diff --git a/src/features/orbit/utils/orbitBulkGuard.ts b/src/features/orbit/utils/orbitBulkGuard.ts
index 4774762c..8a39c40e 100644
--- a/src/features/orbit/utils/orbitBulkGuard.ts
+++ b/src/features/orbit/utils/orbitBulkGuard.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { useOrbitStore } from '@/features/orbit/store/orbitStore';
 import { useConfirmModalStore } from '@/store/confirmModalStore';
 import i18n from '@/lib/i18n';
+import { registerOrbitRuntime } from '@/store/orbitRuntime';
 
 /**
  * Ask the user before dropping many tracks into the shared Orbit queue.
@@ -9,8 +10,8 @@ import i18n from '@/lib/i18n';
  * when the user accepted the confirm dialog. Returns `false` only when an
  * active-Orbit user explicitly cancelled.
  *
- * Lives in its own module so `playerStore` can use it without pulling the
- * full `utils/orbit.ts` (which itself imports `playerStore` — circular).
+ * The audio core reaches this (and the orbit session snapshot) through the
+ * neutral `@/store/orbitRuntime` seam, not by importing the orbit feature.
  */
 export async function orbitBulkGuard(count: number): Promise<boolean> {
   const role = useOrbitStore.getState().role;
@@ -24,3 +25,14 @@ export async function orbitBulkGuard(count: number): Promise<boolean> {
     cancelLabel: i18n.t('orbit.bulkConfirmNo'),
   });
 }
+
+// Install the orbit runtime into the core seam at module init. The
+// @/features/orbit barrel re-exports this module, so the topbar's barrel import
+// evaluates it at boot — before any Orbit session can start.
+registerOrbitRuntime({
+  getSnapshot: () => {
+    const o = useOrbitStore.getState();
+    return { role: o.role, phase: o.phase, state: o.state };
+  },
+  bulkGuard: orbitBulkGuard,
+});
diff --git a/src/store/nextAction.ts b/src/store/nextAction.ts
index 6438f4b6..226cf560 100644
--- a/src/store/nextAction.ts
+++ b/src/store/nextAction.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import {
   isInfiniteQueueFetching,
   setInfiniteQueueFetching,
 } from './infiniteQueueState';
-import { isInOrbitSession } from '@/features/orbit';
+import { isInOrbitSession } from '@/store/orbitRuntime';
 import type { PlayerState, QueueItemRef, Track } from './playerStoreTypes';
 import { toQueueItemRefs } from '../utils/library/queueItemRef';
 import { resolveQueueTrack } from '../utils/library/queueTrackView';
diff --git a/src/store/nextActionOrbitRadio.test.ts b/src/store/nextActionOrbitRadio.test.ts
index 6ddcebff..998a85fc 100644
--- a/src/store/nextActionOrbitRadio.test.ts
+++ b/src/store/nextActionOrbitRadio.test.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@ const { inOrbit, getSimilarSongs2, getTopSongs } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
 
