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 1e0325944..4c993a650 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
@@ -784,7 +784,10 @@ class PlayerFragment : Fragment(), OnlinePlayerOptions {
 
         // the app was put somewhere in the background - remember to not automatically continue
         // playing on re-creation of the app
-        requireArguments().putBoolean(IntentData.wasIntentStopped, true)
+        // only run if the re-creation is not caused by an orientation change
+        if (!viewModel.isOrientationChangeInProgress) {
+            requireArguments().putBoolean(IntentData.wasIntentStopped, true)
+        }
 
         super.onPause()
     }
@@ -813,7 +816,7 @@ class PlayerFragment : Fragment(), OnlinePlayerOptions {
 
             // the player could also be a different instance because a new player fragment
             // got created in the meanwhile
-            if (!viewModel.shouldUseExistingPlayer && viewModel.player == exoPlayer) {
+            if (!viewModel.isOrientationChangeInProgress && viewModel.player == exoPlayer) {
                 viewModel.player = null
                 viewModel.trackSelector = null
             }
@@ -848,7 +851,7 @@ class PlayerFragment : Fragment(), OnlinePlayerOptions {
             viewModel.nowPlayingNotification?.destroySelf()
             viewModel.nowPlayingNotification = null
 
-            if (!viewModel.shouldUseExistingPlayer) {
+            if (!viewModel.isOrientationChangeInProgress) {
                 exoPlayer.stop()
                 exoPlayer.release()
             }
@@ -931,7 +934,7 @@ class PlayerFragment : Fragment(), OnlinePlayerOptions {
             binding.sbSkipBtn.isGone = true
 
             // set media sources for the player
-            if (!viewModel.shouldUseExistingPlayer) initStreamSources()
+            if (!viewModel.isOrientationChangeInProgress) initStreamSources()
 
             if (PreferenceHelper.getBoolean(PreferenceKeys.AUTO_FULLSCREEN_SHORTS, false) &&
                 isShort && binding.playerMotionLayout.progress == 0f
@@ -990,7 +993,7 @@ class PlayerFragment : Fragment(), OnlinePlayerOptions {
                 exoPlayer.setPlaybackSpeed(1f)
             }
 
-            viewModel.shouldUseExistingPlayer = false
+            viewModel.isOrientationChangeInProgress = false
         }
     }
 
@@ -1670,7 +1673,7 @@ class PlayerFragment : Fragment(), OnlinePlayerOptions {
             }
             playerLayoutOrientation = orientation
 
-            viewModel.shouldUseExistingPlayer = true
+            viewModel.isOrientationChangeInProgress = true
             activity?.recreate()
         }
     }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/models/PlayerViewModel.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/models/PlayerViewModel.kt
index 180c09c1e..cf0dddb7f 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/models/PlayerViewModel.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/models/PlayerViewModel.kt
@@ -37,10 +37,11 @@ class PlayerViewModel : ViewModel() {
     var sponsorBlockConfig = PlayerHelper.getSponsorBlockCategories()
 
     /**
-     * Whether to continue using the current player
+     * Whether an orientation change is in progress, so that the current player should be continued to use
+     *
      * Set to true if the activity will be recreated due to an orientation change
      */
-    var shouldUseExistingPlayer = false
+    var isOrientationChangeInProgress = false
 
     val isMiniPlayerVisible = MutableLiveData(false)
     val isFullscreen = MutableLiveData(false)
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ class PlayerViewModel : ViewModel() {
      */
     suspend fun fetchVideoInfo(context: Context, videoId: String): Pair<Streams?, String?> =
         withContext(Dispatchers.IO) {
-            if (shouldUseExistingPlayer && streamsInfo != null) return@withContext streamsInfo to null
+            if (isOrientationChangeInProgress && streamsInfo != null) return@withContext streamsInfo to null
 
             streamsInfo = try {
                 RetrofitInstance.api.getStreams(videoId).apply {
@@ -75,7 +76,7 @@ class PlayerViewModel : ViewModel() {
         }
 
     suspend fun fetchSponsorBlockSegments(videoId: String) = withContext(Dispatchers.IO) {
-        if (sponsorBlockConfig.isEmpty() || shouldUseExistingPlayer) return@withContext
+        if (sponsorBlockConfig.isEmpty() || isOrientationChangeInProgress) return@withContext
 
         runCatching {
             segments =
@@ -88,7 +89,7 @@ class PlayerViewModel : ViewModel() {
 
     @OptIn(UnstableApi::class)
     fun keepOrCreatePlayer(context: Context): Pair<ExoPlayer, DefaultTrackSelector> {
-        if (!shouldUseExistingPlayer || player == null || trackSelector == null) {
+        if (!isOrientationChangeInProgress || player == null || trackSelector == null) {
             this.trackSelector = DefaultTrackSelector(context)
             this.player = PlayerHelper.createPlayer(context, trackSelector!!, false)
         }