diff --git a/app/web/static/compare.js b/app/web/static/compare.js
index c59cfa0..f86af7d 100644
--- a/app/web/static/compare.js
+++ b/app/web/static/compare.js
@@ -459,27 +459,34 @@ async function main() {
   }
 
   // ---- time mapping -----------------------------------------------------
-  // Scrubber is 0..1000. Each panel picks round(u * (T-1)) as its frame idx.
+  // Scrubber is 0..1000, mapped to a shared global frame index uGlobal in
+  // [0, maxT-1]. Each panel clamps uGlobal to its own (T-1) — so a shorter
+  // timeline pads its last frame until the longer timeline finishes, and
+  // both panels advance at the same wall-clock tempo.
   const SCRUB_MAX = 1000;
 
   function framesOf(p) { return p ? p.data.frames.length : 0; }
 
-  function timeLabelFor(p, u) {
+  function timeLabelForAtLocal(p, uLocal) {
     if (!p) return '—';
     const T = framesOf(p);
     if (T <= 0) return '—';
-    const idx = Math.max(0, Math.min(T - 1, Math.round(u * (T - 1))));
+    const idx = Math.max(0, Math.min(T - 1, Math.round(uLocal)));
     return p.data.times?.[idx] ?? String(idx);
   }
 
   function applyU(u) {
     u = Math.max(0, Math.min(1, u));
     const smooth = motionSel.value === 'smooth';
-    for (const p of Object.values(panels)) {
+    const tMax = maxT();
+    const uGlobal = u * (tMax - 1);
+    let uLocalA = 0, uLocalB = 0;
+    for (const [slot, p] of Object.entries(panels)) {
       if (!p) continue;
       const T = framesOf(p);
       if (T <= 0) continue;
-      const uLocal = u * (T - 1);
+      const uLocal = Math.min(uGlobal, T - 1);
+      if (slot === 'a') uLocalA = uLocal; else uLocalB = uLocal;
       if (smooth) {
         p.setFrameInterpolated(uLocal);
       } else {
@@ -487,8 +494,8 @@ async function main() {
         p.setFrame(idx);
       }
     }
-    timeAEl.textContent = timeLabelFor(panels.a, u);
-    timeBEl.textContent = timeLabelFor(panels.b, u);
+    timeAEl.textContent = timeLabelForAtLocal(panels.a, uLocalA);
+    timeBEl.textContent = timeLabelForAtLocal(panels.b, uLocalB);
   }
 
   // ---- axes sync mode ---------------------------------------------------
@@ -523,22 +530,25 @@ async function main() {
   }
   function baseMsPerFrame() { return 1600 / parseFloat(speedSel.value || '1'); }
 
+  // u is the authoritative playhead (float in [0, 1]). The scrubber mirrors
+  // it for display; reading u back from the scrubber would quantize to the
+  // scrubber's integer step and stall the loop at small du.
+  let u = 0;
+
   function tick(ts) {
     requestAnimationFrame(tick);
     for (const p of Object.values(panels)) p?.render();
     if (!playing) { lastTs = ts; return; }
-    if (!lastTs) lastTs = ts;
+    if (!lastTs) { lastTs = ts; return; }
     const dt = ts - lastTs;
+    lastTs = ts;
+    if (dt <= 0) return;
     const perFrame = baseMsPerFrame();
     const T = maxT();
-    const du = dt / (perFrame * (T - 1));
-    if (du > 0) {
-      let u = parseFloat(scrub.value) / SCRUB_MAX + du;
-      if (u >= 1) u -= Math.floor(u); // wrap 0..1
-      scrub.value = String(Math.round(u * SCRUB_MAX));
-      applyU(u);
-      lastTs = ts;
-    }
+    u += dt / (perFrame * (T - 1));
+    if (u >= 1) u -= Math.floor(u); // wrap 0..1
+    scrub.value = String(Math.round(u * SCRUB_MAX));
+    applyU(u);
   }
   requestAnimationFrame(tick);
 
@@ -551,7 +561,8 @@ async function main() {
   playBtn.addEventListener('click', () => setPlaying(!playing));
 
   scrub.addEventListener('input', () => {
-    applyU(parseFloat(scrub.value) / SCRUB_MAX);
+    u = parseFloat(scrub.value) / SCRUB_MAX;
+    applyU(u);
   });
 
   speedSel.addEventListener('change', () => { lastTs = 0; });
diff --git a/app/web/templates/compare.html b/app/web/templates/compare.html
index e9cae6f..3c098b9 100644
--- a/app/web/templates/compare.html
+++ b/app/web/templates/compare.html
@@ -111,6 +111,6 @@
 </section>
 
 <script src="/static/theme.js?v=11"></script>
-<script type="module" src="/static/compare.js?v=5"></script>
+<script type="module" src="/static/compare.js?v=7"></script>
 </body>
 </html>