From ca3f9d43520d66fcc66b961190bc59e717b15152 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Daniel Peter Chokola <dan.chokola@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2026 00:13:37 -0500
Subject: [PATCH] don't allow an empty queue; just add one random track wnever
 the queue empties

---
 music-api.py | 32 ++++++++++++++++++++------------
 1 file changed, 20 insertions(+), 12 deletions(-)

diff --git a/music-api.py b/music-api.py
index 9afa4b6..738d542 100755
--- a/music-api.py
+++ b/music-api.py
@@ -175,6 +175,12 @@ def pick_station_id_file():
         return None
     return os.path.join(STATION_ID_DIR, random.choice(files))
 
+def pick_random_track():
+    """Return a random music track (relative path) from TRACKS."""
+    if not TRACKS:
+        return None
+    return random.choice(list(TRACKS.keys()))
+
 def set_rds(text: str):
     global rds_pipe
     try:
@@ -602,6 +608,20 @@ def worker():
     global queue, shuffle_mode, repeat_mode
 
     while True:
+        with queue_lock:
+            if not queue:
+                current_track = None
+                empty = True
+            else:
+                empty = False
+
+        if empty:
+            track = pick_random_track()
+            if track:
+                print(f"[WORKER] Queue empty — adding random track: {track}")
+                with queue_lock:
+                    queue.append(track)
+                stop_flag = False
         try:
             if stop_flag:
                 with queue_lock:
@@ -632,18 +652,6 @@ def worker():
                     # No station id files; reset timer so we don't spin
                     last_station_id_time = time.time()
 
-            with queue_lock:
-                if not queue:
-                    current_track = None
-                    empty = True
-                else:
-                    empty = False
-
-            if empty:
-                write_silence(0.25)
-                time.sleep(0.5)
-                continue
-
             # Shuffle only when building the play order
             if shuffle_mode:
                 with queue_lock: