diff --git a/client/Cargo.toml b/client/Cargo.toml
index 73a6376..c7272f2 100644
--- a/client/Cargo.toml
+++ b/client/Cargo.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ path                    = "src/main.rs"
 
 [package]
 name                    = "lesavka_client"
-version                 = "0.14.4"
+version                 = "0.14.5"
 edition                 = "2024"
 
 [dependencies]
diff --git a/common/Cargo.toml b/common/Cargo.toml
index 74208e6..b61759d 100644
--- a/common/Cargo.toml
+++ b/common/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name                    = "lesavka_common"
-version                 = "0.14.4"
+version                 = "0.14.5"
 edition                 = "2024"
 build                   = "build.rs"
 
diff --git a/server/Cargo.toml b/server/Cargo.toml
index 25c1172..e6ef156 100644
--- a/server/Cargo.toml
+++ b/server/Cargo.toml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ bench                   = false
 
 [package]
 name                    = "lesavka_server"
-version                 = "0.14.4"
+version                 = "0.14.5"
 edition                 = "2024"
 autobins                = false
 
diff --git a/server/src/main/relay_service.rs b/server/src/main/relay_service.rs
index de39195..4371c05 100644
--- a/server/src/main/relay_service.rs
+++ b/server/src/main/relay_service.rs
@@ -279,6 +279,7 @@ impl Relay for Handler {
             let mut pending = std::collections::VecDeque::new();
             let mut inbound_closed = false;
             let stale_drop_budget = upstream_stale_drop_budget();
+            let mut startup_video_settled = false;
             loop {
                 if !camera_rt.is_active(session_id)
                     || !upstream_media_rt.is_camera_active(upstream_lease.generation)
@@ -338,13 +339,26 @@ impl Relay for Handler {
                     continue;
                 }
                 if plan.late_by > stale_drop_budget {
-                    tracing::warn!(
-                        rpc_id,
-                        session_id,
-                        late_by_ms = plan.late_by.as_millis(),
-                        pts = plan.local_pts_us,
-                        "🎥 upstream video frame dropped after missing its freshness budget"
-                    );
+                    let coalesced = retain_freshest_video_packet(&mut pending);
+                    if startup_video_settled {
+                        tracing::warn!(
+                            rpc_id,
+                            session_id,
+                            late_by_ms = plan.late_by.as_millis(),
+                            pts = plan.local_pts_us,
+                            dropped_pending = coalesced,
+                            "🎥 upstream video frame dropped after missing its freshness budget"
+                        );
+                    } else {
+                        tracing::debug!(
+                            rpc_id,
+                            session_id,
+                            late_by_ms = plan.late_by.as_millis(),
+                            pts = plan.local_pts_us,
+                            dropped_pending = coalesced,
+                            "🎥 dropping startup-stale upstream video until the playout window settles"
+                        );
+                    }
                     continue;
                 }
                 tokio::time::sleep_until(plan.due_at).await;
@@ -352,16 +366,30 @@ impl Relay for Handler {
                     .checked_duration_since(plan.due_at)
                     .unwrap_or_default();
                 if actual_late_by > stale_drop_budget {
-                    tracing::warn!(
-                        rpc_id,
-                        session_id,
-                        late_by_ms = actual_late_by.as_millis(),
-                        pts = plan.local_pts_us,
-                        "🎥 upstream video frame dropped after waking too late for fresh playout"
-                    );
+                    let coalesced = retain_freshest_video_packet(&mut pending);
+                    if startup_video_settled {
+                        tracing::warn!(
+                            rpc_id,
+                            session_id,
+                            late_by_ms = actual_late_by.as_millis(),
+                            pts = plan.local_pts_us,
+                            dropped_pending = coalesced,
+                            "🎥 upstream video frame dropped after waking too late for fresh playout"
+                        );
+                    } else {
+                        tracing::debug!(
+                            rpc_id,
+                            session_id,
+                            late_by_ms = actual_late_by.as_millis(),
+                            pts = plan.local_pts_us,
+                            dropped_pending = coalesced,
+                            "🎥 dropping startup-stale upstream video after a late wake until the playout window settles"
+                        );
+                    }
                     continue;
                 }
                 pkt.pts = plan.local_pts_us;
+                startup_video_settled = true;
                 relay.feed(pkt); // ← all logging inside video.rs
             }
             upstream_media_rt.close_camera(upstream_lease.generation);
diff --git a/server/src/main/relay_service_coverage.rs b/server/src/main/relay_service_coverage.rs
index 15a6fea..229b810 100644
--- a/server/src/main/relay_service_coverage.rs
+++ b/server/src/main/relay_service_coverage.rs
@@ -219,6 +219,7 @@ impl Relay for Handler {
                     continue;
                 }
                 if plan.late_by > stale_drop_budget {
+                    let _ = retain_freshest_video_packet(&mut pending);
                     continue;
                 }
                 tokio::time::sleep_until(plan.due_at).await;
@@ -226,6 +227,7 @@ impl Relay for Handler {
                     .checked_duration_since(plan.due_at)
                     .unwrap_or_default();
                 if actual_late_by > stale_drop_budget {
+                    let _ = retain_freshest_video_packet(&mut pending);
                     continue;
                 }
                 pkt.pts = plan.local_pts_us;