diff --git a/src/media/mediaQueue.ts b/src/media/mediaQueue.ts
index ea224e2..d412e5b 100644
--- a/src/media/mediaQueue.ts
+++ b/src/media/mediaQueue.ts
@@ -38,11 +38,11 @@ export class MediaQueue {
     this.current = null;
   }
 
-  failCurrent(): void {
-    if (this.current) {
-      this.current = { ...this.current, status: "failed" };
-    }
+  failCurrent(): MediaQueueItem | null {
+    if (!this.current) return null;
+    const failed = { ...this.current, status: "failed" as const };
     this.current = null;
+    return failed;
   }
 
   clear(): void {
diff --git a/tests/media/mediaQueue.test.ts b/tests/media/mediaQueue.test.ts
index d63d5e7..bb21531 100644
--- a/tests/media/mediaQueue.test.ts
+++ b/tests/media/mediaQueue.test.ts
@@ -55,6 +55,15 @@ describe("MediaQueue", () => {
     expect(queue.snapshot().queue).toEqual([]);
   });
 
+  it("returns the failed current item", () => {
+    const queue = new MediaQueue(() => "item-1", () => 1700000000000);
+    const item = queue.add(source(), "tester");
+    queue.startNext();
+
+    expect(queue.failCurrent()).toEqual({ ...item, status: "failed" });
+    expect(queue.snapshot()).toEqual({ current: null, queue: [] });
+  });
+
   it("clears current and queued items", () => {
     const queue = new MediaQueue(() => "item-1", () => 1700000000000);
     queue.add(source(), "tester");