diff --git a/docs/architecture/m3u-playlist-module.md b/docs/architecture/m3u-playlist-module.md
index 396f35604..f885ca4a1 100644
--- a/docs/architecture/m3u-playlist-module.md
+++ b/docs/architecture/m3u-playlist-module.md
@@ -1138,6 +1138,21 @@ in the main process (manual mappings first, then the metadata lookup shared
 with the sidebar) and return programmes keyed by the requested key. Queries
 are unscoped, like the timeline.
 
+Row ids are not channel ids: `createChannel` falls back to the stream URL for
+an entry without an explicit id, so one stream listed in two groups yields two
+channels sharing an id. The adapter numbers repeats within the scope (`<id>`,
+`<id>#1`, …) — the guide keys its programme, coverage and selection maps by
+row id, so without that both copies lit up as playing and activating either
+one played the first. The active channel marks the FIRST row carrying its id,
+and `activate(rowId)` resolves the row back to its own channel. Opening the
+guide mirrors the sidebar view (`applyInitialScope`): favorites stays
+favorites, and the groups view opens on the group the sidebar's rail is
+SHOWING — forwarded from `GroupsViewComponent.selectedGroupChange` through the
+channel list container and `app-sidebar` into
+`VideoPlayerComponent.selectedSidebarGroup` — because the user may have
+browsed away from the playing channel's group before opening the guide. The
+playing channel's group is the fallback, then `all`.
+
 Guide mode is host layout, not an overlay: `VideoPlayerComponent.guideOpen`
 hides the sidebar and the timeline, renders the guide, and CSS reflows the
 untouched `app-web-player-view` into a 128 px docked strip
diff --git a/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/epg-guide/m3u-epg-guide-source.service.spec.ts b/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/epg-guide/m3u-epg-guide-source.service.spec.ts
index bbcd58aff..0cc598ec1 100644
--- a/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/epg-guide/m3u-epg-guide-source.service.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/epg-guide/m3u-epg-guide-source.service.spec.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ describe('M3uEpgGuideSourceService', () => {
     const channels = signal<Channel[]>([]);
     const favoriteKeys = signal<string[]>([]);
     const activeChannel = signal<Channel | null>(null);
+    const selectedGroup = signal<string | null>(null);
     const dispatch = jest.fn();
     const getProgramsForChannels = jest.fn();
     const getProgramCoverage = jest.fn();
@@ -67,6 +68,7 @@ describe('M3uEpgGuideSourceService', () => {
         ]);
         favoriteKeys.set(['https://example.com/b.m3u8']);
         activeChannel.set(channels()[0]);
+        selectedGroup.set(null);
         TestBed.configureTestingModule({
             providers: [
                 M3uEpgGuideSourceService,
@@ -95,7 +97,7 @@ describe('M3uEpgGuideSourceService', () => {
             ],
         });
         service = TestBed.inject(M3uEpgGuideSourceService);
-        service.bind({ channels, favoriteKeys, activeChannel });
+        service.bind({ channels, favoriteKeys, activeChannel, selectedGroup });
     });
 
     it('offers all / groups / favorites scopes and lists channels in playlist order', () => {
@@ -169,6 +171,35 @@ describe('M3uEpgGuideSourceService', () => {
         expect(dispatch).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
     });
 
+    it('keeps duplicate channel ids apart and activates the row that was clicked', () => {
+        // `createChannel` falls back to the URL as the id, so one stream
+        // listed twice yields two channels sharing an id.
+        const duplicated = signal<Channel[]>([
+            makeChannel('dup', { name: 'First copy', group: 'News' }),
+            makeChannel('dup', { name: 'Second copy', group: 'News' }),
+        ]);
+        service.bind({
+            channels: duplicated,
+            favoriteKeys,
+            activeChannel: signal<Channel | null>(duplicated()[0]),
+            selectedGroup,
+        });
+
+        const rowIds = service.channels().map((channel) => channel.id);
+        expect(rowIds).toEqual(['dup', 'dup#1']);
+        // The playing channel marks the first of the two rows.
+        expect(service.activeChannelId()).toBe('dup');
+
+        service.activate('dup#1');
+
+        expect(dispatch).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+            ChannelActions.setActiveChannel({
+                channel: duplicated()[1],
+                startPlayback: true,
+            })
+        );
+    });
+
     it('seeds the initial scope from the sidebar view', () => {
         service.applyInitialScope('favorites');
         expect(service.scopeId()).toBe('favorites');
@@ -178,6 +209,22 @@ describe('M3uEpgGuideSourceService', () => {
         expect(service.scopeId()).toBe('all');
     });
 
