diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/ui/playback/PlaybackViewModel.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/ui/playback/PlaybackViewModel.kt
index cc0866b3..8755500b 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/ui/playback/PlaybackViewModel.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/ui/playback/PlaybackViewModel.kt
@@ -405,6 +405,7 @@ class PlaybackViewModel
                         enableDirectStream = !forceTranscoding,
                     )
                     player.prepare()
+                    player.play()
 
                     this@PlaybackViewModel.chapters.value = Chapter.fromDto(base, api)
                     Timber.v("chapters=${this@PlaybackViewModel.chapters.value?.size}")
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/util/mpv/MpvPlayer.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/util/mpv/MpvPlayer.kt
index 5f47aaa9..9f1f738d 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/util/mpv/MpvPlayer.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/github/damontecres/wholphin/util/mpv/MpvPlayer.kt
@@ -103,8 +103,7 @@ class MpvPlayer(
         MPVLib.setOptionString("demuxer-max-back-bytes", "${cacheMegs * 1024 * 1024}")
 
         MPVLib.setOptionString("force-window", "no")
-        // need to idle at least once for playFile() logic to work
-        MPVLib.setOptionString("idle", "once")
+        MPVLib.setOptionString("idle", "yes")
         MPVLib.addObserver(this)
         MPVProperty.observedProperties.forEach(MPVLib::observeProperty)
 
@@ -201,6 +200,7 @@ class MpvPlayer(
         if (DEBUG) Timber.v("prepare")
         durationMs = 0L
         positionMs = -1L
+        playbackState = STATE_READY
     }
 
     override fun getPlaybackState(): Int {