diff --git a/custom_components/nvidia_shield/connection.py b/custom_components/nvidia_shield/connection.py
index ac42aaa..c153ed3 100644
--- a/custom_components/nvidia_shield/connection.py
+++ b/custom_components/nvidia_shield/connection.py
@@ -347,6 +347,15 @@ class ShieldConnectionManager:
         """Visible recent-task apps, ordered by recency."""
         return self.store.get(FIELD_RUNNING_APPS, [])
 
+    @property
+    def protocol_active(self) -> bool:
+        """True when the remote-protocol transport is wired for this entry.
+
+        Entities use this instead of reaching into ``_protocol``: a passive
+        manager means "no transport", not "broken transport".
+        """
+        return self._protocol is not None
+
     @property
     def is_on(self) -> bool | None:
         """Protocol power push (device reports on/off state)."""
diff --git a/custom_components/nvidia_shield/media_player.py b/custom_components/nvidia_shield/media_player.py
index 066535a..6b0980d 100644
--- a/custom_components/nvidia_shield/media_player.py
+++ b/custom_components/nvidia_shield/media_player.py
@@ -1,19 +1,23 @@
 """Media player entity for Nvidia Shield.
 
-State architecture:
-  - Power/availability: androidtv_remote (local push, fast)
-  - Playback state: Jellyfin (polling, slow 10-30s)
-  - Metadata: Jellyfin attributes
-  - ALL commands: androidtv_remote (Jellyfin is read-only)
+Phase 2 architecture (docs/MVP_PLAN.md §2): the entry's ShieldConnectionManager
+(connection.py) owns both transports — ADB (adb_shell, state source) and the
+absorbed remote protocol (androidtvremote2, local push) — plus their StateStore;
+this entity is a thin callback-view over it.
 
-ADB connection/polling lives in the entry's ShieldConnectionManager
-(connection.py); this entity is a thin callback-view over its StateStore.
+State architecture:
+  - Power ladder: protocol is_on push → ADB wake (exact mWakefulness) → plug off
+  - Playback state: Jellyfin (polling, slow 10-30s) or ADB media session
+  - Metadata: Jellyfin attributes
+  - Commands: protocol key push → ADB keyevent → external androidtv_remote
+    (the last tier is transitional; removed in Phase 4)
 
 Intent tracking bridges the gap between instant commands and slow Jellyfin polling:
   1. User presses pause → intent recorded → UI shows paused immediately
-  2. Command sent to androidtv_remote → Shield pauses on screen
+  2. Command sent over the serving transport → Shield pauses on screen
   3. 10-30s later Jellyfin confirms paused → intent cleared
-  4. If Jellyfin doesn't confirm in 30s → retry once → if still no → surrender to truth
+  4. If Jellyfin doesn't confirm in 30s → retry once on the serving
+     transport (protocol/ADB stamped on the intent) → surrender to truth
 """
 
 import asyncio
diff --git a/custom_components/nvidia_shield/remote.py b/custom_components/nvidia_shield/remote.py
index cd25a31..6f7d8b3 100644
--- a/custom_components/nvidia_shield/remote.py
+++ b/custom_components/nvidia_shield/remote.py
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ class NvidiaShieldRemoteEntity(RemoteEntity):
         manager = self._manager_of()
         if not isinstance(manager, ShieldConnectionManager):
             return True
-        if manager._protocol is None:
+        if not manager.protocol_active:
             return True
         return manager.is_available is not False