diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/CallModal.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/CallModal.tsx
index 18e3902..660076d 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/CallModal.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/CallModal.tsx
@@ -263,41 +263,44 @@ export default function CallModal({ isOpen, onClose, targetUser, callType: initi
 
       // Force binding to the SINGLE stable video element
 
-      // Use a custom property on the video element to track the play promise
+      // Manage playback via startPlayback helper
       if (remoteVideoRef.current) {
         const video = remoteVideoRef.current as any;
         
         const startPlayback = async () => {
-          // If a play promise is already pending, don't start a new one
+          // If a play request is already in progress, don't start a new one (as per Chrome docs)
           if (video._playPromise) {
-            console.log('[WebRTC] Play promise already pending, skipping...');
+            console.log('[WebRTC] Play is already in progress, waiting...');
             return;
           }
 
           try {
+            // Small stabilization delay (100ms)
+            await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 100));
+            
             if (video.srcObject !== stream) {
               console.log('[WebRTC] Binding stream to video element');
               video.srcObject = stream;
             }
             video.muted = false;
             
-            console.log('[WebRTC] Initiating play()...');
+            console.log('[WebRTC] Calling video.play()...');
             video._playPromise = video.play();
             
             await video._playPromise;
             
-            console.log('[WebRTC] Playback started successfully');
+            console.log('[WebRTC] Playback confirmed');
             video._playPromise = null;
             setNeedsInteraction(false);
           } catch (e: any) {
             video._playPromise = null;
-            if (e.name === 'NotAllowedError' || e.name === 'NotSupportedError') {
-              console.warn('[WebRTC] Autoplay blocked, waiting for interaction');
+            if (e.name === 'NotAllowedError') {
+              console.warn('[WebRTC] Autoplay blocked, showing UI');
               setNeedsInteraction(true);
             } else if (e.name === 'AbortError') {
-              console.warn('[WebRTC] Playback interrupted (AbortError), safe to ignore');
+              console.log('[WebRTC] Play aborted (likely concurrent track), will be retried automatically');
             } else {
-              console.error('[WebRTC] Playback failed:', e);
+              console.error('[WebRTC] Fatal playback error:', e);
             }
           }
         };