diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/hyperling/apps/infinitetimer/MainActivity.java b/app/src/main/java/com/hyperling/apps/infinitetimer/MainActivity.java
index d2065f3..09dbbd2 100755
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/hyperling/apps/infinitetimer/MainActivity.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/hyperling/apps/infinitetimer/MainActivity.java
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import android.net.Uri;
 import android.os.Build;
 import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.os.Handler;
+import android.os.Looper;
 import android.os.Message;
 import android.provider.Settings;
 import android.support.v7.app.AlertDialog;
@@ -55,6 +56,12 @@ public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
     TextView tvDot;
 
     Uri ringtoneUri;
+
+    // RingtoneManager reference for consistent notification sound playback across loops
+    private android.media.Ringtone notificationRingtone;
+
+    // For proper sound lifecycle management across timer loops
+    private Ringtone ringtonePlayer;
     MediaPlayer mediaPlayer;
 
     SeekBar seekBar;
@@ -482,7 +489,7 @@ public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
         if (DEBUG) Log.d(tag, "Finished");
     }
 
-    private final Handler incrementTime = new Handler(){
+    private final android.os.Handler incrementTime = new android.os.Handler(android.os.Looper.getMainLooper()){
         @Override
         public void handleMessage(Message msg) {
             String tag = TAG + "handleMessage";
@@ -605,17 +612,34 @@ public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
         if (DEBUG) Log.d(tag, "Starting");
 
         try {
-            // Safely instantiate MediaPlayer locally to prevent NPE
-            Uri uri = android.media.RingtoneManager.getDefaultUri(android.media.RingtoneManager.TYPE_NOTIFICATION);
-            MediaPlayer localPlayer = MediaPlayer.create(this, uri);
+            // Stop any existing notification ringtone first to prevent overlap
+            if (notificationRingtone != null && notificationRingtone.isPlaying()) {
+                notificationRingtone.stop();
+            }
 
-            if (localPlayer != null) {
-                localPlayer.start();
-                localPlayer.release(); // Clean up resources immediately
+            // Use RingtoneManager which handles async playback lifecycle properly
+            Uri uri = android.media.RingtoneManager.getDefaultUri(android.media.RingtoneManager.TYPE_NOTIFICATION);
+            notificationRingtone = android.media.RingtoneManager.getRingtone(this, uri);
+
+            if (notificationRingtone != null) {
+                // Ringtone.play() is asynchronous and handles its own lifecycle,
+                // avoiding the MediaPlayer.create() + immediate release bug that 
+                // caused silence on subsequent loops
+                notificationRingtone.play();
             } else {
-                // Fallback for edge cases where create() fails
-                android.media.Ringtone ringtone = android.media.RingtoneManager.getRingtone(this, uri);
-                if (ringtone != null) ringtone.play();
+                // Fallback: if getRingtone fails, try direct MediaPlayer with proper lifecycle
+                MediaPlayer localPlayer = MediaPlayer.create(this, uri);
+                if (localPlayer != null) {
+                    localPlayer.start();
+                    final MediaPlayer fp = localPlayer;
+                    // Release after playback completes (use delay as a safety net)
+                    new android.os.Handler(android.os.Looper.getMainLooper()).postDelayed(
+                        new Runnable() { @Override public void run() { 
+                            if (fp.isPlaying()) fp.stop(); 
+                            fp.release();
+                        }}, 2000
+                    );
+                }
             }
         } catch (Exception e) {
             sharedPreferences.edit().putBoolean(keyStartStop, false).apply();
@@ -744,6 +768,11 @@ public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
         Alert.stop(this);
         if (mediaPlayer != null) { mediaPlayer.release(); mediaPlayer = null; }
 
+        // Clean up ringtone player to prevent resource leak across config changes
+        if (notificationRingtone != null && notificationRingtone.isPlaying()) {
+            notificationRingtone.stop();
+        }
+
         if (DEBUG) Log.d(tag, "Done with local code, calling super..");
 
         super.onDestroy();