diff --git a/src/lib/components/ClipOverlay.svelte b/src/lib/components/ClipOverlay.svelte
index d3bdb02..ee8210d 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/ClipOverlay.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/ClipOverlay.svelte
@@ -197,6 +197,12 @@
 		};
 	});
 
+	// Mark the clip as watched immediately when opened in the overlay
+	$effect(() => {
+		if (!clip || clip.watched) return;
+		handleWatched(clip.id);
+	});
+
 	// Interaction handlers (local state updates)
 	async function handleWatched(id: string) {
 		await markClipWatched(id);
@@ -272,7 +278,6 @@
 				{gifEnabled}
 				seenByOthers={clip.seenByOthers}
 				hideViewBadge={true}
-				onwatched={handleWatched}
 				onfavorited={handleFavorite}
 				onreaction={handleReaction}
 				onretry={handleRetry}
diff --git a/src/lib/components/MeReelView.svelte b/src/lib/components/MeReelView.svelte
index b9323f3..39d6d26 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/MeReelView.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/MeReelView.svelte
@@ -97,6 +97,17 @@
 		return () => observer.disconnect();
 	});
 
+	// Mark a clip as watched when the user swipes past it (forward only)
+	let prevActiveIndex = 0;
+	$effect(() => {
+		const curr = activeIndex;
+		if (curr > prevActiveIndex) {
+			const clip = clips[prevActiveIndex];
+			if (clip && !clip.watched) onwatched(clip.id);
+		}
+		prevActiveIndex = curr;
+	});
+
 	function close() {
 		if (dismissed) return;
 		dismissed = true;
@@ -134,7 +145,6 @@
 						{gifEnabled}
 						seenByOthers={clip.seenByOthers}
 						hideViewBadge={true}
-						{onwatched}
 						{onfavorited}
 						{onreaction}
 						{onretry}
diff --git a/src/lib/components/ReelItem.svelte b/src/lib/components/ReelItem.svelte
index 5d4b9b5..00597b7 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/ReelItem.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/ReelItem.svelte
@@ -57,9 +57,6 @@
 		gifEnabled = false,
 		seenByOthers = false,
 		hideViewBadge = false,
-		deferWatched = false,
-		deferFirstClip = false,
-		onwatched,
 		onfavorited,
 		onreaction,
 		onretry,
@@ -75,9 +72,6 @@
 		gifEnabled?: boolean;
 		seenByOthers?: boolean;
 		hideViewBadge?: boolean;
-		deferWatched?: boolean;
-		deferFirstClip?: boolean;
-		onwatched: (id: string) => void;
 		onfavorited: (id: string) => void;
 		onreaction: (clipId: string, emoji: string) => Promise<void>;
 		onretry: (id: string) => void;
@@ -86,7 +80,6 @@
 	} = $props();
 
 	let itemEl: HTMLDivElement | null = $state(null);
-	let hasMarkedWatched = $state(false);
 	let muted = $derived($globalMuted);
 	let showMuteIndicator = $state(false);
 	let muteIndicatorTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null;
@@ -204,9 +197,7 @@
 		if (postEngagementTimer) clearTimeout(postEngagementTimer);
 		if (pillTimer) clearTimeout(pillTimer);
 		scrubSeekedCleanup?.();
-		if ((!deferWatched && !deferFirstClip) || hasMarkedWatched) {
-			sendWatchPercent(clip.id, maxPercent);
-		}
+		sendWatchPercent(clip.id, maxPercent);
 	});
 
