diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 11b93c9a..f68c7211 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ skills/
 Server/chatserver.exe
 Server/chatserver.exe~
 Server/owncord-server.exe
+Server/server.exe
 Server/config.yaml
 Server/data/
 
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/src-tauri/build.rs b/Client/tauri-client/src-tauri/build.rs
index 4b94c115..d860e1e6 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/src-tauri/build.rs
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/src-tauri/build.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,3 @@
 fn main() {
-    // Generate TypeScript bindings from #[tauri::command] functions
-    tauri_typegen::BuildSystem::generate_at_build_time()
-        .expect("Failed to generate TypeScript bindings");
-
     tauri_build::build()
 }
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/src/components/ChannelSidebar.ts b/Client/tauri-client/src/components/ChannelSidebar.ts
index f7c8a5cc..b4ad9b62 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/src/components/ChannelSidebar.ts
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/src/components/ChannelSidebar.ts
@@ -230,7 +230,10 @@ function renderVoiceChannelItem(
           signal,
           () => {
             // Placeholder click: join voice channel and watch stream
-            onVoiceJoin(channel.id);
+            // Only join if not already in this channel
+            if (voiceStore.getState().currentChannelId !== channel.id) {
+              onVoiceJoin(channel.id);
+            }
             if (onWatchStream !== undefined) onWatchStream(tileId);
           },
           onWatchStream !== undefined ? () => onWatchStream(tileId) : undefined,
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/src/components/VideoGrid.ts b/Client/tauri-client/src/components/VideoGrid.ts
index b6545e19..1831d856 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/src/components/VideoGrid.ts
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/src/components/VideoGrid.ts
@@ -97,7 +97,10 @@ export function computeGridLayout(
 
 export function createVideoGrid(): VideoGridComponent {
   let root: HTMLDivElement | null = null;
-  const cells = new Map<number, { el: HTMLDivElement; config?: TileConfig }>();
+  const cells = new Map<
+    number,
+    { el: HTMLDivElement; config?: TileConfig; trackCleanup?: () => void }
+  >();
   let focusedTileId: number | null = null;
   let resizeObserver: ResizeObserver | null = null;
   let resizeRafId = 0;
@@ -117,6 +120,33 @@ export function createVideoGrid(): VideoGridComponent {
     }
   }
 
+  /** Attach ended/mute listeners on the first video track to auto-remove stale tiles. */
+  function attachTrackLifecycle(userId: number, stream: MediaStream): void {
+    // Clean up previous listeners for this tile
+    const prev = cells.get(userId);
+    if (prev?.trackCleanup) {
+      prev.trackCleanup();
+      prev.trackCleanup = undefined;
+    }
+
+    const track = stream.getVideoTracks()[0];
+    if (track === undefined) return;
+
+    const onTrackDead = (): void => {
+      removeStream(userId);
+    };
+    track.addEventListener("ended", onTrackDead);
+    track.addEventListener("mute", onTrackDead);
+
+    const entry = cells.get(userId);
+    if (entry !== undefined) {
+      entry.trackCleanup = () => {
+        track.removeEventListener("ended", onTrackDead);
+        track.removeEventListener("mute", onTrackDead);
+      };
+    }
+  }
+
   /** Schedule a layout recalculation on the next animation frame. */
   function scheduleResize(): void {
     if (resizeRafId !== 0) cancelAnimationFrame(resizeRafId);
@@ -216,6 +246,8 @@ export function createVideoGrid(): VideoGridComponent {
           oldTracks.every((t, i) => t.id === newTracks[i]?.id);
         if (!tracksMatch) {
           video.srcObject = stream;
+          video.play()?.catch(() => {});
+          attachTrackLifecycle(userId, stream);
         }
       }
       // Update username label in case it changed
@@ -234,6 +266,7 @@ export function createVideoGrid(): VideoGridComponent {
     });
     video.muted = true;
     video.srcObject = stream;
+    video.play()?.catch(() => {});
 
     const label = createElement("div", { class: "video-username" }, username);
 
@@ -323,6 +356,7 @@ export function createVideoGrid(): VideoGridComponent {
     }
 
     cells.set(userId, { el: cell, config });
+    attachTrackLifecycle(userId, stream);
     root.appendChild(cell);
     if (focusedTileId !== null) {
       rebuildFocusLayout();
@@ -335,6 +369,11 @@ export function createVideoGrid(): VideoGridComponent {
     const entry = cells.get(userId);
     if (entry === undefined) return;
 