+    it("prefers the sidebar's selected group over the playing channel's group", () => {
+        selectedGroup.set('Sports');
+
+        service.applyInitialScope('groups');
+
+        expect(service.scopeId()).toBe('group:Sports');
+    });
+
+    it('falls back to the playing group when the selected one offers no rows', () => {
+        selectedGroup.set('Nothing Here');
+
+        service.applyInitialScope('groups');
+
+        expect(service.scopeId()).toBe('group:News');
+    });
+
     it("falls back to the all scope when the active channel's group has no eligible channels", () => {
         const sportsOnlyChannels = signal<Channel[]>([
             makeChannel('b', { name: 'Beta', group: 'Sports' }),
@@ -189,6 +236,7 @@ describe('M3uEpgGuideSourceService', () => {
             channels: sportsOnlyChannels,
             favoriteKeys,
             activeChannel: newsActiveChannel,
+            selectedGroup,
         });
 
         service.applyInitialScope('groups');
diff --git a/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/epg-guide/m3u-epg-guide-source.service.ts b/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/epg-guide/m3u-epg-guide-source.service.ts
index 154180dc1..a10c3a8e6 100644
--- a/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/epg-guide/m3u-epg-guide-source.service.ts
+++ b/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/epg-guide/m3u-epg-guide-source.service.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,12 @@ export interface M3uEpgGuideInputs {
      */
     favoriteKeys: Signal<string[]>;
     activeChannel: Signal<Channel | null>;
+    /**
+     * Group the sidebar's groups view currently shows, by title. The guide
+     * opens on what the user was looking at, which is not necessarily the
+     * playing channel's group — they may have browsed away from it.
+     */
+    selectedGroup: Signal<string | null>;
 }
 
 const SCOPE_ALL = 'all';
@@ -110,10 +116,38 @@ export class M3uEpgGuideSourceService implements EpgGuideSource {
         return channels;
     });
 
+    /**
+     * Rows the guide renders, each with an id that is unique within the scope.
+     * `createChannel` falls back to the stream URL for an M3U entry without an
+     * explicit id, so one stream listed in two groups — or simply repeated —
+     * yields two channels sharing an id. The guide keys its programme, status
+     * and selection maps by row id, so duplicates used to collide: both rows
+     * lit up as playing and activating either one played the first. The first
+     * occurrence keeps the channel id (nothing changes for a playlist without
+     * duplicates) and every later one is suffixed.
+     */
+    private readonly scopedRows = computed<
+        Array<{ rowId: string; channel: Channel }>
+    >(() => {
+        const occurrences = new Map<string, number>();
+        return this.scopedChannels().map((channel) => {
+            const seen = occurrences.get(channel.id) ?? 0;
+            occurrences.set(channel.id, seen + 1);
+            return {
+                rowId: seen === 0 ? channel.id : `${channel.id}#${seen}`,
+                channel,
+            };
+        });
+    });
+
+    private readonly channelsByRowId = computed(
+        () => new Map(this.scopedRows().map((row) => [row.rowId, row.channel]))
+    );
+
     readonly channels = computed<EpgGuideChannel[]>(() => {
         const strip = this.settingsStore.stripCountryPrefix?.();
-        return this.scopedChannels().map((channel, index) => ({
-            id: channel.id,
+        return this.scopedRows().map(({ rowId, channel }, index) => ({
+            id: rowId,
             number: index + 1,
             name: applyChannelNameStrip(channel.name, strip) || channel.name,
             logoUrl: channel.tvg?.logo?.trim() || null,
@@ -121,37 +155,64 @@ export class M3uEpgGuideSourceService implements EpgGuideSource {
         }));
     });
 
