diff --git a/src/Qt/VideoCacheThread.cpp b/src/Qt/VideoCacheThread.cpp
index 80c4fa639..8e126dc59 100644
--- a/src/Qt/VideoCacheThread.cpp
+++ b/src/Qt/VideoCacheThread.cpp
@@ -58,10 +58,32 @@ namespace openshot
         }
 
         int dir = computeDirection();
+
+        // Near timeline boundaries, don't require more pre-roll than can exist.
+        int64_t max_frame = reader->info.video_length;
+        if (auto* timeline = dynamic_cast<Timeline*>(reader)) {
+            const int64_t timeline_max = timeline->GetMaxFrame();
+            if (timeline_max > 0) {
+                max_frame = timeline_max;
+            }
+        }
+        if (max_frame < 1) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        int64_t required_ahead = min_frames_ahead;
+        if (required_ahead < 0) {
+            required_ahead = 0;
+        }
+        int64_t available_ahead = (dir > 0)
+            ? std::max<int64_t>(0, max_frame - requested_display_frame)
+            : std::max<int64_t>(0, requested_display_frame - 1);
+        required_ahead = std::min(required_ahead, available_ahead);
+
         if (dir > 0) {
-            return (last_cached_index >= requested_display_frame + min_frames_ahead);
+            return (last_cached_index >= requested_display_frame + required_ahead);
         }
-        return (last_cached_index <= requested_display_frame - min_frames_ahead);
+        return (last_cached_index <= requested_display_frame - required_ahead);
     }
 
     void VideoCacheThread::setSpeed(int new_speed)
diff --git a/src/Timeline.h b/src/Timeline.h
index 46cdfb315..83db07ec3 100644
--- a/src/Timeline.h
+++ b/src/Timeline.h
@@ -74,13 +74,13 @@ namespace openshot {
 	/// the Clip with the highest end-frame number using std::max_element
 	struct CompareClipEndFrames {
 		bool operator()(const openshot::Clip* lhs, const openshot::Clip* rhs) {
-			return (lhs->Position() + lhs->Duration()) <= (rhs->Position() + rhs->Duration());
+			return (lhs->Position() + lhs->Duration()) < (rhs->Position() + rhs->Duration());
 	}};
 
 	/// Like CompareClipEndFrames, but for effects
 	struct CompareEffectEndFrames {
 		bool operator()(const openshot::EffectBase* lhs, const openshot::EffectBase* rhs) {
-			return (lhs->Position() + lhs->Duration()) <= (rhs->Position() + rhs->Duration());
+			return (lhs->Position() + lhs->Duration()) < (rhs->Position() + rhs->Duration());
 	}};
 
 	/**
diff --git a/tests/Timeline.cpp b/tests/Timeline.cpp
index 55f93e741..df9983a02 100644
--- a/tests/Timeline.cpp
+++ b/tests/Timeline.cpp
@@ -722,6 +722,40 @@ TEST_CASE( "GetMinFrame and GetMinTime", "[libopenshot][timeline]" )
     CHECK(t.GetMinFrame() == (5 * 30) + 1);
 }
 
+TEST_CASE( "GetMaxFrame with 24fps clip mapped to 30fps timeline", "[libopenshot][timeline]" )
+{
+	Timeline t(640, 480, Fraction(30, 1), 44100, 2, LAYOUT_STEREO);
+	t.AutoMapClips(true);
+
+	std::stringstream path;
+	path << TEST_MEDIA_PATH << "sintel_trailer-720p.mp4";
+	Clip clip(path.str());
+
+	REQUIRE(clip.Reader()->info.fps.num == 24);
+	REQUIRE(clip.Reader()->info.fps.den == 1);
+
+	t.AddClip(&clip);
+
+	REQUIRE(clip.Reader()->Name() == "FrameMapper");
+	auto* mapper = static_cast<FrameMapper*>(clip.Reader());
+	REQUIRE(mapper->info.fps.num == 30);
+	REQUIRE(mapper->info.fps.den == 1);
+	REQUIRE(mapper->info.video_length > 0);
+
+	const int64_t timeline_max_frame = t.GetMaxFrame();
+	const int64_t mapped_video_length = mapper->info.video_length;
+
+	// Timeline max frame is computed from duration (seconds), while mapper length is
+	// rounded frame count. They should stay aligned within one frame at this boundary.
+	CHECK(timeline_max_frame >= mapped_video_length);
+	CHECK((timeline_max_frame - mapped_video_length) <= 1);
+
+	// Regression guard: fetching the mapped tail frame should not throw.
+	t.Open();
+	CHECK_NOTHROW(t.GetFrame(mapped_video_length));
+	t.Close();
+}
+
 TEST_CASE( "Multi-threaded Timeline GetFrame", "[libopenshot][timeline]" )
 {
 	Timeline *t = new Timeline(1280, 720, Fraction(24, 1), 48000, 2, LAYOUT_STEREO);
diff --git a/tests/VideoCacheThread.cpp b/tests/VideoCacheThread.cpp
index c918ea09a..31d3cc51b 100644
--- a/tests/VideoCacheThread.cpp
+++ b/tests/VideoCacheThread.cpp
@@ -130,6 +130,35 @@ TEST_CASE("isReady: requires cached frames ahead of playhead", "[VideoCacheThrea
     CHECK(thread.isReady());
 }
 
+TEST_CASE("isReady: clamps preroll requirement at timeline boundaries", "[VideoCacheThread]") {
+    TestableVideoCacheThread thread;
+
+    Timeline timeline(/*width=*/1280, /*height=*/720, /*fps=*/Fraction(30,1),
+                      /*sample_rate=*/48000, /*channels=*/2, ChannelLayout::LAYOUT_STEREO);
+    thread.Reader(&timeline);
+
+    const int64_t end = timeline.info.video_length;
+    REQUIRE(end > 10);
+
+    // Forward near end: only a few frames remain, so don't require full preroll.
+    thread.setMinFramesAhead(30);
+    thread.setSpeed(1);
+    thread.setPlayhead(end - 5);
+    thread.setLastCachedIndex(end - 4);
+    CHECK(!thread.isReady());
+    thread.setLastCachedIndex(end);
+    CHECK(thread.isReady());
+
+    // Backward near start: only a few frames exist behind playhead.
+    thread.setMinFramesAhead(30);
+    thread.setSpeed(-1);
+    thread.setPlayhead(3);
+    thread.setLastCachedIndex(2);
+    CHECK(!thread.isReady());
+    thread.setLastCachedIndex(1);
+    CHECK(thread.isReady());
+}
+
 TEST_CASE("clearCacheIfPaused: clears only when paused and not in cache", "[VideoCacheThread]") {
     TestableVideoCacheThread thread;
     CacheMemory cache(/*max_bytes=*/100000000);