diff --git a/assets/audio/audiotest.wav b/assets/audio/audiotest.wav
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1a2628c3
Binary files /dev/null and b/assets/audio/audiotest.wav differ
diff --git a/src/dusk/asset/asset.c b/src/dusk/asset/asset.c
index 0ef0a6dd..e1aa2ed7 100644
--- a/src/dusk/asset/asset.c
+++ b/src/dusk/asset/asset.c
@@ -119,6 +119,15 @@ errorret_t assetRequireLoaded(assetentry_t *entry) {
   assetEntryLock(entry);
 
   while(entry->state != ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_LOADED) {
+    // A failed load transitions to ERROR, not LOADED - without this check
+    // this loop spins forever on any load failure (assetUpdate() itself
+    // still returns OK, since a single asset failing isn't meant to halt
+    // the whole update loop - see its ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_ERROR handling).
+    if(entry->state == ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_ERROR) {
+      assetEntryUnlock(entry);
+      errorThrow("Failed to load asset: %s", entry->name);
+    }
+
     usleep(1000);
     errorret_t ret = assetUpdate();
     if(errorIsNotOk(ret)) {
diff --git a/src/dusk/asset/assetdsk.c b/src/dusk/asset/assetdsk.c
index bc8fc374..b17cc9ce 100644
--- a/src/dusk/asset/assetdsk.c
+++ b/src/dusk/asset/assetdsk.c
@@ -55,6 +55,19 @@ errorret_t assetDskOpenFromPath(
   const char_t *path,
   zip_t **outCompressed,
   zip_t **outStored
+) {
+  errorChain(assetDskOpenFromPathRange(
+    path, 0, SIZE_MAX, outCompressed, outStored
+  ));
+  errorOk();
+}
+
+errorret_t assetDskOpenFromPathRange(
+  const char_t *path,
+  const size_t baseOffset,
+  const size_t baseSize,
+  zip_t **outCompressed,
+  zip_t **outStored
 ) {
   assertNotNull(path, "Path cannot be NULL.");
   assertNotNull(outCompressed, "Out compressed cannot be NULL.");
@@ -68,6 +81,11 @@ errorret_t assetDskOpenFromPath(
     errorThrow("Failed to open dusk.dsk: %s", path);
   }
 
+  if(fseek(headerFile, (long) baseOffset, SEEK_SET) != 0) {
+    fclose(headerFile);
+    errorThrow("Failed to seek to dusk.dsk range in file: %s", path);
+  }
+
   uint8_t headerBytes[ASSET_DSK_HEADER_SIZE];
   size_t headerRead = fread(headerBytes, 1, sizeof(headerBytes), headerFile);
   fclose(headerFile);
@@ -78,11 +96,21 @@ errorret_t assetDskOpenFromPath(
   assetdskheader_t header;
   errorChain(assetDskParseHeader(headerBytes, sizeof(headerBytes), &header));
 
+  if(
+    (size_t) header.compressedOffset + header.compressedSize > baseSize ||
+    (size_t) header.storedOffset + header.storedSize > baseSize
+  ) {
+    errorThrow("dusk.dsk header describes ranges beyond its containing file.");
+  }
+
   zip_error_t zipError;
   zip_error_init(&zipError);
 
   zip_source_t *compressedSource = zip_source_file_create(
-    path, header.compressedOffset, (zip_int64_t) header.compressedSize, &zipError
+    path,
+    (zip_uint64_t) (baseOffset + header.compressedOffset),
+    (zip_int64_t) header.compressedSize,
+    &zipError
   );
   if(compressedSource == NULL) {
     errorThrow(
@@ -99,7 +127,10 @@ errorret_t assetDskOpenFromPath(
   }
 
   zip_source_t *storedSource = zip_source_file_create(
-    path, header.storedOffset, (zip_int64_t) header.storedSize, &zipError
+    path,
+    (zip_uint64_t) (baseOffset + header.storedOffset),
+    (zip_int64_t) header.storedSize,
+    &zipError
   );
   if(storedSource == NULL) {
     zip_close(*outCompressed);
@@ -132,7 +163,7 @@ errorret_t assetDskOpenFromPath(
     *outCompressed = NULL;
     errorThrow("Failed to re-open dusk.dsk to verify stored checksum: %s", path);
   }
-  fseek(storedFile, (long) header.storedOffset, SEEK_SET);
+  fseek(storedFile, (long) (baseOffset + header.storedOffset), SEEK_SET);
   size_t storedRead = fread(storedBytes, 1, header.storedSize, storedFile);
   fclose(storedFile);
   if(storedRead != header.storedSize) {
diff --git a/src/dusk/asset/assetdsk.h b/src/dusk/asset/assetdsk.h
index 055a005f..345e950b 100644
--- a/src/dusk/asset/assetdsk.h
+++ b/src/dusk/asset/assetdsk.h
@@ -64,6 +64,9 @@ errorret_t assetDskParseHeader(
  * archive's checksum is intentionally not verified here since doing so
  * would require reading the bulk of the game's assets just to compute it.
  *
+ * See assetDskOpenFromPathRange() for the case where the DSK2 blob isn't
+ * the whole file (e.g. embedded inside another container).
+ *
  * @param path Filesystem path to the dusk.dsk file.
  * @param outCompressed Set to the opened compressed archive on success.
  * @param outStored Set to the opened stored archive on success.
@@ -76,6 +79,30 @@ errorret_t assetDskOpenFromPath(
   zip_t **outStored
 );
 
+/**
+ * Same as assetDskOpenFromPath(), but the DSK2 blob doesn't start at the
+ * beginning of `path` - it's a byte range embedded inside a larger
+ * container file (e.g. the PSAR region of an EBOOT.PBP). Every offset the
+ * header describes is relative to `baseOffset`; `baseSize` bounds them
+ * (the size of the embedded blob, not the whole container file) - pass
+ * SIZE_MAX to skip that check when the caller doesn't know/care.
+ *
+ * @param path Filesystem path to the container file.
+ * @param baseOffset Byte offset within `path` where the DSK2 blob starts.
+ * @param baseSize Number of bytes available at `baseOffset`.
+ * @param outCompressed Set to the opened compressed archive on success.
+ * @param outStored Set to the opened stored archive on success.
+ * @return OK on success, error if the file is missing, too short, has a
+ *         bad header, or either archive fails to open/verify.
+ */
+errorret_t assetDskOpenFromPathRange(
+  const char_t *path,
+  const size_t baseOffset,
+  const size_t baseSize,
+  zip_t **outCompressed,
+  zip_t **outStored
+);
+
 /**
  * Opens both archives of a dusk.dsk file already fully resident in memory
  * (e.g. a PSAR embedded in an EBOOT.PBP, or an ISO-embedded file already
diff --git a/src/dusk/asset/assetfile.c b/src/dusk/asset/assetfile.c
index 19adfa3d..0ecf7ac0 100644
--- a/src/dusk/asset/assetfile.c
+++ b/src/dusk/asset/assetfile.c
@@ -100,8 +100,10 @@ errorret_t assetFileRead(
     uint8_t tempBuffer[256];
     while(bytesRemaining > 0) {
       size_t chunkSize = mathMin(bytesRemaining, sizeof(tempBuffer));
+      // The recursive call below already advances file->position by
+      // chunkSize (the non-NULL branch does this itself) - do not also
+      // advance it here, or every skip ends up double-counted.
       errorChain(assetFileRead(file, tempBuffer, chunkSize));
-      file->position += chunkSize;
       bytesRemaining -= chunkSize;
     }
     file->lastRead = bufferSize;
diff --git a/src/dusk/asset/loader/CMakeLists.txt b/src/dusk/asset/loader/CMakeLists.txt
index 5edd469c..775d5951 100644
--- a/src/dusk/asset/loader/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/dusk/asset/loader/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -17,4 +17,5 @@ add_subdirectory(locale)
 add_subdirectory(json)
 add_subdirectory(chunk)
 add_subdirectory(dmf)
-add_subdirectory(cutscene)
\ No newline at end of file
+add_subdirectory(cutscene)
+add_subdirectory(wav)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/dusk/asset/loader/assetloader.c b/src/dusk/asset/loader/assetloader.c
index 1bfa92b5..689549cb 100644
--- a/src/dusk/asset/loader/assetloader.c
+++ b/src/dusk/asset/loader/assetloader.c
@@ -57,4 +57,10 @@ assetloadercallbacks_t ASSET_LOADER_CALLBACKS[ASSET_LOADER_TYPE_COUNT] = {
     .loadAsync = assetCutsceneLoaderAsync,
     .dispose = assetCutsceneDispose
   },
+
+  [ASSET_LOADER_TYPE_WAV] = {
+    .loadSync = assetWavLoaderSync,
+    .loadAsync = assetWavLoaderAsync,
+    .dispose = assetWavDispose
+  },
 };
diff --git a/src/dusk/asset/loader/assetloader.h b/src/dusk/asset/loader/assetloader.h
index fdfd3ecb..f3970529 100644
--- a/src/dusk/asset/loader/assetloader.h
+++ b/src/dusk/asset/loader/assetloader.h
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include "asset/loader/json/assetjsonloader.h"
 #include "asset/loader/chunk/assetchunkloader.h"
 #include "asset/loader/cutscene/assetcutsceneloader.h"
+#include "asset/loader/wav/assetwavloader.h"
 
 typedef enum {
   ASSET_LOADER_TYPE_NULL,
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ typedef enum {
   ASSET_LOADER_TYPE_JSON,
   ASSET_LOADER_TYPE_CHUNK,
   ASSET_LOADER_TYPE_CUTSCENE,
+  ASSET_LOADER_TYPE_WAV,
 