-    readonly activeChannelId = computed(
-        () => this.inputs()?.activeChannel()?.id ?? null
-    );
+    /**
+     * The first row carrying the active channel's id — duplicates are
+     * indistinguishable from here, so the guide marks the first of them.
+     */
+    readonly activeChannelId = computed(() => {
+        const active = this.inputs()?.activeChannel();
+        if (!active) {
+            return null;
+        }
+        return (
+            this.scopedRows().find((row) => row.channel.id === active.id)
+                ?.rowId ?? active.id
+        );
+    });
 
     bind(inputs: M3uEpgGuideInputs): void {
         this.inputs.set(inputs);
     }
 
-    /** Called by the host when the guide opens: mirror the sidebar view. */
+    /**
+     * Called by the host when the guide opens: mirror the sidebar view. In the
+     * groups view the sidebar's SELECTED group wins over the playing channel's
+     * group — the user may have browsed to another group before opening the
+     * guide, and that is what they expect to see. The playing channel's group
+     * remains the fallback (nothing selected yet, or a group with no
+     * guide-eligible channels left).
+     */
     applyInitialScope(view: string): void {
         if (view === SCOPE_FAVORITES) {
             this.scope.set(SCOPE_FAVORITES);
             return;
         }
-        const activeGroup = this.inputs()
-            ?.activeChannel()
-            ?.group?.title?.trim();
-        const groupScopeId = activeGroup
-            ? `${GROUP_PREFIX}${activeGroup}`
-            : null;
-        if (
-            view === 'groups' &&
-            groupScopeId &&
-            this.scopes().some((scope) => scope.id === groupScopeId)
-        ) {
-            this.scope.set(groupScopeId);
-            return;
+        if (view === 'groups') {
+            const groupScopeId =
+                this.groupScopeIdFor(this.inputs()?.selectedGroup()) ??
+                this.groupScopeIdFor(
+                    this.inputs()?.activeChannel()?.group?.title
+                );
+            if (groupScopeId) {
+                this.scope.set(groupScopeId);
+                return;
+            }
         }
         this.scope.set(SCOPE_ALL);
     }
 
+    /** The scope id for a group title, or null when it offers no rows. */
+    private groupScopeIdFor(title: string | null | undefined): string | null {
+        const trimmed = title?.trim();
+        if (!trimmed) {
+            return null;
+        }
+        const scopeId = `${GROUP_PREFIX}${trimmed}`;
+        return this.scopes().some((scope) => scope.id === scopeId)
+            ? scopeId
+            : null;
+    }
+
     setScope(id: string): void {
         if (this.scopes().some((scope) => scope.id === id)) {
             this.scope.set(id);
@@ -201,13 +262,12 @@ export class M3uEpgGuideSourceService implements EpgGuideSource {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Looks up the channel in the current scope because the guide only ever
-     * passes back ids it rendered from `channels()`.
+     * Resolves the row id back to its own channel — the guide only ever passes
+     * back ids it rendered from `channels()`, and a duplicated channel id can
+     * only be told apart by that row id.
      */
-    activate(channelId: string): void {
-        const channel = this.scopedChannels().find(
-            (candidate) => candidate.id === channelId
-        );
+    activate(rowId: string): void {
+        const channel = this.channelsByRowId().get(rowId);
         if (channel) {
             this.store.dispatch(createM3uChannelPlaybackRequest(channel));
         }
@@ -217,11 +277,14 @@ export class M3uEpgGuideSourceService implements EpgGuideSource {
     async searchPrograms(query: string): Promise<EpgGuideSearchHit[]> {
         const programs =
             (await this.epgBridge.searchPrograms(query, SEARCH_LIMIT)) ?? [];
-        const byKey = new Map(
-            this.channels()
-                .filter((channel) => channel.epgKey !== null)
-                .map((channel) => [channel.epgKey as string, channel.id])
-        );
+        const byKey = new Map<string, string>();
+        for (const channel of this.channels()) {
+            // Duplicate rows share an EPG key; jump to the first, like
+            // `activeChannelId`.
+            if (channel.epgKey !== null && !byKey.has(channel.epgKey)) {
+                byKey.set(channel.epgKey, channel.id);
+            }
+        }
         return programs.map((program) => ({
             channelId: byKey.get(program.channel) ?? null,
             program,
diff --git a/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player-movie-gate.spec.ts b/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player-movie-gate.spec.ts
index 00c1af864..a0d9aeece 100644
--- a/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player-movie-gate.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player-movie-gate.spec.ts
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ import { ComponentFixture, TestBed } from '@angular/core/testing';
 import { ActivatedRoute, Router } from '@angular/router';
 import { Store } from '@ngrx/store';
 import { StorageMap } from '@ngx-pwa/local-storage';
-import { TranslatePipe, TranslateService } from '@ngx-translate/core';
+import { TranslatePipe } from '@ngx-translate/core';
 import { MockPipe } from 'ng-mocks';
-import { BehaviorSubject, EMPTY, of } from 'rxjs';
+import { BehaviorSubject, of } from 'rxjs';
 import {
     selectActive,
     selectActiveEpgProgram,
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ import {
     VideoPlayer,
 } from '@iptvnator/shared/interfaces';
 import type { VideoPlayerComponent as VideoPlayerComponentInstance } from './video-player.component';
+import { translateServiceProvider } from './video-player.spec-harness';
 
