diff --git a/packages/spf/src/media/utils/tests/track-selection.test.ts b/packages/spf/src/media/utils/tests/track-selection.test.ts
index 1fd5a26e..7db792b1 100644
--- a/packages/spf/src/media/utils/tests/track-selection.test.ts
+++ b/packages/spf/src/media/utils/tests/track-selection.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,16 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
-import type { AudioTrack, Presentation, VideoTrack } from '../../types';
-import { getResolvedSelectedTrackDuration, type TrackSelectionState } from '../track-selection';
+import { type AudioTrack, MEDIA_PLAYLIST_METADATA_KEY, type Presentation, type VideoTrack } from '../../types';
+import {
+  getResolvedSelectedTrackDuration,
+  resolveSelectedTrackDuration,
+  type TrackSelectionState,
+} from '../track-selection';
+
+const withCompleteness = <T extends VideoTrack | AudioTrack>(track: T, endList: boolean): T =>
+  ({
+    ...track,
+    metadata: { [MEDIA_PLAYLIST_METADATA_KEY]: { targetDuration: 10, mediaSequence: 0, endList } },
+  }) as T;
 
 function createPresentation(config: { video?: VideoTrack[]; audio?: AudioTrack[]; duration?: number }): Presentation {
   const selectionSets = [];
@@ -132,3 +142,40 @@ describe('getResolvedSelectedTrackDuration', () => {
     expect(getResolvedSelectedTrackDuration({})).toBeUndefined();
   });
 });
+
+describe('resolveSelectedTrackDuration', () => {
+  it('returns the finite duration for a complete (endList) track', () => {
+    const state: TrackSelectionState = {
+      presentation: createPresentation({ video: [withCompleteness(resolvedVideoTrack({ duration: 120.5 }), true)] }),
+      selectedVideoTrackId: 'video-1',
+    };
+    expect(resolveSelectedTrackDuration(state)).toBe(120.5);
+  });
+
+  it('returns Infinity for an incomplete (no endList) track — still growing / live', () => {
+    const state: TrackSelectionState = {
+      presentation: createPresentation({ video: [withCompleteness(resolvedVideoTrack({ duration: 30 }), false)] }),
+      selectedVideoTrackId: 'video-1',
+    };
+    expect(resolveSelectedTrackDuration(state)).toBe(Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY);
+  });
+
+  it('falls back to audio completeness when only audio is selected', () => {
+    const state: TrackSelectionState = {
+      presentation: createPresentation({ audio: [withCompleteness(resolvedAudioTrack({ duration: 90.25 }), true)] }),
+      selectedAudioTrackId: 'audio-1',
+    };
+    expect(resolveSelectedTrackDuration(state)).toBe(90.25);
+  });
+
+  it('returns undefined when the selected track is not yet resolved', () => {
+    const state: TrackSelectionState = {
+      presentation: {
+        url: 'http://example.com/playlist.m3u8',
+        selectionSets: [{ type: 'video', switchingSets: [{ tracks: [{ id: 'video-1', type: 'video' }] }] }],
+      } as any,
+      selectedVideoTrackId: 'video-1',
+    };
+    expect(resolveSelectedTrackDuration(state)).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/spf/src/media/utils/track-selection.ts b/packages/spf/src/media/utils/track-selection.ts
index 67ba2883..01b14bdc 100644
--- a/packages/spf/src/media/utils/track-selection.ts
+++ b/packages/spf/src/media/utils/track-selection.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import type {
   TrackType,
   VideoTrack,
 } from '../types';
-import { isResolvedTrack } from '../types';
+import { getMediaPlaylistMetadata, isResolvedTrack } from '../types';
 