   ASSET_LOADER_TYPE_COUNT
 } assetloadertype_t;
@@ -39,6 +41,7 @@ typedef union {
   assetjsonloaderloading_t json;
   assetchunkloaderloading_t chunk;
   assetcutsceneloaderloading_t cutscene;
+  assetwavloaderloading_t wav;
 } assetloaderloading_t;
 
 typedef union {
@@ -50,6 +53,7 @@ typedef union {
   assetjsonoutput_t json;
   assetchunkoutput_t chunk;
   assetcutsceneoutput_t cutscene;
+  assetwavoutput_t wav;
 } assetloaderoutput_t;
 
 typedef union {
@@ -59,6 +63,7 @@ typedef union {
   assetjsonloaderinput_t json;
   assetchunkloaderinput_t chunk;
   assetcutsceneloaderinput_t cutscene;
+  assetwavloaderinput_t wav;
 } assetloaderinput_t;
 
 typedef struct assetloading_s assetloading_t;
diff --git a/src/dusk/asset/loader/wav/CMakeLists.txt b/src/dusk/asset/loader/wav/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..585adba9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dusk/asset/loader/wav/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2026 Dominic Masters
+#
+# This software is released under the MIT License.
+# https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT
+
+# Sources
+target_sources(${DUSK_LIBRARY_TARGET_NAME}
+  PUBLIC
+    assetwavloader.c
+)
diff --git a/src/dusk/asset/loader/wav/assetwavloader.c b/src/dusk/asset/loader/wav/assetwavloader.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fa32d7c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dusk/asset/loader/wav/assetwavloader.c
@@ -0,0 +1,181 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2026 Dominic Masters
+ *
+ * This software is released under the MIT License.
+ * https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT
+ */
+
+#include "assetwavloader.h"
+#include "util/memory.h"
+#include "util/endian.h"
+#include "assert/assert.h"
+#include "asset/loader/assetloading.h"
+#include "asset/loader/assetentry.h"
+
+// "RIFF" + chunkSize + "WAVE", before any sub-chunks begin.
+#define ASSET_WAV_RIFF_HEADER_SIZE 12
+
+// A sub-chunk header is a 4-byte id followed by a 4-byte little-endian size.
+#define ASSET_WAV_CHUNK_HEADER_SIZE 8
+
+#define ASSET_WAV_FMT_CHUNK_SIZE_MIN 16
+// Sane upper bound for a stack buffer - real fmt chunks (PCM or otherwise)
+// never come close to this; anything bigger is treated as malformed.
+#define ASSET_WAV_FMT_CHUNK_SIZE_MAX 64
+
+errorret_t assetWavLoaderAsync(assetloading_t *loading) {
+  assertNotNull(loading, "Loading cannot be NULL");
+  assertNotMainThread("Async loader should not be on main thread.");
+
+  if(loading->loading.wav.state != ASSET_WAV_LOADER_STATE_READ_HEADER) {
+    errorOk();
+  }
+
+  assetwavfile_t *wavFile = &loading->entry->data.wav;
+  memoryZero(wavFile, sizeof(assetwavfile_t));
+
+  assetfile_t file;
+  assetLoaderErrorChain(loading, assetFileInit(
+    &file, loading->entry->name, NULL, NULL
+  ));
+  assetLoaderErrorChain(loading, assetFileOpen(&file));
+  assetLoaderErrorChain(loading, assetWavParseHeader(&file, wavFile));
+  assetLoaderErrorChain(loading, assetFileClose(&file));
+  assetLoaderErrorChain(loading, assetFileDispose(&file));
+
+  loading->loading.wav.state = ASSET_WAV_LOADER_STATE_DONE;
+  loading->entry->state = ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_PENDING_SYNC;
+  errorOk();
+}
+
+errorret_t assetWavLoaderSync(assetloading_t *loading) {
+  assertNotNull(loading, "Loading cannot be NULL");
+  assertTrue(loading->type == ASSET_LOADER_TYPE_WAV, "Invalid type.");
+  assertIsMainThread("Must be called from the main thread.");
+
+  switch(loading->loading.wav.state) {
+    case ASSET_WAV_LOADER_STATE_INITIAL:
+      loading->loading.wav.state = ASSET_WAV_LOADER_STATE_READ_HEADER;
+      loading->entry->state = ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_PENDING_ASYNC;
+      errorOk();
+      break;
+
+    case ASSET_WAV_LOADER_STATE_DONE:
+      break;
+
+    default:
+      errorOk();
+  }
+
+  loading->entry->state = ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_LOADED;
+  errorOk();
+}
+
+errorret_t assetWavDispose(assetentry_t *entry) {
+  assertNotNull(entry, "Asset entry cannot be NULL");
+  assertTrue(entry->type == ASSET_LOADER_TYPE_WAV, "Invalid type.");
+  assertIsMainThread("Must be called from the main thread.");
+
+  errorOk();
+}
+
+errorret_t assetWavParseHeader(
+  assetfile_t *file,
+  assetwavfile_t *wavFile
+) {
+  assertNotNull(file, "Asset file cannot be NULL.");
+  assertNotNull(wavFile, "Wav file cannot be NULL.");
+
+  uint8_t riffHeader[ASSET_WAV_RIFF_HEADER_SIZE];
+  errorChain(assetFileRead(file, riffHeader, sizeof(riffHeader)));
+
+  if(memoryCompare(riffHeader, "RIFF", 4) != 0) {
+    errorThrow("WAV file has an invalid RIFF header: %s", file->filename);
+  }
+  if(memoryCompare(riffHeader + 8, "WAVE", 4) != 0) {
+    errorThrow("WAV file has an invalid WAVE header: %s", file->filename);
+  }
+
+  bool_t foundFormat = false;
+  bool_t foundData = false;
+  uint16_t audioFormat = 0;
+
+  // Walk the chunk list, reading only chunk headers (and the small "fmt "
+  // body) - every other chunk, "data"'s sample bytes included, is skipped
+  // via a NULL-buffer read rather than buffered into memory. Stops as soon
+  // as "data" is found; nothing after it matters here.
+  while(!foundData && (size_t) file->position < (size_t) file->size) {
+    uint8_t chunkHeader[ASSET_WAV_CHUNK_HEADER_SIZE];
+    errorChain(assetFileRead(file, chunkHeader, sizeof(chunkHeader)));
+
+    uint32_t chunkSizeLE;
+    memoryCopy(&chunkSizeLE, chunkHeader + 4, sizeof(chunkSizeLE));
+    const uint32_t chunkSize = endianLittleToHost32(chunkSizeLE);
+
+    // Chunks are padded to an even total size - the pad byte (if any)
+    // isn't included in chunkSize but still needs to be skipped over.
+    const uint32_t chunkSizePadded = chunkSize + (chunkSize % 2);
+
+    if(memoryCompare(chunkHeader, "fmt ", 4) == 0) {
+      if(
+        chunkSize < ASSET_WAV_FMT_CHUNK_SIZE_MIN ||
+        chunkSize > ASSET_WAV_FMT_CHUNK_SIZE_MAX
+      ) {
+        errorThrow("WAV 'fmt ' chunk has an unsupported size: %u", chunkSize);
+      }
+
+      uint8_t fmtBuffer[ASSET_WAV_FMT_CHUNK_SIZE_MAX];
+      errorChain(assetFileRead(file, fmtBuffer, chunkSize));
+      if(chunkSize % 2 != 0) {
+        errorChain(assetFileRead(file, NULL, 1));
+      }
+
+      uint16_t u16;
+      uint32_t u32;
+
+      memoryCopy(&u16, fmtBuffer + 0, sizeof(u16));
+      audioFormat = endianLittleToHost16(u16);
+
+      memoryCopy(&u16, fmtBuffer + 2, sizeof(u16));
+      wavFile->channels = (uint8_t) endianLittleToHost16(u16);
+
+      memoryCopy(&u32, fmtBuffer + 4, sizeof(u32));
+      wavFile->sampleRate = endianLittleToHost32(u32);
+
+      memoryCopy(&u16, fmtBuffer + 14, sizeof(u16));
+      wavFile->bitsPerSample = (uint8_t) endianLittleToHost16(u16);
+
+      foundFormat = true;
+    } else if(memoryCompare(chunkHeader, "data", 4) == 0) {
+      wavFile->dataOffset = (size_t) file->position;
+      wavFile->dataSize = chunkSize;
+      foundData = true;
+    } else {
+      errorChain(assetFileRead(file, NULL, chunkSizePadded));
+    }
+  }
+
+  if(!foundFormat) {
+    errorThrow("WAV file is missing its 'fmt ' chunk: %s", file->filename);
+  }
+  if(!foundData) {
+    errorThrow("WAV file is missing its 'data' chunk: %s", file->filename);
+  }
+  if(audioFormat != 1) {
+    errorThrow(
+      "Unsupported WAV audio format: %u (only PCM is supported): %s",
+      audioFormat, file->filename
+    );
+  }
+  if(wavFile->bitsPerSample != 16 && wavFile->bitsPerSample != 24) {
+    errorThrow(
+      "Unsupported WAV bits per sample: %u (only 16/24-bit is supported): %s",
+      wavFile->bitsPerSample, file->filename
+    );
+  }
+  if(wavFile->channels == 0) {
+    errorThrow("WAV file declares 0 channels: %s", file->filename);
+  }
+
+  errorOk();
+}
diff --git a/src/dusk/asset/loader/wav/assetwavloader.h b/src/dusk/asset/loader/wav/assetwavloader.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..35002d4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dusk/asset/loader/wav/assetwavloader.h
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2026 Dominic Masters
+ *
+ * This software is released under the MIT License.
+ * https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+#include "asset/assetfile.h"
+
+typedef struct assetloading_s assetloading_t;
+typedef struct assetentry_s assetentry_t;
+
+/** Input passed to the wav loader - currently unused. */
+typedef struct { void *nothing; } assetwavloaderinput_t;
+
+typedef enum {
+  ASSET_WAV_LOADER_STATE_INITIAL,
+  ASSET_WAV_LOADER_STATE_READ_HEADER,
+  ASSET_WAV_LOADER_STATE_DONE
+} assetwavloaderstate_t;
+
+/** Per-slot scratch data used while the wav file is loading. */
+typedef struct {
+  assetwavloaderstate_t state;
+} assetwavloaderloading_t;
+
+/**
+ * Parsed metadata for a WAV asset - only the RIFF/WAVE/fmt/data chunk
+ * headers are ever read; the PCM sample data itself is never loaded here
+ * (see @ref assetWavParseHeader). Playback reads sample data directly
+ * from the archive on demand instead - see audiostreampcm.h.
+ */
+typedef struct {
+  /** Sample rate of the PCM data, in Hz. */
+  uint32_t sampleRate;
+
+  /** Number of interleaved channels in the PCM data. */
+  uint8_t channels;
+
+  /**
+   * Bits per sample of the *source* file data - 16 or 24 (see
+   * assetWavParseHeader). Playback always reads 16-bit samples out via
+   * audioStreamPcmRead() regardless of this - a 24-bit source is
+   * truncated to 16-bit there, since none of this project's audio
+   * backends (PSP/Dolphin hardware, SDL2 on Linux) accept anything wider.
+   */
+  uint8_t bitsPerSample;
+
+  /** Byte offset from the start of the file to the first PCM sample. */
+  size_t dataOffset;
+
+  /** Size of the PCM data, in bytes. */
+  size_t dataSize;
+} assetwavfile_t;
+
+/** Convenience alias - the loaded output type of a wav asset entry. */
+typedef assetwavfile_t assetwavoutput_t;
+
+/**
+ * Asynchronous loader callback. Opens the WAV file and reads just enough of
+ * it to locate and parse the `fmt ` chunk and locate (not read) the `data`
+ * chunk - see @ref assetWavParseHeader. All I/O happens here so the main
+ * thread is not blocked. Sets entry state to `ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_PENDING_SYNC`
+ * on success or `ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_ERROR` on failure.
+ *
+ * @param loading The loading slot for this asset entry.
+ * @return OK on success, error otherwise.
+ */
+errorret_t assetWavLoaderAsync(assetloading_t *loading);
+
+/**
+ * Synchronous loader callback. Confirms the async phase completed and marks
+ * the entry as `ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_LOADED`.
+ *
+ * @param loading The loading slot for this asset entry.
+ * @return OK on success, error otherwise.
+ */
+errorret_t assetWavLoaderSync(assetloading_t *loading);
+
+/**
+ * Dispose callback. The wav asset owns no allocations of its own (its data
+ * chunk is read directly from the archive by whichever streams are playing
+ * it, each through their own handle - see audiostreampcm.h), so this is
+ * currently a no-op beyond the standard asserts.
+ *
+ * @param entry The asset entry to dispose.
+ * @return OK on success, error otherwise.
+ */
+errorret_t assetWavDispose(assetentry_t *entry);
+
+/**
+ * Parses a RIFF/WAVE file's chunk structure from an already-open asset
+ * file, reading only chunk headers (and the small `fmt ` chunk body) -
+ * every other chunk, including `data`'s actual sample bytes, is skipped
+ * over via `assetFileRead(file, NULL, size)` rather than read into memory,
+ * so this never buffers the (potentially large) PCM payload.
+ *
+ * Stops as soon as the `data` chunk header is found, recording its file
+ * offset and declared size in `wavFile` without reading any of its bytes -
+ * the file is left positioned at the start of the PCM data.
+ *
+ * Only PCM (audio format 1), 16- or 24-bit-per-sample WAV data is
+ * supported - see audiostreampcm.h's audioStreamPcmRead() for how a
+ * 24-bit source gets truncated to the 16-bit output every platform
+ * backend expects. Requires the `fmt ` chunk to appear before `data`, per
+ * the WAV spec's recommended ordering.
+ *
+ * @param file An open asset file, positioned at the start of the WAV data.
+ * @param wavFile Struct whose fields will be filled in.
+ * @return OK on success, error if the file is malformed or an unsupported
+ *         format.
+ */
+errorret_t assetWavParseHeader(
+  assetfile_t *file,
+  assetwavfile_t *wavFile
+);
diff --git a/src/dusk/audio/audio.c b/src/dusk/audio/audio.c
index 65ba62c2..586d916f 100644
--- a/src/dusk/audio/audio.c
+++ b/src/dusk/audio/audio.c
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 #include "audio.h"
 #include "util/memory.h"
+#include "assert/assert.h"
 
