diff --git a/src/lib/geolocation.ts b/src/lib/geolocation.ts
index 2dd65e4..9cd1e25 100644
--- a/src/lib/geolocation.ts
+++ b/src/lib/geolocation.ts
@@ -184,24 +184,37 @@ function raceForFirstFix(
 ): Promise<GeoCoords> {
   return new Promise<GeoCoords>((resolve, reject) => {
     let settled = false;
-    let watchId: string | null = null;
+    const watchIds: string[] = [];
     let deadline: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null;
+    let sawTimeoutish = false; // remember if the failure looked like a timeout
 
-    const cleanup = () => {
-      if (deadline) clearTimeout(deadline);
-      if (watchId !== null) {
-        const id = watchId;
-        watchId = null;
-        // clearWatch is fire-and-forget; guard so it can't throw into us.
+    const clearAllWatches = () => {
+      while (watchIds.length) {
+        const id = watchIds.pop()!;
         safeCall(() => native.clearWatch({ id })).catch(() => {});
       }
     };
 
+    const cleanup = () => {
+      if (deadline) clearTimeout(deadline);
+      clearAllWatches();
+    };
+
     const succeed = (pos: CapPosition) => {
       if (settled) return;
+      // Guard against garbage readings (0,0 / null island).
+      const { latitude, longitude } = pos?.coords ?? {};
+      if (
+        typeof latitude !== 'number' ||
+        typeof longitude !== 'number' ||
+        (latitude === 0 && longitude === 0)
+      ) {
+        console.warn('[geolocation] ignoring invalid reading', pos);
+        return;
+      }
       settled = true;
       cleanup();
-      resolve({ lat: pos.coords.latitude, lng: pos.coords.longitude });
+      resolve({ lat: latitude, lng: longitude });
     };
 
     const fail = (err: unknown) => {
@@ -211,46 +224,67 @@ function raceForFirstFix(
       reject(err instanceof Error ? err : new Error(String(err)));
     };
 
-    // Overall deadline — if nothing arrives, let the caller try high-accuracy.
-    deadline = setTimeout(() => fail(new Error('fast-fix timeout')), 25000);
+    // GrapheneOS (no Play Services) has no fast fused provider — a cold GPS lock
+    // can genuinely take 30–60s. Give it a real chance before giving up.
+    deadline = setTimeout(
+      () => fail(new Error(sawTimeoutish ? 'timeout' : 'fast-fix timeout')),
+      60000,
+    );
 
-    // 1) watchPosition — first update wins (fast network/fused fix).
-    if (typeof native.watchPosition === 'function') {
+    // Register a watch with the given accuracy; first valid reading wins.
+    const startWatch = (highAccuracy: boolean) => {
+      if (typeof native.watchPosition !== 'function') return;
       safeCall(() =>
         native.watchPosition(
-          { enableHighAccuracy: false, timeout: 20000, maximumAge: 60000 },
+          { enableHighAccuracy: highAccuracy, timeout: 60000, maximumAge: 0 },
           (position, err) => {
-            if (position) succeed(position);
-            else if (err) console.warn('[geolocation] watch update error:', err);
+            if (position) {
+              succeed(position);
+            } else if (err) {
+              const m = String(
+                (err as { message?: string })?.message ?? err,
+              ).toLowerCase();
+              if (m.includes('timeout') || m.includes('timed out')) sawTimeoutish = true;
+              console.warn('[geolocation] watch update error:', err);
+            }
           },
         ),
       )
         .then((id) => {
           if (settled) {
-            // Already resolved by getCurrentPosition; tidy up this watch.
             safeCall(() => native.clearWatch({ id })).catch(() => {});
           } else {
-            watchId = id;
+            watchIds.push(id);
           }
         })
         .catch((watchErr) => {
-          console.warn('[geolocation] watchPosition unavailable:', watchErr);
+          console.warn('[geolocation] watchPosition failed:', watchErr);
         });
-    }
+    };
 
