldClampResolvedMediaDuration(r.tagName, r.duration, r.maxDuration)
+    ) {
       clampList.push({ id: r.id, duration: r.maxDuration });
       // This clip's `data-duration` is being silently shortened to its source.
       // Surface it so the author can confirm the longer slot wasn't intended.
-      // ponytail: top-level only — sub-composition clips still get clamped (and
-      // videos still hold the last frame); thread `log` through
-      // parseSubCompositions to warn for them too.
-      const kind = r.tagName === "audio" ? "Audio" : "Video";
+      // ponytail: top-level only — sub-composition audio still gets clamped;
+      // thread `log` through parseSubCompositions to warn for it too.
       log?.warn(
-        `[compile] ${kind} "${r.id}" (${r.src}) is ${r.maxDuration.toFixed(2)}s but its ` +
+        `[compile] Audio "${r.id}" (${r.src}) is ${r.maxDuration.toFixed(2)}s but its ` +
           `data-duration is ${r.duration.toFixed(2)}s — the slot is shortened to the media ` +
           `length. Set data-duration to ~${r.maxDuration.toFixed(2)}s, trim data-media-start, ` +
           `or use a longer/looping source if that isn't intended.`,