diff --git a/modules/stream_out/chromecast/cast.cpp b/modules/stream_out/chromecast/cast.cpp
index e5b67fc6da..15e1d2e3df 100644
--- a/modules/stream_out/chromecast/cast.cpp
+++ b/modules/stream_out/chromecast/cast.cpp
@@ -46,10 +46,12 @@
 #define TRANSCODING_VIDEO 0x1
 #define TRANSCODING_AUDIO 0x2
 
-#if 0
-/* TODO: works only with internal spu and transcoding/blending for now */
+/* Enable subtitle support on the cast path. A selected SPU track forces a
+ * video transcode and is blended into the picture (soverlay), so subtitles
+ * burn into the stream the receiver plays. Upstream gates this off because
+ * it only covers internally-decoded subtitles blended via transcode — which
+ * is the path used here. */
 #define CC_ENABLE_SPU
-#endif
 
 namespace {
 
@@ -1324,6 +1326,16 @@ static int Open(vlc_object_t *p_this)
         goto error;
     }
 
+    /* The controller is constructed even when the receiver is
+     * unreachable (connecting does not throw). Fail the sout here so
+     * libVLC keeps playing locally instead of routing to a dead cast
+     * session. */
+    if (!p_intf->isConnected())
+    {
+        msg_Err( p_this, "Chromecast receiver is unreachable" );
+        goto error;
+    }
+
     b_supports_video = var_GetBool(p_stream, SOUT_CFG_PREFIX "video");
 
     try
diff --git a/modules/stream_out/chromecast/chromecast.h b/modules/stream_out/chromecast/chromecast.h
index f27c89fd8e..c316f70b80 100644
--- a/modules/stream_out/chromecast/chromecast.h
+++ b/modules/stream_out/chromecast/chromecast.h
@@ -137,6 +137,14 @@ public:
     {
         return m_serverIp;
     }
+
+    /* True once the control connection to the receiver is established. A
+     * constructor that fails to connect leaves this false instead of
+     * throwing. */
+    bool isConnected() const
+    {
+        return m_tls != NULL;
+    }
 private:
     int sendMessage(const castchannel::CastMessage &msg);
 
@@ -173,6 +181,15 @@ struct intf_sys_t
                int device_port, httpd_host_t *);
     ~intf_sys_t();
 
+    /* True when the control connection to the receiver came up. The
+     * constructor leaves it false rather than throwing when the receiver
+     * is unreachable, so Open() can fail cleanly and fall back to local
+     * playback. */
+    bool isConnected() const
+    {
+        return m_communication != NULL && m_communication->isConnected();
+    }
+
     void setRetryOnFail(bool);
     void setHasInput(const std::string mime_type = "");
 
diff --git a/modules/stream_out/chromecast/chromecast_communication.cpp b/modules/stream_out/chromecast/chromecast_communication.cpp
index 71bf51be75..5cf5d13521 100644
--- a/modules/stream_out/chromecast/chromecast_communication.cpp
+++ b/modules/stream_out/chromecast/chromecast_communication.cpp
@@ -47,21 +47,38 @@ ChromecastCommunication::ChromecastCommunication( vlc_object_t* p_module,
     if (devicePort == 0)
         devicePort = CHROMECAST_CONTROL_PORT;
 
+    /* A failed connection leaves the object disconnected (m_tls == NULL)
+     * rather than throwing: callers check isConnected(). Throwing here
+     * aborts the host process on this build — the exception is not caught
+     * across the cast thread/sout boundary — and an unreachable or
+     * sleeping receiver is a routine condition, not a fatal error. */
     m_creds = vlc_tls_ClientCreate( vlc_object_parent(m_module) );
     if (m_creds == NULL)
-        throw std::runtime_error( "Failed to create TLS client" );
+    {
+        msg_Err( m_module, "Failed to create TLS client for Chromecast" );
+        return;
+    }
 
     m_tls = vlc_tls_SocketOpenTLS( m_creds, targetIP, devicePort, "tcps",
                                    NULL, NULL );
     if (m_tls == NULL)
     {
+        msg_Err( m_module, "Failed to connect to Chromecast receiver" );
         vlc_tls_ClientDelete(m_creds);
-        throw std::runtime_error( "Failed to create client session" );
+        m_creds = NULL;
+        return;
     }
 
