diff --git a/internal/audiobooks/abs/libraries_handler.go b/internal/audiobooks/abs/libraries_handler.go
index f4ee58b9..8841c32f 100644
--- a/internal/audiobooks/abs/libraries_handler.go
+++ b/internal/audiobooks/abs/libraries_handler.go
@@ -233,14 +233,29 @@ func (h *Handler) handleLibraryAuthors(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 	limit, page := readPagedQuery(r, 50)
-	authors, err := h.deps.MediaStore.ListLibraryAuthors(r.Context(), lib.ID, limit)
+	// Fetch the full list (capped at 5000) and paginate locally so the
+	// envelope's total reflects real DB count, not the page slice length.
+	// ABS clients use total to decide whether to fetch page 2.
+	const fetchCap = 5000
+	authors, err := h.deps.MediaStore.ListLibraryAuthors(r.Context(), lib.ID, fetchCap)
 	if err != nil {
 		http.Error(w, "list authors: "+err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
 	}
 	libID := audiobookLibraryID(lib)
-	results := make([]map[string]any, 0, len(authors))
-	for _, a := range authors {
+	total := len(authors)
+	// Local slice for the requested page.
+	start := page * limit
+	end := start + limit
+	if start > total {
+		start = total
+	}
+	if end > total {
+		end = total
+	}
+	pageAuthors := authors[start:end]
+	results := make([]map[string]any, 0, len(pageAuthors))
+	for _, a := range pageAuthors {
 		results = append(results, map[string]any{
 			"id":        a.ID,
 			"name":      a.Name,
@@ -248,7 +263,7 @@ func (h *Handler) handleLibraryAuthors(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 			"libraryId": libID,
 		})
 	}
-	writeJSON(w, http.StatusOK, pagedEnvelope(results, len(results), limit, page, "name", false, "", false, ""))
+	writeJSON(w, http.StatusOK, pagedEnvelope(results, total, limit, page, "name", false, "", false, ""))
 }
 
 // handleLibrarySeries — GET /abs/api/libraries/{id}/series
@@ -262,14 +277,25 @@ func (h *Handler) handleLibrarySeries(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 	limit, page := readPagedQuery(r, 25)
-	series, err := h.deps.MediaStore.ListLibrarySeries(r.Context(), lib.ID, limit)
+	const fetchCap = 5000
+	series, err := h.deps.MediaStore.ListLibrarySeries(r.Context(), lib.ID, fetchCap)
 	if err != nil {
 		http.Error(w, "list series: "+err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
 	}
 	libID := audiobookLibraryID(lib)
-	results := make([]map[string]any, 0, len(series))
-	for _, s := range series {
+	total := len(series)
+	start := page * limit
+	end := start + limit
+	if start > total {
+		start = total
+	}
+	if end > total {
+		end = total
+	}
+	pageSeries := series[start:end]
+	results := make([]map[string]any, 0, len(pageSeries))
+	for _, s := range pageSeries {
 		results = append(results, map[string]any{
 			"id":        s.ID,
 			"name":      s.Name,
@@ -278,7 +304,7 @@ func (h *Handler) handleLibrarySeries(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 			"addedAt":   0,
 		})
 	}
-	writeJSON(w, http.StatusOK, pagedEnvelope(results, len(results), limit, page, "name", false, "", false, ""))
+	writeJSON(w, http.StatusOK, pagedEnvelope(results, total, limit, page, "name", false, "", false, ""))
 }
 
 // handleLibrarySearch — GET /abs/api/libraries/{id}/search?q=…&limit=…
diff --git a/internal/audiobooks/abs/libraries_metadata_test.go b/internal/audiobooks/abs/libraries_metadata_test.go
index 9e0671cf..6a43161e 100644
--- a/internal/audiobooks/abs/libraries_metadata_test.go
+++ b/internal/audiobooks/abs/libraries_metadata_test.go
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ func TestSiloItemToMetadata_SeriesHaveSlugIDs(t *testing.T) {
 	if m.Series[0].ID == "" {
 		t.Errorf("series ID is empty; want slugified name")
 	}
+	if m.Series[0].ID != "the-dark-tower" {
+		t.Errorf("series ID = %q, want %q", m.Series[0].ID, "the-dark-tower")
+	}
 	if m.Series[0].Name != "The Dark Tower" {
 		t.Errorf("series Name = %q, want %q", m.Series[0].Name, "The Dark Tower")
 	}
diff --git a/internal/audiobooks/abs/play_response.go b/internal/audiobooks/abs/play_response.go
index 1c2df604..34712f25 100644
--- a/internal/audiobooks/abs/play_response.go
+++ b/internal/audiobooks/abs/play_response.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package abs
 