 vi.mock('@/lib/api/subsonicArtists', () => ({ getSimilarSongs2, getTopSongs }));
 vi.mock('@tauri-apps/api/core', () => ({ invoke: vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve()) }));
-vi.mock('@/features/orbit', () => ({ isInOrbitSession: () => inOrbit.value }));
+vi.mock('@/store/orbitRuntime', async (importOriginal) => ({
+  ...(await importOriginal<typeof import('@/store/orbitRuntime')>()),
+  isInOrbitSession: () => inOrbit.value,
+}));
 vi.mock('./authStore', () => ({
   useAuthStore: { getState: () => ({ infiniteQueueEnabled: false }) },
 }));
diff --git a/src/store/orbitRuntime.ts b/src/store/orbitRuntime.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..97cba0c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/store/orbitRuntime.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+// Orbit seam. The audio core must react to an active Orbit session — suppress
+// local playback-rate, catch a guest up to the host's live position, gate bulk
+// queue ops behind a confirm dialog — but must not import @/features/orbit (iron
+// rule). The orbit feature registers its runtime here at boot (orbitBulkGuard.ts
+// module init, evaluated via the @/features/orbit barrel the topbar imports); the
+// audio core reads this neutral surface.
+//
+// Default (unregistered) = no session: snapshot is neutral and bulkGuard allows —
+// identical to today's behavior outside an Orbit session. A session can only start
+// through the topbar, which loads the barrel (→ registers) before any session
+// exists, so the registered runtime is always in place when it matters.
+import type { OrbitRole, OrbitPhase, OrbitState } from '@/features/orbit'; // type-only (erased at runtime)
+
+export interface OrbitSnapshot {
+  role: OrbitRole | null;
+  phase: OrbitPhase;
+  state: OrbitState | null;
+}
+
+const NEUTRAL: OrbitSnapshot = { role: null, phase: 'idle', state: null };
+
+export interface OrbitRuntime {
+  getSnapshot(): OrbitSnapshot;
+  bulkGuard(count: number): Promise<boolean>;
+}
+
+let runtime: OrbitRuntime | null = null;
+
+/** Orbit feature installs its store-backed snapshot + confirm-modal gate here. */
+export function registerOrbitRuntime(rt: OrbitRuntime): void {
+  runtime = rt;
+}
+
+export function orbitSnapshot(): OrbitSnapshot {
+  return runtime?.getSnapshot() ?? NEUTRAL;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Ask before dropping many tracks into a shared Orbit queue. Resolves `true` when
+ * there's no session, `count <= 1`, or the user accepted; `false` only when an
+ * active-Orbit user cancelled. Default (no runtime registered) = allow.
+ */
+export function orbitBulkGuard(count: number): Promise<boolean> {
+  return runtime ? runtime.bulkGuard(count) : Promise.resolve(true);
+}
+
+// Pure derivations mirrored from the orbit feature (sessionActive.ts /
+// orbitSession.ts / api/orbit.ts). Duplicated here so the audio core needs no
+// feature import; the feature keeps its own copies (incl. the UI arg-form of
+// isOrbitPlaybackSyncActive). Keep in sync if the orbit lifecycle phases change.
+function isSyncingPhase(role: OrbitRole | null, phase: OrbitPhase): boolean {
+  if (role !== 'host' && role !== 'guest') return false;
+  return phase === 'active' || phase === 'joining' || phase === 'starting';
+}
+
+export function isInOrbitSession(): boolean {
+  const { role, phase } = orbitSnapshot();
+  return isSyncingPhase(role, phase);
+}
+
+export function isOrbitPlaybackSyncActive(): boolean {
+  const { role, phase } = orbitSnapshot();
+  return isSyncingPhase(role, phase);
+}
+
+export function estimateLivePosition(state: OrbitState, nowMs: number): number {
+  return state.isPlaying ? state.positionMs + (nowMs - state.positionAt) : state.positionMs;
+}
diff --git a/src/store/playTrackAction.ts b/src/store/playTrackAction.ts
index 69c88b00..f6d31c24 100644
--- a/src/store/playTrackAction.ts
+++ b/src/store/playTrackAction.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { playbackReportStart, playbackReportStopped } from './playbackReportSess
 import { invoke } from '@tauri-apps/api/core';
 import { getMusicNetworkRuntimeOrNull } from '../music-network';
 import { setDeferHotCachePrefetch } from '../utils/cache/hotCacheGate';
-import { orbitBulkGuard } from '@/features/orbit';
+import { orbitBulkGuard, orbitSnapshot } from '@/store/orbitRuntime';
 import { sameQueueTrackId } from '../utils/playback/queueIdentity';
 import {
   computeAutodjManualBlendPlan,
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ import {
 import { refreshLoudnessForTrack } from './loudnessRefresh';
 import { fetchWaveformBins, refreshWaveformForTrack } from '@/store/waveformRefresh';
 import { deriveNormalizationSnapshot } from './normalizationSnapshot';
-import { useOrbitStore } from '@/features/orbit';
 import {
   playbackSourceHintForResolvedUrl,
   recordEnginePlayUrl,
@@ -135,7 +134,7 @@ export function runPlayTrack(
         // suggestions mid-listen. Append instead — the dialog's
         // "Add them all" copy already matches that semantic. Outside
         // Orbit, proceed as a normal replace.
-        const role = useOrbitStore.getState().role;
+        const role = orbitSnapshot().role;
         if (role === 'host' || role === 'guest') {
           get().enqueue(queue, true);
         } else {
@@ -157,7 +156,7 @@ export function runPlayTrack(
   // their own show" path. `useOrbitGuest`'s `syncToHost` is also a
   // guest-only call site, so it's never intercepted here.
   if (!_orbitConfirmed && queue && queue.length === 1) {
-    const orbitRole = useOrbitStore.getState().role;
+    const orbitRole = orbitSnapshot().role;
     if (orbitRole === 'host') {
       const currentItems = get().queueItems;
       const currentTrackId = currentItems[get().queueIndex]?.trackId;
diff --git a/src/store/playbackRateStore.ts b/src/store/playbackRateStore.ts
index 72e0e006..4af884fc 100644
--- a/src/store/playbackRateStore.ts
+++ b/src/store/playbackRateStore.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import {
   shouldRestartPlaybackForRateChange,
   type PlaybackRateSnapshot,
 } from '../utils/audio/playbackRateRestart';
-import { isOrbitPlaybackSyncActive } from '@/features/orbit';
+import { isOrbitPlaybackSyncActive } from '@/store/orbitRuntime';
 