 /**
  * State shape for track selection.
@@ -80,3 +80,31 @@ export function getResolvedSelectedTrackDuration(state: TrackSelectionState): nu
   }
   return undefined;
 }
+
+/**
+ * Completeness-aware duration resolver — the unified VoD + live default for
+ * `calculatePresentationDuration`. Like {@link getResolvedSelectedTrackDuration}
+ * it picks the first resolved selected track (video preferred, audio fallback),
+ * but branches on the playlist's completeness: a complete playlist
+ * (`#EXT-X-ENDLIST`) yields its finite `duration`; an incomplete one is still
+ * growing, so it yields `Infinity` (the MSE live value). `undefined` while no
+ * selected track is resolved yet.
+ *
+ * Keys off completeness, *not* `streamType`: `deriveStreamType` marks any
+ * playlist lacking `#EXT-X-PLAYLIST-TYPE:VOD` as `'live'`, which would wrongly
+ * force `Infinity` on a plain VoD stream that only carries `#EXT-X-ENDLIST`.
+ * See live-presentation-modeling.md (category [2b] completeness).
+ */
+export function resolveSelectedTrackDuration(state: TrackSelectionState): number | undefined {
+  const durationByCompleteness = (track: VideoTrack | AudioTrack) =>
+    getMediaPlaylistMetadata(track)?.endList ? track.duration : Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY;
+  if (state.selectedVideoTrackId) {
+    const video = getSelectedTrack(state, 'video');
+    if (video && isResolvedTrack(video)) return durationByCompleteness(video);
+  }
+  if (state.selectedAudioTrackId) {
+    const audio = getSelectedTrack(state, 'audio');
+    if (audio && isResolvedTrack(audio)) return durationByCompleteness(audio);
+  }
+  return undefined;
+}
diff --git a/packages/spf/src/playback/behaviors/dom/seek-to-live-edge.ts b/packages/spf/src/playback/behaviors/dom/seek-to-live-edge.ts
index 7e419cad..a70acd9f 100644
--- a/packages/spf/src/playback/behaviors/dom/seek-to-live-edge.ts
+++ b/packages/spf/src/playback/behaviors/dom/seek-to-live-edge.ts
@@ -74,6 +74,11 @@ function seekToLiveEdgeSetup({
     const track = findTrack(presentation, 'video', trackId);
     if (!track || !isResolvedTrack(track) || track.segments.length === 0) return;
 
+    // Complete playlist (VoD, or live that has ended) → no live edge to seek to.
+    // This is the liveness guard that keeps the behavior inert in the unified
+    // engine: a VoD source never declares a live seekable range or seeks.
+    if (getMediaPlaylistMetadata(track)?.endList) return;
+
     const { segments } = track;
     const windowStart = segments[0]!.startTime;
     const last = segments[segments.length - 1]!;
diff --git a/packages/spf/src/playback/behaviors/dom/tests/seek-to-live-edge.test.ts b/packages/spf/src/playback/behaviors/dom/tests/seek-to-live-edge.test.ts
index eca1b594..1767520e 100644
--- a/packages/spf/src/playback/behaviors/dom/tests/seek-to-live-edge.test.ts
+++ b/packages/spf/src/playback/behaviors/dom/tests/seek-to-live-edge.test.ts
@@ -94,6 +94,23 @@ describe('seekToLiveEdge', () => {
     cleanup();
   });
 
+  it('no-ops for a complete (endList) playlist — VoD / ended live', () => {
+    const ms = fakeMediaSource();
+    const el = { currentTime: 0 } as HTMLMediaElement;
+
+    const presentation = makePresentation();
+    // Mark the selected video track's playlist complete.
+    const video = presentation.selectionSets[0]!.switchingSets[0]!.tracks[0] as VideoTrack;
+    video.metadata = { [MEDIA_PLAYLIST_METADATA_KEY]: { mediaSequence: 50, targetDuration: 2, endList: true } };
+
+    const cleanup = run({ presentation, trackId: 'v-1', mediaElement: el, mediaSource: ms });
+
+    expect(ms.setLiveSeekableRange).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(el.currentTime).toBe(0);
+
+    cleanup();
+  });
+
   it('no-ops without a resolved presentation or selected track', () => {
     const ms = fakeMediaSource();
     const el = { currentTime: 0 } as HTMLMediaElement;
diff --git a/packages/spf/src/playback/behaviors/dom/tests/update-mediasource-duration.test.ts b/packages/spf/src/playback/behaviors/dom/tests/update-mediasource-duration.test.ts
index 9ffa4f2d..9d66aa02 100644
--- a/packages/spf/src/playback/behaviors/dom/tests/update-mediasource-duration.test.ts
+++ b/packages/spf/src/playback/behaviors/dom/tests/update-mediasource-duration.test.ts
@@ -192,6 +192,31 @@ describe('updateMediaSourceDuration', () => {
     reactor.destroy();
   });
 