 import (
+	"log/slog"
 	"net/http"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strconv"
@@ -64,6 +65,29 @@ func (h *Handler) handlePlayStart(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 	sessionID := ulid.Make().String()
 
+	// Persist the session row so subsequent PATCH /session/{sid} heartbeats
+	// and POST /session/{sid}/close can find it. Without this, the session
+	// ID is returned to the client but every sync/close lookup 404s.
+	if h.deps.PlaybackSessionStore != nil {
+		sess := ABSPlaybackSession{
+			ID:        sessionID,
+			UserID:    a.UserID,
+			ProfileID: a.ProfileID,
+			ContentID: contentID,
+		}
+		if len(files) > 0 {
+			fid := files[0].ID
+			sess.MediaFileID = &fid
+		}
+		if err := h.deps.PlaybackSessionStore.InsertPlaybackSession(r.Context(), sess); err != nil {
+			// Non-fatal: log but still return the manifest so the client
+			// can play. Heartbeat/close calls will fail with 404 until the
+			// next play_start lands cleanly.
+			slog.Warn("abs play: persist session failed",
+				"session_id", sessionID, "content_id", contentID, "error", err)
+		}
+	}
+
 	audioTracks := buildSiloAudioTracks(contentID, files, baseURL, sessionID, accessToken)
 
 	totalDuration := float64(0)
@@ -74,7 +98,7 @@ func (h *Handler) handlePlayStart(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	chapters := buildSiloChapters(files)
 
 	mediaMetadata := buildSiloPlayMediaMetadata(item)
-	libraryItem := buildSiloPlayLibraryItem(item, contentID, mediaMetadata, audioTracks, chapters, totalDuration)
+	libraryItem := buildSiloPlayLibraryItem(item, contentID, mediaMetadata, audioTracks, chapters, totalDuration, baseURL)
 
 	displayTitle := item.Title
 	displayAuthor := ""
@@ -107,7 +131,7 @@ func (h *Handler) handlePlayStart(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		"chapters":      chapters,
 		"displayTitle":  displayTitle,
 		"displayAuthor": displayAuthor,
-		"coverPath":     nilIfEmpty(item.PosterPath),
+		"coverPath":     baseURL + "/api/items/" + contentID + "/cover",
 		"duration":      totalDuration,
 		"playMethod":    0, // DIRECTPLAY
 		"mediaPlayer":   "exo-player",
@@ -312,6 +336,7 @@ func buildSiloPlayMediaMetadata(item *models.MediaItem) map[string]any {
 		"series":            []any{},
 		"seriesName":        "",
 		"genres":            genres,
+		"tags":              []string{},
 		"publishedYear":     publishedYear,
 		"publishedDate":     nil,
 		"publisher":         nil,
@@ -336,6 +361,7 @@ func buildSiloPlayLibraryItem(
 	audioTracks []AudioTrack,
 	chapters []map[string]any,
 	totalDuration float64,
+	baseURL string,
 ) map[string]any {
 	firstIno := contentID
 	if len(audioTracks) > 0 {
@@ -388,7 +414,7 @@ func buildSiloPlayLibraryItem(
 			"id":            contentID,
 			"libraryItemId": contentID,
 			"metadata":      mediaMetadata,
-			"coverPath":     nilIfEmpty(item.PosterPath),
+			"coverPath":     baseURL + "/api/items/" + contentID + "/cover",
 			"tags":          []any{},
 			"audioFiles":    audioTracks,
 			"chapters":      chapters,