diff --git a/static/player/controls.ts b/static/player/controls.ts
index f9e6df6..e3dbbbb 100644
--- a/static/player/controls.ts
+++ b/static/player/controls.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { state } from './state';
+import { saveProgress } from './progress';
 
 export const formatTime = (seconds: number): string => {
   if (!Number.isFinite(seconds) || seconds < 0) return '00:00';
@@ -203,6 +204,7 @@ export const setupControls = (): void => {
   state.video.addEventListener('pause', () => {
     updatePlayPauseIcons(false);
     showControls();
+    void saveProgress();
   });
   state.video.addEventListener('volumechange', syncVolumeUI);
 
diff --git a/static/player/keyboard.ts b/static/player/keyboard.ts
index 3f571d8..ac1f5c1 100644
--- a/static/player/keyboard.ts
+++ b/static/player/keyboard.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
   seekBy,
   setVolume,
 } from './controls';
+import { saveProgress } from './progress';
 
 /**
  * Sets up keyboard shortcuts for player control.
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ export const setupKeyboard = (): void => {
         e.preventDefault();
         togglePlayPause();
         showControls();
+        void saveProgress();
         break;
       case 'ArrowLeft':
       case 'KeyJ':
diff --git a/static/player/progress.ts b/static/player/progress.ts
index 7e478db..d582c5c 100644
--- a/static/player/progress.ts
+++ b/static/player/progress.ts
@@ -16,35 +16,51 @@ const sendBeacon = (payload: string) => {
   return true;
 };
 
+let saveProgressInFlight: Promise<void> | null = null;
+
 /**
  * Saves current progress to backend.
  * Debounced: skips if within 5s of last save for same episode.
  */
 export const saveProgress = async (): Promise<void> => {
-  if (state.transitionEpisode !== null || !state.malID || state.video.currentTime < 1) return;
-  // progress is user-scoped; avoid spamming 401s for anonymous sessions
-  if (!document.cookie.includes('mal_session=')) return;
-  const episode = Number.parseInt(state.currentEpisode, 10);
-  if (!episode) return;
+  if (saveProgressInFlight) return saveProgressInFlight;
 
-  const safeTime = displayTimeFromAbsolute(state.video.currentTime);
-  // skip if recently saved
-  if (
-    state.lastSavedProgress.episode === state.currentEpisode &&
-    Math.abs(state.lastSavedProgress.seconds - safeTime) < 5
-  )
-    return;
+  const request = (async (): Promise<void> => {
+    if (state.transitionEpisode !== null || !state.malID || state.video.currentTime < 1) return;
+    // progress is user-scoped; avoid spamming 401s for anonymous sessions
+    if (!document.cookie.includes('mal_session=')) return;
+    const episode = Number.parseInt(state.currentEpisode, 10);
+    if (!episode) return;
 
-  const payload = buildPayload(episode, safeTime);
+    const safeTime = displayTimeFromAbsolute(state.video.currentTime);
+    // skip if recently saved
+    if (
+      state.lastSavedProgress.episode === state.currentEpisode &&
+      Math.abs(state.lastSavedProgress.seconds - safeTime) < 5
+    ) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const payload = buildPayload(episode, safeTime);
+    try {
+      const res = await fetch('/api/watch-progress', {
+        method: 'POST',
+        headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+        body: payload,
+      });
+      if (!res.ok) return;
+      state.lastSavedProgress = { episode: state.currentEpisode, seconds: safeTime };
+    } catch {}
+  })();
+
+  saveProgressInFlight = request;
   try {
-    const res = await fetch('/api/watch-progress', {
-      method: 'POST',
-      headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
-      body: payload,
-    });
-    if (!res.ok) return;
-    state.lastSavedProgress = { episode: state.currentEpisode, seconds: safeTime };
-  } catch {}
+    await request;
+  } finally {
+    if (saveProgressInFlight === request) {
+      saveProgressInFlight = null;
+    }
+  }
 };
 
 // schedules periodic save every 30s during playback
diff --git a/static/player/skip/index.ts b/static/player/skip/index.ts
index b83bcab..cc08269 100644
--- a/static/player/skip/index.ts
+++ b/static/player/skip/index.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { state } from '../state';
 import { displayTimeFromAbsolute, absoluteTimeFromDisplay } from '../timeline';
 import { showControls } from '../controls';
+import { saveProgress } from '../progress';
 
 // button label based on segment type
 const skipLabel = (type: string): string => (type === 'ed' ? 'Skip outro' : 'Skip intro');
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ export const updateSkipButton = (currentTime: number): void => {
   const autoSkip = localStorage.getItem('mal:autoskip-enabled') === 'true';
   if (autoSkip && displayTime >= segment.start && displayTime < segment.end) {
     state.video.currentTime = absoluteTimeFromDisplay(segment.end + 0.01);
+    void saveProgress();
     return;
   }