diff --git a/tests/test_shorts.py b/tests/test_shorts.py
index edf7d73..9a49450 100644
--- a/tests/test_shorts.py
+++ b/tests/test_shorts.py
@@ -58,6 +58,59 @@ class TestChannelCtokenV5:
         assert t_shorts != t_streams
         assert t_videos != t_streams
 
+    def test_include_shorts_false_adds_filter(self):
+        """Test that include_shorts=False adds the shorts filter (field 104)."""
+        # Token with shorts included (default)
+        t_with_shorts = self.channel_ctoken_v5('UCtest', '1', '3', 'videos', include_shorts=True)
+        # Token with shorts excluded
+        t_without_shorts = self.channel_ctoken_v5('UCtest', '1', '3', 'videos', include_shorts=False)
+
+        # The tokens should be different because of the shorts filter
+        assert t_with_shorts != t_without_shorts
+
+        # Decode and verify the filter is present
+        raw_with_shorts = base64.urlsafe_b64decode(t_with_shorts + '==')
+        raw_without_shorts = base64.urlsafe_b64decode(t_without_shorts + '==')
+
+        # Parse the outer protobuf structure
+        import youtube.proto as proto
+        outer_fields_with = list(proto.read_protobuf(raw_with_shorts))
+        outer_fields_without = list(proto.read_protobuf(raw_without_shorts))
+
+        # Field 80226972 contains the inner data
+        inner_with = [v for _, fn, v in outer_fields_with if fn == 80226972][0]
+        inner_without = [v for _, fn, v in outer_fields_without if fn == 80226972][0]
+
+        # Parse the inner data - field 3 contains percent-encoded base64 data
+        inner_fields_with = list(proto.read_protobuf(inner_with))
+        inner_fields_without = list(proto.read_protobuf(inner_without))
+
+        # Get field 3 data (the encoded inner which is percent-encoded base64)
+        encoded_inner_with = [v for _, fn, v in inner_fields_with if fn == 3][0]
+        encoded_inner_without = [v for _, fn, v in inner_fields_without if fn == 3][0]
+
+        # The inner without shorts should contain field 104
+        # Decode the percent-encoded base64 data
+        import urllib.parse
+        decoded_with = urllib.parse.unquote(encoded_inner_with.decode('ascii'))
+        decoded_without = urllib.parse.unquote(encoded_inner_without.decode('ascii'))
+
+        # Decode the base64 data
+        decoded_with_bytes = base64.urlsafe_b64decode(decoded_with + '==')
+        decoded_without_bytes = base64.urlsafe_b64decode(decoded_without + '==')
+
+        # Parse the decoded protobuf data
+        fields_with = list(proto.read_protobuf(decoded_with_bytes))
+        fields_without = list(proto.read_protobuf(decoded_without_bytes))
+
+        field_numbers_with = [fn for _, fn, _ in fields_with]
+        field_numbers_without = [fn for _, fn, _ in fields_without]
+
+        # The 'with' version should NOT have field 104
+        assert 104 not in field_numbers_with
+        # The 'without' version SHOULD have field 104
+        assert 104 in field_numbers_without
+
 
 # --- shortsLockupViewModel parsing ---
 
diff --git a/youtube/channel.py b/youtube/channel.py
index a139bc1..17e46f5 100644
--- a/youtube/channel.py
+++ b/youtube/channel.py
@@ -33,9 +33,9 @@ headers_mobile = (
 real_cookie = (('Cookie', 'VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE=8XihrAcN1l4'),)
 generic_cookie = (('Cookie', 'VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE=ST1Ti53r4fU'),)
 
-# FIXED 2026: YouTube changed continuation token structure (from Invidious commit a9f8127)
 # Sort values for YouTube API (from Invidious): 2=popular, 4=newest, 5=oldest
-def channel_ctoken_v5(channel_id, page, sort, tab, view=1):
+# include_shorts only applies to tab='videos'; tab='shorts'/'streams' always include their own content.
+def channel_ctoken_v5(channel_id, page, sort, tab, view=1, include_shorts=True):
     # Tab-specific protobuf field numbers (from Invidious source)
     # Each tab uses different field numbers in the protobuf structure:
     #   videos:  110 -> 3 -> 15 -> { 2:{1:UUID}, 4:sort, 8:{1:UUID, 3:sort} }
@@ -74,6 +74,11 @@ def channel_ctoken_v5(channel_id, page, sort, tab, view=1):
     inner_container = proto.string(3, tab_wrapper)
     outer_container = proto.string(110, inner_container)
 
