diff --git a/apps/master-api/src/viaplay/client.ts b/apps/master-api/src/viaplay/client.ts
index 69b8e6f..9fa49b3 100644
--- a/apps/master-api/src/viaplay/client.ts
+++ b/apps/master-api/src/viaplay/client.ts
@@ -766,8 +766,12 @@ function extractProducts(json: unknown): ViaplayEpgProduct[] {
   return out;
 }
 
-/** HAR: Don't go-placeholder (live soft-fail). Clips mogen dit pad wél hebben. */
-export const VIAPLAY_DONT_GO_MEDIA_RE = /\/7c4cd64\/88000100-1778484912807\.ism\b/i;
+/**
+ * Don't go is Viaplay's soft-fail (200 + promo-VOD) i.p.v. 403.
+ * Titel/guid van het event kloppen vaak wél; alleen de media is fout.
+ */
+const VIAPLAY_DONT_GO_MEDIA_RE =
+  /88000100-1778484912807|\b7c4cd64\b|\/dont[-_]?go/i;
 
 export function isDontGoPlaceholder(mpdUrl: string | null | undefined): boolean {
   return !!mpdUrl && VIAPLAY_DONT_GO_MEDIA_RE.test(mpdUrl);
@@ -777,31 +781,18 @@ export function isLiveDashMpd(mpdUrl: string | null | undefined): boolean {
   return !!mpdUrl && /live-dash/i.test(mpdUrl);
 }
 
-function sportContentUrls(
-  pageUrl: string | null | undefined,
-  deviceKey: string,
-  mediaGuid: string
-): { productUrl: string; contextualUrl: string; contextualv2Url: string } {
-  const guidPath = mediaGuid.replace(/-NL$/i, "").toLowerCase();
-  let clean = "";
-  const raw = (pageUrl || "").trim();
-  if (raw) {
-    try {
-      const u = new URL(raw);
-      u.search = "";
-      clean = u.toString().replace(/\/$/, "");
-    } catch {
-      clean = "";
-    }
+function assertLivePlayNotSoftFail(played: ViaplayPlayResult): void {
+  if (isPromoVodTitle(played.title)) {
+    throw new Error(`Viaplay gaf promo-stream (“${played.title}”)`);
   }
-  if (!clean) {
-    clean = `https://content.viaplay.com/${deviceKey}/sport/${guidPath}`;
+  if (isDontGoPlaceholder(played.mpdUrl)) {
+    throw new Error("Viaplay gaf Don't go-placeholder i.p.v. de wedstrijdstream");
+  }
+  if (!isLiveDashMpd(played.mpdUrl)) {
+    throw new Error(
+      "Viaplay gaf geen live-dash stream (Don't go/VOD-fallback — sessie of rechten)"
+    );
   }
-  return {
-    productUrl: `${clean}?partial=true`,
-    contextualUrl: `${clean}?contextual=true`,
-    contextualv2Url: `${clean}?contextualV2=true&productType=sport`,
-  };
 }
 
