diff --git a/app.py b/app.py
index a881925..a02b4f2 100644
--- a/app.py
+++ b/app.py
@@ -142,6 +142,15 @@ def get_guild_music(guild_id: int) -> GuildMusic:
         music_states[guild_id] = st
     return st
 
+async def maybe_defer(ctx: commands.Context):
+    """Defer interaction responses to avoid 'interaction failed' on long ops (>3s)."""
+    try:
+        inter = getattr(ctx, 'interaction', None)
+        if inter and not inter.response.is_done():
+            await inter.response.defer(thinking=True)
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+
 def ytdlp_opts() -> dict:
     opts = {
         'format': 'bestaudio/best',
@@ -227,20 +236,23 @@ async def start_player_loop(ctx: commands.Context):
 
 @bot.hybrid_command(name='join', description='Join your voice channel')
 async def cmd_join(ctx):
+    await maybe_defer(ctx)
     vc = await ensure_voice(ctx)
     if vc:
-        await ctx.reply(f"✅ Joined {vc.channel.mention}")
+        await _safe_send(ctx, f"✅ Joined {vc.channel.mention}")
 
 @bot.hybrid_command(name='leave', description='Leave the voice channel')
 async def cmd_leave(ctx):
+    await maybe_defer(ctx)
     if ctx.voice_client and ctx.voice_client.is_connected():
         await ctx.voice_client.disconnect()
-        await ctx.reply("👋 Disconnected.")
+        await _safe_send(ctx, "👋 Disconnected.")
     else:
-        await ctx.reply("ℹ️ Not connected.")
+        await _safe_send(ctx, "ℹ️ Not connected.")
 
 @bot.hybrid_command(name='play', description='Play a YouTube URL or search term')
 async def cmd_play(ctx, *, query: str):
+    await maybe_defer(ctx)
     vc = await ensure_voice(ctx)
     if not vc:
         return
@@ -248,21 +260,23 @@ async def cmd_play(ctx, *, query: str):
         song = await yt_extract(query)
         state = get_guild_music(ctx.guild.id)
         await state.queue.put(song)
-        await ctx.reply(f"▶️ Queued: **{song.title}**")
+        await _safe_send(ctx, f"▶️ Queued: **{song.title}**")
         await start_player_loop(ctx)
     except Exception as e:
-        await ctx.reply(f"❌ Failed to add: {e}")
+        await _safe_send(ctx, f"❌ Failed to add: {e}")
 
 @bot.hybrid_command(name='skip', description='Skip the current track')
 async def cmd_skip(ctx):
+    await maybe_defer(ctx)
     if ctx.voice_client and ctx.voice_client.is_playing():
         ctx.voice_client.stop()
-        await ctx.reply("⏭️ Skipped.")
+        await _safe_send(ctx, "⏭️ Skipped.")
     else:
-        await ctx.reply("ℹ️ Nothing is playing.")
+        await _safe_send(ctx, "ℹ️ Nothing is playing.")
 
 @bot.hybrid_command(name='stop', description='Stop playback and clear the queue')
 async def cmd_stop(ctx):
+    await maybe_defer(ctx)
     state = get_guild_music(ctx.guild.id)
     # Clear queue
     try:
@@ -272,38 +286,42 @@ async def cmd_stop(ctx):
         pass
     if ctx.voice_client and ctx.voice_client.is_playing():
         ctx.voice_client.stop()
-    await ctx.reply("⏹️ Stopped and cleared queue.")
+    await _safe_send(ctx, "⏹️ Stopped and cleared queue.")
 
 @bot.hybrid_command(name='pause', description='Pause playback')
 async def cmd_pause(ctx):
+    await maybe_defer(ctx)
     if ctx.voice_client and ctx.voice_client.is_playing():
         ctx.voice_client.pause()
-        await ctx.reply("⏸️ Paused.")
+        await _safe_send(ctx, "⏸️ Paused.")
     else:
-        await ctx.reply("ℹ️ Nothing is playing.")
+        await _safe_send(ctx, "ℹ️ Nothing is playing.")
 
 @bot.hybrid_command(name='resume', description='Resume playback')
 async def cmd_resume(ctx):
+    await maybe_defer(ctx)
     if ctx.voice_client and ctx.voice_client.is_paused():
         ctx.voice_client.resume()
-        await ctx.reply("▶️ Resumed.")
+        await _safe_send(ctx, "▶️ Resumed.")
     else:
-        await ctx.reply("ℹ️ Nothing is paused.")
+        await _safe_send(ctx, "ℹ️ Nothing is paused.")
 
 @bot.hybrid_command(name='np', description='Show the currently playing track')
 async def cmd_nowplaying(ctx):
+    await maybe_defer(ctx)
     state = get_guild_music(ctx.guild.id)
     if state.current:
         dur = f" ({state.current.duration//60}:{state.current.duration%60:02d})" if state.current.duration else ""
-        await ctx.reply(f"🎶 Now playing: **{state.current.title}**{dur}\n{state.current.webpage_url}")
+        await _safe_send(ctx, f"🎶 Now playing: **{state.current.title}**{dur}\n{state.current.webpage_url}")
     else:
-        await ctx.reply("ℹ️ Nothing is playing.")
+        await _safe_send(ctx, "ℹ️ Nothing is playing.")
 
 @bot.hybrid_command(name='queue', description='Show queued tracks')
 async def cmd_queue(ctx):
+    await maybe_defer(ctx)
     state = get_guild_music(ctx.guild.id)
     if state.queue.empty():
-        await ctx.reply("🗒️ Queue is empty.")
+        await _safe_send(ctx, "🗒️ Queue is empty.")
         return
     # Snapshot queue without draining
     items: List[Song] = []
@@ -320,10 +338,11 @@ async def cmd_queue(ctx):
     if more > 0:
         desc += f"\n...and {more} more"
     embed = discord.Embed(title="🎼 Queue", description=desc, color=discord.Color.purple())
-    await ctx.reply(embed=embed)
+    await _safe_send(ctx, embed=embed)
 
 @bot.hybrid_command(name='voicediag', description='Diagnose voice playback environment')
 async def cmd_voicediag(ctx):
+    await maybe_defer(ctx)
     details = []
     details.append(f"discord.py: {discord.__version__}")
     # PyNaCl check
@@ -353,7 +372,7 @@ async def cmd_voicediag(ctx):
     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)
+    await _safe_send(ctx, embed=embed)
 
 @bot.event
 async def on_guild_join(guild):