diff --git a/simulator/e2e/tests/loop-recovery.spec.ts b/simulator/e2e/tests/loop-recovery.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5455612
--- /dev/null
+++ b/simulator/e2e/tests/loop-recovery.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+import { test, expect } from "@playwright/test";
+
+// Regression: the steady-state loop (#vid-loop) restarts from the morph-tail
+// offset via a narrow timeupdate window. If that window is ever missed the clip
+// fires `ended` and — without a safety net — freezes on its last frame ("videos
+// aren't looping"). This asserts the `ended` safety net recovers playback.
+test("loop recovers when a clip reaches `ended` (no freeze on last frame)", async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.goto("/");
+  await page.waitForFunction(
+    () => document.querySelector("#loading")?.classList.contains("done"),
+    null,
+    { timeout: 45_000 },
+  );
+
+  const r = await page.evaluate(async () => {
+    const lv = document.getElementById("vid-loop") as HTMLVideoElement;
+    // Reproduce the stuck state: parked on the last frame, as after a missed wrap.
+    lv.pause();
+    lv.currentTime = Math.max(0, lv.duration - 0.001);
+    // The browser emits `ended` here in real life; emit it deterministically.
+    lv.dispatchEvent(new Event("ended"));
+    await new Promise((res) => setTimeout(res, 800));
+    return { dur: +lv.duration.toFixed(2), ct: +lv.currentTime.toFixed(2), paused: lv.paused };
+  });
+
+  // Recovered: playing again, and seeked back near the loop tail (not stuck at end).
+  expect(r.paused).toBe(false);
+  expect(r.ct).toBeLessThan(5);
+});
diff --git a/simulator/static/app.js b/simulator/static/app.js
index 8c0b7e9..dbe005e 100644
--- a/simulator/static/app.js
+++ b/simulator/static/app.js
@@ -274,6 +274,17 @@ loopVid.addEventListener("timeupdate", () => {
   }
 });
 
+// Safety net: the timeupdate wrap above is a narrow window (the last 0.08 s). Under
+// real-browser decode/GPU load a `timeupdate` can skip past it, the clip fires
+// `ended`, and — with native loop off — freezes on its last frame ("not looping").
+// `ended` GUARANTEES recovery: seek back to the tail and resume. Headless rarely
+// hits this; loaded real machines do.
+loopVid.addEventListener("ended", () => {
+  if (loopVid.dataset.loopTail !== "1") return;
+  try { loopVid.currentTime = LOOP_TAIL_S; } catch (e) { /* not seekable */ }
+  loopVid.play().catch(() => {});
+});
+
 // Compose the video look. The Right DREAM is now a painterly WebGL restyle of the
 // live frames (see the render loop below) — so here we only stash its intensity for
 // that loop, and build the Dark/Light mood grade as a CSS filter. The grade rides