 audio_t AUDIO;
 
@@ -18,7 +19,17 @@ errorret_t audioInit() {
   errorOk();
 }
 
-audiostream_t * audioAquireStream() {
+audiostream_t * audioAquireStream(assetentry_t *asset) {
+  assertNotNull(asset, "Asset cannot be NULL.");
+  // Same check audioStreamInit() makes - see its own comment on why this
+  // is an assert (a programmer error, not untrusted data). Checking here
+  // too catches the mistake as early as possible, before any stream slot
+  // is handed out for it.
+  assertTrue(
+    asset->type == ASSET_LOADER_TYPE_WAV,
+    "Unsupported asset type for an audio stream."
+  );
+
   for(uint8_t i = 0; i < AUDIO_STREAMS_MAX; i++) {
     audiostream_t *stream = &AUDIO.streams[i];
     if(stream->type == AUDIO_STREAM_TYPE_NULL) {
diff --git a/src/dusk/audio/audio.h b/src/dusk/audio/audio.h
index 237f8c30..def8bd4f 100644
--- a/src/dusk/audio/audio.h
+++ b/src/dusk/audio/audio.h
@@ -36,12 +36,18 @@ extern audio_t AUDIO;
 errorret_t audioInit();
 
 /**
- * Aquires an available audio stream, can return NULL if there is no available 
- * stream.
- * 
- * @return Pointer to an available audio stream.
+ * Aquires an available audio stream for playing the given asset. Can return
+ * NULL if there is no available stream slot.
+ *
+ * The returned stream is not yet configured to play `asset` - call
+ * audioStreamInit(stream, asset) next.
+ *
+ * @param asset The asset the caller intends to play - validated eagerly so
+ *              an unsupported asset type is caught here rather than only
+ *              once audioStreamInit() is called.
+ * @return Pointer to an available audio stream, or NULL if none are free.
  */
-audiostream_t * audioAquireStream();
+audiostream_t * audioAquireStream(assetentry_t *asset);
 
 /**
  * Updates the audio subsystem, updating every active stream. Should be
diff --git a/src/dusk/audio/audiostream.c b/src/dusk/audio/audiostream.c
index bf3afc8a..ae72ce12 100644
--- a/src/dusk/audio/audiostream.c
+++ b/src/dusk/audio/audiostream.c
@@ -8,12 +8,23 @@
 #include "audiostream.h"
 #include "assert/assert.h"
 
-errorret_t audioStreamInit(audiostream_t *stream) {
+errorret_t audioStreamInit(audiostream_t *stream, assetentry_t *asset) {
   assertNotNull(stream, "Stream cannot be NULL.");
+  assertNotNull(asset, "Asset cannot be NULL.");
+  assertTrue(
+    asset->state == ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_LOADED,
+    "Asset must be loaded before it can back an audio stream."
+  );
+  // Only WAV (-> PCM) assets can back an audio stream today - a caller
+  // passing the wrong kind of asset entry is a programmer error, not
+  // something that can happen from untrusted data, so this is an assert
+  // rather than an errorThrow (see feedback_assert_vs_error convention).
+  assertTrue(
+    asset->type == ASSET_LOADER_TYPE_WAV,
+    "Unsupported asset type for an audio stream."
+  );
 
   stream->state = 0;
-  stream->data = NULL;
-  stream->dataSize = 0;
   stream->volume = 0xFF;
   stream->directionality = AUDIO_STREAM_CENTER;
   stream->loopStart = -1;
@@ -27,8 +38,20 @@ errorret_t audioStreamInit(audiostream_t *stream) {
   stream->loopCount = 0;
   stream->lastLoopCount = 0;
 
-  // Type-specific setup (audioStreamPcmInit() / audioStreamMp3Init()) sets
-  // stream->type and asks the platform implementation to set up its state.
+  // Locked for as long as the stream is in use (see audiostream_t.asset's
+  // own comment) - released in audioStreamDispose().
+  stream->asset = asset;
+  assetEntryLock(asset);
+
+  // Type-specific setup (audioStreamPcmInit() / audioStreamMp3Init(), once
+  // MP3 exists) determines stream->type and asks the platform
+  // implementation to set up its state.
+  errorret_t ret = audioStreamPcmInit(stream);
+  if(errorIsNotOk(ret)) {
+    assetEntryUnlock(asset);
+    stream->asset = NULL;
+    errorChain(ret);
+  }
 
   errorOk();
 }
@@ -192,6 +215,15 @@ errorret_t audioStreamDispose(audiostream_t *stream) {
     errorChain(audioStreamPlatformDispose(stream));
   }
 
+  if(stream->type == AUDIO_STREAM_TYPE_PCM) {
+    errorChain(audioStreamPcmDispose(stream));
+  }
+
+  if(stream->asset != NULL) {
+    assetEntryUnlock(stream->asset);
+    stream->asset = NULL;
+  }
+
   stream->type = AUDIO_STREAM_TYPE_NULL;
 
   errorOk();
diff --git a/src/dusk/audio/audiostream.h b/src/dusk/audio/audiostream.h
index 9b456f1c..b4b06ef7 100644
--- a/src/dusk/audio/audiostream.h
+++ b/src/dusk/audio/audiostream.h
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include "audio/audiostreampcm.h"
 #include "audio/audiostreammp3.h"
 #include "audio/audiostreamplatform.h"
+#include "asset/loader/assetentry.h"
 
 #ifndef audioStreamPlatformInit
   #error "audioStreamPlatformInit is not defined"
@@ -50,11 +51,14 @@ typedef struct audiostream_s {
   // What state the stream is in.
   uint8_t state;
 
-  // Raw PCM Data, already decoded. Not owned by the stream.
-  uint8_t *data;
-
-  // Size of the buffer pointed to by data, in bytes.
-  size_t dataSize;
+  // The asset backing this stream's data (e.g. a WAV file) - determines
+  // `type` (see audioStreamInit()) and is read from on demand by the
+  // type-specific module (e.g. audiostreampcm.h) rather than ever being
+  // fully decoded into memory up front. The stream holds its own lock on
+  // this entry (assetEntryLock()/assetEntryUnlock()) for as long as it's
+  // in use, independent of whatever lock(s) the caller that requested
+  // playback may also be holding.
+  assetentry_t *asset;
 
   // Loudness. Can only be 0 to 0xFF
   uint8_t volume;
@@ -127,15 +131,22 @@ typedef struct audiostream_s {
 } audiostream_t;
 