 interface PlaybackRateState extends PlaybackRateSnapshot {
   /** UI-only: smaller slider steps (Advanced). Not sent to the engine. */
diff --git a/src/store/playbackReportSession.test.ts b/src/store/playbackReportSession.test.ts
index 7b2f3e08..9ff7530a 100644
--- a/src/store/playbackReportSession.test.ts
+++ b/src/store/playbackReportSession.test.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,10 @@ vi.mock('./playbackRateStore', () => ({
   },
 }));
 vi.mock('../utils/audio/playbackRateHelpers', () => ({ isPlaybackRateApplied: () => false }));
-vi.mock('@/features/orbit', () => ({ isOrbitPlaybackSyncActive: () => false }));
+vi.mock('@/store/orbitRuntime', async (importOriginal) => ({
+  ...(await importOriginal<typeof import('@/store/orbitRuntime')>()),
+  isOrbitPlaybackSyncActive: () => false,
+}));
 
 import { reportNowPlaying, reportPlayback } from '@/lib/api/subsonicScrobble';
 import { isFeatureActiveForServer } from '../serverCapabilities/storeView';
diff --git a/src/store/playbackReportSession.ts b/src/store/playbackReportSession.ts
index b20a803a..b203cfe7 100644
--- a/src/store/playbackReportSession.ts
+++ b/src/store/playbackReportSession.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import type { PlaybackReportState } from '@/lib/api/subsonicTypes';
 import { FEATURE_PLAYBACK_REPORT } from '../serverCapabilities/catalog';
 import { isFeatureActiveForServer } from '../serverCapabilities/storeView';
 import { isPlaybackRateApplied } from '../utils/audio/playbackRateHelpers';
-import { isOrbitPlaybackSyncActive } from '@/features/orbit';
+import { isOrbitPlaybackSyncActive } from '@/store/orbitRuntime';
 import { useAuthStore } from './authStore';
 import { getPlaybackProgressSnapshot } from './playbackProgress';
 import { usePlaybackRateStore } from './playbackRateStore';
diff --git a/src/store/playerStore.events.test.ts b/src/store/playerStore.events.test.ts
index d934d75c..cbc21fad 100644
--- a/src/store/playerStore.events.test.ts
+++ b/src/store/playerStore.events.test.ts
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ vi.mock('@/music-network', () => {
   };
 });
 
-vi.mock('@/features/orbit/utils/orbitBulkGuard', () => ({
+vi.mock('@/store/orbitRuntime', async (importOriginal) => ({
+  ...(await importOriginal<typeof import('@/store/orbitRuntime')>()),
   orbitBulkGuard: vi.fn(async () => true),
 }));
 
diff --git a/src/store/playerStore.misc.test.ts b/src/store/playerStore.misc.test.ts
index c3a79a4e..f7b773cf 100644
--- a/src/store/playerStore.misc.test.ts
+++ b/src/store/playerStore.misc.test.ts
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ vi.mock('@/music-network', () => ({
   getMusicNetworkRuntimeOrNull: () => runtimeMock,
 }));
 
-vi.mock('@/features/orbit/utils/orbitBulkGuard', () => ({
+vi.mock('@/store/orbitRuntime', async (importOriginal) => ({
+  ...(await importOriginal<typeof import('@/store/orbitRuntime')>()),
   orbitBulkGuard: vi.fn(async () => true),
 }));
 
diff --git a/src/store/playerStore.playbackActions.test.ts b/src/store/playerStore.playbackActions.test.ts
index 723482dd..05f514be 100644
--- a/src/store/playerStore.playbackActions.test.ts
+++ b/src/store/playerStore.playbackActions.test.ts
@@ -47,7 +47,8 @@ vi.mock('@/music-network', () => {
   };
 });
 
-vi.mock('@/features/orbit/utils/orbitBulkGuard', () => ({
+vi.mock('@/store/orbitRuntime', async (importOriginal) => ({
+  ...(await importOriginal<typeof import('@/store/orbitRuntime')>()),
   orbitBulkGuard: vi.fn(async () => true),
 }));
 
diff --git a/src/store/playerStore.queue.test.ts b/src/store/playerStore.queue.test.ts
index 8526aaed..a33a27e9 100644
--- a/src/store/playerStore.queue.test.ts
+++ b/src/store/playerStore.queue.test.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ vi.mock('@/lib/api/subsonic', async () => {
 
