diff --git a/lib/services/download_manager_service.dart b/lib/services/download_manager_service.dart
index 079a608c..32a2fc43 100644
--- a/lib/services/download_manager_service.dart
+++ b/lib/services/download_manager_service.dart
@@ -1673,13 +1673,32 @@ class DownloadManagerService {
 
   /// Cache metadata in the API response format for offline access
   /// This simulates what PlexClient would receive from the server
+  /// Merges with existing cache to preserve Chapter/Marker/Media arrays
   Future<void> _cacheMetadataForOffline(String serverId, String ratingKey, PlexMetadata metadata) async {
     final endpoint = '/library/metadata/$ratingKey';
 
-    // Build a response structure that matches the Plex API format
+    // Check for existing cache entry to preserve fields not in PlexMetadata
+    final existing = await _apiCache.get(serverId, endpoint);
+    final existingMeta = PlexCacheParser.extractFirstMetadata(existing);
+
+    Map<String, dynamic> merged;
+    if (existingMeta != null) {
+      // Start with existing (has Chapter/Marker/Media), overlay new metadata
+      merged = existingMeta;
+      final newJson = metadata.toJson();
+      // Only update fields that toJson() sets to non-null values
+      for (final entry in newJson.entries) {
+        if (entry.value != null) {
+          merged[entry.key] = entry.value;
+        }
+      }
+    } else {
+      merged = metadata.toJson();
+    }
+
     final cachedResponse = {
       'MediaContainer': {
-        'Metadata': [metadata.toJson()],
+        'Metadata': [merged],
       },
     };
 
diff --git a/lib/services/offline_watch_sync_service.dart b/lib/services/offline_watch_sync_service.dart
index 45546dbd..a8eec148 100644
--- a/lib/services/offline_watch_sync_service.dart
+++ b/lib/services/offline_watch_sync_service.dart
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart';
 import '../database/app_database.dart';
 import '../providers/offline_mode_provider.dart';
 import '../utils/app_logger.dart';
+import '../utils/plex_cache_parser.dart';
 import 'multi_server_manager.dart';
 import 'plex_api_cache.dart';
 import 'plex_client.dart';
@@ -421,11 +422,32 @@ class OfflineWatchSyncService extends ChangeNotifier {
       for (final episode in seasonEpisodes) {
         if (!downloadedEpisodeKeys.contains(episode.ratingKey)) continue;
 
-        await PlexApiCache.instance.put(serverId, '/library/metadata/${episode.ratingKey}', {
-          'MediaContainer': {
-            'Metadata': [episode.toJson()],
-          },
-        });
+        final cacheKey = '/library/metadata/${episode.ratingKey}';
+        final existing = await PlexApiCache.instance.get(serverId, cacheKey);
+        final existingMeta = PlexCacheParser.extractFirstMetadata(existing);
+
+        if (existingMeta != null) {
+          // Only update watch-state fields — preserves Chapter/Marker/Media/etc.
+          existingMeta['viewCount'] = episode.viewCount;
+          existingMeta['viewOffset'] = episode.viewOffset;
+          existingMeta['lastViewedAt'] = episode.lastViewedAt;
+          existingMeta['viewedLeafCount'] = episode.viewedLeafCount;
+          await PlexApiCache.instance.put(serverId, cacheKey, {
+            'MediaContainer': {'Metadata': [existingMeta]},
+          });
+
+          // Repair corrupted entries (missing Media/Chapter from previous overwrites)
+          if (existingMeta['Media'] == null) {
+            try {
+              await client.getMetadataWithImages(episode.ratingKey);
+            } catch (_) {}
+          }
+        } else {
+          // No existing entry — write what we have
+          await PlexApiCache.instance.put(serverId, cacheKey, {
+            'MediaContainer': {'Metadata': [episode.toJson()]},
+          });
+        }
         synced++;
       }
 
