diff --git a/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/assets/web/plugins/vchan.js b/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/assets/web/plugins/vchan.js
index 9bea36f..ac91822 100644
--- a/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/assets/web/plugins/vchan.js
+++ b/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/assets/web/plugins/vchan.js
@@ -170,19 +170,23 @@ async function vchanSubscribe(channelId) {
 // Reconnect the audio WebSocket to the appropriate endpoint:
 // - virtual channel: /audio?channel_id=<uuid>
 // - primary channel: /audio (no param)
-// Only reconnects if RX audio is currently active.
+// Always updates _audioChannelOverride so that starting audio later
+// connects to the correct channel. Only reconnects if RX audio is active.
 function vchanReconnectAudio() {
-  if (typeof rxActive === "undefined" || !rxActive) return;
-  // Set the channel override so startRxAudio picks up the right URL.
+  // Always update the override so startRxAudio picks up the right URL,
+  // even when audio isn't currently running.
   const ch = vchanIsOnVirtual() ? vchanActiveChannel() : null;
   if (typeof _audioChannelOverride !== "undefined") {
     _audioChannelOverride = ch ? ch.id : null;
   }
+  if (typeof rxActive === "undefined" || !rxActive) return;
   if (typeof stopRxAudio === "function") stopRxAudio();
-  // Small delay so the server has time to set up the per-channel encoder.
+  // Delay so the server has time to set up the per-channel encoder.
+  // The server-side audio_ws handler also polls for up to 2 s, so this
+  // just needs to be long enough for the WS upgrade to reach the server.
   setTimeout(() => {
     if (typeof startRxAudio === "function") startRxAudio();
-  }, 200);
+  }, 300);
 }
 
 // Called by app.js from applyCapabilities().
diff --git a/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/src/audio.rs b/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/src/audio.rs
index 4e97d1c..15dd9f6 100644
--- a/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/src/audio.rs
+++ b/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/src/audio.rs
@@ -380,16 +380,24 @@ pub async fn audio_ws(
     }
 
     // If a channel_id is specified, subscribe to the per-channel broadcaster.
-    // Otherwise fall back to the primary RX broadcast.
+    // The entry is created asynchronously when AUDIO_MSG_VCHAN_ALLOCATED arrives
+    // from the server, which may lag the HTTP allocation by up to ~100 ms.
+    // Poll for up to 2 s so a tight JS timer doesn't race and get a 404.
     let rx_sub: broadcast::Receiver<Bytes> = if let Some(ch_id) = query.channel_id {
-        match context.vchan_audio.read() {
-            Ok(map) => match map.get(&ch_id) {
-                Some(tx) => tx.subscribe(),
-                None => {
-                    return Ok(HttpResponse::NotFound().body("channel not found"));
+        let deadline = Instant::now() + Duration::from_secs(2);
+        loop {
+            match context.vchan_audio.read() {
+                Ok(map) => {
+                    if let Some(tx) = map.get(&ch_id) {
+                        break tx.subscribe();
+                    }
                 }
-            },
-            Err(_) => return Ok(HttpResponse::InternalServerError().finish()),
+                Err(_) => return Ok(HttpResponse::InternalServerError().finish()),
+            }
+            if Instant::now() >= deadline {
+                return Ok(HttpResponse::NotFound().body("channel not found"));
+            }
+            tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(50)).await;
         }
     } else {
         let Some(rx) = context.audio_rx.as_ref() else {
diff --git a/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/src/vchan.rs b/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/src/vchan.rs
index f12563e..09bcbfa 100644
--- a/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/src/vchan.rs
+++ b/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/src/vchan.rs
@@ -318,6 +318,12 @@ impl ClientChannelManager {
                 changed = true;
             }
         }
+        // Collect IDs of non-permanent channels about to be evicted (0 subscribers).
+        let to_remove: Vec<Uuid> = channels
+            .iter()
+            .filter(|c| !c.permanent && c.session_ids.is_empty())
+            .map(|c| c.id)
+            .collect();
         // Remove non-permanent channels with no subscribers.
         let before = channels.len();
         channels.retain(|c| c.permanent || !c.session_ids.is_empty());
@@ -327,6 +333,12 @@ impl ClientChannelManager {
         if changed {
             self.broadcast_change(rig_id, channels);
         }
+        drop(rigs);
+        // Notify the audio-client task so it can tear down the server-side
+        // DSP pipeline and Opus encoder for each evicted channel.
+        for id in to_remove {
+            self.send_audio_cmd(VChanAudioCmd::Remove(id));
+        }
     }
 
     /// Explicitly delete a channel by UUID (any session may do this).