diff --git a/packages/core/src/runtime/init.test.ts b/packages/core/src/runtime/init.test.ts
index ecccece1b0..d6c37f2be0 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/runtime/init.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/runtime/init.test.ts
@@ -140,6 +140,37 @@ describe("initSandboxRuntimeModular", () => {
     },
   );
 
+  it("keeps a boosted clip legal on the element when the bridge sets volume", () => {
+    // `data-volume` may hold up to 12 dB of authored gain. `el.volume` is
+    // spec-pinned to [0,1] and THROWS outside it, so assigning the product raw
+    // aborted the loop — every element after the boosted one kept its old
+    // volume, and the bridge's own state said otherwise.
+    document.body.innerHTML =
+      `<div data-composition-id="main" data-root="true">` +
+      `<audio data-start="0" data-volume="3.98"></audio>` +
+      `<audio data-start="0" data-volume="0.5"></audio>` +
+      `</div>`;
+    window.__timelines = {};
+    initSandboxRuntimeModular();
+
+    const [boosted, quiet] = Array.from(document.querySelectorAll("audio"));
+    if (!boosted || !quiet) throw new Error("expected both clips");
+    // Sentinels, so the assertions cannot be satisfied by what the runtime
+    // already applied while starting up.
+    boosted.volume = 0.2;
+    quiet.volume = 0.1;
+
+    window.dispatchEvent(
+      new MessageEvent("message", {
+        data: { source: "hf-parent", type: "control", action: "set-volume", volume: 1 },
+      }),
+    );
+
+    expect(boosted.volume).toBe(1);
+    // The clip after the boosted one is what a throw mid-loop strands.
+    expect(quiet.volume).toBeCloseTo(0.5, 5);
+  });
+
   afterEach(() => {
     window.__hfRuntimeTeardown?.();
     document.body.innerHTML = "";
diff --git a/packages/core/src/runtime/init.ts b/packages/core/src/runtime/init.ts
index f9260e0c92..c5c291e9fb 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/runtime/init.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/runtime/init.ts
@@ -3159,7 +3159,12 @@ export function initSandboxRuntimeModular(): void {
         if (!(el instanceof HTMLMediaElement)) continue;
         const parsed = parseFloat(el.dataset.volume ?? "");
         const clipVolume = Number.isFinite(parsed) ? parsed : 1;
-        el.volume = clipVolume * volume;
+        // `data-volume` carries authored gain, which goes above unity now that
+        // the ceiling is 12 dB — and `el.volume` is spec-pinned to [0,1], so
+        // assigning the product raw THROWS IndexSizeError and takes the rest of
+        // the loop with it. The element carries the legal part; the boost above
+        // unity belongs to Web Audio, which already has it from `setVolume`.
+        el.volume = Math.max(0, Math.min(1, clipVolume * volume));
       }
     },
     onSetMediaOutputMuted: (muted) => {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/runtime/media.test.ts b/packages/core/src/runtime/media.test.ts
index 3d10ffe31b..bc348f0eae 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/runtime/media.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/runtime/media.test.ts
@@ -436,6 +436,27 @@ describe("syncRuntimeMedia", () => {
       expect(only).toBeCloseTo(0.55, 5);
     });
 
+    it("sends boosted author gain to Web Audio while keeping the native element legal", () => {
+      const clip = createMockClip({ start: 0, end: 10, volume: 3.98 });
+      Object.defineProperty(clip.el, "readyState", { value: 4, writable: true });
+      let transportGain = -1;
+
+      syncRuntimeMedia({
+        clips: [clip],
+        timeSeconds: 1,
+        playing: true,
+        playbackRate: 1,
+        // Third arg is the authored gain, which is the one the transport wants;
+        // the second is the element's, which the spec pins to [0,1].
+        onElementVolume: (_el, _effectiveVolume, authorVolume) => {
+          transportGain = authorVolume;
+        },
+      });
+
+      expect(transportGain).toBeCloseTo(3.98, 5);
+      expect(clip.el.volume).toBe(1);
+    });
+
     /**
      * The render bakes the lane at CLIP-LOCAL time: prepareAudioTrack already
      * cut the wav with `-ss mediaStart`, so its t=0 is the clip's start, and
diff --git a/packages/core/src/runtime/webAudioTransport.test.ts b/packages/core/src/runtime/webAudioTransport.test.ts
index 80f3d411bf..92058e1ef3 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/runtime/webAudioTransport.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/runtime/webAudioTransport.test.ts
@@ -306,6 +306,15 @@ describe("WebAudioTransport", () => {
   });
 
   describe("schedulePlayback timing", () => {
+    it("keeps author boost above unity on the per-element gain node", async () => {
+      const { transport, mock, gen } = setupTransport(100);
+
+      await transport.schedulePlayback(mockEl, mockBuffer, 0, 0, 0, 1, gen);
+      transport.setElementVolume(mockEl, 3.98);
+
+      expect(mock.gainNode.gain.value).toBeCloseTo(3.98, 5);
+    });
+
     it("starts in-progress clips immediately with correct buffer offset", async () => {
       const { transport, mock, gen } = setupTransport(100);