diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 674e03d..8600671 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1642,7 +1642,7 @@ checksum = "09edd9e8b54e49e587e4f6295a7d29c3ea94d469cb40ab8ca70b288248a81db2"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "lesavka_client"
-version = "0.15.4"
+version = "0.15.5"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "async-stream",
@@ -1676,7 +1676,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "lesavka_common"
-version = "0.15.4"
+version = "0.15.5"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "base64",
@@ -1688,7 +1688,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "lesavka_server"
-version = "0.15.4"
+version = "0.15.5"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "base64",
diff --git a/client/Cargo.toml b/client/Cargo.toml
index a7ee0aa..180b12f 100644
--- a/client/Cargo.toml
+++ b/client/Cargo.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ path                    = "src/main.rs"
 
 [package]
 name                    = "lesavka_client"
-version                 = "0.15.4"
+version                 = "0.15.5"
 edition                 = "2024"
 
 [dependencies]
diff --git a/common/Cargo.toml b/common/Cargo.toml
index 749ff74..528778b 100644
--- a/common/Cargo.toml
+++ b/common/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name                    = "lesavka_common"
-version                 = "0.15.4"
+version                 = "0.15.5"
 edition                 = "2024"
 build                   = "build.rs"
 
diff --git a/scripts/install/server.sh b/scripts/install/server.sh
index 4cabeeb..90c1293 100755
--- a/scripts/install/server.sh
+++ b/scripts/install/server.sh
@@ -800,7 +800,7 @@ fi
   printf 'LESAVKA_UAC_HDMI_COMPENSATION_US=%s\n' "${LESAVKA_UAC_HDMI_COMPENSATION_US:-205000}"
   printf 'LESAVKA_UAC_SESSION_CLOCK_ALIGN=%s\n' "${LESAVKA_UAC_SESSION_CLOCK_ALIGN:-0}"
   printf 'LESAVKA_UPSTREAM_PLAYOUT_DELAY_MS=%s\n' "${LESAVKA_UPSTREAM_PLAYOUT_DELAY_MS:-1000}"
-  printf 'LESAVKA_UPSTREAM_AUDIO_PLAYOUT_OFFSET_US=%s\n' "${LESAVKA_UPSTREAM_AUDIO_PLAYOUT_OFFSET_US:-35000}"
+  printf 'LESAVKA_UPSTREAM_AUDIO_PLAYOUT_OFFSET_US=%s\n' "${LESAVKA_UPSTREAM_AUDIO_PLAYOUT_OFFSET_US:--45000}"
   printf 'LESAVKA_UPSTREAM_VIDEO_PLAYOUT_OFFSET_US=%s\n' "${LESAVKA_UPSTREAM_VIDEO_PLAYOUT_OFFSET_US:-0}"
   printf 'LESAVKA_UPSTREAM_PAIR_SLACK_US=%s\n' "${LESAVKA_UPSTREAM_PAIR_SLACK_US:-80000}"
   printf 'LESAVKA_UPSTREAM_STALE_DROP_MS=%s\n' "${LESAVKA_UPSTREAM_STALE_DROP_MS:-80}"
diff --git a/server/Cargo.toml b/server/Cargo.toml
index 3d7e165..804fade 100644
--- a/server/Cargo.toml
+++ b/server/Cargo.toml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ bench                   = false
 
 [package]
 name                    = "lesavka_server"
-version                 = "0.15.4"
+version                 = "0.15.5"
 edition                 = "2024"
 autobins                = false
 
diff --git a/server/src/upstream_media_runtime/config.rs b/server/src/upstream_media_runtime/config.rs
index 0a4dc43..2fd4c12 100644
--- a/server/src/upstream_media_runtime/config.rs
+++ b/server/src/upstream_media_runtime/config.rs
@@ -29,10 +29,18 @@ pub(super) fn upstream_playout_offset_us(kind: UpstreamMediaKind) -> i64 {
         UpstreamMediaKind::Camera => "LESAVKA_UPSTREAM_VIDEO_PLAYOUT_OFFSET_US",
         UpstreamMediaKind::Microphone => "LESAVKA_UPSTREAM_AUDIO_PLAYOUT_OFFSET_US",
     };
+    let default_offset_us = match kind {
+        UpstreamMediaKind::Camera => 0,
+        // Hardware sync probes on the MJPEG UVC path show the UAC leg arriving
+        // about 80ms after video when using the older +35ms default. Bias the
+        // server playout earlier so the shipped default lands in the preferred
+        // lip-sync band instead of hovering at the guardrail.
+        UpstreamMediaKind::Microphone => -45_000,
+    };
     std::env::var(name)
         .ok()
         .and_then(|value| value.trim().parse::<i64>().ok())
-        .unwrap_or(0)
+        .unwrap_or(default_offset_us)
 }
 
 pub(super) fn upstream_pairing_master_slack() -> Duration {
diff --git a/server/src/upstream_media_runtime/tests/config.rs b/server/src/upstream_media_runtime/tests/config.rs
index abf84a4..7b52271 100644
--- a/server/src/upstream_media_runtime/tests/config.rs
+++ b/server/src/upstream_media_runtime/tests/config.rs
@@ -13,12 +13,12 @@ fn upstream_playout_delay_defaults_to_one_second_and_accepts_overrides() {
 }
 
 #[test]
-fn upstream_playout_offsets_default_to_zero_and_accept_overrides() {
+fn upstream_playout_offsets_default_to_mjpeg_calibration_and_accept_overrides() {
     temp_env::with_var_unset("LESAVKA_UPSTREAM_AUDIO_PLAYOUT_OFFSET_US", || {
         temp_env::with_var_unset("LESAVKA_UPSTREAM_VIDEO_PLAYOUT_OFFSET_US", || {
             assert_eq!(
                 super::upstream_playout_offset_us(UpstreamMediaKind::Microphone),
-                0
+                -45_000
             );
             assert_eq!(
                 super::upstream_playout_offset_us(UpstreamMediaKind::Camera),
diff --git a/testing/tests/server_install_script_contract.rs b/testing/tests/server_install_script_contract.rs
index 3f303b4..0e4dc26 100644
--- a/testing/tests/server_install_script_contract.rs
+++ b/testing/tests/server_install_script_contract.rs
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ fn server_install_pins_hdmi_camera_and_display_defaults() {
     assert!(SERVER_INSTALL.contains("${LESAVKA_HDMI_HEIGHT:-1080}"));
     assert!(SERVER_INSTALL.contains("${LESAVKA_HDMI_SINK:-fbdevsink}"));
     assert!(SERVER_INSTALL.contains("${LESAVKA_UPSTREAM_PLAYOUT_DELAY_MS:-1000}"));
-    assert!(SERVER_INSTALL.contains("${LESAVKA_UPSTREAM_AUDIO_PLAYOUT_OFFSET_US:-35000}"));
+    assert!(SERVER_INSTALL.contains("${LESAVKA_UPSTREAM_AUDIO_PLAYOUT_OFFSET_US:--45000}"));
     assert!(SERVER_INSTALL.contains("${LESAVKA_UPSTREAM_PAIR_SLACK_US:-80000}"));
     assert!(SERVER_INSTALL.contains("${LESAVKA_UPSTREAM_STALE_DROP_MS:-80}"));
     assert!(SERVER_INSTALL.contains("${LESAVKA_INSTALL_SERVER_BIND_ADDR:-0.0.0.0:50051}"));