diff --git a/pitch-deck/lib/hooks/usePresenterMode.ts b/pitch-deck/lib/hooks/usePresenterMode.ts
index d002cbd..a517115 100644
--- a/pitch-deck/lib/hooks/usePresenterMode.ts
+++ b/pitch-deck/lib/hooks/usePresenterMode.ts
@@ -60,11 +60,30 @@ export function usePresenterMode({
   const stateRef = useRef<PresenterState>('idle')
   const audioRef = useRef<HTMLAudioElement | null>(null)
   const abortRef = useRef<AbortController | null>(null)
+  const audioUnlockedRef = useRef(false)
 
   // Refs for recursive functions to avoid circular useCallback dependencies
   const advanceRef = useRef<() => void>(() => {})
   const speakAndAdvanceRef = useRef<(text: string, pauseAfter: number, onDone: () => void) => void>(() => {})
 
+  // Unlock browser audio playback — must be called from a user gesture (click)
+  const unlockAudio = useCallback(() => {
+    if (audioUnlockedRef.current) return
+    try {
+      // Create and play a silent audio to unlock the Audio API
+      const ctx = new (window.AudioContext || (window as any).webkitAudioContext)()
+      const buffer = ctx.createBuffer(1, 1, 22050)
+      const source = ctx.createBufferSource()
+      source.buffer = buffer
+      source.connect(ctx.destination)
+      source.start(0)
+      audioUnlockedRef.current = true
+      console.log('Audio playback unlocked')
+    } catch (e) {
+      console.warn('Audio unlock failed:', e)
+    }
+  }, [])
+
   // Check TTS service availability on mount
   useEffect(() => {
     fetch('/api/presenter/tts', {
@@ -147,6 +166,7 @@ export function usePresenterMode({
           let blobUrl = audioCache.get(key)
 
           if (!blobUrl) {
+            console.log('[TTS] Fetching audio for:', text.slice(0, 50) + '...')
             const res = await fetch('/api/presenter/tts', {
               method: 'POST',
               headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
@@ -157,8 +177,11 @@ export function usePresenterMode({
             if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`TTS error: ${res.status}`)
 
             const blob = await res.blob()
+            console.log('[TTS] Audio received:', blob.size, 'bytes')
             blobUrl = URL.createObjectURL(blob)
             audioCache.set(key, blobUrl)
+          } else {
+            console.log('[TTS] Cache hit for:', text.slice(0, 50) + '...')
           }
 
           if (controller.signal.aborted) return
@@ -167,6 +190,7 @@ export function usePresenterMode({
           audioRef.current = audio
 
           audio.onended = () => {
+            console.log('[TTS] Audio playback ended')
             setIsSpeaking(false)
             audioRef.current = null
             if (pauseAfter > 0) {
@@ -176,22 +200,21 @@ export function usePresenterMode({
             }
           }
 
-          audio.onerror = () => {
-            console.warn('Audio playback error')
+          audio.onerror = (e) => {
+            console.warn('[TTS] Audio playback error:', e)
             setIsSpeaking(false)
             audioRef.current = null
-            // Fallback to timer
             const wordCount = text.split(/\s+/).length
             const readingTime = Math.max(wordCount * 150, 2000)
             timerRef.current = setTimeout(onDone, readingTime + pauseAfter)
           }
 
           await audio.play()
+          console.log('[TTS] Audio playing')
         } catch (err: any) {
           if (err.name === 'AbortError') return
-          console.warn('TTS fetch error:', err)
+          console.warn('[TTS] Error:', err.name, err.message)
           setIsSpeaking(false)
-          // Fallback to timer
           const wordCount = text.split(/\s+/).length
           const readingTime = Math.max(wordCount * 150, 2000)
           timerRef.current = setTimeout(onDone, readingTime + pauseAfter)
@@ -281,6 +304,9 @@ export function usePresenterMode({
   }, [language, totalSlides, goToSlide, getScriptForIndex, showParagraph, cancelSpeech])
 
   const start = useCallback(() => {
+    // Unlock audio playback immediately in user gesture context
+    unlockAudio()
+
     clearTimer()
     cancelSpeech()
     setState('presenting')
@@ -292,15 +318,12 @@ export function usePresenterMode({
       const para = showParagraph(slideIdx, 0)
       if (para) {
         const text = language === 'de' ? para.text_de : para.text_en
-        // Small delay so state is set before speaking
-        setTimeout(() => {
-          speakAndAdvanceRef.current(text, para.pause_after, () => advanceRef.current())
-        }, 100)
+        speakAndAdvanceRef.current(text, para.pause_after, () => advanceRef.current())
       }
     } else {
       timerRef.current = setTimeout(() => advanceRef.current(), 1000)
     }
-  }, [clearTimer, cancelSpeech, language, getScriptForIndex, showParagraph])
+  }, [unlockAudio, clearTimer, cancelSpeech, language, getScriptForIndex, showParagraph])
 
   const stop = useCallback(() => {
     clearTimer()
@@ -349,12 +372,13 @@ export function usePresenterMode({
   }, [clearTimer, cancelSpeech, totalSlides, goToSlide, language, getScriptForIndex, showParagraph])
 
   const toggle = useCallback(() => {
+    unlockAudio()
     if (stateRef.current === 'idle') {
       start()
     } else {
       stop()
     }
-  }, [start, stop])
+  }, [unlockAudio, start, stop])
 
   // Calculate overall progress
   const progress = (() => {