 /**
- * Initializes an audio stream in preparation for playback. Does not begin
- * playback; call audioStreamPlay() once the stream is configured (see
- * audioStreamPcmInit() / audioStreamMp3Init() for the type-specific setup
- * this must be followed by).
+ * Initializes an audio stream to play the given asset, determining the
+ * stream's type from the asset's loader type (e.g. a WAV asset becomes an
+ * AUDIO_STREAM_TYPE_PCM stream) and dispatching to that type's own setup
+ * (e.g. audioStreamPcmInit()). Does not begin playback; call
+ * audioStreamPlay() once this returns.
+ *
+ * The stream takes its own lock on `asset` (see audiostream_t.asset's own
+ * comment), released by audioStreamDispose() - the asset must already be
+ * loaded (ASSET_ENTRY_STATE_LOADED) when this is called.
  *
  * @param stream The audio stream to initialize.
+ * @param asset The loaded asset to play - its type must be one this
+ *              function supports (currently only ASSET_LOADER_TYPE_WAV).
  * @return Error indicating success or failure.
  */
-errorret_t audioStreamInit(audiostream_t *stream);
+errorret_t audioStreamInit(audiostream_t *stream, assetentry_t *asset);
 
 /**
  * Begins or resumes playback of the given audio stream.
@@ -218,10 +229,10 @@ void audioStreamSetDirectionality(
 );
 
 /**
- * Sets whether the given audio stream loops back to the start when it
- * reaches the end, rather than stopping and firing onEnd. Only looping
- * back to the very start of the buffer is currently supported - loopTo is
- * not yet honored.
+ * Sets whether the given audio stream loops back to loopTo (or the start
+ * of the buffer, by default - see audioStreamSetLoopPoints()) when it
+ * reaches loopStart (or the end of the buffer), rather than stopping and
+ * firing onEnd.
  *
  * @param stream The audio stream to update.
  * @param looping Whether the stream should loop.
diff --git a/src/dusk/audio/audiostreampcm.c b/src/dusk/audio/audiostreampcm.c
index 26a915ee..9eb29ea8 100644
--- a/src/dusk/audio/audiostreampcm.c
+++ b/src/dusk/audio/audiostreampcm.c
@@ -8,29 +8,162 @@
 #include "audiostreampcm.h"
 #include "audiostream.h"
 #include "assert/assert.h"
+#include "util/math.h"
+#include "util/memory.h"
 
-errorret_t audioStreamPcmInit(
-  audiostream_t *stream,
-  uint8_t *data,
-  const size_t dataSize,
-  const uint32_t sampleRate,
-  const uint8_t channels
-) {
+errorret_t audioStreamPcmInit(audiostream_t *stream) {
   assertNotNull(stream, "Stream cannot be NULL.");
-  assertNotNull(data, "Data cannot be NULL.");
+  assertNotNull(stream->asset, "Stream must have an asset assigned.");
+  assertTrue(
+    stream->asset->type == ASSET_LOADER_TYPE_WAV,
+    "Asset is not a WAV file."
+  );
+
+  assetwavfile_t *wav = &stream->asset->data.wav;
 
   stream->type = AUDIO_STREAM_TYPE_PCM;
-  stream->data = data;
-  stream->dataSize = dataSize;
-  stream->pcm.sampleRate = sampleRate;
-  stream->pcm.channels = channels;
+  stream->pcm.sampleRate = wav->sampleRate;
+  stream->pcm.channels = wav->channels;
   stream->duration = (
-    (float_t) dataSize /
-    (float_t) (channels * sizeof(int16_t)) /
-    (float_t) sampleRate
+    (float_t) audioStreamPcmGetTotalFrames(stream) /
+    (float_t) wav->sampleRate
   );
 
+  // Each stream opens its own independent handle to the same underlying
+  // asset file, rather than sharing a single handle on the asset entry -
+  // multiple streams playing the same asset concurrently (e.g. two
+  // simultaneous plays of the same sound effect) would otherwise fight
+  // over one shared read position. This isn't the final answer for that
+  // (a shared decode/cache layer would scale better than N independent
+  // decompression streams of the same data), but it's a correct one for
+  // now - a problem to revisit once it actually matters.
+  errorChain(assetFileInit(
+    &stream->pcm.file, stream->asset->name, NULL, NULL
+  ));
+  errorChain(assetFileOpen(&stream->pcm.file));
+  errorChain(assetFileRead(&stream->pcm.file, NULL, wav->dataOffset));
+
   errorChain(audioStreamPlatformInit(stream));
 
   errorOk();
 }
+
+errorret_t audioStreamPcmDispose(audiostream_t *stream) {
+  assertNotNull(stream, "Stream cannot be NULL.");
+  assertTrue(stream->type == AUDIO_STREAM_TYPE_PCM, "Stream is not PCM.");
+
+  errorChain(assetFileClose(&stream->pcm.file));
+  errorChain(assetFileDispose(&stream->pcm.file));
+
+  errorOk();
+}
+
+size_t audioStreamPcmGetTotalFrames(const audiostream_t *stream) {
+  assertNotNull(stream, "Stream cannot be NULL.");
+  assertTrue(stream->type == AUDIO_STREAM_TYPE_PCM, "Stream is not PCM.");
+
+  const assetwavfile_t *wav = &stream->asset->data.wav;
+  const size_t sourceFrameSize = (
+    stream->pcm.channels * (wav->bitsPerSample / 8)
+  );
+  return wav->dataSize / sourceFrameSize;
+}
+
+errorret_t audioStreamPcmSeek(audiostream_t *stream, const size_t frame) {
+  assertNotNull(stream, "Stream cannot be NULL.");
+  assertTrue(stream->type == AUDIO_STREAM_TYPE_PCM, "Stream is not PCM.");
+
+  assetwavfile_t *wav = &stream->asset->data.wav;
+  const size_t sourceFrameSize = (
+    stream->pcm.channels * (wav->bitsPerSample / 8)
+  );
+  const size_t targetByte = wav->dataOffset + (frame * sourceFrameSize);
+
+  assertTrue(
+    frame * sourceFrameSize <= wav->dataSize,
+    "Seek frame is beyond the end of the PCM data."
+  );
+
+  const size_t currentByte = (size_t) stream->pcm.file.position;
+  if(targetByte < currentByte) {
+    // Only a full rewind can move a read cursor earlier once it's already
+    // advanced past a point - a compressed archive entry can't be decoded
+    // backward. See this function's own doc comment for the performance
+    // implications of a deep loopTo.
+    errorChain(assetFileRewind(&stream->pcm.file));
+    errorChain(assetFileRead(&stream->pcm.file, NULL, targetByte));
+  } else if(targetByte > currentByte) {
+    errorChain(assetFileRead(
+      &stream->pcm.file, NULL, targetByte - currentByte
+    ));
+  }
+
+  errorOk();
+}
+
+errorret_t audioStreamPcmRead(
+  audiostream_t *stream,
+  int16_t *buffer,
+  const size_t frameCount,
+  size_t *outFramesRead
+) {
+  assertNotNull(stream, "Stream cannot be NULL.");
+  assertNotNull(buffer, "Buffer cannot be NULL.");
+  assertNotNull(outFramesRead, "outFramesRead cannot be NULL.");
+  assertTrue(stream->type == AUDIO_STREAM_TYPE_PCM, "Stream is not PCM.");
+
+  assetwavfile_t *wav = &stream->asset->data.wav;
+  const size_t channels = stream->pcm.channels;
+  const size_t sourceSampleBytes = wav->bitsPerSample / 8;
+  const size_t sourceFrameSize = channels * sourceSampleBytes;
+  const size_t dataEndByte = wav->dataOffset + wav->dataSize;
+  const size_t currentByte = (size_t) stream->pcm.file.position;
+
+  const size_t bytesAvailable = (
+    currentByte < dataEndByte ? dataEndByte - currentByte : 0
+  );
+  const size_t framesAvailable = bytesAvailable / sourceFrameSize;
+  const size_t framesToRead = mathMin(frameCount, framesAvailable);
+
+  if(framesToRead == 0) {
+    *outFramesRead = 0;
+    errorOk();
+  }
+
+  if(sourceSampleBytes == sizeof(int16_t)) {
+    // Output format already matches the source - read straight through.
+    errorChain(assetFileRead(
+      &stream->pcm.file, buffer, framesToRead * sourceFrameSize
+    ));
+  } else {
+    // 24-bit source (the only other width assetWavParseHeader() accepts) -
+    // read the raw 3-byte samples into a scratch buffer, then truncate
+    // each down to 16-bit, since none of PSP/Dolphin's audio hardware (or
+    // SDL2 on Linux) accepts anything wider - see assetwavfile_t's own
+    // comment on bitsPerSample.
+    assertTrue(sourceSampleBytes == 3, "Unsupported PCM sample width.");
+
+    const size_t rawBytes = framesToRead * sourceFrameSize;
+    uint8_t *raw = memoryAllocate(rawBytes);
+    errorret_t ret = assetFileRead(&stream->pcm.file, raw, rawBytes);
+    if(errorIsNotOk(ret)) {
+      memoryFree(raw);
+      errorChain(ret);
+    }
+
+    // 24-bit PCM samples are little-endian two's complement - the top two
+    // bytes of each (indices 1 and 2) already form that same value
+    // truncated to 16-bit (equivalent to an arithmetic right-shift by 8
+    // bits, which preserves the sign correctly since byte 2 carries it).
+    const size_t sampleCount = framesToRead * channels;
+    for(size_t i = 0; i < sampleCount; i++) {
+      const uint8_t *sample = raw + (i * 3);
+      buffer[i] = (int16_t) (sample[1] | (sample[2] << 8));
+    }
+
+    memoryFree(raw);
+  }
+
+  *outFramesRead = framesToRead;
+  errorOk();
+}
diff --git a/src/dusk/audio/audiostreampcm.h b/src/dusk/audio/audiostreampcm.h
index 457fa084..56f13cf3 100644
--- a/src/dusk/audio/audiostreampcm.h
+++ b/src/dusk/audio/audiostreampcm.h
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 #pragma once
 #include "error/error.h"
+#include "asset/assetfile.h"
 
 typedef struct audiostream_s audiostream_t;
 
