diff --git a/lib/controls/audio_video/media_kit_av_control.dart b/lib/controls/audio_video/media_kit_av_control.dart
index 01ad83a..08e9800 100644
--- a/lib/controls/audio_video/media_kit_av_control.dart
+++ b/lib/controls/audio_video/media_kit_av_control.dart
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ class _MediaKitAvControlState extends State<MediaKitAvControl> {
   static final _logger = Logger('$MediaKitAvControl');
   final player = Player();
   VideoController? controller;
+  var needToOpen = true;
 
   @override
   void initState() {
@@ -30,17 +31,10 @@ class _MediaKitAvControlState extends State<MediaKitAvControl> {
     Future.microtask(() async {
       _logger.info('initializing');
       controller = await VideoController.create(player.handle);
-      if (!context.mounted) {
-        return;
+      _logger.info('initialized');
+      if (context.mounted) {
+        setState(() {});
       }
-      setState(() {});
-      _logger.info('opening player');
-      await player.open(Media(widget.videoUrl), play: false);
-      if (!context.mounted) {
-        return;
-      }
-      setState(() {});
-      _logger.info('done');
     });
   }
 
@@ -60,6 +54,11 @@ class _MediaKitAvControlState extends State<MediaKitAvControl> {
   }
 
   void toggleVideoPlay() async {
+    _logger.fine('Toggling play on: ${widget.videoUrl}');
+    if (needToOpen) {
+      await player.open(Media(widget.videoUrl), play: false);
+      needToOpen = false;
+    }
     player.playOrPause();
     setState(() {});
   }
diff --git a/lib/controls/audio_video/video_player_lib_av_control.dart b/lib/controls/audio_video/video_player_lib_av_control.dart
index 26845d0..8981b45 100644
--- a/lib/controls/audio_video/video_player_lib_av_control.dart
+++ b/lib/controls/audio_video/video_player_lib_av_control.dart
@@ -22,14 +22,12 @@ class VideoPlayerLibAvControl extends StatefulWidget {
 
 class _VideoPlayerLibAvControlState extends State<VideoPlayerLibAvControl> {
   late final VideoPlayerController videoPlayerController;
+  var needsToLoad = true;
 
   @override
   void initState() {
     super.initState();
-    videoPlayerController = VideoPlayerController.network(widget.videoUrl)
-      ..initialize().then((_) {
-        setState(() {});
-      });
+    videoPlayerController = VideoPlayerController.network(widget.videoUrl);
   }
 
   @override
@@ -44,7 +42,11 @@ class _VideoPlayerLibAvControlState extends State<VideoPlayerLibAvControl> {
     super.deactivate();
   }
 
-  void toggleVideoPlay() {
+  void toggleVideoPlay() async {
+    if (needsToLoad) {
+      await videoPlayerController.initialize();
+      needsToLoad = false;
+    }
     videoPlayerController.value.isPlaying
         ? videoPlayerController.pause()
         : videoPlayerController.play();