diff --git a/apps/server/src/preview/ServerBrowser.test.ts b/apps/server/src/preview/ServerBrowser.test.ts
index 3af55fefbc0e2..1b57dba45b6c0 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/preview/ServerBrowser.test.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/preview/ServerBrowser.test.ts
@@ -2616,6 +2616,70 @@ it.live("a full server takes back the slot of the longest idle agent tab nobody
   ).pipe(Effect.provide(layer)),
 );
 
+it.effect(
+  "a viewer whose screencast Chromium never starts still attaches and lets snapshots run",
+  () =>
+    Effect.scoped(
+      Effect.gen(function* () {
+        const { browser, broker, tabId } = yield* ready;
+        const context = contexts[0]!;
+        const stalledStarts = yield* Queue.unbounded<void>();
+        const openSession = context.newCDPSession;
+        context.newCDPSession = async (target: unknown) => {
+          const session = await openSession(target);
+          const answer = session.send.getMockImplementation()!;
+          session.send.mockImplementation(async (method: string, input?: unknown) => {
+            if (method !== "Page.startScreencast") return answer(method, input);
+            Queue.offerUnsafe(stalledStarts, undefined);
+            return new Promise<never>(() => {});
+          });
+          return session;
+        };
+        const attaching = yield* browser
+          .attachViewer(viewerInput(tabId, true))
+          .pipe(Effect.forkScoped);
+        yield* Queue.take(stalledStarts);
+        yield* TestClock.adjust("5 seconds");
+        const viewer = yield* Fiber.join(attaching);
+        expect((yield* Queue.takeAll(viewer.output)).map((item) => item._tag)).toContain("frame");
+        const snapshotting = yield* broker
+          .invoke<PreviewAutomationSnapshot>({ scope, tabId, operation: "snapshot", input: {} })
+          .pipe(Effect.forkScoped);
+        yield* Queue.take(stalledStarts);
+        yield* TestClock.adjust("5 seconds");
+        expect((yield* Fiber.join(snapshotting)).url).toBeDefined();
+      }),
+    ).pipe(Effect.provide(layer)),
+);
+
+it.effect("viewer cleanup detaches after a stalled stop command", () =>
+  Effect.scoped(
+    Effect.gen(function* () {
+      const { browser, tabId } = yield* ready;
+      const viewerScope = yield* Scope.make();
+      yield* browser
+        .attachViewer(viewerInput(tabId, true))
+        .pipe(Effect.provideService(Scope.Scope, viewerScope));
+      const session = contexts[0]!.sessions.at(-1)!;
+      const stopped = yield* Queue.unbounded<void>();
+      const stalledStop = Promise.withResolvers<Record<string, unknown>>();
+      const answer = session.send.getMockImplementation()!;
+      session.send.mockImplementation(async (method: string, input?: unknown) => {
+        if (method !== "Page.stopScreencast") return answer(method, input);
+        Queue.offerUnsafe(stopped, undefined);
+        return stalledStop.promise;
+      });
+      const closing = yield* Scope.close(viewerScope, Exit.void).pipe(Effect.forkScoped);
+      yield* Queue.take(stopped);
+      yield* TestClock.adjust("5 seconds");
+      const detached = session.detach.mock.calls.length;
+      stalledStop.resolve({});
+      yield* Fiber.join(closing);
+      expect(detached).toBe(1);
+    }),
+  ).pipe(Effect.provide(layer)),
+);
+
 const certificateError = {
   url: "https://device.local/",
   code: -202,
diff --git a/apps/server/src/preview/ServerBrowser.ts b/apps/server/src/preview/ServerBrowser.ts
index 18d08e65acd08..24499058f1aad 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/preview/ServerBrowser.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/preview/ServerBrowser.ts
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ const AGENT_CURSOR_MOVE_MS = 160;
 const AGENT_CURSOR_CLICK_LEAD_MS = 40;
 /** A dialog blocks page script, so a desktop size read gives up after this. */
 const DESKTOP_VIEWPORT_READ_TIMEOUT = "1 second";
+const VIEWER_COMMAND_TIMEOUT = "5 seconds";
 
 const sleepUntil = (deadline: number) =>
   new Promise<void>((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, Math.max(0, deadline - Date.now())));
@@ -1805,6 +1806,14 @@ const make = Effect.gen(function* () {
     return started;
   };
 
+  const withinViewerDeadline = <A>(command: Promise<A>): Promise<A | null> =>
+    runPromise(
+      Effect.promise(() => command.catch(() => null)).pipe(
+        Effect.timeoutOption(VIEWER_COMMAND_TIMEOUT),
+        Effect.map(Option.getOrNull),
+      ),
+    );
+
   const withScreencastsPaused = <A>(tab: ServerTab, capture: () => Promise<A>): Promise<A> =>
     withCaptureLock(tab, async () => {
       tab.capturing += 1;
@@ -2569,9 +2578,7 @@ const make = Effect.gen(function* () {
       }),
       (session) =>
         Effect.promise(() =>
-          session
-            .send("Page.stopScreencast")
-            .catch(constVoid)
+          withinViewerDeadline(session.send("Page.stopScreencast"))
             .then(() => session.detach())
             .catch(constVoid),
         ),
@@ -2588,15 +2595,15 @@ const make = Effect.gen(function* () {
       screencastScale = scale;
       screencastParams = screencastParams.then(async () => {
         if (tab.capturing > 0) return;
-        await session.send("Page.stopScreencast").catch(constVoid);
-        await session
-          .send("Page.startScreencast", {
+        await withinViewerDeadline(session.send("Page.stopScreencast"));
+        await withinViewerDeadline(
+          session.send("Page.startScreencast", {
             format: "jpeg",
             quality: screencastScale < 1 ? Math.min(quality, SCREENCAST_MOTION_QUALITY) : quality,
             maxWidth: Math.max(1, Math.round(input.maxWidth * screencastScale)),
             maxHeight: Math.max(1, Math.round(input.maxHeight * screencastScale)),
-          })
-          .catch(constVoid);
+          }),
+        );
       });
       return screencastParams;
     };
@@ -2629,9 +2636,9 @@ const make = Effect.gen(function* () {
         }
       },
       pause: () => {
-        screencastParams = screencastParams.then(() =>
-          session.send("Page.stopScreencast").then(constVoid, constVoid),
-        );
+        screencastParams = screencastParams
+          .then(() => withinViewerDeadline(session.send("Page.stopScreencast")))
+          .then(constVoid);
         return screencastParams;
       },
       resume: () => startScreencast(screencastScale),
@@ -2658,7 +2665,9 @@ const make = Effect.gen(function* () {
     pushFileChooser(tab);
     const pushStill = async () => {
       const data = await withCaptureLock(tab, () =>
-        ServerBrowserPage.captureViewport(session, { format: "jpeg", quality }),
+        withinViewerDeadline(
+          ServerBrowserPage.captureViewport(session, { format: "jpeg", quality }),
+        ),
       ).catch(() => null);
       if (data) viewer.push({ _tag: "frame", data: Buffer.from(data, "base64"), ack: Effect.void });
     };