diff --git a/server/index.mjs b/server/index.mjs
index 9d1804b..ae3c15b 100644
--- a/server/index.mjs
+++ b/server/index.mjs
@@ -85,30 +85,37 @@ function sendFile(res, filePath, status = 200) {
   createReadStream(filePath).pipe(res)
 }
 
-function serveStatic(req, res) {
-  // Strip query, prevent path traversal, default to index.html (SPA fallback).
-  const urlPath = decodeURIComponent((req.url || '/').split('?')[0])
+// Resolve a request path to an existing static file inside dist/, or null.
+function resolveStaticFile(url) {
+  const urlPath = decodeURIComponent((url || '/').split('?')[0])
   const safe = normalize(urlPath).replace(/^(\.\.[/\\])+/, '')
-  let filePath = join(DIST, safe)
-
-  if (!filePath.startsWith(DIST)) {
-    res.statusCode = 403
-    return res.end('Forbidden')
-  }
-  if (existsSync(filePath) && statSync(filePath).isFile()) {
-    return sendFile(res, filePath)
-  }
-  // SPA fallback
-  const indexFile = join(DIST, 'index.html')
-  if (existsSync(indexFile)) return sendFile(res, indexFile)
-  res.statusCode = 404
-  res.end('Not found')
+  const filePath = join(DIST, safe)
+  if (!filePath.startsWith(DIST)) return null
+  if (existsSync(filePath) && statSync(filePath).isFile()) return filePath
+  return null
 }
 
+const INDEX_HTML = join(DIST, 'index.html')
+
 const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
   const url = req.url || '/'
+
+  // 1) Known ABS paths → forward upstream.
   if (isProxied(url)) return proxy(req, res)
-  return serveStatic(req, res)
+
+  // 2) An existing static asset of the SPA → serve it.
+  const file = resolveStaticFile(url)
+  if (file) return sendFile(res, file)
+
+  // 3) A browser navigating to a client-side route → serve the SPA shell.
+  const accept = String(req.headers.accept || '')
+  if (req.method === 'GET' && accept.includes('text/html') && existsSync(INDEX_HTML)) {
+    return sendFile(res, INDEX_HTML)
+  }
+
+  // 4) Anything else (any other API/data request) → forward to ABS, so the real
+  //    server never needs to be exposed on its own domain.
+  return proxy(req, res)
 })
 
 server.listen(PORT, HOST, () => {
diff --git a/src/components/layout/Sidebar.tsx b/src/components/layout/Sidebar.tsx
index 8696930..ed8ce71 100644
--- a/src/components/layout/Sidebar.tsx
+++ b/src/components/layout/Sidebar.tsx
@@ -76,10 +76,21 @@ export function Sidebar() {
         collapsed ? 'w-[68px]' : 'w-60',
       )}
     >
-      <div className="flex h-14 items-center gap-2 px-4">
-        <div className="grid h-8 w-8 shrink-0 place-items-center rounded bg-accent-soft text-accent">
-          <Headphones size={18} />
-        </div>
+      <div className="flex h-14 items-center gap-2 px-3">
+        <button
+          onClick={toggle}
+          aria-label={collapsed ? 'Seitenleiste ausklappen' : 'Seitenleiste einklappen'}
+          title={collapsed ? 'Ausklappen' : 'Einklappen'}
+          className="group grid h-9 w-9 shrink-0 place-items-center rounded bg-accent-soft text-accent transition-colors hover:brightness-110"
+        >
+          {/* Headphones by default; a collapse chevron on hover to hint the toggle. */}
+          <Headphones size={18} className="group-hover:hidden" />
+          {collapsed ? (
+            <PanelLeftOpen size={18} className="hidden group-hover:block" />
+          ) : (
+            <PanelLeftClose size={18} className="hidden group-hover:block" />
+          )}
+        </button>
         {!collapsed && (
           <span className="font-heading text-lg font-semibold tracking-tight">Shelfless</span>
         )}
@@ -115,14 +126,6 @@ export function Sidebar() {
 
       <div className="border-t border-border px-2 py-2">
         <NavItem to="/settings" label="Einstellungen" icon={<Settings size={18} />} collapsed={collapsed} />
-        <button
-          onClick={toggle}
-          className="mt-1 flex w-full items-center gap-3 rounded px-3 py-2 text-sm text-text-muted transition-colors hover:bg-surface-2"
-          aria-label={collapsed ? 'Sidebar ausklappen' : 'Sidebar einklappen'}
-        >
-          {collapsed ? <PanelLeftOpen size={18} /> : <PanelLeftClose size={18} />}
-          {!collapsed && <span>Einklappen</span>}
-        </button>
       </div>
     </aside>
   )
diff --git a/src/components/player/PlayerBar.tsx b/src/components/player/PlayerBar.tsx
index 21193ce..45e2101 100644
--- a/src/components/player/PlayerBar.tsx
+++ b/src/components/player/PlayerBar.tsx
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import { cn } from '@/lib/cn'
 import { formatTime } from '@/lib/format'
 import { coverUrl } from '@/lib/media'
 import { usePlayerStore, currentChapter } from '@/store/playerStore'
-import { PLAYBACK_SPEEDS } from '@/store/settingsStore'
+import { PLAYBACK_SPEEDS, useSettingsStore } from '@/store/settingsStore'
 import { Dropdown, DropdownItem } from '@/components/ui/Dropdown'
 import { Spinner } from '@/components/ui/Spinner'
 import { useAudioEngine } from './useAudioEngine'
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ export function PlayerBar() {
   const speed = usePlayerStore((s) => s.speed)
   const volume = usePlayerStore((s) => s.volume)
   const chapters = usePlayerStore((s) => s.chapters)
+  const sidebarCollapsed = useSettingsStore((s) => s.sidebarCollapsed)
 
   const toggle = usePlayerStore((s) => s.togglePlay)
   const skip = usePlayerStore((s) => s.skip)
@@ -50,7 +51,10 @@ export function PlayerBar() {
   return (
     <div
       className={cn(
-        'fixed inset-x-0 bottom-16 z-40 border-t border-border bg-surface/95 backdrop-blur md:bottom-0',
+        'fixed bottom-16 left-0 right-0 z-40 border-t border-border bg-surface/95 backdrop-blur md:bottom-0',
+        // On desktop the bar starts at the sidebar's right edge so it never covers the
+        // sidebar's own controls (Settings / collapse).
+        sidebarCollapsed ? 'md:left-[68px]' : 'md:left-60',
         'animate-slide-up shadow-bar',
         !item && 'hidden',
       )}