diff --git a/apps/master-api/src/stremio/routes.ts b/apps/master-api/src/stremio/routes.ts
index b3f5ff0..783f8bd 100644
--- a/apps/master-api/src/stremio/routes.ts
+++ b/apps/master-api/src/stremio/routes.ts
@@ -127,12 +127,11 @@ export async function registerStremioRoutes(app: FastifyInstance, config: Config
       return reply.status(401).send({ error: "Invalid addon token" });
     }
 
-    const streams = await getStreams(type, id, token, userId, playback);
+    const streams = await getStreams(type, id, userId, playback, request.log);
     return { streams };
   });
 
-  // Lazy session: create on GET play so the token is fresh; redirect to node stream URL.
-  // HEAD is treated as a probe — do not create a session (Stremio binge/prefetch uses HEAD/GET).
+  // Fallback play URL (direct node redirect) — stream.json prefers eager node URLs.
   app.route({
     method: ["GET", "HEAD"],
     url: "/stremio/:token/play/:mediaFileId",
@@ -160,7 +159,11 @@ export async function registerStremioRoutes(app: FastifyInstance, config: Config
 
       try {
         const session = await playback.createSession(mediaFileId, userId);
-        return reply.code(307).redirect(session.streamUrl);
+        request.log.info(
+          { mediaFileId, streamUrl: session.streamUrl },
+          "playback redirect to node"
+        );
+        return reply.code(302).redirect(session.streamUrl);
       } catch (err) {
         const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : "Playback unavailable";
         request.log.error({ err, mediaFileId }, "playback create failed");
@@ -351,9 +354,9 @@ async function getSeriesMeta(id: string) {
 async function getStreams(
   type: string,
   id: string,
-  addonToken: string,
-  _userId: string,
-  playback: PlaybackService
+  userId: string,
+  playback: PlaybackService,
+  log?: { warn: (obj: unknown, msg?: string) => void }
 ) {
   if (type === "movie") {
     const movie = await prisma.movie.findFirst({
@@ -370,15 +373,20 @@ async function getStreams(
     const streams = [];
     for (const file of movie.mediaFiles) {
       if (file.node.status !== "ONLINE" || file.node.revoked) continue;
-      streams.push({
-        name: playback.formatStreamLabel(file),
-        title: playback.formatStreamLabel(file),
-        // Lazy master URL — session is created when Stremio actually opens it.
-        url: playback.resolveStreamUrl(addonToken, file.id),
-        behaviorHints: {
-          notWebReady: true,
-        },
-      });
+      try {
+        // Direct node URL — Stremio does not reliably follow Master 302/307 for video.
+        const session = await playback.createSession(file.id, userId);
+        streams.push({
+          name: playback.formatStreamLabel(file),
+          title: playback.formatStreamLabel(file),
+          url: session.streamUrl,
+          behaviorHints: {
+            notWebReady: true,
+          },
+        });
+      } catch (err) {
+        log?.warn({ err, mediaFileId: file.id }, "skip stream: session create failed");
+      }
     }
     return streams;
   }
@@ -417,14 +425,19 @@ async function getStreams(
     const streams = [];
     for (const file of episode.mediaFiles) {
       if (file.node.status !== "ONLINE" || file.node.revoked) continue;
-      streams.push({
-        name: playback.formatStreamLabel(file),
-        title: playback.formatStreamLabel(file),
-        url: playback.resolveStreamUrl(addonToken, file.id),
-        behaviorHints: {
-          notWebReady: true,
-        },
-      });
+      try {
+        const session = await playback.createSession(file.id, userId);
+        streams.push({
+          name: playback.formatStreamLabel(file),
+          title: playback.formatStreamLabel(file),
+          url: session.streamUrl,
+          behaviorHints: {
+            notWebReady: true,
+          },
+        });
+      } catch (err) {
+        log?.warn({ err, mediaFileId: file.id }, "skip stream: session create failed");
+      }
     }
     return streams;
   }
diff --git a/apps/master-api/src/websocket/manager.ts b/apps/master-api/src/websocket/manager.ts
index de416d0..92036fe 100644
--- a/apps/master-api/src/websocket/manager.ts
+++ b/apps/master-api/src/websocket/manager.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ class NodeConnectionManager {
   private offlineCheckInterval: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null = null;
   private pendingSessionAcks = new Map<string, PendingAck>();
   private syncState = new Map<string, SyncState>();
+  private syncQueues = new Map<string, Promise<void>>();
 
   init(config: Config): void {
     this.config = config;
@@ -257,39 +258,45 @@ class NodeConnectionManager {
       this.syncState.set(conn.nodeId, state);
     }
 
-    try {
-      await this.librarySync.processFullSync(
-        conn.nodeId,
-        payload.nodeRevision,
-        payload.files,
-        { isLast, fileIdsSoFar: state.fileIds }
-      );
+    // ACK immediately so the node WS stays free for playback / next batches.
+    // Metadata matching can take seconds per batch and must not block the socket.
+    this.send(
+      socket,
+      createMessage("FULL_LIBRARY_SYNC_ACK", {
+        accepted: true,
+        syncId: payload.syncId,
+        batchIndex: payload.batchIndex,
+      })
+    );
 
-      this.send(
-        socket,
-        createMessage("FULL_LIBRARY_SYNC_ACK", {
-          accepted: true,
-          syncId: payload.syncId,
-          batchIndex: payload.batchIndex,
-        })
-      );
-
-      if (isLast) {
-        console.log(
-          `Full library sync complete for ${conn.nodeId}: ${state.fileIds.size} files` +
-            (payload.batchCount != null ? ` (${payload.batchCount} batches)` : "")
+    const prev = this.syncQueues.get(conn.nodeId) ?? Promise.resolve();
+    const job = prev
+      .then(async () => {
+        if (!this.librarySync) return;
+        await this.librarySync.processFullSync(
+          conn.nodeId,
+          payload.nodeRevision,
+          payload.files,
+          { isLast, fileIdsSoFar: state!.fileIds }
         );
+
+        if (isLast) {
+          console.log(
+            `Full library sync complete for ${conn.nodeId}: ${state!.fileIds.size} files` +
+              (payload.batchCount != null ? ` (${payload.batchCount} batches)` : "")
+          );
+          this.syncState.delete(conn.nodeId);
+        } else if (batchIndex % 10 === 0) {
+          console.log(
+            `Full library sync progress for ${conn.nodeId}: batch ${(batchIndex ?? 0) + 1}/${payload.batchCount ?? "?"}`
+          );
+        }
+      })
+      .catch((err) => {
+        console.error(`Full sync failed for ${conn.nodeId}:`, err);
         this.syncState.delete(conn.nodeId);
-      } else if (batchIndex % 10 === 0) {
-        console.log(
-          `Full library sync progress for ${conn.nodeId}: batch ${(batchIndex ?? 0) + 1}/${payload.batchCount ?? "?"}`
-        );
-      }
-    } catch (err) {
-      console.error(`Full sync failed for ${conn.nodeId}:`, err);
-      this.syncState.delete(conn.nodeId);
-      this.send(socket, createMessage("ERROR", { message: "Full sync failed" }));
-    }
+      });
+    this.syncQueues.set(conn.nodeId, job);
   }
 
   private handlePlaybackSessionAck(payload: CreatePlaybackSessionAckPayload): void {