diff --git a/lib/focus/dpad_navigator.dart b/lib/focus/dpad_navigator.dart
index 1271e5bd..4760c46d 100644
--- a/lib/focus/dpad_navigator.dart
+++ b/lib/focus/dpad_navigator.dart
@@ -121,3 +121,32 @@ class BackKeyUpSuppressor {
     return false;
   }
 }
+
+/// Tracks whether a back key is currently physically pressed.
+///
+/// Used by [BackKeySuppressorObserver] to detect when a route pop was
+/// caused by a back key press (e.g. Flutter's built-in DismissAction,
+/// DismissAction on KeyRepeat, or Android TV system back gesture) so it
+/// can automatically suppress the stray KeyUp that follows.
+class BackKeyPressTracker {
+  static bool _isBackKeyDown = false;
+
+  /// Whether a back key is currently held down.
+  ///
+  /// Also checks [HardwareKeyboard.instance.logicalKeysPressed] as a
+  /// fallback in case our tracking drifted out of sync.
+  static bool get isBackKeyDown {
+    if (_isBackKeyDown) return true;
+    return HardwareKeyboard.instance.logicalKeysPressed.any(
+      (key) => key.isBackKey,
+    );
+  }
+
+  static bool handleKeyEvent(KeyEvent event) {
+    if (event.logicalKey.isBackKey) {
+      // KeyDown and KeyRepeat both mean the key is physically held.
+      _isBackKeyDown = event is! KeyUpEvent;
+    }
+    return false; // Never consume
+  }
+}
diff --git a/lib/focus/input_mode_tracker.dart b/lib/focus/input_mode_tracker.dart
index bf311f48..8462b912 100644
--- a/lib/focus/input_mode_tracker.dart
+++ b/lib/focus/input_mode_tracker.dart
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import 'package:flutter/services.dart';
 
 import '../utils/platform_detector.dart';
 import '../services/gamepad_service.dart';
+import 'dpad_navigator.dart';
 
 /// Tracks whether the user is navigating via keyboard/d-pad or pointer (mouse/touch).
 ///
@@ -66,6 +67,10 @@ class _InputModeTrackerState extends State<InputModeTracker> {
   }
 
   bool _handleKeyEvent(KeyEvent event) {
+    // Track back key press state for automatic suppression of stray KeyUp
+    // events after route pops (see BackKeySuppressorObserver).
+    BackKeyPressTracker.handleKeyEvent(event);
+
     // Only switch to keyboard mode on key down (not repeats or releases)
     if (event is KeyDownEvent) {
       _setMode(InputMode.keyboard);
diff --git a/lib/focus/key_event_utils.dart b/lib/focus/key_event_utils.dart
index 70b808e9..f2370b35 100644
--- a/lib/focus/key_event_utils.dart
+++ b/lib/focus/key_event_utils.dart
@@ -82,3 +82,18 @@ KeyEventResult handleBackKeyNavigation<T>(BuildContext context, KeyEvent event,
   // (KeyDownEvent can be received by both the popping screen and the returned-to screen)
   return handleBackKeyAction(event, () => Navigator.pop(context, result));
 }
+
+/// Navigator observer that automatically suppresses stray back KeyUp events
+/// after any route pop caused by a back key press.
+///
+/// This catches pops triggered by Flutter's built-in DismissAction (which fires
+/// on KeyDown for dialogs) and Android TV system back gestures, preventing the
+/// orphaned KeyUp from propagating to the underlying screen's back handler.
+class BackKeySuppressorObserver extends NavigatorObserver {
+  @override
+  void didPop(Route route, Route? previousRoute) {
+    if (BackKeyPressTracker.isBackKeyDown) {
+      BackKeyUpSuppressor.suppressBackUntilKeyUp();
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/lib/main.dart b/lib/main.dart
index a244b67e..154a8a39 100644
--- a/lib/main.dart
+++ b/lib/main.dart
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ import 'utils/orientation_helper.dart';
 import 'utils/language_codes.dart';
 import 'i18n/strings.g.dart';
 import 'focus/input_mode_tracker.dart';
+import 'focus/key_event_utils.dart';
 import 'package:intl/date_symbol_data_local.dart';
 