@@ -16,25 +17,89 @@ typedef struct {
 
   // Number of interleaved channels in the stream's data.
   uint8_t channels;
+
+  // This stream's own private handle into its asset's underlying file -
+  // deliberately not shared with any other stream reading the same asset
+  // (see audioStreamPcmInit's own comment for why). Its read cursor is
+  // what audioStreamPcmRead()/audioStreamPcmSeek() operate on.
+  assetfile_t file;
 } audiostreampcm_t;
 
 /**
- * Configures the given audio stream to play raw, already-decoded 16-bit
- * signed PCM data. Must be called after audioStreamInit() and before
- * audioStreamPlay().
+ * Configures the given PCM audio stream from its already-assigned asset
+ * (see audiostream_t.asset - set by audioStreamInit(), which is what
+ * should be calling this, not application code directly) rather than
+ * taking raw decoded data: sampleRate/channels/duration are read from the
+ * asset's parsed WAV header, and a private file handle is opened for
+ * reading sample data on demand as playback consumes it (see
+ * audioStreamPcmRead()) - the PCM data itself is never read into memory
+ * all at once, so this works the same regardless of how long the
+ * underlying clip is.
+ *
+ * Must be called after stream->asset is set and before audioStreamPlay().
  *
  * @param stream The audio stream to configure.
- * @param data The raw PCM data to play. Not copied; must remain valid for as
- *             long as the stream is playing it.
- * @param dataSize The size of data, in bytes.
- * @param sampleRate The sample rate of data, in Hz.
- * @param channels The number of interleaved channels in data.
  * @return Error indicating success or failure.
  */
-errorret_t audioStreamPcmInit(
+errorret_t audioStreamPcmInit(audiostream_t *stream);
+
+/**
+ * Disposes the given PCM audio stream's own private file handle.
+ *
+ * @param stream The audio stream to dispose.
+ * @return Error indicating success or failure.
+ */
+errorret_t audioStreamPcmDispose(audiostream_t *stream);
+
+/**
+ * Returns the total number of frames (one sample per channel) available
+ * in the stream's underlying PCM data - NOT simply the asset's declared
+ * byte size divided by a 16-bit frame size, since the source data isn't
+ * always 16-bit even though audioStreamPcmRead() always produces 16-bit
+ * output (see assetwavfile_t.bitsPerSample). Platform backends should use
+ * this rather than computing frame counts from dataSize themselves.
+ *
+ * @param stream The audio stream to query. Must be AUDIO_STREAM_TYPE_PCM.
+ * @return The total number of frames available.
+ */
+size_t audioStreamPcmGetTotalFrames(const audiostream_t *stream);
+
+/**
+ * Seeks the stream's private read cursor to the given frame offset
+ * (relative to the start of the PCM data - the same units as
+ * audiostream_t's startFrame/loopStart/loopTo, once converted from
+ * seconds). Seeking backward re-reads from the start of the underlying
+ * asset file (see assetFileRewind()) since a compressed archive entry can
+ * only be decoded forward - this makes a loop with a deep loopTo more
+ * expensive to restart than one near the start, which is a real
+ * performance caveat, not just a theoretical one, for anything backed by
+ * a compressed (not stored) asset archive entry.
+ *
+ * @param stream The audio stream to seek. Must be AUDIO_STREAM_TYPE_PCM.
+ * @param frame Frame offset to seek to, relative to the start of the PCM
+ *              data.
+ * @return Error indicating success or failure.
+ */
+errorret_t audioStreamPcmSeek(audiostream_t *stream, const size_t frame);
+
+/**
+ * Reads up to frameCount frames of PCM sample data from the stream's
+ * current read position, advancing it by however many frames were
+ * actually read. Reads fewer than frameCount (down to zero) once the
+ * underlying asset's PCM data is exhausted, rather than erroring - it's
+ * up to the caller (platform code, which already knows about loop points)
+ * to request no more than what it wants read from within the current
+ * loop segment or the true end of the clip.
+ *
+ * @param stream The audio stream to read from. Must be AUDIO_STREAM_TYPE_PCM.
+ * @param buffer Destination buffer, sized for at least frameCount frames.
+ * @param frameCount Maximum number of frames to read.
+ * @param outFramesRead Set to the number of frames actually read.
+ * @return Error indicating success or failure.
+ */
+errorret_t audioStreamPcmRead(
   audiostream_t *stream,
-  uint8_t *data,
-  const size_t dataSize,
-  const uint32_t sampleRate,
-  const uint8_t channels
+  int16_t *buffer,
+  const size_t frameCount,
+  size_t *outFramesRead
 );
diff --git a/src/dusk/engine/engine.c b/src/dusk/engine/engine.c
index 3b7f9b69..4976cdab 100644
--- a/src/dusk/engine/engine.c
+++ b/src/dusk/engine/engine.c
@@ -23,23 +23,9 @@
 #include "console/console.h"
 #include "save/save.h"
 #include "audio/audio.h"
-#include "util/math.h"
-#include <math.h>
 
 engine_t ENGINE;
 
-// 44100Hz: PSP's sceAudioChReserve hardware channels are fixed at this rate.
-#define AUDIO_TEST_TONE_SAMPLE_RATE 44100
-// 441Hz (not 440): divides 44100Hz evenly into exactly 100 samples/cycle,
-// so a whole-second buffer's last sample exactly matches its first -
-// a seamless loop point with no source-data discontinuity to click on.
-#define AUDIO_TEST_TONE_FREQUENCY 441
-#define AUDIO_TEST_TONE_SAMPLES AUDIO_TEST_TONE_SAMPLE_RATE
-#define AUDIO_TEST_TONE_SIZE (AUDIO_TEST_TONE_SAMPLES * sizeof(int16_t))
-
-// 1 second, 16-bit signed mono PCM sine wave, used to smoke-test playback.
-static uint8_t AUDIO_TEST_TONE[AUDIO_TEST_TONE_SIZE];
-
 void engineTestToneOnEnd(audiostream_t *stream) {
   consolePrint("Test tone finished playing");
 }
@@ -73,20 +59,20 @@ errorret_t engineInit(const int32_t argc, const char_t **argv) {
   #endif
   errorChain(sceneInit());
 
-  int16_t *toneSamples = (int16_t *) AUDIO_TEST_TONE;
-  for(uint32_t i = 0; i < AUDIO_TEST_TONE_SAMPLES; i++) {
-    float_t t = (float_t) i / AUDIO_TEST_TONE_SAMPLE_RATE;
-    toneSamples[i] = (int16_t) (
-      sinf(2.0f * MATH_PI * AUDIO_TEST_TONE_FREQUENCY * t) * INT16_MAX
-    );
-  }
+  // Smoke-tests the audio subsystem end to end (asset loading -> PCM
+  // streaming -> platform playback) against a real WAV asset rather than
+  // synthesizing PCM data at runtime.
+  assetentry_t *testToneEntry = assetLock(
+    "audio/pepsiman.wav", ASSET_LOADER_TYPE_WAV, NULL
+    // "audio/audiotest.wav", ASSET_LOADER_TYPE_WAV, NULL
+  );
+  errorChain(assetRequireLoaded(testToneEntry));
+
+  audiostream_t *stream = audioAquireStream(testToneEntry);
+  assertNotNull(stream, "No free audio stream slots available.");
+  errorChain(audioStreamInit(stream, testToneEntry));
+  assetUnlockEntry(testToneEntry); // The stream now holds its own lock.
 
-  audiostream_t *stream = audioAquireStream();
-  errorChain(audioStreamInit(stream));
-  errorChain(audioStreamPcmInit(
-    stream, AUDIO_TEST_TONE, AUDIO_TEST_TONE_SIZE,
-    AUDIO_TEST_TONE_SAMPLE_RATE, 1
-  ));
   stream->onEnd = engineTestToneOnEnd;
   stream->onLoop = engineTestToneOnLoop;
   audioStreamSetLooping(stream, true);
diff --git a/src/duskdolphin/audio/audiostreamdolphin.c b/src/duskdolphin/audio/audiostreamdolphin.c
index 568676d3..10fe14d1 100644
--- a/src/duskdolphin/audio/audiostreamdolphin.c
+++ b/src/duskdolphin/audio/audiostreamdolphin.c
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include "audio/audiostream.h"
 #include "assert/assert.h"
 #include "util/memory.h"
+#include "util/math.h"
 #include <ansndlib.h>
 #include <ogc/cache.h>
 #include <ogc/system.h>
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ errorret_t audioStreamDolphinInit(audiostream_t *stream) {
 
   stream->platform.voiceId = voiceId;
   stream->platform.finished = false;
+  stream->platform.buffer = NULL;
 
   errorOk();
 }
@@ -34,6 +36,11 @@ errorret_t audioStreamDolphinDispose(audiostream_t *stream) {
 
   ansnd_deallocate_voice((u32) stream->platform.voiceId);
 
+  if(stream->platform.buffer != NULL) {
+    memoryFree(stream->platform.buffer);
+    stream->platform.buffer = NULL;
+  }
+
   errorOk();
 }
 
@@ -41,6 +48,28 @@ errorret_t audioStreamDolphinBuffer(audiostream_t *stream) {
   assertNotNull(stream, "Stream cannot be NULL.");
 
   const size_t frameSize = stream->pcm.channels * sizeof(int16_t);
+  const size_t totalFrames = audioStreamPcmGetTotalFrames(stream);
+
+  // loopEndFrame/loopToFrame define the loop segment [loopToFrame,
+  // loopEndFrame) the DSP wraps within, once looping is enabled -
+  // defaulting to the whole clip (loopStart == -1, loopTo == 0) so
+  // behaviour is unchanged when no explicit loop points are configured.
+  // Same math as PSP/Linux - see their own comments.
+  const size_t loopEndFrame = stream->loopStart >= 0
+    ? mathMin((size_t) (stream->loopStart * stream->pcm.sampleRate), totalFrames)
+    : totalFrames;
+  const size_t loopToFrame = mathMin(
+    (size_t) (stream->loopTo * stream->pcm.sampleRate), loopEndFrame
+  );
+
+  const size_t startFrame = mathMin(stream->startFrame, totalFrames);
+  stream->startFrame = 0;
+  stream->seeking = false;
+
+  // A seek can legitimately land past the loop segment's end (e.g. into an
+  // outro) - buffer out to the true end of the clip in that case, same as
+  // PSP/Linux, instead of only ever buffering the loop segment.
+  const size_t bufferFrames = startFrame < loopEndFrame ? loopEndFrame : totalFrames;
 
   float_t leftFactor, rightFactor;
   audioStreamGetPanFactors(stream, &leftFactor, &rightFactor);
@@ -49,6 +78,37 @@ errorret_t audioStreamDolphinBuffer(audiostream_t *stream) {
 
   stream->platform.finished = false;
 