 // The component's chain reaches video.js (ui/playback → VjsPlayer); the CJS
 // bundle breaks under the ESM jest environment, so it is mocked before the
@@ -166,15 +167,7 @@ describe('VideoPlayerComponent — M3U movie recognition gate', () => {
                     },
                 },
                 { provide: Store, useValue: storeMock },
-                {
-                    // The component provides `M3uEpgGuideSourceService`,
-                    // which resolves its scope labels through this service.
-                    provide: TranslateService,
-                    useValue: {
-                        instant: (key: string) => key,
-                        onLangChange: EMPTY,
-                    },
-                },
+                translateServiceProvider,
                 { provide: DataService, useValue: { sendIpcEvent: jest.fn() } },
                 {
                     provide: RuntimeCapabilitiesService,
diff --git a/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player-sidebar.spec.ts b/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player-sidebar.spec.ts
index d79fe3c72..8743ea02a 100644
--- a/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player-sidebar.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player-sidebar.spec.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 import { AsyncPipe } from '@angular/common';
 import { Component, NO_ERRORS_SCHEMA, output, signal } from '@angular/core';
-import { ComponentFixture, TestBed } from '@angular/core/testing';
+import {
+    ComponentFixture,
+    DeferBlockState,
+    TestBed,
+} from '@angular/core/testing';
 import { By } from '@angular/platform-browser';
 import { ActivatedRoute, Router } from '@angular/router';
 import { Overlay } from '@angular/cdk/overlay';
@@ -38,6 +42,8 @@ import {
     VideoPlayer,
 } from '@iptvnator/shared/interfaces';
 import type { VideoPlayerComponent as VideoPlayerComponentInstance } from './video-player.component';
+import { translateServiceProvider } from './video-player.spec-harness';
+import { StubSidebarComponent } from './video-player.spec-stubs';
 
 // The component's chain reaches video.js (ui/playback → VjsPlayer); the CJS
 // bundle breaks under the ESM jest environment, so it is mocked before the
@@ -62,10 +68,12 @@ class StubChannelListHiddenStateComponent {
  * The collapsible channels rail of the M3U player. Separate from
  * `video-player.component.spec.ts` only because that file sits at the
  * max-lines test budget; the harness here is the minimal subset needed to
- * render the rail and the content-area empty states.
+ * render the rail and the content-area empty states, plus the outputs the
+ * rail forwards to the host.
  */
 describe('VideoPlayerComponent — collapsible channels rail', () => {
     let VideoPlayerComponent: typeof import('./video-player.component').VideoPlayerComponent;
+    let M3uEpgGuideSourceService: typeof import('../epg-guide/m3u-epg-guide-source.service').M3uEpgGuideSourceService;
     let fixture: ComponentFixture<VideoPlayerComponentInstance>;
     let component: VideoPlayerComponentInstance;
     let sidebarState: LiveLayoutSidebarStateService;
@@ -77,6 +85,10 @@ describe('VideoPlayerComponent — collapsible channels rail', () => {
     const channelsLoading = signal(false);
     const currentEpgProgram = signal<EpgProgram | null>(null);
     const activeEpgProgram = signal<EpgProgram | null>(null);
+    const routeParams$ = new BehaviorSubject<Record<string, string>>({
+        id: 'playlist-1',
+        view: 'all',
+    });
     const channels$ = new BehaviorSubject<Channel[]>([]);
     const activeChannel$ = new BehaviorSubject<Channel | null>(null);
     const currentEpgProgram$ = new BehaviorSubject<EpgProgram | null>(null);
@@ -138,6 +150,8 @@ describe('VideoPlayerComponent — collapsible channels rail', () => {
 
