diff --git a/data_only_viz/nlf_worker.py b/data_only_viz/nlf_worker.py
index 1c79b86..f2a615e 100644
--- a/data_only_viz/nlf_worker.py
+++ b/data_only_viz/nlf_worker.py
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ CKPT_S = CACHE / "nlf_s_multi.torchscript"
 N_VERTS = 6890
 N_JOINTS = 24
 
+FAIL_THRESHOLD = 30  # ~1 s at 30 fps before giving up
+
 
 class NLFWorker:
     def __init__(self, state: State, num_persons: int = 4,
@@ -40,6 +42,7 @@ class NLFWorker:
         self._stop = threading.Event()
         self._thread: threading.Thread | None = None
         self._smooth_pos: list[list] = []
+        self.failure_count = 0
 
     @staticmethod
     def is_available() -> bool:
@@ -53,6 +56,9 @@ class NLFWorker:
     def stop(self) -> None:
         self._stop.set()
 
+    def _record_success(self) -> None:
+        self.failure_count = 0
+
     def _run(self) -> None:
         try:
             import torch
@@ -116,11 +122,29 @@ class NLFWorker:
             try:
                 with torch.inference_mode():
                     pred = model.detect_smpl_batched(frame_batch)
+            except NotImplementedError as e:
+                self.failure_count += 1
+                if self.failure_count >= FAIL_THRESHOLD:
+                    LOG.error(
+                        "NLF inference unsupported on device=%s after %d frames: %s. "
+                        "TorchScript checkpoint is CUDA-only; install CUDA or switch backend.",
+                        device, self.failure_count, e,
+                    )
+                    return
+                time.sleep(self.period)
+                continue
             except Exception as e:
+                self.failure_count += 1
+                if self.failure_count >= FAIL_THRESHOLD:
+                    LOG.error("NLF inference failed %d frames in a row, stopping: %s",
+                              self.failure_count, e)
+                    return
                 LOG.warning("inference failed: %s", e)
                 time.sleep(self.period)
                 continue
 
+            self._record_success()
+
             verts_all = pred.get("vertices3d_nonparam")
             joints_all = pred.get("joints3d_nonparam")
             trans_all = pred.get("trans")
diff --git a/data_only_viz/tests/test_nlf_worker_bailout.py b/data_only_viz/tests/test_nlf_worker_bailout.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..59fabbc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data_only_viz/tests/test_nlf_worker_bailout.py
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+"""NLFWorker must bail out after FAIL_THRESHOLD consecutive inference failures."""
+
+import sys
+import threading
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock
+
+import pytest
+
+from data_only_viz.nlf_worker import NLFWorker, FAIL_THRESHOLD
+from data_only_viz.state import State
+
+
+def _make_fake_torch(raises: bool = True):
+    """Return a MagicMock that quacks like torch for _run()."""
+    fake_model = MagicMock()
+    if raises:
+        fake_model.detect_smpl_batched.side_effect = NotImplementedError("CUDA only")
+    else:
+        pred = MagicMock()
+        pred.get.return_value = None  # verts_all is None → continues normally
+        fake_model.detect_smpl_batched.return_value = pred
+    fake_model.eval.return_value = fake_model
+
+    mock_torch = MagicMock()
+    mock_torch.jit.load.return_value = fake_model
+    mock_torch.backends.mps.is_available.return_value = False
+    tensor = MagicMock()
+    mock_torch.from_numpy.return_value = tensor
+    tensor.permute.return_value = tensor
+    tensor.unsqueeze.return_value = tensor
+    tensor.to.return_value = tensor
+
+    # inference_mode() used as context manager
+    ctx = MagicMock()
+    ctx.__enter__ = MagicMock(return_value=None)
+    ctx.__exit__ = MagicMock(return_value=False)
+    mock_torch.inference_mode.return_value = ctx
+
+    return mock_torch
+
+
+def _make_fake_cv2():
+    mock_cv2 = MagicMock()
+    cap = MagicMock()
+    cap.isOpened.return_value = True
+    cap.read.return_value = (True, MagicMock())
+    mock_cv2.VideoCapture.return_value = cap
+    mock_cv2.cvtColor.return_value = MagicMock()
+    mock_cv2.CAP_PROP_FRAME_WIDTH = 3
+    mock_cv2.CAP_PROP_FRAME_HEIGHT = 4
+    mock_cv2.COLOR_BGR2RGB = 4
+    return mock_cv2
+
+
+def test_bailout_after_threshold_failures(tmp_path):
+    # Inject fake torch and cv2 into sys.modules before _run() does its imports
+    fake_torch = _make_fake_torch(raises=True)
+    fake_cv2 = _make_fake_cv2()
+
+    # Patch ckpt_path to a fake existing file so the worker doesn't abort early
+    fake_ckpt = tmp_path / "fake.torchscript"
+    fake_ckpt.write_bytes(b"")
+
+    original_torch = sys.modules.get("torch")
+    original_cv2 = sys.modules.get("cv2")
+    sys.modules["torch"] = fake_torch
+    sys.modules["cv2"] = fake_cv2
+    try:
+        state = State()
+        worker = NLFWorker(state, num_persons=1, target_fps=1000.0, device="cpu")
+        worker.ckpt_path = fake_ckpt
+
+        t = threading.Thread(target=worker._run, daemon=True)
+        t.start()
+        t.join(timeout=4.0)
+    finally:
+        if original_torch is None:
+            sys.modules.pop("torch", None)
+        else:
+            sys.modules["torch"] = original_torch
+        if original_cv2 is None:
+            sys.modules.pop("cv2", None)
+        else:
+            sys.modules["cv2"] = original_cv2
+
+    assert not t.is_alive(), "worker should exit after threshold failures"
+    assert worker.failure_count >= FAIL_THRESHOLD
+
+
+def test_failure_counter_resets_on_success():
+    state = State()
+    worker = NLFWorker(state, num_persons=1, target_fps=10.0, device="cpu")
+    worker.failure_count = FAIL_THRESHOLD - 1
+    worker._record_success()
+    assert worker.failure_count == 0