diff --git a/apps/web/app.js b/apps/web/app.js
index ac2e288..5842106 100644
--- a/apps/web/app.js
+++ b/apps/web/app.js
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ function mountPlayer(relayUrl, name) {
   watch.setAttribute("name", name);
   watch.setAttribute("path", name);
   watch.setAttribute("volume", "1");
+  watch.setAttribute("muted", "");
 
   // Force WebTransport in-browser; websocket fallback has shown degraded
   // media behavior (especially audio) against public relay paths.
@@ -199,22 +200,8 @@ function mountPlayer(relayUrl, name) {
   };
   document.addEventListener("pointerdown", unlockAudio, { once: true });
   video.addEventListener("pointerdown", unlockAudio, { once: true });
+  setHint(`Live: subscribed to ${name} (tap video to unmute)`, "warn");
   void video.play().catch(() => {});
-
-  // If video-element rendering stalls, fall back to canvas rendering.
-  window.setTimeout(() => {
-    const stalled = video.readyState < 2 || (video.currentTime === 0 && !video.paused);
-    if (!stalled) return;
-    const canvas = document.createElement("canvas");
-    canvas.className = "canvas";
-    try {
-      video.remove();
-      watch.appendChild(canvas);
-      setHint(`Live: subscribed to ${name} (canvas fallback)`, "warn");
-    } catch (_) {
-      // Ignore fallback errors.
-    }
-  }, 9000);
   bindPlayerSignals(watch, name);
 }
 
diff --git a/evolution/proposals/ECP-0078-live-video-tag-first-with-audio-unlock.md b/evolution/proposals/ECP-0078-live-video-tag-first-with-audio-unlock.md
index e64ec91..07a6898 100644
--- a/evolution/proposals/ECP-0078-live-video-tag-first-with-audio-unlock.md
+++ b/evolution/proposals/ECP-0078-live-video-tag-first-with-audio-unlock.md
@@ -9,18 +9,16 @@ Live browser playback currently prioritizes canvas rendering. Audio can fail on
 In the web watcher mount path:
 
 1. Render live playback with a `<video>` child in `<moq-watch>` first.
-2. Start muted for autoplay compatibility, then unlock audio on first user gesture by:
+2. Start muted at the watcher signal layer for autoplay compatibility, then unlock audio on first user gesture by:
    - forcing backend `muted=false`, `volume=1`,
    - toggling paused state to trigger resume,
    - unmuting the `<video>` element.
-3. If `<video>` playback stalls during startup, automatically fall back to canvas rendering.
 
 ## Rationale
 
 - Preserves the `<video>` UX target while handling browser autoplay constraints explicitly.
-- Avoids total playback failure by retaining a tested canvas fallback path.
 - Keeps changes local to app wiring without forking upstream MoQ player internals.
 
 ## Reversibility
 
-- Remove the fallback timer and unlock wiring to return to a fixed rendering mode.
+- Remove the unlock wiring (or return to canvas renderer) to restore prior behavior.