diff --git a/pkg/service/soundtouchweb/device_projection.go b/pkg/service/soundtouchweb/device_projection.go
index 6e453c8c..e5e28b8f 100644
--- a/pkg/service/soundtouchweb/device_projection.go
+++ b/pkg/service/soundtouchweb/device_projection.go
@@ -52,6 +52,16 @@ type stereoPairMemberView struct {
 	Available bool   `json:"available"`
 }
 
+func stereoPairCapable(info *models.DeviceInfo) bool {
+	if info == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	typeName := strings.ToLower(strings.TrimSpace(info.Type))
+
+	return typeName == "st10" || typeName == "soundtouch 10"
+}
+
 // deviceViewSnapshot projects the physical registry into logical control
 // targets for the HTTP API and the global player WebSocket.
 func (app *WebApp) deviceViewSnapshot() map[string]deviceView {
diff --git a/pkg/service/soundtouchweb/websocket.go b/pkg/service/soundtouchweb/websocket.go
index 4ae50099..9df2b365 100644
--- a/pkg/service/soundtouchweb/websocket.go
+++ b/pkg/service/soundtouchweb/websocket.go
@@ -303,7 +303,13 @@ func (app *WebApp) UpdateDeviceStatus(_ string, conn *webtypes.DeviceConnection)
 		return
 	}
 
-	groupGeneration := conn.BeginGroupRefresh()
+	// /getGroup is ST10-only; ST20/ST30 may accept the request but never reply.
+	stereoCapable := stereoPairCapable(conn.DeviceInfo)
+
+	var groupGeneration uint64
+	if stereoCapable {
+		groupGeneration = conn.BeginGroupRefresh()
+	}
 
 	// Phase 1: slow network fetches. Local vars only, no shared state
 	// is touched yet. Errors are recorded so the merge below can tell
@@ -313,7 +319,15 @@ func (app *WebApp) UpdateDeviceStatus(_ string, conn *webtypes.DeviceConnection)
 	presets, presetsErr := conn.Client.GetPresets()
 	sources, sourcesErr := conn.Client.GetSources()
 	bass, bassErr := conn.Client.GetBass()
-	group, groupErr := conn.Client.GetGroup()
+
+	var (
+		group    *models.Group
+		groupErr error
+	)
+
+	if stereoCapable {
+		group, groupErr = conn.Client.GetGroup()
+	}
 
 	// Phase 2: fast merge. Only fields we successfully fetched
 	// overwrite; everything else keeps the value other goroutines may
@@ -346,7 +360,7 @@ func (app *WebApp) UpdateDeviceStatus(_ string, conn *webtypes.DeviceConnection)
 			statusUpdated = true
 		}
 
-		statusUpdated = statusUpdated || groupErr == nil
+		statusUpdated = statusUpdated || (stereoCapable && groupErr == nil)
 
 		// Mark as connected if we successfully got at least one
 		// status from this round. Mirrors prior behaviour.
@@ -354,7 +368,7 @@ func (app *WebApp) UpdateDeviceStatus(_ string, conn *webtypes.DeviceConnection)
 		s.LastActivity = time.Now()
 	})
 
-	if groupErr == nil {
+	if stereoCapable && groupErr == nil {
 		conn.ApplyPolledGroup(groupGeneration, group)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/service/soundtouchweb/websocket_test.go b/pkg/service/soundtouchweb/websocket_test.go
index 405ed00e..062ca494 100644
--- a/pkg/service/soundtouchweb/websocket_test.go
+++ b/pkg/service/soundtouchweb/websocket_test.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package soundtouchweb
 import (
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
+	"sync/atomic"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@ func TestUpdateDeviceStatusRefreshesGroup(t *testing.T) {
 	</group>`)
 	defer server.Close()
 
-	conn := webtypes.NewDeviceConnection(client.NewClientFromHost(server.URL), nil)
+	conn := webtypes.NewDeviceConnection(client.NewClientFromHost(server.URL), &models.DeviceInfo{Type: "SoundTouch 10"})
 	NewWebApp().UpdateDeviceStatus("device-1", conn)
 
 	status := conn.Status()
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ func TestUpdateDeviceStatusPreservesGroupOnError(t *testing.T) {
 	server := newStatusTestServer(t, http.StatusInternalServerError, "group unavailable")
 	defer server.Close()
 
-	conn := webtypes.NewDeviceConnection(client.NewClientFromHost(server.URL), nil)
+	conn := webtypes.NewDeviceConnection(client.NewClientFromHost(server.URL), &models.DeviceInfo{Type: "SoundTouch 10"})
 	existing := &models.Group{ID: "pair-old", Name: "Existing Pair"}
 	conn.SetStatus(&webtypes.DeviceStatus{Group: existing})
 
@@ -64,6 +65,51 @@ func TestUpdateDeviceStatusPreservesGroupOnError(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestUpdateDeviceStatusSkipsGroupForNonStereoModel(t *testing.T) {
+	var groupRequested atomic.Bool
+	server := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if r.URL.Path == "/getGroup" {
+			groupRequested.Store(true)
+			http.Error(w, "unsupported endpoint", http.StatusInternalServerError)
+
+			return
+		}
+
+		responses := map[string]string{
+			"/now_playing": `<nowPlaying source="STANDBY"><playStatus>STOP_STATE</playStatus></nowPlaying>`,
+			"/volume":      `<volume><targetvolume>10</targetvolume><actualvolume>10</actualvolume><muteenabled>false</muteenabled></volume>`,
+			"/presets":     `<presets/>`,
+			"/sources":     `<sources/>`,
+			"/bass":        `<bass><targetbass>0</targetbass><actualbass>0</actualbass></bass>`,
+		}
+		body, ok := responses[r.URL.Path]
+		if !ok {
+			http.NotFound(w, r)
+
+			return
+		}
+
+		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/xml")
+		_, _ = w.Write([]byte(body))
+	}))
+	defer server.Close()
+
+	for _, model := range []string{"SoundTouch 20", "SoundTouch 30"} {
+		t.Run(model, func(t *testing.T) {
+			conn := webtypes.NewDeviceConnection(client.NewClientFromHost(server.URL), &models.DeviceInfo{Type: model})
+			NewWebApp().UpdateDeviceStatus("device-1", conn)
+
+			if !conn.Status().IsConnected {
+				t.Fatal("successful ordinary status requests should mark a non-stereo model connected")
+			}
+		})
+	}
+
+	if groupRequested.Load() {
+		t.Fatal("UpdateDeviceStatus requested /getGroup for a non-stereo model")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestApplyGroupUpdatedEventReplacesGroup(t *testing.T) {
 	conn := webtypes.NewDeviceConnection(nil, nil)
 	previousActivity := time.Unix(1, 0)