diff --git a/e2e-khairat-lifestyle.cjs b/e2e-khairat-lifestyle.cjs
index a12b00d..0b7ff49 100644
--- a/e2e-khairat-lifestyle.cjs
+++ b/e2e-khairat-lifestyle.cjs
@@ -60,6 +60,22 @@ async function main() {
   const distanceVisible = await page.locator('.distance-note', { hasText: 'km to Makkah' }).isVisible().catch(() => false);
   record('Qibla: shows distance to Makkah', distanceVisible);
 
+  // Regression guard: many Android browsers fire plain 'deviceorientation'
+  // with absolute:false even though alpha is a usable heading — a prior
+  // version required absolute:true and silently never detected the compass
+  // on those devices. Simulate exactly that event shape.
+  const staticNoteBeforeSensor = await page.locator('.static-note').isVisible().catch(() => false);
+  record('Qibla: shows the no-sensor fallback note before any orientation event', staticNoteBeforeSensor);
+  await page.evaluate(() => {
+    const evt = new Event('deviceorientation');
+    Object.defineProperty(evt, 'alpha', { value: 90 });
+    Object.defineProperty(evt, 'absolute', { value: false });
+    window.dispatchEvent(evt);
+  });
+  await page.waitForTimeout(500);
+  const staticNoteAfterSensor = await page.locator('.static-note').isVisible().catch(() => false);
+  record('Qibla: accepts a non-absolute deviceorientation event as a valid compass reading (Android)', !staticNoteAfterSensor);
+
   // ── Prayer Times ──
   await gotoTab(page, 'Prayer Times');
   await page.waitForTimeout(500);
diff --git a/src/lib/QiblaFinder.svelte b/src/lib/QiblaFinder.svelte
index 061bdbc..d5fdd12 100644
--- a/src/lib/QiblaFinder.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/QiblaFinder.svelte
@@ -33,34 +33,58 @@
     distanceKm = Math.round(R * 2 * Math.atan2(Math.sqrt(a), Math.sqrt(1 - a)));
   }
 
+  let listenersAttached = false;
+
   function handleOrientation(e) {
-    const heading = e.webkitCompassHeading ?? (e.absolute && e.alpha != null ? 360 - e.alpha : null);
+    let heading = e.webkitCompassHeading;
+    if (heading == null && e.alpha != null) {
+      // Prefer a true geomagnetic reading when the browser provides one
+      // (absolute: true), but don't require it — many Android browsers
+      // never set absolute:true even though alpha is still a usable
+      // heading, so requiring it strictly left the compass permanently
+      // "undetected" on those devices.
+      heading = 360 - e.alpha;
+    }
     if (heading != null) { compassHeading = heading; compassSupported = true; }
   }
 
+  function attachOrientationListeners() {
+    if (listenersAttached) return;
+    listenersAttached = true;
+    window.addEventListener('deviceorientationabsolute', handleOrientation, true);
+    window.addEventListener('deviceorientation', handleOrientation, true);
+  }
+
   async function findQibla() {
     status = 'locating';
     errorMsg = '';
+    compassSupported = false;
+    compassHeading = null;
+
+    // Request device-orientation permission (iOS 13+) synchronously here,
+    // inside this click handler — Safari expires the user-activation grant
+    // almost immediately, so requesting it *after* the async geolocation
+    // round-trip (which can take several seconds) reliably fails silently
+    // with no prompt ever shown. Registering listeners for everyone else
+    // immediately too, so no early orientation events are missed while
+    // still waiting on the GPS fix.
+    if (typeof DeviceOrientationEvent !== 'undefined') {
+      if (typeof DeviceOrientationEvent.requestPermission === 'function') {
+        try {
+          const perm = await DeviceOrientationEvent.requestPermission();
+          if (perm === 'granted') attachOrientationListeners();
+        } catch { /* denied or unsupported — static bearing still shown */ }
+      } else {
+        attachOrientationListeners();
+      }
+    }
+
     if (!navigator.geolocation) {
       status = 'error'; errorMsg = 'Geolocation is not available on this device/browser.';
       return;
     }
     navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(
-      async (pos) => {
-        computeQibla(pos.coords.latitude, pos.coords.longitude);
-        status = 'ready';
-        // Compass heading requires an explicit permission prompt on iOS 13+,
-        // which must be triggered by this same user gesture.
-        if (typeof DeviceOrientationEvent !== 'undefined' && typeof DeviceOrientationEvent.requestPermission === 'function') {
-          try {
-            const perm = await DeviceOrientationEvent.requestPermission();
-            if (perm === 'granted') window.addEventListener('deviceorientation', handleOrientation, true);
-          } catch { /* permission denied or unsupported — static bearing still shown */ }
-        } else if (typeof DeviceOrientationEvent !== 'undefined') {
-          window.addEventListener('deviceorientationabsolute', handleOrientation, true);
-          window.addEventListener('deviceorientation', handleOrientation, true);
-        }
-      },
+      (pos) => { computeQibla(pos.coords.latitude, pos.coords.longitude); status = 'ready'; },
       (err) => { status = 'error'; errorMsg = err.message || 'Could not get your location.'; },
       { enableHighAccuracy: true, timeout: 10000 }
     );