 // Workaround for Flutter bug #177992: iPadOS 26.1+ misinterprets fake touch events
@@ -317,7 +318,7 @@ class _MainAppState extends State<MainApp> with WidgetsBindingObserver {
                 theme: themeProvider.lightTheme,
                 darkTheme: themeProvider.darkTheme,
                 themeMode: themeProvider.materialThemeMode,
-                navigatorObservers: [routeObserver],
+                navigatorObservers: [routeObserver, BackKeySuppressorObserver()],
                 home: const OrientationAwareSetup(),
               ),
             ),
diff --git a/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart b/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart
index 36df6e8c..68e70675 100644
--- a/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart
@@ -1155,7 +1155,6 @@ class VideoPlayerScreenState extends State<VideoPlayerScreen> with WidgetsBindin
             }
             if (!mounted) return;
             _isExiting.value = true;
-            BackKeyUpSuppressor.suppressBackUntilKeyUp();
             Navigator.of(context).pop(true);
           }
         }
@@ -1176,12 +1175,6 @@ class VideoPlayerScreenState extends State<VideoPlayerScreen> with WidgetsBindin
       // Default behavior for hosts or non-session users
       if (!mounted) return;
       _isExiting.value = true;
-      // Suppress stray BACK KeyUp on the previous route: on Android TV the
-      // system back gesture pops the route around KeyDown, so the KeyUp arrives
-      // at the previous route and would be misinterpreted as a new BACK press.
-      // markClosedViaBackKey() (set by handleBackKeyAction for key-triggered
-      // pops) makes this a no-op, so it only activates for system-back pops.
-      BackKeyUpSuppressor.suppressBackUntilKeyUp();
       Navigator.of(context).pop(true);
     } finally {
       _isHandlingBack = false;
diff --git a/lib/widgets/media_context_menu.dart b/lib/widgets/media_context_menu.dart
index 61f248ab..f5a5130c 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/media_context_menu.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/media_context_menu.dart
@@ -278,8 +278,6 @@ class MediaContextMenuState extends State<MediaContextMenu> {
           focusFirstItem: openedFromKeyboard,
         ),
       );
-      // Suppress BACK key-up to prevent it from propagating to the parent screen
-      BackKeyUpSuppressor.suppressBackUntilKeyUp();
     } else {
       // Show custom focusable popup menu on larger screens
       // Use stored tap position or fallback to widget position
@@ -299,8 +297,6 @@ class MediaContextMenuState extends State<MediaContextMenu> {
         builder: (dialogContext) =>
             _FocusablePopupMenu(actions: menuActions, position: position, focusFirstItem: openedFromKeyboard),
       );
-      // Suppress BACK key-up to prevent it from propagating to the parent screen
-      BackKeyUpSuppressor.suppressBackUntilKeyUp();
     }
 
     try {
@@ -518,7 +514,6 @@ class MediaContextMenuState extends State<MediaContextMenu> {
           backgroundColor: Colors.transparent,
           builder: (context) => FileInfoBottomSheet(fileInfo: fileInfo, title: metadata.title),
         );
-        BackKeyUpSuppressor.suppressBackUntilKeyUp();
       } else if (context.mounted) {
         showErrorSnackBar(context, t.messages.fileInfoNotAvailable);
       }
@@ -585,7 +580,6 @@ class MediaContextMenuState extends State<MediaContextMenu> {
           ),
         ),
       );
-      BackKeyUpSuppressor.suppressBackUntilKeyUp();
     } else {
       // Show popup menu on desktop
       selected = await showMenu<String>(
@@ -606,7 +600,6 @@ class MediaContextMenuState extends State<MediaContextMenu> {
           );
         }).toList(),
       );
-      BackKeyUpSuppressor.suppressBackUntilKeyUp();
     }
 
     // Handle the submenu selection
@@ -635,7 +628,6 @@ class MediaContextMenuState extends State<MediaContextMenu> {
         context: context,
         builder: (context) => _PlaylistSelectionDialog(playlists: playlists),
       );
-      BackKeyUpSuppressor.suppressBackUntilKeyUp();
 
       if (result == null || !context.mounted) return;
 
@@ -654,7 +646,6 @@ class MediaContextMenuState extends State<MediaContextMenu> {
           labelText: t.playlists.playlistName,
           hintText: t.playlists.enterPlaylistName,
         );
-        BackKeyUpSuppressor.suppressBackUntilKeyUp();
 
         if (playlistName == null || playlistName.isEmpty || !context.mounted) {
           return;
@@ -773,7 +764,6 @@ class MediaContextMenuState extends State<MediaContextMenu> {
         context: context,
         builder: (context) => _CollectionSelectionDialog(collections: collections),
       );
-      BackKeyUpSuppressor.suppressBackUntilKeyUp();
 
       if (result == null || !context.mounted) return;
 
@@ -791,7 +781,6 @@ class MediaContextMenuState extends State<MediaContextMenu> {
           labelText: t.collections.collectionName,
           hintText: t.collections.enterCollectionName,
         );
-        BackKeyUpSuppressor.suppressBackUntilKeyUp();
 
         if (collectionName == null || collectionName.isEmpty || !context.mounted) {
           return;
diff --git a/lib/widgets/video_controls/sheets/base_video_control_sheet.dart b/lib/widgets/video_controls/sheets/base_video_control_sheet.dart
index 63223ff6..44e58819 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/video_controls/sheets/base_video_control_sheet.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/video_controls/sheets/base_video_control_sheet.dart
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
-import 'package:plezy/focus/dpad_navigator.dart';
 import 'video_sheet_header.dart';
 
 /// Base class for video control bottom sheets providing common UI structure
@@ -46,7 +45,6 @@ class BaseVideoControlSheet extends StatelessWidget {
       constraints: getBottomSheetConstraints(context),
       builder: builder,
     ).whenComplete(() {
-      BackKeyUpSuppressor.suppressBackUntilKeyUp();
       onClose?.call();
     });
   }