@@ -501,13 +523,10 @@ class OfflineWatchSyncService extends ChangeNotifier {
         await _withOnlineClient(serverId, (client) async {
           for (final ratingKey in ratingKeys) {
             try {
+              // getMetadataWithImages already caches the full API response
+              // (with chapters/markers) via _fetchWithCacheFallback internally
               final metadata = await client.getMetadataWithImages(ratingKey);
               if (metadata != null) {
-                await PlexApiCache.instance.put(serverId, '/library/metadata/$ratingKey', {
-                  'MediaContainer': {
-                    'Metadata': [metadata.toJson()],
-                  },
-                });
                 syncedCount++;
               }
             } catch (e) {
diff --git a/lib/services/plex_client.dart b/lib/services/plex_client.dart
index 08beeaed..661a537f 100644
--- a/lib/services/plex_client.dart
+++ b/lib/services/plex_client.dart
@@ -954,9 +954,10 @@ class PlexClient {
 
   /// Get chapters and markers from cached metadata or fetch if needed
   /// Uses same cache key as other metadata methods for consistency
-  Future<PlaybackExtras> getPlaybackExtras(String ratingKey, {String? introPattern, String? creditsPattern}) async {
+  Future<PlaybackExtras> getPlaybackExtras(String ratingKey, {String? introPattern, String? creditsPattern, bool forceRefresh = false}) async {
     try {
-      final data = await _fetchWithCacheFirst<Map<String, dynamic>>(
+      final fetch = forceRefresh ? _fetchWithCacheFallback : _fetchWithCacheFirst;
+      final data = await fetch<Map<String, dynamic>>(
         cacheKey: '/library/metadata/$ratingKey',
         networkCall: () =>
             _dio.get('/library/metadata/$ratingKey', queryParameters: {'includeChapters': 1, 'includeMarkers': 1}),
diff --git a/lib/widgets/video_controls/video_controls.dart b/lib/widgets/video_controls/video_controls.dart
index 411250ed..fc3759c2 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/video_controls/video_controls.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/video_controls/video_controls.dart
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ class PlexVideoControls extends StatefulWidget {
 class _PlexVideoControlsState extends State<PlexVideoControls> with WindowListener, WidgetsBindingObserver {
   bool _showControls = true;
   bool _forceShowControls = false;
+  bool _isLoadingExtras = false;
   List<PlexChapter> _chapters = [];
   bool _chaptersLoaded = false;
   Timer? _hideTimer;
@@ -334,6 +335,10 @@ class _PlexVideoControlsState extends State<PlexVideoControls> with WindowListen
   void _onFirstFrameReady() {
     if (widget.hasFirstFrame?.value == true) {
       _startHideTimer();
+      // Retry with network-first if initial cache-first returned empty
+      if (_chapters.isEmpty && _markers.isEmpty) {
+        _loadPlaybackExtras(forceRefresh: true);
+      }
     }
   }
 
@@ -930,19 +935,21 @@ class _PlexVideoControlsState extends State<PlexVideoControls> with WindowListen
     }
   }
 
-  Future<void> _loadPlaybackExtras() async {
+  Future<void> _loadPlaybackExtras({bool forceRefresh = false}) async {
     // Live TV metadata uses EPG rating keys, not library items
     if (widget.isLive) return;
+    if (_isLoadingExtras) return;
+    _isLoadingExtras = true;
 
     try {
-      appLogger.d('_loadPlaybackExtras: starting for ${widget.metadata.ratingKey}');
+      appLogger.d('_loadPlaybackExtras: starting for ${widget.metadata.ratingKey} (forceRefresh=$forceRefresh)');
       final client = _getClientForMetadata();
       appLogger.d('_loadPlaybackExtras: got client with serverId=${client.serverId}');
 
       final settings = await SettingsService.getInstance();
       final introPattern = settings.getIntroPattern();
       final creditsPattern = settings.getCreditsPattern();
-      final extras = await client.getPlaybackExtras(widget.metadata.ratingKey, introPattern: introPattern, creditsPattern: creditsPattern);
+      final extras = await client.getPlaybackExtras(widget.metadata.ratingKey, introPattern: introPattern, creditsPattern: creditsPattern, forceRefresh: forceRefresh);
       appLogger.d('_loadPlaybackExtras: got ${extras.chapters.length} chapters');
 
       if (mounted) {
@@ -975,6 +982,8 @@ class _PlexVideoControlsState extends State<PlexVideoControls> with WindowListen
         }
       }
       appLogger.e('_loadPlaybackExtras failed', error: e, stackTrace: stack);
+    } finally {
+      _isLoadingExtras = false;
     }
   }