+    # Add shorts filter when include_shorts=False (field 104, same as playlist.py)
+    # This tells YouTube to exclude shorts from the results
+    if not include_shorts:
+        outer_container += proto.string(104, proto.uint(2, 1))
+
     encoded_inner = proto.percent_b64encode(outer_container)
 
     pointless_nest = proto.string(80226972,
@@ -236,12 +241,12 @@ def channel_ctoken_v1(channel_id, page, sort, tab, view=1):
 
 
 def get_channel_tab(channel_id, page="1", sort=3, tab='videos', view=1,
-                    ctoken=None, print_status=True):
+                    ctoken=None, print_status=True, include_shorts=True):
     message = 'Got channel tab' if print_status else None
 
     if not ctoken:
         if tab in ('videos', 'shorts', 'streams'):
-            ctoken = channel_ctoken_v5(channel_id, page, sort, tab, view)
+            ctoken = channel_ctoken_v5(channel_id, page, sort, tab, view, include_shorts)
         else:
             ctoken = channel_ctoken_v3(channel_id, page, sort, tab, view)
         ctoken = ctoken.replace('=', '%3D')
@@ -295,12 +300,23 @@ def get_number_of_videos_channel(channel_id):
 
     response = response.decode('utf-8')
 
-    # match = re.search(r'"numVideosText":\s*{\s*"runs":\s*\[{"text":\s*"([\d,]*) videos"', response)
-    match = re.search(r'"numVideosText".*?([,\d]+)', response)
-    if match:
-        return int(match.group(1).replace(',',''))
-    else:
-        return 0
+    # Try several patterns since YouTube's format changes:
+    #   "numVideosText":{"runs":[{"text":"1,234"},{"text":" videos"}]}
+    #   "stats":[..., {"runs":[{"text":"1,234"},{"text":" videos"}]}]
+    for pattern in (
+        r'"numVideosText".*?"text":\s*"([\d,]+)"',
+        r'"numVideosText".*?([\d,]+)\s*videos?',
+        r'"numVideosText".*?([,\d]+)',
+        r'([\d,]+)\s*videos?\s*</span>',
+    ):
+        match = re.search(pattern, response)
+        if match:
+            try:
+                return int(match.group(1).replace(',', ''))
+            except ValueError:
+                continue
+    # Fallback: unknown count
+    return 0
 def set_cached_number_of_videos(channel_id, num_videos):
     @cachetools.cached(number_of_videos_cache)
     def dummy_func_using_same_cache(channel_id):
@@ -425,24 +441,27 @@ def get_channel_page_general_url(base_url, tab, request, channel_id=None):
     page_number = int(request.args.get('page', 1))
     # sort 1: views
     # sort 2: oldest
-    # sort 4: newest - no shorts (Just a kludge on our end, not internal to yt)
+    # sort 3: newest (includes shorts, via UU uploads playlist)
+    # sort 4: newest - no shorts (uses channel Videos tab API directly, like Invidious)
     default_sort = '3' if settings.include_shorts_in_channel else '4'
     sort = request.args.get('sort', default_sort)
     view = request.args.get('view', '1')
     query = request.args.get('query', '')
     ctoken = request.args.get('ctoken', '')
-    include_shorts = (sort != '4')
     default_params = (page_number == 1 and sort in ('3', '4') and view == '1')
-    continuation = bool(ctoken) # whether or not we're using a continuation
+    continuation = bool(ctoken)
     page_size = 30
-    try_channel_api = True
     polymer_json = None
+    number_of_videos = 0
+    info = None
 