+  it('writes Infinity for live only once a mid-append buffer goes idle', async () => {
+    // Regression: a synchronous Infinity write that races an in-flight append
+    // throws (MSE forbids setting duration while a buffer is updating) and was
+    // swallowed, leaving the live stream pinned to a finite duration. The write
+    // must defer to a non-updating instant.
+    const { state, context, reactor } = setupUpdateMediaSourceDuration();
+
+    const { buffer: mockBuffer, finishUpdating } = makeUpdatingSourceBuffer();
+    const mockMediaSource = makeMediaSource({ duration: 30, sourceBuffers: [mockBuffer] });
+    context.mediaSource.set(mockMediaSource);
+    state.presentation.set({ duration: Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY } as Presentation);
+
+    // Buffer still updating — must not have written yet (and must not throw).
+    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 20));
+    expect(mockMediaSource.duration).toBe(30);
+
+    // Append finishes — Infinity is written, overriding the finite value.
+    finishUpdating();
+    await vi.waitFor(() => {
+      expect(mockMediaSource.duration).toBe(Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY);
+    });
+
+    reactor.destroy();
+  });
+
   it('extends duration to match buffered range if needed', async () => {
     const { state, context, reactor } = setupUpdateMediaSourceDuration();
 
diff --git a/packages/spf/src/playback/behaviors/dom/update-mediasource-duration.ts b/packages/spf/src/playback/behaviors/dom/update-mediasource-duration.ts
index 73353b30..eb023a21 100644
--- a/packages/spf/src/playback/behaviors/dom/update-mediasource-duration.ts
+++ b/packages/spf/src/playback/behaviors/dom/update-mediasource-duration.ts
@@ -4,14 +4,14 @@
  *
  * Two paths, by whether the presentation is live:
  *
- * - **Live** (`presentation.duration === Infinity`): write `Infinity` ahead of
- *   the first append (no buffered clamp needed; `Infinity` ≥ any range), which
- *   would otherwise pin `duration` to the buffered (live-edge) end — and once
- *   the window slides past that, further appends are rejected. Written
- *   synchronously when the MediaSource is already open; otherwise deferred to
- *   the next `sourceopen` (the presentation can resolve to `Infinity` before
- *   `setupMediaSource` opens the MediaSource, so a synchronous-only write would
- *   miss the window).
+ * - **Live** (`presentation.duration === Infinity`): write `Infinity` once the
+ *   MediaSource is open and no SourceBuffer is mid-append. No buffered clamp is
+ *   needed (`Infinity` ≥ any range) and — unlike the finite case — it needn't
+ *   precede the first append: `Infinity` overrides whatever finite live-edge
+ *   value an append may have pinned (a finite duration would otherwise stall
+ *   the stream once the window slides past it). The wait-for-idle is required
+ *   because the MSE spec forbids setting `duration` while a buffer is
+ *   `updating`; both waits resolve immediately when already open / idle.
  *
  * - **VoD** (finite): the value is written once, after `mediaSource` is open and
  *   all SourceBuffers are idle, clamped to be ≥ the highest buffered range (MSE
@@ -107,22 +107,23 @@ function updateMediaSourceDurationSetup({
           // continuously, so the buffers are rarely all idle).
           if (presentation.duration === Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY) {
             if (mediaSource.duration === Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY) return;
-            // Open already → write synchronously (fastest, gets ahead of appends).
-            if (mediaSource.readyState === 'open') {
-              mediaSource.duration = Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY;
-              return;
-            }
-            // Not open yet → wait for `sourceopen`, then write. The presentation
-            // can resolve to `Infinity` before `setupMediaSource` opens the
-            // MediaSource; returning here without waiting (as this once did)
-            // would miss the write entirely and let the first append pin a
-            // finite duration. The continuation still runs before the
-            // network-delayed first append; if an append did land first,
-            // `Infinity` ≥ its range so the write is still valid.
+            // Live: write Infinity once the MediaSource is open and no buffer is
+            // mid-append. Unlike the finite VoD case, Infinity needn't *precede*
+            // the first append — Infinity ≥ any buffered range, so it overrides
+            // whatever finite live-edge value an append may have pinned. The
+            // wait-for-idle is required, not just nice: the MSE spec forbids
+            // setting `duration` while a SourceBuffer is `updating`, and a
+            // synchronous write that races an in-flight append throws (and would
+            // leave the stream pinned to a finite duration, stalling once the
+            // window slides past it). `waitForMediaSourceOpen` /
+            // `waitForSourceBuffersReady` resolve immediately when already
+            // open / idle, so the common case still writes promptly.
             const controller = new AbortController();
             void (async () => {
               await waitForMediaSourceOpen(mediaSource, controller.signal);
               if (controller.signal.aborted || mediaSource.readyState !== 'open') return;
