diff --git a/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/example/kryz_go_flutter/KryzAutoMediaBrowserService.kt b/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/example/kryz_go_flutter/KryzAutoMediaBrowserService.kt
index a21c92d..97f434b 100644
--- a/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/example/kryz_go_flutter/KryzAutoMediaBrowserService.kt
+++ b/android/app/src/main/kotlin/com/example/kryz_go_flutter/KryzAutoMediaBrowserService.kt
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import android.app.NotificationChannel
 import android.app.NotificationManager
 import android.content.ComponentName
 import android.content.Context
+import android.os.Handler
+import android.os.Looper
 import android.support.v4.media.MediaBrowserCompat
 import android.net.Uri
 import android.os.Build
@@ -43,8 +45,10 @@ class KryzAutoMediaBrowserService : MediaBrowserServiceCompat() {
     private lateinit var mediaSession: MediaSessionCompat
     private var audioServiceBrowser: MediaBrowserCompat? = null
     private var audioServiceController: MediaControllerCompat? = null
+    private val mainHandler = Handler(Looper.getMainLooper())
     private var pendingPlayRequest: Boolean = false
     private var pendingStopRequest: Boolean = false
+    private var reconnectScheduled: Boolean = false
 
     private val mediaControllerCallback = object : MediaControllerCompat.Callback() {
         override fun onPlaybackStateChanged(state: PlaybackStateCompat?) {
@@ -75,12 +79,14 @@ class KryzAutoMediaBrowserService : MediaBrowserServiceCompat() {
 
         override fun onConnectionSuspended() {
             Log.w(TAG, "audio_service browser connection suspended")
-            disconnectFromFlutterAudioService()
+            handleControllerDisconnected()
+            scheduleBrowserReconnect()
         }
 
         override fun onConnectionFailed() {
             Log.e(TAG, "audio_service browser connection failed")
-            disconnectFromFlutterAudioService()
+            handleControllerDisconnected()
+            scheduleBrowserReconnect()
         }
     }
 
@@ -331,11 +337,24 @@ class KryzAutoMediaBrowserService : MediaBrowserServiceCompat() {
     }
 
     private fun connectToFlutterAudioService() {
+        if (audioServiceController != null) {
+            return
+        }
+
         val existing = audioServiceBrowser
         if (existing?.isConnected == true) {
             return
         }
 
+        if (existing != null) {
+            try {
+                existing.connect()
+            } catch (error: Exception) {
+                Log.w(TAG, "Failed reconnect attempt: ${error.message}")
+            }
+            return
+        }
+
         val browser = MediaBrowserCompat(
             this,
             ComponentName(this, AudioService::class.java),
@@ -348,8 +367,10 @@ class KryzAutoMediaBrowserService : MediaBrowserServiceCompat() {
     }
 
     private fun disconnectFromFlutterAudioService() {
-        audioServiceController?.unregisterCallback(mediaControllerCallback)
-        audioServiceController = null
+        reconnectScheduled = false
+        mainHandler.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
+
+        handleControllerDisconnected()
 
         audioServiceBrowser?.let { browser ->
             if (browser.isConnected) {
@@ -359,6 +380,26 @@ class KryzAutoMediaBrowserService : MediaBrowserServiceCompat() {
         audioServiceBrowser = null
     }
 
+    private fun handleControllerDisconnected() {
+        audioServiceController?.unregisterCallback(mediaControllerCallback)
+        audioServiceController = null
+    }
+
+    private fun scheduleBrowserReconnect() {
+        if (reconnectScheduled) {
+            return
+        }
+
+        reconnectScheduled = true
+        mainHandler.postDelayed(
+            {
+                reconnectScheduled = false
+                connectToFlutterAudioService()
+            },
+            1200,
+        )
+    }
+
     private fun buildLiveStreamMetadata(): MediaMetadataCompat {
         val iconUri = Uri.parse("android.resource://${packageName}/mipmap/ic_launcher")
         return MediaMetadataCompat.Builder()
diff --git a/lib/main.dart b/lib/main.dart
index 69e66e6..ad20574 100644
--- a/lib/main.dart
+++ b/lib/main.dart
@@ -13,13 +13,16 @@ import 'streaming_audio_business_object.dart';
 Future<void> main() async {
   WidgetsFlutterBinding.ensureInitialized();
   tz.initializeTimeZones();
-  unawaited(StreamingAudioBusinessObject.initializeBackgroundAudio());
-  await SystemChrome.setPreferredOrientations([
-    DeviceOrientation.portraitUp,
-    DeviceOrientation.portraitDown,
-  ]);
-
   runApp(const MyApp());
+
+  // Keep startup non-blocking so UI can render even if background media
+  // services are initializing after an Android Auto cold start.
+  unawaited(
+    SystemChrome.setPreferredOrientations([
+      DeviceOrientation.portraitUp,
+      DeviceOrientation.portraitDown,
+    ]),
+  );
 }
 
 class MyApp extends StatefulWidget {
@@ -36,6 +39,7 @@ class _MyAppState extends State<MyApp> {
   @override
   void initState() {
     super.initState();
+    unawaited(_audio.ensureInitialized());
     _casting.initialize();
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/streaming_audio_business_object.dart b/lib/streaming_audio_business_object.dart
index ab3f1f7..d364047 100644
--- a/lib/streaming_audio_business_object.dart
+++ b/lib/streaming_audio_business_object.dart
@@ -10,10 +10,6 @@ enum StreamingPlaybackStatus { stopped, buffering, playing }
 
 class StreamingAudioBusinessObject extends ChangeNotifier {
   StreamingAudioBusinessObject() {
-    if (_audioHandler == null && _audioHandlerInitFuture == null) {
-      initializeBackgroundAudio();
-    }
-
     final initFuture = _audioHandlerInitFuture;
     if (initFuture != null) {
       initFuture.then((handler) {
@@ -74,6 +70,10 @@ class StreamingAudioBusinessObject extends ChangeNotifier {
   String get currentTitle => _currentTitle;
   String get currentSubtitle => _currentSubtitle;
 
+  Future<void> ensureInitialized() async {
+    await initializeBackgroundAudio();
+  }
+
   StreamingPlaybackStatus _mapPlaybackStateToStatus(PlaybackState state) {
     if (state.processingState == AudioProcessingState.completed) {
       return StreamingPlaybackStatus.stopped;