diff --git a/app.py b/app.py
index bdaec2f..a881925 100644
--- a/app.py
+++ b/app.py
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ intents = discord.Intents.default()
 intents.message_content = True
 intents.guilds = True
 intents.members = True
+intents.voice_states = True
 
 bot = commands.Bot(command_prefix='!', intents=intents)
 
@@ -186,7 +187,7 @@ async def ensure_voice(ctx: commands.Context) -> Optional[discord.VoiceClient]:
         return None
     if ctx.voice_client is None:
         try:
-            return await channel.connect()
+            return await channel.connect(timeout=30, reconnect=True, self_deaf=True)
         except Exception as e:
             await ctx.reply(f"❌ Failed to join: {e}")
             return None
@@ -321,6 +322,39 @@ async def cmd_queue(ctx):
     embed = discord.Embed(title="🎼 Queue", description=desc, color=discord.Color.purple())
     await ctx.reply(embed=embed)
 
+@bot.hybrid_command(name='voicediag', description='Diagnose voice playback environment')
+async def cmd_voicediag(ctx):
+    details = []
+    details.append(f"discord.py: {discord.__version__}")
+    # PyNaCl check
+    try:
+        import nacl
+        details.append(f"PyNaCl: {getattr(nacl, '__version__', 'present')}")
+    except Exception as e:
+        details.append(f"PyNaCl: missing ({e})")
+    # Opus check
+    try:
+        loaded = discord.opus.is_loaded()
+        details.append(f"Opus loaded: {loaded}")
+    except Exception as e:
+        details.append(f"Opus check failed: {e}")
+    # FFmpeg check
+    ff = "unknown"
+    try:
+        proc = await asyncio.create_subprocess_exec('ffmpeg', '-version', stdout=asyncio.subprocess.PIPE, stderr=asyncio.subprocess.STDOUT)
+        out, _ = await proc.communicate()
+        ff = out.decode(errors='ignore').splitlines()[0][:120]
+    except FileNotFoundError:
+        ff = "not found"
+    except Exception as e:
+        ff = f"error: {e}"
+    details.append(f"ffmpeg: {ff}")
+    # Cookie file
+    details.append(f"cookie.txt present: {os.path.exists(COOKIE_FILE)} at {COOKIE_FILE}")
+
+    embed = discord.Embed(title='Voice Diagnostics', description='\n'.join(details), color=discord.Color.dark_grey())
+    await ctx.reply(embed=embed)
+
 @bot.event
 async def on_guild_join(guild):
     """Event triggered when the bot joins a server"""
@@ -1564,14 +1598,14 @@ async def hoi4leaderboard(ctx, game_type: Optional[str] = "standard", limit: Opt
 async def on_command_error(ctx, error):
     """Handles command errors"""
     if isinstance(error, commands.CheckFailure):
-        await ctx.send("❌ You don't have permission to use this command!")
+        await _safe_send(ctx, "❌ You don't have permission to use this command!")
     elif isinstance(error, commands.CommandNotFound):
         # Silently ignore command not found errors
         pass
     elif isinstance(error, commands.MissingRequiredArgument):
-        await ctx.send(f"❌ Missing arguments! Command: `{ctx.command}`")
+        await _safe_send(ctx, f"❌ Missing arguments! Command: `{ctx.command}`")
     elif isinstance(error, commands.BadArgument):
-        await ctx.send("❌ Invalid argument!")
+        await _safe_send(ctx, "❌ Invalid argument!")
     else:
         # Log detailed error information
         print(f"❌ Unknown error in command '{ctx.command}': {type(error).__name__}: {error}")
@@ -1580,9 +1614,34 @@ async def on_command_error(ctx, error):
         
         # Send detailed error to user if owner
         if ctx.author.id == OWNER_ID:
-            await ctx.send(f"❌ **Error Details (Owner only):**\n```python\n{type(error).__name__}: {str(error)[:1800]}\n```")
+            await _safe_send(ctx, f"❌ **Error Details (Owner only):**\n```python\n{type(error).__name__}: {str(error)[:1800]}\n```")
         else:
-            await ctx.send("❌ An unknown error occurred!")
+            await _safe_send(ctx, "❌ An unknown error occurred!")
+
+async def _safe_send(ctx: commands.Context, content: str = None, **kwargs):
+    """Send a message safely for both message and slash contexts, even if the interaction timed out."""
+    try:
+        if getattr(ctx, 'interaction', None):
+            # If we have an interaction, try normal response first
+            interaction = ctx.interaction
+            if not interaction.response.is_done():
+                await interaction.response.send_message(content=content, **kwargs)
+                return
+            # Otherwise use followup
+            await interaction.followup.send(content=content, **kwargs)
+            return
+        # Fallback to classic send
+        await ctx.send(content=content, **kwargs)
+    except discord.NotFound:
+        # Interaction unknown/expired, try channel.send
+        try:
+            channel = getattr(ctx, 'channel', None)
+            if channel:
+                await channel.send(content=content, **kwargs)
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+    except Exception:
+        pass
 
 async def main():
     """Main function to start the bot"""