     beforeAll(async () => {
         ({ VideoPlayerComponent } = await import('./video-player.component'));
+        ({ M3uEpgGuideSourceService } =
+            await import('../epg-guide/m3u-epg-guide-source.service'));
     });
 
     beforeEach(async () => {
@@ -146,6 +160,7 @@ describe('VideoPlayerComponent — collapsible channels rail', () => {
         activeChannel$.next(null);
         channels.set([]);
         channels$.next([]);
+        routeParams$.next({ id: playlistId(), view: 'all' });
 
         await TestBed.configureTestingModule({
             imports: [VideoPlayerComponent],
@@ -153,7 +168,7 @@ describe('VideoPlayerComponent — collapsible channels rail', () => {
                 {
                     provide: ActivatedRoute,
                     useValue: {
-                        params: of({ id: playlistId(), view: 'all' }),
+                        params: routeParams$.asObservable(),
                         queryParams: of({}),
                         snapshot: {
                             data: { layout: 'workspace' },
@@ -170,6 +185,7 @@ describe('VideoPlayerComponent — collapsible channels rail', () => {
                     },
                 },
                 { provide: Store, useValue: storeMock },
+                translateServiceProvider,
                 {
                     provide: Overlay,
                     useValue: { position: jest.fn(), create: jest.fn() },
@@ -248,6 +264,7 @@ describe('VideoPlayerComponent — collapsible channels rail', () => {
                     imports: [
                         AsyncPipe,
                         StubChannelListHiddenStateComponent,
+                        StubSidebarComponent,
                         MockPipe(
                             TranslatePipe,
                             (value: string | null | undefined) => value ?? ''
@@ -349,4 +366,43 @@ describe('VideoPlayerComponent — collapsible channels rail', () => {
         expect(hiddenState()).toBeNull();
         expect(query('.video-player')).not.toBeNull();
     });
+
+    it('opens the guide on the group the sidebar rail is showing', async () => {
+        // The user can browse to another group before pressing the guide
+        // shortcut; the playing channel's group is only the fallback.
+        const makeChannel = (id: string, group: string) =>
+            ({
+                id,
+                url: `http://localhost/${id}.m3u8`,
+                name: id,
+                epgParams: '',
+                radio: 'false',
+                group: { title: group },
+                tvg: { id: '', logo: '', name: id },
+            }) as Channel;
+        const newsChannel = makeChannel('news-1', 'News');
+        const sportsChannel = makeChannel('sports-1', 'Sports');
+        activeChannel.set(newsChannel);
+        activeChannel$.next(newsChannel);
+        channels.set([newsChannel, sportsChannel]);
+        channels$.next([newsChannel, sportsChannel]);
+        routeParams$.next({ id: playlistId(), view: 'groups' });
+        fixture.detectChanges();
+        // The rail sits behind an `@defer`; TestBed leaves such a block on its
+        // placeholder until the test renders it.
+        const [railBlock] = await fixture.getDeferBlocks();
+        await railBlock.render(DeferBlockState.Complete);
+
+        fixture.debugElement
+            .query(By.directive(StubSidebarComponent))
+            .componentInstance.selectedGroupChange.emit('Sports');
+        fixture.detectChanges();
+        component.openGuide();
+
+        const guideSource = fixture.debugElement.injector.get(
+            M3uEpgGuideSourceService
+        );
+        expect(component.guideOpen()).toBe(true);
+        expect(guideSource.scopeId()).toBe('group:Sports');
+    });
 });
diff --git a/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.component.fullscreen-panel.spec.ts b/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.component.fullscreen-panel.spec.ts
index e4b959c4f..d8ebfef71 100644
--- a/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.component.fullscreen-panel.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.component.fullscreen-panel.spec.ts
@@ -3,8 +3,7 @@ import { ComponentFixture, TestBed } from '@angular/core/testing';
 import { ActivatedRoute, Router } from '@angular/router';
 import { Store } from '@ngrx/store';
 import { StorageMap } from '@ngx-pwa/local-storage';
-import { TranslateService } from '@ngx-translate/core';
-import { BehaviorSubject, EMPTY, of } from 'rxjs';
+import { BehaviorSubject, of } from 'rxjs';
 import {
     ChannelActions,
     selectActive,
@@ -31,6 +30,7 @@ import {
     VideoPlayer,
 } from '@iptvnator/shared/interfaces';
 import type { VideoPlayerComponent as VideoPlayerComponentInstance } from './video-player.component';
+import { translateServiceProvider } from './video-player.spec-harness';
 
