diff --git a/src/TafsirQuran.UI/Components/AudioPlayer.razor b/src/TafsirQuran.UI/Components/AudioPlayer.razor
index d1be68c..a0f0866 100644
--- a/src/TafsirQuran.UI/Components/AudioPlayer.razor
+++ b/src/TafsirQuran.UI/Components/AudioPlayer.razor
@@ -56,10 +56,9 @@
 
         <div class="sheet-track-meta" dir="rtl">
             <div class="sheet-track-name">@SurahLabel — آیه @AyahNumber</div>
-            @if (SurahAyahCount > 0)
-            {
-                <div class="sheet-track-index">@AyahNumber / @SurahAyahCount</div>
-            }
+            <div class="sheet-track-index">
+                @(SurahAyahCount > 0 ? $"{AyahNumber} / {SurahAyahCount}" : "\u00A0")
+            </div>
         </div>
 
         <div class="sheet-actions" dir="rtl" @onclick:stopPropagation="true">
diff --git a/src/TafsirQuran.UI/Components/PlayerToc.razor b/src/TafsirQuran.UI/Components/PlayerToc.razor
index 5a3fd89..e85c67b 100644
--- a/src/TafsirQuran.UI/Components/PlayerToc.razor
+++ b/src/TafsirQuran.UI/Components/PlayerToc.razor
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@
 
 @if (Session.IsTocOpen && Session.HasTrack)
 {
-    <div class="toc-sheet" dir="rtl">
+    <div class="toc-sheet" dir="rtl" @key="tocKey">
         <div class="toc-header">
-            <button type="button" class="sheet-icon-btn" @onclick="Session.CloseToc" aria-label="بازگشت">›</button>
+            <button type="button" class="sheet-icon-btn" @onclick="Close" aria-label="بازگشت">›</button>
             <div class="toc-header-text">
                 <strong>سوره @Session.SurahNameFa</strong>
                 <span class="muted">@Session.TafsirTitle</span>
@@ -30,12 +30,14 @@
                 @foreach (var a in ayahs)
                 {
                     var active = a.AyahNumber == Session.AyahNumber;
-                    <li class="toc-row @(active ? "active" : null)">
+                    <li @key="a.AyahNumber" class="toc-row @(active ? "active" : null)">
                         <button type="button" class="toc-row-btn" @onclick="() => Select(a.AyahNumber)">
-                            @if (active)
-                            {
-                                <span class="toc-play-dot" aria-hidden="true">▶</span>
-                            }
+                            <span class="toc-play-slot" aria-hidden="true">
+                                @if (active)
+                                {
+                                    <span class="toc-play-dot">▶</span>
+                                }
+                            </span>
                             <span class="toc-row-main">
                                 <span class="toc-row-title">آیه @a.AyahNumber</span>
                                 @if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(a.TextFaPreview))
@@ -43,9 +45,18 @@
                                     <span class="toc-row-preview">@a.TextFaPreview</span>
                                 }
                                 <span class="toc-row-flags">
-                                    @if (a.IsFavorite) { <span title="علاقه">♥</span> }
-                                    @if (a.IsBookmarked) { <span title="نشان">⚑</span> }
-                                    @if (!a.HasAudio) { <span class="muted">بدون صوت</span> }
+                                    @if (a.IsFavorite)
+                                    {
+                                        <span title="علاقه">♥</span>
+                                    }
+                                    @if (a.IsBookmarked)
+                                    {
+                                        <span title="نشان">⚑</span>
+                                    }
+                                    @if (!a.HasAudio)
+                                    {
+                                        <span class="muted">بدون صوت</span>
+                                    }
                                 </span>
                             </span>
                             <span class="toc-row-num">@a.AyahNumber</span>
@@ -60,30 +71,42 @@
 @code {
     private List<AyahListItemDto> ayahs = new();
     private bool loading;
+    private bool loadInProgress;
+    private bool wasOpen;
     private int loadedForSurah = -1;
     private string loadedSlug = "";
 
-    protected override void OnInitialized() => Session.Changed += OnChanged;
+    private string tocKey => $"{Session.TafsirSlug}:{Session.SurahNumber}";
 
-    protected override async Task OnParametersSetAsync()
-    {
-        await EnsureLoadedAsync();
-    }
+    protected override void OnInitialized() => Session.Changed += OnSessionChanged;
 
     protected override async Task OnAfterRenderAsync(bool firstRender)
     {
-        if (Session.IsTocOpen)
-            await EnsureLoadedAsync();
+        // Load only on open transition — never on every render
+        if (Session.IsTocOpen && Session.HasTrack && !wasOpen)
+        {
+            wasOpen = true;
+            await LoadAsync(force: true);
+        }
+        else if (!Session.IsTocOpen)
+        {
+            wasOpen = false;
+        }
     }
 
