diff --git a/server/routes/playlists.js b/server/routes/playlists.js
index c418987..3419581 100644
--- a/server/routes/playlists.js
+++ b/server/routes/playlists.js
@@ -339,7 +339,28 @@ router.post('/:id/discard', requirePlaylistWrite, (req, res) => {
 
 // Delete playlist
 router.delete('/:id', requirePlaylistWrite, (req, res) => {
+  // Which screens are about to lose their playlist — read BEFORE the delete, because
+  // devices.playlist_id is ON DELETE SET NULL and the association is gone immediately after.
+  const affected = db.prepare('SELECT id FROM devices WHERE playlist_id = ?').all(req.params.id);
+
   db.prepare('DELETE FROM playlists WHERE id = ?').run(req.params.id);
+
+  // Tell them. The database detaches correctly, but nothing was emitted — so a screen kept showing
+  // the deleted playlist until it happened to reconnect or was restarted. You delete a playlist to
+  // take content off the wall; the wall carried on regardless. Every sibling mutation here already
+  // pushes (publish, assign), and DELETE /devices/:id/playlist was given a push for exactly this
+  // reason: "so the screen stops, rather than leaving the old content up".
+  try {
+    const io = req.app.get('io');
+    if (io) {
+      const { buildPlaylistPayload } = require('../ws/deviceSocket');
+      const commandQueue = require('../lib/command-queue');
+      for (const d of affected) {
+        commandQueue.queueOrEmitPlaylistUpdate(io.of('/device'), d.id, buildPlaylistPayload);
+      }
+    }
+  } catch (e) { /* best-effort; the heartbeat refresh still picks it up */ }
+
   res.json({ success: true });
 });