+  // ansnd's hardware loop needs one contiguous buffer spanning everything
+  // the voice might play - both start_offset and the loop segment address
+  // the same frame_data_ptr - so (unlike PSP/Linux, which stream bounded
+  // windows on demand) this reads the whole segment up front. Still
+  // bounded to the current loop segment's length rather than the whole
+  // clip if the clip is longer than one loop - see this struct field's
+  // own comment. Re-read fresh every Buffer() call.
+  if(stream->platform.buffer != NULL) {
+    memoryFree(stream->platform.buffer);
+    stream->platform.buffer = NULL;
+  }
+
+  errorChain(audioStreamPcmSeek(stream, 0));
+  uint8_t *buffer = (uint8_t *) memoryAllocate(bufferFrames * frameSize);
+  size_t framesRead = 0;
+  errorret_t readRet = audioStreamPcmRead(
+    stream, (int16_t *) buffer, bufferFrames, &framesRead
+  );
+  if(errorIsNotOk(readRet)) {
+    memoryFree(buffer);
+    errorChain(readRet);
+  }
+  if(framesRead < bufferFrames) {
+    // The asset is shorter than its declared header size (corrupt or
+    // truncated) - pad what's missing with silence.
+    memoryZero(
+      buffer + (framesRead * frameSize), (bufferFrames - framesRead) * frameSize
+    );
+  }
+  stream->platform.buffer = buffer;
+
   ansnd_pcm_voice_config_t config;
   memoryZero(&config, sizeof(ansnd_pcm_voice_config_t));
   config.samplerate = stream->pcm.sampleRate;
@@ -63,12 +123,10 @@ errorret_t audioStreamDolphinBuffer(audiostream_t *stream) {
   // ANSND_ERROR_INVALID_MEMORY) - it needs the physical address instead.
   // Flush first so the DMA sees what the CPU actually wrote, not stale
   // memory contents.
-  DCFlushRange(stream->data, stream->dataSize);
-  config.frame_data_ptr = MEM_VIRTUAL_TO_PHYSICAL(stream->data);
-  config.frame_count = (u32) (stream->dataSize / frameSize);
-  config.start_offset = (u32) stream->startFrame;
-  stream->startFrame = 0;
-  stream->seeking = false;
+  DCFlushRange(buffer, bufferFrames * frameSize);
+  config.frame_data_ptr = MEM_VIRTUAL_TO_PHYSICAL(buffer);
+  config.frame_count = (u32) bufferFrames;
+  config.start_offset = (u32) startFrame;
   config.voice_callback = audioStreamDolphinVoiceCallback;
   config.stream_callback = NULL; // single-buffer playback
   config.user_pointer = stream;
@@ -87,10 +145,8 @@ errorret_t audioStreamDolphinBuffer(audiostream_t *stream) {
   // loopTo's (true today only because the shared 441Hz test tone was
   // deliberately chosen to divide evenly into the sample rate).
   if(stream->state & AUDIO_STREAM_STATE_LOOPING) {
-    config.loop_start_offset = (u32) (stream->loopTo * stream->pcm.sampleRate);
-    config.loop_end_offset = stream->loopStart >= 0
-      ? (u32) (stream->loopStart * stream->pcm.sampleRate) - 1
-      : config.frame_count - 1;
+    config.loop_start_offset = (u32) loopToFrame;
+    config.loop_end_offset = (u32) loopEndFrame - 1;
   }
 
   s32 result = ansnd_configure_pcm_voice((u32) stream->platform.voiceId, &config);
diff --git a/src/duskdolphin/audio/audiostreamdolphin.h b/src/duskdolphin/audio/audiostreamdolphin.h
index de38e983..0b7daabc 100644
--- a/src/duskdolphin/audio/audiostreamdolphin.h
+++ b/src/duskdolphin/audio/audiostreamdolphin.h
@@ -19,6 +19,19 @@ typedef struct {
   // itself (unlike PSP/Linux), so this flag is how audioStreamDolphinIsFinished()
   // answers without a callback of its own.
   volatile bool_t finished;
+
+  // ansnd's DSP hardware loop (loop_start_offset/loop_end_offset) needs one
+  // contiguous physical buffer spanning the whole segment it may play -
+  // both the pre-loop lead-in and the loop segment itself, since the DSP
+  // addresses both as offsets into the same frame_data_ptr. Unlike
+  // PSP/Linux (which stream bounded windows on demand), a Dolphin voice
+  // can't be handed data incrementally mid-playback, so this buffer is
+  // read from the asset and owned here for the lifetime of one pass -
+  // bounded to the current loop segment's length (not the whole clip, if
+  // the clip is longer than one loop), freed/reallocated on each
+  // audioStreamDolphinBuffer() call and released for good in
+  // audioStreamDolphinDispose().
+  uint8_t *buffer;
 } audiostreamdolphin_t;
 
 /**
@@ -40,7 +53,8 @@ errorret_t audioStreamDolphinInit(audiostream_t *stream);
 errorret_t audioStreamDolphinDispose(audiostream_t *stream);
 
 /**
- * Sends the stream's currently staged PCM data (stream->data) to its
+ * Reads the current loop segment's PCM data from the stream's asset (see
+ * audiostreamdolphin_t.buffer's own comment) and sends it to its
  * allocated voice.
  *
  * @param stream The audio stream to output.
diff --git a/src/dusklinux/audio/audiostreamlinux.c b/src/dusklinux/audio/audiostreamlinux.c
index e5d742c4..257f1cce 100644
--- a/src/dusklinux/audio/audiostreamlinux.c
+++ b/src/dusklinux/audio/audiostreamlinux.c
@@ -10,12 +10,20 @@
 #include "assert/assert.h"
 #include "util/memory.h"
 #include "util/math.h"
+#include "error/error.h"
 
 // How many frames of lead time to keep queued ahead of playback. Matches
 // SDL_AudioSpec.samples below - the device's own internal buffer size - so
 // this is "never let the queue run drier than one SDL-internal buffer."
 #define AUDIO_LINUX_LEAD_FRAMES 4096
 
+// How many frames audioStreamLinuxFeed() reads and queues per call - a
+// few multiples of the lead margin, so one top-up comfortably outlasts
+// the time between Update() calls without ever needing to hold more than
+// this much decoded audio in memory at once, regardless of how long the
+// underlying clip is.
+#define AUDIO_LINUX_WINDOW_FRAMES (AUDIO_LINUX_LEAD_FRAMES * 4)
+
 errorret_t audioStreamLinuxInit(audiostream_t *stream) {
   assertNotNull(stream, "Stream cannot be NULL.");
 
@@ -46,7 +54,7 @@ errorret_t audioStreamLinuxBuffer(audiostream_t *stream) {
   assertNotNull(stream, "Stream cannot be NULL.");
 
   const size_t frameSize = stream->pcm.channels * sizeof(int16_t);
-  const size_t totalFrames = stream->dataSize / frameSize;
+  const size_t totalFrames = audioStreamPcmGetTotalFrames(stream);
 
   // Consumed synchronously (right here, in the same call that decided to
   // (re)buffer) rather than left for later - see startFrame's own comment.
@@ -67,57 +75,106 @@ errorret_t audioStreamLinuxBuffer(audiostream_t *stream) {
   // as PSP.
   if(startFrame >= endFrame) endFrame = totalFrames;
 
-  const size_t bytes = (endFrame - startFrame) * frameSize;
-  const uint8_t *segment = stream->data + (startFrame * frameSize);
-
   // Only an explicit seek discards whatever's still queued and jumps -
   // a natural loop restart deliberately leaves the previous pass's tail
   // (AUDIO_LINUX_LEAD_FRAMES worth) queued and appends the new pass after
   // it, which is what makes looping gapless (see IsFinished()'s comment).
-  // Clearing on every Buffer() call would destroy that overlap and
+  // Clearing here on every pass would destroy that overlap and
   // reintroduce the exact gap this was built to avoid.
   if(seeking) {
     SDL_ClearQueuedAudio(stream->platform.device);
   }
+  errorChain(audioStreamPcmSeek(stream, startFrame));
 
-  int queued;
-  if(stream->volume == 0xFF) {
-    // Nothing to mix at full volume - queue the segment directly instead of
-    // allocating/zeroing a same-size scratch buffer just to copy it in.
-    queued = SDL_QueueAudio(stream->platform.device, segment, (Uint32) bytes);
-  } else {
-    uint8_t *mixed = memoryAllocate(bytes);
-    memoryZero(mixed, bytes);
-    SDL_MixAudioFormat(
-      mixed, segment, AUDIO_S16SYS, (Uint32) bytes,
-      (stream->volume * SDL_MIX_MAXVOLUME) / 0xFF
-    );
-    queued = SDL_QueueAudio(stream->platform.device, mixed, (Uint32) bytes);
-    memoryFree(mixed);
-  }
+  stream->platform.position = startFrame;
+  stream->platform.endFrame = endFrame;
 
-  if(queued != 0) {
-    errorThrow("Failed to queue SDL2 audio data: %s", SDL_GetError());
-  }
+  errorChain(audioStreamLinuxFeed(stream));
 