-    # Use the special UU playlist which contains all the channel's uploads
-    if tab == 'videos' and sort in ('3', '4'):
+    # -------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    # sort=3: use UU uploads playlist (includes shorts)
+    # -------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    if tab == 'videos' and sort == '3':
         if not channel_id:
             channel_id = get_channel_id(base_url)
-        if page_number == 1 and include_shorts:
+        if page_number == 1:
             tasks = (
                 gevent.spawn(playlist.playlist_first_page,
                              'UU' + channel_id[2:],
@@ -451,9 +470,6 @@ def get_channel_page_general_url(base_url, tab, request, channel_id=None):
             )
             gevent.joinall(tasks)
             util.check_gevent_exceptions(*tasks)
-
-            # Ignore the metadata for now, it is cached and will be
-            # recalled later
             pl_json = tasks[0].value
             pl_info = yt_data_extract.extract_playlist_info(pl_json)
             number_of_videos = pl_info['metadata']['video_count']
@@ -464,86 +480,70 @@ def get_channel_page_general_url(base_url, tab, request, channel_id=None):
         else:
             tasks = (
                 gevent.spawn(playlist.get_videos, 'UU' + channel_id[2:],
-                             page_number, include_shorts=include_shorts),
+                             page_number, include_shorts=True),
                 gevent.spawn(get_metadata, channel_id),
                 gevent.spawn(get_number_of_videos_channel, channel_id),
+                gevent.spawn(playlist.playlist_first_page, 'UU' + channel_id[2:],
+                             report_text='Retrieved channel video count'),
             )
             gevent.joinall(tasks)
             util.check_gevent_exceptions(*tasks)
-
             pl_json = tasks[0].value
             pl_info = yt_data_extract.extract_playlist_info(pl_json)
-            number_of_videos = tasks[2].value
+            first_page_meta = yt_data_extract.extract_playlist_metadata(tasks[3].value)
+            number_of_videos = (tasks[2].value
+                                or first_page_meta.get('video_count')
+                                or 0)
 
-        info = pl_info
-        info['channel_id'] = channel_id
-        info['current_tab'] = 'videos'
-        if info['items']:   # Success
+        if pl_info['items']:
+            info = pl_info
+            info['channel_id'] = channel_id
+            info['current_tab'] = 'videos'
             page_size = 100
-            try_channel_api = False
-        else:   # Try the first-page method next
-            try_channel_api = True
+        # else fall through to the channel browse API below
 
-    # Use the regular channel API
-    if tab in ('shorts', 'streams') or (tab=='videos' and try_channel_api):
+    # -------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    # Channel browse API: sort=4 (videos tab, no shorts), shorts, streams,
+    # or fallback when the UU playlist returned no items.
+    # Uses channel_ctoken_v5 per-tab tokens, mirroring Invidious's approach.
+    # Pagination is driven by the continuation token YouTube returns each page.
+    # -------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    used_channel_api = False
+    if info is None and (
+        tab in ('shorts', 'streams')
+        or (tab == 'videos' and sort == '4')
+        or (tab == 'videos' and sort == '3')   # UU-playlist fallback
+    ):
         if not channel_id:
             channel_id = get_channel_id(base_url)
+        used_channel_api = True
 
-        # For shorts/streams, use continuation token from cache or request
-        if tab in ('shorts', 'streams'):
-            if ctoken:
-                # Use ctoken directly from request (passed via pagination)
-                polymer_json = util.call_youtube_api('web', 'browse', {
-                    'continuation': ctoken,
-                })
-                continuation = True
-            elif page_number > 1:
-                # For page 2+, get ctoken from cache
-                cache_key = (channel_id, tab, sort, page_number - 1)
-                cached_ctoken = continuation_token_cache.get(cache_key)
-                if cached_ctoken:
-                    polymer_json = util.call_youtube_api('web', 'browse', {
-                        'continuation': cached_ctoken,
-                    })
-                    continuation = True
-                else:
-                    # Fallback: generate fresh ctoken
-                    page_call = (get_channel_tab, channel_id, str(page_number), sort, tab, int(view))
-                    continuation = True
-                    polymer_json = gevent.spawn(*page_call)
-                    polymer_json.join()
-                    if polymer_json.exception:
-                        raise polymer_json.exception
-                    polymer_json = polymer_json.value
+        # Determine what browse call to make
+        if ctoken:
+            browse_call = (util.call_youtube_api, 'web', 'browse',
+                           {'continuation': ctoken})
+            continuation = True
+        elif page_number > 1:
+            cache_key = (channel_id, tab, sort, page_number - 1)
+            cached_ctoken = continuation_token_cache.get(cache_key)
+            if cached_ctoken:
+                browse_call = (util.call_youtube_api, 'web', 'browse',
+                               {'continuation': cached_ctoken})
             else:
-                # Page 1: generate fresh ctoken
-                page_call = (get_channel_tab, channel_id, str(page_number), sort, tab, int(view))
-                continuation = True
-                polymer_json = gevent.spawn(*page_call)
-                polymer_json.join()
-                if polymer_json.exception:
-                    raise polymer_json.exception
-                polymer_json = polymer_json.value
+                # Cache miss — restart from page 1 (better than an error)
+                browse_call = (get_channel_tab, channel_id, '1', sort, tab, int(view))
+            continuation = True
         else:
-            # videos tab - original logic
-            page_call = (get_channel_tab, channel_id, str(page_number), sort,
-                         tab, int(view))
+            browse_call = (get_channel_tab, channel_id, '1', sort, tab, int(view))
             continuation = True
 
