diff --git a/api_v1_voice.php b/api_v1_voice.php
index d9dee20..2dd8c9b 100644
--- a/api_v1_voice.php
+++ b/api_v1_voice.php
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ function json_out($data, int $code = 200): void {
 function get_room_participants(string $room): array {
     $ps = [];
     try {
-        $stale_time = now_ms() - 15000;
+        $stale_time = now_ms() - 30000;
         // Clean up stale sessions first
         db()->prepare("DELETE FROM voice_sessions WHERE last_seen < ?")->execute([$stale_time]);
 
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ if ($action === "list_all") {
     // Periodic cleanup of the DB table (stale sessions > 15s)
     if (rand(1, 10) === 1) {
         try {
-            $stale_db_time = now_ms() - 15000;
+            $stale_db_time = now_ms() - 30000;
             $stmt = db()->prepare("DELETE FROM voice_sessions WHERE last_seen < ?");
             $stmt->execute([$stale_db_time]);
         } catch (Exception $e) {}
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ if ($action === "list_all") {
             JOIN users u ON vs.user_id = u.id
             WHERE vs.last_seen > ?
         ");
-        $stale_db_time = now_ms() - 15000;
+        $stale_db_time = now_ms() - 30000;
         $stmt->execute([$stale_db_time]);
         $sessions = $stmt->fetchAll(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC);
         
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ if ($action === "find_whisper_targets") {
     if (!$target_type || !$target_id) json_out(["error" => "Missing parameters"], 400);
     
     try {
-        $stale_time = now_ms() - 15000;
+        $stale_time = now_ms() - 30000;
         if ($target_type === 'user') {
             $stmt = db()->prepare("SELECT peer_id, name FROM voice_sessions WHERE user_id = ? AND last_seen > ?");
             $stmt->execute([(int)$target_id, $stale_time]);
diff --git a/assets/js/voice.js b/assets/js/voice.js
index 0075823..5b2cb3e 100644
--- a/assets/js/voice.js
+++ b/assets/js/voice.js
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ class VoiceChannel {
         this.isSelfMuted = false;
         this.isDeafened = false;
         
+        this.peerStates = {}; // userId -> { makingOffer, ignoreOffer }
+        
         this.whisperSettings = []; // from DB
         this.whisperPeers = new Set(); // active whisper target peer_ids
         this.isWhispering = false;
@@ -240,7 +242,7 @@ class VoiceChannel {
 
     startPolling() {
         if (this.pollInterval) clearInterval(this.pollInterval);
-        this.pollInterval = setInterval(() => this.poll(), 1000);
+        this.pollInterval = setInterval(() => this.poll(), 500);
         this.poll(); // Initial poll
     }
 
@@ -303,6 +305,11 @@ class VoiceChannel {
         if (this.peers[userId]) return this.peers[userId];
 
         console.log('Creating PeerConnection for:', userId, 'as offeror:', isOfferor);
+        
+        if (!this.peerStates[userId]) {
+            this.peerStates[userId] = { makingOffer: false, ignoreOffer: false };
+        }
+
         const pc = new RTCPeerConnection({
             iceServers: [
                 { urls: 'stun:stun.l.google.com:19302' },
@@ -314,6 +321,22 @@ class VoiceChannel {
 
         pc.oniceconnectionstatechange = () => {
             console.log(`ICE Connection State with ${userId}: ${pc.iceConnectionState}`);
+            if (pc.iceConnectionState === 'failed' || pc.iceConnectionState === 'disconnected') {
+                console.log(`ICE failure with ${userId}, attempting to restart...`);
+                // If it failed, we could try to renegotiate, but for now let's just wait for poll to maybe clean it up
+            }
+        };
+
+        pc.onnegotiationneeded = async () => {
+            try {
+                this.peerStates[userId].makingOffer = true;
+                await pc.setLocalDescription();
+                this.sendSignal(userId, { type: 'offer', offer: pc.localDescription });
+            } catch (err) {
+                console.error('onnegotiationneeded error:', err);
+            } finally {
+                this.peerStates[userId].makingOffer = false;
+            }
         };
 
         if (this.localStream) {
@@ -333,6 +356,11 @@ class VoiceChannel {
             console.log('Received remote track from:', userId, 'Stream count:', event.streams.length);
             const stream = event.streams[0] || new MediaStream([event.track]);
             
