diff --git a/src/app/pages/IncomingCallStripRenderer.tsx b/src/app/pages/IncomingCallStripRenderer.tsx
index 852f88cb..2fefdb26 100644
--- a/src/app/pages/IncomingCallStripRenderer.tsx
+++ b/src/app/pages/IncomingCallStripRenderer.tsx
@@ -6,17 +6,24 @@
 // IncomingCallStripRenderer is platform-agnostic: if JS knows about an incoming
 // ring, we render the in-app strip. On Android the native FCM service decides
 // independently whether to surface a system CallStyle notification; when the
-// app is foregrounded it now suppresses that banner, so this renderer no longer
-// needs to mirror native foreground policy in JS.
+// app is foregrounded it suppresses that banner, so strip render itself does
+// not need to mirror foreground policy in JS.
+//
+// Ring audio DOES mirror foreground policy — gated on `appActive` (techdebt
+// §5.39): when the app/tab is hidden the platform surface (Android CallStyle /
+// web SW push) owns ringtone UX, and playing the in-app <audio> on top would
+// double-ring during the grace window after backgrounding while the WebView
+// still processes /sync.
 //
 // KNOWN GAP §5.17: if the browser blocks `audio.play()` (cold page load, no
 // user gesture yet), the ring is silent — strip is still visible but user may
 // miss it. Fallback (click-to-enable, pulsing animation, Web Notifications) is
 // Phase 3 polish.
 
-import React, { useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
+import React, { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import { useAtomValue } from 'jotai';
 import { Box } from 'folds';
+import { App } from '@capacitor/app';
 import { incomingCallsAtom } from '../state/incomingCalls';
 import { useMatrixClient } from '../hooks/useMatrixClient';
 import { IncomingCallStrip } from '../features/call-status';
@@ -29,22 +36,58 @@ export function IncomingCallStripRenderer() {
   const mx = useMatrixClient();
   const incoming = useAtomValue(incomingCallsAtom);
   const audioRef = useRef<HTMLAudioElement>(null);
+  const [appActive, setAppActive] = useState(
+    () => typeof document === 'undefined' || document.visibilityState === 'visible'
+  );
 
   const hasIncoming = incoming.size > 0;
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    let cancelled = false;
+    // Listener registration and getState() race: if a real appStateChange
+    // fires before getState() resolves, the stale getState() snapshot would
+    // overwrite the fresh event and re-open §5.39 (e.g. background → listener
+    // sets false → late getState() resolves true → audio re-enabled).
+    let sawAppStateEvent = false;
+    let remove: (() => void) | undefined;
+
+    App.addListener('appStateChange', ({ isActive }) => {
+      sawAppStateEvent = true;
+      if (!cancelled) setAppActive(isActive);
+    }).then((handle) => {
+      if (cancelled) handle.remove();
+      else
+        remove = () => {
+          handle.remove();
+        };
+    });
+
+    App.getState()
+      .then((state) => {
+        if (!cancelled && !sawAppStateEvent) setAppActive(state.isActive);
+      })
+      .catch(() => {
+        /* web fallback handled by initial document.visibilityState */
+      });
+
+    return () => {
+      cancelled = true;
+      remove?.();
+    };
+  }, []);
+
   useEffect(() => {
     const audio = audioRef.current;
     if (!audio) return;
-    if (hasIncoming) {
+    if (hasIncoming && appActive) {
       audio.currentTime = 0;
       audio.play().catch(() => {
         // autoplay blocked — strip UI still visible
       });
     } else {
       audio.pause();
-      audio.currentTime = 0;
     }
-  }, [hasIncoming]);
+  }, [hasIncoming, appActive]);
 
   const entries = Array.from(incoming.values());