diff --git a/tl/src/tl/views.cljs b/tl/src/tl/views.cljs
index 51eb52b..51d77b2 100644
--- a/tl/src/tl/views.cljs
+++ b/tl/src/tl/views.cljs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 (defonce body-scroll-el (atom nil))   ; the vertical (tracks) scroll container
 (defonce playhead-el (atom nil))   ; the single full-height playhead overlay
 (defonce played-track (atom nil))  ; last track auto-scrolled into view during playback
+(defonce pending-seek (atom nil))  ; seconds to seek to once the element is seekable (iOS)
 (defonce play      (atom nil))   ; {:ctx :segs :fps :idx} while playing, else nil
 (defonce active-insert! (atom nil))   ; the live content-editor's (insert! link) fn
 (declare commit-link!)
@@ -67,7 +68,22 @@
 
 (defn- seek-video! [fps source-frame]
   (when (and @video-el source-frame)
-    (set! (.-currentTime @video-el) (/ source-frame fps))))
+    (let [v @video-el secs (/ source-frame fps)]
+      ;; iOS only honours currentTime once the element is seekable (readyState
+      ;; >= HAVE_METADATA). Before that — a deep link, or the very first tap that
+      ;; triggers loading — stash the target and apply it on loadedmetadata.
+      (if (>= (.-readyState v) 1)
+        (do (reset! pending-seek nil) (set! (.-currentTime v) secs))
+        (reset! pending-seek secs)))))
+
+(defn- flush-pending-seek!
+  "Apply a seek that was deferred while the element wasn't seekable. Returns true
+   if it did one."
+  []
+  (when-let [secs @pending-seek]
+    (reset! pending-seek nil)
+    (when-let [v @video-el] (set! (.-currentTime v) secs))
+    true))
 
 (defn- follow!
   ([fps zoom playhead] (follow! fps zoom playhead false))
@@ -219,13 +235,18 @@
            ;; (Re)loading a clip resets the element to currentTime 0, so a restored
            ;; / deep-linked playhead would show in the UI but play from 0. Seek the
            ;; element to the current playhead once its metadata is ready.
+           ;; metadata is now loaded ⇒ the element is finally seekable. Apply any
+           ;; seek we deferred (the iOS deep-link / first-tap case); otherwise, if
+           ;; we're not driving playback, align the element to the playhead.
            :on-loaded-metadata
            (fn [_]
-             (when-not @play
-               (let [segs @(rf/subscribe [::subs/segments])
-                     fps  @(rf/subscribe [::subs/fps])
-                     ph   @(rf/subscribe [::subs/playhead])]
-                 (seek-video! fps (scene/local->source segs ph)))))
+             (when-not (flush-pending-seek!)
+               (when-not @play
+                 (let [segs @(rf/subscribe [::subs/segments])
+                       fps  @(rf/subscribe [::subs/fps])
+                       ph   @(rf/subscribe [::subs/playhead])]
+                   (seek-video! fps (scene/local->source segs ph))))))
+           :on-can-play (fn [_] (flush-pending-seek!))   ; belt-and-suspenders for iOS
            :on-play  (fn [_] (engage-play!))
            :on-pause (fn [_] (disengage!))
            :ref (fn [n] (when n (reset! video-el n)))}])