-    private async Task EnsureLoadedAsync()
+    private async Task LoadAsync(bool force)
     {
         if (!Session.IsTocOpen || !Session.HasTrack) return;
-        if (loadedForSurah == Session.SurahNumber && loadedSlug == Session.TafsirSlug && ayahs.Count > 0)
+        if (loadInProgress) return;
+        if (!force
+            && loadedForSurah == Session.SurahNumber
+            && loadedSlug == Session.TafsirSlug)
             return;
 
+        loadInProgress = true;
         loading = true;
         await InvokeAsync(StateHasChanged);
+
         try
         {
             ayahs = (await Session.GetCurrentSurahAyahsAsync()).ToList();
@@ -93,26 +116,38 @@
         catch
         {
             ayahs = new();
+            loadedForSurah = Session.SurahNumber;
+            loadedSlug = Session.TafsirSlug;
         }
         finally
         {
             loading = false;
+            loadInProgress = false;
             await InvokeAsync(StateHasChanged);
         }
     }
 
     private async Task Select(int ayahNumber) => await Session.PlayAyahAsync(ayahNumber);
 
-    private async void OnChanged()
+    private void Close() => Session.CloseToc();
+
+    private void OnSessionChanged()
     {
-        if (Session.IsTocOpen &&
-            (loadedForSurah != Session.SurahNumber || loadedSlug != Session.TafsirSlug))
+        _ = InvokeAsync(async () =>
         {
-            loadedForSurah = -1;
-            await EnsureLoadedAsync();
-        }
-        await InvokeAsync(StateHasChanged);
+            // Only reload when TOC is open and surah/slug actually changed
+            if (Session.IsTocOpen && Session.HasTrack
+                && (loadedForSurah != Session.SurahNumber || loadedSlug != Session.TafsirSlug)
+                && !loadInProgress)
+            {
+                await LoadAsync(force: true);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                StateHasChanged();
+            }
+        });
     }
 
-    public void Dispose() => Session.Changed -= OnChanged;
+    public void Dispose() => Session.Changed -= OnSessionChanged;
 }
diff --git a/src/TafsirQuran.UI/Services/PlayerSessionService.cs b/src/TafsirQuran.UI/Services/PlayerSessionService.cs
index 44ca02a..71edf89 100644
--- a/src/TafsirQuran.UI/Services/PlayerSessionService.cs
+++ b/src/TafsirQuran.UI/Services/PlayerSessionService.cs
@@ -202,22 +202,16 @@ public sealed class PlayerSessionService
             played += (DateTimeOffset.UtcNow - start).TotalSeconds;
 
         if (played < PersistAfterPlayedSeconds)
-        {
-            Notify();
             return;
-        }
 
         var now = DateTimeOffset.UtcNow;
         if (_persistedForTrack && (now - _lastPersistAt).TotalSeconds < 4)
-        {
-            Notify();
             return;
-        }
 
         _persistedForTrack = true;
         _lastPersistAt = now;
         await PersistAsync(position);
-        Notify();
+        // No Notify — position ticks must not re-render dock/TOC
     }
 
     public async Task ToggleFavoriteAsync()
diff --git a/src/TafsirQuran.UI/wwwroot/css/app.css b/src/TafsirQuran.UI/wwwroot/css/app.css
index 70fc59c..db0909a 100644
--- a/src/TafsirQuran.UI/wwwroot/css/app.css
+++ b/src/TafsirQuran.UI/wwwroot/css/app.css
@@ -518,19 +518,22 @@ button, input { font: inherit; }
 .toc-row-btn {
   width: 100%; border: 0; background: transparent; cursor: pointer;
   display: grid;
-  grid-template-columns: auto 1fr auto;
+  grid-template-columns: 36px 1fr auto;
   align-items: center;
   gap: 0.75rem;
   padding: 0.95rem 1rem;
   text-align: right;
   color: inherit;
 }
+.toc-play-slot {
+  width: 36px; height: 36px;
+  display: grid; place-items: center;
+}
 .toc-play-dot {
   width: 36px; height: 36px; border-radius: 50%;
   background: var(--brand); color: #fff;
   display: grid; place-items: center; font-size: 0.85rem;
 }
-.toc-row:not(.active) .toc-row-btn { grid-template-columns: 1fr auto; }
 .toc-row-main { display: grid; gap: 0.2rem; min-width: 0; }
 .toc-row-title { font-weight: 700; color: var(--ink); }
 .toc-row-preview {