+            // Ensure AudioContext is running
+            if (this.audioContext && this.audioContext.state === 'suspended') {
+                this.audioContext.resume();
+            }
+
             if (this.remoteAudios[userId]) {
                 console.log('Replacing existing audio element for:', userId);
                 this.remoteAudios[userId].pause();
@@ -357,17 +385,13 @@ class VoiceChannel {
                 console.log('Remote audio playing successfully for:', userId);
             }).catch(e => {
                 console.warn('Autoplay prevented or play failed for:', userId, e);
-                // In case of autoplay prevention, we might need a user gesture, 
-                // but they just clicked a channel so it should be fine.
+                // In case of autoplay prevention, we might need a user gesture
             });
         };
 
-        if (isOfferor) {
-            pc.createOffer().then(offer => {
-                return pc.setLocalDescription(offer);
-            }).then(() => {
-                this.sendSignal(userId, { type: 'offer', offer: pc.localDescription });
-            });
+        // Manual offer if explicitly requested (though onnegotiationneeded should handle it)
+        if (isOfferor && pc.signalingState === 'stable') {
+            pc.onnegotiationneeded();
         }
 
         return pc;
@@ -379,38 +403,68 @@ class VoiceChannel {
 
         console.log('Handling signaling from:', from, 'type:', data.type);
 
-        switch (data.type) {
-            case 'offer':
-                await this.handleOffer(from, data.offer);
-                break;
-            case 'answer':
-                await this.handleAnswer(from, data.answer);
-                break;
-            case 'ice_candidate':
-                await this.handleCandidate(from, data.candidate);
-                break;
-            case 'voice_speaking':
-                this.updateSpeakingUI(data.user_id, data.speaking, data.is_whisper);
-                break;
+        try {
+            switch (data.type) {
+                case 'offer':
+                    await this.handleOffer(from, data.offer);
+                    break;
+                case 'answer':
+                    await this.handleAnswer(from, data.answer);
+                    break;
+                case 'ice_candidate':
+                    await this.handleCandidate(from, data.candidate);
+                    break;
+                case 'voice_speaking':
+                    this.updateSpeakingUI(data.user_id, data.speaking, data.is_whisper);
+                    break;
+            }
+        } catch (err) {
+            console.error('Signaling error:', err);
         }
     }
 
     async handleOffer(from, offer) {
         const pc = this.createPeerConnection(from, false);
+        const state = this.peerStates[from];
+        
+        const offerCollision = (offer.type === "offer") && 
+                             (state.makingOffer || pc.signalingState !== "stable");
+
+        // Politeness: higher peer_id is polite
+        const isPolite = this.myPeerId > from;
+        state.ignoreOffer = !isPolite && offerCollision;
+
+        if (state.ignoreOffer) {
+            console.log('Polite peer: ignoring offer from impolite peer to avoid collision', from);
+            return;
+        }
+
         await pc.setRemoteDescription(new RTCSessionDescription(offer));
-        const answer = await pc.createAnswer();
-        await pc.setLocalDescription(answer);
-        this.sendSignal(from, { type: 'answer', answer: pc.localDescription });
+        if (offer.type === "offer") {
+            await pc.setLocalDescription();
+            this.sendSignal(from, { type: 'answer', answer: pc.localDescription });
+        }
     }
 
     async handleAnswer(from, answer) {
         const pc = this.peers[from];
-        if (pc) await pc.setRemoteDescription(new RTCSessionDescription(answer));
+        if (pc) {
+            await pc.setRemoteDescription(new RTCSessionDescription(answer));
+        }
     }
 
     async handleCandidate(from, candidate) {
         const pc = this.peers[from];
-        if (pc) await pc.addIceCandidate(new RTCIceCandidate(candidate));
+        const state = this.peerStates[from];
+        try {
+            if (pc) {
+                await pc.addIceCandidate(new RTCIceCandidate(candidate));
+            }
+        } catch (err) {
+            if (!state || !state.ignoreOffer) {
+                console.warn('Failed to add ICE candidate', err);
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     setupVOX() {