-    // 2) getCurrentPosition — instant if the OS has a recent fix.
+    // Run BOTH a high-accuracy (GPS) and low-accuracy (network, if any) watch in
+    // parallel. On GrapheneOS the GPS one is usually what actually delivers, so
+    // high accuracy MUST be engaged — the old low-accuracy-only watch never
+    // fired without a network provider. Whichever returns first wins.
+    startWatch(true);
+    startWatch(false);
+
+    // Also fire a one-shot high-accuracy getCurrentPosition (some plugin
+    // versions deliver here even when the watch is quiet). Cached ok.
     safeCall(() =>
       native.getCurrentPosition({
-        enableHighAccuracy: false,
-        timeout: 15000,
-        maximumAge: 120000,
+        enableHighAccuracy: true,
+        timeout: 55000,
+        maximumAge: 60000,
       }),
     )
       .then((pos) => succeed(pos))
       .catch((gcpErr) => {
-        // Don't fail the whole race — watchPosition may still deliver. Only the
-        // deadline (or watch) decides the outcome. Log for visibility.
-        console.warn('[geolocation] getCurrentPosition (fast) failed:', gcpErr);
+        const m = String(
+          (gcpErr as { message?: string })?.message ?? gcpErr,
+        ).toLowerCase();
+        if (m.includes('timeout') || m.includes('timed out')) sawTimeoutish = true;
+        console.warn('[geolocation] getCurrentPosition failed:', gcpErr);
       });
   });
 }
@@ -298,21 +332,10 @@ async function getNativePosition(native: CapGeolocationPlugin): Promise<GeoCoord
     // network/fused fix. We run it in parallel with a cheap getCurrentPosition
     // and take whichever resolves first. Only if BOTH fail do we surface an
     // error. This gets an indoor fix without ever asking the user to move.
-    try {
-      return await raceForFirstFix(native, safeCall);
-    } catch (fixErr) {
-      console.warn('[geolocation] fast-fix strategy failed:', fixErr);
-      // Last-ditch: one more high-accuracy attempt with a long window (outdoors
-      // / cold GPS). If this also fails we fall through to the catch below.
-      const pos = await safeCall(() =>
-        native.getCurrentPosition({
-          enableHighAccuracy: true,
-          timeout: 30000,
-          maximumAge: 300000,
-        }),
-      );
-      return { lat: pos.coords.latitude, lng: pos.coords.longitude };
-    }
+    // raceForFirstFix already runs parallel high+low accuracy watches AND a
+    // one-shot getCurrentPosition for up to 60s, so there's nothing more to try
+    // if it fails — let the error propagate to the classifier below.
+    return await raceForFirstFix(native, safeCall);
   } catch (err) {
     if (err instanceof GeolocationError) throw err;
     const msg = (err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err)).toLowerCase();
diff --git a/src/pages/MapPage.tsx b/src/pages/MapPage.tsx
index a78caf6..bec10aa 100644
--- a/src/pages/MapPage.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/MapPage.tsx
@@ -629,13 +629,28 @@ export default function MapPage() {
     setNearMeError(null);
     setNearMeLoading(true);
 
+    // Getting a GPS lock (especially first-time / on ROMs without Google's
+    // fused provider) can take a while — let the user know it's working.
+    const locatingToast = toast({
+      title: 'Locating you…',
+      description: 'Getting a GPS fix. This can take up to a minute the first time.',
+      duration: 60000,
+    });
+
     try {
       const { lat, lng } = await getCurrentPosition();
+      locatingToast.dismiss();
       setFlyTo({ lat, lng, zoom: 14 });
       setUserLocation({ lat, lon: lng });
       setNearMeLoading(false);
       setNearMeError(null);
+      toast({
+        title: 'Found you',
+        description: 'Centered the map on your location.',
+        duration: 3000,
+      });
     } catch (err) {
+      locatingToast.dismiss();
       setNearMeLoading(false);
       const kind = err instanceof GeolocationError ? err.kind : 'unavailable';