diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 4e9c3c0..9f573c7 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@
     "test:sleep": "node --experimental-strip-types --test src/audio/sleepTimerState.test.mts",
     "test:troubleshooting": "node --experimental-strip-types --experimental-specifier-resolution=node --test src/db/libraryMaintenance.test.mts src/lib/cacheInvalidation.test.mts",
     "test:settings-search": "node --experimental-strip-types --test src/components/search/settingsSearchRoutes.test.mts",
-    "test:now-playing-layout": "node --experimental-strip-types --experimental-specifier-resolution=node --test src/components/player/nowPlayingLayout.test.mts src/components/player/nowPlayingPreferences.test.mts",
+    "test:now-playing-layout": "node --experimental-strip-types --experimental-specifier-resolution=node --test src/components/player/nowPlayingLayout.test.mts src/components/player/nowPlayingPreferences.test.mts src/components/player/nowPlayingDismiss.test.mts",
     "test:memory-lifecycle": "node --experimental-strip-types --experimental-specifier-resolution=node --test src/components/delayedPresence.test.mts scripts/android-memory-profile.test.mjs",
     "test:haptics": "node --experimental-strip-types --experimental-specifier-resolution=node --test src/lib/haptics.test.mts",
     "test:home-greeting": "node --experimental-strip-types --test src/home/homeGreeting.test.mts",
diff --git a/src/components/player/NowPlayingOverlay.tsx b/src/components/player/NowPlayingOverlay.tsx
index b52a41b..75703fb 100644
--- a/src/components/player/NowPlayingOverlay.tsx
+++ b/src/components/player/NowPlayingOverlay.tsx
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ import { ScopeRack } from '@/components/player/ScopeRack';
 import { NowPlayingCompanionPane } from '@/components/player/NowPlayingCompanionPane';
 import { PlayerStateIcon } from '@/components/player/PlayerStateIcon';
 import { CachedLyricPeek } from '@/components/player/CachedLyricPeek';
+import { resolveNowPlayingDismissSpring } from '@/components/player/nowPlayingDismiss';
 import { useDelayedUnmountPresence } from '@/components/delayedPresence';
 import { SleepTimerControls } from '@/components/player/SleepTimerControls';
 import { AppSheet, AppSheetTitle } from '@/components/sheets/AppSheet';
@@ -442,13 +443,18 @@ export function NowPlayingOverlay() {
     })
     .onEnd((e) => {
       if (e.translationY > DISMISS_DISTANCE || e.velocityY > DISMISS_VELOCITY) {
+        const releaseSpring = resolveNowPlayingDismissSpring(
+          e.velocityY,
+          windowHeight - translateY.value
+        );
         translateY.value = withSpring(
           windowHeight,
           {
-            damping: 28,
-            stiffness: 240,
-            velocity: e.velocityY,
+            damping: releaseSpring.damping,
+            stiffness: releaseSpring.stiffness,
+            velocity: releaseSpring.velocity,
             overshootClamping: true,
+            energyThreshold: 1e-4,
           },
           (finished) => {
             if (finished) runOnJS(dismiss)();
diff --git a/src/components/player/nowPlayingDismiss.test.mts b/src/components/player/nowPlayingDismiss.test.mts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1db7a33
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/player/nowPlayingDismiss.test.mts
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import test from 'node:test';
+
+import { resolveNowPlayingDismissSpring } from './nowPlayingDismiss.ts';
+
+test('preserves ordinary downward release velocity and spring', () => {
+  for (const velocity of [0, 1, 500, 999, 1000]) {
+    assert.deepEqual(resolveNowPlayingDismissSpring(velocity, 760), {
+      velocity,
+      stiffness: 240,
+      damping: 28,
+    });
+  }
+});
+
+test('normalizes upward and invalid release velocity', () => {
