diff --git a/src/app/TetrisApp.cpp b/src/app/TetrisApp.cpp
index b3998df..68db98c 100644
--- a/src/app/TetrisApp.cpp
+++ b/src/app/TetrisApp.cpp
@@ -460,6 +460,7 @@ int TetrisApp::Impl::init()
     ctx.exitPopupSelectedButton = &exitPopupSelectedButton;
     ctx.gameplayCountdownActive = &gameplayCountdownActive;
     ctx.menuPlayCountdownArmed = &menuPlayCountdownArmed;
+    ctx.skipNextLevelUpJingle = &skipNextLevelUpJingle;
     ctx.challengeClearFxActive = &challengeClearFxActive;
     ctx.challengeClearFxElapsedMs = &challengeClearFxElapsedMs;
     ctx.challengeClearFxDurationMs = &challengeClearFxDurationMs;
@@ -1090,7 +1091,13 @@ void TetrisApp::Impl::runLoop()
 
                     const std::vector<std::string> audioIds = {"clear_line","nice_combo","you_fire","well_played","keep_that_ryhtm","great_move","smooth_clear","impressive","triple_strike","amazing","you_re_unstoppable","boom_tetris","wonderful","lets_go","hard_drop","new_level","asteroid_destroy","challenge_clear"};
                     for (const auto &id : audioIds) {
-                        std::string basePath = "assets/music/" + (id == "hard_drop" ? "hard_drop_001" : (id == "challenge_clear" ? "GONG0" : id));
+                        std::string basePath = "assets/music/" + (id == "hard_drop"
+                            ? "hard_drop_001"
+                            : (id == "challenge_clear"
+                                ? "GONG0"
+                                : (id == "asteroid_destroy"
+                                    ? "asteroid-destroy"
+                                    : id)));
                         {
                             std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lk(currentLoadingMutex);
                             currentLoadingFile = basePath;
diff --git a/src/gameplay/core/Game.cpp b/src/gameplay/core/Game.cpp
index bf24a4d..fe9e205 100644
--- a/src/gameplay/core/Game.cpp
+++ b/src/gameplay/core/Game.cpp
@@ -510,6 +510,31 @@ int Game::checkLines() {
             completedLines.push_back(y);
         }
     }
+
+    // Pre-play asteroid destroy SFX immediately when a clearing line contains asteroids (reduces latency)
+    if (!completedLines.empty() && mode == GameMode::Challenge) {
+        std::optional<AsteroidType> foundType;
+        for (int y : completedLines) {
+            for (int x = 0; x < COLS; ++x) {
+                int idx = y * COLS + x;
+                if (board[idx] >= ASTEROID_BASE) {
+                    int typeIdx = board[idx] - ASTEROID_BASE;
+                    if (typeIdx >= 0 && typeIdx <= static_cast<int>(AsteroidType::Core)) {
+                        foundType = static_cast<AsteroidType>(typeIdx);
+                    }
+                } else if (idx >= 0 && idx < static_cast<int>(asteroidGrid.size()) && asteroidGrid[idx].has_value()) {
+                    foundType = asteroidGrid[idx]->type;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        if (foundType.has_value()) {
+            pendingAsteroidDestroyType = foundType;
+            if (!asteroidDestroySoundPreplayed && asteroidDestroyedCallback) {
+                asteroidDestroySoundPreplayed = true;
+                asteroidDestroyedCallback(*foundType);
+            }
+        }
+    }
     
     return static_cast<int>(completedLines.size());
 }
@@ -537,6 +562,10 @@ void Game::actualClearLines() {
     // Apply asteroid-specific gravity after the board collapses
     applyAsteroidGravity();
 
+    // Reset preplay latch so future destroys can fire again
+    pendingAsteroidDestroyType.reset();
+    asteroidDestroySoundPreplayed = false;
+
     if (mode == GameMode::Challenge) {
         if (asteroidsRemainingCount <= 0) {
             int nextLevel = challengeLevelIndex + 1;
@@ -629,7 +658,7 @@ void Game::handleAsteroidsOnClearedRows(const std::vector<int>& clearedRows,
 
     if (destroyedThisPass > 0) {
         asteroidsRemainingCount = std::max(0, asteroidsRemainingCount - destroyedThisPass);
-        if (asteroidDestroyedCallback && lastDestroyedType.has_value()) {
+        if (!asteroidDestroySoundPreplayed && asteroidDestroyedCallback && lastDestroyedType.has_value()) {
             asteroidDestroyedCallback(*lastDestroyedType);
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/gameplay/core/Game.h b/src/gameplay/core/Game.h
index 57587c2..c285f99 100644
--- a/src/gameplay/core/Game.h
+++ b/src/gameplay/core/Game.h
@@ -177,6 +177,9 @@ private:
     bool challengeLevelActive{false};
     bool challengeAdvanceQueued{false};
     int challengeQueuedLevel{0};
+    // Asteroid SFX latency mitigation
+    std::optional<AsteroidType> pendingAsteroidDestroyType;
+    bool asteroidDestroySoundPreplayed{false};
 
     // Internal helpers ----------------------------------------------------
     void refillBag();
diff --git a/src/states/MenuState.cpp b/src/states/MenuState.cpp
index 2cb608e..1c22150 100644
--- a/src/states/MenuState.cpp
+++ b/src/states/MenuState.cpp
@@ -473,6 +473,9 @@ void MenuState::handleEvent(const SDL_Event& e) {
                         // Start challenge run at level 1
                         if (ctx.game) {
                             ctx.game->setMode(GameMode::Challenge);
+                            if (ctx.skipNextLevelUpJingle) {
+                                *ctx.skipNextLevelUpJingle = true;
+                            }
                             ctx.game->startChallengeRun(1);
                         }
                         triggerPlay();
diff --git a/src/states/State.h b/src/states/State.h
index 1a66418..ebbc25b 100644
--- a/src/states/State.h
+++ b/src/states/State.h
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ struct StateContext {
     int* exitPopupSelectedButton = nullptr; // 0 = YES, 1 = NO (default)
     bool* gameplayCountdownActive = nullptr; // True if start-of-game countdown is running
     bool* menuPlayCountdownArmed = nullptr; // True if we are transitioning to play and countdown is pending
+    bool* skipNextLevelUpJingle = nullptr; // Allows states to silence initial level-up SFX
     // Challenge clear FX (slow block-by-block explosion before next level)
     bool* challengeClearFxActive = nullptr;
     double* challengeClearFxElapsedMs = nullptr;