diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/fragments/AudioPlayerFragment.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/fragments/AudioPlayerFragment.kt
index defd18f6e..ab0e87086 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/fragments/AudioPlayerFragment.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/fragments/AudioPlayerFragment.kt
@@ -93,6 +93,12 @@ class AudioPlayerFragment : Fragment(), AudioPlayerOptions {
             if (isOffline) OfflinePlayerService::class.java else OnlinePlayerService::class.java,
             bundleOf()
         ) {
+            if (_binding == null) {
+                it.sendCustomCommand(AbstractPlayerService.stopServiceCommand, Bundle.EMPTY)
+                it.release()
+                return@startMediaService
+            }
+
             playerController = it
             handleServiceConnection()
         }
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 fd45e59b5..49bf4f355 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
@@ -458,6 +458,12 @@ class PlayerFragment : Fragment(), OnlinePlayerOptions {
             VideoOnlinePlayerService::class.java,
             bundleOf(IntentData.playerData to playerData)
         ) {
+            if (_binding == null) {
+                playerController.sendCustomCommand(AbstractPlayerService.stopServiceCommand, Bundle.EMPTY)
+                playerController.release()
+                return@startMediaService
+            }
+
             playerController = it
             playerController.addListener(playerListener)
         }
@@ -847,11 +853,13 @@ class PlayerFragment : Fragment(), OnlinePlayerOptions {
 
         handler.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
 
-        playerController.removeListener(playerListener)
-        playerController.pause()
+        if (::playerController.isInitialized) {
+            playerController.removeListener(playerListener)
+            playerController.pause()
 
-        playerController.sendCustomCommand(AbstractPlayerService.stopServiceCommand, Bundle.EMPTY)
-        playerController.release()
+            playerController.sendCustomCommand(AbstractPlayerService.stopServiceCommand, Bundle.EMPTY)
+            playerController.release()
+        }
 
         if (PlayerHelper.pipEnabled) {
             // disable the auto PiP mode for SDK >= 32