diff --git a/src/api/server.ts b/src/api/server.ts
index f182ee3..d1a280d 100644
--- a/src/api/server.ts
+++ b/src/api/server.ts
@@ -202,8 +202,9 @@ export async function startApiServer({ manager, context }: ApiServerOptions) {
     return reply.send({
       state: manager.snapshot(id),
       voiceChannels: context.listVoiceChannels(id),
-      yourVoiceChannel: context.findUserVoiceChannel(id, session.userId),
-      voicePresenceKnown: context.hasVoicePresence(id),
+      yourVoiceChannel:
+        context.findUserVoiceChannel(id, session.userId) ?? manager.listenerChannel(id, session.userId),
+      voicePresenceKnown: manager.knowsVoicePresence(id),
       canControl: await context.canControl(id, session.userId),
     });
   });
@@ -357,9 +358,11 @@ export async function startApiServer({ manager, context }: ApiServerOptions) {
       // changes — otherwise the panel only learns about it on reload.
       let lastPresence = "";
       const sendPresence = () => {
-        const yourVoiceChannel = context.findUserVoiceChannel(serverId, session.userId);
+        const yourVoiceChannel =
+          context.findUserVoiceChannel(serverId, session.userId) ??
+          manager.listenerChannel(serverId, session.userId);
         const voiceChannels = context.listVoiceChannels(serverId);
-        const voicePresenceKnown = context.hasVoicePresence(serverId);
+        const voicePresenceKnown = manager.knowsVoicePresence(serverId);
         const fingerprint = JSON.stringify([yourVoiceChannel, voiceChannels, voicePresenceKnown]);
         if (fingerprint === lastPresence) return;
         lastPresence = fingerprint;
diff --git a/src/core/manager.ts b/src/core/manager.ts
index 4cee567..4876885 100644
--- a/src/core/manager.ts
+++ b/src/core/manager.ts
@@ -125,6 +125,22 @@ export class MusicManager extends EventEmitter<ManagerEvents> {
 
   // ------------------------------------------------------------ permissions ---
 
+  /**
+   * Presence as seen through the bot's own LiveKit room. Stoat's gateway does
+   * not tell a bot who is sitting in voice, so while the bot is connected this
+   * is the only first-hand answer we have.
+   */
+  listenerChannel(serverId: string, userId: string): VoiceChannelRef | null {
+    const player = this.players.get(serverId);
+    if (!player?.voiceChannelId || !player.hasParticipant(userId)) return null;
+    return { id: player.voiceChannelId, name: player.voiceChannelName ?? "" };
+  }
+
+  /** True when we have a first-hand view of who is in voice. */
+  knowsVoicePresence(serverId: string): boolean {
+    return this.chat.hasVoicePresence(serverId) || Boolean(this.players.get(serverId)?.isConnected());
+  }
+
   async assertControl(serverId: string, userId: string): Promise<void> {
     if (!(await this.chat.canControl(serverId, userId))) {
       throw new UserFacingError("Недостаточно прав для управления плеером");
@@ -142,7 +158,8 @@ export class MusicManager extends EventEmitter<ManagerEvents> {
     const player = this.getOrCreate(serverId);
     if (options.textChannelId) player.textChannelId = options.textChannelId;
 
-    const listening = this.chat.findUserVoiceChannel(serverId, userId);
+    const listening =
+      this.chat.findUserVoiceChannel(serverId, userId) ?? this.listenerChannel(serverId, userId);
 
     if (config.REQUIRE_LISTENER && listening) {
       // Music follows the listener: you cannot push the bot into a channel you
@@ -154,7 +171,7 @@ export class MusicManager extends EventEmitter<ManagerEvents> {
       // Refuse only when we can actually see who is in voice. With no presence
       // data at all our view is stale rather than empty, and blocking would
       // strand everyone until the next restart.
-      if (this.chat.hasVoicePresence(serverId)) {
+      if (this.knowsVoicePresence(serverId)) {
         throw new UserFacingError("Сначала зайдите в голосовой канал");
       }
       if (!options.voiceChannelId) {
diff --git a/src/core/player.ts b/src/core/player.ts
index 781eb65..8920670 100644
--- a/src/core/player.ts
+++ b/src/core/player.ts
@@ -262,6 +262,16 @@ export class GuildPlayer extends EventEmitter<GuildPlayerEvents> {
    * participant name, so nobody is ever dropped and the channel never looks
    * empty — the bot would sit in it forever.
    */
+  /** Whether this user is in the channel the bot is sitting in, per LiveKit. */
+  hasParticipant(userId: string): boolean {
+    const participants = this.connection?.room?.remoteParticipants;
+    if (!participants) return false;
+    for (const participant of participants.values()) {
+      if (participant.identity === userId) return true;
+    }
+    return false;
+  }
+
   private listenersInChannel(): number {
     return this.connection?.room?.remoteParticipants?.size ?? 0;
   }
diff --git a/web/src/App.tsx b/web/src/App.tsx
index 8dc0d42..e2f1b1e 100644
--- a/web/src/App.tsx
+++ b/web/src/App.tsx
@@ -195,6 +195,7 @@ export function App() {
               onAction={(action, payload) => void runAction(action, payload)}
               onSeek={(seconds) => void runAction("seek", { position: seconds })}
               onJoin={(channelId) => {
+                setError(null);
                 void api
                   .join(serverId, channelId)
                   .then(() => refresh(serverId))