diff --git a/src/managers/playback_manager.py b/src/managers/playback_manager.py
index b4e83ed..ebede61 100644
--- a/src/managers/playback_manager.py
+++ b/src/managers/playback_manager.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 
 from typing import Callable, List, Optional
 import random
+import time
 
 from PySide6.QtCore import QObject, QUrl, Signal
 from PySide6.QtMultimedia import QAudioOutput, QMediaPlayer
@@ -43,6 +44,11 @@ class PlaybackManager(QObject):
         self._shuffleOrder: List[int] = []
         self._shufflePosition: int = -1
 
+        # Error debouncing to prevent spawning multiple dialogs for the same error
+        self._lastErrorMessage: str = ""
+        self._lastErrorTime: float = 0.0
+        self._errorDebounceSeconds: float = 2.0
+
         self.player.playbackStateChanged.connect(self._handlePlaybackStateChanged)
         self.player.positionChanged.connect(self._handlePositionChanged)
         self.player.mediaStatusChanged.connect(self._handleMediaStatus)
@@ -315,7 +321,22 @@ class PlaybackManager(QObject):
             self.next(fromAuto=True)
 
     def _handleError(self, error) -> None:
-        """Surface player errors to the UI."""
-        if error:
-            description = self.player.errorString() or str(error)
-            self.errorOccurred.emit(description)
+        """Surface player errors to the UI with debouncing to prevent dialog spam."""
+        if not error:
+            return
+
+        description = self.player.errorString() or str(error)
+        currentTime = time.monotonic()
+
+        # Debounce: skip if same error within debounce window
+        if (description == self._lastErrorMessage and
+                currentTime - self._lastErrorTime < self._errorDebounceSeconds):
+            return
+
+        self._lastErrorMessage = description
+        self._lastErrorTime = currentTime
+
+        # Stop playback to prevent further cascading errors
+        self.player.stop()
+
+        self.errorOccurred.emit(description)