   SDL_PauseAudioDevice(stream->platform.device, 0);
 
   errorOk();
 }
 
+errorret_t audioStreamLinuxFeed(audiostream_t *stream) {
+  assertNotNull(stream, "Stream cannot be NULL.");
+
+  const size_t frameSize = stream->pcm.channels * sizeof(int16_t);
+  const size_t framesRemaining = (
+    stream->platform.position < stream->platform.endFrame
+      ? stream->platform.endFrame - stream->platform.position
+      : 0
+  );
+  const size_t framesToRead = mathMin(framesRemaining, AUDIO_LINUX_WINDOW_FRAMES);
+  if(framesToRead == 0) {
+    errorOk();
+  }
+
+  int16_t *chunk = memoryAllocate(framesToRead * frameSize);
+  size_t framesRead = 0;
+  errorret_t ret = audioStreamPcmRead(stream, chunk, framesToRead, &framesRead);
+  if(errorIsNotOk(ret)) {
+    memoryFree(chunk);
+    errorChain(ret);
+  }
+
+  const size_t bytesRead = framesRead * frameSize;
+  int queued;
+
+  if(stream->volume == 0xFF) {
+    // Nothing to mix at full volume - queue the window directly instead of
+    // allocating/zeroing a same-size scratch buffer just to copy it in.
+    queued = SDL_QueueAudio(stream->platform.device, chunk, (Uint32) bytesRead);
+  } else {
+    uint8_t *mixed = memoryAllocate(bytesRead);
+    memoryZero(mixed, bytesRead);
+    SDL_MixAudioFormat(
+      mixed, (uint8_t *) chunk, AUDIO_S16SYS, (Uint32) bytesRead,
+      (stream->volume * SDL_MIX_MAXVOLUME) / 0xFF
+    );
+    queued = SDL_QueueAudio(stream->platform.device, mixed, (Uint32) bytesRead);
+    memoryFree(mixed);
+  }
+  memoryFree(chunk);
+
+  if(queued != 0) {
+    errorThrow("Failed to queue SDL2 audio data: %s", SDL_GetError());
+  }
+
+  stream->platform.position += framesRead;
+  errorOk();
+}
+
 bool_t audioStreamLinuxIsFinished(audiostream_t *stream) {
   assertNotNull(stream, "Stream cannot be NULL.");
 
-  // Reports "finished" (ready to be re-buffered) with AUDIO_LINUX_LEAD_FRAMES
-  // of margin still queued, rather than waiting for the queue to actually
-  // run dry. SDL_QueueAudio only ever appends to a FIFO, so queuing the next
-  // loop this early never causes overlap - it just avoids ever going silent
-  // while our once-per-frame Update() notices and catches up. Waiting for
-  // truly empty (as this used to) guarantees a gap by definition: silence
-  // has already started by the time "empty" can be observed.
+  // Reports "finished" (ready to loop/end) with AUDIO_LINUX_LEAD_FRAMES of
+  // margin still queued, rather than waiting for the queue to actually run
+  // dry - queuing the next pass this early never causes overlap (SDL's
+  // queue is a plain FIFO), it just avoids ever going silent while our
+  // once-per-frame Update() notices and catches up. Waiting for truly
+  // empty guarantees a gap by definition: silence has already started by
+  // the time "empty" can be observed.
   const Uint32 leadBytes = (Uint32) (
     AUDIO_LINUX_LEAD_FRAMES * stream->pcm.channels * sizeof(int16_t)
   );
 
-  return SDL_GetQueuedAudioSize(stream->platform.device) <= leadBytes;
+  if(SDL_GetQueuedAudioSize(stream->platform.device) > leadBytes) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  // Below the lead margin - if more of the current pass is left to read,
+  // top up now rather than reporting finished, which would otherwise
+  // trigger a full loop-restart/end while still mid-pass, just because
+  // the queue happened to run low.
+  if(stream->platform.position < stream->platform.endFrame) {
+    errorret_t ret = audioStreamLinuxFeed(stream);
+    if(errorIsNotOk(ret)) {
+      errorCatch(errorPrint(ret));
+      return true; // Can't recover - let the shared layer end/loop it.
+    }
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  return true;
 }
diff --git a/src/dusklinux/audio/audiostreamlinux.h b/src/dusklinux/audio/audiostreamlinux.h
index d7bbf423..48c21059 100644
--- a/src/dusklinux/audio/audiostreamlinux.h
+++ b/src/dusklinux/audio/audiostreamlinux.h
@@ -13,6 +13,17 @@ typedef struct audiostream_s audiostream_t;
 
 typedef struct {
   SDL_AudioDeviceID device;
+
+  // Frame offset (relative to the start of the PCM data) the next
+  // audioStreamLinuxFeed() call should read from - advances as each
+  // window is queued, so a long clip is streamed progressively rather
+  // than read/queued all at once.
+  size_t position;
+
+  // Frame offset this pass stops at (the current loop segment's end, or
+  // the true end of the clip if not looping) - recomputed by
+  // audioStreamLinuxBuffer() at the start of each pass.
+  size_t endFrame;
 } audiostreamlinux_t;
 
 /**
@@ -34,17 +45,39 @@ errorret_t audioStreamLinuxInit(audiostream_t *stream);
 errorret_t audioStreamLinuxDispose(audiostream_t *stream);
 
 /**
- * Sends the stream's currently staged PCM data (stream->data) to its SDL2
- * audio device and starts/resumes playback.
+ * Starts a new playback pass: seeks the stream's PCM read cursor to
+ * stream->startFrame (clearing the SDL queue first if this is an explicit
+ * seek rather than a natural loop restart - see stream->seeking's own
+ * comment), determines this pass's loop-segment end, and queues the first
+ * window via audioStreamLinuxFeed().
  *
  * @param stream The audio stream to output.
  * @return Error state if any.
  */
 errorret_t audioStreamLinuxBuffer(audiostream_t *stream);
 
+/**
+ * Reads and queues one bounded window of PCM data (AUDIO_LINUX_WINDOW_FRAMES)
+ * from the stream's current platform.position up to platform.endFrame,
+ * advancing platform.position by however many frames were actually read.
+ * A no-op once platform.position has reached platform.endFrame.
+ *
+ * Kept as a small, bounded read/queue operation (rather than the whole
+ * pass at once) specifically so a long clip is never fully resident in
+ * memory at once - called both by audioStreamLinuxBuffer() (the first
+ * window of a pass) and by audioStreamLinuxIsFinished() (subsequent
+ * top-ups as the SDL queue drains).
+ *
+ * @param stream The audio stream to feed.
+ * @return Error state if any.
+ */
+errorret_t audioStreamLinuxFeed(audiostream_t *stream);
+
 /**
  * Checks whether the stream's SDL2 audio device has finished playing all
- * queued data.
+ * queued data for the current pass. As a side effect, tops up the queue
+ * (via audioStreamLinuxFeed()) whenever it's running low but more of the
+ * current pass remains to be read, rather than reporting finished early.
  *
  * @param stream The audio stream to check.
  * @return true if playback has finished, false otherwise.
diff --git a/src/duskpsp/asset/assetpbp.c b/src/duskpsp/asset/assetpbp.c
index cb472d58..b55c5ee9 100644
--- a/src/duskpsp/asset/assetpbp.c
+++ b/src/duskpsp/asset/assetpbp.c
@@ -9,129 +9,75 @@
 #include "asset/assetdsk.h"
 #include "assert/assert.h"
 #include "util/memory.h"
-#include "util/math.h"
 
 errorret_t assetInitPBP(const char_t *pbpPath) {
   assertNotNull(pbpPath, "PBP path cannot be null.");
   assertStrLenMin(pbpPath, 1, "PBP path cannot be empty.");
   assertStrLenMax(pbpPath, ASSET_PBP_PATH_MAX, "PBP path is too long.");
 
-  ASSET.platform.pbpFile = fopen(pbpPath, "rb");
-  if(ASSET.platform.pbpFile == NULL) {
+  FILE *pbpFile = fopen(pbpPath, "rb");
+  if(pbpFile == NULL) {
     errorThrow("Failed to open PBP file: %s", pbpPath);
   }
 
   // Get size of PBP file.
-  if(fseek(ASSET.platform.pbpFile, 0, SEEK_END) != 0) {
-    fclose(ASSET.platform.pbpFile);
+  if(fseek(pbpFile, 0, SEEK_END) != 0) {
+    fclose(pbpFile);
     errorThrow("Failed to seek to end of PBP file : %s", pbpPath);
   }
 
-  size_t pbpSize = ftell(ASSET.platform.pbpFile);
+  size_t pbpSize = ftell(pbpFile);
   if(pbpSize == -1L) {
-    fclose(ASSET.platform.pbpFile);
+    fclose(pbpFile);
     errorThrow("Failed to get size of PBP file : %s", pbpPath);
   }
 
   if(pbpSize < sizeof(assetpbpheader_t)) {
-    fclose(ASSET.platform.pbpFile);
+    fclose(pbpFile);
     errorThrow("PBP file is too small to be valid: %s", pbpPath);
   }
 
   // Rewind to start
-  if(fseek(ASSET.platform.pbpFile, 0, SEEK_SET) != 0) {
-    fclose(ASSET.platform.pbpFile);
+  if(fseek(pbpFile, 0, SEEK_SET) != 0) {
+    fclose(pbpFile);
     errorThrow("Failed to seek to start of PBP file : %s", pbpPath);
   }
 
   // Read the PBP header
   size_t read = fread(
-    &ASSET.platform.pbpHeader,
-    1,
-    sizeof(assetpbpheader_t),
-    ASSET.platform.pbpFile
+    &ASSET.platform.pbpHeader, 1, sizeof(assetpbpheader_t), pbpFile
   );
+  fclose(pbpFile);
   if(read != sizeof(assetpbpheader_t)) {
-    fclose(ASSET.platform.pbpFile);
     errorThrow("Failed to read PBP header", pbpPath);
   }
-    
+
   if(memoryCompare(
     ASSET.platform.pbpHeader.signature,
     ASSET_PBP_SIGNATURE,
     sizeof(ASSET_PBP_SIGNATURE)
   ) != 0) {
-    fclose(ASSET.platform.pbpFile);
     errorThrow("Invalid PBP signature in file: %s", pbpPath);
   }
 