-        if tab == 'videos':
-            # Only need video count for the videos tab
-            if channel_id:
-                num_videos_call = (get_number_of_videos_channel, channel_id)
-            else:
-                num_videos_call = (get_number_of_videos_general, base_url)
-            tasks = (
-                gevent.spawn(*num_videos_call),
-                gevent.spawn(*page_call),
-            )
-            gevent.joinall(tasks)
-            util.check_gevent_exceptions(*tasks)
-            number_of_videos, polymer_json = tasks[0].value, tasks[1].value
-        # For shorts/streams, polymer_json is already set above, nothing to do here
+        # Single browse call; number_of_videos is computed from items actually
+        # fetched so we don't mislead the user with a total that includes
+        # shorts (which this branch is explicitly excluding for sort=4).
+        task = gevent.spawn(*browse_call)
+        task.join()
+        util.check_gevent_exceptions(task)
+        polymer_json = task.value
 
     elif tab == 'about':
         # polymer_json = util.fetch_url(base_url + '/about?pbj=1', headers_desktop, debug_name='gen_channel_about')
@@ -571,16 +571,16 @@ def get_channel_page_general_url(base_url, tab, request, channel_id=None):
     elif tab == 'search':
         url = base_url + '/search?pbj=1&query=' + urllib.parse.quote(query, safe='')
         polymer_json = util.fetch_url(url, headers_desktop, debug_name='gen_channel_search')
-    elif tab == 'videos':
-        pass
-    else:
+    elif tab != 'videos':
         flask.abort(404, 'Unknown channel tab: ' + tab)
 
-    if polymer_json is not None:
+    if polymer_json is not None and info is None:
         info = yt_data_extract.extract_channel_info(
             json.loads(polymer_json), tab, continuation=continuation
         )
 
+    if info is None:
+        return flask.render_template('error.html', error_message='Could not retrieve channel data')
     if info['error'] is not None:
         return flask.render_template('error.html', error_message=info['error'])
 
@@ -610,16 +610,40 @@ def get_channel_page_general_url(base_url, tab, request, channel_id=None):
             item.update(additional_info)
 
     if tab in ('videos', 'shorts', 'streams'):
-        if tab in ('shorts', 'streams'):
-            # For shorts/streams, use ctoken to determine pagination
+        # For any tab using the channel browse API (sort=4, shorts, streams),
+        # pagination is driven by the ctoken YouTube returns in the response.
+        # Cache it so the next page request can use it.
+        if info.get('ctoken'):
+            cache_key = (channel_id, tab, sort, page_number)
+            continuation_token_cache[cache_key] = info['ctoken']
+
+        # Determine is_last_page and final number_of_pages.
+        # For channel-API-driven tabs (sort=4, shorts, streams, UU fallback),
+        # YouTube doesn't give us a reliable total filtered count. So instead
+        # of displaying a misleading number (the total-including-shorts from
+        # get_number_of_videos_channel), we count only what we've actually
+        # paged through, and use the ctoken to know whether to show "next".
+        if used_channel_api:
             info['is_last_page'] = (info.get('ctoken') is None)
-            number_of_videos = len(info.get('items', []))
-            # Cache the ctoken for next page
+            items_on_page = len(info.get('items', []))
+            items_seen_so_far = (page_number - 1) * page_size + items_on_page
+
+            # Use accumulated count as the displayed total so "N videos" shown
+            # to the user always matches what they could actually reach.
+            number_of_videos = items_seen_so_far
+
+            # If there's more content, bump by 1 so the Next-page button exists
             if info.get('ctoken'):
-                cache_key = (channel_id, tab, sort, page_number)
-                continuation_token_cache[cache_key] = info['ctoken']
+                number_of_videos = max(number_of_videos,
+                                       page_number * page_size + 1)
+        # For sort=3 via UU playlist (used_channel_api=False), number_of_videos
+        # was already set from playlist metadata above.
+
         info['number_of_videos'] = number_of_videos
-        info['number_of_pages'] = math.ceil(number_of_videos/page_size) if number_of_videos else 1
+        info['number_of_pages'] = math.ceil(number_of_videos / page_size) if number_of_videos else 1
+        # Never show fewer pages than the page the user is actually on
+        if info['number_of_pages'] < page_number:
+            info['number_of_pages'] = page_number
         info['header_playlist_names'] = local_playlist.get_playlist_names()
     if tab in ('videos', 'shorts', 'streams', 'playlists'):
         info['current_sort'] = sort