diff --git a/config/liquidsoap.liq b/config/liquidsoap.liq
index fab96fa..52e7d88 100644
--- a/config/liquidsoap.liq
+++ b/config/liquidsoap.liq
@@ -9,13 +9,24 @@ source_pw = environment.get(default="", "SOURCE_PW")
 def emit_now_playing(station, m) =
   filename = m["filename"]
   if filename != "" then
+    # decoder-reported metadata may be empty; fall back to request.duration which
+    # reads it directly from the file. -1.0 means unknown.
+    meta_dur = m["duration"]
+    dur_str =
+      if meta_dur != "" then
+        meta_dur
+      else
+        # request.duration returns float? in liquidsoap 2.3 — unwrap with default -1.
+        d = null.get(default=-1., request.duration(filename))
+        if d > 0. then string(int_of_float(d)) else "" end
+      end
     payload = json()
     payload.add("station", station)
     payload.add("artist", m["artist"])
     payload.add("title", m["title"])
     payload.add("album", m["album"])
     payload.add("filename", filename)
-    payload.add("duration", m["duration"])
+    payload.add("duration", dur_str)
     payload.add("started_at", string(int_of_float(time())))
     file.write(data=payload.stringify(), atomic=true, temp_dir="/now-playing", "/now-playing/#{station}.json")
   end