 jest.unstable_mockModule('video.js', () => ({
     default: jest.fn(),
@@ -158,15 +158,7 @@ describe('VideoPlayerComponent fullscreen channel panel + zapping', () => {
                     },
                 },
                 { provide: Store, useValue: storeMock },
-                {
-                    // The component provides `M3uEpgGuideSourceService`,
-                    // which resolves its scope labels through this service.
-                    provide: TranslateService,
-                    useValue: {
-                        instant: (key: string) => key,
-                        onLangChange: EMPTY,
-                    },
-                },
+                translateServiceProvider,
                 { provide: DataService, useValue: { sendIpcEvent: jest.fn() } },
                 {
                     provide: RuntimeCapabilitiesService,
diff --git a/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.component.html b/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.component.html
index db1932265..b56859c7f 100644
--- a/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.component.html
+++ b/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.component.html
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
                 onGroupedSidebarWidthRequestEnded($event)
             "
             (sidebarToggleRequested)="toggleSidebar()"
+            (selectedGroupChange)="onSidebarGroupSelected($event)"
         />
     } @loading {
         <app-channel-list-loading-state
diff --git a/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.component.spec.ts b/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.component.spec.ts
index a71f77fe8..1eb41988e 100644
--- a/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.component.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.component.spec.ts
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ import { By } from '@angular/platform-browser';
 import { ActivatedRoute, Router } from '@angular/router';
 import { Store } from '@ngrx/store';
 import { StorageMap } from '@ngx-pwa/local-storage';
-import { TranslatePipe, TranslateService } from '@ngx-translate/core';
+import { TranslatePipe } from '@ngx-translate/core';
 import { MockPipe } from 'ng-mocks';
-import { EMPTY, of } from 'rxjs';
+import { of } from 'rxjs';
 import { ChannelActions, EpgActions } from '@iptvnator/m3u-state';
 import { EpgService } from '@iptvnator/epg/data-access';
 import { PlaylistContextFacade } from '@iptvnator/playlist/shared/util';
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ import {
     storeMock,
     stripCountryPrefix,
     syncStoreState,
+    translateServiceProvider,
 } from './video-player.spec-harness';
 import {
     StubAudioPlayerComponent,
@@ -144,15 +145,7 @@ describe('VideoPlayerComponent', () => {
                     provide: Store,
                     useValue: storeMock,
                 },
-                {
-                    // The guide source service reads labels through
-                    // `instant` and re-computes them on `onLangChange`.
-                    provide: TranslateService,
-                    useValue: {
-                        instant: (key: string) => key,
-                        onLangChange: EMPTY,
-                    },
-                },
+                translateServiceProvider,
                 {
                     provide: DataService,
                     useValue: dataServiceMock,
diff --git a/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.component.ts b/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.component.ts
index 9b18d2ca5..10541045b 100644
--- a/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.component.ts
+++ b/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.component.ts
@@ -318,6 +318,12 @@ export class VideoPlayerComponent
                 channel.radio !== 'true' && !this.opensMovieDetail(channel)
         )
     );
+    /**
+     * Group the sidebar's groups view is showing, mirrored from its
+     * `selectedGroupChange` output. The guide opens on the group the user was
+     * browsing, which is not necessarily the playing channel's.
+     */
+    readonly selectedSidebarGroup = signal<string | null>(null);
     readonly canOpenGuide = computed(() => {
         const channel = this.activeChannel();
         return (
@@ -723,6 +729,7 @@ export class VideoPlayerComponent
             // `selectActive` is `Channel | undefined`; the contract is
             // nullable, so normalize rather than widen the shared type.
             activeChannel: computed(() => this.activeChannel() ?? null),
+            selectedGroup: this.selectedSidebarGroup.asReadonly(),
         });
         // Radio, a recognised movie, or a lost channel takes the guide's host
         // (and its player) away — close instead of leaving it stranded.
@@ -1227,6 +1234,10 @@ export class VideoPlayerComponent
         }
     }
 