 // `enqueue` / `enqueueAt` call `orbitBulkGuard` for multi-track inserts when
 // the caller hasn't pre-confirmed. Force the guard to short-circuit through.
-vi.mock('@/features/orbit/utils/orbitBulkGuard', () => ({
+vi.mock('@/store/orbitRuntime', async (importOriginal) => ({
+  ...(await importOriginal<typeof import('@/store/orbitRuntime')>()),
   orbitBulkGuard: vi.fn(async () => true),
 }));
 
diff --git a/src/store/previewStore.ts b/src/store/previewStore.ts
index 2d724c3e..936e0ae9 100644
--- a/src/store/previewStore.ts
+++ b/src/store/previewStore.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { create } from 'zustand';
 import { invoke } from '@tauri-apps/api/core';
 import { usePlayerStore } from './playerStore';
 import { useAuthStore } from './authStore';
-import { isOrbitPlaybackSyncActive } from '@/features/orbit';
+import { isOrbitPlaybackSyncActive } from '@/store/orbitRuntime';
 
 /** Minimal track info needed to surface the preview in the player bar UI. */
 export interface PreviewingTrack {
diff --git a/src/store/queueMutationActions.ts b/src/store/queueMutationActions.ts
index 7c2be7d6..49474abd 100644
--- a/src/store/queueMutationActions.ts
+++ b/src/store/queueMutationActions.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { invoke } from '@tauri-apps/api/core';
-import { orbitBulkGuard } from '@/features/orbit';
+import { orbitBulkGuard } from '@/store/orbitRuntime';
 import { useAuthStore } from './authStore';
 import { setIsAudioPaused } from './engineState';
 import { prefetchLoudnessForEnqueuedTracks } from './loudnessPrefetch';
diff --git a/src/store/resumeAction.ts b/src/store/resumeAction.ts
index 7a5e8c2e..b151e4b0 100644
--- a/src/store/resumeAction.ts
+++ b/src/store/resumeAction.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { getSong } from '@/lib/api/subsonicLibrary';
 import { invoke } from '@tauri-apps/api/core';
-import { estimateLivePosition } from '@/features/orbit';
+import { estimateLivePosition, orbitSnapshot } from '@/store/orbitRuntime';
 import { setDeferHotCachePrefetch } from '../utils/cache/hotCacheGate';
 import {
   getPlaybackCacheServerKey,
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import {
   isReplayGainActive,
   loudnessGainDbForEngineBind,
 } from './loudnessGainCache';
-import { useOrbitStore } from '@/features/orbit';
 import {
   playbackSourceHintForResolvedUrl,
   recordEnginePlayUrl,
@@ -73,7 +72,7 @@ export function runResume(set: SetState, get: GetState): void {
   // them back at the stale local position while the host is already
   // two songs ahead. Covers PlayerBar, media keys, MPRIS — everything
   // that funnels through resume().
-  const orbit = useOrbitStore.getState();
+  const orbit = orbitSnapshot();
   const hostState = orbit.state;
   if (orbit.role === 'guest' && hostState?.isPlaying && hostState.currentTrack) {
     const trackId = hostState.currentTrack.trackId;
diff --git a/src/utils/playback/playAlbum.ts b/src/utils/playback/playAlbum.ts
index fb1d6b8a..b74911f0 100644
--- a/src/utils/playback/playAlbum.ts
+++ b/src/utils/playback/playAlbum.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { usePlayerStore } from '../../store/playerStore';
 import { resolveAlbumForActiveServer } from '@/store/mediaResolver';
 import { songToTrack } from './songToTrack';
-import { useOrbitStore } from '@/features/orbit';
+import { orbitSnapshot } from '@/store/orbitRuntime';
 import { fadeOut } from './fadeOut';
 import { shouldAutodjInterruptBlend } from './autodjManualBlend';
 import type { Track } from '../../store/playerStoreTypes';
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ async function startAlbumPlayback(tracks: Track[]): Promise<void> {
   // playerStore bulk-gate also routes replaces into enqueue). Skip the
   // fadeOut entirely — the current track keeps playing, the album goes
   // onto the end of the queue after the user confirms the bulk dialog.
-  const orbitRole = useOrbitStore.getState().role;
+  const orbitRole = orbitSnapshot().role;
   if (orbitRole === 'host' || orbitRole === 'guest') {
     usePlayerStore.getState().enqueue(tracks);
     return;