diff --git a/components/player/VideoPlayer.tsx b/components/player/VideoPlayer.tsx
index 2533090..4e22d0d 100644
--- a/components/player/VideoPlayer.tsx
+++ b/components/player/VideoPlayer.tsx
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ interface VideoPlayerProps {
 export function VideoPlayer({ playUrl, videoId, currentEpisode, onBack }: VideoPlayerProps) {
   const [videoError, setVideoError] = useState<string>('');
   const [useProxy, setUseProxy] = useState(false);
-  const [shouldAutoPlay, setShouldAutoPlay] = useState(false);
+  const [shouldAutoPlay, setShouldAutoPlay] = useState(true);
   // Use reactive hook to subscribe to history updates
   // This ensures the component re-renders when history is hydrated from localStorage
   const viewingHistory = useHistoryStore(state => state.viewingHistory);
diff --git a/components/player/hooks/desktop/usePlaybackControls.ts b/components/player/hooks/desktop/usePlaybackControls.ts
index 82762fb..2f5e74d 100644
--- a/components/player/hooks/desktop/usePlaybackControls.ts
+++ b/components/player/hooks/desktop/usePlaybackControls.ts
@@ -60,9 +60,12 @@ export function usePlaybackControls({
         if (!videoRef.current) return;
         setDuration(videoRef.current.duration);
         setIsLoading(false);
-        if (initialTime > 0) {
-            videoRef.current.currentTime = initialTime;
-        }
+
+        // Fix for stuck at 00:00:00:
+        // If initialTime is 0, we seek to a tiny offset to help the browser/HLS buffer start.
+        const startPosition = initialTime > 0 ? initialTime : 0.1;
+        videoRef.current.currentTime = startPosition;
+
         videoRef.current.play().catch((err: Error) => {
             console.warn('Autoplay was prevented:', err);
         });
diff --git a/components/player/hooks/mobile/useMobilePlaybackControls.ts b/components/player/hooks/mobile/useMobilePlaybackControls.ts
index 49e8fcd..6e2c201 100644
--- a/components/player/hooks/mobile/useMobilePlaybackControls.ts
+++ b/components/player/hooks/mobile/useMobilePlaybackControls.ts
@@ -75,9 +75,12 @@ export function useMobilePlaybackControls({
         if (!videoRef.current) return;
         setDuration(videoRef.current.duration);
         setIsLoading(false);
-        if (initialTime > 0) {
-            videoRef.current.currentTime = initialTime;
-        }
+
+        // Fix for stuck at 00:00:00:
+        // If initialTime is 0, we seek to a tiny offset to help the browser/HLS buffer start.
+        const startPosition = initialTime > 0 ? initialTime : 0.1;
+        videoRef.current.currentTime = startPosition;
+
         videoRef.current.play().catch((err: Error) => {
             console.warn('Autoplay was prevented:', err);
         });