+    onSidebarGroupSelected(group: string | null): void {
+        this.selectedSidebarGroup.set(group);
+    }
+
     openGuide(): void {
         if (!this.canOpenGuide() || this.guideOpen()) {
             return;
diff --git a/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.spec-harness.ts b/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.spec-harness.ts
index 535ce6471..6e0bc3069 100644
--- a/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.spec-harness.ts
+++ b/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.spec-harness.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { signal } from '@angular/core';
+import { TranslateService } from '@ngx-translate/core';
 import {
     selectActive,
     selectActiveEpgProgram,
@@ -14,7 +15,7 @@ import {
     ExternalPlayerSession,
     VideoPlayer,
 } from '@iptvnator/shared/interfaces';
-import { BehaviorSubject, of } from 'rxjs';
+import { BehaviorSubject, EMPTY, of } from 'rxjs';
 
 /**
  * Shared state and collaborator mocks for the `VideoPlayerComponent` spec.
@@ -115,6 +116,21 @@ export const dataServiceMock = {
     sendIpcEvent: jest.fn(),
 };
 
+/**
+ * `VideoPlayerComponent` provides `M3uEpgGuideSourceService`, which reads its
+ * scope labels through `TranslateService.instant` and re-computes them on
+ * `onLangChange`. Every fixture of the host therefore needs the real service
+ * token — a mocked `TranslatePipe` alone leaves it unprovided (NG0201) — so
+ * the provider lives here and is shared by all four host specs.
+ */
+export const translateServiceProvider = {
+    provide: TranslateService,
+    useValue: {
+        instant: (key: string) => key,
+        onLangChange: EMPTY,
+    },
+};
+
 export const sampleChannel: Channel = {
     id: 'channel-1',
     url: 'http://localhost/live.m3u8',
diff --git a/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.spec-stubs.ts b/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.spec-stubs.ts
index 9a155edab..8140190ac 100644
--- a/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.spec-stubs.ts
+++ b/libs/playlist/m3u/feature-player/src/lib/video-player/video-player.spec-stubs.ts
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ export class StubSidebarComponent {
     readonly sidebarWidthRequested = output<number>();
     readonly sidebarWidthRequestEnded = output<number>();
     readonly sidebarToggleRequested = output<void>();
+    readonly selectedGroupChange = output<string | null>();
 }
 
 @Component({
diff --git a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/channel-list-container/channel-list-container.component.html b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/channel-list-container/channel-list-container.component.html
index f5439d36a..d26d74dda 100644
--- a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/channel-list-container/channel-list-container.component.html
+++ b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/channel-list-container/channel-list-container.component.html
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@
                 (sidebarWidthRequested)="onSidebarWidthRequested($event)"
                 (sidebarWidthRequestEnded)="onSidebarWidthRequestEnded($event)"
                 (sidebarToggleRequested)="sidebarToggleRequested.emit()"
+                (selectedGroupChange)="selectedGroupChange.emit($event)"
             />
         }
         @case ('favorites') {
diff --git a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/channel-list-container/channel-list-container.component.ts b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/channel-list-container/channel-list-container.component.ts
index 19ca0ac22..57cf66041 100644
--- a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/channel-list-container/channel-list-container.component.ts
+++ b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/channel-list-container/channel-list-container.component.ts
@@ -211,6 +211,8 @@ export class ChannelListContainerComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
     readonly sidebarWidthRequested = output<number>();
     readonly sidebarWidthRequestEnded = output<number>();
     readonly sidebarToggleRequested = output<void>();
+    /** Groups view only: the group whose channels are currently listed. */
+    readonly selectedGroupChange = output<string | null>();
     readonly isWorkspaceLayout = isWorkspaceLayoutRoute(this.route);
     private readonly routeSearchTerm = queryParamSignal(
         this.route,
diff --git a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/channel-list-container/groups-view/groups-view.component.spec.ts b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/channel-list-container/groups-view/groups-view.component.spec.ts
index c388a7f23..ff4e35945 100644
--- a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/channel-list-container/groups-view/groups-view.component.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/channel-list-container/groups-view/groups-view.component.spec.ts
@@ -362,6 +362,23 @@ describe('GroupsViewComponent', () => {
         expect(component.selectedGroupKey()).toBe('Movies');
     });
 