+    if (entry.trackCleanup) {
+      entry.trackCleanup();
+      entry.trackCleanup = undefined;
+    }
+
     const video = entry.el.querySelector("video");
     if (video !== null) video.srcObject = null;
 
@@ -383,6 +422,10 @@ export function createVideoGrid(): VideoGridComponent {
     }
 
     for (const [, entry] of cells) {
+      if (entry.trackCleanup) {
+        entry.trackCleanup();
+        entry.trackCleanup = undefined;
+      }
       const video = entry.el.querySelector("video");
       if (video !== null) video.srcObject = null;
     }
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/src/components/VoiceChannel.ts b/Client/tauri-client/src/components/VoiceChannel.ts
index a7870b41..6d0dedcb 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/src/components/VoiceChannel.ts
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/src/components/VoiceChannel.ts
@@ -11,11 +11,14 @@ import type { VoiceUser } from "@stores/voice.store";
 import { membersStore } from "@stores/members.store";
 import { setUserVolume, getUserVolume } from "@lib/livekitSession";
 import { authStore } from "@stores/auth.store";
+import { attachStreamPreview, attachScrollCollapse } from "@lib/streamPreview";
+import { SCREENSHARE_TILE_ID_OFFSET } from "@lib/constants";
 
 export interface VoiceChannelOptions {
   channelId: number;
   channelName: string;
   onJoin(): void;
+  onClickWatch?(tileId: number): void;
 }
 
 export interface VoiceChannelResult {
@@ -233,8 +236,35 @@ export function createVoiceChannel(options: VoiceChannelOptions): VoiceChannelRe
       const username = (member as { username?: string } | undefined)?.username ?? "Unknown";
       const row = createUserRow(user, username);
       usersContainer.appendChild(row);
+
+      // Attach stream preview for remote users with active video
+      const currentUser = authStore.getState().user;
+      if (
+        (currentUser === null || currentUser.id !== user.userId) &&
+        (user.camera || user.screenshare)
+      ) {
+        const tileId = user.screenshare ? user.userId + SCREENSHARE_TILE_ID_OFFSET : user.userId;
+        attachStreamPreview(
+          row,
+          user.userId,
+          username,
+          user.screenshare,
+          user.camera,
+          ac.signal,
+          () => {
+            // Only join if not already in this channel
+            if (voiceStore.getState().currentChannelId !== options.channelId) {
+              options.onJoin();
+            }
+            if (options.onClickWatch !== undefined) options.onClickWatch(tileId);
+          },
+          options.onClickWatch !== undefined ? () => options.onClickWatch!(tileId) : undefined,
+        );
+      }
     }
 
+    attachScrollCollapse(usersContainer, ac.signal);
+
     // Mark channel-item active if there are users
     if (channelUsers.size > 0) {
       channelItem.classList.add("active");
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/src/lib/streamPreview.ts b/Client/tauri-client/src/lib/streamPreview.ts
index 483dd7b6..561e4281 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/src/lib/streamPreview.ts
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/src/lib/streamPreview.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 import { createElement } from "@lib/dom";
 import { createIcon } from "@lib/icons";
 import { getRemoteVideoStream } from "@lib/livekitSession";
+import { voiceStore } from "@stores/voice.store";
 
 /** Internal state tracked per voice-user-item row for cleanup. */
 interface PreviewState {
@@ -118,7 +119,12 @@ function showPreview(
     }
     previewDiv.appendChild(video);
   } else {
-    previewDiv.appendChild(createPlaceholder(onClickJoin));
+    const isInChannel = voiceStore.getState().currentChannelId !== null;
+    if (isInChannel) {
+      previewDiv.appendChild(createUnavailablePlaceholder(onClickWatch));
+    } else {
+      previewDiv.appendChild(createPlaceholder(onClickJoin));
+    }
   }
 
   // Screen reader announcement
@@ -169,6 +175,26 @@ function createPlaceholder(onClickJoin?: () => void): HTMLElement {
   return placeholder;
 }
 
+function createUnavailablePlaceholder(onClickWatch?: () => void): HTMLElement {
+  const placeholder = createElement("div", {
+    class: "vu-preview-placeholder",
+    role: "button",
+    "aria-label": "Stream unavailable",
+  });
+  const icon = createIcon("monitor-off", 14);
+  icon.style.color = "var(--text-faint)";
+  placeholder.appendChild(icon);
+  const text = createElement("span", {}, "Stream unavailable");
+  placeholder.appendChild(text);
+  if (onClickWatch !== undefined) {
+    placeholder.addEventListener("click", (e) => {
+      e.stopPropagation();
+      onClickWatch();
+    });
+  }
+  return placeholder;
+}
+
 function hidePreview(row: HTMLElement): void {
   const state = previewTimers.get(row);
   if (state !== undefined) {
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/src/pages/main-page/VideoModeController.ts b/Client/tauri-client/src/pages/main-page/VideoModeController.ts
index 7136347f..bf9206e2 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/src/pages/main-page/VideoModeController.ts
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/src/pages/main-page/VideoModeController.ts
@@ -88,7 +88,9 @@ export function createVideoModeController(opts: VideoModeControllerOptions): Vid
       return;
     }
 