 export async function playByMediaGuid(
@@ -810,11 +801,8 @@ export async function playByMediaGuid(
   opts: { deviceKey: string; timeoutMs: number; pageUrl?: string | null }
 ): Promise<ViaplayPlayResult> {
   const mediaGuid = toMediaGuid(mediaGuidRaw);
-  const pages = sportContentUrls(opts.pageUrl, opts.deviceKey, mediaGuid);
-  const returnUrl = new URL(`https://content.viaplay.com/${opts.deviceKey}`);
-  returnUrl.searchParams.set("language", "nl");
-  if (creds.profileId) returnUrl.searchParams.set("profileId", creds.profileId);
-
+  // Zelfde query als het werkende live-script. Extra HAR-svod/producturl
+  // triggert bij terugkijken de Don't go-VOD-fallback.
   const u = new URL("https://play-live.viaplay.com/api/stream/bymediaguid");
   u.searchParams.set("deviceId", creds.deviceId || randomUUID());
   u.searchParams.set("deviceName", "web");
@@ -822,19 +810,7 @@ export async function playByMediaGuid(
   u.searchParams.set("userAgent", VIAPLAY_USER_AGENT);
   u.searchParams.set("deviceKey", opts.deviceKey);
   u.searchParams.set("mediaGuid", mediaGuid);
-  u.searchParams.set("cse", "true");
   u.searchParams.set("nocc", "autoplayer");
-  u.searchParams.set(
-    "splitIOFlagIds",
-    "all_sports_beyondLiveBeacon_on,web_player_pause_ads_on"
-  );
-  u.searchParams.set("returnurl", returnUrl.toString());
-  u.searchParams.set("producturl", pages.productUrl);
-  u.searchParams.set("contextualurl", pages.contextualUrl);
-  u.searchParams.set("contextualv2url", pages.contextualv2Url);
-  u.searchParams.set("sectionPath", "/sport");
-  u.searchParams.set("defaultAvailabilityContext", "svod");
-  u.searchParams.set("win10edge", "true");
   if (creds.profileId) u.searchParams.set("profileId", creds.profileId);
 
   const res = await fetchJson(u.toString(), {
@@ -849,11 +825,7 @@ export async function playByMediaGuid(
     throw new Error(msg);
   }
   const played = parsePlayStreamBody(body, mediaGuid);
-  if (isDontGoPlaceholder(played.mpdUrl)) {
-    throw new Error(
-      "Viaplay play-live gaf Don't go-placeholder i.p.v. de wedstrijdstream"
-    );
-  }
+  assertLivePlayNotSoftFail(played);
   return played;
 }
 
@@ -969,8 +941,7 @@ function playBodyGuid(body: Record<string, unknown>): string | null {
 }
 
 /**
- * HAR afspelen.har: web speelt clip als guid+titel kloppen, ook zonder DRM
- * en met cse mediaGuid=unknown. Alleen een promo-titel is een echte soft-fail.
+ * Soft-fail: 200 met juiste product-metadata maar Don't go / promo-MPD.
  */
 function assertVodPlayMatchesGuid(
   body: Record<string, unknown>,
@@ -991,6 +962,11 @@ function assertVodPlayMatchesGuid(
   if (isPromoVodTitle(played.title)) {
     throw new Error(`Viaplay gaf promo-stream (“${played.title}”)`);
   }
+  if (isDontGoPlaceholder(played.mpdUrl)) {
+    throw new Error(
+      "Viaplay gaf Don't go-placeholder i.p.v. de gevraagde stream"
+    );
+  }
 
   const links = asRecord(body._links);
   const productHref = asRecord(links?.["viaplay:product"])?.href;
diff --git a/apps/master-api/src/viaplay/play.ts b/apps/master-api/src/viaplay/play.ts
index 773cd84..0a1b630 100644
--- a/apps/master-api/src/viaplay/play.ts
+++ b/apps/master-api/src/viaplay/play.ts
@@ -368,6 +368,12 @@ export async function ensureViaplayEventReady(
       if (play.licenseUrl && !keys.length) {
         throw new Error("Viaplay-licentie aanwezig maar geen keys");
       }
+      if (isDontGoPlaceholder(play.mpdUrl) || isDontGoPlaceholder(kap.mpdUrl)) {
+        throw new Error("Viaplay gaf Don't go-placeholder i.p.v. de wedstrijdstream");
+      }
+      if (!isLiveDashMpd(play.mpdUrl)) {
+        throw new Error("Viaplay gaf geen live-dash stream (Don't go/VOD-fallback)");
+      }
 
       await patchViaplayEventCache(mediaGuid, {
         mpdUrl: kap.mpdUrl,
@@ -576,6 +582,9 @@ async function resolveViaplayGuidPlayInner(
           throw new Error("Viaplay-licentie aanwezig maar geen VOD-keys");
         }
       }
+      if (isDontGoPlaceholder(mpdUrl)) {
+        throw new Error("Viaplay gaf Don't go-placeholder i.p.v. de gevraagde stream");
+      }
 
       recordVodPlay({
         guid,