+    it('reports the shown group for auto-selection and manual clicks', () => {
+        const selected: Array<string | null> = [];
+        component.selectedGroupChange.subscribe((key) => selected.push(key));
+
+        setInputs({ activeChannelUrl: worldUpdate.url });
+        expect(selected).toEqual(['News']);
+
+        component.selectGroup('Movies');
+        fixture.detectChanges();
+        expect(selected).toEqual(['News', 'Movies']);
+
+        // Re-selecting the shown group is not a change.
+        component.selectGroup('Movies');
+        fixture.detectChanges();
+        expect(selected).toEqual(['News', 'Movies']);
+    });
+
     it('retains a visible manual selection and falls back to the first visible group', () => {
         component.selectGroup('Movies');
         fixture.detectChanges();
diff --git a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/channel-list-container/groups-view/groups-view.component.ts b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/channel-list-container/groups-view/groups-view.component.ts
index 7f8316e11..b2d1f0302 100644
--- a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/channel-list-container/groups-view/groups-view.component.ts
+++ b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/channel-list-container/groups-view/groups-view.component.ts
@@ -167,6 +167,14 @@ export class GroupsViewComponent {
     /** Emits when the user clicks the inline collapse toggle in the groups header */
     readonly sidebarToggleRequested = output<void>();
 
+    /**
+     * The group currently shown in the channel pane, by title. Emitted for
+     * both manual clicks and the auto-selection below, so a host can follow
+     * what the user is looking at — the M3U player seeds the programme
+     * guide's initial scope from it.
+     */
+    readonly selectedGroupChange = output<string | null>();
+
     readonly isGroupSearchOpen = signal(false);
     readonly localGroupSearchTerm = signal('');
     readonly selectedGroupKey = signal<string | null>(null);
@@ -229,6 +237,13 @@ export class GroupsViewComponent {
             }
         });
 
+        // A signal effect only re-runs when the value actually changes, so
+        // this emits once per selection — `selectGroup()` included, since it
+        // writes the same signal.
+        effect(() => {
+            this.selectedGroupChange.emit(this.selectedGroupKey());
+        });
+
         effect(() => {
             const selectedGroupKey = this.selectedGroupKey();
             if (selectedGroupKey == null) {
diff --git a/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/video-player/sidebar/sidebar.component.html b/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/video-player/sidebar/sidebar.component.html
index d32411fd9..2484b133d 100644
--- a/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/video-player/sidebar/sidebar.component.html
+++ b/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/video-player/sidebar/sidebar.component.html
@@ -26,4 +26,5 @@
     (sidebarWidthRequested)="onSidebarWidthRequested($event)"
     (sidebarWidthRequestEnded)="onSidebarWidthRequestEnded($event)"
     (sidebarToggleRequested)="sidebarToggleRequested.emit()"
+    (selectedGroupChange)="selectedGroupChange.emit($event)"
 />
diff --git a/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/video-player/sidebar/sidebar.component.ts b/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/video-player/sidebar/sidebar.component.ts
index 24c79202c..b7821f4e5 100644
--- a/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/video-player/sidebar/sidebar.component.ts
+++ b/libs/ui/playback/src/lib/video-player/sidebar/sidebar.component.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ export class SidebarComponent {
     readonly sidebarWidthRequested = output<number>();
     readonly sidebarWidthRequestEnded = output<number>();
     readonly sidebarToggleRequested = output<void>();
+    /** Groups view only: the group whose channels are currently listed. */
+    readonly selectedGroupChange = output<string | null>();
 
     private readonly playlistContext = inject(PlaylistContextFacade);
     private readonly translate = inject(TranslateService);