-    // Check if any camera or screenshare is active
+    // Check if any camera or screenshare is active.
+    // Check both voice store state AND whether the grid has tiles, because
+    // LiveKit track delivery can race ahead of the WS voice_state update.
     let anyVideoOn = voice.localCamera || voice.localScreenshare;
     if (!anyVideoOn) {
       for (const user of channelUsers.values()) {
@@ -98,6 +100,9 @@ export function createVideoModeController(opts: VideoModeControllerOptions): Vid
         }
       }
     }
+    if (!anyVideoOn) {
+      anyVideoOn = videoGrid.hasStreams();
+    }
     // Auto-close video grid when no streams remain
     if (!anyVideoOn && videoMode) {
       showChat();
@@ -145,14 +150,11 @@ export function createVideoModeController(opts: VideoModeControllerOptions): Vid
       localScreenshareTileAdded = false;
     }
 
-    // Remove remote video tiles for users who turned off their camera or screenshare
-    if (channelUsers) {
-      for (const user of channelUsers.values()) {
-        if (!user.camera && !user.screenshare && user.userId !== currentUserId) {
-          videoGrid.removeStream(user.userId);
-        }
-      }
-    }
+    // Remote video tiles are managed exclusively by the onRemoteVideo /
+    // onRemoteVideoRemoved callbacks (driven by LiveKit TrackSubscribed /
+    // TrackUnsubscribed). Do NOT remove remote tiles here based on voice
+    // store state — the WS voice_state update can lag behind LiveKit track
+    // delivery, causing tiles to be removed immediately after being added.
   }
 
   function isVideoModeActive(): boolean {
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/stream-preview.test.ts b/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/stream-preview.test.ts
index 78382bdb..a16d225f 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/stream-preview.test.ts
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/stream-preview.test.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,16 @@ vi.mock("@lib/livekitSession", () => ({
   getUserVolume: vi.fn(() => 1),
 }));
 
+const mockVoiceStoreState = {
+  currentChannelId: null as number | null,
+  localDeafened: false,
+};
+vi.mock("@stores/voice.store", () => ({
+  voiceStore: {
+    getState: () => mockVoiceStoreState,
+  },
+}));
+
 vi.mock("@lib/icons", () => ({
   createIcon: (name: string, size: number) => {
     const el = document.createElement("span");
@@ -57,6 +67,8 @@ describe("streamPreview", () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     ac = new AbortController();
     mockGetRemoteVideoStream.mockReset();
+    mockVoiceStoreState.currentChannelId = null;
+    mockVoiceStoreState.localDeafened = false;
     vi.useFakeTimers();
   });
 