+              await waitForSourceBuffersReady(mediaSource.sourceBuffers, controller.signal);
+              if (controller.signal.aborted || mediaSource.readyState !== 'open') return;
               if (mediaSource.duration !== Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY) {
                 mediaSource.duration = Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY;
               }
diff --git a/packages/spf/src/playback/engines/hls/engine.ts b/packages/spf/src/playback/engines/hls/engine.ts
index 21147758..51fc5de8 100644
--- a/packages/spf/src/playback/engines/hls/engine.ts
+++ b/packages/spf/src/playback/engines/hls/engine.ts
@@ -18,12 +18,13 @@ import {
 import { parseMultivariantPlaylist } from '../../../media/hls/parse-multivariant';
 import type { AudioTrack, CanPlayTrack, MaybeResolvedPresentation, TextTrack, VideoTrack } from '../../../media/types';
 import type { GetCdnId } from '../../../media/utils/cdn';
-import { getResolvedSelectedTrackDuration } from '../../../media/utils/track-selection';
+import { resolveSelectedTrackDuration } from '../../../media/utils/track-selection';
 import type { BandwidthConfig, BandwidthState } from '../../../network/bandwidth-estimator';
 import type { SegmentLoaderActor } from '../../actors/dom/segment-loader';
 import type { SourceBufferActor } from '../../actors/dom/source-buffer';
 import type { TextTracksActor } from '../../actors/dom/text-tracks';
 import type { TextTrackSegmentLoaderActor, TextTrackSegmentResolver } from '../../actors/text-track-segment-loader';
+import { anchorLiveTracks } from '../../behaviors/anchor-live-tracks';
 import {
   calculatePresentationDuration,
   type PresentationDurationResolver,
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ import {
 import { deriveCdnPriority } from '../../behaviors/derive-cdn-priority';
 import { endOfStream } from '../../behaviors/dom/end-of-stream';
 import { loadAudioSegments, loadTextTrackSegments, loadVideoSegments } from '../../behaviors/dom/load-segments';
+import { seekToLiveEdge } from '../../behaviors/dom/seek-to-live-edge';
 import { setupAudioBufferActors, setupVideoBufferActors } from '../../behaviors/dom/setup-buffer-actors';
 import { setupMediaSource } from '../../behaviors/dom/setup-mediasource';
 import { setupTextTrackActors } from '../../behaviors/dom/setup-text-track-actors';
@@ -40,6 +42,11 @@ import { trackLoadTriggers } from '../../behaviors/dom/track-load-triggers';
 import { updateMediaSourceDuration } from '../../behaviors/dom/update-mediasource-duration';
 import { type ParsePresentation, resolvePresentation } from '../../behaviors/resolve-presentation';
 import { resolveAudioTrack, resolveTextTrack, resolveVideoTrack } from '../../behaviors/resolve-track';
+import {
+  scheduleAudioTrackReload,
+  scheduleTextTrackReload,
+  scheduleVideoTrackReload,
+} from '../../behaviors/schedule-track-reload';
 import { type FailoverMonitorConfig, setupFailoverMonitor } from '../../behaviors/setup-failover-monitor';
 import { syncPreload } from '../../behaviors/sync-preload';
 import { switchAudioTrack, switchTextTrack, switchVideoTrack } from '../../behaviors/track-switching';
@@ -172,14 +179,20 @@ export interface SimpleHlsEngineConfig extends ShareSignalsConfig<SimpleHlsEngin
    */
   resolveTextTrackSegment?: TextTrackSegmentResolver<VTTCue>;
   /**
-   * Resolver for `presentation.duration`. Defaults to picking the first
-   * resolved selected track's duration (video preferred, audio fallback) —
-   * appropriate for VoD and audio-only. Live engines should supply a
-   * resolver that returns `Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY` once the presentation
-   * is established as live; downstream `updateMediaSourceDuration` propagates
-   * that value to `mediaSource.duration` per the MSE spec.
+   * Resolver for `presentation.duration`. Defaults to
+   * `resolveSelectedTrackDuration`, which handles both VoD and live: the first
+   * resolved selected track's duration when its playlist is complete
+   * (`#EXT-X-ENDLIST`), else `Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY` (still growing → live).
+   * Downstream `updateMediaSourceDuration` propagates the value to
+   * `mediaSource.duration` per the MSE spec. Override to force a value.
    */
   resolveDuration?: PresentationDurationResolver;
+  /**
+   * Sequence number assumed to be the stream origin (time 0) for the live
+   * timeline anchor (`anchorLiveTracks`). Default 0. Only meaningful for live
+   * sources; ignored for VoD (the anchor is a no-op without `#EXT-X-PROGRAM-DATE-TIME`).
+   */
+  startSequence?: number;
   /**
    * Manifest parser handed to `resolvePresentation`. Defaults to the HLS
    * multivariant-playlist parser; supply your own for alternate format
@@ -301,7 +314,7 @@ export function createSimpleHlsEngine(
     ...config,
     canPlayTrack: config.canPlayTrack ?? canPlayTrack,
     resolveTextTrackSegment: config.resolveTextTrackSegment ?? resolveVttSegment,
-    resolveDuration: config.resolveDuration ?? getResolvedSelectedTrackDuration,
+    resolveDuration: config.resolveDuration ?? resolveSelectedTrackDuration,
     parsePresentation: config.parsePresentation ?? parseMultivariantPlaylist,
     addSubtitlesTracksToMedia: config.addSubtitlesTracksToMedia ?? addSubtitlesTracksToMedia,
     getShowingSubtitlesTrackFromMedia: config.getShowingSubtitlesTrackFromMedia ?? getShowingSubtitlesTrackFromMedia,
@@ -337,12 +350,24 @@ export function createSimpleHlsEngine(
 
