diff --git a/Jellyfin.Plugin.MediaBarEnhanced/Web/mediaBarEnhanced.js b/Jellyfin.Plugin.MediaBarEnhanced/Web/mediaBarEnhanced.js
index d61a956..9f99339 100644
--- a/Jellyfin.Plugin.MediaBarEnhanced/Web/mediaBarEnhanced.js
+++ b/Jellyfin.Plugin.MediaBarEnhanced/Web/mediaBarEnhanced.js
@@ -1741,7 +1741,14 @@ const SlideCreator = {
                   const slide = document.querySelector(`.slide[data-item-id="${itemId}"]`);
                   const isVideoPlayerOpen = document.querySelector('.videoPlayerContainer') || document.querySelector('.youtubePlayerContainer');
 
-                  if (slide && slide.classList.contains('active') && !document.hidden && (!isVideoPlayerOpen || isVideoPlayerOpen.classList.contains('hide'))) {                
+                  // Check _pendingPlay flag (set by playCurrentVideo when player wasn't ready yet)
+                  const container = document.getElementById(`youtube-player-${itemId}`);
+                  const hasPendingPlay = container && container._pendingPlay;
+                  if (container) container._pendingPlay = false;
+
+                  const isActiveAndVisible = slide && slide.classList.contains('active') && !document.hidden && (!isVideoPlayerOpen || isVideoPlayerOpen.classList.contains('hide'));
+
+                  if ((isActiveAndVisible || hasPendingPlay) && !STATE.slideshow.isPaused) {
                     event.target.playVideo();
                     
                     // Check if it actually started playing after a short delay (handling autoplay blocks)
@@ -2325,7 +2332,31 @@ const SlideshowManager = {
 
       // Manage Video Playback: Stop others, Play current
       this.pauseOtherVideos(currentItemId);
-      this.playCurrentVideo(currentSlide, currentItemId);
+
+      const hasVideoBackdrop = !!currentSlide.querySelector('.video-backdrop');
+
+      // If paused and new slide has video, un-pause for video playback.
+      // If paused and new slide has only images, stay paused.
+      if (STATE.slideshow.isPaused && hasVideoBackdrop) {
+        STATE.slideshow.isPaused = false;
+        const pauseButton = document.querySelector('.pause-button');
+        if (pauseButton) {
+          pauseButton.innerHTML = '<i class="material-icons">pause</i>';
+          const pauseLabel = LocalizationUtils.getLocalizedString('ButtonPause', 'Pause');
+          pauseButton.setAttribute('aria-label', pauseLabel);
+          pauseButton.setAttribute('title', pauseLabel);
+        }
+      }
+
+      if (!STATE.slideshow.isPaused) {
+        this.playCurrentVideo(currentSlide, currentItemId);
+      } else {
+        // Still update mute button visibility based on video presence
+        const muteButton = document.querySelector('.mute-button');
+        if (muteButton) {
+          muteButton.style.display = hasVideoBackdrop ? 'block' : 'none';
+        }
+      }
 
       const enableAnimations = MediaBarEnhancedSettingsManager.getSetting('slideAnimations', CONFIG.slideAnimationEnabled);
 
@@ -2744,6 +2775,13 @@ const SlideshowManager = {
       return true;
     }
 
+    // YouTube player not ready yet (still loading from preload) — mark for auto-play when onReady fires
+    if (videoBackdrop && videoBackdrop.id && videoBackdrop.id.startsWith('youtube-player-') && !player) {
+      console.log(`YouTube player for ${itemId} not ready yet, marking _pendingPlay`);
+      videoBackdrop._pendingPlay = true;
+      return true;
+    }
+
     return false;
   },