diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/services/AbstractPlayerService.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/services/AbstractPlayerService.kt
index fdfc3623c..333d87594 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/services/AbstractPlayerService.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/services/AbstractPlayerService.kt
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ abstract class AbstractPlayerService : MediaLibraryService(), MediaLibrarySessio
                     onServiceCreated(args)
                     notificationProvider?.intentActivity = getIntentActivity()
 
-                    startPlayback()
+                    if (::videoId.isInitialized) startPlayback()
                 }
             }
             STOP_SERVICE_ACTION -> {
@@ -330,8 +330,6 @@ abstract class AbstractPlayerService : MediaLibraryService(), MediaLibrarySessio
         }
     }
 
-    fun isVideoIdInitialized() = this::videoId.isInitialized
-
     /**
      * Stop the service when app is removed from the task manager.
      */
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/services/OfflinePlayerService.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/services/OfflinePlayerService.kt
index f94db6549..85ffc63b6 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/services/OfflinePlayerService.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/services/OfflinePlayerService.kt
@@ -79,8 +79,6 @@ open class OfflinePlayerService : AbstractPlayerService() {
      * Attempt to start an audio player with the given download items
      */
     override suspend fun startPlayback() {
-        if (!isVideoIdInitialized()) return
-
         val downloadWithItems = withContext(Dispatchers.IO) {
             Database.downloadDao().findById(videoId)
         }!!
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/fragments/PlayerFragment.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/fragments/PlayerFragment.kt
index 49bf4f355..bf04d7c14 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/fragments/PlayerFragment.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/fragments/PlayerFragment.kt
@@ -566,7 +566,7 @@ class PlayerFragment : Fragment(), OnlinePlayerOptions {
         }
 
         binding.playImageView.setOnClickListener {
-            playerController.togglePlayPauseState()
+            if (::playerController.isInitialized) playerController.togglePlayPauseState()
         }
 
         activity?.supportFragmentManager
@@ -628,7 +628,7 @@ class PlayerFragment : Fragment(), OnlinePlayerOptions {
 
         binding.relPlayerBackground.setOnClickListener {
             // pause the current player
-            playerController.pause()
+            if (::playerController.isInitialized) playerController.pause()
 
             // start the background mode
             playOnBackground()