       // Resolve selected tracks (fetch media playlists). Composed before the
       // switch* slot owners; selection is reactive, so a resolve* re-fires once
-      // its switch* sets the id (same convergence for all three types).
+      // its switch* sets the id (same convergence for all three types). Also the
+      // live loader: re-fetches when its reload epoch advances (below).
       resolveVideoTrack,
       resolveAudioTrack,
       resolveTextTrack,
 
-      // Presentation duration
+      // Live refetch policy: bump each type's reload epoch on a target-duration
+      // cadence until `#EXT-X-ENDLIST`. Inert for VoD (a complete playlist never
+      // reloads), so these compose unconditionally.
+      scheduleVideoTrackReload,
+      scheduleAudioTrackReload,
+      scheduleTextTrackReload,
+
+      // Re-base selected live tracks' timelines to the estimated stream origin
+      // (segment.startTime ≈ native PTS). No-op for VoD (no PDT / shift 0).
+      anchorLiveTracks,
+
+      // Presentation duration (finite for complete playlists, Infinity for live)
       calculatePresentationDuration,
 
       // MSE setup. Video cluster is registered first so that, when both
@@ -373,6 +398,10 @@ export function createSimpleHlsEngine(
       loadVideoSegments,
       loadAudioSegments,
 
+      // Live: declare the seekable window and seek the playhead to the live
+      // edge once segments land. No-op for complete playlists (VoD / ended).
+      seekToLiveEdge,
+
       // End of stream coordination
       endOfStream,