@@ -295,6 +307,110 @@ describe("streamPreview", () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe("streamPreview — channel-aware placeholder", () => {
+  let ac: AbortController;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    ac = new AbortController();
+    mockGetRemoteVideoStream.mockReset();
+    mockVoiceStoreState.currentChannelId = null;
+    mockVoiceStoreState.localDeafened = false;
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    ac.abort();
+    vi.useRealTimers();
+    document.body.innerHTML = "";
+  });
+
+  it("shows 'Join to preview' when NOT in a voice channel and stream is null", () => {
+    mockGetRemoteVideoStream.mockReturnValue(null);
+    mockVoiceStoreState.currentChannelId = null;
+
+    const row = createRow(42);
+    attachStreamPreview(row, 42, "Alice", false, true, ac.signal);
+
+    row.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent("mouseenter"));
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(300);
+
+    const placeholder = row.nextElementSibling?.querySelector(".vu-preview-placeholder");
+    expect(placeholder?.textContent).toContain("Join to preview");
+  });
+
+  it("does NOT show 'Join to preview' when already in a voice channel and stream is null", () => {
+    mockGetRemoteVideoStream.mockReturnValue(null);
+    mockVoiceStoreState.currentChannelId = 1;
+
+    const row = createRow(42);
+    attachStreamPreview(row, 42, "Alice", false, true, ac.signal);
+
+    row.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent("mouseenter"));
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(300);
+
+    const placeholder = row.nextElementSibling?.querySelector(".vu-preview-placeholder");
+    expect(placeholder).not.toBeNull();
+    // Should NOT say "Join to preview" when already in channel
+    expect(placeholder?.textContent).not.toContain("Join to preview");
+  });
+
+  it("shows 'Stream unavailable' when in channel but no stream available", () => {
+    mockGetRemoteVideoStream.mockReturnValue(null);
+    mockVoiceStoreState.currentChannelId = 1;
+
+    const row = createRow(42);
+    attachStreamPreview(row, 42, "Alice", false, true, ac.signal);
+
+    row.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent("mouseenter"));
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(300);
+
+    const placeholder = row.nextElementSibling?.querySelector(".vu-preview-placeholder");
+    expect(placeholder?.textContent).toContain("Stream unavailable");
+  });
+
+  it("uses onClickWatch when in channel and stream is null but onClickWatch provided", () => {
+    mockGetRemoteVideoStream.mockReturnValue(null);
+    mockVoiceStoreState.currentChannelId = 1;
+
+    const onClickJoin = vi.fn();
+    const onClickWatch = vi.fn();
+    const row = createRow(42);
+    attachStreamPreview(row, 42, "Alice", false, true, ac.signal, onClickJoin, onClickWatch);
+
+    row.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent("mouseenter"));
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(300);
+
+    const placeholder = row.nextElementSibling?.querySelector(
+      ".vu-preview-placeholder",
+    ) as HTMLElement;
+    placeholder?.click();
+
+    expect(onClickWatch).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    expect(onClickJoin).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("uses onClickJoin when NOT in channel and stream is null", () => {
+    mockGetRemoteVideoStream.mockReturnValue(null);
+    mockVoiceStoreState.currentChannelId = null;
+
+    const onClickJoin = vi.fn();
+    const onClickWatch = vi.fn();
+    const row = createRow(42);
+    attachStreamPreview(row, 42, "Alice", false, true, ac.signal, onClickJoin, onClickWatch);
+
+    row.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent("mouseenter"));
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(300);
+
+    const placeholder = row.nextElementSibling?.querySelector(
+      ".vu-preview-placeholder",
+    ) as HTMLElement;
+    placeholder?.click();
+
+    expect(onClickJoin).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    expect(onClickWatch).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});
+
 describe("attachScrollCollapse", () => {
   let ac: AbortController;
 
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/video-mode-controller.test.ts b/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/video-mode-controller.test.ts
index f7accb6e..9e21efb7 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/video-mode-controller.test.ts
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/tests/unit/video-mode-controller.test.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ function makeVideoGrid(): VideoModeControllerOptions["videoGrid"] {
     destroy: vi.fn(),
     addStream: vi.fn(),
     removeStream: vi.fn(),
+    hasStreams: vi.fn(() => false),
     setFocusedTile: vi.fn(),
     getFocusedTileId: vi.fn(() => null),
   } as unknown as VideoModeControllerOptions["videoGrid"];
@@ -213,7 +214,7 @@ describe("createVideoModeController", () => {
     expect(vg.removeStream).toHaveBeenCalledWith(1);
   });
 
-  it("removes remote tile when remote user turns off camera", () => {
+  it("does NOT remove remote tiles in checkVideoMode (delegated to onRemoteVideoRemoved)", () => {
     const users = new Map([
       [1, { userId: 1, camera: false, screenshare: false, username: "me" }],
       [2, { userId: 2, camera: false, screenshare: false, username: "bob" }],
@@ -233,7 +234,9 @@ describe("createVideoModeController", () => {
     });
     ctrl.checkVideoMode();
 
-    expect(vg.removeStream).toHaveBeenCalledWith(2);
+    // Remote tile removal is handled by onRemoteVideoRemoved (LiveKit TrackUnsubscribed),
+    // not by checkVideoMode, to avoid race conditions with voice store updates.
+    expect(vg.removeStream).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(2);
   });
 
   it("showChat switches back to chat mode", () => {
diff --git a/Client/tauri-client/tsconfig.json b/Client/tauri-client/tsconfig.json
index b7e3492c..784de97f 100644
--- a/Client/tauri-client/tsconfig.json
+++ b/Client/tauri-client/tsconfig.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "compilerOptions": {
-    "target": "ES2021",
+    "target": "ES2023",
     "module": "ESNext",
     "moduleResolution": "bundler",
     "strict": true,
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
     "isolatedModules": true,
     "noEmit": true,
     "lib": [
-      "ES2021",
+      "ES2023",
       "DOM",
       "DOM.Iterable"
     ],