 	// Contributor pill: expand when a different contributor's clip becomes active
@@ -248,30 +239,6 @@
 	$effect(() => {
 		if (active) feedUiHidden.set(uiHidden);
 	});
-	$effect(() => {
-		if (!active || clip.watched || hasMarkedWatched || deferWatched || deferFirstClip) return;
-		const timer = setTimeout(() => {
-			hasMarkedWatched = true;
-			onwatched(clip.id);
-		}, 3000);
-		return () => clearTimeout(timer);
-	});
-	// Deferred watch: mark watched when 50% or 10s threshold is met
-	$effect(() => {
-		if (!deferWatched || !active || clip.watched || hasMarkedWatched) return;
-		if ((duration > 0 && currentTime / duration >= 0.5) || currentTime >= 10) {
-			hasMarkedWatched = true;
-			onwatched(clip.id);
-		}
-	});
-	// First clip deferral: only mark watched at 40% progress
-	$effect(() => {
-		if (!deferFirstClip || !active || clip.watched || hasMarkedWatched) return;
-		if (duration > 0 && currentTime / duration >= 0.4) {
-			hasMarkedWatched = true;
-			onwatched(clip.id);
-		}
-	});
 	let hasMarkedReactionsRead = $state(false);
 	$effect(() => {
 		if (!active || hasMarkedReactionsRead) return;
@@ -293,15 +260,13 @@
 			wasActive = true;
 		} else if (wasActive) {
 			wasActive = false;
-			if (!deferWatched || hasMarkedWatched) {
-				sendWatchPercent(clip.id, maxPercent);
-			}
+			sendWatchPercent(clip.id, maxPercent);
 			maxPercent = 0;
 		}
 	});
 	// Send watch percent to server periodically while active
 	$effect(() => {
-		if (!active || (deferWatched && !hasMarkedWatched)) return;
+		if (!active) return;
 		return startPeriodicWatchUpdate(clip.id, () => maxPercent);
 	});
 	// Fetch comment previews for cycling prompt bar
diff --git a/src/routes/(app)/+page.svelte b/src/routes/(app)/+page.svelte
index 8268d74..edc4bab 100644
--- a/src/routes/(app)/+page.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/(app)/+page.svelte
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 	import { feedUiHidden } from '$lib/stores/uiHidden';
 	import { anySheetOpen } from '$lib/stores/sheetOpen';
 	import { get } from 'svelte/store';
+	import { onMount } from 'svelte';
 	import { page } from '$app/state';
 	import { basename } from '$lib/utils';
 	import type { FeedClip } from '$lib/types';
@@ -57,17 +58,6 @@
 	let isDesktopFeed = $state(false);
 	const renderWindow = $derived(isDesktopFeed ? 3 : 2);
 
-	// Defer watched marking for the last unwatched clip
-	const isLastUnwatched = $derived(
-		filter === 'unwatched' &&
-			!hasMore &&
-			clips.length > 0 &&
-			clips.filter((c) => !c.watched).length === 1
-	);
-
-	// Defer watched marking for the first loaded clip until 40% watched or swiped past
-	let firstClipId = $state<string | null>(null);
-
 	// Clip overlay (dedicated single-clip view)
 	let overlayClipId = $state<string | null>(null);
 	let overlayOpenComments = $state(false);
@@ -139,7 +129,6 @@
 			clips = data.clips;
 			hasMore = data.hasMore;
 			currentOffset = data.clips.length;
-			firstClipId = data.clips.length > 0 ? data.clips[0].id : null;
 		} else {
 			toast.error('Failed to load clips');
 		}
@@ -161,14 +150,14 @@
 	}
 
 	async function markWatched(clipId: string) {
-		const wasUnwatched = clips.find((c) => c.id === clipId && !c.watched);
-		await markClipWatched(clipId);
+		const clip = clips.find((c) => c.id === clipId);
+		if (!clip || clip.watched) return;
+		// Optimistic update before the API call — prevents double-calls during async gap
 		clips = clips.map((c) =>
-			c.id === clipId
-				? { ...c, watched: true, viewCount: c.watched ? c.viewCount : c.viewCount + 1 }
-				: c
+			c.id === clipId ? { ...c, watched: true, viewCount: c.viewCount + 1 } : c
 		);
-		if (wasUnwatched) fetchUnwatchedCount();
+		fetchUnwatchedCount();
+		await markClipWatched(clipId);
 	}
 
 	async function toggleFavorite(clipId: string) {
@@ -583,21 +572,15 @@
 		}
 	});
 