+  for (const velocity of [-1000, -1, Number.NaN, Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY]) {
+    assert.deepEqual(resolveNowPlayingDismissSpring(velocity, 760), {
+      velocity: 0,
+      stiffness: 240,
+      damping: 28,
+    });
+  }
+});
+
+test('keeps extreme release velocity continuous while increasing spring control', () => {
+  const rawVelocities = [1001, 1400, 2600, 5000, 10_000];
+  const springs = rawVelocities.map((velocity) =>
+    resolveNowPlayingDismissSpring(velocity, 760)
+  );
+
+  for (let index = 0; index < springs.length; index += 1) {
+    assert.equal(springs[index].velocity, rawVelocities[index]);
+    assert.ok(springs[index].stiffness > 240);
+    assert.ok(springs[index].stiffness < 480);
+    assert.ok(springs[index].damping > 28);
+    assert.ok(springs[index].damping < 60);
+  }
+
+  for (let index = 1; index < springs.length; index += 1) {
+    assert.ok(springs[index].stiffness > springs[index - 1].stiffness);
+    assert.ok(springs[index].damping > springs[index - 1].damping);
+  }
+
+  const springAt5000 = resolveNowPlayingDismissSpring(5000, 760);
+  const expectedProgress = 1 - Math.exp(-1);
+  assert.ok(Math.abs(springAt5000.stiffness - (240 + 240 * expectedProgress)) < 1e-9);
+  assert.ok(Math.abs(springAt5000.damping - (28 + 32 * expectedProgress)) < 1e-9);
+});
+
+test('adds damping only when an outlier velocity could overshoot the remaining travel', () => {
+  const ordinaryFastFlick = resolveNowPlayingDismissSpring(10_000, 760);
+  const outlierFlick = resolveNowPlayingDismissSpring(50_000, 760);
+  const outlierNearBottom = resolveNowPlayingDismissSpring(50_000, 400);
+
+  assert.ok(ordinaryFastFlick.damping < 60);
+  assert.equal(outlierFlick.velocity, 50_000);
+  assert.ok(outlierFlick.damping > 60);
+  assert.ok(outlierNearBottom.damping > outlierFlick.damping);
+});
diff --git a/src/components/player/nowPlayingDismiss.ts b/src/components/player/nowPlayingDismiss.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4df09c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/player/nowPlayingDismiss.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+const ADAPTIVE_VELOCITY_ONSET = 1000;
+const ADAPTIVE_VELOCITY_RANGE = 4000;
+const BASE_STIFFNESS = 240;
+const MAX_STIFFNESS = 480;
+const BASE_DAMPING = 28;
+const MAX_DAMPING = 60;
+const MIN_REMAINING_DISTANCE = 120;
+const VELOCITY_TRAVEL_DAMPING = 1.35;
+
+interface NowPlayingDismissSpring {
+  velocity: number;
+  stiffness: number;
+  damping: number;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Preserve the exact release velocity, then make the spring progressively
+ * stronger and more damped for hard flicks so it sheds speed after handoff.
+ */
+export function resolveNowPlayingDismissSpring(
+  velocityY: number,
+  remainingDistance: number
+): NowPlayingDismissSpring {
+  'worklet';
+
+  const velocity = Number.isFinite(velocityY) && velocityY > 0 ? velocityY : 0;
+  const excessVelocity = Math.max(0, velocity - ADAPTIVE_VELOCITY_ONSET);
+  const adaptiveProgress = 1 - Math.exp(-excessVelocity / ADAPTIVE_VELOCITY_RANGE);
+  const safeRemainingDistance = Number.isFinite(remainingDistance)
+    ? Math.max(MIN_REMAINING_DISTANCE, remainingDistance)
+    : MIN_REMAINING_DISTANCE;
+  const adaptiveDamping =
+    BASE_DAMPING + (MAX_DAMPING - BASE_DAMPING) * adaptiveProgress;
+  // Extreme gesture velocities can otherwise cross the remaining screen travel
+  // in a single frame and trip overshootClamping. Scale damping only above that
+  // risk boundary so the already-good ordinary flick path remains unchanged.
+  const travelDamping =
+    velocity > 0 ? (velocity / safeRemainingDistance) * VELOCITY_TRAVEL_DAMPING : 0;
+
+  return {
+    velocity,
+    stiffness: BASE_STIFFNESS + (MAX_STIFFNESS - BASE_STIFFNESS) * adaptiveProgress,
+    damping: Math.max(adaptiveDamping, travelDamping),
+  };
+}