diff --git a/API/data/alldebrid.json b/API/data/alldebrid.json
index 66708bf..95e5710 100644
--- a/API/data/alldebrid.json
+++ b/API/data/alldebrid.json
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@
           "mediafire\\.com/(\\?|download/|file/|download\\.php\\?)([0-9a-z]{15})"
         ],
         "regexp": "mediafire\\.com/(\\?|download/|file/|download\\.php\\?)([0-9a-z]{15})",
-        "status": false
+        "status": true
       },
       "mixdrop": {
         "name": "mixdrop",
diff --git a/MPV/LUA/main.lua b/MPV/LUA/main.lua
index faebe5b..a8bb333 100644
--- a/MPV/LUA/main.lua
+++ b/MPV/LUA/main.lua
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ local msg = require 'mp.msg'
 
 local M = {}
 
-local MEDEIA_LUA_VERSION = '2026-03-21.3'
+local MEDEIA_LUA_VERSION = '2026-03-21.4'
 
 -- Expose a tiny breadcrumb for debugging which script version is loaded.
 pcall(mp.set_property, 'user-data/medeia-lua-version', MEDEIA_LUA_VERSION)
@@ -880,7 +880,7 @@ local function _is_pipeline_helper_ready()
         helper_version = mp.get_property_native('user-data/medeia-pipeline-helper-version')
     end
     helper_version = tostring(helper_version or '')
-    if helper_version ~= '2026-03-22.4' then
+    if helper_version ~= '2026-03-22.5' then
         return false
     end
 
@@ -947,7 +947,7 @@ local function _helper_ready_diagnostics()
     end
     return 'ready=' .. tostring(ready or '')
         .. ' helper_version=' .. tostring(helper_version or '')
-        .. ' required_version=2026-03-22.4'
+        .. ' required_version=2026-03-22.5'
         .. ' last_value=' .. tostring(_helper_ready_last_value or '')
         .. ' last_seen_age=' .. tostring(age)
 end
diff --git a/MPV/pipeline_helper.py b/MPV/pipeline_helper.py
index ed24d46..159f6ea 100644
--- a/MPV/pipeline_helper.py
+++ b/MPV/pipeline_helper.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ This helper is intentionally minimal: one request at a time, last-write-wins.
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-MEDEIA_MPV_HELPER_VERSION = "2026-03-22.4"
+MEDEIA_MPV_HELPER_VERSION = "2026-03-22.5"
 
 import argparse
 import json
@@ -1322,36 +1322,72 @@ def main(argv: Optional[list[str]] = None) -> int:
     # path used by this helper (which comes from the running MPV instance).
     os.environ["MEDEIA_MPV_IPC"] = str(args.ipc)
 
-    if platform.system() == "Windows":
-        try:
-            sibling_pids = [
-                pid
-                for pid in _windows_list_pipeline_helper_pids(str(args.ipc))
-                if pid and pid != os.getpid()
-            ]
-            if sibling_pids:
-                _append_helper_log(
-                    f"[helper] terminating older helper pids for ipc={args.ipc}: {','.join(str(pid) for pid in sibling_pids)}"
-                )
-                _windows_kill_pids(sibling_pids)
-                time.sleep(0.25)
-        except Exception as exc:
-            _append_helper_log(
-                f"[helper] failed to terminate older helpers: {type(exc).__name__}: {exc}"
-            )
+    lock_wait_deadline = time.time() + min(max(1.5, float(args.timeout or 0.0)), 8.0)
+    lock_wait_logged = False
+    last_killed_pid_signature = ""
+    _lock_fh = None
 
-    # Ensure single helper instance per ipc.
-    _lock_fh = _acquire_ipc_lock(str(args.ipc))
-    if _lock_fh is None:
-        _append_helper_log(
-            f"[helper] another instance already holds lock for ipc={args.ipc}; exiting"
-        )
-        return 0
+    while _lock_fh is None:
+        if platform.system() == "Windows":
+            try:
+                sibling_pids = [
+                    pid
+                    for pid in _windows_list_pipeline_helper_pids(str(args.ipc))
+                    if pid and pid != os.getpid()
+                ]
+                if sibling_pids:
+                    signature = ",".join(str(pid) for pid in sibling_pids)
+                    if signature != last_killed_pid_signature:
+                        _append_helper_log(
+                            f"[helper] terminating older helper pids for ipc={args.ipc}: {signature}"
+                        )
+                        last_killed_pid_signature = signature
+                    _windows_kill_pids(sibling_pids)
+                    time.sleep(0.35)
+            except Exception as exc:
+                _append_helper_log(
+                    f"[helper] failed to terminate older helpers: {type(exc).__name__}: {exc}"
+                )
+
+        _lock_fh = _acquire_ipc_lock(str(args.ipc))
+        if _lock_fh is not None:
+            break
+
+        if not lock_wait_logged:
+            _append_helper_log(
+                f"[helper] waiting for helper lock release ipc={args.ipc}"
+            )
+            lock_wait_logged = True
+
+        if time.time() >= lock_wait_deadline:
+            _append_helper_log(
+                f"[helper] another instance still holds lock for ipc={args.ipc}; exiting after wait"
+            )
+            return 0
+
+        time.sleep(0.20)
 
     try:
         _append_helper_log(
             f"[helper] version={MEDEIA_MPV_HELPER_VERSION} started ipc={args.ipc}"
         )
+        try:
+            _lock_fh.seek(0)
+            _lock_fh.truncate()
+            _lock_fh.write(
+                json.dumps(
+                    {
+                        "pid": os.getpid(),
+                        "version": MEDEIA_MPV_HELPER_VERSION,
+                        "ipc": str(args.ipc),
+                        "started_at": int(time.time()),
+                    },
+                    ensure_ascii=False,
+                )
+            )
+            _lock_fh.flush()
+        except Exception:
+            pass
         try:
             _append_helper_log(
                 f"[helper] file={Path(__file__).resolve()} cwd={Path.cwd().resolve()}"