     char psz_localIP[NI_MAXNUMERICHOST];
     if (net_GetSockAddress( vlc_tls_GetFD(m_tls), psz_localIP, NULL ))
-        throw std::runtime_error( "Cannot get local IP address" );
+    {
+        msg_Err( m_module, "Cannot get local IP address for Chromecast" );
+        vlc_tls_Close(m_tls);
+        m_tls = NULL;
+        vlc_tls_ClientDelete(m_creds);
+        m_creds = NULL;
+        return;
+    }
 
     m_serverIp = psz_localIP;
 }
@@ -120,6 +137,9 @@ int ChromecastCommunication::buildMessage(const std::string & namespace_,
  */
 ssize_t ChromecastCommunication::receive( uint8_t *p_data, size_t i_size, int i_timeout, bool *pb_timeout )
 {
+    if (m_tls == NULL)
+        return -1;
+
     ssize_t i_received = 0;
 
     struct iovec iov;
@@ -437,6 +457,9 @@ unsigned ChromecastCommunication::msgPlayerSetVolume( const std::string& destina
  */
 int ChromecastCommunication::sendMessage( const castchannel::CastMessage &msg )
 {
+    if (m_tls == NULL)
+        return VLC_EGENERIC;
+
     size_t i_size = msg.ByteSizeLong();
     uint8_t *p_data = new(std::nothrow) uint8_t[PACKET_HEADER_LEN + i_size];
     if (p_data == NULL)
diff --git a/modules/stream_out/chromecast/chromecast_ctrl.cpp b/modules/stream_out/chromecast/chromecast_ctrl.cpp
index f2729c8c25..af8ba6d655 100644
--- a/modules/stream_out/chromecast/chromecast_ctrl.cpp
+++ b/modules/stream_out/chromecast/chromecast_ctrl.cpp
@@ -269,6 +269,14 @@ void intf_sys_t::reinit()
         return;
     }
 
+    if( !m_communication->isConnected() )
+    {
+        msg_Warn( m_module, "failed to reconnect to Chromecast receiver" );
+        delete m_communication;
+        m_communication = NULL;
+        return;
+    }
+
     m_state = Authenticating;
     if( vlc_clone( &m_chromecastThread, ChromecastThread, this) )
     {
@@ -671,7 +679,13 @@ void* intf_sys_t::ChromecastThread(void* p_data)
     vlc_thread_set_name("vlc-chromecast");
 
     intf_sys_t *p_sys = static_cast<intf_sys_t*>(p_data);
-    p_sys->mainLoop();
+    try {
+        p_sys->mainLoop();
+    } catch (const std::exception& e) {
+        msg_Err(p_sys->m_module, "chromecast thread aborted: %s", e.what());
+    } catch (...) {
+        msg_Err(p_sys->m_module, "chromecast thread aborted");
+    }
     return NULL;
 }
 
diff --git a/modules/stream_out/chromecast/chromecast_demux.cpp b/modules/stream_out/chromecast/chromecast_demux.cpp
index 3a3dd072db..7a44bc17ea 100644
--- a/modules/stream_out/chromecast/chromecast_demux.cpp
+++ b/modules/stream_out/chromecast/chromecast_demux.cpp
@@ -89,7 +89,11 @@ struct demux_cc
 
         if (demux_Control( p_demux->s, DEMUX_CAN_SEEK, &m_can_seek ) != VLC_SUCCESS)
             m_can_seek = false;
-        if (demux_Control( p_demux->s, DEMUX_GET_LENGTH, &m_length ) != VLC_SUCCESS)
+        /* DEMUX_GET_LENGTH takes two arguments (vlc_tick_t *, bool *live);
+         * the adaptive demuxer reads both, so the live flag must be passed
+         * or it reads a stray stack slot and writes through it. */
+        bool b_unused_live;
+        if (demux_Control( p_demux->s, DEMUX_GET_LENGTH, &m_length, &b_unused_live ) != VLC_SUCCESS)
             m_length = -1;
 
         int i_current_title;