diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2b0be6b..432f24e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ GitHub are its section here (`tools/release.sh` copies them), so add to
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+- **New Project no longer crashes while a reverb rings.** Starting a new
+  project, or opening one, while the old project's master effects were
+  still sounding could crash Slab.
+
 - **Juniper-8, a Roland Jupiter-8.** Eight voices of two VCOs with
   exponential cross mod, VCO-2 synced to VCO-1, and PWM on both pulses. A
   6 dB HPF feeds the IR3109 filter, with 24 dB and its thinner 12 dB tap.
diff --git a/src/document.zig b/src/document.zig
index e5e7d07..3e8d36a 100644
--- a/src/document.zig
+++ b/src/document.zig
@@ -995,11 +995,10 @@ pub fn apply(
         if (objGet(mo, "volume")) |x| m.setVolume(@floatCast(asF64(x)));
         if (objGet(mo, "pan")) |x| m.setPan(@floatCast(asF64(x)));
         m.subsonic.store(if (objGet(mo, "subsonic")) |x| asBool(x) else false, .monotonic);
-        for (m.effects.items) |*fx| {
-            if (fx.mach.deinit) |d| d(fx.mach.state, alloc);
-            if (fx.shared_io) |io| alloc.destroy(io);
-        }
-        m.effects.clearRetainingCapacity();
+        // The master outlives the load and the audio thread may still be
+        // rendering its old chain (a fading switch plays one more chunk):
+        // retire the effects, freed once audio adopts the new chain.
+        while (m.effects.items.len > 0) try m.removeEffect(alloc, m.effects.items.len - 1);
         if (objGet(mo, "effects")) |ev| try applyEffects(alloc, reg, m, ev);
         m.publishMachines();
     };
@@ -2213,3 +2212,55 @@ test "grooves round-trip: the project's own, the song's, a section's and a track
     try std.testing.expectEqual(@as(f32, 0.5), loaded_buf[0].groove.amount);
     try std.testing.expectEqual(@as(f32, -8), loaded_buf[0].groove.shift_ms);
 }
+
+test "realtime: a project load retires the master's effects until audio adopts the new chain" {
+    // New Project while the old master chain rang crashed the audio
+    // thread: the load freed the master's effects in place, and a fading
+    // adoption keeps rendering the old chain for one more chunk.
+    const M = struct {
+        freed: usize = 0,
+        fn destroy(st: *anyopaque, _: std.mem.Allocator) void {
+            const x: *@This() = @ptrCast(@alignCast(st));
+            x.freed += 1;
+        }
+    };
+    const alloc = std.testing.allocator;
+    var reg = registry_mod.Registry.init(alloc);
+    defer reg.deinit();
+    var master = try track_mod.Track.init(alloc, "Master", .{ .r = 0, .g = 0, .b = 0, .a = 255 }, test_machine);
+    master.kind = .master;
+    defer master.deinit(alloc);
+    setMaster(&master);
+    defer active_master = null;
+    var transport: transport_mod.Transport = .{};
+    transport.sample_rate = 48_000;
+    const blank = try serialize(alloc, &.{}, &transport);
+    defer alloc.free(blank);
+
+    var fx = M{};
+    var fx_mach = test_machine;
+    fx_mach.state = &fx;
+    fx_mach.deinit = M.destroy;
+    try master.addEffect(alloc, fx_mach, 0);
+    master.adoptMachines(false);
+    try std.testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, 1), master.audioEffects().len);
+
+    var loaded_buf: [1]track_mod.Track = undefined;
+    var loaded_count: usize = 0;
+    try apply(alloc, blank, &reg, loaded_buf[0..], &loaded_count, &transport, test_machine);
+    try std.testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, 0), master.effects.items.len);
+    // The audio side still holds the old effect: it must be alive.
+    master.collectMachines(alloc);
+    try std.testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, 0), fx.freed);
+    // Still ringing: the old chain renders its last chunk, then switches.
+    master.adoptMachines(true);
+    try std.testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, 1), master.audioEffects().len);
+    try std.testing.expect(@intFromPtr(master.audioEffects()[0].mach.state) == @intFromPtr(&fx));
+    master.collectMachines(alloc);
+    try std.testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, 0), fx.freed);
+    master.swap = .out_done;
+    master.adoptMachines(true);
+    try std.testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, 0), master.audioEffects().len);
+    master.collectMachines(alloc);
+    try std.testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, 1), fx.freed);
+}
diff --git a/src/main.zig b/src/main.zig
index ffe675f..a81b423 100644
--- a/src/main.zig
+++ b/src/main.zig
@@ -2092,6 +2092,9 @@ pub fn main(init: std.process.Init) !void {
         }
 
         for (tracks) |*t| t.publishSnapshot(&audio_pool);
+        // The master's retired effects (a load or an edit) free once audio
+        // has moved past them.
+        master.collectMachines(alloc);
         // Bounces go stale as their sources change (docs/27 §Provenance).
         if (c.rl.GetTime() >= next_recipe_check and !bounce_job.active) {
             next_recipe_check = c.rl.GetTime() + 0.5;