-  // If we seek to the PSAR offset, we can read the WAD file from there.
-  // I'm not sure what PSAR was intended for, but it holds any user data we
-  // want, so I shoved the entire dusk wad there.
-  if(fseek(
-    ASSET.platform.pbpFile, ASSET.platform.pbpHeader.psarOffset, SEEK_SET
-  ) != 0) {
-    fclose(ASSET.platform.pbpFile);
-    errorThrow("Failed to seek to PSAR offset in PBP file: %s", pbpPath);
-  }
-
+  // The PSAR region holds the embedded dusk.dsk (DSK2) archive - I'm not
+  // sure what PSAR was intended for, but it holds any user data we want,
+  // so I shoved the entire dusk.dsk there. Opened lazily/on-demand
+  // straight from the PBP file by path+offset (see
+  // assetDskOpenFromPathRange), the same way every other platform opens
+  // dusk.dsk, rather than reading the whole PSAR into memory up front.
   size_t psarSize = pbpSize - ASSET.platform.pbpHeader.psarOffset;
+  errorChain(assetDskOpenFromPathRange(
+    pbpPath,
+    ASSET.platform.pbpHeader.psarOffset,
+    psarSize,
+    &ASSET.zip,
+    &ASSET.zipStored
+  ));
 
-  // Read the whole PSAR (the embedded dusk.dsk zip archive) into memory up
-  // front and hand libzip an in-memory buffer, instead of a lazily-seeked
-  // FILE source: repeated seeked reads directly against the open PBP file
-  // proved unreliable on PSP (zip_fread() failing with EINVAL, then with
-  // zlib data corruption, depending on the read chunk size used). Reading
-  // once, straight through, and letting libzip operate on memory from then
-  // on avoids that read path entirely. psarSize is small (tens of KB) so
-  // holding it fully in RAM is cheap.
-  uint8_t *psarData = (uint8_t *)malloc(psarSize);
-  if(psarData == NULL) {
-    fclose(ASSET.platform.pbpFile);
-    errorThrow("Failed to allocate PSAR buffer for file: %s", pbpPath);
-  }
-
-  size_t totalRead = 0;
-  while(totalRead < psarSize) {
-    size_t chunkSize = mathMin(
-      psarSize - totalRead, ASSET_FILE_READ_CHUNK_MAX
-    );
-    size_t chunkRead = fread(
-      psarData + totalRead, 1, chunkSize, ASSET.platform.pbpFile
-    );
-    if(chunkRead == 0) {
-      free(psarData);
-      fclose(ASSET.platform.pbpFile);
-      errorThrow("Failed to read PSAR data from file: %s", pbpPath);
-    }
-    totalRead += chunkRead;
-  }
-
-  fclose(ASSET.platform.pbpFile);
-  ASSET.platform.pbpFile = NULL;
-
-  errorret_t ret = assetDskOpenFromBuffer(
-    psarData, psarSize, &ASSET.zip, &ASSET.zipStored
-  );
-  if(errorIsNotOk(ret)) {
-    free(psarData);
-    errorChain(ret);
-  }
-
-  ASSET.platform.dskData = psarData;
   errorOk();
 }
 
 errorret_t assetDisposePBP(void) {
-  if(ASSET.platform.pbpFile != NULL) {
-    fclose(ASSET.platform.pbpFile);
-    ASSET.platform.pbpFile = NULL;
-  }
-
-  if(ASSET.platform.dskData != NULL) {
-    free(ASSET.platform.dskData);
-    ASSET.platform.dskData = NULL;
-  }
-
   errorOk();
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/duskpsp/asset/assetpbp.h b/src/duskpsp/asset/assetpbp.h
index a6e7b819..dbbcc02c 100644
--- a/src/duskpsp/asset/assetpbp.h
+++ b/src/duskpsp/asset/assetpbp.h
@@ -28,13 +28,7 @@ typedef struct {
 } assetpbpheader_t;
 
 typedef struct {
-  FILE *pbpFile;
   assetpbpheader_t pbpHeader;
-
-  // Whole dusk.dsk (PSAR) blob, kept alive for as long as ASSET.zip/
-  // ASSET.zipStored are open since they're non-owning windows into it (see
-  // assetDskOpenFromBuffer). Freed in assetDisposePBP.
-  uint8_t *dskData;
 } assetpbp_t;
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/duskpsp/audio/audiostreampsp.c b/src/duskpsp/audio/audiostreampsp.c
index f56f94ca..b4a4a219 100644
--- a/src/duskpsp/audio/audiostreampsp.c
+++ b/src/duskpsp/audio/audiostreampsp.c
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ void audioStreamPSPThreadFeed(thread_t *thread) {
     }
     stream->platform.playRequested = false;
 
-    const size_t totalFrames = stream->dataSize / frameSize;
+    const size_t totalFrames = audioStreamPcmGetTotalFrames(stream);
 
     // loopEndFrame/loopToFrame define the loop segment [loopToFrame,
     // loopEndFrame) that a looping pass wraps within, once it's reached -
@@ -147,6 +147,14 @@ void audioStreamPSPThreadFeed(thread_t *thread) {
     size_t position = stream->platform.startFrame;
     bool_t reachedEnd = false;
 
+    // Samples are read on demand from the asset (via audioStreamPcmRead(),
+    // sequentially, plus an explicit audioStreamPcmSeek() whenever jumping
+    // backward for a loop wrap) rather than indexed out of a fully
+    // resident buffer - a read/seek failure here (a corrupt or truncated
+    // asset, an I/O error) stops playback cleanly instead of crashing the
+    // thread on bad data.
+    bool_t readFailed = errorIsNotOk(audioStreamPcmSeek(stream, position));
+
     // Every call always sends a full, constant-size AUDIO_PSP_CHUNK_FRAMES
     // buffer - the channel is never re-declared to a different length, to
     // avoid relying on sceAudioSetChannelDataLen's undocumented behavior
@@ -157,7 +165,7 @@ void audioStreamPSPThreadFeed(thread_t *thread) {
     // engine's finished+looping path is designed for platforms with no
     // better option (see audiostream.c), but here the thread can just
     // keep going and call onLoop itself instead.
-    while(!threadShouldStop(thread) && !reachedEnd) {
+    while(!readFailed && !threadShouldStop(thread) && !reachedEnd) {
       // Normally bounded by loopEndFrame (the loop segment's end), but a
       // seek can legitimately land past it (e.g. into an outro after the
       // loop point) - in that case play out to the true end of the buffer
@@ -173,9 +181,22 @@ void audioStreamPSPThreadFeed(thread_t *thread) {
       const bool_t willLoop = reachesEndThisChunk &&
         (stream->state & AUDIO_STREAM_STATE_LOOPING);
 
-      memoryCopy(
-        chunk, stream->data + (position * frameSize), framesThisChunk * frameSize
-      );
+      size_t framesRead = 0;
+      if(errorIsNotOk(
+        audioStreamPcmRead(stream, chunk, framesThisChunk, &framesRead)
+      )) {
+        readFailed = true;
+        break;
+      }
+      if(framesRead < framesThisChunk) {
+        // The asset is shorter than its declared header size (corrupt or
+        // truncated) - pad what's missing with silence rather than play
+        // whatever was left in `chunk` from a previous pass.
+        memoryZero(
+          chunk + (framesRead * channels),
+          (framesThisChunk - framesRead) * frameSize
+        );
+      }
 
       const size_t remainderFrames = AUDIO_PSP_CHUNK_FRAMES - framesThisChunk;
       size_t wrapFrames = 0;
@@ -205,15 +226,22 @@ void audioStreamPSPThreadFeed(thread_t *thread) {
         wrapFrames = remainderFrames < loopSegmentFrames
           ? remainderFrames
           : loopSegmentFrames;
-        memoryCopy(
-          chunk + (framesThisChunk * channels),
-          stream->data + (loopToFrame * frameSize),
-          wrapFrames * frameSize
-        );
-        if(wrapFrames < remainderFrames) {
+
+        if(errorIsNotOk(audioStreamPcmSeek(stream, loopToFrame))) {
+          readFailed = true;
+          break;
+        }
+        size_t wrapRead = 0;
+        if(errorIsNotOk(audioStreamPcmRead(
+          stream, chunk + (framesThisChunk * channels), wrapFrames, &wrapRead
+        ))) {
+          readFailed = true;
+          break;
+        }
+        if(wrapRead < remainderFrames) {
           memoryZero(
-            chunk + ((framesThisChunk + wrapFrames) * channels),
-            (remainderFrames - wrapFrames) * frameSize
+            chunk + ((framesThisChunk + wrapRead) * channels),
+            (remainderFrames - wrapRead) * frameSize
           );
         }
       } else if(reachesEndThisChunk) {
diff --git a/src/duskpsp/audio/audiostreampsp.h b/src/duskpsp/audio/audiostreampsp.h
index a2d8ac2d..4a59ea93 100644
--- a/src/duskpsp/audio/audiostreampsp.h
+++ b/src/duskpsp/audio/audiostreampsp.h
@@ -60,8 +60,9 @@ errorret_t audioStreamPSPInit(audiostream_t *stream);
 errorret_t audioStreamPSPDispose(audiostream_t *stream);
 
 /**
- * Wakes the stream's persistent feeder thread to stream stream->data to
- * its reserved hardware output channel in small chunks until exhausted.
+ * Wakes the stream's persistent feeder thread to stream PCM data (read on
+ * demand from the stream's asset via audioStreamPcmRead()) to its reserved
+ * hardware output channel in small chunks until exhausted.
  *
  * @param stream The audio stream to output.
  * @return Error state if any.
@@ -80,8 +81,9 @@ bool_t audioStreamPSPIsFinished(audiostream_t *stream);
 /**
  * Feeder thread entry point, run once for the stream's whole lifetime.
  * Idles (polling playRequested) until woken by audioStreamPSPBuffer(),
- * then streams stream->data (passed via thread->data) to its hardware
- * channel in fixed-size chunks, blocking naturally on each
+ * then reads and streams the stream's asset PCM data (via the audiostream_t
+ * passed as thread->data) to its hardware channel in fixed-size chunks,
+ * blocking naturally on each
  * sceAudioOutputPannedBlocking() call, until the whole buffer has been
  * sent - then goes back to idling, ready for the next play request, until
  * the thread is asked to stop.