--- a/frontend/p2p-client.js
+++ b/frontend/p2p-client.js
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@
  *   changed()                           a save/delete happened → re-report soon
  *   device()                            { deviceId, secret } or null
  *   authHeaders()                       { 'X-Device': … } for other P2P calls
+ *   onMessage(type, fn) / signal(to, data) / peer()
+ *                                       live /ws/p2p socket (plan 014): the
+ *                                       device is "online" while it is open
  *
  * What it does, in order, each sync:
  *   1. registers the device once (localStorage ytpDevice)
@@ -148,6 +151,74 @@
     return j;
   }
 
+  // ---- presence socket (/ws/p2p) — plan 014 ------------------------------------
+  // Open while sharing OR receiving is on. Credentials go in the first message,
+  // never the URL. Reconnects with backoff (5 s … 5 min).
+  let ws = null;
+  let myPeer = null;
+  let wsRetry = 0;
+  let wsTimer = null;
+  const listeners = new Map(); // type -> Set<fn>
+
+  const wantSocket = () => {
+    const s = hooks.getSettings();
+    return s.p2pShare !== false || s.p2pReceive !== false;
+  };
+
+  function onMessage(type, fn) {
+    if (!listeners.has(type)) listeners.set(type, new Set());
+    listeners.get(type).add(fn);
+    return () => listeners.get(type).delete(fn);
+  }
+  function emit(m) {
+    for (const fn of listeners.get(m.type) || []) { try { fn(m); } catch { /* a listener's bug is not ours */ } }
+  }
+
+  function connect() {
+    if (ws || !wantSocket()) return;
+    const d = device();
+    if (!d) return;
+    const proto = location.protocol === 'https:' ? 'wss:' : 'ws:';
+    let sock;
+    try { sock = new WebSocket(`${proto}//${location.host}/ws/p2p`); } catch { return; }
+    ws = sock;
+    let ping = null;
+    sock.onopen = () => {
+      sock.send(JSON.stringify({ type: 'auth', device: d.deviceId, secret: d.secret }));
+      // The server drops sockets idle for 120 s (server.js websocketHandler).
+      ping = setInterval(() => { try { sock.send('{"type":"ping"}'); } catch { /* closing */ } }, 50_000);
+    };
+    sock.onmessage = (e) => {
+      let m;
+      try { m = JSON.parse(e.data); } catch { return; }
+      if (m.type === 'hello') { myPeer = m.peer; wsRetry = 0; }
+      emit(m);
+    };
+    sock.onclose = () => {
+      clearInterval(ping);
+      if (ws !== sock) return;
+      ws = null;
+      myPeer = null;
+      if (!wantSocket()) return;
+      clearTimeout(wsTimer);
+      wsTimer = setTimeout(connect, Math.min(300_000, 5000 * 2 ** wsRetry++));
+    };
+  }
+
+  function disconnect() {
+    clearTimeout(wsTimer);
+    const sock = ws;
+    ws = null;
+    myPeer = null;
+    if (sock) { try { sock.close(); } catch { /* gone */ } }
+  }
+
+  function signal(to, data) {
+    if (!ws || ws.readyState !== 1) return false;
+    ws.send(JSON.stringify({ type: 'signal', to, data }));
+    return true;
+  }
+
   async function syncOnce() {
     if (!window.OPFS || !window.OPFS.isSupported() || !window.DeviceDB || !window.Sha256) return null;
     if (navigator.onLine === false) return null;
@@ -158,6 +229,7 @@
     await hashPending(recs);
     const res = await report(recs, dev);
     lastSync = Date.now();
+    if (wantSocket()) connect(); else disconnect();
     return res;
   }
 
@@ -185,5 +257,8 @@
     });
   }
 
-  window.P2PClient = { start, changed, sync, device, authHeaders, config };
+  window.P2PClient = {
+    start, changed, sync, device, authHeaders, config,
+    onMessage, signal, peer: () => myPeer, isConnected: () => !!(ws && ws.readyState === 1 && myPeer),
+  };
 }());