diff --git a/crates/video-streamer/src/streamer/mod.rs b/crates/video-streamer/src/streamer/mod.rs
index 3642270b4..fd9eec368 100644
--- a/crates/video-streamer/src/streamer/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/video-streamer/src/streamer/mod.rs
@@ -99,9 +99,10 @@ pub fn webm_stream(
         }
     }
 
-    const MAX_RETRY_COUNT: usize = 3;
-    // To make sure we don't retry forever
-    // Retry is set to 0 when we successfully read a tag
+    // With a 3-second timeout per EOF wait, 25 retries gives a 75-second maximum stall
+    // before giving up. The counter resets to 0 on every successful tag read, so this
+    // only triggers on continuous EOF with zero progress.
+    const MAX_RETRY_COUNT: usize = 25;
     let mut retry_count = 0;
 
     let result = loop {
@@ -190,6 +191,10 @@ pub fn webm_stream(
                 },
                 _ = stop_notifier.notified() => {
                     let _ = tx.send(WhenEofControlFlow::Break);
+                },
+                _ = tokio::time::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_secs(3)) => {
+                    trace!("EOF wait timed out, retrying");
+                    let _ = tx.send(WhenEofControlFlow::Continue);
                 }
             }
         });
diff --git a/crates/video-streamer/src/streamer/tag_writers.rs b/crates/video-streamer/src/streamer/tag_writers.rs
index a98001fe1..bb43dd7e4 100644
--- a/crates/video-streamer/src/streamer/tag_writers.rs
+++ b/crates/video-streamer/src/streamer/tag_writers.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use std::time::Instant;
+use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
 
 use anyhow::Context;
 use cadeau::xmf::vpx::{VpxCodec, VpxDecoder, VpxEncoder};
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ use crate::debug::mastroka_spec_name;
 const VPX_EFLAG_FORCE_KF: u32 = 0x00000001;
 
 #[cfg(feature = "perf-diagnostics")]
-fn duration_as_millis_u64(duration: std::time::Duration) -> u64 {
+fn duration_as_millis_u64(duration: Duration) -> u64 {
     u64::try_from(duration.as_millis()).unwrap_or(u64::MAX)
 }
 
@@ -105,7 +105,9 @@ where
     last_encoded_abs_time: Option<u64>,
 
     // Adaptive frame skipping state
+    #[cfg(feature = "perf-diagnostics")]
     stream_start: Instant,
+    processing_time: Duration,
     last_ratio: f64,
     frames_since_last_encode: u32,
     adaptive_frame_skip: bool,
@@ -192,7 +194,9 @@ where
                 decoder,
                 cut_block_state: CutBlockState::HaventMet,
                 last_encoded_abs_time: None,
+                #[cfg(feature = "perf-diagnostics")]
                 stream_start: Instant::now(),
+                processing_time: Duration::ZERO,
                 last_ratio: 1.0,
                 frames_since_last_encode: 0,
                 adaptive_frame_skip: config.adaptive_frame_skip,
@@ -263,7 +267,9 @@ where
             "VideoBlock created"
         );
 
+        let processing_started = Instant::now();
         self.process_current_block(&video_block)?;
+        self.processing_time += processing_started.elapsed();
 
         Ok(WriterResult::Continue)
     }
@@ -369,13 +375,15 @@ where
         Ok(frame)
     }
 
+    /// Ratio of media time to active processing time (excluding idle waits like EOF retries),
+    /// so that temporary stalls do not permanently corrupt the frame skip decision.
     fn current_realtime_ratio(&self, media_advanced_ms: u64) -> f64 {
         #[allow(clippy::cast_possible_truncation)] // u64 max is ~584 million years in ms; no real truncation risk
-        let wall_ms = self.stream_start.elapsed().as_millis() as u64;
-        if wall_ms == 0 {
+        let processing_ms = self.processing_time.as_millis() as u64;
+        if processing_ms == 0 {
             1.0
         } else {
-            media_advanced_ms as f64 / wall_ms as f64
+            media_advanced_ms as f64 / processing_ms as f64
         }
     }