-	// Mark deferred last clip as watched when user swipes to end slide
+	// Mark a clip as watched when the user swipes past it (forward only)
+	let prevActiveIndex = 0;
 	$effect(() => {
-		if (filter === 'unwatched' && !hasMore && activeIndex === clips.length && clips.length > 0) {
-			const lastClip = clips[clips.length - 1];
-			if (!lastClip.watched) markWatched(lastClip.id);
-		}
-	});
-
-	// Mark first clip as watched when user swipes past it
-	$effect(() => {
-		if (firstClipId && activeIndex > 0) {
-			const firstClip = clips.find((c) => c.id === firstClipId);
-			if (firstClip && !firstClip.watched) markWatched(firstClipId);
-			firstClipId = null;
+		const curr = activeIndex;
+		if (curr > prevActiveIndex) {
+			const clip = clips[prevActiveIndex];
+			if (clip && !clip.watched) markWatched(clip.id);
 		}
+		prevActiveIndex = curr;
 	});
 
 	$effect(() => {
@@ -648,7 +631,6 @@
 	$effect(() => {
 		const targetClipId = $clipOverlaySignal;
 		if (!targetClipId) return;
-		console.log('[Feed] clipOverlaySignal fired:', targetClipId, 'setting overlayClipId');
 		clipOverlaySignal.set(null);
 		overlayClipId = targetClipId;
 	});
@@ -718,7 +700,6 @@
 	}
 
 	function handleOverlayDismiss() {
-		console.log('[Feed] handleOverlayDismiss, was:', overlayClipId);
 		overlayClipId = null;
 		overlayOpenComments = false;
 		// Refresh feed to reflect any changes made in the overlay
@@ -792,7 +773,7 @@
 		}
 	}
 
-	$effect(() => {
+	onMount(() => {
 		isDesktopFeed = matchMedia('(pointer: fine)').matches;
 		const shareUrl = extractShareTargetUrl();
 		if (shareUrl) {
@@ -820,18 +801,7 @@
 		const params = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
 		const deepClipId = params.get('clip');
 		const deepComments = params.get('comments') === 'true';
-		console.log('[Feed] deep-link check:', {
-			deepClipId,
-			deepComments,
-			search: window.location.search
-		});
 		if (deepClipId) {
-			console.log(
-				'[Feed] deep-link: opening overlay for clip',
-				deepClipId,
-				'comments:',
-				deepComments
-			);
 			// Clean URL without triggering navigation
 			const clean = new URL(window.location.href);
 			clean.searchParams.delete('clip');
@@ -957,9 +927,6 @@
 								{autoScroll}
 								{gifEnabled}
 								seenByOthers={clip.seenByOthers}
-								deferWatched={isLastUnwatched && !clip.watched}
-								deferFirstClip={clip.id === firstClipId && !clip.watched}
-								onwatched={markWatched}
 								onfavorited={toggleFavorite}
 								onreaction={handleReaction}
 								onretry={retryDownload}
diff --git a/src/routes/api/clips/[id]/comments/+server.ts b/src/routes/api/clips/[id]/comments/+server.ts
index 25a007e..0a040ba 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/clips/[id]/comments/+server.ts
+++ b/src/routes/api/clips/[id]/comments/+server.ts
@@ -98,11 +98,11 @@ export const GET: RequestHandler = withClipAuth(async ({ params }, { user }) =>
 		};
 	}
 
-	// Sort top-level: hearts desc, then newest first
+	// Sort top-level: hearts desc, then oldest first
 	topLevel.sort((a, b) => {
 		const heartDiff = (heartCounts.get(b.id) || 0) - (heartCounts.get(a.id) || 0);
 		if (heartDiff !== 0) return heartDiff;
-		return b.createdAt.getTime() - a.createdAt.getTime();
+		return a.createdAt.getTime() - b.createdAt.getTime();
 	});
 
 	// Build response with nested replies (sorted chronologically)